For twelve long years, Kim Taehyung had lived in a fortress of his own making-a prison built on silence, where the echoes of a past too painful to revisit kept him locked away from the world. Cold stares, quick smiles, fleeting connections-all he al...
"He wore his silence like armor, a fortress built of delicate secrets and whispered fears."
🌈AUTHOR'S POV:
The following days felt like an echo of a silent, unspoken distance. Taehyung hadn't softened since his apology. If anything, he seemed even more reserved, his gaze cool, and his words clipped whenever they exchanged any. He knew letting anyone in, or opening his heart to anyone always came with a cost. It's better to keep to himself than rely on others for his happiness.
When Y/n entered the classroom one morning, she immediately noticed Taehyung sitting at their shared bench, arms crossed, eyes focused on the notebook in front of him as though she wasn't even there. She gave a hesitant smile, but he barely acknowledged her presence. The air between them was thick, and despite his apology from before, she felt a sense of rejection radiating from him. All his prior warmth had evaporated. He was an icy shell. No betrayed emotions. Nothing on the outside to show he was the same Taehyung who cared for Y/n enough to not let her get hurt.
Their project assignment, which had paired them together, loomed closer, but working with Taehyung became increasingly challenging due to his distant behavior. One afternoon, after a particularly cold interaction, she took a deep breath and decided to confront him.
"Taehyung is something wrong?" she asked, her voice steady despite the tension she felt.
He glanced up, his eyes betraying nothing. "Why would something be wrong?"
"You've been...different," she pressed gently. "Since last week, it's like you're avoiding me."
Taehyung's expression hardened. "I think you're reading too much into things," he replied flatly, dismissing her concern. He looked away, clearly uninterested in prolonging the conversation.
A pang of hurt struck her, but she chose to focus on their work. "Alright. So, should we go over the presentation notes?"
He gave a brief nod, not sparing her a glance as he opened his notebook. The silence that fell between them was suffocating, and for the first time, she felt a wall firmly built up between them.
+*+*+*
Later that day, Y/N was by her locker, feeling a strange blend of confusion and frustration. She didn't understand why Taehyung seemed so shut off from her after their shared moment in the library. Just as she was lost in thought, a familiar presence loomed beside her. Taehyung leaned against the locker, his posture casual, but his expression impassive.
"Here," he said, handing her a notebook, his tone as chilly as ever.
"Thanks..." she replied quietly, taking it from him, unsure whether to say more.
As she turned to leave, he spoke again, his voice low. "Just... stay out of trouble." His eyes softened briefly before the cold facade returned, and without another word, he walked away, leaving her standing there, heart beating in confusion.
The slight slip-up in his emotions had given her a glimmer of hope. That brief flicker of softness left her wondering if she was finally breaking through. That maybe it wasn't as difficult. That she could turn him back from whatever dark path he is going down onto.
+*+*+*
That night, Taehyung lay awake, staring at his ceiling. He'd let himself get too close, too comfortable. He knew it. And he couldn't afford to risk his guard, not again. The moment he'd seen her with those guys lingering around her, something had snapped inside him. But he couldn't tell her that. She wouldn't understand the shadows he carried, the reasons he kept everyone at arm's length.
Yet, each time he looked at her, he felt something slipping, something pulling him closer to the one person he couldn't afford to care about.
+*+*+*
The next day, Y/N arrived at class, her gaze lingering on Taehyung's empty seat. But as he entered, she was taken aback by the iciness in his eyes. There was no trace of warmth, no remnants of the apology he'd given. She waited, hoping he'd say something, but he kept his eyes forward, every move calculated, and his face unreadable.
They worked together in silence, the weight of his distance almost unbearable. She wanted to reach out, to bridge the gap that had grown between them, but she sensed that for now, she'd have to wait. Because beneath his cold demeanor, she could still feel the connection they shared—a flicker he couldn't fully suppress.
The stark atmosphere shattered when her stomach growled. Her face glowed in discomfiture. Taehyung just got up and left. She was utterly ashamed that she had driven him away with her insolent behavior. But just then he returned with a lot of her dearie munch-ons. The fact that he remembered what she liked only made his gesture sweeter. A lowly grumble resounded when she didn't make a move on the food and a small snicker slipped his lips. He didn't want to show that she mattered. That she affected him in ways that no one else had ever did.
She was happy to see him warming up to her again, even if it was just a little. He still cared. He wasn't as indifferent as he portrayed. They didn't exchange any words, but it seemed that the thick tension had somewhat eased. His walls were still high up but now she had found the cracks, and she was going to make sure to crumble them all.
*+*+*+*
The following day, the professor couldn't hold himself back from praising the duo for the splendid work they had put in their project. "Excellent job, both of you. An A++ for your hard work."
Y/N's excitement was infectious; she practically bounced in her seat. Achievements like these filled her with a unique zeal. She turned to Taehyung, eyes shining. "Let's celebrate! How about that new café?"
Taehyung blinked, almost as if surprised by her suggestion. He met her gaze, staring at her wide eyes and the hopeful pout on her lips.
After a brief hesitation, he nodded. "Okay."
No other words were exchanged, but Y/N's smile widened, and Taehyung found himself almost looking forward to what the afternoon might bring.
---+*+*+*+*+*---
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WORD COUNT: 1037.
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