1994.

01. SUMMER BUMMER

SUMMER
BUMMER

IT WAS NOON when the rain had stopped. after the downpour, raesun had stepped out of the hospital (yet again another check up, something she didn't take too kindly to having) for a cigarette, fingers trembling as they held the white stick and lighter.

it was a cold end to spring.

birds were chirping, the sun had peeked through glum clouds, children played in puddles — but raesun was miserable as ever.

her summer had left, not just the humid days and lips stained with ice pops, but the honey boy she adored. the boy with a caramel crown and a toxic tongue, with a cocaine heart and bittersweet love. he had... disappeared.

she snapped out of her haze, taking long drags of her cigarette as she leant against the wall. the harsh cold brick made her hairs stand on end, but the chill woke her up.

raesun was a mess, that was for sure. she had taken up smoking when she was stressed, which happened to be all the time; her hair was always scraped up into some sort of bun, not wanting to be picture perfect or even merely presentable; the bags under her eyes were muddy, showing her exhaustion; her once rosy cheeks were void of colour, much like her heart since her life was flipped upside down.

all because of hana. or should she blame jeongguk? or even her parents?

it was as if, all under a day, everyone had left her. disappeared with the wind, not one hint as to where they had gone.

she'd thought they would've visited but they never had, not even once—

"oh hi buttercup," a familiar voice had spoke from beside her, closing a black umbrella: it was taehyung.

she rose her brows at that, forgetting how handsome he was before the beating jeongguk had gave him all those months ago. in that moment he looked beautiful, with ruby hair, dazzling teeth and a sparkle to his coffee orbs. there was faded memories of violet bruises and a sling, but raesun was now in awe at how healthy he turned out to be after school.

"h–hello?" her voice, hoarse and raw, made her blush in embarrassment, clearing her throat.

taehyung raised a brow himself, nodding at the cigarette, "i see what you're now up to?" there wasn't so much disgust as she thought there would've been, more so disappointment.

she was used to it; she shrugged, "with stress comes dirty habits."

"no, with stress comes solutions, raesun," he shook his head, standing with her against the wall, "so what else is up with you, huh?"

"nothing, just..." her mind pondered, wondering if she should even talk about her problems anymore. was it even worth it? no, she decided; she flicked the ash from her cigarette, speaking through the smoke, "trying to hold up i guess."

he cocked his head at that, "what do you mean?"

raesun rolled her eyes, "surely you read the news? of the shooting at the race?" it was plastered on the front of newspapers for a good few days, that an illegal race was held up by police and a gang had shot members of the public. her name was mentioned a few times, even reading one where she apparently died.

physically she wasn't dead, but mentally she was barely surviving.

"i read about what happened yes," he looked at the floor, one foot shuffling as he daren't meet her gaze, "but i can't say i didn't warn you of what could happen—"

"don't throw it back in my face, you bastard," she hissed, also cursing at the fact the last of cigarette had burnt down to the filter; she flicked it somewhere beside her, "i don't regret going, and i sure as hell don't regret going with him—"

"and where is he now? where's jeon jeongguk when you need him most?" his tone was calm, despite the fact raesun was brimming with sudden rage, "you can't deny that he's a bad guy. you can't deny he's brought you nothing but trouble."

raesun removed herself from the wall, staring down the red haired boy, "you've said your hello now fuck off and leave me alone, don't you dare try and—"

"what, make you see some sense? make you realise that all of this," he gestures up and down to her, "is because of him? he's left you broken and wounded, excuse the pun, and you're still trying to defend him?"

"stop it," she shook her head, not quite believing him — she forgot for a split second how much taehyung hated her lover, "you... you don't have the right..."

taehyung sighed, "maybe i don't, but i've seen it before with him. he strings girls along with him, and when it comes down to his own safety, he saves his own skin."

but raesun refused to believe him, even at that time. she didn't remember all that much from the moment she was shot, only his tears landing on her and running with her blood, his sobs of despair, his pleads of her to stay, his hands gripping her dying body as jin dragged him away.

he didn't choose to leave then, but did he choose to leave now?

"please leave me alone," raesun wanted to escape yet again, running away from the problems before it got nasty yet again, "and don't talk to me again, alright? goodbye, taehyung."

— 雨 —

it will all be explained soon, don't worry
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