WISHING FOR AUTUMN | kth

00 | DANDELIONS

IT WAS MOSTLY quiet, save for the wind that blew over the rolling hills, rustling everything in its path. taehyung's shirt billowed in the breeze, his hair – now black and longer – periodically blurring his vision as it danced back and forth over his eyes.

the last time taehyung was here, he'd been with his friends. with autumn. the air was much colder back then. but spring was now in full swing. and everything was brighter, greener and more full of life. everything was renewed. this time he was alone, significantly more at ease but not particularly as happy.

still, the view of the sunset was the same. it was as stunning and magical as taehyung remembered. it was jimin's favourite. his too. the untouched and untainted beauty of nature. it was the best place to enjoy dusk and dawn, and especially the stars.

he was gone for months and hadn't expected everything to stay the same. yet it was still bewildering to find that so many things had changed over time. but the one change that had certainly hit him the hardest was autumn's absence.

everyone was here where he'd left them, even a couple of new faces. but she wasn't. autumn was gone. only a month ago, she'd packed up and told everyone she would be leaving for a while. she didn't say where or how long. she certainly didn't say anything to him.

taehyung let out a deep sigh, burying his hands in his pockets. he'd taken all those months away so he could somehow gain some control over his emotions. but it hadn't worked. all he did the entire time was think of autumn jacobs. of her eyes and her smile. of her voice and her laughter. of beautiful skin and rich black hair.

but what wasn't meant to be really wasn't meant to be. and it seemed to be his and autumn's fate. he was going to have to accept it. and sooner or later he'd have to find a way to get over her.

something soft brushed his cheek, catching his attention. his brows drew together when he noticed white fluffs being swept away by the running wind. they looked more familiar as he continued to stare. "dandelions?"

they were fluttering past him from behind. he twisted around and his eyes widened, body freezing in surprise. unable to believe who was standing in front of him, he continued to gawk.

autumn's glossed lips curved in a sweet smile. the stem of the dandelion she'd blown was still resting between her thumb and index finger. "heard if you get it all the seeds off in one blow, the boy you wish for will like you back." she said, glancing at the stem and back at him.

"i..." he blinked, feeling flustered. the weight of just how much he'd missed her, how happy he was to see her again and how strong his feelings for her still were hit him all at once. "i was just thinking about you."

autumn still looked the same, just as he remembered her. her skin was still as radiant, eyes still as captivating, smile still as gleaming, curls still as wild and full, and her face was still as beautiful.

but something was different about her. his eyes narrowed in scrutiny as he tried to pinpoint what it was. her body language and the energy she was exuding. it was the same as it used to be before the incident. she looked sincerely happy.

"were you? i was thinking about you too." she let her hand drop back to her side. "you're back." she added with a grin. "so are you." he slipped a hand out of his pocket and let a smile take over his face. "how did you know i was here?" he asked. "i had a feeling you'd be. and jimin confirmed it." she answered, lips pursing as though she was fighting off her smile.

"ah," he nodded in understanding. "are you just going to stand there and stare at me awkwardly?" she asked, tilting her head with a cheeky grin. "ah," he repeated awkwardly.