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It was a cloudy morning, sun shyly peeking out of the white fluffs, greeting the city of Seoul in this fine afternoon. The world’s busy as ever, it kept turning and turning, nothing is stopping the time from counting, from the wind stopped blowing, and certain Kim Taehyung mopping on a bench in a park, not far from his university. A place where he was running from right now.There, when birds are singing, and flowers are blooming, sat Taehyung. A Music major student who skipped his afternoon classes for the day because today is a special day. Today, he plan to ask someone out. Someone with a scar on his left cheek, where their eyes would sparkle at the mention of games, the soft brown hair that Taehyung loves to pat whenever they won something, their cute embarrassed smiles whenever Taehyung did something weird in public, and their cute but very smart brain that always made Taehyung impressed with their capabilities. He have been planning this for days, unable to sleep because of the excitement, nervous to even think about meeting the said person. And now. It happens.Or it should be. In any moment. He’s waiting for the said person’s class to end before he could go there and ask. For lunch, of course. Lunch, then he would ask them out in that café they both loved. Or gaming store. It has the same aura for Taehyung. He sat there in silence, plucking his bouquet of flowers without realizing, while his mind was loud with his thinking.What if he got rejected? What if he would get hated after this? What if they think he’s lame, and then embarrass him right there in front of many people? The chance are low, really. Even Yoongi-hyung assured him that everything will be okay, and there’s 80% he would get accepted, said Hoseok-hyung. It’ll be fine, he’ll be okay.But that doesn’t stop him from getting worried. He was in middle of sighing out loud when a cold sensation attached itself into his nape, making him yelped in surprise, as he turned around to see who had just played him up. Recognition sparked in his dark brown eyes and a big but annoyed smile appears on his face as he greeted the said person.“Namjoon-hyung! What are you doing here?”The said person, who Taehyung noted also bringing his own bouquet of flowers, and two cans of soda, was Kim Namjoon. Taehyung’s smartest and clumsiest friend, who would gave out his dimples when he was smiling, like right now. “You looked lonely,” Namjoon said, as he took a seat beside Taehyung, giving one of the soda can to him while at it, “so I invites myself. What are you doing here?”“I..” Taehyung’s smile dropped instantly, changed onto a familiar frown like before, and continues to play with the bouquet on his hands. Leaving Namjoon looking worried at him. But with one glance, Namjoon nodded, realizing what’s in the younger kid’s mind.The man chuckled. Patting Taehyung’s head while he took out a cigarette from a pack out of his pocket, and lit it up with a black lighter Taehyung knew well. He wondered how could Namjoon carry that after what happened, but he doesn’t ask, because he probably knew the answer already.While taking small drag of his cigarette, Namjoon gave him a small smile. “Today, huh?” The reddening face of Taehyung confirmed his question, even without telling it out loud. “What are you hesitating for, Tae?”Leave it to Namjoon to understand what’s in Taehyung’s mind with a single glance. The older Kim and him have been together for long time, even before he met with their current group of friends. They understand each other, and they know each other better than themselves. It was something that Taehyung both grateful and hate for.“…I don’t know, hyung.” He said, voice small in uncertainty, and lips pouted in confusion. “I mean. I know he’s great, I think he likes me back too, and others are also very supportive of us. I just. Don’t want him to hate me, you know?” Taehyung let out a shuddering breath. “What if he rejects me? He’s still hung up by his old ex not long ago. And he’s smart, better in everything than me, and deserve someone who’s in his level. While I’m just… me. Weird dude who everyone tolerates daily.” Admitting his concern to Namjoon helps a little, as there’s a weight in his heart that suddenly lifted up slightly. But not enough. He’s still not sure about it.He could hear Namjoon breathed out smoke beside him, and they stayed silent for few seconds. He was about to say something else to change the topic, before Namjoon spoke faster than him.“You know, I used to be just like you.” There was something nostalgic in Namjoon’s smile, as if he was remembering something. Taehyung could see sadness tinted in his eyes, creating more confusion inside his brain.Namjoon chuckled, realizing that Taehyung doesn’t remember what he is saying. “Remember when you were just in junior high school, and I was in second grade of high school? I was a popular kid like you, who fell in love with his friend.” Namjoon paused to pinch Taehyung’s cheek. “I would say I was a proud kid, but when facing them, I was just a mere kid with crush. It took me weeks to ask him out, remember? After you talked out to me about it too.” He breathed in another drag of his cigarette, leaning back to the bench, whereas his eyes was lost in memory.“I thought that I don’t deserve him, too. He was popular, and beautiful. Loved by the whole school and world, the kindest of them all. While I was just a clumsy kid who happens to be smart. But then I thought. Would I regret it if I didn’t ask him out? The answer is yes. I would very, very regret it if I didn’t ask him out.” By this time, Taehyung finally realizes who Namjoon was talking about, and felt his heart clenched tightly inside his chest. “Hyung…”“You would later realize, that they are everything, Taehyung. There might be a fight between you two, but there’ll also be apologizes. Just when you thought everything’s fine, I—“ He could see Namjoon’s eyes shut in force, and his hand that was holding his cigarette curled up into a fist. Letting the finished cigar to burn his palm, in order to realize between reality and memories. Taehyung’s attention was now fully placed into his hurting friend. Small panic rises up inside him as Taehyung gripped into Namjoon’s arm, and calling his name. “Hyung. Namjoon hyung?” Seconds later, Namjoon breathed out a short breath, and locking his jaw in reflex, before he relaxed them and opened his eyes, giving Taehyung a small smile that eases up the younger Kim. “You alright, hyung?”Namjoon nodded, “yeah,” he answered in a small, but soft tone. “What I am saying is, don’t think too small for yourself, Tae. You are a great kid, and I’m sure he would love you back. If not, Jungkook might would have to answer to me.” He threw the crushed cigarette button to the grass, before standing up and giving small pat to Taehyung’s head, who was watching him worriedly.“You two would make a great couple. Jin would be proud if he could see two of you now.” Namjoon laughed silently, picking up his own bouquet of flowers from the bench. “I’m sure he will, hyung.” Taehyung said, breathing deeply as he tried to hold back the tears on his eyes.Seeing his friend’s vulnerable state, Namjoon only gave a sad smile, and ruffled Taehyung’s hair. “I’ll tell him that you miss him. But you better tell him yourself if Jungkook said yes, alright? Or else, Jin would really haunt you, you know.” Taehyung nodded, and waved as he watched his friend walked away, towards a place that crushed their hearts. It has been years, and Namjoon still visits every day. He hoped his friend would stop one day, but he also know, this is his way to cope with his losing. With a new determination filling him, Taehyung breathed in deeply. He can do this. If Namjoon could do this, then he can do this too. Right? Right. Because Namjoon is always right, and he won’t question that now.Taehyung took out his phone, seeing that Jungkook’s class would end in five minutes by the clock on his phone. He grinned, and opened a chatroom to text his soon-to-be-boyfriend. [ taetae! ] 01.44 hey, wanna have some lunch?[ kookie <3 ] 01.46 okay, hyung!
