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A normal Sunday evening. Taehyung is sitting in his favorite Café, in the front row of the round tables in front of the small stage. The navy blue light is slightly dimmed, giving the local a comfy feeling. The place wasn't too crowded but also not too empty for conversations to be heard by other customers. It was the perfect environment for Taehyung to completely relax and calm his mind.
V is watching the baristas talk and doing their work, all the while soft jazz music is played by a live band. An acoustic guitar and a keyboard resonating in the room. His eyes lazily wander from table to table, observing the people in the Café. Full of different people with different backgrounds, with different mindsets, with different stories to tell. The only thing they had in common was their age, being in their 20s just comes along when attending the nearby University just like Taehyung did. Listening to the calm music in this Café always helped Taehyung to calm down and forget about his busy University life. Coming here became a drug he satisfied himself with every Sunday at about the same time. The employees already started to notice him every Sunday he came and brought him his usual coffee, which he then silently drinks, idly sitting there, endlessly musing in his mind about everything and nothing at once.
There was nothing out of the ordinary until suddenly one of the musicians starts to grab a microphone and actually talked into it. It was then that Taehyung noticed that there was a guy on stage he has never seen before in this premise. With a radiant smile and his hands firm around the microphone the unknown guy already captivates everyone looking at his direction. Taehyung was no exception to the stranger’s magic aura. The guitarist spoke up: “Today we’ll have Kookie covering the song ‘Paper Hearts’. I will be accompanying him on the guitar. Hope you’ll like it!”
Taehyung didn’t bother thinking about the stranger any further, no his name was apparently Kookie, weird name though he thought. He was indifferent to anything as long as it wouldn’t bother his alone time in the café and didn’t irritate his mind. However this ‘Kookie’ took more of his attention then he was willing to admit to himself. The hazelnut brown hair, with that slight curl shined greatly in the stage’s light and it was a perfect completion to his bunny-like face. The aloof spectator had to admit that “Kookie” actually kinda looked cute. Taehyung observed him getting comfortable on stage, sitting on a backrest less oak brown barstool. One leg pressed against the floor and the other bent on the wooden stabilization on the barstool. Again the light allowed Taehyung to perceive every detail on the young singer’s fashionable clothes and handsome face. While watching him getting ready for the upcoming performance, Taehyung wondered if he had already been here once, because he seemed quite comfortable with the whole set up and didn’t seem too nervous to begin with.
The boy, probably only a little younger than himself gave one final grin towards the crowd until, the music started and something within him, something like a switch-button changed his whole demeanor. He suddenly seemed much more mature and his voice filled with so much emotion, Taehyung couldn’t believe at first that he was actually singing live, judging from his stable and angelic voice.
It felt like he was chained to his seat and couldn’t do anything but listen to this beautiful melody coming out from the charming man, not too far away from him. He even caught himself open mouthed while listening to the younger. It was just too fulfilling not to get immersed into his singing. If he had to put it into words he could just describe it as ‘perfect’, because that’s exactly what it was for him. Reaching the end of the sound he closed his eyes, savoring the final moments of the song, and when he heard Kookie’s final note, it was filled with so much pain, hope and emotion it felt like he knew exactly what he’s singing about. The instant Kookie reaches his final tone, Taehyung opened his eyes simultaneously to the song’s last sound.
The audience applauding loudly and the singer visibly satisfied with his performance. The young boy waved and bowed, saying a few thank you’s and left then stage. Taehyung’s gaze shortly lingered on the disappearing figure and he sighed to himself. He somehow hoped to be able to listen to the angelic voice once again sometime and he wondered what his voice sounded like when he talked normally and wasn’t singing. He didn’t do his own introduction after all. All those questions running through his mind and that on his relaxation day. What a Sunday it was.
The Café calmed down again and Taehyung had almost no coffee anymore. His tongue wetting his lips he debated whether to get another coffee or to just call it a day and go back to his apartment. His eyes fixed on the beverage in front of him he noticed the male figure standing close to his table rather late and just glanced up casually, it might almost seem emotionlessly, only to meet his gaze with the boy who covered a song so indescribable good not too long ago.
A slight smile came from the singer and he kindly asked the idly sitting Taehyung in front of him while pointing at the seat opposite to his: “Is it still free? Can I sit down?”
Taehyung narrowed his eyes, quickly scanning the café to check all empty seats and even before checking he knew very well that there were still plenty of free spots on other tables and even completely empty tables in the café. He shrugged to himself, since he found the answer to his earlier question he decided to just go along with it. It was such a handsome boy after all, so another coffee wouldn’t do any harm.
After their encounter on that meaningful day, Kookie showed up Sundays regularly and gifted Taehyung with his angelic voice. They quickly became good friends, as they both attended the same university (though in different departments and therefore different campuses) and also they shared hobbies, music taste and much more. Kookie was like a positive well in Taehyung’s life that took him out of his comfort zone every time they spend time together and he was genuinely happy whenever he spend time with the younger. Kookie somehow had the skills to bring out a Taehyung that wasn’t indifferent to everything and everyone around him and trying to avoid anything chaotic. The skilled and handsome singer made his life chaotic and he liked it. However there was one thing Taehyung never did though, it was to introduce him to his other friends. The older quickly realized that he liked Kookie, that he liked him more than what he probably should and he knew that it endangers his whole relationship to him and he wouldn’t want to make it awkward between his friends as well. Taehyung wasn’t oblivious and also knew that his crush was straight as a ruler, so he didn’t even started to make himself hope even once. He just made sure to savour and treasure every single moment he had together with him until that one day would come. And that one day came faster than he could imagine.
On a normal Sunday evening his Kookie, that he grew so incredibly fond of, his Kookie that he sincerely grew to love over all those weeks and months together, this same Kookie just introduced him as the very first person, to his girlfriend Yuna. She was a pretty young girl and compiled perfectly with her charming boyfriend. Taehyung couldn’t think straight anymore when he saw his crush so happy next to his girlfriend, but he had to make a happy face, otherwise Kookie might start to worry. And Taehyung wanted nothing but happiness for Kookie, he’s supposed to get happy. Therefore he greeted Yuna with a friendly smile and the three got into a nice conversation, letting Taehyung learn about Kookie’s girlfriend and it didn’t take long for him to see, that she actually is a good girl and that they were definitely good for each other. He did his best to hide his sad emotions underneath the smile he gave those two, luckily with success.
An almost normal Sunday evening. Taehyung sits in the front row of his local café, however this time slightly more facing the bar instead the stage where Jungkook and Yuna were about to sing the ballad “2U”. Hopelessly romantically staring into each other’s souls, and gaining swoons from the audience. They were a sweet couple in everyone’s eyes and as of late Yuna also started singing on the stage, much to Taehyung’s disliking.
Jungkook starts singing and his angelic voice fills the room and reaches everyone in the vicinity, except this one person almost directly in front of him. A heaven like voice, making everyone long for it, making everyone envious to whom it is directed to. While he sang full of emotions he looked at his pretty girlfriend and enjoyed listening to her voice. She wasn’t a bad singer skill-wise, but her voice never pleased Taehyung even once and was almost like a torture to him. She shouldn’t be the one singing next to him.
Emotionlessly Taehyung doesn't acknowledge the couple on stage with even a single glance while playing with his Coffee. He also only half-heartedly listened to their voices. The once so magic voice to him, has lost all its charm and he cannot dive into the feeling of serenity anymore when he hears it.
What a shame that is, he said to himself as he inspected his cup, unnecessarily closely, obviously trying to distract him in any way possible.
The only reason for him to go through all this suffering was that this way he could at least spend a little time with his once so close friend, because ever since Jungkook got himself a girlfriend they stopped meeting each other so often until it narrowed down to only weekly meeting at this café.
The song was over, and that signaled Taehyung to leave. The crowd applauded and Jungkook happily waved with his goofy smile towards the cheering audience. Jungkook went down the stage and gave his girlfriend a soft kiss to thank her for the successful performance. Keeping his casual face, Taehyung was able to hide the disgusted feeling he had.
"I'll leave now." Jungkook looked up and nodded. "Yeah. I'm looking forward seeing you soon in here again!" He smiled and words sincere, actually meaning what he said and assuming, to see Taehyung next week again.
An artificial box shaped grin graced Taehyung face, his eyes sluggish as he looked Jungkook in the eyes. Staying like this for a moment he hums, putting his hands in his coat’s pockets. "Good bye" He finally said, turned around and left the Café, ignoring the cheerful Good-bye waving from Jungkook.
He couldn't look at it any longer, and he couldn't just tell him what he felt. He had to move on in any way, and if never meeting him again is the only way possible to abandon him out of his life, then be it. He deserved to become happy and this was his first step to free himself from the chains that kept him trapped for so long.
He knew he wasn't ready to just leave him just like that, but it was for the better he tried to convince himself.
"It's for the best...." He mumbled to himself as he walked down the lonely road leading him towards his empty apartment.