Silent Voice | Taehyung ✓

9 » memories

flashbacks | high school

KWON CHAERIN.

I felt a nudge on my arm which fetch me back to reality. I've been spacing out a lot these days at school, because that's literally the only thing I could do to kill times before getting tortured again with pile of homework and tuition once the dismissal bell rang.

My youth days weren't being well-spent. It was all about studying and repeating the same cycle every single day. Sometimes I had a thought about rebelling and do whatever I wanted to do, but the consequences would be too much.

"What is it, Taehyung?" I spun my body to face him and he just shoved some papers to me. They were being clipped into one neatly.

I tilted my head in confusion before taking it from his hands and began flipping through each pages. My eyes almost popped from its sockets once I saw the contents. It was our group project and he'd finished it just in one day. It awed me how he diligent he was. I may be a honour student, but procrastinating was still in my dictionary. I'm that one person who finishes a work day one before the submission.

And this might sound very dramatic, but I honestly feel like crying tears of happiness because I finally got someone who's not a human parasite. Usually the teacher would pair me with the notorious student―like Jaeho and his comrades―with hope that I could help them to do the work. In the end, they didn't do anything at all.

"Is this okay? I mean, I didn't contribute anything to help," I asked.

Taehyung shook his head with a smile and gave a thumbs up. My heart somewhat melted at the sight. It reminded me of that day when we first had an actual interaction at the playground.

I smiled in return but soon it dropped. I began contemplating whether should I ask him if he still remember me or not. Oh well, let's just take the chance because I don't want to run away anymore.

"T―Taehyung, do you still remember me? I'm your old classmate back then in primary school," I finally asked and clutched the edge of my skirt and bit the bottom of lips. The amount of nervousness for asking this question equals to the feelings you feel during job interviews, or maybe when you're having an oral test with that killer teacher.

Taehyung took out a notebook and wrote something on the first page. 'Of course I do! You're that Chaerin who's close with Jimin, right?' He showed me his writings while smiling.

His handwriting has improved a lot.

I nodded gleefully as an answer and he grinned at me. "Taehyung, after all these years, I've been wanting to apologize to you. Please forgive me for what I did in the past." When the sentence was finished, I felt the heavy weight in my chest had been lifted up.  Not all of them, but at least the apology that I owe him for years had been delivered.

Taehyung tilted his head and wrote on his book again. 'What for? You didn't do anything wrong, Chaerin. I know you didn't say those words sincerely. You were forced by Jaeho, the metaphor of living demon.' It read and I was shocked the fact that he knew.

"Then, have you forgive me now?" My eyes widened and I felt excitement spread across my chest.

He nodded and wrote down his answer again. 'Chaerin, apology isn't needed when there's no mistake in the first place. I may have disabilities, but my eyes still can see everything well, my heart can feel too. Eyes speak truth. Chaerin and the others classmates except Jaeho and his comrades are actually kind!'

Deep down, I know what kind of nasty things I'd done, yet Taehyung didn't even count it as a 'mistake'. Then I wonder what is the definition of the word mistake for him?

"Then do you still remember the day when you saw me crying at the playground?" I asked again and he nodded.

'That day your eyes screamed for help, that's why I approached you.'

And I'm glad you do.

I smiled, "Taehyung, no matter what you say, I still know what I did to you was so wrong. So once again, I'm sorry," I apologized again since apologies actually wouldn't be enough.

'As I told you, what Chaerin did wasn't a mistake! Stop blaming yourself.' He showed me that and cutely pouted at me.

I chuckled at his childish act and asked, "Then what is mistake for TaeTae?" Didn't know why, but that nickname just rolled off of my tongue smoothly. It somehow suits his pouty lips.

'Myself.' He wrote.