Holding On To You | k.th + j.hs

Trouble

The cafeteria starts to fill up as Taehyung waits in the long line. He stands behind a crowd of other students who are just as eager to buy their lunch as he is. He looks over at a table in the corner of the room. Hoseok's sitting there, waiting for him.

Alone.

       Unlike Taehyung, Hoseok doesn't have many friends. Just a few people here and there who pity him.

The smell of fresh food fills his nose. He hasn't eaten all day. He never eats breakfast. The clock reads 12:10PM.

"Hey, why do you need this thing?"

Taehyung spins around, facing the direction of Hoseok's table. He sees a group of older looking boy's surround his friend. Fear starts to rise in his chest.

      He's never seen these boy's before. He doesn't know their names. But that doesn't matter. What matters is what'll happen next.

Hoseok remains silent, though he looks over at Taehyung as if asking him what to do. Taehyung doesn't budge.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! Why do you need this thing?" The boy, who seems to be the leader of the group, persists. He's holding the cord in his hand. He's holding Hoseok's life in his strong hand. Fear turns to anger.

"Don't touch that!" Taehyung yells as he approaches the table.

The boy is caught off guard at first, but quickly recovers when he realizes that his opponent is almost a head shorter than him. He snickers as Taehyung stops in front of him.

"And what if I do touch it? What if I yank it? Snap it in half?" The boy taunts as he gives the cord a light tug. Taehyung's about to burst into flames of anger.

"Stop. You don't know what you're doing. Just put the cord down and go away," Taehyung says through clenched teeth.

He suddenly feels himself being pushed back. He falls to the floor as the older boy hovers over him. The boy bends down, and is about to say something, but doesn't get the chance to because Taehyung swings his leg up and kicks him in the neck.

      Hurriedly, Taehyung gets up and runs to Hoseok, standing in front of him as if he were a shield. The rest of the group just stands there as their leader rubs his neck, looking pissed. The whole cafeteria seems to be watching.

Waiting, for a rigid breath to break the silence.

Taehyung stands there, waiting for a punch to the face. A kick to the stomach. Another slam to the floor. But nothing comes. Instead, the boy stares past him. He stares at Hoseok, who's sitting in Taehyung's shadow. The boy spits on the ground and kicks the oxygen tank before leaving with the rest of his posse. Taehyung lets out a long breath that he hadn't realized he's been holding in. He can hear Hoseok do the same behind him.

      Slowly, the cafeteria resumes back to loud talking and laughing. Taehyung sits down next to Hoseok, deciding to forget lunch. He isn't hungry, anyway.

"Thanks, Tae. I appreciate it," Hoseok says with a smile. Taehyung just nods with a sigh. "I'm just glad it's over," he finally says, though his smile is weak.