1994.

12. EMERALD GLASS

EMERALD
GLASS

RAESUN'S POV

                             THE BAR WAS warm, their wet hair turning damp as they sat with beer in their emerald bottles. raesun grinned, taking a gulp of the beverage, whilst the music played and the soft buzz of conversation in the background calmed her senses.

she felt alright for once in a while.

"so, i met hana three years ago in the spring time," taehyung begun after setting his bottle back down on the oak counter, "she was in the year above me but looked younger, very fragile and nimble. i vaguely remembered seeing her around school so i approached her in a bookstore one day, seeing how she looked so lost."

"she was like me then, like you said?" raesun nodded.

he grimaced, "she looked a lot weaker than you raesun. the tear tracks never left her face, always looking at everyone as if they'd attack her any moment," his eyes left the countertop and stared at the collection of alcohol presented behind the bartender, "she had her hair in a small bun, her skirt's ruffled, and i swear i saw sunshine in her smile."

to say hana used to be his best friend, he talked about her as if she was some sort of princess.

she laughed at his words, "sounds like you loved her in a different way."

"n–no i... i liked someone else at the time," there was an unknown twinge to his tone, as if there was almost regret in his saddened voice, "a different girl. blonde, reckless, and possibly the most confusing person but... i liked her. i still don't quite know why."

raesun was about to laugh again at the thought of taehyung, smart put–together taehyung, attracted to some girl who sounded like trouble — but an older man interrupted her, standing beside her seated slumped form.

"hey babycakes," just from the sight of him raesun winced: his breath stank of an abhorrent amount of alcohol, even a few droplets settled in his beard, "this your boyfriend?"

the word boyfriend resonated something inside her, and she immediately wondered if jeongguk was beside her. unfortunately not.

"n–no," she cringed as she realised he was on about a disturbed taehyung.

"how about we go for a quick ride then?" his gruff voice was enough, but she wanted to vomit at the mere thought of going anywhere with him. she saw him motioning to the stained glass window, her eyes making out a motorbike gleaming underneath stormy clouds and artificial light.

raesun frowned, "fuck off pal, you've got no chance," she felt good putting her foot down.

instantly, anger buried itself in the man's face, the frustration blooming in a dark pink hue across his cheeks and his nostrils flaring, "now sugar, i have to warn you that my friends and i don't like bad girls. be a good girl for us."

oh god he's repulsive, she cursed.

he nodded over to a group of more older biker men adorned with heavy silver jewellery and old leather jackets, some of them laughing and others staring right at her. she was the only girl in the bar after all; well, the only other one being the middle aged woman who came down to drop off more crates of beer, but she disappeared when seeing the group.

raesun's knew she'd have the mind to do the same, about to spit insults at him, before taehyung intervened, "did you not hear her? she said fuck off, so leave her alone asshole."

clearly the man disapproved of taehyung's attempt of saving her, "pipe down boy, keep out of it," he was toying with him, trying to see what the younger could actually do.

nothing much, by the looks of the man's friends and large figures.

a scoff simply left raesun's lips as did the beer bottle, the last of the alcohol bubbling down her throat and she stood up, "i think it's time we leave—"

moments after she and taehyung left their seats, the stranger's hands clawed at her waist, the grubby fingers digging into her, "don't you dare fucking leave, sweetheart."

it was that nickname that set her off.

her small hand immediately grabbed her empty bottle, fury thriving inside her blood as she swung it over his head. the emerald glass shattered and sprayed everywhere, his body stumbling back whilst beer droplets joined those in his beard, his screams sparking the adrenaline inside her.

taehyung's dragged her towards the door and without a second thought, they sprinted out into the calmer night, feet slapping against wet concrete and the men chasing after them.

laughter filled her lungs as well as the fear, not quite knowing where they were headed or where they should seek safety, but she embraced the hysterics. the men's shouts kept them running even faster, motivating them down streets and eventually, into an alleyway.

she collapsed against a wall, giggling into an oblivion while taehyung looked out, the two panting and lacking breath.

"drinking with you kim raesun is definitely something else," he grinned, "we should do this again some time."

and she smiled too, closing her eyes and resting her head against the alley wall, "it'd be my pleasure."

— 雨 —