LOVEGAME OVER

45 - Credits

Taehyung does not know why he accepted. He knows his hatred has not faded. He just thought going out with Jimin and Hoseok would make him feel good. He just did not mind Yoongi being there, if they did not have to exchange. Taehyung is surprised at how mature he is at dealing with the situation.

And indeed, they all have a good time, even Taehyung. He manages to sit next to Jimin and in front of Hoseok – Yoongi seems to have arranged this himself. The meal is delicious, but Taehyung makes sure not to say anything about it and not to thank the one who bought it for them.

Not once does Taehyung talk to Yoongi, they almost do not make eye contact. As Hoseok is pleasing everyone with funny stories about his family, Yoongi's phone starts ringing and he discreetly picks up.

"Hey, you," he says in a low voice, slightly turning away from his friends.

But Taehyung cannot focus on Hoseok's stories. He cannot stop staring at Yoongi, unconsciously trying to hear what he is saying and who he is talking to – because he exactly knows who that is.

"No, I'm out with my friends. (...) Yeah, he's there, too." Yoongi stares right into Taehyung's eyes, and finally resumes, "Yes, he looks alright."

Taehyung looks down. His mother sounds worried about him. They have not seen or talked to each other for a month. And he somehow starts to feel guilty. He was the one to abandon her. But did not she abandon him the day she chose Yoongi over her family?

Yoongi has stopped watching him. He is now whispering angrily, "I can't tell him that. You tell him yourself. (...) I'm not mad at you, and I'm not yelling." He listens for a minute, and answers, "I'll drop at the flower shop to give it back to you. It must be somewhere in my locker. (...) Okay, bye. (...) Me too," he finally murmurs, trying not to be too loud for that last part.

Taehyung clenches his jaw. They look casual. They look established. They look like an average couple. And that is maybe what should hurt the most. But Taehyung does not feel anything. He just lets go.

When Yoongi turns back to them, Taehyung stays still and simply stares at him. When the older boy smiles awkwardly, Taehyung does not return the smile. But the corner of his mouth has started to rise mechanically – Taehyung stopped his forming smile.

After lunch, Jimin holds Taehyung's arm as they walk to the school, but the taller boy ends up stopping in the street and explains quickly, "There's something I need to do. Just go ahead without me."

He walks for ten minutes and stops in front of a store he had walked by many times. He hides behind a tree planted in the pavement, and waits. After a moment, someone walks out with a huge bouquet in a pot and puts it on the floor, crouching next to it to arrange some flowers and stick a note with the price on it.

Taehyung smiles sadly as he recognises his mother. But she looks different. He knew she rarely got out of this house before, and never wore feminine outfits out. But she is actually wearing a dress right now. She smiles to the flower pot and passes a hand through her hair to arrange it, sighing with a satisfied expression. Seokjin then goes back inside and guides a client in the store.

Taehyung has rarely seen her this happy. And she is happy without his dad and him. Could Yoongi really be the one to make her feel that way?

The boy takes his phone out and writes a short text. He pauses for five minutes. And presses 'send'.