A sunset with you

Chapter 18

🎵Daylight - David Kushner

Taehyung

"Sir, your sister is here." Julie, the receptionist informs me as soon as Hailey and I enter the building. "She asked me to let you know."

"Thank you, Julie. Can you send some champagne for us? Is she alone?"

"No sir, she is here with another lady and the kids." 

"Then send 4 glasses please." I hold onto Hailey's soft hand and guide her upstairs to meet my sister and her friend whom I assume is the one who moved here recently. She hasn't stopped talking about how she finally gets to see her. 

"Rosie," I say as I spot her on the second floor. I know she would never go to the first floor because she is sick of seeing them. It bothers her how I don't sell any of them but I just can't. They just are too precious for me to let go so easily. I notice a lady standing right next to her and even though she is facing away from me, I can tell she looks familiar. That hair, that body, that fragrance coming from her, it all feels and looks familiar. 

She turns around as she hears my voice and I realize why she is familiar. I hate that I remembered everything about her. I hate that she is here. I hate that I can't do anything but stare down at her. I hate how I can't reach out to tuck the hair strand in front of her face behind her ear. I hate how suddenly I am completely overwhelmed by her presence.

"Hailey, omg it's so nice to see you after ages. How have you been?" Rosie comes forward to hug Hailey, my girlfriend. While they spoke about how it was nice to see each other after months, I just stared at my, I mean, at Jennie. Still looking tiny, gorgeous, and adorable. She hasn't changed a bit. She recognized me as well and I can tell for sure by the look on her face.

"Tae, this is Jennie, my best friend's sister. She loved your painting at home so I brought her here to see your paintings. Jennie this is my brother Taehyung, and his girlfriend Hailey."

Jennie, the best at bottling up her feelings and faking a smile, pretends like she has no clue who I am and shakes my hand and then Hailey's. I wish I could hold that hand longer, that soft small hands that I craved to hold for the rest of my life.

"Nice to meet you both." She says and I can feel the pain kick me in my stomach as I hear her sweet voice.

"Where's Ron and Riley?" Hailey asks and my sister points at the four kids sitting on the floor and chatting. I recognize three of them. My niece, my nephew, and Liam. He has grown so much since I last saw him but he still looks just like how I first saw him. There is one more child, a little girl, who looks just like Jennie when she laughs. It is who I think it is, isn't it?

Jennie's and Kai's little girl.

I remember how I hated it when Jennie told me that she would make one of her own kids one day with her fiance at the park when we first spoke. Today, she is here at my gallery, with that said kid. Oh, how this life messes with your feelings. I thought I was finally at peace after I met Hailey but here she is, again.

Jennie doesn't say anything else, she turns around and pretends to observe the paintings but I know her well enough to tell that she is hiding her face to hide the tears that are falling from her pretty brown eyes. She can lie, as much as she wants but those eyes always tell the truth. Those eyes told me that she loves me, at the beach when we last met, she told me she loved me with those eyes. However, with the situation she was in, she couldn't love me. Which is why, both of us ended up suffering. Sometimes I wish I had never gone into that library. I shouldn't have loved her too much. 

Rosie buys a painting from my abstract collection but I notice how Jennie didn't seem to like any of them. I didn't go to ask her why she didn't like any because I couldn't get myself to talk to her. Not in front of my sister and girlfriend. Maybe some other time, if there is another time.