Acquaintances | KookV FF

Chapter 17 - 'Anger, sadness, hatred...'

"I will be fine, I'm not a baby, hyung." I pinch his side smiling widely at him.

"Well, see you at lunch. Let's meet in the cafeteria at 1 o'clock, ok? See you later." He says as he waves me goodbye and runs down the hallway to his next class. 

"Bye hyung." I wave him goodbye and then turn around to exit the college building. Well, it's 11 am now so I have two hours till lunch. I will just search for jobs that are next to the university campus so it's easy to reconcile with my classes. I know I don't need a job right now. The money I saved is enough to survive at least two years of college, but what if something comes up? We never know what may happen so it's better to save more money for unexpected situations. 

After walking for five minutes, I finally enter the first coffee shop and guess what is the name? Starbucks! Why do I feel like Starbucks follows me wherever I go? Anyway, let's see if I get the job.

Looks like Starbucks is not hiring right now, so next shop... Shop after shop and no one is hiring right now. I'm so exhausted and mentally tired, I just want a job! 

Well, this is the last coffee shop that I will see today because it's already 12:30 pm and I can't be late for lunch. 'Foodie for Gummies'. Well, this place has a rather interesting name. I laugh as I enter the place, I guess it must be a fast food restaurant. As soon as I reach the counter, I stop laugh noticing people already looking at me like I'm a weirdo. 

A girl with brown long straight hair and blue contact lenses goes to the back of the counter as soon as I get there. She is really thin and really pretty, all the boys must look at her. 

"Good afternoon, what will you order?" She says giving me a small smile.

"Good afternoon. Actually I was looking to work here. I saw on the door that you're hiring." I smile back and the girl slightly frowns.

"Oh yes, we are hiring. I will call the manager, wait a minute." She turns around and walks to the kitchen. After some time, she comes with an old and tall man, I guess he is the manager.

"Come with me." He motions for me to follow him to one of the booths. We sit and the girl places two cups of coffee on the table.

He asks me a lot of things about me and my life and after fifteen minutes he says. "You are hired. You start working tomorrow in the schedule we agreed to." He said and I bow down for him, then he went to where he came.

I can't believe I already got a part-time job and I will work after classes, so it won't disturb my studies. I can't wait to tell my hyungs. I bid goodbye to the girl and then got out.

It's 12:50 pm so I have to be quick to reach college. I walk rather fast through the university campus mumbling 'sorry's' to the persons I try to pass by. I can already see my hyungs waiting for me on the cafeteria entrance. I run towards them and wrap my arms around them.

"Oh someone is really happy today." Jin says as he pinches my cheek making cute noises.

"Well, I just got hired in a restaurant nearby college so it's pretty good." I clap my hands together while I jump making me look like an idiot but I don't care. Yoongi pats my back and says "I'm happy for you but don't overwork yourself, ok?" 

"I'm happy for you Tae, but like Yoongi said don't work too much and focus on your studies, ok?" Jin says as he gives me a small smile.

"I know hyungs, it's just a part-time job and it won't influence my classes and studies. It's fine." I give them my boxy smile and they almost coo at me. They really think I'm a baby, it's frustrating but good at the same time. 

"I'm so hungry, so let's eat." I say as I excitedly walk to the cafeteria, my hyungs behind me.

I look at the diverse food displayed on the cafeteria and I'm amazed by the food. I don't even know what I will choose to eat. So I guess I will choose some rice, kimchi, stir-fried noodles and some gimbap. Weird combination but I don't care. It's free so what do you expect me to do? Eat only rice? Hell no! My hyungs choose some rice, noodles and kimchi. We walk through the tables until I sat in one on the corner. It's a little bit quiet here so it's fine.

"Woah Tae, you are really hungry." Jin laughs at the way I'm munching, more like devouring me food.

"I'm h-hung-ry." I manage to say through a mouth full of rice and kimchi.

"Don't talk while you eat, you might choke." Yoongi hyung says as he pats my back seeing that I'm struggling to swallow my food.
"I told you." He frowns as he looks at my red cheeks, probably because I almost choked seconds ago.

"I'm sorry." I look down grabbing more rice with my chopsticks.

"Be careful Tae." Yoongi chuckles at how cute I was being.

"Such a baby, my cute baby." Jin coos at my attempt to make an angry face.

"I'm not a cute baby, well I'm cute but not a baby." I giggle and hide my face with my hands. Jin pokes my side and giggles with me. Such a happy time with my hyungs but you know...happy times only last a fraction of time with me so...

My smile fades away, my heart clenches on my chest and my hands turn into fists. Anger, sadness, hatred is what I'm feeling right now.

Sometimes I ask myself if my life can get worse than it already is. The truth is my life right now is stabilized and my heart is healed now, but wounds can be opened and your life can take turns and turns. So what is good can turn bad in seconds. That's what I realised now. I realised that my life might turn bad again, that my heart will hurt again and my body will be wounded again.

But there's something different this time. I'm not the same Taehyung, the stupid faggot and the same boy who was beaten everyday at 6:35 pm after school, behind the school building. I'm not the same boy who was beaten till I coughed blood and my legs felt like jelly making it difficult for me to walk. I'm not the same oblivious boy who fell in love at first sight with a person who made him heartbroken. I'm not the same weak, helpless and bruised boy.

I'm Kim Taehyung, the 19 year old boy who survived it all and won't let anyone put me back on that place. I'm not afraid anymore.

"Hyungs, I will go to the restroom and be back quick." I say as I get up and walk away smiling at them and they do the same.

"Everything is ok Taehyung. You are strong and a better person. Don't let them mess with your mind, ok? Be strong!" I say to myself as I look into the mirror splashing my face with water.

"Taehyung being strong? That's new to me haha."
I turn around to see from who that voice was and well, I wish I didn't turn around.

"Sang Cheol." I say in a cold tone and furrowed brows.

"Did you miss me? Because I did, especially my fist in your face. Good times we had together." He says laughing and smirking.

"Fuck you."