"We all eat lies when our hearts are hungry." -Anonymous

**

TAEHYUNG barged inside the convenience store that same morning. The chime echoed and he hastily looked around to search for her. He has his one hand gripping on to the plushie to confront her but there is no one at the counter.

He decided to take a seat near the glass window. Maybe she's getting something in the stock room or she is late. He can wait for some minutes although his patience is really not the longest.

Few minutes passed and instead of the girl, a man in his 30s appeared at the counter. His brows furrowed. It was the first time he saw the guy. Taehyung stood up and smugly went to him.

"Hey," he started, "Where is that dumb looking petite girl with the weird smile on her face that usually man the counter?" he described her from his memory.

The man looked up at him from counting some bills. He was confused about who he was talking about before it dawned him, "You mean... Jisoo?" he hesitantly asked.

Taehyung paused for a second. He doesn't know the name of the girl but he just nods. Well, there is no one else he might be pertaining to, the convenience store doesn't look like it can hire more employees.

"She's not here," the man said. Taehyung rolled his eyes.

Of course she is not here, that's why I'm asking.

He realized that the guy is being weary of him. He probably would not tell him anything even if he knows where she is. So to save his face, he grabbed the chips from the rack nearest to the counter and paid for it.

Taehyung went to sit again near the glass window. He's buying an excuse to stay there for a while and wait for her. He put the plushie on the table in front of him and glared at the poor stuffed toy.

Fucking ugly leopard, he thought while munching on his chips angrily.

An hour later, he checked the wall clock of the store. He realized that he spent too much time there than what he initially planned.

Why the hell am I even wasting this much time for that psycho?

Taehyung, more annoyed this time, grabbed the plushie forcefully and stomped his way out of the store, closing the door loudly.

The man at the counter, who is actually the owner of the store, eyed him quietly and shook his head. He quickly fished out his phone from his pocket and texted someone.

-

ON THE OTHER SIDE, that afternoon, Jisoo is fumbling with a stack of her books and handouts as she clumsily ran by the corridors. Her professor was over time discussing their lesson and giving them activities so she is rushing to go home.

Not looking clearly in front of her as she tried to hug all her stuff in her arms, she tripped in her feet, stumbling forward. Good thing, someone caught her arms to stop her from falling but her things were scattered on the floor.

Jisoo bowed continuously to the person, "Sorry! I'm so clumsy and tripped over. Sorry!" she said and dropped on her knees to gather her messy belongings.

"Ah no, no. My mistake," the guy said as he bent down to help her. Jisoo finally looked at him and recognized Jinyoung. She has one class with him and he's kind of popular around the campus.

The lad smiled at her and she was stunned for seconds. Then, her alarm started ringing. She grabbed her phone to quickly snooze it.

Yikes, I'm gonna be late for my afternoon shift in the convenience store! It's almost 1pm!

Jisoo finished arranging her materials and stood on her feet. She bowed 90 degrees to Jinyoung and enthusiastically bobbed her head up, plastering a wide bright smile, "Thank you!"

Before he could say anything, she started skipping away, obviously in a hurry. His eyes lingered at her back, spacing out a little until his friend, Youngjae, tapped his shoulder.

"Jinyoung?" he called his attention. Jinyoung looked at him and quickly pointed at Jisoo who was slowly leaving their line of sight.

"Who's that?" he asked, hoping Youngjae knows her.

"That?" he squinted his eyes at Jisoo's figure until he remembered, "Ah, that's Jisoo Kim. I met her in the tutorials once. She's quite a quirky and cheerful one, why?" Youngjae said and looked at his friend weirdly.

"Nothing," Jinyoung shrugged and they walked away. Youngjae was saying something about his dog but Jinyoung's mind wandered somewhere, not listening to him.

Jisoo Kim, huh. Why haven't I noticed her before?

-

FOR TWO DAYS, Taehyung kept on coming back to the store every morning. He never saw the girl again so sometimes he thinks that maybe she was just an illusion but the annoyance he felt is real so, that's not possible.

Since their encounter the other day, he still hasn't slept much because he was really bothered to the point where he remembers her wide smile before sleeping that results in his insomnia. It doesn't help in his constant old nightmares. He had more to think about now. Because oddly enough, there is something about her presence that bothers him... So much.

Taehyung already had dark bags under his eyes. Due to lack of sleep, he was late when he went to the store that day.

The clanking of the chimes was heard the moment Taehyung opened the door of the store. Usually, there are no customers when it is past afternoon because people are either at work or at school.

He quickly glanced at the counter but no one was there. The store was empty and he thought that the owner is stupid enough to leave the store unattended. Perhaps he can grab a cup of noodles and go without paying.

Taehyung went straight to the section of cup noodles and grabbed one. He also snatched some chips and other snacks since he will not be paying. He was about to leave but he suddenly turned back and decided to get another cup of noodles to eat for the following day.

While he was seriously deciding whether he would get the chicken or beef or the plain or spicy, someone spoke behind his back, "If I were you I would choose the spicy chicken. It tastes better than the beef,"

Taehyung stared at the chicken cup noodles before answering, "Well, I've been eating chicken flavored since the other day. That's why I am contemplating whether I should get chicken again," he stared intently at both the flavors, weighing which should be a better snatch.

It was really a hard choice for him. He wanted chicken but he also wanted to try the beef. He can only bring just one cup because he is already having a hard time holding all his almost stolen foods.

"What?! You're only eating cup noodles for snacks?" the voice asked him.

Taehyung shrugged, "Nah. More like for breakfast and lunch since I don't eat dinner."

"Hey, that's not healthy!" he suddenly felt irritated because why the hell should the voice question him.

"Why the fuck does it even matter to you-"

Oh, wait.

Who is he talking to all this time?

"HOLY SHIT!" Taehyung dropped all the snacks he was holding and stumbled a little. He held his chest in shock because when he suddenly turned his head, he was welcomed by a very curious face and that very curious face was very near his face.

And boy, she is wearing a white dress with her black hair down.

He didn't notice that he was too busy concentrating on what flavor he should choose to the point where he didn't pay attention to the voice that was talking to him earlier.

"Hey, don't drop the food, you might get a bad stomach," she kneeled and started picking up the goods.

Oh look, when he wasn't searching for her, she suddenly pops out of nowhere.

Taehyung kicked the snack on the floor she was about to reach, making her look up at him, "Why do you have to kick that?" she frowned a little with her brows furrowed.

"I just fucking want to," Taehyung glared at the girl but she just puffed an air and continued picking up the foods. She even went to get the chips he kicked further away.

What the hell? Why can't she lose her composure?

When she gathered all the food, she cheerfully handed it to him, "That's all, right? C'mon now to the counter so you can finally eat that. I bet you're hungry, it's past lunch. But you know, you need to stop buying junk foods, we also have some healthy snacks here-" the girl went on and on about different topics he didn't catch up to.

He forcefully removed her hand on his arm because she was literally dragging him to the counter, "Didn't I tell you to stop acting like we're close?"

She let go of him and went inside the counter before facing him again, "Hehe. Sorry, I forgot. Don't worry, I'll try to be close to you so that you won't feel awkward-"

"Are you getting paid from this?" Taehyung interjected.

"Huh? This? Of course! It's my part time job because I need the money. After school hours, I am in charge here in the store for few hours-" he closed his hand into a fist, thinking she is playing dumb.

He didn't know why but there is something inside him that gets annoyed while listening to her. No, she never said anything bad, but to him, she sounded like she was mocking him.

He was a stranger to kindness but he was best buddies with rage. He cradled anger in him, played checkers with it, they sat down together for long... Long enough to mistake rage as his shadow. His shadow won't just leave him alone no matter how much he tries to run away from it.

He was a stranger to kindness, indeed, but he was best buddies with rage. So maybe...

Maybe that is why...

"Don't fuck with me. You are not getting anything from acting kind," he said looking directly in her eyes, "Quit the act, I'm not buying it."

...he just doesn't want to accept that she is plain kind.

Jisoo stared at him for a moment. There is a seething anger in his words but that didn't feel like it was burning her. It felt more to her that he was burning himself-as if he tried to desperately search for warmth but he ended up in his own flames.

Beneath that cold tone, she heard the faint echo of pain underneath.

For a second, Taehyung saw sadness pass by her eyes before she answered, "What exactly have you experienced to not believe in kindness, anymore?" her voice was so soft as if he was so vulnerable.

He was taken aback. Those eyes... When was the last time someone looked at him that way?

Taehyung put his hand inside the pocket of his hoodie. He gripped his fist harder, nails digging deeper on his skin as he felt it slowly bleeding. He averted his eyes from her, he cannot afford to have eye contact with her any longer. He wanted to leave and just go somewhere far from her.

"You won't fucking dare to know," he answered.

Taehyung decided to leave the store. This was not in his plan! He originally went here to threaten her so she will stay away from him already.

He wanted to scare her or at least prove to himself that he is right all along, that she is just faking all of this but it seems like he is the one slowly starting to get drawn to her.

This bullshit is bad.

Before he could leave the store, she shouted, "How about your food?"

"I lost my appetite," he stormed out, put his hood back on and ran away.

He felt like escaping-he wanted to escape again, just like always. He doesn't want to be around her. It felt overwhelming. She's such a distraction. He should not associate himself with her. After all, she will also end up becoming exactly what other people are.

Right, he doesn't need anyone. He was always alone, anyway.

-

"ARE YOU applying to be a Saint? Saint Jisoo, the miraculous fool?" Hoseok rolled his eyes at her and sipped on his drink as he shot Jisoo judging stares.

"No! You're clearly not listening to me," Jisoo furrowed her brows at him and sighed as she bowed her head on the table.

Hoseok dropped by again later that day to nag her and to buy some snacks in the store. It was dead hours so there were no customers around again.

"I am listening, that's why I got to say those things," Hoseok reasoned.

"I told you, he looks..." Jisoo put her head on both of her hands as she stared into space, "Sad. He looks so sad to me," she said.

Hoseok snorted, "Yeah. When I get sad I punch people out of nowhere too," he said sarcastically, "Most of the times when I see him go home, he is always beaten up. It's a gossip in our village that he joins illegal brawls," he added while shrugging.

"You're too harsh," Jisoo accused him.

"Stop pretending to be naive," Hoseok raised his brow at her.

Jisoo pouted and softly glared at him, "Kindly go home already, bud. You're not of help here."

"It looks like I'm the only customer of this place and you're sending me off? Your salary is about to get deducted," he retorted.

Jisoo looked at him in disbelief and threw a piece of chip he was eating on his face, "Shut up, bully."

"Your boyfriend's the bully here," Hoseok said, taking a big bite on his sandwich.

"Who got a boyfriend?" Jisoo squinted her eyes at him.

"I don't know. Ask Saint Jisoo, she's a miraculous fool. Apparently, she knows how to cure everyone's problem and sadness," he laughed at her as she hit him in the arm.

"Hmp! You said you are going to support me!" she put her arms over her chest.

"But I am?" he said while looking confused as to why she is complaining.

"Wow, thank you very much for the support," she smiled sarcastically at him.

Hoseok bowed down in a princely gesture, mocking her, "At your service," then he guffawed because it is a rare moment seeing Jisoo irritated like this.

She slumped her head down on the table, facing the glass window as Hoseok continued munching in his snacks like a glutton. Jisoo heaved a deep sigh and closed her eyes, feeling tiredness crawl throughout her body.

It was a tough day in school and work too but her mind cannot help but wonder about him.

I hope he'll have something other than cup noodles for dinner tonight...