reef knot

twenty-two

early update cause i probably won't have time to update tmr :<

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July 17, 2018, 8 p.m.

It's as if Yoongi never existed. 

His old number is no longer in use, and no one knows where he went. He could have stayed in Daegu, he could have brought his grandmother someplace else in Korea - or maybe he isn't even in Korea anymore. Judging from his intellect, it's probably either the second or third option.

As time passed, life got busier, and soon, I started thinking about Yoongi lesser and lesser. 

School resumed in the second week of January. Taehyung insisted on paying for all my school fees, and so to ease his financial burden, I enrolled myself into a neighborhood university even though it didn't offer much educational opportunities. 

However, the school was pretty far away from Taehyung's apartment (that eventually became my apartment as well), and so I got myself a room at a frat house in the university, so I could save travel time in the morning. 

Despite having secured a position in one of the most prestigious med schools in Seoul, Taehyung decided to give up his slot and enroll into the same university as me, just so he could look out for me better. 

After Yoongi left, Taehyung became the one constantly taking care of me and protecting me, as if it were his unspoken promise to my green-haired ex-bodyguard. He applied for a room too, but got assigned to a different frat house instead. Nevertheless, he would make the effort to stop by at least once a day just to check on how I'm doing, regardless of how busy he was. 

The only days that we don't see each other are when either of us go overseas - which is pretty seldom - or when I don't feel like seeing him - which is pretty seldom too. 

Gradually, my feelings for Yoongi fade, though I still miss him a ton. I brought the unicorn, EXO album and Baekhyun standee to my frat room when I first moved in, but decided to leave his cassette in Taehyung's apartment. Too many tears whenever I listen to it. 

Soon, a month passes, then two, and before I know it, it's already been one and a half years.

I never see Hoseok and Namjoon again - I heard Hoseok went to some dance school in Gwangju, while Namjoon miraculously got accepted into Harvard on a scholarship. Without the help of his two most worthy underlings, Jung Minho didn't dare come after us again, and it seems that that would be the last we would ever see of our worst enemy. 

Jungkook and Seokjin call from time to time, promising to visit soon, though 'soon' never came. I can understand though; they're probably really busy. Jungkook's still a sophomore like me, while Seokjin's undergoing training in the world's most famous culinary school. I'm really happy for them though - at least their lives of violence and bloodshed are gone. 

Meanwhile, Jimin got himself a girlfriend - apparently a colleague from work - which means he calls me even seldom than he used to. I hear from him only once every two months, or maybe even less. Not that I mind; I probably wouldn't have the time to talk much either even if he did call. 

And Taehyung is... still the same old Taehyung, I guess.

"GUESS WHO BROUGHT TEN PINTS OF ICE-CREAM!" he exclaims, barging into the room without even a slightest knock.  

I groan, slightly fidgeting in my position on the mattress as I curl my chest even closer to my knees. My hand squeezes my pelvic area, and judging from my look of extreme discomfort, Taehyung can probably already tell what's up. 

"Oh no," his voice is soft, almost fearful, "not this again." 

"Hey, can you do me a favor?" I ask him gently, voice constrained.