Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
》》》》
July 12th
2020
- THE NEXT DAY-
"Nope, not that one. Put it back." Taehyung had been helping me pick out my outfit for today's shift. For some reason, I wanted to look good and I never really knew how much of a struggle getting ready was until today.
"Ugh. This shirt is a bit too tight don't you think?" I said, holding up the pink button-up shirt that had cute white buttons along the middle. We had been in an endless rotation of shirts and pants that started to all look and feel the same to me.
Tae tilted his head and squinted his eyes. "No, I think it fits your personality." I chuckled and took off the shirt that I had on to try the one I held up. My straightened hair getting ruffled and frizzed in the process.
"Cute, sexy, lovely." Tae rose up from his spot on the edge of the bed, flipping his vibrant blue hair back. I knitted my brows together in confusion. The smooth fabric squeezing my biceps and torso while he buttoned it.
"As if, it's more like weird, timid, and--"
"In love?" I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I should've known this was coming. "Not in love actually." I brushed off Taehyung's persistence with him trying to convince me that I'm in love with Jungkook for the hundredth time this morning. Yes, I've kissed him and it was... Okay. Well a little more than okay, but I'm not used to feeling like... That so it's... I don't wanna think about it.
"It's denial time already? When were you gonna warn me?" Once the shirt was buttoned I flattened out the creases in the to present myself to Taehyung. I smiled in order to make myself feel a little better about the look.
"Hm, so you kiss him twice and you still don't feel anything? That's impossible because you said yesterday that you enjoyed it. You also told him that he was hot. I didn't think you'd admit it." I felt that same tingling feeling go up to my spine when I remembered how that night ended.
"H-he wanted to kiss me. I couldn't help it. He was so close..." I swiped my tongue over my bottom lip as if it were to taste his lips again.
"And you kissed him cause you wanted him to. Turn around, ooh! Your waist looks amazing! Nicki who? I'm jealous." I laughed loudly and did a spin.
"Tae, be honest is it weird?" I blurted once I have fully turned around. There was a weird silence before that, and I wanted to break it badly.
Tae raised an eyebrow. "What's weird?"
I huffed loudly, not really wanting to explain any further. I folded my arms and shrugged. "I just-- I feel so weird around him now. And he's been acting differently too."
"Well, don't you think a guy whom you've kissed twice might have some feelings for you? He wanted to kiss you just as much as you wanted to kiss him. Face it, you're falling in love, Min." I swallowed at the certainty in Taehyung's in his voice. It was like he could predict the future right before my eyes, and I was too dull to see.
"Well, not love- love right? I'm not like-- No, I can't be. My eomma would kill me if I dated anyone to distract me from my dream, Tae." He rubbed his palm over his face and massaged his temples. He turned and sat back in his original spot, patting the space next to him.
I sat down quietly and waited for his response.
"Min, you're nineteen. That hag can't control what you do with your life anymore. If you want to run off into the sunset with rude-hottie, you should be able to."
I shook my head. "I can't get too distracted. I just began getting along with Jungkook and adapting. W-well maybe a bit too much I guess." I whispered the end, referring to the dramatic and almost unexplainable events that have occurred over the past week.
"No, no, we're not doing this again. You-are-doing-fine. Your eomma has just been brainwashing you all your life." My face twisted at Tae's comment. Brainwashing? Is he serious? "Really, is that what you think?" I questioned.
He looked over to me with wide eyes and nods. "It's what I know. You've always spent your life trying to be the best at everything. The best son, the best Hyung, the best employee..."
"It's who I am." I frowned and replied.
"It's not how you're going to stay if I have anything to do with it. You know, you can always just... Take a leap of faith and see what happens. Life is supposed to be enjoyable, Min." I sat there quietly and let Tae's words sink in.
Am I brainwashed? I know that being the best at everything isn't really possible, but it's what I've been told to aim for my entire life. It's what I am. "Don't you think I know that, Tae? I'm trying my best to hold it together until August. Then I don't have to deal with this distraction any longer. My eomma will be happy, and I can finally make her proud. That's all I want." Tae just shook his head at me. His eyes were filled with sorrow.
"Listen Min, I'm trying to help you while I can. Please listen to me." While he can? What does he mean by that?
"H-uh? What do you mean 'while you can'... You're not going anywhere a-are you?" Tae didn't respond immediately, and I suspected something-- that is currently going unsaid-- was up with him. Lately, I've been getting mixed signals here and there from Tae. Scattered throughout our conversations there is always this void that has yet to be filled.
"I... It doesn't matter. You look great. We should head out, so you won't be late." He stood up from the bed and strutted toward the door. His legs seemingly moved faster than usual when he had to leave the house. It's usually the other way around. What was going on with him?
I got up and grabbed my apron, and the phone from behind me that was laid out on the bed for easy access. I jogged to the door of my bedroom where he stood and threw on my apron in a rush.
"No, seriously Tae, what're you talking about? Y-you're not gonna leave me or anything right? Tae answer! You're scaring me!" I shouted helplessly, as Taehyung walked down the stairs.
He stopped and turned to look at me. "I would never leave you, Jimin. You'll always be my best friend. I just want you to stop blocking all of the good things coming your way because of your damn eomma or some clingy nerd brother of yours. Live your life the way you want."
"I don't know what I want yet, Tae." He smirked and turned to continue walking down the stairs. So did I, until we reached the bottom and we were looking into the living room at the front door.
"You're just not comfortable admitting it yet. But you'll get there with time, I guess. C'mon, we gotta go now." I cracked a small faint smile and followed Tae out of the door and to his car which was parked nicely in the driveway.
Except it wasn't his car.
It was his eomma's.
I raised my eyebrow as we trekked to the white Benz that Mrs. Kim usually drove that was now in possession of Taehyung. He unlocked the door and I began to voice my thoughts clearly.
"Uh- this is your eomma's car... How'd you get the keys? Aren't they on a business trip in Busan?" Tae ignored my questions and got inside the driver's seat. I tilted my head in confusion at Tae's sudden silence.
Nevertheless, I sat in the passenger's seat and buckled up. "Tae, what's going on? Are your parents back? Is that way you're acting like this?" He started up the car and pulled it out of park to reverse onto the street. While he drove forward, he diligently kept his eyes ahead on the road.
"Yes, they got back a few days ago. It's not a big deal. I just-- you know how things are when they're around. I'm basically thin air. I don't give a shit about them. They don't give a shit about me. That's how it works." Tae's acerbated tone didn't shock me as he spoke about his parents. He never liked to talk about them much when we hung out. But when he did, it always ended up with some sort of slander or insult thrown in the description.
