The 80/20 Rule // knj [COMPLETED]

16 • Ex-Factor

🎭 Namjoon 🎭

"'Community dick'," I snort. "Been a while since I heard that phrase."

"That's a surprise."

"Not really, but you can believe what you will."

Theda adjusts her stance in front of me putting on her game face. "Was it really so hard for you to be faithful to me?"

"That wasn't-"

"I'm sure Shaheed told you how wrong it was."

I pause swallowing the rest of my statement. "He did. All of the time."

"I'm sorry to bring him up. I can tell by the way you tensed talking about him still hurts."

"The loss of a lifelong best friend affects a person in many ways. His death made me realize the path I was headed down wasn't where I needed to be. I just wish I could have talked him into taking another route with me before it was too late."

She lays her hand against the bare skin of my forearm. This tiny bit of skinship makes my heart skip a beat.

"I'm sure he's proud of you now, Namjoon."

"He always had a soft spot for you, Theda. Sha was always worried about how my actions would affect you and in the end he was right for the most part."

Theda smiles fondly. "Shaheed was a good guy."

"Yeah, he was a good guy even when he knew how I felt about you but he kept trying to get me to leave you alone."

FLASHBACK: TWENTY-THREE YEARS AGO
AGE: 20

🎭 Namjoon 🎭

The music is loud coming from inside of the two-story beige house as I sit outside in my car waiting for Shaheed. Usually I would go in with him just in case somebody tried to do something stupid when he made a drop-off around this many people, but the buyers agreed to be at the front door.

My head hurts. I use my fingers of my left hand to rub my temples trying to ease the pain and keep my eyes on the front door.

These kids are loud as hell. A few fumble around the front yard with cups of whatever I'm sure they're too young to be drinking and I find two of them tucked away fucking against the side of the house.

Theda and I did that once, too.

I pinch my eyes shut, cursing myself for thinking about her. Why does she gotta be so damn stubborn? It doesn't matter any way, though. What's done is done, and I'm done with the dumb shit.

I wonder if she's at this party.

Namjoon, stop!

I promised myself I wasn't going to think about her anymore. There's no point in wondering 'what if' because there's no going back. We just can't be together and that's all.

Shaheed opening the car door scares the shit out of me. He drops himself into the passenger seat with his full weight and a happy sigh, smirking just enough to show his gold teeth.