✔️Indecisive Heart | K.TH

XV

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Hello?"

"Annabeth... um, she stopped by the pub." Jimin informed from the other side of the phone call.

"What?"

"She looks pretty bad, by the way."

"What?"

"Oh, my God, Kim Taehyung! You dumbass! Anna came looking for you. She seemed to be in a hurry. And she did not look so good." Taehyung heard his friend sigh with exasperation.

"Why though?" Taehyung began to panic.

"I don't know. She asked where you were and ran away when I told you were home."

"Is-is she coming here?" Taehyung bit his lower lip. One part of him was clueless as to why Anna would want to come to his place and the other part of him was jumping up and down like a happy kid who earned the biggest ice cream in the world.

"I think." Jimin shrugged.

"Okay, thanks for letting me know." Taehyung hung up and let his head fall back, staring at the ceiling with no thoughts other than of Anna.

"Beth?"

"Taehyung..."

The couple stared at each other, until Anna suddenly threw her arms around Taehyung's neck.

"Beth... what's wrong?" Taehyung asked in the softest voice possible, rubbing her back in soothing circles.

"Nothing." He heard her muffled voice, sniffling against his collarbone.

He pulled her away enough to be able to look at her face, "Beth, tell me." He brushed the side of her head, "What's wrong?"

"I lost someone close to me, Taehyung." Anna looked up at him with swollen, bloodshot eyes, which made Taehyung's heart break.

"I-is this about Jungkook?" He really didn't want to know the answer because it would've made his heart hurt.

Anna shook her head, "No... it's not him."

"Come inside, Beth." He took her hand and guided her to the couch, taking the seat next to her, "Talk to me."

"Sara's grandmom passed away." Anna rubbed her red nose, "And I was so caught up in my problem with Jungkook that I didn't even know about her being unwell. I never got a chance to say goodbye to her, and it's my fault."

"Hey." Taehyung pulled Anna's head into his shoulder, hushing her, "It's not your fault, Beth. None of it was ever your fault. You never saw any of this coming. Don't punish yourself like this. Please."

"Here you go." Taehyung handed Anna a cup of tea.

"Thanks." She spoke in a husky tone as her throat had become constrained due to all the crying. She took a sip and immediately felt the liquid burn it's way through her throat, relaxing it and unclogging her nose.

"Do you feel better now?" Taehyung smiled a little, warmth glimmering in his eyes.

Anna nodded her head, "Mhmm. Thank you for listening."

"Anytime, Beth."

Anna took quick, little sips of tea, warming her body. Amidst the tranquility, Taehyung heard her let out a low scoff, "Do you know why I was angry when you called me Beth for the first time?"

Taehyung replied with silence by looking at her with subtle puzzlement written all over his face when Anna paused, her index finger lining the rim of the teacup.

"My grandma used to call me Beth. She was the only one who called me Beth." She sighed and looked up at Taehyung's brown eyes, smiling a little, "I was angry because I didn't like you in the beginning."

"Ouch?" Taehyung chuckled, making Anna do the same as well.

"But... I realised that I judged you without knowing you well. And so I let you call me Beth. And honestly, you're the second person who calls me that now. And... I like it."

Taehyung was mesmerised with her honesty. He wanted to just hold her face and crash his lips onto hers. But he knew now wasn't the time. She was vulnerable, and he didn't want to take advantage of that.

He would never take advantage of her.

"Wow... I... I don't know what to say. Thank you?" He scratched his head, lips turned into an awkward boxy smile.

Anna giggled along, taking in a deep breath of air that carried the essence of Taehyung's special tea. It was comforting, to say the least.

"So, uh... was your stay at Sara's place... jittery?" Taehyung tried to pick his words carefully, trying his best not to make her cry again, "You know... with Jungkook being there and all?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I mean, it was as if he wasn't there at all. He didn't try talking to me, and neither did I." Anna gave a tight-lipped smile.

"Which town did you go to?" Taehyung asked casually, leaning forward to place his empty teacup on the coffee table. But his hand froze when he heard something he never expected, dropping his chinaware on the floor and shattering into pieces.

"Donten."

Taehyung woke up to sharp but loud banging sounds on his front door. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, wondering who it would be at the middle of the night.

"Taehyung!"

His body jolted up when he heard Armelle's muffled voice from the outside of his cottage. He quickly got out of bed and scurried to the front door, swinging it wide open only to met by a sweaty, panting Armelle.

"Armelle! Wh-what's wrong?" He cupped her face between his large palms.

Armelle pushed him inside and quickly closed the door behind her, "Taehyung. My father. He- he knows about us. He's going to kill you."

"What? No, Armelle. Nothing is going to happen. Calm do-"

"No!" Armelle pushed his hand away when he was about to comfort her, "He's going to kill you. Please, Taehyung. Please. Listen to me."

Armelle cried into his shoulder, clinging onto his shirt, "Please leave before he gets to you."

Taehyung pulled away from Armelle, "I am not leaving you here with that mad man!"

"Let's run away, please." She looked up at him with swollen, bloodshot eyes glazed with tears.

Taehyung took in a long breath, thinking where he could escape to.

"Donten! Let's go to Donten!"