We ran and ran until we finally came to a stop at one of the school's incomplete construction sites. It was a project to build a new library two years ago, but the construction was stopped due to the tight and inflexible budget given. As I tried to catch my breath, Taehyung had slumped onto the floor and was full-on crying. It pained me to watch him so broken, but what could I do? I would never be the one to help him fully overcome everything. He didn't need me, what he needed was closure from a new relationship.
"Why, hyung? Tell me why! Why is it that this always happens to me? All my life I've been following my dreams and because of these dreams, the girls that I like all turn me down or play me like a fool. Is it because I really am a fool? Hyung.."
I crouched down beside him and patted his back. I didn't know how to comfort him. He was a guy and if I comforted him the way I comforted girls, he would get the wrong thing and might end up putting distance between us. I didn't want that, so I just patted his back while he cried his heart out.
"There's plenty of fishes in the sea, Tae. Even if she left you now, there are others who love you for you. You just got to keep a broad mind and open your heart to let them in,"
Fishes like you? My conscience was using this opportunity to tease me. I closed my eyes and shake those thoughts off. He could never like me. A guy like him who could deserve the world.. I didn't deserve him.
* * *
"You feeling alright? We could just head home right now,"
"Can we just go home? I don't think I can bear the embarrassment right now,"
I nodded and we walked to the entrance of our school. I gave Miss Tates, the school secretary, who I was close with for academic reasons, a message and she replied back saying she's written passes for us. I replied her with my thanks before starting the engine of my car and drove back to the apartment where Taehyung could get some rest.
It had been almost two hours since we got home and Taehyung has been in his room ever since. I had logged onto the school's website and signed us up for temporary online classes. Since our professors were familiar with us, our emails of approval were replied back immediately. I guessed that the staff of the school must have also heard of what happened.
"Tae? What do you want for dinner? Pizza or Chinese? Or do you want bibimbap?"
"Bibimbap, please. Thank you,"
I smiled. At least he sounded better than before. Turning, I went into the kitchen and took out the ingredients for bibimbap: rice, shredded vegetables and sliced meat. Putting the rice to cook, I busied myself with slicing the meat and cooking.
It's been about four hours. Taehyung had neither made a sound nor leave his room in those four hours. If I wasn't worried then, I was definitely worried now. Banging on his locked door, I called his name again and again, threatening to burn down the door, but again and again, I was greeted with nothing but silence.
I didn't want to intrude his privacy but desperate times called for desperate measures. I grabbed the extra room key of his from the hooks of keys and jammed it into the door knob. Twisting it, I opened the door and was greeted with a horrible sight.
Taehyung was laying on the floor, unconscious, with pools of blood beside him. His arms were marked with red gashes his face was pale as paper. Biting back tears, I ran into the living room, grabbed the house phone and immediately called 911, hoping that it wasn't too late to save Taehyung.