Known Stranger

Chapter 37

She walked past countless four ways, finally resting her exhausted soul on one of the benches. She sighed. All her relations that she was trying to protect never existed.

There was thunder sound, as if nature screaming on how weak and vulnerable she was at that time. No later, it started raining, not just rain, heavy pouring as if rain hitting her, piercing her skin. She wanted someone to be by her side but at the same time she never wanted to reveal her tears.

Her water washed face was paler than ever, her lips bore a bluish tint. She couldn't comprehend what all was happening, she had neither questions nor answers, just emptiness. And she couldn't even process how emptiness can be so heavy.

All she needed was someone to put her to bed, stroke her hair and say, 'It's okay, you don't have to be strong all the time.... rest for now.'

It had already been hours of her sitting in that place with no intention to budge when her phone vibrated making her flinch and snap out of her thoughtlessness.

"Patrick the star fish", said the phone screen. Brother, a loving half brother, not even half, she sighed, picking up the call.

[Where the heck are you?]

[I don't know]

[What?]

[I just wanted some time alone]

[I get that but where are you?]

[I don't know. Patrick, do you mind
calling you after some time?]

[I do mind it]

[*sigh* please]

[Alright, I'll call you some time
later, but remember, dad was
just angry I suppose. He meant
nothing of that.]

[Bye]

And with this, she ended the call, hugging her knees and burying her head in them. She had no one. Friends? They were all toxic and obnoxious.
Family? Did she ever had any? "Tae" she said almost out of breath as she contacting him without wasting a moment.

[Heyy!! Kaylie, you mind
calling later. I was a bit
occupied.]

[I see, sorry to disturb]

She had a delicate warmth to her voice once. Her current was prerogative put deeper edges around her words. The phrases that didn't come out sharp came out dull, as if her tongue had judged her own thoughts too uninterestingly daunting and abandoned the words before their fruition.

[Has something happened?]

[I think so]

She giggled a little, 'something' she thought. Her own existence was a question. And the cold rain was accompanied by a warm droplet that probably fell from her deserted eyes.

Some days her sadness was a mild lisp. It barely scratched the surface of her voice, but today melancholy had waged a full scale assault on her vocal chords. Her voice was unrecognizable.

[Are you okay?]

[I don't think so]

[Where are you?]

[I don't know]

[Why ar-]

[Can I ask you something?]

[Obviously]

[What's your name?]

[Kaylie that...]

[I guess I am no one to you too]

A little smile was all her face could tell. It was almost impossible to interpret her emotions by her face. Taehyung on the other hand was nervous, sweat circling the inner side of his palm. Ominous thought grew at the back of his mind. He had never heard this version of her, even when she was broke, the time she cried, she was never so emotionless. Like her voice bore nothing but emptiness.

[Taehyung..
Kim Taehyung.
That's my name]

[Yeah right.
Goodbye]

She hung up and sighed. "He could have just said that he couldn't.." she said almost as a whisper.

Taehyung was taken aback by her response, "she probably thought I was lying" and there was a reasoning to it, like, why would she not. He tried calling back a few times, but she never picked up.

She placed the phone on the bench and walked towards the bridge, leaning to its boundary, looking down at her unclear reflection in the rain beaten water body as if to make sure that she existed.

Not knowing anyone in her contacts, he felt helpless, sitting eight thousand kilometers away from her. Almost in an instant, he was reminded of Sasha, she once contacted him. Strolling through all the chats from unknown numbers, he finally dialed her number.

[Oh my God! Why is Kaylie's
boyfriend calling me?]

She said, cockily as ever.

[I want your help, I think Kaylie
is in danger. I don't know why
but I have this feeling I am
scared she would-]

He spoke almost in a breath.

[Whoa dude calm down,
she is not that weak. She may seem
weak but she is quite strong.
Much more than anyone I know. ]

Her tone changed after hearing out Taehyung.

[She may be but right
now she wasn't okay]

[And how do you know
that?]

[I just know.. Can you
check her out once]

[I'll do it but she'll
probably hate you for asking
my help]

[I don't care]

[Yeah okay, whatever]