[EDITING]
When Jeon Jeongguk's sister gets engaged to his friend's brother, almost everything changes.
Desperate to hold onto a fragile friendship, Jeongguk is willing to get himself into sticky situations--even to the point of ruining his sister's...
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Chapter Thirty-Three: Perspective
A week later, Jeongguk found himself at the top of a small mountain. He was sweating, having spent the entire morning treading the pathway that snaked up the side of it. While it wasn't exactly a long trek, it had been hellish in the heat, and Jeongguk had just about been ready to curse out the place; had practically been about to beg Jeongyeon hands and knees to pick the other venue, even if it wasn't as pretty. But that was before he set eyes upon it.
Suddenly the trek up the mountain side (which really hadn't been that long) didn't seem to matter much anymore. The grass seemed greener than down below, tall trees cast a nice shade over the place and there was a small pond where birds swam around. A canopy of leaves and flowers hung over the tables and chairs, Haeji and his mother standing underneath it. Namjoon, Taehyung and Jeongyeon were walking around the dance floor. Namjoon was observing the wood, pointing out the quality of it, which made Jeongyeon laugh for some reason. Taehyung was looking at the fairy lights above it, his own eyes mirroring the twinkle of them. He sort of resembled a fairy too. The oversized shirt he was wearing, white, and buttoned low, made him seem delicate. His baggy black pants made him feel light, as if he could easily take flight. His earrings and sunglasses gave him a lavish feel; he looked affluent in his black beret and leather loafers.
He hadn't uttered a single word to him in a week. He barely saw him; Taehyung wasn't in the house much anymore. Either in the pool or out in town when Jeongguk was home, only home when Jeongguk wasn't. He didn't know if it was just a coincidence, a part of him wanted to hope it was, but he doubted it. The answer was clear as day, Taehyung didn't want to be around him.
He spent his time with Hoseok. They biked around town, went to the bookstore, to the beach, to the market, ate food and sweets, swam in the sea. Being around him freed his mind, gave him something to do, something else to think about; they had fun. He felt like Hoseok was a good influence on him. He was starting to pick up on some things that he did, how he spoke with clarity, as if what he was saying was the truth, how he beamed at people when they bid hello, making them feel heard. How he seemed to live without fear. But spending time with Hoseok was a double-edged sword. Being around Hoseok, hanging out with him, made his stomach churn with what he could only call guilt.
It was stupid. Nothing had changed––it wasn't like they had been talking before, but for some reason, the knowledge that, now, it was Taehyung's decision, made it so much worse. It was the realisation that Taehyung––the Taehyung who, as far as he knew, had never in his life raised his voice––was mad at him. Or that's what he thought, at least. Taehyung had always kept his mind to himself. Reading him was like reading a doctor's handwriting.
Jeongguk was angry at himself for allowing it to bother him so much. But he couldn't stop. He couldn't stop thinking about Taehyung. He couldn't stop analysing his behaviour, wonder what it all meant––but it was no use. Because Taehyung wasn't acting like himself.
