Harmonic Destinies

Chapter 14 : Skipping

It had been an entire week since Taehyung last saw Jungkook and the silence was starting to weigh on him. Every morning, he checked his phone, hoping for a message a simple "hey," or even an emoji but there was nothing. He had sent a few texts throughout the week, cautiously at first, but after days without a reply, he felt his stomach sink deeper into the pit of worry. Taehyung couldn't shake the gnawing thought that maybe it was his fault. Maybe he had done something wrong. He replayed that night at the concert hall over and over in his head.

The kiss... Jungkook's lips against his, so soft and sudden had taken him by surprise, but he hadn't hated it. If anything, he had felt something deep and confusing, something he couldn't put into words. But then, Jungkook had run away, and ever since, he'd been ghosting Taehyung like it had never happened. Was he a bad kisser? The thought made Taehyung cringe as he walked down the hallway to his next class. Maybe he had done something wrong during the kiss too stiff, too awkward? His heart raced at the possibilities. Every time he thought about it, he felt embarrassed all over again.

Jimin had noticed the change in him, of course. "What's up with you lately?" Jimin asked during lunch one day. "You've been staring at your phone like it holds the meaning of life." Taehyung sighed. "It's nothing," Taehyung lied, stuffing his phone back into his pocket. He hadn't told anyone about the kiss, not even Jimin. The whole situation felt too fragile like saying it out loud would make it even more real, and he wasn't ready to face it yet. Jimin raised an eyebrow but didn't push further. "Alright, well, if you ever want to talk about this 'nothing,' I'm here."

As the week dragged on, Taehyung's worry grew. He wasn't sure what to do. Should he confront Jungkook? Should he wait for him to come around? What if Jungkook was avoiding him because he regretted the kiss? The thought sent a pang of sadness through Taehyung's chest.

One afternoon, after violin practice, Taehyung found himself wandering the campus aimlessly. He wasn't in the mood to go back to his dorm, and he didn't feel like being around people either. His feet led him toward the small coffee shop near the edge of campus a quiet place where students often went to study or catch a break from the hectic school life.

As he stepped inside, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and for a moment, he felt a bit of comfort. He ordered a drink and found a table near the window, staring out at the street as he absentmindedly scrolled through his phone. Still no messages from Jungkook. He sighed, taking a sip of his drink. Maybe he needed to stop thinking about it. If Jungkook didn't want to talk to him, there wasn't much he could do about it, right? He had his own life to focus on his music, his friends, and his classes. He couldn't let this uncertainty with Jungkook consume him. But just as he was convincing himself to let it go, a voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Taehyung?" He looked up to see Baekhyung standing by his table, a friendly smile on his face. Baekhyung was one of the first people Taehyung had met when he transferred to SSCA, and they had struck up an easy friendship. He was always cheerful, always lighthearted, and in that moment, Taehyung was grateful for the distraction. "Hey, Baekhyung," Taehyung greeted him with a smile, gesturing for him to sit down. Baekhyung slid into the seat across from him, setting his drink on the table. "I thought I'd find you here. You've been kind of MIA lately. Everything okay?"

Taehyung hesitated for a moment. "Yeah, I've just been... busy, I guess." Baekhyung studied him for a moment, his smile fading slightly. "You sure? You seem kind of down." Taehyung forced a chuckle. "I'm fine, really. Just school stuff, you know how it is." Baekhyung nodded, but the concern in his eyes didn't fully disappear. After a beat of silence, he leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. "Well, if you ever need a break from all that, I was actually thinking... maybe we could hang out? Like, outside of school." Taehyung blinked in surprise. "You mean... like a date?"

Baekhyung's cheeks flushed slightly, but he didn't back down. "Yeah, like a date. I think we'd have fun. No pressure, of course, but... I thought I'd ask." For a moment, Taehyung was caught off guard. A date? He hadn't even considered the possibility. Sure, Baekhyung was charming and nice, and he was definitely attractive. But his mind was still clouded with thoughts of Jungkook. The kiss. The silence that followed. Was it really fair to go on a date with someone else when he was still trying to figure out his feelings for Jungkook?

But then again, Jungkook wasn't talking to him. Jungkook had pulled away, leaving him in the dark. Why should Taehyung wait around, unsure of where things stood? Maybe a date with Baekhyung was exactly what he needed to clear his head. "I'd like that," Taehyung found himself saying before he could overthink it. "A date sounds nice." Baekhyung's smile widened, and Taehyung felt a small sense of relief. Maybe this was a good thing. Maybe he needed to take a step back from all the confusion with Jungkook and focus on something that felt simple and straightforward.

"Great," Baekhyung said, his excitement contagious. "How about this weekend? We could go out for dinner, maybe catch a movie or something?" Baekhyung smiled. "Yeah, that sounds perfect," Taehyung agreed. It would be nice to do something normal for once, without the weight of unspoken feelings hanging over his head. They chatted for a while longer, making casual plans for their date, and for the first time in days, Taehyung felt a sense of lightness. Maybe this was what he needed a chance to take his mind off everything else, to enjoy someone's company without all the complications.

But even as they talked, a small part of him couldn't shake the nagging thought at the back of his mind. Jungkook... Later that evening, as Taehyung lay in bed staring at the ceiling, his phone buzzing beside him with messages from Baekhyung confirming their plans, he still couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. He hadn't told Jimin or Seo-joon or Woo-shik about the kiss. It wasn't something he was ready to share, especially when he himself didn't even understand what it meant. And now, with Baekhyung's date looming on the horizon, Taehyung felt even more conflicted.

What was he doing? Was it fair to go on this date when his heart was still so tangled up with Jungkook? Jungkook, who had kissed him and then vanished. Jungkook, who hadn't answered any of his texts for days. What was Taehyung supposed to do with all these feelings? Sighing, he turned over in bed and stared at the glowing screen of his phone. Still no new messages from Jungkook. "Why do you have to make things so confusing?" Taehyung whispered into the darkness.

Just then, a new message appeared on his phone. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly grabbed the device, hoping for Jungkook's name to flash across the screen. But it wasn't Jungkook. It was Baekhyung.

*Can't wait for Saturday! It's going to be fun. :) *

Taehyung stared at the message for a long moment, his emotions a swirling mess of excitement and uncertainty. He wanted to move forward, to enjoy the date with Baekhyung, but there was still a part of him that couldn't let go of the hope that maybe, just maybe, Jungkook would reach out. Maybe Jungkook would explain why he had pulled away. Maybe he'd apologize. Maybe he'd... Taehyung shut his eyes tightly and pushed the thought away. It was no use waiting for something that might never happen. He needed to move on, to live his life.

But deep down, he couldn't deny that a part of him still longed for Jungkook's name to appear on his screen.

To be continued...