Serendipity {PARK JIMIN FAN FICTION}

Three

Aria's hands quivered as she stood outside the restaurant. She could see her brother and his wife in the back of the restaurant greeting guests, and the thought of having to make an appearance after months of not seeing them made her stomach turn. She gripped the cheesy birthday card she bought for Piper so hard that the corner of the envelope bended. She didn't bother fixing it as her clammy hand pushed it into her coat pocket.

She saw Taehyung take his phone out to call her for the third time since she's been standing outside. His frustration became more and more evident as he paced around the restaurant, looking around frantically. She let the phone ring for a while before answering his call.

"Aria," he exhaled. "Where are you?"

"Outside," she replied in a monotone.

Taehyung stayed on the phone as he made his way outside the restaurant, looking for his sister.

Taehyung didn't say anything as he stood in front of Aria. He examined her slowly, though he couldn't see much under the dim lighting. Aside from the new clothes that she wore to the party, she looked the same as when he last saw her. She wore the same messy bun, the same battered old shoes that he remembered her wearing everyday. The same hint of sorrow in her blank stare. Taehyung's heart ached to see his sister in such a state.

"I'm sorry for not calling," Aria broke the silence.

Taehyung lurched forward, embracing his sister tightly.

"Just, after I moved, I wanted some time to myself," she explained.

"It's okay."

"I thought I could cut myself off completely. I was scared, but I didn't mean to ignore-"

"Aria. It's okay," he whispered into her hair.

Aria melted into her brother's arms, not expecting their first interaction after months of not seeing each other to go so well.

"Piper probably hates me," she sighed. More tears threatened to escape her eyes. Taehyung chuckled. "Piper doesn't hate you, why would you think that?"

"For not calling," she wiped the tears out of her eyes. "For ignoring you both after everything you've done for me," she looked into her brother's eyes. "For being selfish."

"You're not selfish," a voice behind her croaked.

Aria turned to see Piper standing in the entrance of the restaurant. Piper made her way towards the younger girl, both of them trembling at the sight of one another.

"Don't ever think you're being selfish," Piper told her. She wrapped her arm around Aria's small frame, embracing her. "Especially with me or Tae."

"We understand that you needed time to yourself," Tae smiled. "You would come to us when you were ready."

"I'm just glad that you're here tonight," Piper tightened her grip on Aria. "Let's go inside."