IN THE PRESENCE OF YOUR ABSENCE

CHAPTER14

"Oh, I'm so sorry—" I started, looking up at the person I'd run into. My words caught in my throat as I saw a familiar face staring back at me.

"Y/N?"

It was Park Jimin, my older brother.

Shock rippled through me as I blinked up at him, trying to process the coincidence. "Jimin? What are you doing here?"

He smiled, but it was small and cautious, as if he was equally surprised. "I could ask you the same thing. You know, Europe's a big place, and yet we manage to bump into each other like this?" He laughed lightly, but there was something more to his gaze, something probing.

I hadn't seen Jimin in years, not since I left the family. His life was still tied to the mafia world I had distanced myself from, and while we'd spoken occasionally over the years, it had always been brief, superficial conversations. But now, here he was, standing in front of me, looking as though he hadn't aged a day since I left.

"I'm just... on a trip," I said, my voice faltering slightly. "With... someone."

Jimin raised an eyebrow, catching the hesitation in my voice. "With someone? You mean... a guy?"

I nodded slowly. There was no use hiding it. "His name is Taehyung. We've been together for a while."

Jimin's expression darkened slightly, though he tried to mask it with a smile. "Taehyung, huh? I don't think I've heard about him."

"No, you wouldn't have," I admitted. "We've been... keeping things quiet."

Jimin nodded thoughtfully, but I could tell there was something on his mind. "Well, I'd love to meet this Taehyung. Can you call him over?"

A sense of unease began to settle in my stomach. I didn't know why, but the idea of Jimin meeting Taehyung felt... strange. Still, I pulled out my phone and dialed Taehyung's number.

"Taehyung, can you come to the park near the market? I ran into someone."

"Sure, I'll be there in a minute. Everything okay?" Taehyung's voice was warm on the other end, but there was a hint of concern.

"Yeah, everything's fine," I said, though the knot in my stomach told me otherwise.

I hung up and turned back to Jimin, who was watching me closely. "You seem different, Y/N," he said quietly. "I mean, since you left... the family."

I swallowed hard, not really wanting to delve into that topic. "A lot has changed. I wanted a different life."

Jimin's face softened. "I know, and I've respected that. But you know, the world you left behind... it's not so easy to escape from."

Before I could respond, I saw Taehyung approaching from the distance. His face lit up when he saw me, but the moment he spotted Jimin standing beside me, his expression shifted. His steps slowed, and I noticed the flicker of recognition in his eyes.

When Taehyung finally reached us, he glanced at me, then at Jimin, his confusion evident. "Hey... everything okay?"

Before I could explain, Jimin stepped forward, his eyes locked onto Taehyung's face. For a moment, it was as if the entire world had gone still.

Jimin's voice was low, laced with disbelief. "Taehyung... it's you?"

Taehyung's face drained of color as he stared at Jimin. "Jimin...?" His voice faltered, and I saw something flicker in his eyes—something I hadn't seen before.

I glanced between them, my heart pounding. "Wait... you two know each other?"

Neither of them answered immediately. They were both frozen, their eyes locked in a stare that spoke of a history I was completely unaware of. Finally, Jimin broke the silence, his voice tight with tension.

"Yeah, we know each other. We go way back."

I could feel the tension radiating off them, and a strange chill crawled down my spine. "What's going on? How do you know each other?"

Jimin subtly raised a hand, signaling Taehyung to hold off on whatever he was about to say. I noticed the silent exchange between them, the unspoken agreement that sent a chill down my spine.

"Y/N, it's nothing for you to worry about," Taehyung said, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Jimin and I were classmates back when I studied in Europe. We just... haven't seen each other in a long time."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "Classmates? You never mentioned that before, Taehyung."

Taehyung shrugged, his casual demeanor failing to mask the tension in his posture. "It was a while ago, and I didn't think it was relevant. Just some history."

Jimin's gaze flicked to Taehyung, and the tension in the air thickened. I felt like I was missing pieces of a puzzle, and it made me uneasy.

"Well, it's good to finally meet someone from your past, Taehyung," I said, trying to lighten the mood, but the uncertainty still gnawed at me.

Jimin's expression remained serious, and he shifted his focus back to me. "Y/N, can we talk about this later? Taehyung and I have some things to discuss regarding... school."

The way he phrased it felt off. "School?" I echoed, glancing between them. "What's there to discuss?"

"It's nothing to worry about," Jimin reassured me, but his tone was firm. "Just a quick chat. Can you give us a minute?"

I hesitated, looking at Taehyung, whose expression was unreadable. There was an unspoken communication happening between them that made my skin crawl. "Okay, but not too long," I finally replied, taking a step back but keeping my eyes on them.

As I stood off to the side, I watched Jimin and Taehyung speak in low tones, their expressions serious and tense. I felt a knot form in my stomach, wondering what secrets lay hidden between them. The vibrant sounds of the market faded into the background as I focused on their hushed conversation, feeling more like an outsider than ever.

After a moment, Jimin nodded, his expression softening as he turned back to me. "Okay, Y/N, you can come back now. We just wanted to catch up."

I walked back over, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling that clung to me. "What were you talking about?" I asked, curious yet apprehensive.

"Just some old memories," Taehyung said, his smile now more genuine. "You know how it is—school days and all that."

I smiled back, but inside I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to their past than they were willing to share.

As we resumed our exploration of the market, I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. What were they hiding, and how did it connect to my brother and the life I had left behind?