Chapter 11

Three days only prior the engagement and Jisoo was still avoiding him.

That kiss shouldn’t happen anymore. Her feelings shouldn’t be swayed.. she must keep herself sane.. she can’t give in..

Taehyung will be her brother. That’s it.

She was having lunch with Rosè and Mino in the canteen when Jungkook and Lisa came.

Her eyes quickly looked around to see if Taehyung was coming too but he wasn’t.

“Are you looking for him?” asked Jungkook. “He’s in the clinic..”

“What?” Did he get hurt?” asked Jisoo worried. “What happened?”

She was already standing up.. getting ready to go and see him..

“He’s sleeping..” Lisa said. “He said he wants to sleep..”

“You shouldn’t have told her..” said Jungkook looking at Lisa. “Why did you tell her that?”

She sat down again and sighed.

“Why don’t you see him?” said Mino glancing at her. “You should talk.. whatever happens, you will see each other everyday.. don’t tell me you’re planning to run away from him for the rest of your life..”

Will it really be like that for the rest of their lives? 

Rosè held her hands. She was only looking at her without saying anything.. 

“I need to get something from the library..” said Jisoo standing up. “I’ll see all of you later..”

She doesn’t want to talk about it. She can’t talk about it.

She sees him in college, she sees him at home.. everyone around her talks about him.. 

She was walking towards the library when someone touched her hand.

“Who are-..” she stopped upon seeing Taehyung.

“Let’s talk..” he said pulling her to a vacant room next to the library.

He locked the door. Jisoo looked nervous.

What will he say now? What will he do now?

That kiss was still imprinted in her memory.. she can’t stop thinking about it..

“Only three days Jisoo.” he said softly. “We only have three days.. but you keep on running away from me.. I’m going crazy..”

Was he thinking about that all the time?

“What do you want me to do?” asked Taehyung frustrated. “I know I shouldn’t.. I know that..but I keep seeing you.. no.. I keep looking for you..”

Jisoo took a step back from him. She doesn’t know what to tell him.. she’s also having a hard time like him..

“If you aren’t talking to me because of what happened that night, then tell me..” he continued. “If you’re angry because I kissed you, then slap me.. why are you-?”

“ I like you too.. I like you..” said Jisoo. “But you know we can’t be.. we can’t like each other.. so just.. forget me.. please forget me.. just like what I’m doing now..”

She gritted her teeth after saying that.

Why would she even tell that to him?

She knows it was cruel of her.. but she can’t help it.. it’s better to end it right away.. 

“You’re lying again..” he said. “You aren’t a good liar you know that..”

He grabbed a hold of her hands but she pushed him away gently.

She can’t touch him.. she can’t hold him.. she needs to get herself used to it..

She quickly unlocked the door and went out of there.

She’s running away again.. she knows it’s cowardly but it’s the only thing she can do..

————————————————————————

It was already past dinner time but Taehyung still hasn’t come home.

Jisoo left her door open so she would hear him come.

But he wouldn’t.. where is he at this hour? She was worried.. 

What if he gets into an accident? What if something happens to him? 

It’s all her fault.. 

She couldn’t stand it anymore and tried calling his number but it was out of reach.

Her anxiety just leveled up.. where would he go at that time?

She couldn’t even ask Seoujun because he was in the hospital all night because of some emergency..

Then she heard some footsteps coming from the stairs..

He must have arrived. She went out of her room to scold him but was surprised to see her mom instead.

“Mom.. you aren’t sleeping yet..” she said smiling. “I thought..”

“You thought he came back home?” asked Hannah. “Seojun called me to tell us Taehyung’s sleeping at his friend’s house tonight.. so stop worrying and go to sleep..”

His friend? Jungkook? 

Her heart felt heavy.. she thought it must be how he was feeling everytime she avoided him..  

It sure didn’t feel good.. she wants to see him when he’s not there but she avoids him when he’s there..

“Who is worrying?” she said going back to her room. “I was just..”

Hannah followed her inside and held her hands tight..

It made Jisoo nervous again. She was hoping she would avoid being questioned about him.. 

“I’m sorry for bringing you here..” said Hannah. “We should have just stayed in the island.. just the two of us together, right?”

Jisoo shook her head continuously. 

“If I didn’t bring you here, you wouldn’t be this hurt because of your mom..” she continued. “This engagement.. do you want me to break it off?”

Her eyes widened. No, that’s not what she wants.. she can’t let that happen to her mom..

She has never seen her mom that happy for a long time. She has never seen those lively eyes.. that energy.. if not for Taehyung’s dad, her mom’s condition would have been terrible..

“No.. don’t do that..” Jisoo replied. “For me, your happiness comes first mom.. I’m still young.. I will discover other things I like and I.. I will meet other people too.. so don’t worry about me.. about Taehyung.. I’m sure this will pass..”

She hopes so.. she hopes someday she can see Taehyung as a brother and not as a man..

It might take long but it will happen some time..

That next day after her classes, she saw Rosè with Jungkook..

Those two must be doing pretty well.. they are always smiling whenever they’re together..

She still can’t believe they would have worked out..

Should she ask Jungkook about Taehyung? She’s itching to know how he is..

Did he sleep well in his house? Did he say something about her? About them? About the engagement?

And so she took courage..

“Did.. something happen last night?” asked Jisoo clearing . “I mean.. just.. if you talked about something..”

Jungkook looked confused. His eyes said so..

“Like what?” he asked puzzled. “With who?”

Jisoo felt embarrassed. Is he trying to make her say his name and ask him a direct question?

“I heard Taehyung slept at your house last night..” she said. “It’s just.. we haven’t talked for a few days and-..”

“He wasn’t at my house last night..” said Jungkook. “Did he say he slept at my place?”

If not him.. the other friend he has is Lisa.. did he sleep at her house?

“And Lisa went out of town..” he continued. “She’s in Busan now..”

Then where did he sleep? Why did he lie to his dad?

She got even more worried about him.. her face looked sullen as she headed to wait for the bus..

She’s kinda missing those days where they would go home together.. side by side.. next to each other..

What if he ran away home? She remembers him asking her to run away with him..

She felt troubled..  perturbed..

She kept her eyes fixed on the ground.. those leaves that were falling at the start of the season are all dried now..

She can’t believe time has really passed quickly.. soon it will be winter.. then spring then summer and it will be fall again..

What will it be like after a year? Will they still be avoiding each other like this? Will they learn to forget?

She lifted her eyes from the ground. A man was staring at her.. staring at her with those sad eyes..

She ran to him and pushed him.. 

“Where were you last night?” she asked beating his chest. “You weren’t at Jungkook’s house.. and Lisa isn’t even here.. just where did you sleep?”

Taehyung didn’t answer her. Instead, he held her hands and opened the door of that taxi that was parked there.

“Take us to the train station please..” he said to the driver. 

She looked at Taehyung in bewilderment.

“Why would we go there?” she asked grabbing his clothes. “Are you crazy? I never agreed I’d run away with you.. I said I like you but I didn’t want to run from home..”

He smiled as he put her hands down.

“Did I say we’d run away?” he asked patting her hair. “Your imagination is really weird..”

She missed those hands her hair like that. He was just away for one night but she missed him already..

“I’ll show you something nice..” he said.

They took the train and arrived at their destination an hour later.

It was only past 5 pm but the sun was almost down.

“Hurry up..” he said holding her hands tight while running. “We might miss the sunset so run fast with your short legs..”

“Did you have to say I have short legs?” she said running towards the beach.

And they came just in time. The su