Ditto • TK

25. Imagination is a beautiful place

"And then my dad made me learn guitar when I turned 10... that's how I got into music"

I nod, then look outside to see it was raining. My mind unknowingly takes me back to a conversation between me and Taehyung.

Just few weeks after I joined the college, me and Taehyung started following a strange pattern of coming to cafeteria. He was the first one to arrive everytime, then I came and for the next 5-7 minutes we waited for everyone to come while talking about anything and everything...
One such day, when I entered the cafeteria, I saw him sitting close to the window and looking at the rain drops falling outside. I go and stand next to him, but he was so lost that he didn't notice. So, I smile and wave my hand in front of his eyes, startling him. He blinks his eyes rapidly then looks up to me with wide eyes, before taking a breathe of relief.

"Oh it's you" He smiles as I take a seat beside him.

"Seems like you really love rain"

"Well not really..." He says still looking outside.

"What? But you are looking at it and smiling as if it's the love of your life" I laugh.

He looks at me with a calm expression, before smiling softly. "There's a thing called imagination..." He says.

"I don't get it" I furrow my eyebrows and say.

"I mean, I am smiling not because the rain is pouring, but because I am imagining myself enjoying and dancing freely in the rain. It is something that I cannot do right now, but I can make myself happy by thinking of it..." He shrugs.

"But if you love dancing freely in rain, then you must love rain" I say, now fully invested in the conversation.

"I just like the idea of it... look there are different kinds of people in the world and I know I am one of those who will never have the courage to start dancing in the rain when everyone's watching.... plus I get sick easily" He pouts at the end, making me laugh.

"But you can, I mean we only get one life so we should live it to the fullest."

"It is not possible to experience everything we like in this practical world, the only place where we can do that, is our imagination... And dancing in the rain is the smallest of that everything, there can be many other things like-" He stops and looks at me, blinking as if he was thinking that he should continue or not.

"Like?"

"Like... loving someone... We fall for someone... But, it is not always rainbows and sun shines and not always possible that the feelings are reciprocated... it is in the imagination, the ideal world where everything's picture perfect. Not the real world..." He says then diverts his vision to look at the rain once again.

I stay silent, letting his words sink in. He spoke the reality of life. People say you only live once so easily but it's not possible for everyone, There are many things a person wants to do but they just remain unfulfilled wishes in their mind... all just because of a single thought that what the society will think...

"And I love the rain in my imagination, because it will make beautiful memories for me, like dancing with that special someone like no one's watching you... But in real life, getting drenched in rain will only bring me cold and cough"

I chuckle hearing that.

'Dancing with that special someone... so you want to do that?' I wanted to ask it that day but other's came so I wasn't able to. And then the topic never came over again.
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.
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He was right, sometimes imagination is a place that makes you happy... Just imagining Taehyung dancing in the rain, makes a smile form on my face. He was there, out in the middle of the rain, jumping happily with rain drops falling on his face. A heartwarming smile, similar to the one I saw on him in the market, was there, making my heart flutter with a familiar feeling.

If it was not enough, the next thing in my imagination, makes me surprised as well. I see me walking up to him, taking his hand, pulling him closer to myself as we dance like no one's watching... I wish I could hear his laughs as well, when I pick him up and spin... And when I put him down, I see our faces so close. Looking at each other with a smile that reached our eyes, filled with nothing but... lov-

"Jeongguk?" A voice brings me out of the imagination. Me and Taehyung disappear with the rain pouring outside. I look at front to see Chaeyoung. Oh yeah, we decided to meet here in the evening... she wanted to discuss something about the project and also use this time as a date...

Reality hits me hard. I was with Chaeyoung, my supposedly date, but the whole time I was thinking about Taehyung and imagining him and me together. I look at the table top confused as numerous thoughts fill my head.

"I think you are tired..." She says.

"huh?" I look at her, then say, "Ah y-yeah, today's day was hectic in college. Maybe we should call it for the day?" I gulp.

"Oh alright... then take rest. See you" She says and gets up slowly, walking out of the café. I sit on the same seat, staring at the unfinished hot chocolate in my cup. Taehyung loves hot chocolate...

Again Taehyung? I sigh, closing my eyes but, in front of me, again, comes his contagious smile. Then his eyes that always looked at me with stars in them.

And as if this moment was the last piece of the puzzle, it suddenly clicks to me.
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.
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I like Taehyung.

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Finally :)

I was writing this chapter and accidentally published it lol... sorry if I caused any confusion...

Also KIM NAMJOOONN!! He is so creative!! The album is an artistic masterpiece! Do stream all the songs, they all are amazing!💜💜

Do vote and comment if you liked the chapter💗

~Momo💜