Stranger Land - (KTH)

73. Coffee Chat

"Ladies first." Hoseok said as he sipped on his latte.

"Ok. Um I guess I owe you a lot of explanation?" Maya raised her brows, not sure where should she even begin with.

"How about you start from the first time you met Taehyung? It didn't seem to me like you guys knew each other from the VC project. To be honest, I felt like you guys knew each other for a very long time."

Hosoek placed his cup down, leaned in with both his elbows folded on the table, waiting for Maya to speak up. He wasn't angry nor was he being pushy, he was calm and collected but a certain sternness in his voice was clearly evident.

"You're right. I knew him before. 8 years ago when I went to NYU as a transfer."

Maya pressed her lips in a thin line, giving out a weak smile before she continued further breaking all the details from then till the night before.

"M-Maya, I-I..."

It was about an hour of hearing the narration by Maya which drove Hoseok to the wall. He was baffled. Certainly wasn't expecting this drop of a bomb from Maya. He was expecting an old acquaintance or lovers to be the worse but he certainly wasn't expecting a child to be part of it.

"Hoseok, I know. It's a lot to take in, it's not a story you probably were expecting but it is what it is. Things are complicated between me and Tae."

"Maya, you could have told me about this the time when you agreed to have me court you." Hoseok hissed.

"I wasn't expecting things to turn out this way between me and Tae. I didn't want him in my life anymore Hobi. I was perplexed and in fact shock to death when I saw him at Seoul."

Hoseok listened. His eyes now darker as it stares into Maya's soft brown orbs. He was feeling the rage, not sure why.

"I didn't purposely ran after him and at the same time pursued you Hobi. I didn't. I really liked you."

Liked me. Hoseok chuckled. Very bitterly catching on the past tense while Maya didn't seem to notice what she really said.

"Hoseok please. Don't make this tough on me as well. I'm terribly sorry but I'm here coz I think you deserve to know the truth."

"Was he the reason you were so insecure about yourself and refused me when I wanted to date you couple years back?"

Maya nodded. In fact she never went on a serious date or thought about being in a relationship coz she was still broken from the past.

"I was terrified when I lost my mom, when I lost my baby, when I lost V. I didn't want to lose another person who walks into my life with so much love and care."

She felt embarrassed for admitting it but she now feel petty for being so insecure on such matters.

"Maya, do not let yourself down or condemn yourself for how you feel. I've always told you to love yourself, in fact the reason I love you is coz how kind and selfless you are. You make me want to love myself."

Maya's eye widened, did he just said he loves her?

"Before you boggle your eyes out, I know what I said Maya. I said I love you. I'm not scared to admit, you should know it by now."

A single drop of tear escaped her eyes, covering her face with a lot of shame and guilt. She just broke another heart.

"Hobi, I don't know how to say this."

"That you like me but you can't love me like you love Tae so you wanna end our courting?"

Maya looked up to the smiling boy, holding so much pain in his eyes but still offered her a very genuine smile.

"Why do you have to be so nice?" Maya wiped away her tears. She can't bear to face Hobi.

"I told you since the beginning Maya. This is how I feel about you, you're free to make a choice on your own."

Hosoek swallowed a huge lump on his throat as he said those words.

"Hobi-..."

"I don't really know Taehyung but I can say he loves you a lot too. I've seen him looking at you when you're not paying attention. He always have longed for you. Of coz I was pissed at times thinking he is just eye-ing you, like a playboy he is. I didn't know you guys had such history."

His heart felt like it was stabbed. Hoseok's smile dropped, together with the tear welled up at the corner of his eyes.

"Hoseok, I'm not choosing anyone over anyone. I really need some time for myself. It's been so crazy and with all these confrontations, I just can't." Maya pressed her forehead, sniffling.

"Maya, I understand. I really wish I can kidnap you now and make you mine. I love you a lot but at the same time I want you to be happy. Fuck Taehyung and fuck me too, not literally but I mean it. I just want you to be happy. Whatever it is, I'll be here to support. I care for you Maya."

The Chindian girl broke down, not bothered by the weird stares she was getting for crying in the public. Hoseok allowed her to break down, not bothering the stares on him either.

"Sweetheart, whatever you need, I'm here for ya. Of coz it'll be nice if you tell me you need me and want me, but either way, I got your back Maya."

Hoseok's heart clenched. He can clearly see how broken Maya was.

"I didn't want to lead you on Hobi. I really tried my best to put my focus on you, like I said, I started to like you before all these past walked back into my life."

"You need some time out Maya. How about you take some time off and clear your mind?"

"Huh? Maya looked up.

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🍀
Angel Hobi.
I'm definitely gonna be dedicating one book just for Hobi as the lead. You're welcome.