Forget Me Not | A Taegyu Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty Six

Updated: May 20, 2022
Edited: June 30, 2023

"Gyu-hyung! Gyu-hyung!" Seeing the familiar figure just in front of him, Taehyun called out loudly, waving his hands enthusiastically, but the older's back was turned still, walking away from the youngest. It seemed he hadn't heard any of Taehyun's calls, completely drowned in his own thoughts.

...he most definitely likes Taehyun...

Suddenly, the silver-haired boy's run slowed to a stop, watching Beomgyu walk away with his hands in his pockets.

Was it true? Taehyun had asked himself that question multiple times ever since he heard Yeonjun's words. His thoughts were swimming in circles from analysis to daydream. There was a warm hope. A hope that Taehyun was willing to chase blindly, but that hope had a dent. A dent that if chased would turn into despair.

Stuffing his hands into his pockets defeatedly, he felt a familiar candy at the bottom. Taking it out, he stared at it for a moment. It, luckily, had not melted from sitting in his warm pocket since this morning. The round, hard top was firm and still wrapped in its plastic. Then, he lifted his head up, gazing at Beomgyu's figure in the distance.

Something seemed to have caught his eye and the second-grader turned his head towards the edge of the forest and began treading over. His eyes, even from a distance, Taehyun could tell they brightened up excitedly, his mouth opening into a subtle toothy smile. That was when Taehyun noticed a thin white stick sticking out of the corner of his lips. It was really small from where he stood, but it was there, and he recognized it clearly, especially when he was holding the exact same thing in his hand.

"Hyung..." he had muttered silently.

The stick in his mouth... was the same lollipop Taehyun gave him the day before, wasn't it? Just before they got on the bus, right? It had to be. He had watched Beomgyu stuff it into his pocket that day. Unless... unless it wasn't...

Then, the boy in the distance took the stick out of his mouth.

"..."

Taehyun suddenly felt his heart palpitating violently.

Beomgyu continued to eat the candy.

The younger didn't think that he did, especially when it had been so long since Taehyun had last seen Beomgyu with the familiar lollipop in his mouth. In fact, the only time he had seen it was the first day he had given it to him. Every day after that, Taehyun had only seen the older smile at him, thank him for the treat, and stuff the treat in his pocket, never to be seen for the rest of the day.

Then, soon enough, it didn't take long before Taehyun felt like this treat-giving was pointless. Constantly seeing the older stuff the candy in his pocket, not once opening it, Taehyun felt hurt. He had begun to think that the older just threw it away when Taehyun wasn't around.

The only reason he continued was because of the smile on his face. With the wide smile with white teeth peeking between his lips, Taehyun couldn't help but want to see it again. It was the way the corners of Beomgyu's mouth lifted up and the way the corner of his eyes crinkled that just seemed to hit the younger in the heart. A hit that felt warm and gentle, like a friendly punch to the arm. But, it was a hit from Beomgyu, so instead of a punch, it felt more like a hug, a warm comforting embrace. To see it every day was all Taehyun wanted. And that was enough. To see Beomgyu's smile, even if the older tossed the treat away. Taehyun would do anything to see that smile on Beomgyu's face, even if it meant the boy would lose everything he had.

It wasn't until Taehyun dropped the lollipop in his hand that he noticed the older had suddenly disappeared from his sight. One moment, the older was there, and the next, his entire figure had vanished into thin air. Taehyun hadn't even blinked, yet he still lost sight of him.