LIGHTHOUSE ° you . kth

one

ʽ CHANGE ʼ ˑ ₁
━━━━━ 〈 一 〉 ━
「 present day ▴ cloudy 」

"You're overthinking it" Your best friend huffed, brushing off your paranoia with a mere flick of her wrist as she chewed on the lollipop sticking out of her candied lips. At this point, you couldn't really distinguish actual problems from pointless worries, and you were beginning to think that she was right. Perhaps you were just trying to find something out of absolutely nothing.

Breathing out a hitched sigh, you studied the youthful grin stretched across a pair of taut pink lips as if a ten second stare-down was what you needed to confirm your overactive imagination. It didn't help. If anything, Jang Minah's unflinching smile only served to exacerbate your doubts.

But maybe there was a sliver of truth to her words. Maybe life was like a rollercoaster and you had only experienced the constant falls or the slow ascent. Perhaps now you were at the zenith of the mountain - the closest you would ever be to heaven. If that were the case, didn't that mean the plunge was imminent?

The existential spiel that had sparked in the midst of your tiresome Monday afternoon was honestly the last thing you wanted to confront, and you slumped over your desk in mock-surrender.

"Maybe this is just the effects of heartbreak." Minah snorted, jabbing her elbow into your back as she dredged up memories you would've much preferred to ignore or keep in the past.

It had been a week since you confessed to Taehyung on the annual field trip to Homigot Lighthouse. And, yes, you were keeping track. It was seven days of pure agony as you waited for his response that he promised he would give you as soon as you got reached the city of high rises, dusty streets and even dustier skies.

But as the sun fell and moon rose, your anticipation was returned with disappointment as the male turned reclusive, avoiding your sight and general presence. You had expected more from him. You expected bravery or the courage to turn you down quickly instead of dragging out hours of awkward eye contact.

You had tried the option of blissful ignorance as you struck up seemingly normal conversations - as you did earlier this morning - but it did nothing to melt the glacial armor Taehyung had donned.

Honestly, how a boy could change from exuberant and bright, to silent and stoic was beyond you. Hell, you thought eighteen years was past the age of puberty, and mood swings were a delightful side effect reserved solely for hormonal young women. Clearly, you were wrong.

(Though you had to admit a moody Kim Taehyung was a beautiful treat for the eyes.)

"Hey! Taehyung!" A loud voice cleaved into your ears and you immediately shot up from the cool surface of the desk, dark eyes - wide and questioning - as you stared at the less-than-subtle Minah who had taken matters into her own nosy little hands.

"When are you going to respond to Seonhwa?" She asked, sass and fire readied in the loaded gun that was her being, and whatever initial appreciation you had for her boldness faded beneath the embarrassment that twisted in your stomach.

Granted, it would've been a lie to say that you weren't curious of his answer.

"Leave it alone." Taehyung frowned, and muscles that were usually accustomed to smiles stretched into an empty glare. If the male had a grin that could've sent a girl over the moon with fluttering butterflies and jittery elation, then his scowl was enough to eradicate any hope and happiness that flitted in your chest.

You didn't understand how a person could change so much. Maybe the reason why everything else seemed better was because Mother Nature wanted to soften the blow of your deteriorating friendship by blessing your mundane everyday with banal pleasantries.

Maybe the high that surrounded you was that anesthesia you didn't even know you needed - a cosmological bandage to your wounded pride. Because even though the gorgeous male sat besides you, even though his beauty remained unmarred and stunning as ever; you could barely recognize him.

You could only wonder - when the class left the lighthouse that day, maybe Taehyung was left behind as well.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

idk how to write suspenseful fics.
actually, i haven't written in so long,
it feels like i forgot how to write in
general. ; 0 ;

♡