endless • kth

t w e n t y

•  

the next days were simple and pretty much like the past few weeks. taehyung would visit every night and ara would cook noodles for him. she wondered if he would gain weight from all the noodles he have had before but he seemed to be in a pretty good shape anyway. it was more than obvious that he exercised, since on weekends he would wear casual clothes and even sporty shirts and sweatpants and his muscles and well toned body would mark through the thin layers of fabric.

she thought he really must like her noodles since this seems to be the only restaurant he visited. but there was more beyond that, the noodles were good, but this wasn't the real reason behind kim taehyung's endless visits.

they would talk until late, it had become a routine for the both of them, to the point where ara started longing that time of the day when she knew taehyung's time to come was near. they would talk about their lives and it was always a pleasant subject. ara felt comfortable somehow as if she knew him from before. it was a weird feeling that she had never experienced before.

however that night the mood was different. it has been over a week since taehyung witnessed that encounter between ara and her drunk landlord. fortunately he was there that time and he defended her, but tonight when he walked in the restaurant he noticed ara wasn't around. he walked to the bar and called jinyi.

"yah... boy" jinyi looked up at taehyung and nodded.

"Yes sir... just give me a minute, i'll clean that table for you-

"where's the owner?" taehyung didn't let him finish. he wasn't really interested in having dinner if ara wasn't around. the boy's face fell, he looked around nervously.

"she's not here today, i am sorry."

"why?" taehyung sensed something was off. the aura in the restaurant was different and judging by jinyi's face, he knew something had happened to her.

"she's indisposed today, we're sorry." he bowed quickly and returned to the serving area. taehyung looked around but woonki was probably on the back, in the kitchen. he barged in and walked through the door, looking for his annoying familiar face.

he spotted woonki cutting some vegetables and next to him was a familiar red orange pony tail with some grey hairs on it. he felt his heart beating faster as he approached her.

she's here, he thought.

"ajumma- he started but soon the woman froze and next thing he knew, he felt someone pushing him away. he turned around to look at woonki behind him.

"yah! what is your problem!?" he exclaimed at the older man.

woonki's eyes widened at the sudden disrespect from the young man, he always felt offended when someone didn't use honorifics.

"yah who do you think you're talking to?" he asked lifting his hand to smack taehyung's head but he was faster and he stopped his hand in the middle. soon ara stepped between them, looking at woonki, somehow shielding taehyung.

the blonde felt his heart beating faster for a second since he never imagined she would choose to protect him instead. "Yah! what have i told you about our customers?" woonki was looking at her with angered eyes, his frown visible as his teeth remained clenched.

"he has nothing to do here, what are you doing here?" he shouted the last question, looking defiantly at the significant tall blonde. taehyung rolled his eyes and ignored his question as he looked for ara's eyes.

"i came to see her– he said grabbing ara by the shoulders turning her around slowly. when his eyes posed on the woman's face, his spirit dropped to the floor.