One-night stands are supposed to be nothing more than just. It shouldn't have involved seeing those two red lines looking back at you weeks later without a name or a contact number linking you back to your mystery man. Nothing more but his face. The...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
It takes a bit longer than expected before you finally find the courage to step out of the bathroom.
Soft murmurs filter into the bathroom the moment you open the door. You can tell that the voices are coming from the living room, which means that the family has gathered there after dinner. It allows you to breathe a sigh of relief. At least this way you wouldn't have to hide or make excuses if you have to bump into someone on your way to your bedroom.
Stepping out of the bathroom, you are relieved that nobody is around. Everyone should be in the living room, so you make haste, hoping to be able to escape before anyone notices.
But as you turn to the next hallway, someone is standing in your way. The light is dim, yet you can easily recognise him before you get any closer. Standing with his back leaning against the wall, he has his hands tucked into his pockets and his eyes looking absently into the distance.
As though he has been waiting for you.
Taehyung turns when he notices you coming. Before you can start to wonder what he is doing here, a smile grows on his face.
"Hey, is everything okay? Everyone was worried," he asks you, sounding genuinely concerned.
The calm tone of his voice might be a bit deceiving if only you are not looking into his eyes. His gaze keeps wavering as he speaks, as if he is unable to look at you for too long. The same guilt you saw earlier is still present in his eyes. And you hate seeing it there.
It only tells you that he has a secret that he is keeping from you. You have no idea how to feel about it. But if it has to do with his relationship with Alia, then—
"I'm fine, it's just—"
Your cheeks grow warm the moment you speak, feeling embarrassed at how dry your voice sounds. "It's nothing. You heard my Mom, I'll be better in no time."
You have so many things to say to him. So many questions that you would like to give him. But you are too tired to do anything. Much less to talk. As much as you can convince yourself that you are ready to face anything, now is not the right time to do it.
So you keep your mouth shut and try to walk past him instead. Only that he isn't letting you go that easily.
"You know, it really is nice to see you again, Red."
His voice sounds so subdued that you almost miss it. You come to a halt. Your heartbeat starts picking up again. If you ever needed confirmation that the sinful night you shared with him truly happened, and that he remembered any part of it, then this is it.
His comment which instantly brings you back to that fateful night. The nickname that he used to call you then.
You close your eyes, refusing to remember the way he managed to draw out a myriad of sensations with his voice alone. You refuse to be brought back there again. Not now, when your mind isn't clear enough to be dealing with this. Taking a deep breath, you compose yourself just enough to face him.
