bikers & beaches | tk ✓

❧18

❧ Unburying the Unhealed ❧

Taehyung pushed into the front door of the diner, the small bell jingling as the lit room greeted him. The chairs were already up on the tables, floor mopped clean. He heard the sink running and his eyes caught the old man cleaning when he rounded the corner.

"Hey, Mr.Tuan."

The sink shut off abruptly, the named man whirling around to acknowledge him. "Taehyung, you're here early."

"Nah," he chuckled, grabbing the stray cleaning rag and moving to wipe down the counter. "Jeongguk's just late."

"Ah. Smoothie?"

"Nah, not tonight. Jimin ate plenty of ice cream with me to cheer up just a bit ago."

Mr.Tuan nodded and switched to drying off the glasses he'd just been rinsing. "How is everything? I heard about what happened with Hoseok this afternoon."

"Hasn't really talked to me, but I hope he'll come around." Taehyung scraped off a dried patch of blueberry guts from the counter and continued on. "How was the evening rush?"

"Fairly relaxed today, which was nice. Are you alright, son?"

"I'm fine. I just don't understand why Hoseok's so upset." He admitted. "Sure, Yoongi kicked me, it hurt, but not enough for Hyung to get so mad."

"Maybe bring it up when he's ready to talk." The elder stacked the glasses and tucked them into the corner of the counter. "I'm positive he'll be honest with you."

"Will he, though?"

"What does that mean, Taehyung?"

"I can lie to a lot more easily than I thought," he pointed out. "Who's to say Hoseok can't and won't?"

"He won't hold a grudge against you without a valid reason." Mr.Turn shook his head, taking the rag from him and waving him off. "Hoseok loves you, Tae. He's clearly just mad at those boys like usual and it rubbed off wrong."

"He does trust me. He's just looking out for me." He drew small circles on the counter. "Makes me feel bad."

"Do you think they would understand if you told them?" The elder's eyes met him, full of seriousness that made Taehyung swallow thickly. "If you explained that Jeongguk's helping you, that you're friends. Separate him from their wrongdoings."

Taehyung's lips curved down, heart drumming in his chest. "Honestly, Mr.Tuan, I don't think that's as easy as you're making it seem. They've only ever seen the frustrating side of Jeongguk. M'sure it makes imagining anything else difficult."

"You did it."

"I had an incentive to dig deeper. He saved my life. Hyungs don't have any reason to not judge him when they want nothing to do with him."

"But if they knew you were acquainted with Jeongguk, maybe they'd think differently about him."

"What if they think differently of me?"

The words were spoken in a hushed manner, cracking slightly at the nervousness of hurting years of friendship. But it was exactly that. Years of friendship. Years of trust and love that overruled judgement in a heartbeat.

"Don't think so little of the people who care for you most, Taehyung." Mr.Tuan tutted, walking around the counter and sitting beside him. Taehyung smiled softly as the man took his hand. "Think about it. They have good reason to be fed up with those bikers, but they have better reasons to trust you."

"I guess I'll try asking Hoseok Hyung. And I'll think about it," Taehyung mumbled, straightening on the bar stool and shifting side to side.

He wasn't sure how much he believed his own words. He didn't think it would end well, no matter what Mr.Tuan said to him. Taehyung doubted he would say a word to them, but the implications of that secret dragging on gnawed at him.