𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧 | ᵏᵗʰ ✓

chapter 23

there was a long period of silence. the three young adults standing under the street lamp let the strong gusts of wind hit them. and as another second passed, the tension between the three got intense. before anything else could happen, the bystander of the incident; taehyung, took a deep breath and stepped in front of the shaking val to cover her.

"val," he called out, his voice slightly deeper than his usual tone.

she quivered in response.

"val, stop crying."

val sniffed a couple of times before she blinked away her tears.

"jimin-ah, you go on ahead back to dorm. i'll be right there behind you in a second."

jimin slowly nodded without expression. his hand still cupped his cheek that was slapped by val and turned around to walk back the way he came from. taehyung waited until he couldn't see the back of jimin's figure and then released an exhausting sigh.

"he's gone. it's okay now," he reassured in a softer tone.

the petite frail girl wiped her eyes with her sleeves and heaved in and out to calm herself. every muscle in her body that tensed loosened abruptly that she gave in to the ground. with the sound of her plopping on the floor, taehyung diverted his attention to val immediately and held her shoulders.

"hey, are you okay? do you need something?" he asked, alarmed.

val managed to face the boy in front of her as she tried to control her breathing. her eyes desperately wanted to close but she didn't want to lose the image ahead of her. her stomach felt as if she was being stabbed by something sharp and her body felt cold.

to take her mind off the pain, val wondered why was it that she always obeyed kim taehyung's words? why did they make her feel weak and feeble inside? and when did this boy who she met over plain noodles get to her mind so easily? small memories of the time when she first met him flashed before her, then dissolved into the time when he took her out for a midnight hangout session. and lastly, when he discovered her anorexic problem, and didn't reject her.

spots began to appear before her and she knew that it was probably the disorder punching back again. as taehyung's voice grew distant, val made her decision.

she would try her best to become taehyung's noodle partner and maybe something even more.

and then with a quick smile, she fainted in the arms desired by many.