Invisible Affection | Taejin

2. A Bird with Broken Wings

Taehyung was startled into wakefulness as his alarm went off, feeling slightly off. He rubbed his eyes as he sat on the couch, attempting to get rid of the drowsiness holding him down. His head throbbed painfully, and he winced as he looked around the room, trying to get his bearings. It wasn't surprising that he felt like this; he had only gotten four hours of sleep.

He noticed immediately that Seokjin was already gone, leaving behind a tangle of blankets and pillows. One pillow lay on the ground, while the other was hanging off the edge of the bed.

Feeling a pang of loneliness, he picked up his phone and texted Seokjin, wanting to know if he had made it back to his apartment safely. As he typed, he scrolled through the previous messages he had sent, but there were no replies. He could not help but feel a little hurt that Seokjin had not responded to him, but he tried to ignore it.

Taehyung sighed and leaned against the backrest, staring at his phone as if he could summon a response. He had already missed Seokjin's presence, and it was only a matter of time before he caved and texted him again. But for now, he would have to content himself with the memory of Seokjin's visit and the hope that he had safely made it home.

After placing his phone on the charger and leaving it there to charge, he went to the bathroom and spent the next twenty minutes preparing for his day.

He had just emerged from the bathroom, and as he walked back to the living room excitedly, he checked his phone, hoping to see a message from Seokjin. However, to his disappointment, there was no response. He felt a sinking feeling in his chest, and his hands trembled slightly.

He stood there silently, his towel wrapped tightly around his waist and drops of water trickling down his shoulders and chest. He felt anxious and helpless, staring intently at the message thread, reading and re-reading the ones he had sent. He scrolled through them slowly, trying to find clues as to why Seokjin had not replied yet.

Feeling defeated and concerned, he quickly typed another message to Jin, hoping for a response. He asked if everything was alright and if he had made it home safely. His fingers trembled as he hit the send button. His heart skipped a beat when the message read sign appeared underneath his message. The relief he felt was immediate, but he couldn't help but wait another minute to see if Jin would reply. He didn't receive a reply, but it was okay; he was glad Jin was safe.

Leaving his phone to charge, he quickly walked around the room, getting dressed and grabbing a quick bite before packing his bag for departure. He had a long day ahead of him and knew he needed to get a head start on everything he had to do.

*****

It was mid-afternoon, and Taehyung was bustling around the library, his second job, where he spent most of his afternoons. His job was to keep the library orderly and neat. He took great pride in his work, just as he had with everything else.

He enjoyed the quiet and peaceful atmosphere as he walked down the aisles, organizing books. Only the soft rustling of pages as a few students flipped through textbooks could be heard. His keen eye quickly identified the scattered books, and he swiftly rearranged them to their original locations, making sure each book was aligned correctly, and the spines were not facing the wrong way.

He enjoyed the balance he maintained between his two jobs. His job at the library provided him with an environment that allowed him to concentrate and focus on his studies while also enabling him to indulge in his love for books. It was rare that anyone bothered him during his shift at the library.

On the other hand, his shift at the restaurant allowed him to prepare and engage with people, which he used to practice his social skills and sharpen his customer service abilities. Although he didn't enjoy speaking in public or to others, he knew the value of good communication skills and how they would benefit him.