Chapter Five

[20 minutes before Kim Taehyung gets slapped]

Shaking. Crying. Trembling with anger, hurt and frustration. The security help and handle Oki and you, both out of the restroom.

"Ma'am are you oka—"

"I-I need to go inside, I," you glance over your shoulder and meet the eyes of a wounded Oki, "I need to finish one last thing. For my birthday. For myself."

The security man's eyes narrow, his hands letting your forearm when you start to run forward.

"She's the birthday girl?" he asks under his breath. Only for the second man, the one holding Oki wonders, "Why she crying? What's going on?"

Oki purses his lips, flinching away from the men that hold him hostage for questioning. His cheeks are red, his eyes are tearful.

[16 minutes before Kim Taehyung gets slapped]

Pela's eyes are in a worry. She tries to hold your forearms, have you freeze. But nothing works. Her soothing voice doesn't help, her jokes don't make you laugh. There is nothing on your face but just tears tears tears, and whimpers that leave communication-outbreaks for your broken heart.

"I need to find him," you sniffle, "I-I need to Pela, just please. End this party. I want everyone gone!"

You run away, turning your head every second and asking around—like a maniac, you ask for an individual named 'Taehyung'. While Pela, with sad and muddled eyes, goes to the DJ to end the party she worked hard for. She had to have the lights back on. Soon. Very soon. I need to take her home before she collapses here.

[10 minutes before Kim Taehyung gets slapped]

People are calling your name.

Some are smiling. Throwing themselves drunkenly. "Happy birthday!" they slur at your ear.

You can't focus. You can't do nothing. Without any 'thank you' in return, you flinch away, and slip threw the crowd.

The music cuts. You halt. Everyone else at the party groans, curses, and yells in confusion over the sudden shut-down of partying.

[6 minutes before Kim Taehyung gets slapped]

"Have you seen—"

A couple makes out in front of you.

"Do you know—" You're cut off when people yell and chuck their liquor over to the DJ-booth. Pela grabs the microphone and explains with lies, the best she can muster. You zone out, you don't catch anything, moving in the dark. Asking around with salt-water brewing with dangles by your lashes.

"Taehyung?"

"Taeh—"

"I'm trying to find—" You whimper when no one listens.

[2 minutes before Kim Taehyung gets slapped]

Your name is called. A boy laughs and runs over to hug you back. You tense, you tense so hard and flinch and scream to break away from him—from anyone. With shocked eyes, you meet the boy's. Hair at your mouth, his fingers worriedly move your locks out from your lips' reach. He's cupping your cheeks and whispering.

You relax when realizing who it is. Face pinched and in pain, you look like a wreck when pouncing on the form for love and comfort. The boy wobbles back in surprise, but he holds you. He holds you back and you cry harder when he snuggles.

"Jungkook," you whimper at his shoulder.

"What's wrong, why're you crying?" his voice is so disordered, so bothered, so innocent and pure.

"I-I—"

"You what? You what?" his lips move to your hair, by your ear and he's kissing your temple hair head cheek. Everything before cupping the back of your neck like a baby in need for support.

"T-Taehyung, I need to—"

Jungkook goes silent. You can't finish.

"Taehyung?" he asks, breathless.

You nod, frozen but numb enough to bring your head away from smelling his familiar scent; soothes you. In the eyes you both meet, and its enough for you to ask, "Do you know him?"

The misinterpretation deepens, "Yes, he's a close friend of mine, wh—"

Your senses widen, your body limps on his, and you breathe out, "Where is he? Please take me to him."

Jungkook, awkwardly chuckling, points behind you. You follow his finger, eyes lingering to a dark, black figure of a man surrounded by others. His exterior and shadow laughs, drinks, and has a good time even though the lack of music creates havoc in most corners.

"I need everyone to leave the[...]" You can't hear the rest of Pela. The most you do is squint and feel the backs of your painful eyes sting from the light. As your eyes adjust, you overhear Jungkook ask, "Ouch, that lights bright...what's going on? Why's the party ending so early?"

Without an answer, you catch him. You see Kim Taehyung, for the first time. In front of your eyes, in front of your soggy gaze. I've found him.

You break away from Jungkook's protective arms.

You start your run.

[30 seconds before Kim Taehyung gets slapped]

"What the hell?" the boy grumbles, covering the top of his forehead to shade his eyes that aren't well-adjusted. The brightness of the chandeliers patterning the ceilings is thrilling.

"Is the party over?" Jimin asks, confused as he pokes his head side-to-side. He looks everywhere but front. The same front where a girl marches her way in; targeting an oblivious Taehyung.

"Well that's a pretty shit closing to a party." Taehyung laughs, moving to drink out of his cup.

"Yeah, thanks to you..." There's another voice. A voice none around Taehyung, or himself, recognize.

The boy double-glances in the direction of the girl. He sees the rush at her heels, he sees how angry and hurt her crying eyes look, and his cup lowers. He looks to his left, he looks to his right. Taehyung tries to figure out who she's coming for, but only remains surprised when she steps straight across from him.

Before he can speak, his brows jump when noticing she's the girl from earlier. The same that bumped into him. The same that lost her earring. His hand dives into his pocket, smiling kindly when about to outstretch the accessory he thought she was coming back for. Oh boy, was he wrong!

"It got stuck to me I—"

Slap. She slaps me. Hard, loud, and with a crack of his jaw Taehyung's head snaps to the direction of Jimin who's vision shakes. Park Jimin mimics the rest of the party, who in light and in silence see what happens next.

With a burning tingle on his flesh, Taehyung holds his glass to his face, fingernails tracing parts of his cheekbone that redden with blood. Jumbled eyes gazing forward, the wind is knocked out of him and he retrieves. He composes himself but fails. First breathless from the slap, now breathless when getting a better look of the one who hits him—her eyes, her lips, her nose, her hair—you're beautiful.

But Taehyung can't relish in any of it long. His brows knit, forehead crinkles. He sees the pain and hurt in your sea-like eyes that rain down onto your cheeks. Streams. Oceans. Water.

"Who are you?" is the only thing he musters to ask.

Your bottom lip quivers from the pain you feel at your heart. "I'm the girl whose life you just ruined," spits irk Taehyung's face; the ocean becoming a sea. Streams. Seas. Water.

The boy stares at your stunning eyes and realizes he needs to swim.

[Kim Taehyung has successfully been slapped]