I spend the next morning on the boardwalk. It's the same as my first morning on the boardwalk, which is to say that it's a bust. Despite zero signs of V, I've run into that stupid cat again hanging around my favorite churro cart. I've now named her Mister Mister. After all, she fooled me into thinking she was a "he" the first time around.
After being lazy and feeding churro crumbs to some seagulls, I still have some time before I have to had over to the Palace for my afternoon shift. I'm not looking forward to facing Taehyung again. We didn't see each other after the cookies. Yeah, that was a nice attempt at making up for his dickery, but . . . whatever. Maybe don't say anything you need to make amends for in the first place.
Aish. Just thinking about him makes me want to kick something. it also reminds me that I wanted to find a scarf to tie up my hair, so that it won't stick to the back of my neck when the sweating starts in the Hotbox. I throw away my crumpled churro napkin in the trash, say good-bye to sleepy Mister Mister, and head to a shop I noticed during my previous V hunting - Deja Vu. It's small vintage clothing store with mannequins in the window that have been put together an outfit. When I enter, a small bell over the door dings. The shop was dark, and it smells of a mix of musty old clothes and cheap detergent. Everything is jammed tight. There's only one other shopper in the store, and a bored girl with purple highlights is running the register in the back.
I spot a rack of old scarves near the counter. Ding! Some of them smell funky, and a few are way too weird for my taste, but there's a lot to choose from. Halfway through the rack, I find a black-and-white striped one that won't clash too badly with my green vest at work. I pay the the girl at the register. When's ringing me up, the bell over the door rings. I glance over my shoulder to see two guys walking through the store. One is Asian in a low-cut T-shirt with a leather jacket. The other is tall with blonde hair, wearing jeans and no shirt at all. He walks with a limp, as if he's got an injured leg.
Crap. I know him. It's Taehyung's friend. The other guy from the crosswalk - the drugged-one who slammed his fists on appa's car. They both approach us. (I love all BTS members equally; just using them as 'CHARACTERS'. Fictional purposes.)
"What's up, baby?" he says in a lazy, raspy voice to the girl at the register as he walks up to the counter next to me while she's getting my change out of the register. I look up at his face. He got a dimple on his cheek, small but fierce eyes. His blonde hair is a mess. He might be handsome, but he has a scarier vibe. Something's like a bad boy.
"I told you not to bother me at work, RM."
"Yeah, well, it's an emergency. I'm driving down to Littletown this afternoon. Need you to help a brother out."
"Not now."
He puts his hands on the counter and leans closer, blocking my view of their faces. I can still see her purple highlights draped over one shoulder. "Please," he begs.
"I thought you were chipping?" she whispers.
"I am, but you know how it goes. I just need a little." His soft tone matches hers, but I can still hear every word they're saying. I mean, hello. This conversation isn't private. Do they know that? "it's just for today."
"That's what you said last week," she argues.
"Lisa, come on." He runs a hand down her arm, stroking a strand with the tips of his fingers. "Lisa, Lisa, Lisa."
She sighs. "I'll make a call and text you. Might be a couple of hours."
Satisfied, he turns around and seems to notice me for the first time. "Hi there."
I don't reply, but I can feel him looking me over while I accept my change. I quickly shove it into my wallet, and then grab the bag with my scarf and head down the narrow aisle toward the door. I just want to get out of here, like, yesterday.
But I'm not fast enough. Feet follows.
"What did you buy?" I feel a tug on my bag and turn around to see RM pulling the scarf out. "Are you a cowgirl or a gang-banger?"
I took the scarf back. "Neither."
His companion snickers behind him.
"Whoa, now. Just curious," Rm says. "Haven't seen you around. What's your name?"
"I don't think so."
"Oh, buurnn," the leather guy murmurs.
"Come on, cowgirl," RM says. "Don't be that way."
I can't get through the door fast enough. Too fast. For the second time in 24 hours, I bump straight into another human being. My cheeks smacks against a chest made of steel. I jump back, overcorrecting, and nearly losing my balance. Hands grip my forearms.
I'm staring at a Kim's Surboards logo. I crack my jaw and look up. Now I'm staring at the angry face of Taehyung Kim.
"For Pete's Sake," I mumble.
The hard lines around his eyes soften when he sees me. Just slightly. Then he looks above my head and gets pissed again. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?" He's not talking to me. That's when I realize he's not angry with me either; he's angry at the person standing behind me.
"Who are you, na eomma?" RM's raspy voice answers. "Relax, Tae. J-Hope and I were just grabbing something to eat then heading to Jay's place."
Taehyung's hands are still holding my arms. I can't tell is he's holding me up or trying to keep me away from RM. But standing so close, he smells strongly of lavender and coconuts - which smells pretty freaking good, honestly. And while I'm busing being intoxicated, he's still drilling RM. "You mean to tell me that I didn't just see you walking out of Deja Vu?"
I turn my head to see RM walking back. "Lisa asked us to come inside. It was nothing. We were just chatting about Jay's new puppy. Calm down."
Um, he's lying. But there's enough testosterone flying through the air to start a war, no way am I tattling on RM. And what do I care? Not my business. I just want to get out of here and go to work. And why is Taehyung still holding me? He seems to finally notice this too, and at the same time I shake him loose, he lets go of me and hold his hands back.
"And what are you doing here?" he asks me.
"Buying a scarf," I say, moving away from him. Why is he always in my personal space?
"You two know each other?" RM asks, absently rubbing his left leg. Looks like that's the injured one - the cause of the limp.
"We work together," Taehyung eyes RM, and then my bag, like he doesn't believe either one of us. I'm insulted to be paired with him.
"Small world," RM says, smiling. "You're going to tell your name now, cowgirl?"
"Seems to me you're going to call me whatever you want, so what's the point?"
"Damn, girl." He rubs his injured leg. "Is she this mean to you at work?" he asks Taehyung.
Taehyung slides a glance down at me. I dare with my eyes to say something smart. Go on, buddy. Show off. Tell him how you riled me up, acting like a pig, called me a snob, and I almost got myself fired. Make yourself look tough in front of your dirtbag friend.
But all he says is, "She's cool."
Huh.
RM gives me another slow once-over and then snaps his fingers. "You should come to a bonfire. Saturday night at sunset, the Secret Garden."
I have no idea where that is, nor do I care. Especially not after that exchange I heard inside the shop.
Taehyung snorts. "Don't think I don't know that's where you first hooked up with Jennie."
"So?" RM challenges. "Jennie's in LA. Why you got to bring up the past?"
"Why are you inviting her to the bonfire?" Taehyung points toward me.
RM shrugs as his friend J-Hope urges him down the boardwalk, away from Deja Vu. "It's a free country."
I'm not sure what that was all about, but I'm feeling pretty awkward being left alone with Taehyung. "I got to go to work."
Noon sunshines the top of Taehyung's hair, and he turns his head toward the ocean. "Yeah, me too."
Crap. We're both working together again today? I forgot to check the schedule in my rush to get out of there after everything that happened yesterday. I'm not sure how much more of the strained togetherness I can handle. But he's looking at me sort of funny, rubbing the back of his neck, like he wants to say something else. And now I remember the cookies he left me, and I'm wondering if he's remembering them too. Sure, as far as gestures go, it was okay. But for all I know, he could've stolen them from the cafe. I should've just thrown them away, but I gave the chocolate chip one to Anna and ate the others.
Feeling uncomfortable, I mumble a good-bye and turn to leave. The girl from the shop, Lisa, is standing outside, arms crossed over her chest, warily watching us. I avoid eye contact and keep walking.
"See you later, cowgirl," RM calls in the distance somewhere behind me.
Let's hope not. As I pass the churro chart, I notice Taehyung heading the same direction, but his muscular legs carry him faster. Someone whistles, slowing him down. it's a middle aged man, maybe appa's age, with short black-gray hair. He's dressed in shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt and looks like he could've been handsome when he was younger, but he's had some hard knocks. One of his arms is covered in faded tattoos; the other arms is missing - as in, completely gone.
I'm surprised to recognize Taehyung's in the man's when I pass, then I look at the puckering pink scars where the arm once was. Taehyung catches me staring. I quickly look away and keep going, face red.
I think this is probably Taehyung's dad and the "horrible" thing that Anna was talking about.
What in the world happened to that family?