Invisible Affection | Taejin

3. Silent Tears

Upon waking the next day, Taehyung found himself in a familiar situation. Once again, the solitude enveloped him as he scanned the empty, messy bed devoid of any trace of Seokjin.

As he slowly sat up on the sofa, feeling a heavy emptiness in his chest. His mind was consumed with thoughts of Seokjin - had he made it home safely? Was he feeling unwell after the night of drinking? The thought of Seokjin potentially nursing a hangover or feeling tugged at his mind. The questions and continued thoughts swirled in his mind as he fumbled for his phone, torn between calling and sending a message.

The impulse to call him was strong, but a sudden sense of hesitation overtook him. What if Seoljin had only just fallen asleep after returning home? Would it be too intrusive to call? These questions appeared, leading him to opt for a cautious approach: to send a message instead.

After sending the message, the minutes ticked by, each intensifying his restlessness as he anxiously awaited a reply, pacing his small studio. When the familiar "read" receipt appeared without a response, he couldn't help but keep staring at his phone, hoping for a reply that never came, until the screen dimmed and locked, leaving him in a state of restless anticipation.

After unlocking his phone, he sent another message. It was the only way he could go about his day without feeling concerned. "I hope you got home safely. I am sorry if I made you feel I rejected you last night. That's not what I was trying to do. Maybe when you are not busy, or if you have time, we can have coffee together and talk about this. I would really like for us to talk, Seokjin. Have a good day, and if there is anything you need me to do, just know I am a phone call away."

In a matter of minutes, Taehyung's phone chimed with a response, and his heart raced with anticipation as he quickly glanced at the screen. However, his excitement turned to disappointment as he read the message.

The words cut deep as he absorbed the message: "Please stop texting me; it's annoying and borderline harassment. I also don't know what you are talking about, but your creepy behavior needs to stop."

Of all the words Seokjin had written, "harassment" stood out the most to Taehyung. He felt hurt as he read it, knowing deep within his heart that nothing he had done could be considered harassment towards Jin.

This accusation made him put away his phone, leaving him reluctant to send further messages. He knew such a serious accusation, if seen by others, could be taken the wrong way. As he reflected on the situation, he realized that he wasn't sure what was going on with Jin, and to be honest, he often found it challenging to understand Jin's feelings and actions.

The past half year of his life had transformed into a bewildering maze. Whichever way he turned, he found himself lost in a perplexing labyrinth of emotions and thoughts, unable to find an escape. He knew holding feelings for Jin was not in his best interest, and he tried to suppress them. However, just when he believed he had gained control over his emotions, something unexpected would happen, pulling him back into the tumultuous whirlpool of conflicting feelings.

Burdened by the weight of his emotions, his back collided with the sofa, his heavy heart dragging him down. Tears cascaded down his cheeks, reflecting the turmoil within him as he battled against the overwhelming tide of his thoughts and emotions.

As he sat there, time seemed to slow to a crawl, each passing minute stretching out into what felt like an eternity and every hour dragging on as if it were endless. He was completely sheathed in his emotions, feeling the weight of each passing moment. Suddenly, the persistent ringing of his phone shattered the silence, the dedicated ringtone assigned to his mother's calls cutting through the heavy atmosphere and pulling him out of the deep darkness that had consumed him.