Why? || Kim Taehyung

31

"Yo Jiwoo,"

I snapped out of my small trance and looked back at Jimin whom was trying to get my attention whilst shoving a spoonful of rice in his mouth.

"Y-yeah?"

"You're spacing out the whole day. Are you okay?" He flashed me a worried look. "I know that you're not having the best day today but you still need to eat,"

It was true that I wasn't having the best day of my lifetime today. It had been a week since the funeral, and the kiss between Taehyung and I. Surprisingly, we weren't awkward with each other the next day at school and Taehyung actually tried to open up to me. But it only lasted for three days.

On the fourth day, Taehyung suddenly started to avoid me at all costs and I couldn't help but feel like we were back to where we had first met. It bothered me a lot because one, I liked Taehyung and cared for him and seeing him so distant all of a sudden worried me. Two because everyone around me seemed to be aware of the reason why.

But it wasn't like Taehyung and I were dating so I guess I didn't really have the right to be pissed over anything. I was just worried for the boy.

I sighed in defeat and picked my spoon up before shoving rice into my mouth. Jimin smiled weakly before looking over to YooJung who was also staring out into the blank space.

"Yo YooJung, you gotta eat as well. And where the hell is Taehyung?"

"Taehyung hasn't been having the best time of his life at my house," YooJung sighed. "As you know, my family despises him a lot,"

I slammed my spoon down on the table, making Jimin flinch in surprise. "Woah Jiwoo, chill,"

"I'm gonna go to Taehyung," I said, standing up.

"How are you going to go to him when you don't know where he's been the whole day?" YooJung shouted as I started walking.

"Trust me, I know where he is," I gave her a reassuring smile.

I rushed down the school hallways and reached the abandoned staircase that technically wasn't so abandoned anymore. I turned around to go up the stairs until a familiar figure crashed right into me. If it wasn't for him wrapping his arms around me, I would've hit my head onto the tiled floors of the school. Our eyes met for a very short second and I instantly pushed him away when I saw who it was.

"T-Taekwang..."

"Shouldn't it be a thank you? Not an unwelcoming expression," the latter raised his eyebrows with a dissatisfied look along with a faint hue of pink appearing on his cheeks.

"Sorry... And thanks," I put a strand of my hair behind my ear with a dry cough. "Were you up at the rooftop?"

"Yeah," he replied back in English. "And if you're looking for your boyfriend, don't go up. Give him some alone time,"

"B-boyfriend? He's not–"

"Whatever, I'm gonna go get some food. Bye," he threw a wave behind his shoulder before walking away slowly with his hands tucked in his pockets.

I let out a little sigh of frustration before glancing back up at the staircase that spiralled upwards to the metal door. I really wanted to go up and see if Taehyung was okay, but my guts told me to just listen to TaeKwang this time. Pushing my bangs back with my fingers, I jogged towards TaeKwang whom wasn't so far away from me.

"Yah Han TaeKwang," I grabbed onto the hem of the boy's blazer, stopping him from his tracks. "You didn't say anything to him did you?"

"Well obviously I said something, don't make me look like the bad guy here though," TaeKwang swatted my hand away from him and crossed his arms. The boy noticed my worried state and I saw his hardened expression soften up. "He apologised to me,"

Apologised?

"See see? You're giving me that face again. Like I said, don't make me look like the bad guy," TaeKwang scowled. "But seriously, give the guy some time by himself for now. He may need comforting, but he also needs alone time,"

"I don't know if I can trust you or not," I fiddled with my treble clef pendant whilst stepping back from him.

"Oh trust me alright. I know more than what that YooJung girl and your cousin knows of. And just saying, you're the last person he would like to see right now,"

I froze at his last statement and gave him a questioning look.

I ended up listening to TaeKwang and soon school had finished. Taehyung didn't show up to any of the classes, but I knew that he was here at school today because of YooJung. My eyes automatically searched for Taehyung the moment I stepped out of class, and I think it became a habit for me.

I slumped my shoulders when I realised the boy was nowhere to be found and made my way outside of the school building. The cold early winter breeze hit me right in the face, and I instantly hunched up whilst keeping my head down. I stumbled back when my forehead came in contact with someone else and winced at the hard impact.

"Sorry,"

By the time I looked up, I saw Taehyung hurriedly rushing off outside the school gates. It felt like as if a little crack had appeared on the side of my heart when I saw this. Those words he said to me a week ago echoed in my mind again.

"I'm going to do something to you right now, and I'm really sorry because I honestly don't deserve to do this. So please forgive me because I think doing this will make Halmeoni happy,"

I still didn't understand why he didn't deserve it. Taehyung had constantly mentioned from time to time that he didn't deserve to do things with me, as if he had committed a great crime to me. The fluttering feeling in my heart that had constantly been happening every time I thought of Taehyung since last week suddenly changed into a sad pained one. I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion before closing my hands into tight fists.

"Taehyung!"

I saw the boy abruptly stop in his tracks and stuff his hands into his blazer pockets. I bit my lower lip and jogged up to Taehyung. He didn't move from his spot and I noticed his head hanging low as his eyes gazed onto the ground with sorrow filled in them. I found this unusual and with hesitation, I raised my hand to his arm and softly tapped him.

"Taehyung?"

Taehyung flinched in surprise and took a step away from me the moment my hand came in contact with him. I felt a small pang in my heart as I retracted my arm back to myself. The boy noticed my uneasy expression and softened his serious face.

"I'm sorry Jiwoo, I didn't mean to," he lowered his head once again.

"Are you okay? You've skipped all of your classes today,"

Taehyung let out a forced smile that was obviously too pained which made it look more like a scowl. "I'm just not getting along well with YooJung's parents that's all," he nodded.

But to me, it didn't look like that was the whole reason to why he was so down today.

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Thank you for all the birthday messages♡
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