Ever After| k.th ✔

THIRTY| EVER AFTER

The first sensation was that of your heart beating rapidly in your chest. It reminded you of the time you had crammed all night for an exam and had no choice but to drink five energy drinks in order to stay up. The flood of adrenaline had made your heart feel as if it were palpitating and made your skin hot and feverish.

That was how you feeling right then in the darkness as at first you could only manage a slight groan of pain. It felt as if something was crawling through your skin, and slight shivers erupted against your spine as you managed to pull your eyelids upwards.

Your sight was blurred and looked as if stars were swarming against your vision before they cleared. 

You were laying on the floor of the toy shop. Your brain was a bit fuzzy still, but you managed to force your body upwards as your brain itched in confusion. Why were you on the ground? 

Ah. The earthquake. Then where was...

A slight groan that wasn't yours sounded and pulled your attention; you quickly able to identify the owner of the voice due to the octave of the sound and the riveting nature of it's tone. It was Taehyung, and he as well was laying on the ground.

His brown bangs rested against his closed eyes before he as well opened them and shook his head as if to clear it. Taehyung pulled himself up to where he was sitting on the ground, holding his head in his hands still as if he had a head ache before quickly looking your way. 

For a moment, your brain was confused. Very confused. All you could do was stare, your heart beat not subsiding at first as you felt your throat go dry. Taehyung's eyes were like deep pools of ecstasy that you found yourself lost in immediately, your usual common sense telling you to look away but something stopping you from doing so.

The earthquake... what had happened? Something itched within your brain like a scratched CD that was trying to play, but upon doing so was put on pause. All you could do was stare at Taehyung, and he at you. His eyes showed similar confusion before suddenly you remembered. 

You remembered everything.

The fight.

You had just told him you never wanted to have anything to do with him ever again. You had officially closed him off and informed him to stay out of your way without any rhyme or reason for forever, the sudden remembrance of the hurt in his gaze flooding back as you blinked. 

It took a few more seconds, but he seemed to remember as well. His eyes glistened as unsure emotion swept through them. He parted his lips as if he was about to speak, but he was suddenly interrupted upon the sound of quickened footsteps suddenly rushing towards the two of you.

"Guys!" Jimin spoke in heavy breaths, worry laced through his voice as he looked down at the two of you in fear. "Are you OK?"

Jimin? Ah, Jimin. Yes, Jimin worked at the toy shop too, and he always had. You remembered the surprise in his eyes upon seeing you for the first time since highschool. It had been an awkward exchange, but you found you were only able to remember Jimin in a fond light. He had always been a bit of a third wheel to you and Taehyung until the two had grown closer, and of course, you had grown apart. 

You held nothing against him however, which maybe had worsened Taehyung's despair as to why you seemed to particularly hate him so much. Jimin had been on shift that day as well, and right before the fight had told you he would be going back to the storage room to sweep.

"I heard a crash, and it looks like the book shelf and the mirror fell over. What happened?!"

Finally Taehyung tore his gaze away from yours, and you both pointedly avoided eye contact. Somehow, all heat, anger, and left over feelings from the fight seemed to have... vanished. Instead you felt odd and confused, looking away from Taehyung as Jimin offered him a hand to help him up.