Chapter: 53

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"Of all people, I didn't think I'd find you here at this hour, Taehyung," Miyeon said, arms crossed, an eyebrow raised as she stared at the boy in question. He, in turn, seemed to be doing everything he could to avoid her gaze.

The soft orange glow of the afternoon had long faded, replaced by the chill of early evening. Darkness settled outside, and Miyeon's patience was wearing thin. She had spent the last hour wandering aimlessly, waiting for Jeonghan to text her back-only for her phone to remain frustratingly silent.

Eventually, she'd ended up at the convenience store closest to her place, hoping to grab a quick snack and clear her mind.

What she didn't expect, however, was to find Taehyung-of all people-half-begging the cashier, who she vaguely recognized as Woozi, for a job.

"Well, I could say the same for you," Taehyung mumbled in response, his lips curving into a small pout. Miyeon's brow arched higher as she scrutinized him, her curiosity piqued. Behind the counter, Woozi-casually leaning against it while slurping on a cup of ramen-let out a poorly stifled laugh, which quickly turned into a coughing fit.

"Ha-ha, very funny. Laugh it up, Lee Jihoon," Taehyung said dryly, shooting the cashier a glare. Woozi raised his hands in mock surrender but didn't bother hiding the wide grin on his face.

"Don't come at me," Woozi replied, his tone laced with amusement. "Weren't you just asking for my help two minutes ago?"

At the word help, Miyeon's eyes narrowed. Her gaze flickered between the two boys. Taehyung, however, looked mortified.

"Why don't you just announce it to the whole world while you're at it?" Taehyung snapped, rolling his eyes. His annoyance was evident, but Woozi didn't seem remotely fazed, casually slurping up another bite of ramen with a smirk.

Miyeon crossed her arms tighter, her gaze sharp as she studied Taehyung. "Help? What kind of help, exactly?" she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and suspicion though she had her doubts.

"Nothing important," Taehyung replied quickly, his voice higher than usual. He turned back to Woozi with a pleading expression, silently begging him not to say more.

But Woozi found the ongoing situation very hilarious to not do his part in giving the boy trouble, "Oh, you know... Just the usual-begging for a job while simultaneously failing to impress me with his charm."

"I was not begging!" Taehyung exclaimed, his ears turning a shade redder than his cheeks. He shot Woozi another glare, then turned to Miyeon as if hoping she'd side with him. "I was just... asking very politely."

"Right," Miyeon said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because polite requests usually involve you looking like a lost puppy in the rain." But then she paused, tilting her head. "Wait... you need another job? Why?"

Taehyung froze, his eyes widening as he slapped a hand over his mouth, realizing he had said more than he intended. Miyeon raised an eyebrow, giving him a knowing look. She sighed, gesturing to one of the stools by the convenience store window.

"Taehyung, if you're struggling, you should've said something," she said, her voice calm but firm.

He hesitated before finally slumping into the seat she pointed to. "It's not that easy to ask for help, Miyeon," he began, his voice tinged with frustration.

She wouldn't tell him but she sgreed with him. Asking for help was never easy the way offering was.

His frown deepened, but she could see the vulnerability beneath it, "I want to handle things on my own. I need to prove that I'm capable without leaning on others all the time."

Miyeon sat down beside him, her expression soft. "I never said you weren't capable," she said, her tone gentle, "But sometimes, when you're struggling, it's better to lean on someone than to carry it all alone."

She sounded like Jeonghan at the moment but she could care less for now.

Taehyung sighed, running a hand through his hair while also giving her a look as if he heard that line before, "I know. And I will-when I really need to. But for now, I want to do this myself.", he looked at her and offered a small, almost apologetic smile.

She studied him quietly for a moment, sensing there was more he wasn't saying. But she also knew it wasn't her place to push him. Instead, she reached out and placed her hand over his, giving it a light squeeze.

"If you ever need me, I'll always be there," she said softly, her words laced with sincerity.

Taehyung glanced down at their hands and then back up at her, his expression warm. "You're too kind, you know that?"

"It's just who I am," Miyeon replied with a shrug and a light laugh.

His expression grew serious again as he sat up straighter. "Promise me you won't tell anyone about this," he said, his tone almost pleading. "I came to this side of town because it's far enough from where the others live. I didn't think I'd run into anyone I know here. Especially not you."

Miyeon raised an eyebrow at his words, but before she could respond, he held up his pinky finger, his eyes earnest. "So promise me."

She stared at his raised pinky for a moment, then looked back at him. "Only if you promise to ask for help when it gets too hard," she countered.

"Okay," he said with a nod.

Their pinkies intertwined, sealing the promise. The gesture, childish as it was, felt oddly comforting, and they both broke into laughter.

"Well, if you two are done being all emotional, can we start your interview now?" Woozi's voice cut through the moment, mock irritation dripping from his tone as he leaned against the counter with a smirk.

"Interview?" Miyeon repeated, laughing at the absurdity. "Who even needs to give an interview just to stock shelves?"

Woozi didn't miss a beat, pointing at Taehyung with his chopsticks, "Apparently this guy does. He's not exactly qualified for what we need here."

Taehyung turned to Woozi, throwing his hands up in exasperation, "You're literally standing behind a counter, eating ramen! What kind of qualifications could you possibly need for that?"

"Clearly, more than you've got," Woozi shot back with a grin, slurping up another mouthful of noodles.

Taehyung groaned dramatically before turning back to Miyeon. "See what I am dealing with?", and then he turned back to Woozi with a playful look. "Try competing with Miyeon, then," he quipped, "She has special koalafications."

The joke barely left Taehyung's mouth before he jumped up, laughing, and took a step away from Miyeon-just in time to avoid her swatting at him.

"Will you ever let that go?", she demanded, glaring at him but her face broke into a playful smile.

"Never," Taehyung replied with a mischievous grin, folding his arms behind his head.

Woozi chuckled, shaking his head, "You two are weird."

Miyeon rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the smile. As much as Taehyung could get on her nerves sometimes, moments like these reminded her why she liked him so much when she first came here. It was his comforting and carefree nature which made her so comfortable around him.

After their playful banter, Miyeon gathered her things and paid for her items, all while half-listening to Woozi and Taehyung chatter away. Their lighthearted conversation filled the air, and for a moment, Miyeon felt a sense of warmth that had been missing from her life the few hours.

It struck her then-she had made the right choice by stepping out of her house tonight. Still, a small pang of regret lingered.

In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wish she were spending the evening with someone else. A glance at her phone, still devoid of any new messages, sent a dull ache through her chest.

One she forced herself to brush off.

As she prepared to leave the store, Taehyung offered to walk her to her car. She smiled and accepted, but just as they were about to step outside, Woozi's voice called out, making them both pause.

"Hold up," he said, walking over with an easy stride, his expression unreadable.

Miyeon raised an eyebrow as he stopped in front of her and pulled something from his pocket. "Just like last time," he murmured, handing her a familiar chocolate bar.

Her face lit up instantly, her smile broadening as she took it. "My favorite," she said softly, her tone warm with gratitude.

"Yeah, well, who cares about this lonely guy," Taehyung piped up dramatically, throwing his arm over her shoulder and resting his head there as he let out an exaggerated sigh, "What about me?"

Woozi rolled his eyes, his lips twitching into a faint smirk. "Stop being such a drama queen," he said, pulling out another chocolate bar and tossing it at Taehyung.

Taehyung caught it with ease, his mock sadness replaced with a grin, "Wow, I suddenly feel so loved. Thanks, Woozi."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Woozi replied with a dismissive wave of his hand, though the smile tugging at the corners of his lips was unmistakable.

The three of them laughed, the shared moment easing some of the weight Miyeon had been carrying. For a little while, she could forget about unanswered messages and unspoken feelings. At least for tonight, she wasn't alone.

Taehyung and Miyeon stepped out of the store, the cool night air brushing against their faces. Behind them, Woozi gave a casual wave, which Miyeon and Taehyung returned before the automatic doors slid shut.

The streets were quiet, lit by the soft glow of scattered streetlights. Taehyung walked beside her, hands stuffed into his pockets, while Miyeon clutched her bag in one hand, the chocolate bar Woozi had given her in the other. She took a deep breath, pretending to admire the stars overhead, but the words she really wanted to say lingered on the tip of her tongue.

"So," she began, trying to sound nonchalant, "Where are the rest? I mean... Nari isn't answering my texts."

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, glancing sideways at her, "The rest?"

"Yeah," Miyeon said, keeping her tone light, though her grip on the chocolate bar tightened. "You know what I mean. Just worried.", She let out a small laugh, hoping it masked the real reason behind her question.

Taehyung's lips twitched into a faint smirk, but it quickly faded as he debated whether to say what he knew. He wasn't oblivious-he'd seen the way her gaze lingered on her phone earlier, her disappointment barely hidden. He knew exactly who she was really asking about.

"Well..." he started, his voice trailing off as he scratched the back of his neck. "They're... around."

Miyeon's steps faltered for a moment, but she recovered quickly, hoping he didn't notice, "Around, huh? That's specific."

Taehyung sighed, deciding honesty was probably the better route. "They're with Yewon tonight. It's her welcome-back thing."

"Oh.", The single word slipped out before she could stop it, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep the sadness from creeping into her voice and the heaviness to her heart.

Taehyung glanced at her again, this time with a softer expression. "I'm sure Nari meant to text back. You know how she is-probably got caught up."

Miyeon forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes, "Yeah, of course. I was just worried nothing else."

Neither of them said anything for a moment, their footsteps echoing faintly as they neared her car. The air between them felt heavier now, though Taehyung couldn't tell if it was from her unspoken disappointment or his own guilt for bringing it up.

"Hey," he said suddenly, stopping a few feet from her car and turning to face her. "Don't let it get to you, okay? Yewon's back, but that doesn't change anything. You're part of our group now. Don't overthink anything."

Miyeon nodded, her smile still small but a little more genuine this time. "Thanks, Tae."

He ruffled her hair lightly, trying to lighten the mood. "Anytime. Now, get home safe, yeah?"

"I will," she replied, unlocking her car and sliding inside. Taehyung waited until she started the engine before stepping back and waving.

As she drove off, Miyeon glanced at her phone again, still hoping for a notification that wasn't there. She let out a quiet sigh, the night suddenly feeling much lonelier despite the warmth she felt a few minutes back.

Just when Miyeon was ready to give up for the night, her phone lit up, the soft glow catching her attention. Her heart skipped a beat as she hurriedly reached for it, hoping against hope. When she saw the name on the screen, her breath hitched. It was him.

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Jeonghan

You:Hi! Are you free by any chance? It's okay if you're not. I just wanted to ask you something.

Jeonghan:I'm so sorry I didn't answer before. Got caught up in some stuff. What was it that you wanted to ask?

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Miyeon stared at the message, her thumb hovering over the keyboard. Her chest tightened as she debated what to say. She had wanted to see him earlier, but now that she knew he'd been with Yewon, doubt began to creep in. Would it be selfish to ask for his time?

After a few moments of hesitation, she typed her reply.

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You:It's fine, don't worry about it. I was just wondering if you were free.

But it's getting late, so don't worry about it. See you at university.

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Her thumb barely moved away from the send button when his response came almost instantly.

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Jeonghan:No, wait!

Meet me here.Location attached.

It won't take long, I promise. Please!!

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She blinked at the attached location, her heart fluttering at his insistence. A part of her told her to say no, that it was late and she shouldn't go chasing after moments that might hurt later. But the other part-the part that always longed to see him, even when it wasn't convenient-won.

With a soft sigh and a slight smile tugging at her lips, she responded.

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You:Okay. See you there.:)

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Miyeon locked her phone and leaned back in her seat, her chest buzzing with anticipation. She turned to her driver, her voice lighter than it had been all evening.

"Can you take me to this address?", she asked, showing him the location on her phone.

As the car pulled onto the quiet road, she stared out the window, unable to stop the small smile that crept across her face. Tonight wasn't what she had planned, but maybe it could still end on a better note.

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Who wants some Mihan moments?

Next chapter will be longgg and I love it so much. I also think you all will love it too (;

Double update again? You all know the drill!

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