WANDERERS | TAEHYUNG

-1

➦ May 15, 2005
     05:23 p.m.
     Taehyung

The light from the fluorescent light on the pale white wall above them hit the cup's glass surface, casting shadows on the remaining coffee left in it. The remaining coffee in the cup keeps swirling in Taehyung's pale hands which are on the cold tiled table which has papers and files on one corner, and a pen holder which probably isn't ever used. Right now, Taehyung and his mother are sitting across the doctor who is supposed to 'help' Taehyung.

Though the cool air from the air conditioner creates goosebumps around his skin, he doesn't mention it to any of them. Right now, the swirling of the coffee grounds on the bottom of the cup seems more interesting than the conversation going around him.

The Doc's office has the typical table where only a pen holder with a bunch of pens and markers which probably wasn't even needed. The wooden surface of the table was covered in plastic cover. The windows were covered with curtains causing some light to seep in and the walls were so white, it hurt to look.

The doctor's face is a bit small and a few wrinkles could be seen beside her eyes. A few grey hairs peeking out from her tied up black hair. She's dressed in a simple light blue dress underneath her white coat. Her hands are clasped on the table.

His mother's been forcing Taehyung to come to the appointment with Doctor-who's-name-he-already-forgot for weeks and finally she got him to come. But that doesn't mean he's going to talk during it.

"As you both know," the doctor hands his mother a blueprint of his supposed brain, "Taehyung is in stage three, which means for now the abnormal cells aren't growing that fast. For now, I would recommend chemotherapy or radiation therapy. He can have some meds to reduce the swellings."

She turns to Taehyung, "If only you want it, Taehyung. You will be given the choice to do it. No one's going to force you but I highly recommend it. What do you say?"

Taehyung momentarily stops spinning the cup before again continuing. "No."

His mother turns to him, her brown locks fluttering around her shoulder. She slightly frowns at him as she puts her hand on his shoulder. "Honey, please reconsider it. We're talking about your health. Maybe you should think about it and then come to a decision. No need to rush-"

"I'm not rushing." Taehyung raises his voice a bit, his grip on the cup tightening. "Sorry," he mutters leaning his back against the wooden chair. Even though he's mad -and a bit upset-, he couldn't disrespect his mother. She got him through some tough times and he couldn't thank her enough. Though he really gets tired of her over-protectiveness sometimes.

"It's okay to be frustrated, Taehyung," the doctor states, reaching out a hand to pull a marker from the pen holder and twirling it between her fingers, "We know what you're going through. We've seen many people in your place who have yet come to terms with it."

But you don't know, He wants to say. Seeing people go through it doesn't mean you know exactly what I'm going through.

"I don't want to give you false hope, but I think it's best to do that. So just take your time, decide what you want to do. No one is pressuring you. We all just want the best for you."

Do you though? Are you sure it's not just the money?

Without uttering a word, Taehyung nods, placing the cup back at its place on the table, playing with his nimble fingers on his lap and zones out for the rest of the conversation.

"Okay then, I hope I can see you again, Taehyung. It was nice meeting you." The doctor says with a professional smile on her face, reaching a hand out for him to shake.

"It was nice meeting you too."

· ──── ·𖥸· ──── ·

With his earphones on, Taehyung sat on the bench of the bus stand, his hands still playing its fingers, feeling the ridges on them. He would be seen observing and playing with his hands when he had nothing to do. It's not something he does often; he just finds it interesting how his hands are different from others. How every hand had different ridges and patterns on every human. Makes him feel special even though he knows he's not.

He can't wait to just go back to his room and lie down while listening to literally any R&B artist, their voices drowning out all the thoughts in his mind, his eyes blankly reading poetry even though he seems to forget what's written the instant he read it.

As he's busy daydreaming, a seemingly disheveled, wide eyed chubby-faced girl rushes into the bus stand and sits down a bit far beside Taehyung. Her short curly hair's flying around her round face in the wind as she tries to control them by tucking them behind her ear. She's wearing a red sweater with a T-shirt peeking through it, yellow trousers on her legs and old Converse shoes on her feet.

Taehyung rolls his eyes at her as he scoots a bit away.

He can see her looking at him through the corner of his eyes, as if to ask something. Please don't say anything, it would be awkward for the both of us. Unfortunately for him, she decides to converse after moments of hesitation. "Hey there!"

He pretends not to hear her, head bopping with the song thundering in his ears.

Yet, unfortunately, she still continues to try and get his attention so he plugs out one earpiece and looks at her with disinterested eyes. "Yes?"

A look of surprise passes her face before she gives him an awkward smile. "Uh. . . May I ask what you are listening to?"

"So, this whole time you've been trying to call me to ask about my music taste?"

A flush spreads around her neck and ears, before she turns to him again, but with a frown on her face. "So, you've seen me trying to talk to you yet you didn't say anything?"

Taehyung shrugs, his dark blue jacket shuffling. "Didn't want to."

Before she can reply, a blue bus comes to a stop in front of the bus stop as a few people get off. On cue, Taehyung stands up from his seat, brushing off the imaginary dusts. "Well, I'm off. Bye."

With a flick of his hand directed at her, he starts to get on the lowly crowded bus. Finding a vacant window seat, he rushes to seat there before anyone else. As soon as he sits there, his eyes went to the girl from earlier.

Her fingers are fiddling with the hem of her sweater as she looks to the side. Feeling his gaze, the girl turns to look at Taehyung. She still looks flustered from before. Well-that lasts only for a second as she sticks her tongue out at him.

Without realizing, Taehyung also sticks his tongue at her in return. Then he shuts the windowsill before slumping back on the seat with a heavy sigh.

Hopefully, she won't come back to bother him again.

Oh, how wrong he was.

· ──── ·𖥸· ──── ·

I feel like I'll like this book ngl
And yes, Tae has cancer :(
A

lso, the hand thing was so freaking random but that's just one of the things I think about when I'm zoning out lol