Obsession (vkook)

25

"You stayed."

"I didn't think you'd come back."

Taehyung stands there for a moment, rain still dripping from his hair from when he walked into the coffee shop. He hesitates before turning to the nearest barista.

"E-Excuse me," He says to her. "Do you see that guy?"

She looks to Jeongguk then back. "Yes. Is he bothering you?"

Taehyung shakes his head. "No, thank you. Sorry."

She leaves and Taehyung moves to sit down at the booth with Jeongguk. The bell rings, signaling another customer. When he looks over his shoulder he sees Jimin approaching them as he pushes his hood off.

Taehyung freezes in fear for a moment but reminds himself that Jimin wasn't a threat. The version of him he'd created was just a generalization of his own fears and self hatred.

"He was coming to pick me up," Jeongguk says as Jimin takes the open seat next to him. "D-Do you remember him?"

"I don't," Taehyung says, hardly sparing him a glance as he looks down at his shaking hands. "I'm sorry."

"You're seriously shaking," Jimin says, standing again to shrug off his jacket. "You want it?"

"N-No," Taehyung says, finally meeting his eyes. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah..."

He shrugs and sits back down, reaching for Jeongguk's coffee. "What'd you get, Gguk?"

Jeongguk glares at him. "Can you stop acting like a jackass? I need to talk to him before his parents show up."

"They're gone," Taehyung says. He feels like cowering under their gaze when they look at him. He wasn't sure if he was afraid or embarrassed—or both. "They're out of town for work."

"Does Seokjin know you came here?" Jeongguk asks.

"He'll presume I did." Taehyung pushes his damp hair out of his face and sighs. "I'm so confused about what's happening."

"What do you remember from before?" Jeongguk asks. "Maybe I can try to fill in some of the blanks."

"Or you can explain how his crazy ass parents tried to pin a drug trafficking charge on you for selling a little pot to high schoolers," Jimin states. "That seems like a pretty good place to start."

"Don't listen to him, he's an asshole," Jeongguk says, shooting another pointed glare at him. "And totally insensitive."

"Now is not the time to be zen, Jeongguk," Jimin says. "Tell him about the private investigator and the police reports."

"Jimin~"

"Are you guys together?" Taehyung asks, cutting their bickering. "I-I mean, are you dating?"

Jimin laughs but Jeongguk only looks annoyed.

"Me? Date him?" Jimin asks. "No offense, Taehyung, but he's an idiot."

"You're ruining this," Jeongguk says. "I haven't spoken to him in three years. He probably doesn't even remember me and you're gonna tell him I'm an idiot?"

"You are an idiot."

"I know that, but he doesn't have to."

Taehyung looks between the two of them after they fall silent. "Sorry I asked."

"Don't be," Jeongguk says. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told him to come. Dr. Yang told me what you remembered about us~"

"They weren't really memories," Taehyung says. "They were just...hallucinations. Delusions, I think."