The Quiet Sin

Crossed Paths

"He wasn't exactly the warmest member in the world." He finished as he sighed. His eyes suddenly locked themselves on her.

"I kept my word." and got up.

Her eyes filled with confusion. "But wait! Who was he to me? How do you have anything to do with me? Who are you?"
"Who are you?" He retorted back, stopping her in her spiel.

Their eyes lingered saying nothing to each other for a long time before he finally nodded at his satisfaction that she could no longer say anything and left for the upper room. Once there, he allowed himself to fall, collapsing back first onto the bed. Staring at the ceiling for a time, he felt an itch to take a walk outside. Though it was still daylight, he agreed with his desire to entertain himself by taking a walk once the day had once again darkened.

~

The hours flew by as seconds never was as he watched the darkness closing in. His head turning in the direction of his where his fedora sat remembering just how and why he had received such a treasured thing.

Shaking away the thought, he placed the signature article up on his crown and tightened the laces of his shoes before going downstairs to begin the walk.

His steps could be heard by any man foolish enough to be walking the streets at this time of night. Any dirty fool that was playing dirty..

His smooth steps soon began to slow down at that familiar slope. Soon, with a glance to the side, his footsteps halted.

I know what I just saw..

But should I look again?

Conflicted by conscience, his hand suddenly began to dig their way into his hair.

If I walk away now,
He'll never know I was here..

He'll never know who I am..

But then, he heard it.

Faintly, yet distinctly, that familiar voice called to him.

Turning to face the one squatting on the side of the road, that unmistakable bright smile shone just as it had some years before.

And with the flash of his smile,

Came the flash of a memory..

~

A few days had gone by and things still hadn't changed. The gang still met, they all got drunk and had a good time. Though, the one person that could keep him leveled was her. She was the one that could make him drink.

She was the one that could make him talk.

Yes. She was was the one - the only one - that seemed to be able to make him laugh. Though those two pairs of eyes seemed to be lit up with joy, there were two other pairs fixated with hate and jealousy.

Taehyung hated seeing his friend with another person while blatantly ignoring him. He felt that since they were brothers, he ought to act like one. Though the days passed and still, forgiveness would never come..

Until....

"Hey. Tell me what's wrong with you." He answered with a simple raise of an eyebrow. "Tell me why you won't speak to me."
"Because I have nothing to say."
"Really? Well you obviously seem to have a lot to say to other people.."
"Your point?"
"We're brothers! Why can't you just get over the fact that you're in and try to have some fun with it?"
"Because maybe I don't want in. Maybe, I want out."
"Look, I'm sorry! But you can't stay mad at me forever!"

"Hey prick!" he sighed in annoyance. It was nothing new. "Explain to me why you've wasted my time on those pages!"
"Do you have your book with you?"
"Yes!" looking back over his shoulder at V, he sighed.
"I'll see you later." He mumbled before he left.

Feeling as if he were left in the dust, Taehyung prepared a list of things he could do to convince his forgiveness.

~

His eyes widened as he backed away from the familiar stranger. The stranger he never thought would be doing so well, despite looking like crap.

Although they said nothing, it seemed as if the whole world could hear them. Without a single nod of acknowledgment, he quickly attempted to leave the man that beheld such painful memories behind.

~

At the bench, Jimin pulled out his textbook. "Alright, here it is. Those pages and section EXACTLY as you said. So explain to me and stop wasting my time!" His eyes scanned the paper and pretty soon, his finger pointed out exactly where Jimin should read.
"Read this, here."
"Hyperthymesia? Are you fucking with me? I read that shit already!"
"Then you should already know what I mean.." he calmly stated.

"What the fuck do you mean?"
"You accuse me of being a cheating prick, I refuse to succumb to such a thing and now I have told you that I have a built in camera in my head." he stated as Jimin re-skimmed the section. His eyes widening a bit.

"Wait.. Don't tell me you're one of the rare people in the world with this disease?"
"It's not a disease.. It's a disorder. It says it right there." All was quiet. "What?"

"Do you have it?"
"Yes. I have Hyperthymesia. The brain disorder the allows me to devour more information and store it into my long-term memory."

Give or take the explanation..

He thought.

"Well, since that's over with, I'll be heading out. The guys will be joining up soon."

"Hey!" Jimin shouted after him. "If you were smart, you'd get out of that group.."

With lingering eyes, the two boys nodded to one another, then split.