"open? " a smile lingered on taehyung's lips.
"you don't even have to ask!" Mr.lau smiled back. Taehyung knew what he had in mind. He knew what he came here for and wanted to ask.
By any chance do you know that girl with long hair and grey coat who dined here the other day? Anything about her? Anything?
"Coffee?" Asked the old man.
"Huh? " responded Taehyung after a few seconds.
Observing his blank expressions, a frown appeared on the old man's face. "you okay? "He asked with concern as he laid his hand on taehyung's shoulder.
"yes i am. Aaand can I make coffee for us today? "
"why not?" Mr.lau laughed.
Taehyung stood up and walked into the kitchen meanwhile Mr. Lau observed every nuance of expression on his face. He knew something was bothering him and he was trying to hold it in.
After a short while Taehyung came out holding two mugs of coffee on which "long live korea" was written precisely.
A smile lingered on his lips, "very nationalistic cups you got there." As he handed him his cup earning a knowing stare from him.
"So?"said mr.lau in a conversational manner.
"So what?"asked Taehyung as he took a sip of his coffee.
"is everything alright? " the question was asked again.
Taehyung looked at him, "why wouldn't it be? I told you I am fine. " he said in a persuasive tone.
" because of the way you've been avoiding my question. I just believe you only if you say so. " he responded sternly and sipped on his coffee.
"what question did I avoid exactly ?" a frown appeared on his forhead.
"it's good. "
Taehyung's knitted his brows together, "what? "
"the coffee I mean. " he replied and unconsciously taehyung let out a laugh.
"you're something else. " he muttered to Mr. Lau jokingly. "by the way, what did you want to tell me? "he asked staring into the distance. He was so focused on the cover of the thick fog outside the glass window.
"actually.. There's something I feel like I should tell you."he responded, there were little drops of sweat on his forehead.
Taehyung's eyes moved from the view outside on the old wrinkled man,
" What is it? "he asked, sitting attentively.
Mr. Lau stared at him for a moment, there were expressions of unrest spread all over his face," is everything okay? "
*bell rang..* breaking the tension and the curiousty between the two, as the eyes of both men moved on the customer who just entered.
"Mr. Lau I-" jisoo's breath hitched as she looked at the person staring right into her brown eyes. She hadn't expected him. She wasn't ready for this right now. But despite it all the way he looked at her was tragically beautiful. The way he saw her was so intense like even if the whole world crumbled he wouldn't blink. She almost trembled and the only sound that loudly resonated in her ears was the vigorous beating of her own heart.
That very moment realisation struck on her. He was the only one person who was left in her world that she knew.. The only person who knew her truth.. The only person who knew what she went through and the only person left who she loved like her own. Their eyes were locked ,the way they both looked at eachother so deeply, it felt like he approved of everything she held inside.
Mr. Lau witnessed the way they both looked at eachother so intensely that it'd make heads turn in a crowded room and the only centre of attention would be them.
"ah jisoo! " he called out her name loudly.
Jisoo's head turned towards Mr. Lau but she could still feel his intense gaze on her. " i-i forgot my wallet h-here the other day. " she stuttered.
"oh yea, wait here I'll bring it. "told Mr. Lau as he escaped to get it. Now it was only them in that small room. Jisoo stood at a careful distance. She looked anywhere but at him. Meanwhile taehyung looked at her the way she needed to be looked at. The way she deserved to be looked at.
"Do you really still don't want to see me? " taehyung finally broke the ice cold silence, making her turn around to look at him, she looked into his eyes and her soul felt his touch. "ofcourse I do. " she replied immediately. He instantly let out a sigh of relief. "jisoo, " he got up from the chair he was sitting on but still maintained his distance from her, respectfully.
"have you forgiven me? " he asked.
She looked at him carefully, "I had forgiven you the very moment you had held my hand and asked for it the first time. Long before I or you were even here." and by this time tears had made her vision blurry.
He swallowed the lump formed inside his throat. He knew he wanted to hold her just like that. He would ask for forgiveness a thousand times over again if only once she'd let him hold her in his arms.
Please don't look at me like that.. She begged from inside but the way he looked at her made her calm. It made her.. Her.
"jisoo i-"
"I kept it safe the day you left it. I knew you'd be here for it. " Mr. Lau came out and handed her the wallet.
She dithered as she got out of her emotions, "t-thank you." she managed to give him a smile. "I should be get going now." and he simply noded.
"wait! " the word came out right. Both of them looked at Taehyung.
"I want to know how are you.. I want you to tell me how's everything going. Jisoo I want you to talk to me. " his voice broke. He didn't care if there was someone else who was judging him highly at that moment but all he cared about was her.
She awkwardly looked at Mr. Lau, "h-have a good day." she spoke and looked at taehyung for the one last time before she rushed out of the place. He was about to go after her when he was stopped by Mr. Lau,
"we have a lot to talk about." he told Taehyung.
