17. Twist (3)
Written by Malranggong.
Taehyung quickly walked back to the bar, worried that Wooyoon was trying to do something to Jimin. The night had suddenly gotten darker than before, and perhaps because everything around was pitch black, the lit bar somehow shone brightly like starlight. The moment Taehyung entered the bar, Wooyoon kept offering drinks to Jimin, and Jimin reluctantly continued to drink, his face turning red as he got drunk. Taehyung thought to himself, “So this is what they were planning,” and approached Jimin. Before Taehyung could snatch the drink Wooyoon was offering, someone snatched the glass first and chugged it down. That someone downed the drink in one shot, slammed it down on the table with a loud thud, and spoke.
“Senior, you shouldn’t be forcing me to drink like this. I’m already in trouble.”
Taehyung, who had a very good memory, knew who she was when he saw her. She was the woman with hair as black as the night sky, surrounded by a thick layer of cigarette smoke, who had just threatened Wooyoon in the alleyway, as if asking for something. Taehyung had a vague inkling that the two of them had been plotting something. However, Taehyung was afraid to come forward without any evidence, and he didn't want to make a big deal out of it, so he tried to ignore her and remain silent. Taehyung probably didn't know until then. That she was Jung Sooyeon, and that Jimin would fall head over heels for her.
***
Taehyung returned to the present after finishing his story. Jimin couldn't believe that it was all Jung Soo-yeon's plan, and he was so confused.
“Are you… telling me to believe that story?”
“Jimin, calm down and listen to me. It was really Jung Soo-yeon who planned it all. Even the whole thing, like that time when Shin Woo-yoon kept pressuring me to drink. Please believe me, Jimin.”
“……Lies. You’ve always looked down on Suyeon. And… so what if that’s the case? That means Suyeon wanted to be close to me that much, right?”
“Jimin, you’re so obsessed with Jung Soo-yeon right now that you can’t think straight. I forced you to drink, and you suffered a lot because of it. Do you think that makes sense? And Jung Soo-yeon was blackmailing you by using your weakness as a threat to senior Shin Woo-yoon. Isn’t that really creepy?”
ㅡBang.
Jimin slammed both hands on the table and jumped up. He was so confused and his head was in a mess that he asked them to be quiet. Taehyung, seeing Jimin for the first time, felt resentful towards Jung Sooyeon and regretted saying something unnecessary. However, Taehyung thought their relationship was too abnormal and wanted to stop Jimin from liking Jung Sooyeon. Jimin didn't know whether he knew Taehyung's feelings or not, but as soon as he got up from that spot, he packed his bags and went outside. Taehyung couldn't stop Jimin and could only watch him from afar.
“Oh, Park Jimin… Let’s go together…!”
Yoongi, who had been talking to Jung Soo-yeon from quite a distance, didn't know Jimin and Taehyung's situation, so he hurriedly packed his bags and followed Jimin, not knowing what was going on when Jimin suddenly went outside. Jung Soo-yeon was also quite far away, so he didn't know what was going on between them.
“Kim Taehyung. What did you say to make Jimin leave like that?”
“It’s because of you.”
“Why is it my fault? I was talking to Yoongi over there. What did I do that you’re blaming me for?”
“At the freshman orientation. You planned it all and approached Jimin back then, right?”
“Hmm, well? I don’t really remember.”
Taehyung, who was disgusted by Jeong Su-yeon's sarcastic smile and sneer, pretending not to notice anyone, grabbed her by the collar.
“Don’t act like a fool. I heard you threatening me by taking advantage of my senior Shin Woo-yoon’s weakness in the alley.
“Haha, you have a really good memory. You remembered all of that?”
“Why did you do that? Why did you go to such lengths to get close to Jimin?”
“Just. I thought your smile was pretty. Is there a big reason for it?”
“You really……”
At that moment, a memory about Jung Soo-yeon flashed through Taehyung's mind. It was quite shocking, even though it happened quite a while ago, especially since Taehyung has a remarkably good memory. Still, he wasn't sure if this memory was accurate, so he asked Jung Soo-yeon a question, as if testing her out.
“Why, did you feel pity for Park Jimin because he seemed like a kid who desperately wanted to be loved like you?”