Love Letter to My Loser | Kim Taehyung [ONGOING]

Chapter 16

"Is everything alright?"

"Huh? Sorry, I just had some things on my mind.", Taehyung responded. Miyeon tilted her head. "Like what?", she asked. Taehyung sighed and looked at his plate. "I'm just worried about Byul.", he said. "She's been so out of it lately and I don't know how I can make things better for her."

Miyeon picked at her food. "I'm sure she'll be fine.", she said. Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "She just keeps saying things that I don't understand.", he replied. "Like the other day... She said I was being too nice to her."

Taehyung groaned. "What does that even mean?", he asked. "...She's just been acting weird lately and I think she's avoiding me." Miyeon continued to pick at her food. "...Have you ever considered that maybe Byul likes you?", she asked. Taehyung chuckled. "Of course she likes me.", he said.

Miyeon shook her head. "No, I mean likes you.", she said. "...Romantically."

"What? What're you even saying?"

Miyeon shrugged. "You guys are really close and I just see the way she looks at you." Taehyung cleared his throat before taking a long sip of his water."I don't think that's the case.", he said. "We're just friends."

Miyeon raised an eyebrow. "And how would you know?", she asked. "You're so oblivious to people's feelings."

"I think I'd be able to tell when someone has romantic interest in me."

"...Well you couldn't tell that I have a crush on you."

Taehyung choked on his food and grabbed a nearby napkin to cover his mouth. "Are you okay?", asked Miyeon holding up his glass of water. Taehyung waved his hand and was finally able to respond. "I-I'm fine...", he said. "But what did you just say?"

Miyeon avoided eye contact. "I said I have a crush on you.", she continued. "...But you've never noticed it." Taehyung stared blankly- too shocked to even respond. Miyeon shifted uncomfortably as she set her chopsticks down. "...I probably shouldn't have said anything.", she said. "But I'm being serious. I like you."

__________

"I need you to chop the garlic finer."

Taehyung sighed and did as his mom asked. "...Mom can I ask something?" Taheyung's mom nodded while chopping some green onions. "How did you know that dad liked you?"

Taehyungs mom laughed. "Oh, he made it extremely obvious.", she said. "He was very forward with his expressions of love." Taehyung added the garlic to the pot sitting on the stove.

"And what about you? How'd you show dad you liked him?"

"To be honest I didn't really know I liked him until much later."

"Really?"

"Mhm. The more I spent time with him, the more I realized how much it'd crush me to see him with someone else."

Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows. "I see your thinking face.", she said. "What's with all these questions, huh?" Taehyung shook his head and continued cutting vegetables. "I was just curious about you and dad, that's all.", he responded.

Taehyung's mom sighed. "If you're conflicted about feelings, just let things happen naturally.", she said. "Is this about that Miyeon girl?" Taehyung nodded and set the knife he was holding down. "But it's also about Byul." Mrs. Kim's wide eyes were followed by a cheeky smile. "Interesting.", she said. "Tell me more."

"I'm just confused about everything.", he said. "I mean I've liked Miyeon for the longest time and hearing that she likes me back... I should feel amazing right?" Taehyung slouched in his dining chair. "I should be proclaiming my love for her."

"...But?"

"But... now I'm hearing Byul might also like me romantically. So that makes everything complicated and confusing."

Taehyung's mom grinned. "How so?", she asked. "You like one girl and she likes you back. What's confusing?" Taehyung stared at the chopped green onions in silence. "...I don't know.", he replied.

__________

"Byul."

Taehyung gently grabbed my wrist and I hesitantly turned to face him. "Are you really going to cancel another tutoring session?", he asked. "Our midterm is next week." I couldn't bring myself to really look at Taehyung's face. I felt too embarrassed after avoiding him for 2 weeks. I'm a terrible friend.

"I'm just not feeling too well.", I said. "I'm sorry. Maybe we can reschedule after the midterm?"

"Can I at least talk to you?"

"I'm a little busy right now."

I lied. My heart hurt ached too much after the realization that I could never be with him. I swore that I'd get over my feelings so Taehyung and I could go back to being friends. Normal friends. But I could never tell him that, at least not right now. "If I can't talk to you, then at least read this." Taehyung planted a pale yellow envelope in my hand. "Read it at exactly 7 pm tonight.", he added. "No earlier and no later."

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I held the pale yellow envelope up in the air. "Why would he give me a letter?" I glanced at the clock hanging on my bedroom wall and I grew more anxious by the minute. "And why 7 pm?" It was currently 6:57 pm and I was itching to read Taehyung's words. Three agonizing minutes later, and I ripped the envelope open.

I saw my name in Taehyung's beautiful handwriting and couldn't help but smile a little bit. "Byul...", I read. "I'm writing this as my last effort to try and talk to you. Meet me at the convenience store at 7:15 pm."