Chapter 2

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After school, Taehyung walked me home in silence, his steps heavy beside mine. It wasn't unusual for us to walk together, but today felt different. The air between us felt thick, like he was carrying something he couldn't—or wouldn't—say. Normally, he'd be teasing me, making jokes, or just chatting about random things. But today, he seemed... distant.

On the way, I was still holding onto my bike, but Taehyung had insisted on helping me with it. He took hold of the handlebars while I walked beside him, my hand resting on the seat. It wasn't a big deal, but his quiet act of kindness felt strangely comforting. It almost felt like he was trying to protect me from something, or maybe just trying to ease the tension that hung between us.

I couldn't stand the quiet for long. My thoughts kept racing, circling around the unease I'd felt all day. I finally broke the silence, my voice soft but laced with concern.

"Hey, Taehyung, are you sure you're okay?" I glanced up at him, watching his face carefully. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

He stopped walking for a moment, his gaze shifting to the ground as if he were thinking of something. I waited, heart in my throat, but when he looked back up at me, he offered a smile—small, but warm.

"I'm totally fine," he said, but his voice was a little too reassuring, too smooth. "Promise me something, though."

I frowned slightly, my brow furrowing. "What is it?"

He took my hand in his, his fingers warm and steady. "Promise me... you won't stop loving me. No matter what happens in the future."

His words hung in the air, heavy and unexpected. My stomach did a strange flip, and I caught my breath, unsure of what to say. I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but I nodded anyway, trying to push the tightness in my chest away.

"I promise, Tae," I whispered, squeezing his hand. "I'll never stop loving you."

He seemed to relax at my words, and his smile became a little more genuine. But that strange feeling still lingered. What did he mean by that? Why was he so serious all of a sudden?

 As we neared my house, the awkwardness between us didn't seem to lessen, but Taehyung stopped at the front gate, turning to face me. His hands reached for me, pulling me into a hug that was longer than usual, almost lingering.

I stiffened for a moment, not expecting it, but then I melted into it, resting my head against his chest. His embrace felt almost protective, like he was holding on a little tighter than necessary, as if afraid to let go.

When he finally pulled away, there was a softness in his eyes that I didn't quite understand. His thumb brushed against my cheek, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe.

"I'll see you soon, Ha-rin," he said quietly, his voice low. "I love you."

My heart skipped a beat. "See you soon, Tae. I love you too."

And then, with one last lingering kiss on my forehead, he turned and walked away, his figure slowly fading into the distance. I watched him go, the same strange feeling bubbling in my chest.

Something wasn't right, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

_____________________________________________________________________________

The next day, I woke up determined to surprise Taehyung. I hadn't called him that morning, not wanting to ruin the surprise. After all, he didn't respond to my texts the night before, but I figured maybe he'd been busy or just asleep.

"Mom, I'm going to Tae's. I'll be back later," I said, grabbing my bag and heading toward the door.

My mom was sitting in the living room, her attention on the TV, as usual. It was just the two of us—Dad had left when I was a baby, and I honestly didn't care much about him. It was my mom and me against the world, and that was enough.

"Okay, Ha-rin. Just come back early, alright?" she said with a warm smile.

I nodded, returning her smile before walking over to give her a quick hug. "Love you, Mom."

"Love you too," she replied, a soft chuckle escaping her as I rushed out the door.

Taehyung's house wasn't far—just a few minutes' walk. I took my time, enjoying the warm summer air as I made my way there. Thoughts of seeing his smile and how excited he'd be about the movie tickets filled my mind. I knew he'd been dying to see that movie, and it felt good to plan something special for him.

When I finally arrived, I knocked on the door with a smile on my face, imagining the look of surprise when Taehyung opened it. But when the door swung open, it wasn't Taehyung standing there.

It was his mom, Mrs. Kim.

"Good morning, Mrs. Kim!" I greeted her cheerfully. "Is Taehyung awake? I wanted to surprise him with tickets for that movie he's been talking about."

Mrs. Kim looked at me for a moment, her expression faltering. There was something in her eyes—something I couldn't quite place. Her face softened as she stepped back, clearly confused.

"Sweetie," she began gently, "didn't Taehyung tell you anything?"

I blinked, my smile slowly dropping as confusion settled in. "Tell me what, Mrs. Kim? Is Taehyung okay?"

Her eyes searched mine, and she sighed before speaking again. "Taehyung... he passed the audition. He left last night to train in Seoul. To become an idol."

The words hit me like a slap to the face. My mind raced, trying to process what she was saying. My chest tightened as I tried to find the words, but they wouldn't come. Taehyung had left? For Seoul? And he hadn't told me?

I must have looked completely lost because Mrs. Kim's expression softened even more. She gave me a small, apologetic smile. "I thought he would have mentioned it to you. He's been excited about this for a while."

I stood there, unable to speak for a few moments, my heart sinking into my stomach. I felt like the ground had disappeared beneath me, and all I could do was nod numbly. "Oh... right. I totally forgot," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Have a nice day, Mrs. Kim," I said, forcing the words out. I didn't wait for her response before turning and walking away, my heart breaking with each step I took.

I reached for my phone, dialing Taehyung's number. But it went straight to voicemail. I tried again. And again. But it was the same. His phone was off, or maybe he had blocked me, and the thought of that made a wave of panic rush over me.

I walked the entire way home in a daze, the world around me blurring. When I finally made it back to my house, I rushed up to my room, throwing myself onto my bed. The tears I'd been holding back finally broke free, and I buried my face in my pillow, hoping this was all some terrible nightmare I would wake up from. But deep down, I knew it wasn't.

Taehyung had left... without a word.

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