Mellifluous | JJK

Chapter 24

Maturity

The shadowy streets were still dimly illuminated by the pale street lights, the emptiness carrying a strange mixture of tranquillity and tension.

It was hard to explain, the contradicting aspect of it, I mean. The thrumming of the blood pulsing through my veins didn't really help lull my mind into silence either, the stream of contradictions simply grew louder.

I'm so angry; I miss them.

What they did was unforgivable; Maybe they had a reason that can justify it.

I hate them; I love them.

Fuck.

I was so nervous. I knew I should've copped a squeeze.

A dry snort slipped out, my head dropping between my knees as a wave of self-hatred crashed over me.

Is this even worth it? Maybe I should've stayed home, the loose ends would be forgotten with time, right?

Right?

"Miss? Are you alright?"

My head snapped up, my eyes meeting the driver in the mirror. I instinctively pasted a polite smile on my lips.

"I'm fine, thank you." No, I wasn't.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." No

"Haha, you know you're scrunching your eyebrows and it looks like you've eaten something sour. You're a bad liar, miss," his soft chuckle reverberated around the small car that smelled faintly of roses and badly masked cigarettes. I met eyes with him again, his crow's feet stemming like ivy from the corners of his still bright eyes.

"Ah, and I thought I was selling that quite well," I replied with a faint smile.

He chuckled again, sounding a bit like dry paper and the car fell into silence once more and I couldn't bring myself to fill it, despite the suffocating quality of it.

"You're young, miss, don't live your youth with regrets, take it from this old man." His words settled deep into my bones, my contemplation accompanied by slow blinks.

A lowkey creepy thing to say out of the blue, but it didn't make him any less right.

Just as my lips parted and words of chaos sat on the edge of my tongue, the driver pulled into the parking lot of a dingy cafe.

I focused my gaze on the bright red sign, the flickering letters going the pace of my heart.

I mumbled a brief thank you to the driver and willed myself to leave the car, cold air assaulting me the moment I stepped out.

Cool air expanded in my lungs and I could feel the nervous heat drain a bit as I neared.

I didn't do anything wrong, I was the one hurt, they should the ones more afraid if anything.

Right?

My brain really needs to shut the fuck up and stop second-guessing everything goddamn.

I shook my head, pulled the corners of my lips up in a serene smile. I'll be okay, I'm just here to tie up the loose strings, and then I'll go on with my life.

With my heart set at ease, I entered the small cafe, the sweet and fruity scent coming over me in a wave of nostalgia. The cakes here were really good, I should bring some back for Jungkook.

"Aemin, you came! And you cut your hair! You look so different, I personally preferred your long hair but it's still pretty. "

Oh, fuck me. My heart dropped to my feet at the sound of his crisp voice, each of his syllables dosed in relief and excitement.