Wish (Wishing Well #1)

Chapter 17

With the exception of when he first got to town, this was the first time Taehyung had really had the opportunity to wander around the town.  He had been spending most of his time in his feline form, except when Emily wasn’t home, but he typically didn’t leave the house in her absence in case she would come back early and notice he was missing.  He knew that the urgency in his voice would have prompted Jimin to get with it, but he still found himself meandering through the town, taking in all the sights. He could see why Emily liked it here. The people all seemed friendly, and even though he was new and the town was smaller, not as large as other college towns, no one was gawking and whispering about the newcomer.  Truthfully, he did get a few stares, mostly from young women, but he paid them no mind. Slow as he was going, he was still on a mission and didn’t have time for distractions.

Taehyung was passing a heavenly smelling coffee shop when he felt someone’s awareness brush against his.  He stopped, frozen to his spot on the sidewalk as townspeople moved around him. He turned in a slow circle, looking for the owner of the awareness.  It was someone he knew, whether or not he would be able to recognize that person was yet to be discovered. Not everyone from Wishing Well was a shifter like he was, but most of them were able to use their magic or abilities to distort their actual appearance, similar to a glamour spell.  

Not recognizing anyone he knew, Taehyung circled again, this time concentrating on the awarenesses around him trying to see which individual belonged to the awareness he felt.  Finally, his eyes latched onto the barista behind the counter in the coffee shop. Hoseok? The man shot him a bright, cheeky grin. Took you long enough the smiling man countered. To be fair though, the first time you were looking I had ducked down to tie my shoe lace.  Taehyung smiled and shook his head, waving at Hoseok before turning back toward the park.

What Hoseok thought after him not in the mood for coffee? Taehyung knew better than to tell him he was on a mission; he was never entirely sure if he could trust the man.  Instead he told a believable lie, I have a date in a few minutes and I’m running late he responded.  He heard Hoseok’s chuckle in his mind Well have fun, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do Hoseok said, withdrawing his awareness from Taehyung.  

Taehyung released a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding when he felt Hoseok’s awareness leave him.  It was strange for there to be so many of them in town at one time. Normally, there were only one or two agents in a town this size, but so far there were at least five including him and Jimin.  He picked up his pace and started jogging toward the park, ignoring the sights around him until next time. When he reached the park, he bent at the waist, bracing his hands on his knees and gulping deep breaths of air. You would think as much time I spent as a cat running after things jogging would be a breeze he thought.  Once he felt less like dying, he stood up and gazed around the park for Jimin.  

He noticed his friend sitting on a park bench, bouncing his leg up and down, twisting the thick, silver band on his middle finger.  Taehyung slowly walked to the bench and plopped down beside Jimin. His dark haired friend shot together when Taehyung landed beside him with a thump.  Taehyung shot him a cheeky grin, eliciting a grimace from Jimin.

“So,” Jimin started, his jean clad leg still bouncing up and down rapidly. “What happened? Did the magic not wipe her memories, too?”  Taehyung shook his head and waved his hands in front of him.

“No, no, no.  That’s not it,” he responded.  “The magic did wipe her memories, she was happy to see me and unsuspicious, but. . .”  Taehyung hesitated. He looked down at his hands, and fidgeted with the ends of his shirt, unsure why he was so uneasy to tell Jimin what happened next.  It could be nothing. But what if it is something worry whispered to him.

“But what,” Jimin urged, sounding strained.

“When she got out of the shower she fell down and hit her head really hard.” Taehyung still couldn’t bring himself to look at his friend.  “I ran right over and checked on her. She seemed fine. She even spent most of the day reading.” Taehyung smiled softly, shifting his gaze upward to look at the sky, thinking back on how emotional she was while she was reading her book.  She would randomly yell or laugh, sometimes she flailed around like a turtle turned on its back. The first time she screamed he was terrified that she had remembered the night before, but he’d run to her room to check on her anyway. He had been so shocked when she was screaming insults at a character in the book that was apparently, “the poopiest canoe EVER!”

“Then why are you worried,” Jimin asked, his eyebrows furrowed.  He shifted so that he was slouched on the bench and crossed his right leg over his left, still bouncing the left in agitation.  The frustration in the older male’s voice shook Taehyung out of his revelry.

“Because when she did finally get up again, she made it to the end of the hallway where she suddenly experienced overwhelming head pain.” he said, wringing his hands as he finally looked at his friend.  “It wasn’t even at the spot where she hit her head, it was like seeing the kitchen and living room triggered something and made her hurt. What if her head injury did something to disrupt the memory loss of the magic??”  Jimin stared at Taehyung with wide eyes. He slowly started shaking his head back and forth.

“No. No.” Jimin muttered, still shaking his head.  This can't be happening, he though, his chest tightening painfully, causing his breathing to become shallow.

“But Jimin, you know as well as I do that--” Taehyung started, before Jimin cut him off.

“That’s not what’s happening this time.” He said firmly. “Besides, it’s very rare that a physical occurrence undoes the power of the memory loss.”  He knew he sounded desperate, like he was in denial, but he was. He was going to have to be very careful, or find a way to strengthen the memory loss if it wasn’t just a coincidence.  Taehyung could tell his friend was starting to unravel, so he changed the subject.

“I saw Hobi today,” he said nonchalantly, not sure how Jimin would take the news.  Jimin’s head whipped toward Taehyung.

“Hoseok??  He’s here?” Jimin said.  Taehyung nodded slowly, watching as Jimin’s fingers found their way back to his rings.  He twisted the ring on his middle finger again as he pondered the news. He’d already seen Yoongi and Taehyung, he’d sensed at least one other awareness around town, and now Hobi had shown up, too. “Do you know why he’s here?”

“Nope,” Taehyung answered, shaking his head. “He’s working at the coffee shop though, and he’s not the only awareness I’ve sensed lately.”  Jimin stood and started pacing in front of the bench. What is going on in this town?? He thought.  Finally, he turned and looked at his tawny haired friend.

“For whatever reason, more agents are being stationed here.” he said, fixing Taehyung with his gaze.  “No matter what we do, we have to be careful. We have to protect Emily.”

Taehyung nodded solemnly at Jimin, worried for his friend and the girl that was obviously more than a mission to his friend.

Thanks for reading. Y'all mean a lot to me. 💜