Never Ending Love

Thawing Silence

"In her quiet strength, he found his voice."

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Word Count: 1178

The lecture hall buzzed with chatter as students filed in. Lisa, her ponytail bouncing, made a beeline for Taehyung's usual spot.

"Good morning, Taehyung!" she chirped, setting a carefully wrapped bento box on his desk. "I made some kimbap for you today."

Taehyung barely glanced up from his phone. "Thanks," he muttered, not meeting her eyes.

Undeterred, Lisa beamed. "I hope you like it! Oh, and here's your coffee, just how you like it."

She placed a steaming cup next to the bento, then settled into the seat beside him, chattering about the upcoming lecture.

Taehyung remained silent, occasionally nodding but never fully engaging.

This scene played out day after day. Lisa, perpetually sunny, showering Taehyung with small gifts and attention. Taehyung, cool and aloof, barely acknowledging her efforts.

Until one day, everything changed.

Lisa slipped into class just as the professor began speaking. No cheery greeting, no homemade lunch, no coffee. She sat two rows behind Taehyung, her head down.

Taehyung found himself glancing back, puzzled by the silence where Lisa's bubbly voice usually was.

The pattern continued for a week. Lisa, once the brightest presence in any room, now seemed to fade into the background. Her smile, when it appeared, never reached her eyes.

After class one day, Taehyung surprised himself by approaching her. "Hey," he said, awkwardly. "You okay?"

Lisa startled, as if unused to being addressed. "Oh, um, yeah. I'm fine," she mumbled, gathering her books.

Taehyung frowned, noticing a bruise peeking out from her sleeve. "Are you sure? You seem... different."

Lisa's eyes welled up suddenly. She blinked rapidly, turning away. "It's nothing. I have to go."

As she hurried out, Taehyung stood frozen, an unfamiliar feeling of concern washing over him. Something was very wrong with the girl he'd spent months trying to ignore.

Taehyung found himself uncharacteristically distracted during the next few days. Lisa's absence in class was palpable, and when she did show up, she was a shadow of her former self.

One afternoon, he spotted her in the library, hunched over a textbook. Dark circles underlined her eyes, and she flinched at every small noise.

Against his usual instincts, Taehyung approached her table. "Lisa," he said softly.

She jumped, eyes wide with fear before recognition set in. "Taehyung? Do you need something?"

He sat down across from her. "What's going on? And don't say 'nothing' this time."

Lisa's lower lip trembled. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, shaking her head.

"Look," Taehyung sighed, "I know I haven't been... receptive to your friendliness. But I'm worried about you."

A tear slid down Lisa's cheek. "It's... it's my parents," she whispered. "They've always been hard on me, but lately..."

She trailed off, pulling her sleeve down to cover another bruise.