KOI SI | taeryeong

K002

8:06 AM | Monday
HIS BEDROOM

Taehyun stood by the balcony of his room, bathed in the sharp light from outside that illuminated the room, though its own lights remained off. Leaning against the wall, he watched the world outside.

Cars passed by, some in motion while others parked. Children hurried to school, some on bicycles, others driven by their parents. Trees swayed gently in the breeze, and birds soared through the sky, adding to the peaceful scene.

"Hey, Tae!" Bang Chan entered the room and placed a ghola on the table before comfortably settling into a chair by the bed, placing one leg on his thigh.

Noticing his roommate's distant expression, Bang Chan grabbed a spoon and dug into his own bowl, "Hey! Your ghola will melt. You might wanna finish it up first," he suggested, gesturing towards Taehyun's untouched meal.

Taehyun remained silent.

Growing frustrated, "HEY!" Bang Chan snapped his fingers. When there was still no response, he stood up and tugged at Taehyun's arm, "Bhai, kon say khialown main khoayi howay ho?!"

Taehyun resisted, refusing to meet Bang Chan's gaze. Sighing, Taehyun rolled his eyes, "What do you want?"

Taken aback by Taehyun's lack of response, Bang Chan asked, "You 'kay? Looks like someone didn't get enough sleep last night," he joked, to lighten the atmosphere, sitting back down and taking another spoonful of his meal, "Tsk, Kia hoa, bhai? I've never seen you like this,"

Taehyun remained silent, his thoughts consumed by something beyond reach.

"Oh, by the way, uncle found a few more girls for us to target," Bang Chan mentioned casually, retrieving some pictures from his pocket and tossing them onto the table. "Pick any one you like, and we'll start our mission,"

Taehyun emitted a soft snort, "I'm not in the mood. Tell him I'm skipping this month. Avyaan can handle my part," he said, his tone tinged with disinterest.

Surprised by Taehyun's response, Bang Chan queried, "Why would you—ohh!" Realization dawned on him, "Don't tell me you're still thinking about that girl!"

Taehyun remained silent, confirming Bang Chan's suspicions without a word. Bang Chan chuckled softly, realizing his friend's lingering thoughts.

"Come on, bro, it's been 7 years since you fooled her. You met in India when your group was seeking asylum. What are you regretting?" Bang Chan mockingly inquired, trying to understand Taehyun's mindset.

Taehyun offered a bitter smile. "Regret?" he scoffed. "You still don't get it," he murmured, crossing his arms and fixating his gaze on the outside world.

Confused, Bang Chan furrowed his brow, scrutinizing Taehyun closely. "Then why are you still thinking about her?"

Taking a deep breath, Taehyun squinted against the sunlight. "I'm just... curious. She was my first target..." he trailed off, memories flooding his mind.

An image of an 18-year-old girl played in Taehyun's thoughts: dressed in a plain salwar kameez, her elbows and knees marked with tears, her hair disheveled yet framing a radiant smile, and perfect skin soiled with dust.

The girl was running through a dust storm and he was watching her. She was playing tag with some girls.

She was the epitome of happiness.