❝I don't know how this is happening, but #581 on fanfic, I can't, y'all. I'm SCREECHING AAAAH ✧ sending my warm tight hugs to everyone, so much love ♡❞
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Curious and fazed looks darted my direction as a guy with light brown hair, sprinted towards me.
"Kyungmin-ah!" screeched the guy from the distance, and I could only notice his high cheekbones before I was pulled into a tight, bone breaking hug.
Air. Air. I can't breathe.
"Kyungmin-ah!" he exclaimed once again, pushing me away with his grip on my shoulders and I gasped for air, trying to catch my breath.
I almost died, what the hell? Who even is this—
"Hoseok-oppa?" I cried, shocked to see him here.
"I knew it was you. Kyungmin-ah, it's been so long!" He had enthusiasm wrapped over his whole existence as he shook me on the shoulders.
"It's nice to see you, too, oppa. But if it were not me, I swear you're going to get charged for harassment," I pointed out, trying to get away from his grip.
As much as I felt giddy to see him, my will to stay alive still overpowered.
"But I knew I wasn't wrong."
"Okay, okay," I conceded with a sharp breath as I held Hoseok on his arm. "But oppa, could you let go, I'm starting to get dizzy."
"Aw, look at this kid, still the same," jested Hoseok. He messed with my hair before pulling me into a hug again, protectively patting my head which now rested on his right shoulder blade. "Jimin told me you met him last time. Aigoo, I missed this troublesome child."
"I'm not so troublesome anymore, you know." Actually, this was more troublesome, if you'd ask me.
"Am I missing something here?"
My eyes shot up as soon as I heard Taehyung's voice, and I pushed Hoseok away instinctively. The two of them held the same expression with questioning looks directed at me, yet for different reasons.
Wow, why do I feel like I did something wrong?
Maybe pushing Hoseok away so suddenly was rude, but it wasn't what felt wrong. How weird.
"Taehyungie!" cheered Hoseok, bringing me back to reality.
The confusion on Taehyung's face had been replaced with an astonished look, and I just gave him a knowing smile in return.
"Hyung," he greeted back with a nod of acknowledgement. A bit awkward, perhaps? Or not. Well, Taehyung and Hoseok weren't the closest friends even before, but they did get along. More than Jimin, not to mention.
Hoseok took a step back so he was adjacent with me and Taehyung, then he smirked, eyes squinting.
"So are you two together now?" teased Hoseok. I assumed Jimin didn't tell him about it. The manner of Hoseok's question gave it away.
"We got married, hyung." Taehyung smiled at Hoseok for the first time, and I radiated the same curve on my lips.
Hoseok poked on my sides multiple times with both of his index fingers, as he said, "I always knew it you both would end up together!"
On the other hand, I had to hop off far away from him to dodge his attacks, causing me to trip over. With a little self-balance, I managed to at least be in a crouched position on the floor tiles.
But then I was in a T-shirt dress so I had no choice but to let myself fall on my bum, side sitting.
"Kyungmin-ah, adults don't sit on the floor in public places," quipped Hoseok, trying to sound innocent.
Why does it feel like I'm the only one here who matured and everyone else went back to being childish?
I hissed under my breath and I heard Taehyung chuckle. Annoyed, I glared at him and he approached me, offering his hand. I took it and stood up, smoothening my dress and adjusting my sling bag on my shoulder.
"Had I been this troublous with you guys back then?" I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "I must've owed you all a lot of apologies."
"So you finally figured," muttered Taehyung, and I was the least bit of thankful that he had to affirm it.
"It's not like you don't owe me an apology too," I mumbled under my breath only for me to hear.
"Oh, but since when were you back?" questioned Hoseok in a thoughtful tone.
"A couple of months ago, hyung."
"And you looked for Kyungmin and asked her to marry you as soon as you did?" Hoseok wiggled his eyebrows.
Taehyung chuckled, probably not knowing what to say.
"We all thought you left for good," commented Hoseok. "Man, nobody received any news from you."
Curious with Taehyung's reaction, I lifted my gaze and found him only smiling with his mouth slightly hanging, a distant look etched on his face.
But more than that, I had other things to focus on.
"Taehyung, where's Aeri and Somi-ajumma?"
"Who's Aeri?" asked Hoseok.
"Still inside the baby store," answered Taehyung.
"Baby? You have a baby?" Hoseok's eyes widened as he pointed at me accusingly. Then his eyes went to Taehyung. Then back to me.
"Yah, I know what you're thinking!" I nudged him on the elbow, but being the graceful person that he was, he dodged it without amiss.
Why does everyone have to always point it out, gosh!
Hoseok clapped his hand together. "I wanna see."
"Let's walk back to the store with Hobi-hyung?" suggested Taehyung.
So walk was what we did.
If Aeri was a sunshine, Hoseok was the sun himself. Although on the same side of the spectrum, Aeri's first impression on Hoseok hadn't been so nice. Unless you'd consider a child wailing as a response to a cheerful greeting a great start, then that would be a different case.
Of course my instincts had told me I should take Aeri from Somi and calm her down, but Taehyung threw his arm over my shoulder, preventing me from doing so.
"He'll manage to hush her down."
Should I trust him with that though?
Well, Hoseok seemed to know what he was doing. He might come off with his bubbly persona all the time, some might deem it as him being ignorant to his surroundings and just doing what he wanted—being happy and all—but I knew Hoseok more than that. Under those ear to ear curve on his lips he always portrayed was actually a very thoughtful and warm-hearted guy who'd make sure people around him were always happy.
Considering that we were the only one inside the store, Aeri attracted attention. Yet again, Hoseok seemed to be the least bothered with the crying infant.
I didn't exactly know how it happened, but soon enough, Aeri's features softened into a half-terrified look with a small frown, then it shifted to a bright smile.
"See, I told you."
Aeri was giggling at Hoseok as he sported an aegyo. Though sometimes she would still look a bit startled. She'd reach out for Hoseok with both her arms once in a while, and whenever Aeri did that, it meant that: either she liked the person, or she felt comfortable with them.
But this scenario right in front of my eyes was actually just the calm before the storm; It wasn't my intention to randomly drop off a bomb. No, not at all.
"Taehyung, how come your mother's been here the whole time while you're not?" The question just rolled out of my tongue so naturally.
He froze, taken aback that I opened up the topic. Well, it had been weeks since we went to his mom's place, but I couldn't help but be curious.
Hearing Hoseok ask him triggered it today.
"Ah. If you don't want to talk about it, never mind."
"Okay."
Ironic, right? Blurting it out so casually, stirring up an uncomfortable atmosphere, and letting it go just like that.
As much as how the question had been eating me inside, the same weight plunged on my chest at the moment.
Oh how unfair life had always been.