Suite 114 • P.jm • [[ON HIATUS]]

Chapter 16

A chiming sound reaches my ears and I quickly wash my hands before leaving the bakery’s kitchen and heading towards the front counter. A petite girl is bending down to get a closer look at the desserts on display behind the glass. She pouts her lips and looks back at a guy standing a few feet behind her.

“I can't decide what to get. Come help me!” She pleads cutely at her boyfriend, who's eyes seem to travel over every item before turning to her.

“I really don't know babe, this is for you. You choose whatever you want.” He says.

I swallow the familiar acid in my throat that appears whenever I see something even slightly romantic and clear my throat gently to get their attention.

“Hello! Is there anything specific you're looking for?” I stand behind the glass display smiling gently.

The girl grabs onto her boyfriend's upper arm and pulls him closer. Her head finds his shoulder and her doe eyes blink rapidly as she tilts her head and looks up at him.

Don't puke. Don't puke. Don't pu-

“Just choose for me! It's too hard.” She whines up at his calm face.

He sighs and kisses her nose. “You're such a baby.”

She grins at that. “Your baby.”

BLEGH.

I tap my fingers on the glass impatiently as the man looks over everything again. His eyes still and glance at my hand thrumming against the surface.

“Um….. we'll just take two of those.” He noticeably gulps and points at a chocolate cupcake. “Sorry.” He says smiling gently.

My eyes widen at his apology. “No worries!” I say enthusiastically, hoping he doesn't think I'm being rude. I use a pair of tongs to place the two cupcakes into a box and slide them onto the counter near the register, where they are already waiting to pay.

A group of four girls file into the door as the boyfriend searches his wallet for cash. The girls chat excitedly and discuss what they are going to get. Once the couple is heading out of the door, one of the girls approaches me.

I really, really want to put on a nice face and smile at her like I'm supposed to, but a shiny little button on her bag with Jimin's face on it catches my attention and my mood goes downhill instantly.

The universe won't give me a break today. Exactly one week after the incident - as I like to call it in my mind - since thinking about the details of everything is too stressful to revisit, I'm starting to seriously consider leaving Korea. If I'm going to hear his name or see his face every day I'm never going to move on. But of course that little bit of hope that sits at the back of my mind prevents me from truly trying….and the fact that Taehyung's number still sits in my phone. A number I've been impatiently waiting for a text from.

I plaster a fake smile to my face and welcome her kindly. She practically jumps out of her shoes with excitement.

“I saw a van with this place's name on it at the BTS concert the other day. Were you guys working there or something?” She spits out quickly, her words barely discernible.

Cold sweat waits just beneath my skin. For some reason I feel like I've just been caught. Like this girl knows what I've been up to the past few weeks, but that'd be crazy. I'm overthinking it.

I breathe in slowly, replying on my exhale. “Yeah, um...we catered for them.”

The girl pales in front of me. “No...way. So, did you see them?!” She asks, louder than necessary, as I'm literally three feet in front of her. Her friends rush over at hearing her question. They gather around tightly and I feel like I'm about to read a fairytale to a bunch of little kids.