Our Summer

Chapter 42

Seori lets out a long sigh, tugging her jacket to herself as she stretches her neck. She plans to drop by a bookstore on her walk home, wanting to browse around hoping it will distract her from these thoughts. She turns around and the ground shifts beneath her feet when she sees a figure standing not far from her, eyes looking straight in her direction.

Her heart slams so hard on her chest, the tremors of shocks travel all over her body as her breath hitches.

Taehyung

The world tunes out in slow motion, her surrounding becomes a spinning blur as she looks at him. She looks at him with doubt, not believing her own eyes as she takes in the sight of him. Taehyung stands a few feet away from her, his tired eyes mirroring hers, and he looks just as wrecked as her.

The fight or flight response kicks in but her heart dips at the same time, evoking the part of her that longs for him. Her stomach pools with anxiety as pain swirl in, and her body begins to shake at the way her emotions seem to knock her guts.

There is pain where there is longing. Her heart is filled with warmth but it leaks painfully through the cracks.

Looking at him breaks her all over again. Her heart tells her to run to him but her head is begging her to run away from him.

"Seori", he says her name, like a prayer.

He steps closer and Seori backs away from him in fear, hugging herself like she is trying to get away from him.

Taehyung wants to stab his own heart at her response. He hates himself more seeing the way Seori looks so hurt. He dislikes that she wants to get away from him.

"Can I come -"

"Don't come any closer", she takes another step back, her breathing getting heavier. "Don't. I do not want you to come closer"

Pain flashes behind his eyes and Taehyung swallows the lump in his throat. He nods weakly.

"Okay"

They stand in silence, looking at each other with so much heaviness in their eyes. There is longing. There is yearning. There is this need but yet, they stand there like two strangers.

"Have you been eating well?", he speaks so softly, trying his best to smile. "Did you drink your coffee with your oat milk?"

Seori says nothing, still too startled at his sudden appearance, her eyes processing his presence.

"Did you manage to get your favorite butter muffins? Did you bring your candles and essential oils here?"

She blinks at his question, her heart shattering even more. Hearing his voice - that deep soothing honey voice - feels like a balm to her stone-cold heart. Having him speak to her so tenderly feels like a bandage to her wounds. A small part of her wants to run into her arms and let him take care of her.

But another part is fighting against it.

"Seori...", his voice drips with pain, and it makes her heart slam in her chest.

"N-No", she shakes her head, looking away from his eyes. "I have not drunk any coffee. I hate coffee now. I no longer like the smell of lavender either. I brought no candles here too"

"Why?"

She breathes in deeply, her chest so tight it feels like a struggle just to breathe. She looks to the side, closing her eyes as a means to stop the tears. She cannot cry. Not here. Not right now.