Eunkyung walked out of a clothing store after purchasing a blouse that she liked. She hadn’t had a proper meal throughout the day but she intended to go for a grocery shopping next since she thought that it’d be nice if Daehyun had had a warm meal before he could tuck himself in bed.

She scrolled down the list of Japanese cuisine that she’d like to try for the first time. She couldn’t wait for another round of praise by him. The first time he did, she got too hyped up and it fuelled her determination to win him over with the meals that gave her a chance to communicate with him.

Eunkyung passed by a confectionary shop and saw an appetizing cheesecake on display. She went ahead to buy a medium sized portion that she believed Daehyun would like. All she could think of was the relieved look on his face upon returning home to many dishes on the table. She liked to be the reason of his smile.

As Daehyun told her that he’d be home late due to work, she thought that she had a lot of time to prepare the late dinner.

Fiddling with her phone as she walked again, she saw a great recipe that caught her attention. She smiled to herself before screencaping all the ingredients that she needed. Another smile was traced on her lips after she was done. All she needed to do then was to head to a supermarket and buy whatever she needed. Eunkyung kept her phone in her front pocket and proceeded to walk with her head up, facing her front.

Her steps halted instantly and her knees shook unstably when she saw them.

Her hands balled into a fist as Sohee tiptoed to lower Daehyun’s neck scarf below his chin. She left a gentle smooch on his plump and dried lips before recovering back to her height. The genuine smiles from them left a deep scar in her. The looks on them were what actual couples should look like. She hated every little fact that Daehyun refuse to look at her but only Sohee. And that Sohee is the only reason for him to smile. The unfairness she felt from before submerged once again after witnessing this unfortunate incident.

Eunkyung desperately walked the opposite way from where she was standing at and covered her hanging jaw with her free hand. She didn’t want to tell Daehyun of Sohee as soon as they arrived because she thought that she could’ve had spent more time with him. But fate brought them together despite her not telling him about Sohee… should she give him up then? Even though she promised Sohee that, she felt reluctant to let go of Daehyun.

Eunkyung kept her head low as she hurriedly walked down the aisle, not knowing that the tip of her fingers and body were getting cold as she dropped her cardigan back then. The heart-breaking sight that she captured just now was making her lose herself.

She wrapped her arms around her body and shoved her way through the crowd. She carelessly bumped into someone’s shoulder and only looked up when her name was called after by him.

“Eunkyung-sshi… are you okay?”

She felt guilty and rude to flinch when she saw the masked appearance on him. Eunkyung had no men with her, nobody to protect her. She was afraid if this guy was intending to approach some crimes.

“W... who are you? I have a pepper spray here… don’ try to be funny with me.” She slowly reached for the spray in her handbag that was given by Daehyun back then in the States.

“No no wait-“

Eunkyung removed her heels, wanting to hit him with it and that’s when he hastily removed his cover-ups.

“Oh? Bbangie?”

She took a step closer and looked at his face. Taehyung reddened when she got close as he had gotten used to wearing the mask and shades.

“So you remember me?”

Eunkyung let off an embarrassed laughter and kept her hands off the spray. She chuckled lightly even though it was apparent how her face was written with words of concerns. Taehyung held the cover-ups in his right hand and rubbed the nape of his neck with his other. It was awful to be caught up in this kind of moment with his first love.

“Your nose... and eyes. They didn’t change a bit.” She breathed out a light laughter again. Taehyung obviously knew her as she was the nation’s daughter seeing that she’d get married to Daehyun in less than a year time. But it also reminded him of that girl back then who caught his heart.

“In a hurry to somewhere?” Taehyung asked. Eunkyung hesitated a bit to mouth a no but she took a look at the time and shook her head. After all, after what she had seen, she thought that there wasn’t any need to prepare dinner anymore. He probably had had a dinner filled with love before.

A lean smile traced on Taehyung’s lips. It had been so long since they last met and he would love to catch up things with her. They sat at the bench that faced the place’s attraction. He noticed that Eunkyung was biting her nails away; something she’d do whenever she’s anxious.

“I’m surprised that your nails aren’t ugly yet.”

Eunkyung sighed when Taehyung asked her again whether she was okay. She nodded, refusing to sell her fiance’s affair away. Eunkyung noticed that she was showing too much hints of her worries and she instantly diverted the conversation to something common that they shared, about their past.

She tried to put on a warm smile. “How have you been? Still selling breads somewhere?” Taehyung smirked and stretched his arms.

“You think?”

“I guess you made a lot then? You run a bakery, perhaps? Oh, I forgot. How’s your mother doing?”

“My life is way different now, Miss. And about her, she passed away after you graduated from elementary school. It’s been so long, hm? Ten years I guess? But I see you all over the internet nowadays. Life’s good, huh?”

Eunkyung mouthed a sorry and felt some butterflies in her stomach. She wasn’t going to say that life was good. After all, she tasted rejection greatly and was certain that she didn’t enjoy life by that much.

“Don’t guess my life, bbangie. I’m living a pretty much average life. People always think that I get what I want. It’s not about the value of money we’re talking about here.”

“So you’re still gonna keep on calling me bbangie?”

“How not to? You’re that kid that sells cute breads at the pavement outside of our school’s territory every day.” They both laughed heartily. Taehyung adored the dimples she had. They grew deeper as she grew and no doubt, she looked prettier today.

“Yeah, those times… So, what are you doing here? I guess your fiance’s here as well?” Taehyung was quick to estimate. Eunkyung sneered at him as if he knew every little thing that was going on in her life.

“Yah, stop stalking me. Haha, he’s here. But I wanted to do some shopping alone so…” She explained it to him casually as though Daehyun and her were really a couple behind the news. As if he loved her as though Sohee never happened.

“I read the news well okay! It seems like wherever he goes, you will always be there with him.” He chortled. Eunkyung faked a fist punch on his arm and mimicked his laughter as well. “How about you then? I’m getting married soon already, have you not moved on after me?” Her front up courage to say that amused him.

“Excuse me, my world doesn’t revolve only around you. I recently met someone. She has the same kind of dimples as you. I guess that’s why I got attracted.” Eunkyung wasn’t offended at all. She recalled that even though they weren’t exactly close last time, they had a connection between each other. That puppy love eventually had them talking and she couldn’t deny that she would’ve forgotten him if he hadn’t showed up in her life since they last met.

Eunkyung pursed her lips and crossed her legs in interest. “That’s sad to hear. By the way, it’s been ten years. Aren’t you going to tell me your name? I can’t be calling you Bbangie for life.”

Taehyung smiled at her as a polite way of refusal. He’d rather have her to call him that. It felt nice to be reminded of their relationship in the past. The one that bloomed just through eye contacts and the stealing of a few glances. Looking at the time, Taehyung put on his shades back again and Eunkyung instinctively took it as a cue for them to part.

“Great to know that you’re doing fine too. Should we exchange numbers? Who knows I might need you to cater me some tasty breads for some events in the future?” Eunkyung wasn’t even discriminating his past. She honestly loved the homemade treaties that had her to pass by their temporary stall every day during her elementary school days.

It couldn’t stop Taehyung from giggling. He wanted to know her reaction once she discovered who he was then. From that kid who sold breads to earn a living, he’s now a director of a rising tourism company. He didn’t want to take all the credits though, but his designation said it all. Taehyung took note of her number and she did the same.

“I don’t do breads anymore, Eunkyung-ah. Don’t be surprised if you ever see me printed elsewhere, majoring in another profession the next time.” He uttered. His words left her guessing but he wasted no time. He looked up at her and wore his mouth mask.

“See you soon.” Taehyung knew there would be another time he’d be meeting her again.

-

In the car, Taehyung settled himself in the comfy seat and took a deep breath in. He was overwhelmed to see her again. That managed him to relive his early past and he got to retrieve an almost forgotten memory that his stall used to be painted blue. He remembered enjoying furnishing the old-looking stall with someone and his mother would call them in to arrange the breads in the cart.

Taehyung yawned as he started the engine. He waited for a while more before driving off.

He just left the parking lot when his vision literally out and brought him back to his past. Taehyung clearly saw a girl running towards him with a basket in her hands.

“Oppa! I’ll get more, wait for me!” She exclaimed as she handed the basket full of breads to him.

The car halted and he looked down at his hands as though he was really touched by someone. Even in his memory, the graze he felt was so real. And her touch wasn’t foreign at all, surprisingly.

His head hurt when there was a lapse that he missed. His long lost memory then continued as his mother pulled the kid’s hand and he was no longer standing by the side of the road, near the stall. He was there, pulling the little girl’s other arm away from his mother.

“Let her go!” She yanked the girl’s hand even stronger but Taehyung refused to give her up.

“Are you going to keep on making my life miserable?! Why the hell am I paid to look after you rascals?!” The foster mother yelled and smacked the girl’s back. Little Taehyung ran in front of her and let his mother beat him instead. It hurt but he was wiser than that girl. He deserved it more than her.

“So you want to be responsible for what she did?” She raised her voice, beating him harder as she knew that he could stand the abuse more than the girl could. Taehyung whimpered and bit on his lips while he heard the girl crying behind his back.

He fell onto the floor, trembling.

“Oppa… I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.” She begged for forgiveness.

“What did you do, Sora?”

“I took a bite of the bread that I thought I could have…”

Taehyung took out a piece of his saved breads in his pocket and fed the younger kid.

“Don’t do it on your own the next time. I’ll feed you when I have them, I promise.”

He ruffled his sister’s hair as she chewed on the dusted food.

Taehyung gasped in a lump of air and his eyes scanned to his left and right to check whether he’s in total consciousness to resume driving. He breathed out in total disbelief yet amusement at how he was starting to retrieve his memory of Sora. 

(a/n): i truly apologise for the late update ;-; many things happened including me wasting 2 days on b.a.p live on earth xD okay okay i'll get back on track now, apologies!! D':