부산 소년
And Taehyung wouldn't shut up.
Like a broken record, he'd be complaining about everything she did or said. Nothing was ever met with the expectations he had.
Just this morning, Taehyung thought how June's posture looked crooked, how her walk appeared funny, how her eyebrows and eyes were completely asymmetrical to each other and now, even while walking between the aisles at the convenience store, he was still doing it, still complaining as if something bad would happen if he oddly stopped.
But it was something June slowly got accustomed to. Kind of like with not seeing Jimin for three weeks or so.
Taehyung could've sworn it was him the other day in the laundry room, but June didn't think the same. She hoped it wasn't true.
''You're seriously going to eat that?'' He then asked.
Though she didn't say anything back.
To June, Taehyung was a safe haven, a place she knew every corner of, something that didn't require scary changes. Everything looked and felt the same, certainly, just as she loved and wanted.
''You need to pay more attention to what you're eating. Don't wanna get chubby before the big theater play June-ah.''
And she put the bag of peanut puffs back on the shelf.
After a while, there was something discomforting about the way he spoke and the way Taehyung behaved around her. She didn't notice it when her mind was young back then, it only happened now, while getting older, as if the innocence had slowly gone absent and she thought about it more than she usually would.
She thought about Jimin more too, which was probably the most frustrating thing on this planet because she was almost sure that Jimin didn't think about her nearly as much.
The more her thoughts hopped around, the more uneasy she felt. No matter how hard she tried to read the nutrition facts imprinted on a single box of instant oatmeal, it seemed that Jimin's name would somehow sneak in between the lines.
And she hated him for it, she hated everything at this very moment. The winter weather, the silent convenience store, the damn oatmeal, Taehyung's constant bickering and herself for the thoughtless fall for the Busan boy with secrets.
Maybe if she tried hard enough to think less of his existence, Jimin would suddenly disappear forever. Along with the small talks, the coincidental passing of each other's paths and that stupid, stupid night she watched him dance for the first time.
Just then, the bell attached to the entrance door chimed.
Footsteps could be heard and someone came inside.
And when Taehyung saw him again, feeling threatened, he went quiet.
But June couldn't help it, she didn't mean to stare. The last time she saw Jimin was weeks ago and now he was standing just there.
She wasn't sure just how possible it was for someone to get even more beautiful within the short period of time. Even when his hair was still the same dark brown that she'd remembered, still pushed back from his face and strands draping just so over his forehead.
Nothing has changed, he still looked the same.
But with the soft, pink lips that were curved at either end, causing his cheeks to bunch ever so slightly and eyes to curve into little half moons, somehow Jimin was able to take June's breath away with that one single smile.
However, her heart dropped beneath her feet when she realized that she was no longer the reason behind his gleaming eyes and the same wide grin.
Jimin wasn't alone.
Boyoung was with him, carrying an obvious distance between both of their bodies. Her once strained ankle seemed to be just fine but this time, they weren't giggling or holding hands tight. This time, they were simply talking, like friends and nothing more.
And even if together, they'd somehow still be in a world of their own - when Bo moved a strand of hair away from her face, Jimin would stretch his neck, regretting the choice of wrapping a long black muffler around himself.
Regardless of it all, they still looked like they were getting along.
Scared of letting him see her, June dunked her body behind the shelves. Her palm pressed against her stomach, somehow trying to digest the newly awaken butterflies that were just as irritating as the thought of their friendship ending on a note that wasn't good nor bad.
But then again, it was always like that for the two of them. A straight line, not black nor white, but something in between. Something indifferent.
There were no what-ifs, no further possibilities because it'd all end like this.
So she filled her lungs with a big cluster of heavy air and grabbed the box of oatmeal, stone-faced walked up to the cash register, staring at the back of an all-black, heavily layered and covered, comfy looking winter attire belonging to Jimin.
Just then, when trying to take out the wallet from the back pocket of her jeans, her fingers slipped through, unable to balance the box of oatmeal that had been sloppily squeezed between her arm and torso.
It hit the ground.
And made a thud loud enough for Jimin to turn his body around.
The oversized muffler was covering half of his face before his hand dragged down the woolens he was enveloped in. His soft expression was vivid just at the moment he bent down, picking up the box before June had a chance to do the same.
With his hand extended, Jimin shared a soft smile that carried the heavy muffler in twisted loops, a part of it was covering his face while the other fell on the sides elegantly.
''Thank you'', she said.
Realistically, standing completely still and wishing for his eyes to look away – up to fifteen seconds before Boyoung shared a small smile – was not going to make the time go faster. In fact, it probably made June ten times more aware of just how slow the seconds were ticking by.
And Jimin nodded, not bothering to say a word before he turned his back.
It all came down to that same straight line, that was neither black nor white, but something in between. Something indifferent.
Because it has always been like that for the two of them.