// the past //the first time he kisses her, he doesn't even realize the weight of his actions. he's sixteen, fresh and naive, and she's a year younger.
they're in a garden, surrounded by blooming flowers and all kinds of extravagant colors, under a wooden pagoda. it's sunny, not a cloud in sight.
taehyung holds freya's cheek, and she's tugging on her lip again as she always does. his eyes flit to her chapped lips momentarily. she smiles knowingly, pressing a feather-light touch to his side. it's all the consent he needs, and taehyung leans in.
the kiss doesn't last for more than three seconds, but it feels like a lifetime.
when he pulls back, she's smiling widely with her gaze on the cement. "that was -"
"- nice." he finishes, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "i've been wanting to do that a while. i didn't know if you -"
"it's been long enough, taehyung." she banters, glancing away with a shy smile. he catches the red flush to her cheeks, and presses his fingers against her cheek. maybe it's the sunlight, or their kiss, but it's hot under his touch.
"we're still up for the show tonight, right? my mom's out of town but she's given us the ok to go."
"i wouldn't miss it. i've been dying to go."
"oh. good. i was just afraid for a second, that you maybe didn't want to go with me."
she holds his hand with two of hers, and looks at him earnestly. "you underestimate yourself sometimes, you know? it's you i want to go with." she pauses. "and it always will be you."
taehyung thanks her with a kiss to her temple, a chaste gesture that means more than words could. "we should get some food to sneak in so we don't have to pay later." he chuckles, taking her hand in his. "right?" when freya doesn't reply, he looks to her, and his heart speeds in an instant.
there's a change in freya's eyes, a mix of panic and something else taehyung can't quite put a finger on. there are dark clouds rolling in from the west, covering the once shining sun. it's ominous, frightening, and taehyung watches anxiously as freya stumbles a bit.
he holds her, hand around her waist to support her. "what's wrong, frey?" he asks urgently.
"i -" she steadies herself, sitting on the stones. "- feel dizzy."
"did you eat something wrong? do you want some water?" he says, but he's running back inside before she answers. it takes less than two minutes for him to get a cup of water, but when he returns, she's no longer with him.
it's raining, like the skies have turned on him.
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omg i hate everything i write but pls enjoy the v emotional gif of taehyung