Our Summer

Chapter 11

After the horrendous experience with the bitter coffee, Taehyung chucks down two bottles of plain water and makes a mental note to get something sweet on his way home. He cannot believe himself for actually daring to drink the coffee.

He wants to flush his own throat and lather it with chocolate just to get rid of the after taste.

No one can change his mind about coffee being the worst drink to ever exist.

He makes a detour to walk along the small park, stopping at the side of the road just to enjoy the magnificent view of the orange sun setting behind the heavy clouds. He is fond of  his walk to and back from work, changing routes every now and then just to catch the sunset at different angles each time.

There is something fulfilling as he watches the sun set behind those clouds, like a mark to end a long day of living. Like a reward to himself for powering through the day. On some days he will pull out his phone, eager to take photos or videos for his collection. But on certain days, he just wants to bask in the warmth of the late evening, the smell of salt lingering in the air and the gush of wind slowly gracing him.

A reminder of life.

The calmness of the surroundings makes him feel at ease and he is glad he chose this route to go home. The small road leading to the park is rarely occupied. Most of the villagers would opt for the main road to stop by the stores by the sidewalk.

It feels like he gets the entire space to himself. Just him, his thoughts and the pleasing sight.

Then he hears a voice. A woman's voice.

He turns around to scan the space, searching for the voice because he seems to recognize it. He knows this voice.

When he turns to the secluded spot under a big tree, he sees Seori sitting on the large bark, a phone pressed to her ear.

"I do not have the electric kettle in my room. Still deciding if I should get it but then I will not be here long. It will be a waste- I knowwww", she laughs loudly, tilting her head to the back.

Taehyung wonders who she is talking to and what did the person say that made her laugh like that.

"I can't even make coffee in my room", she pouts to herself. "I just buy the canned ones and keep it in my fridge. I can survive"

Taehyung stands stiff and in complete silence, not daring to even the slightest move that would surprise her. He waits, patiently as he listens to her complaining to the person she is talking to about her coffee. And about her oatmilk.

He cracks a small smile at that, finding the way her voice goes up and down so animatedly as she whines and the little stomps of her feet on the ground surprisingly entertaining.

She ends the call a few minutes later, and his entire body tenses in anticipation, suddenly feeling nervous. He watches as she gets up from the bark, dusting the back of her clothes and turns around.

Seori almost loses her footing when she sees Taehyung standing a few feet away from her, looking like a ghost standing up so straight and stiff with his razor-sharp gaze on her.

"Holy shi- Good lord", she shrieks in surprise, grunting in distress as she massages her chest. "Stop appearing out of nowhere"

Taehyung holds his urge to smile but the corner of his lips tugs upwards and he hides it by looking away. "I am not appearing out of nowhere. This is an open space"