Decoupled • KTH : Book 1✔

Chapter 4

Maya

"No, I'll be there. Don't worry," I address Da-Mi's concerns while fixing my earring.

It took me all week to finally make up my mind to attend the reunion today, and deciding what to wear took me another five hours. I might have had a rough life, but I wouldn't want to show up like a walking mess in front of my classmates from school.

I finally decided on wearing a pair of jeans and a top that looks sober and calm.

After applying a bit of lip balm and slipping on a cardigan, I examine my reflection in the mirror once before turning off the lights in the room and leaving the house. It takes me about thirty minutes to drive to the venue, and once I have reached there, I climb out of the car and hand over my keys to the valet, picking up my small shoulder bag and stuffing my phone into it thereafter.

The event is planned to happen at the huge lawn situated within this hotel, and after checking with the front desk, I locate the lawn and push past the glass doors to land myself into the reunion space.

It is 6 pm, and the sky is a bit dark already, the strip lights wound around the tree trunks lining the lawn are all turned on, and more hanging lights illuminate the trees and the entire space, giving the area a festive look.

I could see groups of men and women, standing and sitting randomly, laughing and talking among themselves, and to think that these were the kids from high school suddenly seems a little funny to me. I remember and recognize a few faces as I take slow steps towards them, but some of them are totally unrecognizable.

The boys from school have all invariably doubled or tripled in size and grown into big men, but it's quite different with the girls, or should I say, the women? They look pretty much the same, and when I finally reach closer, all eyes turn to look at me, making me grow a little nervous.

I wave my hand a little, my eyes wandering the groups in search of Taehyung.

"Maya?" One of the women who I recognize as Haneul recognizes me first, and the others join her in gasping and cooing as they stop doing whatever they were already doing and welcome me with a big group hug.

"Hey, girls! Ladies!" I return the hug, suddenly feeling a veil of tears forming behind my eyelids, and I have no idea why.

Maybe nostalgia? Maybe the happiness of being remembered by my classmates?

"Awww, I cried too," another woman who I identify as So-Ra squeezes my hand lightly as I flick a drop of my tear from the corner of my eyes.

"You all look amazing." I pull a chair for myself and sit down with the group when I hear someone shouting out my name from behind us.

Turning around in my seat, I spot Jimin jogging up to me with a big smile. I rise from my seat and approach him, totally surprised by how he looks so much younger than his high school version. He really seems to have aged in reverse, except that his chubby cheeks have melted out to highlight his stunning jawline.

He looks absolutely gorgeous.

"Jimin," my lips stretch into a wide smile when he envelops my body in a big bear hug, the force of which almost throws me to the ground beneath our feet.

Pulling away, he leans back and runs a hand through his hair, flashing the cute smile that makes his eyes close into two slits.

"How are you, Maya? You look just the same," he chuckles excitedly.

"You actually look younger. Have you become a model or something?" I laugh along when he bursts out laughing loudly.

When he regains his composure,
"Do I look like one though?" He wiggles his eyebrows mischievously, and I slap his shoulder playfully.