Eclipsed Hearts (Taekook)

Dusk of Dignity

Ignore the mistakes 🙏🏻

The gas station buzzed with activity as the scorching sun beat down on Taehyung's weary shoulders. It was 12:45, and the day was unbearably hot, the kind of heat that felt like skin-burning fire. The rush of vehicles seemed relentless, doubling the usual traffic at the gas station.

Amidst the clamor, Taehyung was engrossed in filling tanks and cleaning windshields when Miss Kathina's voice cut through the chaotic symphony. Startled, he halted as she called, "I've left your lunch in the microwave, come have it."

Taehyung glanced at the long line of impatient cars, the urgency of the moment weighing on him. "It's busier than usual, ma'am. I can't right now. But thank you so much for giving the lunch," he replied, and just as he spoke, a car in the line started honking furiously, drowning out Miss Kathina's voice.

"You've been working since the morning, take some rest—" her voice was swallowed by the blaring horn. Taehyung wanted to respond respectfully, but the driver's impatience escalated the situation.

"What the fuck, will you calm down!" Taehyung turned, his frustration boiling over, and he cursed the impatient driver. The horns ceased for a moment, leaving an awkward hush in the air.

Then, a voice, dripping with arrogance and entitlement, shattered the uneasy silence. "Well, well, well, the shit face, low life, bastard needs to shut his fuckass mouth and do the work he is supposed to do. Get to fucking fill the gas tank and clean this glass with your fucking tongue if you have to!"

The gas station felt frozen in time as everyone seemed to stop and turn their attention toward the source of the venomous words. Taehyung's eyes met the face of the boy who had just stepped out of the most expensive car model present—a face adorned with the kind of glow that screamed wealth and privilege.

But the luster vanished as quickly as it came when the rich boy hurled insults at Taehyung. Approaching him, the boy removed his shades, scanning Taehyung from head to toe. "What kind of people work here? Hey! Fuck face!"

Snapping his fingers in front of Taehyung's face, the rich boy attempted to get his attention. Taehyung, still reeling from the verbal onslaught, seemed frozen in place.

"You idiot—" The rich boy gripped Taehyung's shirt collar, dragging him toward the pump. "—fill the fucking tank!"

Taehyung snapped out of his stupor, pulling away from the boy's grip, and in the process, his worn-out old shirt gave in with a resounding rip. The sound echoed like a bombshell, and Taehyung's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell did you do?"

The reality of his torn uniform, a symbol of his struggles, clashed with the unfolding chaos. Taehyung, momentarily forgetting his surroundings and duties, was consumed by the prospect of having to replace the uniform he could scarcely afford. The rich boy's entitled attitude had unwittingly triggered a storm that threatened to disrupt the delicate balance of Taehyung's already challenging life.

"Do your fucking duty. I don't have the whole day. Fill the tank, stop crying like a teenage girl," the rich boy spat, his words dripping with disdain. Pulling out his wallet carelessly, he pulled some currency notes out of it, that too dollar bills and then very carelessly, very casually tossed those at Taehyung, adding, "Fill the tank full, and buy yourself a new uniform as if you are dying over it!"

With a regal air, the boy turned to sit in the car, muttering about how the whole mood had been ruined. The dismissive attitude lingered in the air, leaving Taehyung seething with humiliation. Holding the torn collar tightly, he fought back the tears, locking the pain inside.

Silently, he walked towards the pump, his heart heavy with the weight of insults. The echo of curses still rang in his ears as he took the nozzle, his face turning red with a mix of anger and wounded pride. The piercing stares from onlookers felt like a chorus of mockery, intensifying the turmoil within him.