Losing Kim Taehyung

four

"And at
the end
of this all

I'll be
the one
you forgot

And you'll
always be
the one I
forgot
to
forget"

————————

It has been a week since the classes had finally started, and boy, wasn't that the most tiring week I ever had! Ms. Choi made us do a lot of assignments and quizzes in the first week of classes, like why does she have to be so heartless?

As soon as I got home, I threw my leathered bag pack on the couch, and went to the kitchen once I smelled my mom's cooking.

"You're home early, mom." I said as I went to the fridge, opening it and took a pitcher of cold water and pour it on an empty glass I found in the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, my boss is in a pretty good mood today." She said, glancing at me with a smile. "Maybe it's his daughter's birthday." The smile on her face remained, and even hummed a cheerful tune as she cooked. My mom always had a huge crush on her boss.

My mom works as a journalist in one the most prestigious company here in Korea, and ever since she started working in that company, she always looked happy. Then last month when I burrowed her laptop, I saw a picture of her and her boss together in a formal attire as her desktop background. She might not told me about it, but I could feel it. She has a thing for her boss. She also told me once that his boss was just the same age as her (but he looked sort of younger than her when I saw their picture together), and he was a widower with an eight-year-old daughter. And I think it's really cute to see my mom having a crush on someone as if she's still in her teenage years.

"Anyways, how was my baby's day?" She asked as she finished cooking and turned off the stove. She put the pasta she just cooked on two different plates, and handed me my plate. She sat across me, and placed the fork and a napkin near me.

I stared at my food. I was too tired, not just by doing all those shitty assignments and stuff, but also too tired to keep on waiting for a boy who never came. It has been a week, and that Taehyung didn't show up in school. "I'm fine, mom." I finally said, still looking down on the food on my plate and slowly, grabbing the fork.

"But you don't look fine. Did something happen?" She looked worried this time. She put down her fork, and looked at me. "Did you argue with Sungjae again?"

I ridiculously smiled because of her last question, then shook my head no as an answer. Should I tell it to her? That I kept waiting for a stranger who kissed me in somebody else's bathtub that one night, then disappeared the next morning. . . leaving me with nothing but a memory? I don't think so. What would she think of  me?

"I'm your mother, Kwon Areum. I know if there's something bugging you." She said firmly. I bit my lower lip, avoiding her intimidating stare, but any seconds later, I gave in. I hate it when she stared at me like that—staring me like she caught me lying.

I sighed defeatedly, "Fine, but it's just nonsense, okay? So, I met a boy at Sungjae's party, we talked. . . then I saw his name listed as one of my classmates. He was really cute, and I like him. Until now, he never came to school, and each day I kept waiting for him. That's it." I told her briefly and quickly as if it was really nothing then rolled the pasta using my fork and stuffed it in my mouth. "Told you it's just nonsense." I said with my mouth full, looking away. As I was chewing, my mom got up on her seat and approached me. She spread her arms around me and hugged me gently.