bearing his scars | k.th

twenty

Chaeyoung skipped slowly from one foot to another, following silently behind the two guys. Taehyung came to pick them up from school, saying they should hang out since it was Friday. Chaeyoung was sure he didn't want her to tag along but had no choice since she was there and Jimin practically begged her to come.

But she didn't care, not even taking offense to Taehyung's actions anymore.

She couldn't help but notice that she eventually got bored of the hatred towards him.

"I heard they have the greatest hamburgers in town, we should check it out sometime! Chae, you in?" She looked up at the mention of her name, confusingly looking between the two as they watched her in anticipation.

"Sorry, what did you say?" Jimin frowned at the lack of her attention, taking small steps towards her.

"You alright?"

"Yeah su-" she got interrupted by a silent whimper, making her turn around.

"Chae?" she looked from left to right with narrowed eyes, scanning the street.

"Huh?" she shook her head and turned back towards Jimin who was looking at her weirdly with Taehyung giving her a 'you mad?' face behind him.

"Yeah?"

"Are you al-"

"Shush!" he shushed him with her hand in the air, hearing the silent, weak whimper again.

"Chae what's wrong with you?" he asked frustratingly but Chaeyoung ignored him, concentrating on the faint sounds.

"You guys hear that?" there was a silence before the two guys shook their heads, making her frown.

Was she really going mad?

The whimper repeated itself again, and this time Chaeyoung was sure she wasn't hallucinating.

"It's coming from there!" she said and ran around them towards the corner of one of the apartment buildings, the alley leading towards the shallow river.

"What is it?" She could hear the two running after her as Chaeyoung entered the alley, her heart breaking into pieces at the sight.

A small pup in the size of her two palms was lying in an old shoebox by the river, the puppy whimpering as it shivered in its place. It had black, thick fur with occasional brown specks, dark eyes, and a small muzzle the size of a button.

"I knew I heard something!" she whispered to herself and slowly jogged towards the box, careful not to scare the little ball of fluff.

"Oh gosh, what are you doing here?" she cooed and knelt in front of the box, softly stroking its fur with her finger.

It shuddered under her touch, seeming to huddle itself even more.

"Oh my God!" Chaeyoung heard Jimin's silent gasp behind her. Slowly and gently she picked up the small thing into her arms and stood up, turning towards the two guys who were looking wide-eyed at the little ball in her hold.

"Where did you get it?" Jimin asked stupidly and she gave him a 'really?' look.

"It was lying in the box all alone. It must be cold," she muttered and cradled it closer to her chest trying to warm the small puppy up.

Taehyung reached his hand and scratched it gently behind its ears with a calm expression Chaeyoung never saw on him when in her presence.

"We shouldn't leave it here," he said and Chaeyoung nodded, looking down at the pup. She giggled as it nuzzled its head into her shirt and she could swear she heard small snores as it stopped shivering.

"I'll take him with me."