"Hey."
Jisoo had just left the ballroom and was sitting at the hotel lobby, waiting for her mom and dad to arrive, when at the corner of her eyes, she saw someone approaching her. She looked up.
It was Taehyung.
"Oh, hey," Jisoo couldn't make direct eye contact with him. She had embarrassed herself in front of him earlier - confessing to him about how she had felt all this while. A group of classmates had approached them immediately after that, causing them to have to leave their conversation hanging.
But Jisoo wasn't expecting a continuation.
"Can I sit?"
Jisoo didn't object this time and Taehyung took a seat next to her on the cold marble bench.
The two sat in silence for a while, then Taehyung finally spoke. "You waiting for someone?"
"My parents."
"Ah."
Another silence ensued.
"I wanted to continue talking to you..." Taehyung broke the silence again after a while. "From where we left off earlier."
Jisoo bit her lower lip. "Mm."
The two sat in silence for a while, Taehyung was hesitating so much - whether to say what he wanted to say, and how to say it.
"I just wanted to say something," Taehyung said slowly, watching Jisoo's expression carefully. "Will you listen?"
Jisoo swallowed hard, looking at Taehyung closely, but not uttering a single world.
"I'll just say it," Taehyung went ahead, after hesitating for a long while. "We're in a similar situation after all..."
Jisoo pursed her lips.
"I can't tell you what to do about your problem - you probably would hate to hear me give you advice too," Taehyung laughed slightly. "I don't wanna be someone who thinks he's in the position to give advice when he really doesn't too-"
"Just say it."
"Well-" Taehyung's expression hardened. "The decision is yours... but if you want my opinion, I would say I liked the old Jisoo way more than the current Jisoo."
Jisoo raised her eyebrows.
"You've gotta admit - you've changed, Jisoo," Taehyung laughed nervously. "Well, I never really got to talk to the old you, but to me, you were this smart and pretty model student with a pleasant personality. The few times I got to talk to you, you were... nice."
Taehyung looked up carefully, wondering if his words had offended Jisoo, but she didn't wasn't affected at all. "Go on."
"But right now..." Taehyung frowned. "You're different, you're... I don't know. You're kind of..." Taehyung bit his lip. He didn't know how to put it nicely.
"Keep going."
"I'm really sorry," Taehyung frowned apologetically. "But now, you're really kind of... mean."
Jisoo nodded, her facial expression unreadable.
"To be honest..." Taehyung sighed. "I don't like the current you at all, Jisoo. You say mean stuff just to hurt people, it's like you don't care about anyone but yourself... and well, Seokjin. This isn't the same person I knew at the start of last year... or even the you just a few months ago."
Jisoo pursed her lips.
"I don't know," Taehyung shrugged. "But I feel like your relationship with my brother could really have a part to play here. And if I were you... I really wouldn't want to keep going, because this is literally self-destruction, Jisoo."
Jisoo looked at her hands, thinking deeply, not saying anything.
Taehyung wondered if what he had said went in. Was he too harsh? Would she find him a busybody? Or maybe... did she think he was saying all that because he simply liked Byulyi as a person more than her?
That wasn't his intent, though. Sure, he never really liked Jisoo. But he didn't dislike her. Not until she became mean, and kind of fake. The Jisoo she is now... he disliked.
But he wasn't giving her all this advice just to get her out of his brother's life. She was obviously suffering too, and even though she wasn't one of Taehyung's closest friends, it still hurt to see someone in this plight.
All three of them were suffering.
"You're right," Jisoo let out a sigh. "I've changed so much I don't even recognise myself anymore, Taehyung. My life is ruined and I feel like I ruined two other people's lives, too."
"Well..." Taehyung smiled slightly. "It isn't too late."
"It isn't?" Jisoo hesitated. "I feel like it might be."
"No, it's not too late if you do something about it."
"You really think so?" Jisoo looked up for a while, her eyes locking with Taehyung's.
Taehyung gave her a confident nod.
The two of them sat there for a few seconds, not breaking eye contact, but not uttering a single word. They seemed to get each other - both of them were in a one-sided relationship after all.
At that moment, a sleek black car pulled up at the driveway. Jisoo glanced towards the car and picked up her clutch, giving Taehyung one last glance before turning to leave.
"Jisoo, wait-" Taehyung stood up as well, walking to where Jisoo was and looking down at her. "Think about what I said, alright?"
"Mm," Jisoo bit her lower lip, before looking up at Taehyung with a small smile. "And thanks for everything you said, Taehyung. And for listening. It does feel good being able to let out everything for once."
Taehyung grinned. "Bye."
Jisoo turned to leave, but she stopped after walking a few steps away, turning around to face Taehyung once more.
"Taehyung."
"Hm?"
"You're a really really great guy, you know that?"
Taehyung blinked several times. "Me?"
"It really is Jieun's loss..."
Taehyung let out a small embarassed chuckle. "Well... after talking to you today... you aren't that bad yourself."
Jisoo laughed. "You don't need to just make something up to say it back."
But Taehyung meant it. Jisoo really wasn't a bad person at heart... He thought that she had really turned bitchy, but the fact that she knew she was bitchy meant she wasn't actually... that bitchy.
"No, I-"
"Goodnight, Taehyung," Jisoo interrupted.
Taehyung smiled. That's alright. He'll keep that for another time. "Goodnight."
And Jisoo finally left.
"Who's that guy?" Jisoo's mom asked when she boarded the car.
Jisoo smiled slightly.
"My friend."