Forever | k.th.

4.

AN: Taehyung and Shae have encountered different situations when it comes to their relationship. They've dealt with distance, their age gap, and trying to find a balance while maintaining happiness in light of their careers. This chapter will deal with a sensitive topic when it involves interracial relationships, so please be advised upon reading. Be reminded that this is fiction, and this character is not an indication of the actual member of BTS. Any similar event is purely coincidental. Thank you.

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More quiet hours.

Never did I get a moment to ask her what I wanted to know, but if I would have, I felt as if it would have lead to a fight.

When returning from our outing last night, Shae's mood changed. I noticed it on our way back, but it became evident when she slammed her phone down on the nightstand and kept herself quiet for the rest of the evening.

At this point, I didn't think it had anything to do with me, but when I asked her, she was very short with me and wouldn't even look at me. Now I'm worried about what made her that way. Was it something she read about me or something someone said? She wouldn't talk to me, and it made me annoyed.

It's raining today, so my plans for us to be out again was cut a bit short. I didn't want either of us to be out in bad weather and thought it would be nice for us to cuddle and watch movies. However, with Shae's attitude, that would be a bit hard to do, and I don't know what has her so upset.

She has been up for hours, sitting on the couch and staring out at rainy, city view. She's been crying. I could tell by the look in her eyes.

Honestly, I'm about fed up with the silence.

After checking my messages and emails, I threw on a pair of sweatpants and pushed my hair away from my forehead in frustration. I walked up to Shae while she remained staring out and stood a few meters away from her.

"We need to talk Shae."

She ignored me and kept staring out, but when I saw a tear stream down her face, at that moment, my heart collapsed.

It must be me she's angry with.

"Shae?"

"How important am I to you?" She asked and trembled from her question.

I frowned. What could she be thinking to ask me something like this unless it is her reasoning about me forgetting?

"Very important," I answered.

She turned around to face me. "So important that celebrating our year together meant nothing to you?"

I sighed. "Of course not. I forgot Shae. It's my fault, but that's why we are here now. I wanted to make it up to you."

She scoffed and nodded on my reply. "Sure."

I knew this would happen, and I can't be upset with her, but I want her to talk to me and forgive me for what I've done. "What does that mean, hm? Why do you say sure? Do you not believe me?" I wondered.

Shae hugged the pillow in her lap as tears continued to stream down her face. "Be honest with me Taehyung, am I really someone you would want to be with? Aside from the fact that I'm older..."

"We've talked about that." I interrupted her. "It's a four-year difference. I thought we were past that."

"What about the fact of us being in a non-traditional relationship? Are you just going to keep me around until you're ready to settle with someone who's more..."

She stopped talking and turned away. My English has improved with her, but there were still some things that I couldn't quite understand, so I asked her to be more precise. Nothing could have prepared me for what she said. What would ever make her think such a thing?

This doesn't seem like something Shae would ever ask me, and I don't like that it's bothering her.

"Shae..."

She faced me again.

"Just tell me Taehyung. It was just a year, right? You needed me not to feel so lonely, and I accepted you because I was already lonely. We were just keeping each other company, right?"

My skin fell heated from irritation, and my heart broke a bit as well. Is this how she viewed us for the past year? I don't believe she would think this. Someone has made her this way. Was is Mija? Couldn't be. Mija is her best friend, why would she make Shae feel this?

"Wrong. We love each other Shae, and that's more with just being comfortable with each other."

"Love each other out of comfort you mean..."

Okay, now I've really had it. "Shae, stop it!"

My heart raced from raising my voice to her. The things she said were making me upset, but hearing that she may have believed this, made it hurt even more.

"Why are you thinking this way, hm? Did someone say this to you?"

Her body trembled again when I asked her this. Someone has put this in her mind about me being with her. I don't like this. "Who was it?" I sounded rude, but it wasn't toward Shae. I was angry at whoever told her this.

Shae held herself close. "I-I...I was out with Mija and Jieun. Jieun's best friend, Yuri joined us. Yuri mentioned that her ex-boyfriend was dating a foreigner after Mija was teasing me about you." She sniffed. "Don't worry. She didn't say it was you who I was dating. So, Mija and Jieun left the table for a bit, and Yuri began making comments. She spoke in Korean, and I guess she didn't realize I could understand her."

"What did she say?"

Shae released a sigh as another tear shimmered down her cheek. "That I was just an experiment to you and that you would never marry me because I didn't fit the standard. I left that night and hadn't talked to Mija much. On top of that, I didn't hear from you on our one year date and...well, I guess I..."

Her words made my heart ached. How could someone so simple-minded say such a thing?

"She was upset, I get it, but there are already so many differences with us, Taehyung. I was just scared that maybe she was right."

I don't like this. To listen to her heart corrupted over the selfishness of someone else made me angry.

"Shae, if it mattered to me to have someone more, hmm...standard, then we wouldn't be here now. It's already hard for me to date because I didn't want to be with someone in this industry. It's difficult to trust if someone saw me as Kim Taehyung or BTS V."

"Taehyung..."

"Let me finish." I interrupted her. "I didn't have to wonder about you. You wanted me. You wanted Taehyung, and knowing about V terrified you, but you still gave me a chance." I walked closer to her. "Three months was more than I needed to know that I wanted to be with you. You should never question that."

"Taehyung..."

"I'm going for a walk."

It hurt me to turn away from her, but I needed some time, and so did she. I grabbed a shirt and a hoodie, along with my phone, and left the room.

"You gotta stay gold."
💛

Cupid 💘