Chapter 19

“Are you two finished?” Hara and Taehyung look over at the smiling librarian. “It’s closing time, kids. Go home and get something to eat.”

“Sorry, ma’am, lost track of time,” Taehyung sheepishly says as he scrambles to pack his stuff, and Hara tiredly smiles as she also gets up and stretches. 

This has become their regular routine. 

Hoseok, for some reason, has decided to completely ignore both Hara and Yoongi, both he doesn’t look happy with Jungkook. Jungkook is his usual cold, detached self, but there is a new addition of coldness to him that everyone easily has picked on, and even Sunny has stopped approaching him, perhaps in fear of public rejection. 

Everyone knows something has happened between the school’s most influential figures, and rumours are constantly being spread around, most of them targeting Hara as the culprit behind this heartless crime. Splitting a group of best friends because of rejection from Jungkook. 

Yeah, that’s unfortunately what the main rumour consists of. 

Hara tried to sleep with the boy and was rejected, so she settled for his friend. Hoseok and Jungkook did not approve, but Taehyung has always been too kind to say no to someone and Hara is too greedy to let go just yet. 

“There’s this new restaurant in town,” Taehyung says as they finally leave the college’s premises, both tiredly trudging towards the bus stop. “Heard that they specialise in dumplings, wanna go?”

“Sure, but I’m paying for myself. You’ve paid four times now.”

Taehyung gives Hara a pout, but she playfully rolls her eyes and pushes him ahead. They make it just in time for the bus to arrive and grab seats all the way at the back. 

“Why can’t we just use my car?” Taehyung mutters when the bus rumbles to life. “It’s faster and much more convenient than the bus.”

“We don’t need to ruin the environment more than it already is, Tae, this is the least we can do to avoid global warming.” Taehyung blinks. 

“Hasn’t it already begun?” he asks. 

“Well, yes, but like, we don’t wanna make it worse, you know?” Hara says, but Taehyung bites back a small laugh and she groans and playfully punches his shoulder. “One less car can make a big difference when it becomes a habit over the years, now shut up and let me use your shoulder.”

Taehyung nods and grins as he reaches over and pulls Hara’s head against his shoulder, and the girl sighs and makes herself comfortable before dozing off. 

The two of them have been hanging out almost every single day for the past two weeks, working diligently on homework after college hours before grabbing dinner at nearby restaurants. 

Yunho and Sora have been a little worried over Hara’s sudden absence from their dinner table, but Jungkook has been little help in providing sufficient answers to their questions so it has become quite clear for everyone at home that the two step siblings have fallen into some kind of an argument. 

Hara has also began visiting Yoongi whenever he’s felt like inviting her over, which is every monday and sunday for some reason. 

They just relax on his old couch-turned-bed and watch shows on his laptop. 

They’ll eat something Yoongi, who’s a surprisingly good chef, makes, and then talk about random things. Hara has wondered on multiple occasions why she’s doing this to herself, because she knows she’s making it really ing hard to leave. 

Every bond she creates will eventually have to be broken, and for some reason a part of her does not want that. 

“Hara, we’re here.” Taehyung gently shakes her awake, grinning that stupid, rectangular smile of his when she finally opens her eyes. “I heard your belly rumble twice, let’s eat before you drool on me.” 

“I’m gonna kill you,” Hara mutters tiredly, and Taehyung laughs and jumps up from his seat before she can strike him. 

The walk to the restaurant is pleasantly short, and they find the tiny diner squeezed between two clothing shops. Surprisingly, given its location smack in the middle of the busy street, there’s almost no one there save for an older couple near the back. 

One of the workers greet them and tell them to choose any table while he brings them something to drink.

“God, it smells amazing here," Taehyung groans and quickly walks over to the nearest table.

He drops down in one of the chairs and puts their stuff on a chair next to him, instantly scouring the menu, his eyes moving at a rapid speed as he reads the names of the dishes under his breath. 

“Someone’s hungry,” Hara jokes, snorting as she grabs the menu placed in front of her and opens it before sitting down. She’s one page into it when the bell over the entrance chimes as someone enters. 

“Welcome to Mandu Heaven, will it be just the four of you?” 

Hara looks over her menu, eyes widening for a split second when she notices the boys who have just entered. Jungkook’s eyes instantly find hers and she quickly ducks her head, grimacing because he definitely saw her. 

“Yes, just us,” one of the two jocks standing behind him says, and Taehyung turns at the sound of the familiar voice. Hara gives him a small frown when he turns back in his seat, a sullen look on his face.

“Hey, we can leave if you’re uncomfortable,” she whispers when Jungkook and Hoseok move to their instructed table along with their friends. Taehyung purses his lips and frowns down at the menu, and Hara realizes he must feel left out. 

“But I wanna try these dumplings,” he mumbles, brows furrowed, and Hara bites her lip.

There’s obvious tension in the small restaurant, even the waiter who brings them water looks uneasy as he smiles and asks if they’re ready to order. 

Hara briefly looks over at Jungkook’s table where the boy is already staring at her, and she realizes he’s challenging her to leave. Hoseok looks uncomfortable after having noticed them, and he’s trying to engage in the animated conversation the jocks are having, and Hara decides she hates Jungkook a lot for causing this. 

“One serving of spicy dumpling soup.” Hara breaks eye contact with Jungkook and smiles up at the waiter. “With a side of rice and extra kimchi, please.” 

“And for you?” The waiter turns towards Taehyung with arched eyebrows.

Taehyung looks at Hara for a moment, noticing the determination in her eyes, and he shakes his head and huffs out a small laugh. 

“I would like the same. Go easy on the chilli, please.” The waiter leaves after taking their menus, and Taehyung leans forward in his seat. “You’re awfully stubborn.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Hara mutters, throwing a glance at the loud table a few feet to their right.

Hoseok is watching something on his phone, and Jungkook is staring at the menu, his face blank. The boys are still talking. 

Hara turns towards Taehyung. “Are you uncomfortable? If you don’t wanna stay, we can leave.”

Taehyung sighs and crosses his arms over his chest.

“It’s not nice to be ignored by your best friends, but I kind of ignored them first, so yeah.”

“Wait, you started ignoring Hoseok first?” Taehyung bites his lip. 

“He kept hanging out with Jungkook, I didn’t wanna do the same so I kind of left them both.” 

Hara feels guilty. 

She nods slowly and runs a hand through her hair. Taehyung does not deserve this, Hoseok does not deserve this. Jungkook - he deserves a reality check but that’s gonna be hard to arrange for if Hoseok continues being ignorant and keeps hanging out with him.  

“I’m gonna go to the toilet,” Hara says, “grab your phone and keep yourself busy. No matter what happens, keep yourself busy, okay?” 

Taehyung frowns, instantly sitting up straight in slight worry when Hara grabs her glass of water and gets to her feet, “what do you mean no matter what happens, hey, why’re you taking your glass with y-”

“Just trust me.”

Hara doesn’t offer any explanation and turns on her heel, walking in the direction of the lavatories. Jungkook’s table is located on the way there, and Hara drags in a quick, determined breath and then proceeds to stumble forward, the glass of water flying out of her hand and landing directly in Hoseok’s lap. 

“What the-”

“Dude-”

“My phone, move my phone!” 

“I’m so sorry, oh my God!” 

Hara pretends to look embarrassed and quickly grabs a bunch of napkins from a nearby table to help Hoseok wipe away the water, but the boy is thoroughly drenched, and he jumps to his feet and pulls the wet shirt away from his skin. 

“God, that was cold,” he exclaims as he accepts the paper Hara hands him while the two jocks start furiously wiping the table before checking if their phones are harmed. 

Jungkook, however, is quietly watching the whole ordeal, calm and collected with his arms crossed over his chest, and there’s a knowing look in his eyes when Hara ushers a clueless Hoseok to the lavatories to help him dry up. 

Hara pretends not to notice and closes the door after them, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. 

“This is gonna be completely see-through now,” Hoseok mumbles while dabbing a napkin against his white uniform shirt.

“Yeah, sorry about that, needed a reason to get you here.” Hoseok’s hand stops, and he slowly looks over at Hara. “Taehyung feels left out.” 

Hoseok’s jaw clenches and he looks down at his shirt, his hand occasionally dabbing a bunch of crumpled tissues against the wet material. 

“He’s the one who stopped talking to me.”

“Taehyung has not spoken to you because of Jungkook, but he doesn’t want this, Hoseok.”

“He accepted Yoongi,” Hoseok mutters, still not looking away from his shirt, “it’ll be hard to talk to him now.”

“But you accepted Jungkook.” Hoseok looks up, frowning. Hara shrugs. “It’s just as bad. You seem to deliberately be forgetting what he has done.” 

“He hasn’t done anything,” Hoseok snaps, jaw clenching. He shakes his head, throwing the napkins in the trashcan next to the sink before walking up to the exit. “You can’t expect me to believe a bunch of conspiracy theories, Hara.”

“But you believed them about Yoongi.” Hara moves so she’s standing directly in front of the exit, tilting her head so she can look up at the boy. “You believed all the bull you heard about Yoongi.”

“Yes, I did,” Hoseok snaps, eyes furious as he stares Hara down, “because Jungkook actually had proof to back it all up.”

“What proof did he have? A bunch of lies he fed you-”

“Jimin.” Hara closes . Hoseok angrily sniffles, shaking his head. “Park Jimin was the proof. Still is. I mean, if you don't believe me you can check for yourself, he’s in rehab not far from here.”

“But Yoongi’s also got proof,” Hara argues, frowning.

Hoseok sighs and tries to gently push her to the side.“ Look, I’m cold and hungry, I don’t have time for thi-”

“Jimin.” Hoseok freezes. He looks down, eyes narrowing. “Yoongi’s evidence is also Park Jimin.”

The room turns quiet and cold, and Hara can hear the loud chatter from outside, in stark contrast with the deafening silence that has ensued after her revelation. 

Hoseok seems to be thinking, hard, trying to make sense of Hara's words, and the girl gives him all the time that he needs because this is important. 

She bitterly smiles when Hoseok takes a step backwards, his shoulders slumping in defeat, realization, fatigue - the boy seems to be going through an emotional hell right on the spot.

Hara knows because she's quite familiar with it herself. And honestly, Hoseok and Taehyung deserve to know the truth no matter how painful it is. 

Hara knows she's being a petty rubbing salt in Hoseok's freshly opened wounds, but it is necessary and so she shrugs.

"I mean, if you don't believe me you can check for yourself, he’s in rehab not far from here.”

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Author's note: 

Next chapter is gonna be lit. There's a kiss. Enough said.