The Crown | myg

six

 Since I woke up this morning, I've been feeling nothing but nervous about getting my piercing. Though I really want it, I can't help but feel that something will go wrong or something will draw me away from my decision. But, as long as Chanyeol comes with me, I should be fine.

"I can't believe you're going through with this," Chanyeol sighs as he pulls the car into the parking lot behind the tattoo shop. "I seriously thought that Yoongi would be the man for you."

"Literally nothing has happened," I say as I roll my eyes and pull my seat belt off before stepping out of the car. "Just calm down."

"Can we, at least, get food after this?" Chanyeol asks as he walks up to me, standing beside me as I look through my purse for my wallet before I walk into the building and have needles shoved through my nipples. "I want to go to that café that your friend owns."

"Sure, but you're paying," I respond once I have my wallet in my hand. Chanyeol frowns. "I'm paying for the piercings."

"Fine," he shrugs. "I'll pay for lunch."

The both of us turn away from one another and walk through the doors and into the familiar black and red building. Slowly, we approach the desk and quickly notice that the man who usually sits here, Namjoon, isn't sitting there.

As I wait patiently at the desk, Chanyeol takes it upon himself to look through the tattoo and piercing book displayed by the lounge area. The silence in the room is unbearable, the only audible sound being the occasional flipping of the pages.

"Hyuntae," Namjoon says as he emerges from the backroom, a binder in his hands. He sits down at his desk and smiles brightly at me. "Back so soon?"

"I have an appointment with Taehyung," I say with a friendly smile, my arms resting on the counter as I stand there and patiently wait for him to check the calendar.

His dark eyes skim over the words written on the calendar until they land on the box dedicated to today's date. He nods before raising his head. "Nipple piercings?" His eyebrow raises slightly, to which I nod. "That'll be eighty dollars."

Without hesitation, I reach into my wallet and grab the designated amount of money needed. Sliding it on the counter slowly, Namjoon pulls it into his hands and counts it twice-over before putting it into a cash box protected by lock and key.

"Wait anywhere," Namjoon says politely as he gestures around the room before standing up and disappearing into the backroom where he came from moments prior.

Silently, I walk over to Chanyeol and stand beside him, my head resting on his shoulder. Without saying anything, he wraps his arm around me and strokes my arm soothingly.

"You can back out, you know?" He whispers, his head resting atop mine. "No one will judge you."

"I already paid," I respond as I shake my head, my arms wrapping around him. "Plus, you know I really want this."

"I'll back you up on any decision you make, you know that," Chanyeol's cheek puffs up against my skull, signalling to me that he's smiling. Within the twenty years I've known him, he's never failed to comfort me when I need him to. He's always backed me up on my decisions and helped me stay out of most of the trouble I get in. There are, still, some things he doesn't know.

"Hyuntae," Taehyung's familiar voice rings through my ears, and I turn around to see him standing behind me, a large smile on his face.

Pulling away from Chanyeol, I walk over to Taehyung with a smile on my face. His arms open wide, and I find myself hugging him, his lips pressing against my cheek softly.

"Shall we get started?" Taehyung asks as he rubs his hands together.

Chanyeol puts his hand on my shoulder, and Taehyung's eyes move to look at him.

"Who is this?" Taehyung asks, his hands dropping to his sides as Chanyeol wraps his arm around me.

"This is Chanyeol, my best friend," I say politely, a kind smile on my face. "Chanyeol, this is Taehyung, the piercer."

They both bow to each other silently before Taehyung turns back to me, his eyes shining with unexplained happiness. He slightly turns to the side before directing me down a hall and into a room with a dental chair in the center.

"Take a seat, Hyuntae," Taehyung says as he goes throughout the room and grabs the various things he needs. With his back still turned to me, he continues to speak. "I'll be with you in a moment."

My legs swing back and forth as I sit on the chair, nervously awaiting the moment needles are being stabbed through my nipples. Chanyeol rests his hand atop mine, my hand quick to swat his away, not wanting to be touched or attempted to be comforted.

"Hyuntae," Taehyung says as he turns around, the sound of latex snapping echoing through the room as he puts black gloves on his hands. "You'll need to remove of your shirt."