FORGET-ME-NOT | kth

Chapter 39 - Mess Things Up

Maya's POV

On Thursday afternoon, I stood by the window with a cup of coffee, letting my mind drift. My thoughts kept returning to yesterday—Taehyung. I replayed our conversation, his gaze, and the moment he leaned in as if he might kiss me. I had replayed it over and over, feeling both excitement and confusion. It was as if he had taken up residence in my mind, and I couldn't shake him off, no matter how hard I tried.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and flinched slightly, startled. Turning to see Samantha beside me, I noticed her concerned expression. Her sharp eyes, which always seemed to see right through me, studied me intently.

"Did you hear what I just said?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity and a hint of impatience. I blinked, trying to pull myself out of my thoughts. Had she been talking to me this whole time?

"Sorry, what were you saying?" I asked, feeling a bit sheepish. She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with my lack of attention.

"I've been watching you for days now," she said, crossing her arms. "What's going on with you? I know something is off."

I sighed deeply, feeling the weight of the conversation pressing down on me. There was no escaping it now. Samantha had always had a knack for reading me like an open book.

"Is it because you're not comfortable being back here? Is it just that?" she asked, her tone softening with concern.

I placed my coffee mug on the windowsill, turning fully to face her. This was it. I had to tell her. There was no more hiding.

"Sam, I haven't told you everything. Something happened the day after we arrived," I began, my voice hesitant. Her eyes narrowed in concern, urging me to continue.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice quieter now, more serious.

"I... I ran into Taehyung," I confessed, watching as her eyes widened slightly. "And ever since that day, we've been meeting each other. Every day."

"Taehyung? The one you were hooking up with? The lover boy?" she asked, her tone a mix of surprise and amusement. I felt a flicker of offense at her casual description of our past, but I nodded nonetheless.

"Oh my God," she said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "What's going on between you two?"

I hesitated, trying to find the right words. "It's... I don't know," I said, biting my lip.

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, but then a thought seemed to strike her. "Wait," she said, her voice rising with realization. "Was that him? The guy in the elevator that day? The one who got off with us?"

Seeing my silence, she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "I knew it! I noticed him, and I could feel the tension between you two!" She said it as if she had just solved a great mystery, and I couldn't help but smile, though I tried to suppress it.

She leaned in closer, her voice lowering conspiratorially. "So... what now? What are you going to do?"

I sighed, looking down at my hands. "I don't know, Sam. I really don't know."

Her smile softened, and she squeezed my shoulder gently. "What happened?" she asked carefully, her voice quieter now. "Do you... still have the same feelings for him? And what about him?" She hesitated, clearly unsure how to navigate the delicate topic.

"I don't know," I admitted with a sigh, and she clicked her tongue, a clear sign of her irritation. I couldn't blame her-if someone gave me such a noncommittal answer, I'd be annoyed too.

"Are you just killing time?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at me. "Because if you are, there are plenty of ways to manage boredom around here," she teased, her tone light, but her eyes were still probing.