on opposite ends | vsoo

EMPTY AND UNSEEING

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

Jisoo can't quite put a finger on it, but she just knows something had happened to Taehyung over winter break. January had rolled around and it was time to go back to Hogwarts. There, she began to take notice of his out of place behavior and she was quick to catch onto it because he was of course, her boyfriend, whom she spent almost every waking hour with.

It's in the tiniest details of his behavior that had Jisoo glancing at him from the corner of her eyes in equal parts worry and suspicion. She had to get to the bottom of it. He was trying to act like everything was okay, plastering a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and waving a dismissive hand every time the topic of pranks and jokes are brought up. Come to think of it, he has been keeping a low profile these days. He kept his head down, blended in the shadows and walked behind Jisoo with his hands deep in the pocket of his robes. That itself was concerning enough, because Taehyung is the life of the party, he was always naturally at the center of attention, but now it seems like he was beginning to be the opposite.

The worse thing about this seems to be that Jisoo can't ask Jimin about it because she saw the other Slytherin boy less and less these days. And when she does see him, his face has a faraway expression. He seemed preoccupied. She can't help but wonder if this had something to do with Taehyung, if something had happened over the break between the two friends.

But Taehyung throws a genuinely confused look when she asks him this. "Nothing happened between us, Jisoo." He says, hints of a small smile peeking through his expression. "What made you think that?"

"Oh," Jisoo blinks and stammers for a quick explanation. "I just thought... well, you were being kind of - I mean, I just thought it since he's not hanging out with us anymore."

Taehyung chuckles, shaking his head. He puts his arm around her to bring her closer to his side, it's an effective way of making her feel like everything was okay with him. "Jimin is just very stressed about NEWTs and graduation, that's all. His parents gave him a hard time when we were back home." He sounded like he was picking his words carefully, as if careful not to reveal more. "He just has a lot on his mind these days."

Jisoo understands this of course, it was a private family matter and she didn't want to pry. "Oh, really? What about you?"

He tilts his head to the side, looking down at her. "Me?"

"How were things with you and your parents?" As soon as she said it, his hand on her shoulder tightens a little. Just enough to make her notice.

Taehyung looks away from her, obscuring her view from his facial expressions. There was nothing new about his reluctance to talk about his family, namely his parents, but it still does make her worry for him. "It was tolerable at the least." He shrugs, trying to play it off like it didn't bother him. But he can only hide so much from her. "They weren't home much for the rest of the holidays, as usual. Business matters. I'm fine, Jisoo."

His tone sounded like he wanted to leave it at that and Jisoo didn't want to push it further, so she smiles and pats him on the head. "Okay, Taehyung." She just had to trust him then.