PANDEMIC ESCAPADE | TAEKOOK ✓

29 ➷

Taehyung's Pov

I'm still having a hard time processing Jungkook's words. After all, it was all in a bit of a second and suddenly the next thing I knew my heart shattered into pieces. It broke so hard, so fast, and so bad that I'm not sure it can be fixed again.

"You okay?" My aunt's calming voice brings me back to reality.

"Yeah," I said with a sigh.

"You don't have to think about it," she said. "I know how much that affected you."

I think she was referring to what happened earlier. But she isn't wrong. I am affected. Badly.

"I'm actually devastated at what he said," she continued. "No matter how hurt you are those words can still damage like a sword being pushed into flesh."

I nod, soaking her words in.

"Do you think he meant it?" I asked, facing her. Her eyes were still focused on the road, she didn't answer, so I was planning to repeat my question until she spoke.

"It doesn't matter if he meant it or not, he still said those painful words to you," she said with a sigh, giving me a side glance.

She has a point, no matter how hard it is, you still can't say such words to someone. Those can affect them in many ways, sometimes more in a bad way.

"How about we stop at a gasoline station to get you something to snack on?" She asked.

My stomach is empty, the food I ate before I left didn't fill me much, so I nodded. And a couple minutes later, we park into a gasoline station and exited the car.

My aunt gave me her wallet, "I'll be using the restroom, get yourself something," she said before walking the other direction.

Without hesitation, I walk towards the mini store beside the gasoline tanks, the bell rings as I enter. The air conditioned place welcomes me happily. I walk around the aisles and find different types of snacks: chips, candy, chocolate, peanuts, and ice creams. Of course, my indecisive self can't choose.

"Hey," someone spoke to me, I immediately turned my head to the direction of the voice. "What are you looking for? Maybe I can help."

It's a skinny female with red dyed hair, her long acrylic nails grabbing a bag of chips in front of us both.

"Do you work here?" I ask, making sure.

"Yeah, girl's gotta make money," she chuckles, putting the bag of chips back into the shelf.

"I'm just looking for a snack to munch on, I'm on my way to Seoul," I said with a smile.

"Seoul, fabulous place," she waves her hands in the air. "I've been there before, real sweet."

"Really," I said. "Hopefully I won't be too overwhelmed."

She nods and takes me to the cashier, she whispers something to the guy behind the counter before facing me.

"You've got any allergies?" She asked me, her nails playing her hair.

I shake my head, rubbing my neck in confusion.

"Good, we have a goodie bag here with two bags of potato chips and a can of assorted peanuts. A soda bag is included and pieces of candy are in there too," she grins, taking the plastic bag from the guy behind the counter and handing it to me.

"Sold," I said.

—

"You got your snacks?" My aunt asked as she opens the car, allowing me to enter.

"Yes," I nod. "I got you some too."

"Thanks hun," she smiles as she starts to pull out of the driveway, then returning back on the road.

You know, in the couple minutes in the mini store I've got some deep advice from a stranger. The girl in the store who assisted me's name is Miyeo, and her words feels like a touch from an angel.

—

Flashback

"Mhm, so you're telling me your friend hurt your feelings?" She raised an eyebrow.

I nod, sitting down on the bar chair. I didn't wanna remember what happened, or else I would've probably burst into tears, so I just starred outside the window and admired the birds.

"Well, let me tell you something," she cleared her throat. "Don't take crap from anyone, first of all, everyone makes mistakes and we should accept those mistakes. In this scenario, it's probably those words. I'm sorry but sweetie you gotta accept it and move on."

"Move on," I repeated in a whispering tone.

"Move on," she repeated, nodding. "You deserve better, and if you both don't talk this out or at least get some closure then the scar in your heart isn't gonna heal very quickly. No matter how difficult it is, it's better to face the difficulty then try to run away from it, you'll get from running eventually."

Her words pierce through my heart, it hurts. But it's true. And the truth hurts.

"He seems like a good guy," her tone has a lace of doubt. "I'm sure you're strong enough to talk to him again if you'd like, because you deserve an explanation. And an apology."

"I'm not sure he'd apologize," the words left my lips before I even knew it.

She shakes her head, her facial expression changes to disapproval. "Everyone's got the heart and courage to apologize, sometimes their ego and pride just brings them too high that they can't hear the screams of reality trying to pull them back down to the real world."

I chuckle, she sounds like she actually knows who Jungkook is.

"If I were you, I'd live like I used to. Don't let those words change your mindset, because this is just another challenge of humanity. Strangers are strangers," she said before giving me my change.

Strangers are strangers, and if Jungkook wants to remain like that then so be it. I can live like I used to, 'cause I can move on.

Right?