METANOIA | TK

Chapter Seven

People might think metanoia is boring or that the plot isn't a lot but I planned this book to be a real life story.

Love isn't easy in real life and people have deeper emotions that sometimes get in the way. I wanted metanoia to portray such emotions and the hardships some people feel when it comes to them or love. Not everyone gets to experience love in their lives and not everyone is ready for it when it finally comes.

Love, its concept, is much deeper than we think so I wanted to just analyze it freely through this book.

It will be sad, emotional, boring, but it will be meaningful for me and, hopefully, for you.

I really hope you don't find it boring

Enjoy!

•

Jungkook follows Namjoon's advice without even realizing and he ends up driving towards the same gallery only a few days later, not knowing why he's feeling like that is the right thing to do. Maybe it's because that art gallery has made him experience a multitude of emotions while everything else surrounding him couldn't, maybe he wants to just feel something again, to stare at paintings and try to interpret the emotions behind them. He doesn't know but he also doesn't have anything better to do to eradicate the loneliness longing inside him.

When he steps foot inside, he expects it to be deserted, with only a few people there since it's quite late, the sky already gaining a darker shade of purple. However, the gallery that encircles the theatre is packed, probably because of a certain new play. Jeongguk doesn't stay around to find out, walking towards the endless rows of paintings, slowing down only when he finds himself sitting in the center of the quiet room. Unlike the other one, the gallery is quiet, with the few people walking around whispering to preserve the nice atmosphere, something Jeongguk appreciates because he loathes commotion and crowds.

There are some fresh paintings on the walls but most of them are older, Jeongguk being able to recognize the colors and swatches of different colors. He walks around, reading the titles of the paintings, smiling as he does so. They're all glorious, their titles being so enthralling and unique that Jeongguk feels like he could buy them only to hear someone read them out loud.

He halts in front of a larger one, the canvas taking almost all of the wall's space on its own. It's painted in cold hues, blue in different shades, but what catches his attention is the flicker of light that comes from the shadowy house painted behind some trees. It's golden, blazing through the window and letting its light fall onto the trees near it. Jeongguk feels warmth spread through him as he stares at it, his eyes focusing on the title and the short description written in cursive letters under

"Hiraeth; longing for home."

Jeongguk believes he understands that painting, at least a part of it. The light coming from the house hidden behind the trees, for him, means warmth, something you can only find if you're looking hard enough, something that can seem so trivial but that's so meaningful to some people. The colors are cold but Jeongguk's body feels warm as he stares, and stares, doing so until he feels his legs starting to shiver due to exhaustion.

It's not only a good painting, it's a masterpiece, it's something that makes his body bloom with emotion, a feeling he hasn't felt in a while.

He turns around to leave, stepping away from the painting before he recklessly buys it, gazing at the others on his way. At the front desk, talking to the same woman from before, Jeongguk notices the man from the restaurant. He finds himself walking towards the desk before he can stop his body from moving.

The woman raises her head, the man next to her doing so as well, then they fall quiet as their attention is drawn to him.

"Hello, may I help you?" She inquires, a delicate smile spread on her face and Jeongguk thinks she seems nicer now.

"I'd like to make another purchase."

The woman seems to recognize him then, her eyes widening before she steps outside the desk, telling the man to wait for her as they both walk farther from the front desk. "Which painting would you like to purchase?"

Jeongguk's eyes are focused on the man behind the woman, who is not looking at them, instead reading through some papers he's holding in his hands but his attention is brought back to the receptionistwhen she raises her question. "The one named Hiraeth; longing for home." He answers quite bluntly.

The woman raises her brows at that. "Oh, I'm afraid that piece isn't up for sale. You could look around more if you'd like, maybe another one will catch your eye."

Jeongguk smiles softly at that, not planning to look around more since he didn't even wish to buy them for himself. He bows towards the receptionist, turning towards the man afterward, smiling as a sign of recognition when he sees that his eyes are focused on him before turning around to leave.

He makes it out but he hears the door opening behind him and he already has a feeling of who it might be. Jeongguk barely turns around, making eye contact with the man, both of them staring at each other for a few seconds before the other laughs awkwardly.

"Well, this is awkward. Uhm, I wanted to apologize for last time. I didn't mean to assume that you're cold and stagnant but, to be honest, you have that look on you." He mutters quietly, his voice as soft as a whisper, merging with the silence just like the last time they've talked.

Jeongguk thinks his voice is mesmerizing in a unique way, calm but having strength hidden behind it.

His lips twist upwards in a smile as he contemplates the man's expressive face. "Everything's fine, don't worry about it."

The other flashes a smile as he walks closer, not wanting to stand in the way of other people who wished to either enter or leave the building, Jeongguk realizing that they're almost the same height.

The man moves to the side, gazing behind him when a woman walks out the door, then turns his attention back to Jeongguk. "We never got to introduce each other and we've been meeting a lot." Taking a break, he seems to ponder for a few seconds before finally saying. "I'm Taehyung."

Taehyung's eyes sparkle as he looks at him smiling, bowing in front of him. Jeongguk does the same, his hands buried deep in his coat as he introduces himself as well. "Jeongguk, nice to officially meet you."

Something in the boy's face shifts after hearing his name but Jeongguk doesn't give it much thought, taking his hand out and peering at his watch. It's late and he still has to finish a lot of projects so he looks up, meeting Taehyung's hazel eyes, the other looking at him like he's on the verge of saying something. Jeongguk realizes that the boy isn't going to let his words out and he doesn't exactly have all the time in the world either.

"I have to go back to work." He explains, watching as realization strikes the other. "I got caught up here and lost track of time."

Taehyung nods, his eyes still on him as he turns around to leave. "Wait," he calls after a few seconds, Jeongguk turning around to glance at him. "this is sudden but can we exchange numbers? I'm still embarrassed by the other night and a coffee would be a great way of apologizing."

Jeongguk smiles, completely aware that Taehyung is using their former meeting as a decoy, but he accepts anyway, registering his number under his name.

When he finally takes his leave, Taehyung stares after him with furrowed brows, his phone held tightly in his hand.