After the event, all Taehyung could remember was waking up to a very bad headache. He wanted to ask Dahyun if he did something odd while he was drunk, but the opportunity never came. The succeeding days came with him not being able to talk to Dahyun. There were no walks to and from the bus stop. No random visits to the convenience store or the bookshop. In the rare chances that he would spot her, she was always in a hurry.

Taehyung sighed as he walked along the alleys of the grocery store. He had delayed buying groceries in the hopes of going shopping with Dahyun but every time he attempted to knock at her door, there was no answer.

He was walking towards the counter when he spotted a familiar figure. The girl had the same stature and even the same fair skin, but Taehyung doubted at first if it was Dahyun because the girl had blue hair. However, when she turned and he saw her face fully, Taehyung’s lips curved into a smile.

Finally.

His heart leapt in excitement. The smile on his lips kept getting bigger as he pushed his cart towards her. She spotted him going towards her and Taehyung bit his lip as he was thrilled to see her again.

He waited for her to give him the same big and bright smile with her eyes turning into crescent slits. He waited for her to call his name with all glee.

But as Dahyun just continued staring at him, Taehyung’s steps slowed down, and his smile slowly disappeared.

It was even him who first greeted her – “Hey.”

“Hey,” she replied.

The corner of her lips lifted just slightly, and the usual brightness in her eyes was absent.

He fell into silence at firsts as Dahyun’s attitude at that moment seemed to compliment the new color of her hair – cold.

“You dyed your hair,” he told her, in an attempt to strike a conversation.

She nodded as she said, “I dyed it last week. I went to the salon with Solar unni.”

“Last week,” Taehyung repeated, “I guess I don’t see you often anymore.”

“I guess our schedules don’t match,” Dahyun said as she averted her gaze and fixed the groceries in her cart, “I am busy with school nowadays too.”

Taehyung the bottom of his lip before suggesting, “I can work around your sched, you can just tell me whenever you are free – “

“There’s no need,” Dahyun replied fast, “I – I know around the neighborhood so there’s no need to help me anymore.”

But I want to be with you.

Taehyung swallowed the words he wanted to say.

“Ah. That’s right,” he nodded instead, “You’ve been here for quite some time.”

“Hmmm,” Dahyun dismissively hummed and nodded.

He tried to force a smile as he said, “Then, I guess I’ll see you when I see you.”

Dahyun just briefly glanced at him before saying, “I should get going.”

“W-We can shop together,” Taehyung suggested abruptly, wanting to extend the time he had with her.

It took me a while to be with you. Please don’t end it too soon.

“You’re almost done, and I am just starting,” Dahyun noted.

“I can wait for you,” Taehyung exclaimed, “I can carry some of your bags too – “

“I’m fine, Taehyung,” Dahyun cut him off, exasperation evident in her voice, “I’m fine.”

Taehyung’s gaze on her softened, surprised at her sudden outburst. But even the dejected expression on his face could not stop Dahyun from speaking.

“I know I allowed you to call me ‘kid’ this whole time but…” she paused to give a sigh, “But I am not a kid, Taehyung. I am capable of handling myself. I was just… trying to adjust to the new neighborhood. I am fine now.”

Her gaze met his again. Taehyung couldn’t understand how the same eyes which used to reflect the light around them now carried nothing but a cold stare towards him.

“You don’t have to worry about me anymore,” Dahyun exclaimed.

Taehyung found everything mundane once more. He was back to following a routine.

But sometimes he would find himself staying at the bus stop a little more and even staring at the door beside his. He used to enjoy days with her but now, despite the distance between their houses, Dahyun seemed so far away.

His trance was halted when he heard the laughter of Jimin who sat next to him at work.

When Jimin felt Taehyung’s stare at him, he apologized, “Sorry. Dahyun just sent me a really funny meme.”

“You message each other?” Taehyung asked.

“We exchange funny stuff,” Jimin answered, “This conversation is the only thing that is keeping me sane while we are bombarded with work.”

Taehyung then opened his phone, and despite how many times he refreshed his messages, there was nothing from Dahyun. He was even the last one who sent a message to her, asking her if she had read a certain book.

He sighed before typing a message.

If she is exchanging messages with Jimin now, maybe she would reply to me.

He pondered a lot on how to start a conversation with her but ended up just asking her if she still needed help with Algebra. He fiddled with his fingers as he kept glancing at his phone every now and then, waiting for her reply. When Jimin laughed again and Taehyung’s phone remained blank, the latter could not help but roll his eyes.

Taehyung released a heavy sigh. He was about to turn his phone upside down to avoid checking the screen but as he touched it, it buzzed in his hand.

He smiled as he saw her name, but the smile soon disappeared as he checked her message.

“I’m fine. Jungkook is helping me.”

He groaned as he threw his phone at the corner of his table.

Why is it fine for her to ask help from anyone but me?

Why does she exchange messages with anyone but me?

“Are you okay?” Jimin asked him noticing the deep frown on Taehyung’s lips and the knit on his brows.

“Did I do something while I was drunk after the company event?” Taehyung turned to him.

“Nothing that I am aware of,” Jimin shook his head, “Why?”

Taehyung rubbed his forehead, “Dahyun is so distant lately.”

Jimin’s phone buzzed again and Taehyung glared at him in return. Jimin thus slowly put his phone on top of his table, tucking in his mind that he will later check the meme that Dahyun had just sent.

“So,” Jimin started, “Did she tell you anything?”

“She told me that she’s not a kid,” Taehyung replied.

“That’s true though,” Jimin retorted.

“So that’s it? We’ll be apart because she doesn’t need me anymore?” Taehyung spat.

“Taehyung,” Jimin replied calmly, “You’re the one who kept insisting that Dahyun is like a kid to you and that you accompany her all the time because she makes you worry.”

Taehyung fell into silence as he looked at Jimin.

“She’s taking that reason away, but you still want to be with her,” Jimin uttered, “Is she real