time diplomat | kim taehyung ✔

| A Last Friend |

"So . . . Taehyung? Can you wait for a moment? I just wanna tell my friend that I'm leaving with you." Without expecting an answer from the boy, Astra pushed past him and literally flew down the flight of stairs. Taehyung awkwardly 'um-ed' pointing to the elevator that had opened for them.

Jumping and skipping a few stairs, Astra reached the last floor to already see Taehyung there near the elevator. She held her knees and sighed, bringing up her thumb to make an 'alright' sign to which he sighed back. "You didn't have to run all way from the eighth floor. . . "

"You know . . . hah . . . Got pretty excited already. That's it. I'm fine." 

She nodded to Jay who smiled at her and ran into the room where she saw Terry walk in earlier. The receptionist did try to stop her but, Taehyung took care of it. Inside, she saw Taehyun trying to look under the table present there and he jerked back once Astra pushed open the door. "Hey, you scared me. What is it? I'm not done yet."

"Ah, yeah—What were you doing? Sneaking around?" 

"No. I—My—My lens fell off. I can't find them! And if you would mind, please help me." He looked up at her and that's when she noticed the shift of colors in his eyes. "Wait—Your grey eyes were fake?!"

"Yeah. So, what's with that?"

"I loved your grey eyes more . . ."

"Ah—no. My hazel eyes are prettier. I bet you."

"Okay. anyway. I'm leaving—"

"OW! Leaving with who?" Taehyun hit his head on the desk as he slowly rose off the floor. "To be honest, your eyes look funny this way . . . "

"Don't try to change the topic—"

"I'm not trying to. I found Taehyung."

"You found me?"

"Not you. Taehyung with the G. He's the one I came here to interview with Yeonjun. He said he's leaving for somewhere and this is the right moment. I'm just gonna spend some time with him and get done with this job. Then, we both can look for the other guy. How does this sound?" Astra clapped at the end of her planning.

"Okay . . . So what if Yeonjun is stuck somewhere dangerous and is at the brink of death?"

"Nope. I'm sure he's enjoying wherever he is. Okay. He's waiting—and I'm leaving."

"Wait—where are you leaving to?"

"Um . . . I don't know. But, you know how to find me." She winked at him and with a  wave, she stormed back to the lobby where Taehyung was trying to hold Jay back by his waist. "Hey, Tae! Let's go!" 

_ _ _ _ _

The cold air caused Taehyung to sneeze out loud and Astra to jump back in surprise.

They were by the subway station this time and the boy has had bike by his side. There weren't many people either now and the entire platform seemed empty except a few people waiting on the benches. No more kids or young people—the left out ones were older and weaker. Taehyung was sure they'd not be able to take up the pressure of traveling with the crowd. 

Astra acted like a little child—looking over to the different birds that flew about and around the station and to the steadied engines on the tracks. "You've never traveled on a train?"

"Uh . . . No."

"That—That's fascinating."

"I know. Sounds fake, right?" Taehyung panicked, turning to her with his hands in the front. "No, no, no! I was—I was n-not calling you fake—"

"Calm down, bro. I was just kidding." She laughed, making the boy chuckle inaudibly with the air around his breath turning into mist. His presence was warming and his weirdly attractive smile was something Astra had never seen in her robotic world.

Once the train arrived, Taehyung's first instinct was to help the elder people get into the quiet compartment where there were already a few other people sleeping. The seats were nearly taken. Taehyung tried to skip inside before the doors closed and without any other option, Astra had to step into the party compartment.

She looked around to the teenagers of her age who had drinks and stuff in their hands—partying and singing loud to some dirty song that came on. In Taehyung's atmosphere, a lullaby rang. 

Astra smiled and laughed, trying to take in the surroundings and adapt herself to the party atmosphere as Taehyung looked in through the window like a child who was grounded and forbidden to play with his friends.

"Astra! Don't make friends with them!"

"What?!" She walked closer to the glass as he pushed his face closer trying to scream the words without disturbing the people in his compartment. "Don't. Make. Friends. With. Them!"

"But, why?!"

"They're a bad influence! That's what mom said!"

"Mommy's boy, you're an adult, aren't you? Come on in here! It's fun." She laughed, picking up a can of beer that a pretty boy handed to her from the left. Grunting, Taehyung pulled down the little curtain, closing his view into the party car. 

As a stop neared, Astra pushed away from the guy she was dancing with and rushed out of the compartment and into the one where Taehyung was. He sat with his eyes closed next to a grandma who had her head on his shoulder and another old man who occupied Taehyung's other shoulder. 

She walked closer and pat his thigh, trying to wake him up. "Tae?"

"Hmm?" He opened his fresh-looking eyes that proving that he wasn't sleeping but listening to the soft music. "Yeah?"

Astra moved back and plopped onto an empty seat, patting the spot next to her. Taehyung slowly got up on his feet—adjusting the old pair's heads against each other and trodded to Astra, sitting down again. "Why did you bitch out the party?"

"No. I don't like such things. What are we celebrating anyway? Freedom?"

"Okay. Taehyung, what are you interested in?"

"Music, duh."

"Well, I think I'll like to be introduced to your band. Can I listen to a few of your past songs—starting with . . . 'Magic Shop'?"