“Come on, it will be fun!” Jungkook said, tugging on Taehyung’s sleeve as he pulled him inside. The latter groaned, an eye twitching as the loud music blasted from the speakers. He let Jungkook lead the way as they passed through a small crowd of people grinding on each other.

 

     Taehyung doesn’t even know whose party Jungkook dragged him into, but he’s pretty sure that it’s one of those boys their small group of friends are acquianted with. He let out a sigh. Might as well enjoy the night, then.

 

     “Hey, Jungkook! Right here!” Namjoon called them over the kitchen area, the other five of their group of friends already gathered and waiting for them.

 

     “Wow, you actually came.” Hoseok chortled as he patted Taehyung’s shoulder, which earned him a playful eye-roll from the younger man. “That idiot was too thirsty for free alcohol,” Taehyung bemused, nodding his head towards Jungkook’s direction. He was already holding and downing a bottle of beer as he joked around with Namjoon and Jimin. “He was practically begging.” He adds, laughing along with Hoseok.

 

     “Who threw this party, anyway?” Taehyung asked no one in particular.

 

     “Junmyeon. To celebrate Yixing’s return.” Yoongi shrugs his shoulders a little. “They prepared a ton of alcohol and junk food. It’s pretty amazing.” He chuckles as Seokjin only shakes his head, though a small smile was plastered on his mouth.

 

    “Well! Guess it’s time to get drunk.” Taehyung straightened his body, a lopsided grin gracing his features, unaware of the beautiful presence upstairs.

 

 

 

 

      Taehyung woke up with a pounding headache. He breathed through his nose sharply as he let out a trail of cusses quietly.

 

     He groaned, shifting his position under the comforter. He sighed in content as he finally found a comfortable position with his eyes still closed, trying to replay what the hell happened to him last night. Until he felt the fabric of the duvet seemingly touching his skin directly. He sniffed. Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows, moving his legs, trying to get a feel. He knew he didn’t go home, his blanket smelled of sweat and aftershave. This one smelled of lavender. His eyes shot open as soon as realization hits his hungover mind.

 

     He’s . And probably not at home.

 

     He bolted into a sitting position. “What the ? Whose house…” He squinted his eyes as his vision gains focus.

 

     The room is clean. He’s definitely not at any of his friends’ houses.

 

     He looked at the bedside table where a picture frame sat, and he felt his heart jump to his throat.

 

     “Hayoung?” He blinks once. Twice. The young woman in the photograph stared at him. “I’m in her house?”

 

     A stream of questions shot back and forth through his mind as he immediately gathered his things. He felt guilty enough with the photograph of the beautiful lass watching him put on his jeans and his shirt in a hurry, but not as guilty as he felt when he saw Hayoung coming upstairs with a glass of water just as he was about to come down.

 

     Hayoung saw him, her eyes widening a little. “Oh, you’re awake.” She muttered. “I was about to check on you. Come, let’s have breakfast.”

 

     She was talking to him so casually that Taehyung is a little taken aback. Hayoung didn’t give him a chance to speak, shoving the glass in front of him and turning around as soon as he gets a hold of it. “Drink that, and close your mouth.”

 

     He didn’t even realize that his mouth hung open when he saw Hayoung. Why is she acting like this, like nothing happened? He followed her to the kitchen with his heart hammering in his chest.

 

     Everything is just like what he remembered, save for her almost bare and white-everything room. It looked empty without their polaroids decorating her white walls.

 

     Taehyung couldn’t help but study her. Her hair is tied in a messy bun. She wore a thin pink shirt and shorts. Her long, perfect legs are on display as she padded barefoot to the marbled kitchen counter where she placed their breakfast.

 

     “Uh, thank you, Hayoung. But I think I should get going.” He said quietly as she sat on the stool. Saying her name sends a thread of familiarity and longing at Taehyung.

 

     “We both know that I’m not letting you do that. Sit, and eat. Or else I would have to force your food down your throat.” She replied without looking at him, already starting to dig into her cereal.

 

     He sighed. He already knew.

 

     Taehyung placed the empty glass on the counter as he sat on the stool next to her. He looked at the breakfast she prepared for him. Bacon, eggs, two slices of loafs, and beans.

 

     “Why are you eating cereals? We can share, you know.” He mutters. And for the second time that morning, Hayoung looked at him with an unreadable gaze. “Just eat.”

 

     They ate in silence. Taehyung couldn’t count how many times he has glanced at her direction. Trying to look for something new in her. She’s still beautiful, she still looked so pure and innocent. So far, the only thing he can recognize as new is the cold, blank aura she wears as she scrolled through her phone.

 

     Taehyung found his voice after swallowing a piece of bacon. “How did I get…”

 

     “I lost a bet.” She cut him off with her nonchalant answer.

 

     “So you were at the party?” He brushed his disappointment with her previous answer off him. He was expecting something a bit hearty. Like she couldn’t stand seeing him faced drunk, or his friends ditched him and she felt bad for him and took him home, or something. But a bet? He knew she wasn’t telling the entire truth.

 

     “What do you think?” Taehyung knew better not to push her buttons. He shut up, and they continued to eat quietly.

 

     He also knew that he’s the one who caused a change in her demeanor.

 

     Because one year ago, Taehyung walked out of her life without another word or two. One year ago, he broke the heart of the woman sitting beside him at the same time as he broke his own.

 

---

 

     Hayoung smiled as she practically skips to a cake house one night to meet up with her three-year boyfriend, Taehyung. She was so excited to go on a ‘date’ with him after a couple of months of fighting and barely talking.

 

     Hayoung loves him so much that she would let their fights slide and she will just submit and apologize to him even when she isn’t wrong. She brought her pride down in hopes that one day, they will go back to the times where the two of them are just incredibly happy and content.

 

     ‘Why are you not eating your cake?’ She blinks up at him, a small pout gracing her pink lips. ‘Do you want mine? We can share.’ She offers, noticing that Taehyung was just staring at her the entire time with a blank gaze. His expressive brown eyes that used to be so full of affection and sincerity towards her is suddenly void of emotion. It made her sit still. It made her scared.

 

     ‘Taehyung? What’s wrong?’ She placed her hand on top of his, caressing his knuckles softly with her thumb. Her worried expression made it harder for him to keep his facade.

 

     ‘Let’s break up. Let’s end this here.’

 

---

 

     Hayoung only saw him through news and social media. He didn’t offer any explanation on why he suddenly left. Did she do something wrong? What was the matter? Is he not happy anymore? Did he fall out of love? Isn’t she enough for him?

 

     Hayoung didn’t cry that day, or the day after that. It was only on the third day that she broke down in tears at the studio.

 

     It was like jumping into cold water. Grief washed over her, took over her being. She had trouble functioning properly for a long time. She masked herself, pushed back into her shell and found comfort through her friends and computer. She found comfort in the virtual world. She played games all day to put her mind off of him, albeit temporarily.

 

     But right now, every single brick that makes up the protective walls of Hayoung’s true feelings are threatening to fall out one by one. She can feel his eyes on her as she washed the dishes.

 

     Of course, they had to fight over it. Taehyung insisted that he washes them, but Hayoung refused. She expected him to walk out the door as soon as she grabbed the utensils from him. Ironically for Hayoung, he stayed.

 

     Hayoung knows that she can’t convince herself that she’s over him. Taehyung still affects her so much, in so many ways and aspects that she’s not supposed to be affected.

 

     “I’m sorry,” Taehyung started.

 

     Her breath hitched hearing his voice as she slowly scrubbed a plate, waiting for him to continue.

 

     “I… I was a jerk. I only thought for myself.” He admits, more to himself than to her. He couldn’t stop himself after that. “I didn’t think of what you would feel. I was stressed, my work became very pushy. I wanted a way out to collect myself first. I thought I was losing a little of myself, but it turned out that I lost more when I left you.”

 

     He stared at her back. He adored the way her baby hair would stick out whenever she ties her hair, and missed the way she would whine whenever he about it. He missed running his hand along the curve of her waist. He missed the feeling of her hugging him as she buries her face on his neck. He missed the buzz he gets in his head whenever she kissed him, much better than the buzz he gets from booze. She took him higher than anything else. And he missed Hayoung, everything about her.

 

     Hayoung blinked back her tears as she washed the plates. Hearing him say the words she thought she could only hear him say in her dreams made her eyes burn. Her chest felt tight.

 

     They were quiet for a while. The only sound that was heard is the water running. She felt Taehyung stand up from the stool just as she started drying the plates.

 

     Afraid that he will leave and she will lose her chance, she abruptly spoke.

 

     “I didn’t really lose a bet.”

 

     Taehyung smiled secretly. I know. “What happened, then?”

 

     Hayoung furrowed her eyebrows, letting a few beats pass before telling him the truth. “Everyone got drunk. My friends, too. I saw you passed out on the sofa. I looked at every room in Junmyeon’s house and they were all occupied by our friends and some other people I’m not familiar with.” She said, soft enough for him to hear.

 

     Taehyung’s smiled threatened to grow wider, so he sat back down.

 

     “So why did you take me home? To your home?”

 

     Hayoung dried her hands and turned to his direction, leaning against the sink. She fiddled with her fingers for a few moments, refusing to meet his gaze.

 

     The tip of her ears turned pink. “I felt like I needed to take you home. And I took off your clothes because I wanted you to sleep comfortably. I hope you don’t mind.”

 

     “I’m glad you did.”

 

     She casts her eyes to meet Taehyung’s, and she saw his deep brown orbs glistening with a mix of affection and worry.

 

     She sighed deeply, turning her eyes on the floor.

 

     “I was so hurt, Taehyung.”

 

     Taehyung swallowed as he felt his own heart breaking at her words. He really wished that he tried harder before. The cold aura that seems to cloud her seems to clear, revealing her broken for him to see.

 

     His eyes felt hot and he felt a prickle in his nose as he mused, “I’m sorry. I’m an idiot, but I hope it’s not too late for you to forgive me.”

 

     She bit the inside of her cheek, trying to keep her tears at bay.

 

     “I already did. I forgave you long before you apologized.”

 

     It’s true. Hayoung thought. She hates herself for being so weak when it comes to him, but it’s not like it’s her fault that she’s like that. Hayoung never devoted or loved anyone else more than she loves Taehyung. If she could go back to the times that they were still together, she would go back in a heartbeat. Even if it means going through the same stages of pain again.

 

     “Hayoung?”

 

     Hayoung met his gaze in query. There is a twinkle of sincerity in his eyes.

 

     “Can we try again?”

 

     “You know I’ll always say yes.”