"난 두려운 걸."
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Neon lights blurred his vision, the sound of cars driving by drowned the popular music playing in the nearby shops. The night sky lacked the millions of stars that used to light the way, leaving only the moon to provide natural light.
Taehyung missed the stars, for they were his only friends; companions that provided comfort on his long melancholy bike rides. They gave him warmth when he decided to stop at a nearby park to lay in the dewy grass to count them.
As the small male pushed his legs to peddle faster, the wind wrapped around him and whispered sweet nothings into his ears. He closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath; the cigarette smoke was an all too familiar smell. It reminded him of both good and bad days, laughter and sadness. A smile made its way on to his face, and the boy continued his way down the narrow street.
☾
Once the small ramen shop made its way into Taehyung's line of vision, the boy decided to make a slight detour.
The time was nearing midnight, but he was used to this. Though it was a school night, the male preferred coming home as late as possible to avoid his father, who ruled with an iron fist. The man showed no emotion other than anger, and it was always something Taehyung did that provoked him. His punches were harsh, but his words branded Taehyung's skin and made a home in his conscious.
As Taehyung dismounted his bike, the eerie chime of the shop's bell rang loudly in his ears. The brunette looked towards the direction of the entrance, and a familiar male caught his sight.
Jeongguk.
Memories began to flood Taehyung's mind. Glimpses of smiles and soft touches made his eyes sting with unshed tears. The way Jeongguk's eyes shined like they held the universe brought a smile to the small males face.
There was a time where Taehyung yearned for the raven-haired males companionship. He had tried to close the growing gap between them, but the other male wanted nothing to do with him. It was okay though, really it was fine, but deep down it broke Taehyung. The younger used to be his escape from reality, but now he had to face the truth...no one stayed for long. No one wanted a broken counterpart.
Several droplets fell from the sky and landed on brunettes pale skin, not a minute later the soft drizzle became a hard downpour which caused the male to frown. Taehyung took hold of his old bike and hid under the thin awning protecting the entrance to the little shop.
Taehyung sighed and watched as Jeongguk lit a cigarette and took a long drag. The embers slowly traveled down the stick, and toxic gray smoke filled the younger's lungs. Jeongguk's jet black hair covered most of his forehead, and his chocolate brown eyes were glazed over with boredom. Taehyung found himself focusing on the males sharp jawline and the small scar that cut through his left eyebrow. He wondered how that got there in the first place.
"Are you done staring?" Jeongguk grumbled, staring at the cars passing by.
Taehyung tensed and quickly looked away. He let out a quiet apology and tightened his grip on the bike. The atmosphere felt uncomfortable, and Taehyung wanted nothing more but to cry. He didn't know why, but it felt like the world at that moment wanted him to suffer.
The silence was thick, and Taehyung wanted to say something, anything. "How have you been?" he asked.
Jeongguk groaned and threw Taehyung a disinterested look. The small male frowned and looked down at his worn-out shoes. "You're really annoying; you know that?" Jeongguk scoffed and took another long drag from his cigarette. Taehyung moved far away from the latter and hugged himself. The rain pattered against the awning and scattered cars, which created a low hum. The small male's vision began to blur as he focused on nothing in particular.
His trance was broken once he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He was immediately filled with dread. He knew the only person calling at this time would be his father and if that were the case the beating he would later receive would be life-threatening.
Taehyung shakily pulled his phone out of his pant pocket and answered the call. "Hello?" he muttered.
"Where the fuck are you?" his father yelled.
Taehyung felt his voice grow weak, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize how late it got."
He felt like he was drowning, everything began to muddle. His throat closed up, and his breath shortened. This feeling was nothing new to the brunette; he had spent many nights crying, clawing at his neck to relieve the pain woven deeply in his chest.
Jeongguk noticed the males distress and looked his way. Taehyung wanted to disappear; he wanted Jeongguk to look at him with disgust rather than worry because he was weak. Taehyung was weak, and he couldn't handle the ever-growing pain festering within himself.
Taehyung finished the call, telling his father he'd be there soon. He was scared, mortified, but he should be used to the bruises and broken ribs. He should be used to the ugly names thrown his way, but he wasn't, and that was his downfall.
Jeongguk noticed the older male was shaking but did nothing to comfort him. He knew of Taehyung's father to an extent, but it wasn't his business, and it was best not to get involved.
"You should probably head home," Jeongguk mumbled.
Taehyung tried to collect himself, but his body felt as if it were on fire, his mind numb.
"Yeah... I guess I should."
Taehyung mounted his old bike and refused to spare Jeongguk another glance. As he moved out from under the awning, the rain dug into his skin like needles. The moon was no longer there to provide a comforting light; dark murky clouds covered the sky reflecting Taehyung's internal turmoil. The smell of smoke no longer invaded his senses and the wind no longer felt like a blanket. Taehyung was alone in this world, and that's how it would always be.
