Timeless Snow ✓

Ch. 35 - Yellow

Heading into the covered parking lot you let Taehyung lead the way to your rental car. You browsed the rather bland selection of reliable SUVs and trucks, the cars getting newer and more expensive the further the two of you walked. You gave your fiance a glance from the corner of your eye, seeing a grin start to curl his lips. Following his earthy brown eyes, you caught sight of a black car near the back. Newer model, a Chevrolet. Those weren't too outrageous. Not that you fretted the price. It was the fact that you couldn't live Taehyung to his own devices with all things regarding your treatment. He'd have you driving a Lamborghini, living in a mansion on the beach, and being waited on hand and foot like 'you deserve'.

The click of the key fob and caught your attention, causing the car to beep a few times and confirm your wild guess of which car it was. You wondered if he had thought the purchase through before taking this car. "A convertible?" Stopping in front of the car you gave its sleek black body a quick once over. A Corvette Stingray, fancy. Nearing the driver's side Taehyung turned and flashed a beaming smile of pride. "Yeah!" He affirmed with more enthusiasm than you expected over a car. "Not to be the bearer of bad news, but..." Looking past Taehyung you raised a hand up and pointed toward the rectangular opening in the car park that leads outside.

"What if it rains?" The forbidden 'R' word. You saw the looming clouds when you landed. How the land was blanketed with a creeping sense of grey that was darkening with time. Before you could fester in your fear of the coming storm Taehyung cheered in with a quick. "Wait!" As he reached inside the car. You heard a quiet click before he popped back up. The back panel on the trunk of the car slid back as the collapsed cover of the car crept from its cramped hideout and roofed the car. With a flick of your brows, you released the idea that he hadn't thought ahead. "I also checked the weather on the plane. It's not supposed to rain till sometime during the middle of the night." Being vague as to not cause you to wait in dread for that number on the clock to strike.

"This is my spontaneous trip and you've thought this far ahead?" Stepping closer to the car you headed for the passenger door as you looked over the car to him. "You know it's incredibly hard to be a good girlfriend, when you've set the bar sky-high, right?" Taehyung's lips cracked with a breathy laugh, a soft tint pinkening his cheeks at the sudden compliment. "Don't let me stop you from trying." With a fan of his hand, it curled it closer to himself and covered his nose as he imitated being overly bashful in sarcasm. Rolling your eyes with an equally admirable smile you pulled open the door and let yourself climb inside.

Setting off into Spring Canyon without a single clue as to where to go or what you were looking for. Taehyung drove as slow as was legally allowed, giving you time to take in your surroundings. He kept quiet in the driver seat, focusing on the road as he let the conversation exist only if you desired. Scraping the nail on your thumb against your pants you could feel the jitter in your muscles that the dreadful sky was invoking in you. Quietly trying to remind yourself what Taehyung had said, you still had some time before the rain fell.

Venturing further from the airport you began to descend into the heart of the town. Business and small mom-and-pop shops that were worse from wear. Larger corporations making it more difficult for unique shops to stay in business nowadays. A few swaying turns later you began to creep past a college campus. Yet, nothing at all seemed to stand out. It was just an ordinary town in West Virginia. Unsure what you had been expecting, but you had expected something.

Forty-five minutes had passed before Taehyung dared break the silence. His tone was compassionate, as opposed to questioning your actions he asked "How are you doing?" His left hand was on the steering wheel while his right found its way to the thick part of your thigh and giving it a firm squeeze that reminded you of his stance with you.

The corner of your lips perked up despite the sinking sadness that you could feel weighing down your gut, the source unknown. Turning to him you placed your hand over his and grasped his palm tightly. "I'm okay." You tried your best to lie better, but you knew Taehyung could see right through you if he looked hard enough. He offered you a painted smile, only able to imagine the hell that you must be experiencing inside yourself. 

His eyes left yours to meet the glass windshield, rolling to a stop sign only visible thanks to a nearby old spotlight. The void of night consumed the sky. Your eyes followed his, taking note of the street light as it flickered offbeat. Letting your eyes wander outside the windows, you once again tried to find anything that 'spoke' to you. 

Your eyes rolled over the lush garden grass tinted a whitewashed yellow from the artificial light. Looking beyond the dark meadow you noticed a playground in the distance. The ominous pit in your stomach suddenly forced its way up and out as you blurted out, "Stop!" Inadvertently you yelled out in the tiny car, and action you'd regret soon with a minor case of whiplash when Taehyung hit the break quickly. The two of you bounced against your seats, you remained unbothered as you raised a hand and pointed to the park you were close to passing. "Over there. Can we go to that park?" Your head snapped back toward Taehyung to see his stunned expression that he quickly masked with understanding and acceptance. He hit the gas with caution but didn't hesitate when taking the next left toward the parking lot.

Pulling around the block he found the empty parking lot and took a center parking space facing the playground. The playground was further back in the park, not too far that you couldn't see the swings, but not near enough to know if puddles of water flooded the ground below the suspended seats. Thrusting the car into park, Taehyung unbuckled his seat belt, turned off the car, and set his hands calmly in his lap.

Popping your thumb into the buckle's latch you let it unravel from your body. Scooting forward you moved up your seat, nearing its edge as you gawked at the unimpressive antique playground that was hardly maintained. Taehyung let you process silently, knowing any questions he were to ask would be met with the same bewilderment in which he asked. You knew nothing more than he did, aside from a fleeting dream or two.

"Come on, baby." You said after a daunting minute of silence you sprung into a sense of haste. No longer satisfied by only see a fraction of the subject of your attraction, you needed to see the rest. Find the secrets lingering in all the cracks and crevasses. Curiosity had gotten you this far, no sense in being hesitant now.