Taehyung is still seated in the cafe, mulling over his conversation with Irene again and again in his head until he thinks he's gone mad, when he gets another phone call. He can still hear the anguish in her tone, the way she speaks to him as if she's pleading for him to let her into his life.
He hates the way her voice takes over his thoughts.
The phone on the table rings, and Taehyung dares to glance down at the caller ID. Jungkook's name flashes brightly, and with another sigh of relief, he swipes the answer and holds the phone to his ear.
"Taehyung."
"Yeah." he replies casually. "What's up."
"Want to go out for dinner? I mean, we go out on the reg, but let's go somewhere nice tonight."
Taehyung chuckles. "And I was thinking about stopping by In & Out. But yeah, if you're up for it." He isn't quite sure what Jungkook is planning, because Jungkook is fast food's #1 fan, but he doesn't ask over the phone.
"Ok. I'm finishing up my last class of the day. 6:30 tonight, at Little Beast. See ya." he says and hangs up before Taehyung can reply. It's fishy, Jungkook wanting to eat at a restarurant where a plate of food cost more than a day's work at Starbucks. Taehyung makes note to ask his room mate first thing when he sees him.
He sits in the cafe until it's time to leave, calling a taxi to the restaurant Jungkook told them to meet. For a moment, it feels strangely like a dinner date between him and his close friend, but Taehyung brushes the thoughts away before he can contemplate longer on it.
When Taehyung arrives at the restaurant, lit up warmly with string lights outside near the tables, he scans the tables for Jungkook. He finally spots Jungkook waving a hand in the air at him, a nervous smile on his face.
Taehyung immediately notices the look of pain on Jungkook's face.
"What's wrong?"
"Fuck. I need your help." Jungkook says, swiping a sweaty palm against his pants. "You know how I asked Freya out right?"
Taehyung has a hunch of where this is going, but he's praying that it's not. "Mhm."
"I asked her out here. Now. But I'm so fucking nervous I might pass out before she arrives. I just - I need my best friend here with me."
Taehyung tugs on his lip so hard he thinks he might taste blood. "Jungkook."
Jungkook looks up at him, waits for his friend to speak. Doe eyes, Taehyung thinks.
"This is a date. You know I can't see her."
Jungkook lets out a long, deflated sigh. "I know. Of course I know - but I also know that I'm nervous as fuck and you always know how to start a conversation. Won't you just stay?"
Jungkook's eyes implore into his own, and Taehyung has to glance away from succumbing. "I can't."
"Fuck. I'm being really selfish right now, aren't I."
"No. No, you're just anxious, and anyone in your shoes would be too. Listen, you're going to woo her with your gorgeous smile and your stupid biology facts and -"
"Hey, sorry I'm late. I was caught up in a - Taehyung?"
It seems as if the entire room freezes. The music drowns into nothing but a mere whisper, the chattering is a blurred murmur. Taehyung's eyes widen at the sound of Freya's voice. It's not even the first time he's seeing her, but it's the first time both of them are conscious and not drunk off alcohol.
Jungkook speaks first. "I invited him. His plans got cancelled and I didn't want to leave him at home."
"Oh. I didn't know you two knew each other." She sits down, next to Taehyung facing Jungkook. Taehyung tenses when the edge of her skirt brushes against his thigh. "Three's company."
Taehyung stands, clearing his throat. "Actually - I was just stopping by. I really have a lot of homework tonight so I'll leave you two to it."
He catches the unmistakable frown on Freya's lips before she recovers. Taehyung knows he needs to leave - right now - before it's too late. Jungkook is frowning too, but at least he knows the reason Taehyung is leaving. With a curt nod, he turns on his heels and walks away, until he's half way down the block.
With that, he stops and leans with his back agains the wall of a building for support. He wants to cry almost, some indescribable feeling of yearning. No tears come out, yet Taehyung doesn't think tears will make the pain hurt any less.
"Hey."
Taehyung looks up, and there's Freya standing before him, walking towards him in that damn floral skirt of hers. His thoughts jump to Jungkook for a moment.
"You okay?" she asks, stopping when she's an arms distance from him. She peers up at him and her hand reaches out to touch his arm before she realizes what she's doing and immediately recoils. "I forgot my phone in my car and I just saw you standing here."
"I'm fine." His voice is too stern, and it shows on Freya's hurt expression.
"Taehyung," she tries again, and Taehyung can't bear to look at her. "I don't know if you got my messages, but I hope you're okay."
"I'm fine." he replies.
If she's realized by now that Taehyung isn't interested in talking, she doesn't show it. "Wanna know something?"
He waits.
"I remember you taking me back to your place." she smiles to herself. "Normally, I would've never let anyone take me anywhere, and I know this sounds crazy, but I felt like I knew you." she pauses, makes sure he's listening, then continues. "You let me lie on your sofa and you sat there with me. And then, when you thought I was completely gone, you said three words to me." she looks at him now, the moon lighting up those curious eyes of hers. "You said 'i love you' to me."
Taehyung sees his life flash before his eyes. All his lives, all the ones where Freya dies and then imagines this Freya dying.
"Why did you say those words to me?" she whispers. "Do you know me, Taehyung?"
The tone of her voice yearns for him to say yes, that he does know her. That he knows her even better than she knows herself.
"Jungkook is waiting for you, Freya. You should get back."
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did y'all catch the taekook in this ;)
sorry im taekook trash tbh
