CHAPTER TWO
Art

"I'm so sorry-"

"Jina." My brother called out my name before I could finish. He walked towards me with a plateful of food and furrowed brows. Taehyung seemed a little relieved for some reason, almost like he dreaded hearing those words of sympathy.

"How do you have the stomach to eat right now?" I asked with an incredulous look painted on my face.

"I don't." Jimin shook his head, "Mrs Lee insisted that I grabbed something." He replied as his fingers pushed around the sandwiches on his plate. "Anyway, what's going on here?" He looked up from his plate and glanced at the both of us on the swing.

"Nothing." I breathed out, eyes drifting back to Taehyung.

My brother's gaze then shifted to Taehyung as his eyes softened. "Taehyung, I'm really sorry." He said as Taehyung simply nodded, his stare dropping to the ground after hearing those words.

"And mum's looking for you." Jimin said to me as he motioned towards the house.

"I'll be there in a bit." I said and with a nod, my brother walked away. I turned to look at Taehyung who was staring at his feet in a daze and my heart sank into a strong pool of regret. I couldn't leave him alone, he was completely broken.

A part of me felt obligated to stay with him since I could've prevented all this pain. Or at least that was what I thought, that if I had answered that call a month ago, Yeona wouldn't have gone missing to begin with.

Little whispers grasped my attention and I noticed a few students talking amongst themselves, not having the decency to be subtle about who they were talking about. Their pointed fingers were directed at Taehyung and I feel him sink into the swing a little more.

"People can be so stupid sometimes." I muttered under my breath with the shake of my head and a bitter chuckle leaves his lips.

"You think?" He said, arching an eyebrow as he looked at me. "I think it's time I leave." He breathed out as he stood up, the chains of the swing rattling against each other as he moved away.

"Oh." I stood up right after, "so soon?" I questioned, not sure if it was the most appropriate question.

"Yea, I'm not a fan of the gossip." He shook his head, raking his fingers through his slightly dishevelled hair. "Do you want to come?" He offered and I choked up a little.

"Me?" I stupidly ask, brows knitting together in bewilderment.

"Yea," a smile tugged onto his lips upon seeing my reaction. "You've been out here the entire time, even though Jimin called you in. Just thought you weren't really keen on going back in." He said as he tried studying my posture.

He wasn't entirely wrong. This was the last place I wanted to be. I didn't want to have to face Yeona's parents, acting like I knew nothing about her disappearance.

"Okay." It slipped out my lips without much consideration.

"Where are we going?" I spoke out after a long silence between us.

"I don't really know." He chuckled inwardly, the baritone of his voice sending a shiver of warmth surge through my body. "Oh, I know somewhere." His eyes lit up a little and silence fell upon us once more.

He drove far out and my doubts started crawling it's way into me, realising how I had just followed someone I barely knew, blindly. He took a sharp turn into Woods Field, a slightly forested area and instead of feeling anxious, a feeling of serenity washed over me as I looked at the scenic beauty unfold before me.

The sight was breathtaking and the moment I stepped out, I catch myself staring in awe. "This place is beautiful."

"Right?" Taehyung spoke out as he made his way to a remarkably huge rock. He hopped onto it with ease, resting back as he basked in the light from the sunset.

"I don't think I've ever been here." I said as I looked around, a memory from the night of the phone call surging through me but I push it out with all my might. "Do you come here often?" I spark a conversation as I walked towards him.

"I used to." He picked at the button of his sleeve right before looking at me. "But I couldn't after getting together with Yeona. She would always complain about the little insects." He laughed, his brown eyes tainted with a certain sorrow I hadn't quite seen before. His expression dropped a little, looking to the ground the next moment and I let out a sigh.

"How are you doing?" I asked, genuinely curious. He had just brought a stranger with him to, literally, the middle of nowhere. Who knew what was going on inside his head.

"I'd rather not talk about it." He shook his head. "That's all I've been talking about the past month. I just want to breathe for a while, without having to think about any of this." He let out, breaking a little twig in his hands and I simply went quiet with a nod.

"How come I've never seen you?" He asked and I frown, wanting him to elaborate. "I mean, we're in the same school but today's the first time I'm seeing you." He tilted his head to the side as he waited for me to respond.

"I'm a little low-key in school. It's not really my scene." I said and he laughs.

"Is it anyone's?" He questioned with a chuckle, fidgeting with his fingers. "I'm surprised you don't know me though." He let out cockily.

"Wow," I breathed out a chuckled.

"That came out wrong," he admitted, his cheeks turning a peachy red.

"No, I'm surprised too. Mrs Lee did tell me about a boy dating Yeona but I never knew it was you." I said lightheartedly but tense up the next second. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't-"

"It's okay," he brushed it off, his eyes fixed onto the rock he was on.

I didn't know how to speak to him or what to talk about. I was treading on eggshells around him and I think he could tell. "Here," he tapped the empty spot next to him and I frowned a little. "It's big enough for the both of us." He watched me standing awkwardly next to the rock.

A bashful smile wiped across my lips as I averted my gaze. "Be careful though," he gently pulled me onto the rock next to him.

I lose my balance a few times, falling onto him as I tried getting up on the rock but he didn't seem the least bit fazed. "Sorry," I chuckled, realising that it was the third time I was apologising to him.

He simply shook his head with a warm smile. "So, I'm guessing you're not very athletic." He joked but I agree almost instantly.

"Not in the slightest." I dusted the palms of my hands together and he laughed in response, shaking his head. "These arms are for art, not sports." I state as I tried to find a comfortable position on the rock with my dress.

"Art?" He looked at me, raising an eyebrow as he waited for me to continue.

"Yea," I nodded, "I'm kind of a nerd." I admitted, getting that word thrown at me constantly for showing my interest in art.

"Well, I guess I'm a nerd too." He said, giving me a wry smile and I pause.

"You're into art?" I questioned and he nodded elatedly.

"Love it, every aspect of it." Taehyung said as he leaned back. "How you get to express yourself in a way words never could."

"It's a crazy thing to think about. Making something so personal and psychological almost tangible, allowing people to actually see and physically feel your emotions. Art brings it out so easily."

"Exactly." He turned to look at me with a smile paired with a frown almost like he was amazed by the fact that I understood him.

"Then why haven't I seen you in art class?" I asked and a deep sigh escaped his lips.

"My parents thought it was a waste of time," he groaned a little as he laid down on the rock. "Unlike you, these arms are for basketball." He chuckled a little, shooting an imaginary shot with his hands. "Or at least that's what my parents tell me." He looked at his palms, his lips pressed into a thin line.

I frown a little and he catches the look of pity on my face. "It's okay though." He was quick to say. "The internet's a good substitute." He said with a smile and I simply nod.

The evening went by in a blur, our conversation distracting us from time as we kept going deeper.

"Aren't you ever afraid?" I asked as I starred up at the night sky, little gleaming dots sprinkled all over the black canvas.

"Afraid of what?" Taehyung's gaze also fixated onto the starry night.

"Not being appreciated in your time or at all for that matter." I crossed my legs on the rock as I look down at him. "You said that Van Gogh's your favourite artist but when he was alive, barely anyone appreciated his work." I said and a sigh left his lips.

"He was way ahead of his time." He stated, shaking his head. "I sometimes look at artists as people who share prophecies. I feel like art can only be appreciated and understood years later." He pointed out as he sat up.

"Like La Clairvoyance?" I asked and his eyes light up.

"Exactly like that! How René Magritte used the egg as a reference to depict a future possibility," he shook his head the moment he caught himself getting too excited.

"But no, I'm not afraid of that. Doesn't matter what people think of me, as long as I'm satisfied with myself and time here on earth, I think I'll be good." He said with a nod and I mirrored his actions.

I looked ahead of me as I took in the vast beauty of the lake, the moonlight ricochetting off the water, sending shards of it bouncing around the little ripples. The next second, my stomach grumbled and his head swung towards me, eyes meeting mine.

"Wow," he coughed out a throaty laugh.

"You heard that?" I chuckled, my face heating up with embarrassment.

"I know a 24 hour diner. Want to go?"