C O E X - M a l l

@Kim Taeyeon Kibum leaned into the touch, bringing his arms up around her. "It hurts so much." He bit his lip feeling, the weight lift from his shoulders. He didn't have to hold it in many more. He could vent. No longer was he alone. "Taeyeon-Sshi it hurts so much! Don't you ever go away from me again." He quietly hid his face in her Shoulder, tears beginning to trail from his eyes. There was no need to care that they were in public or even how they looked, the blonde was already aware of how bad he looked. Everything in his body hurt. His head hurt, his eyes hurt, his brain hurt,

his heart hurt..

He needed this person more than he needed anyone else on this entire planet. His useless ignoring her was pointless. All these years he should have been talking to her.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you and abandoning you and.." He Sobbed, unconsciously holding her tighter. It must have made him selfish ignoring her so much. He didn't even worry about how it must of made her feel, bluntly ignoring her all these years and yet here she was comforting him. Part of his crying was due to the recent events in his life the other half was from his avoiding her. Kibum knew now, that assuming she had moved with out telling him because she simply didn't care was ridiculous. He and Taeyeon had such a close relationship, so close that even though they were apart, they were still very much close to each other's hearts.

(Sorry for replying so late, I forgot we were Rping!)

@Kim Ki-bum You know when you want to play like two dogs running in circles? Taeyeon wanted that at this very moment for her and Kibum - because she could tell as the silences grew longer and his expression dropped all he needed in his life from here on out was a little enjoyment. Without a word, as Kibum tried to control his breathing, Taeyeon rose from her seat, crossed over to his side of the table, and plot right down next to him before wrapping her arms around him and offering him her shoulder. Because she knew that pain. She knew that expression. After someone as important to you as that commits such a terrible act everything becomes a question of the past. It's all tied to that person. Everything you do and say...you can draw a very perfect line back to them. You begin to wonder, no you're eaten alive because some way or another you end up feeling as if you had done wrong too even if you hadn't.

"Its okay Kibum. Nothing will cure this broken heart like time will." She explained as she rubbed his shoulders. She was speaking from the heart. No one could ever make him feel better about this - not even herself. She could distract him though...just as she wished someone had for her. "A broken heart may still beat, but at least it didn't stop...or else you'd be dead. And you're not dead yet, not on my watch." It was as light hearted as she could possibly get at this moment. It would have to be enough.

@Kim Taeyeon Kibum laughed softly, using the back his hand to cover his mouth. "Mwo!? Do you think I'd wear a bunch of girls clothing?" He shook his head. Taeyeon was definitely still the same joker from before. Her hearty laugh could brighten anyone's day, especially his. After they're mix of laughter died down a bit it grew silent as he assumed she had more to say. It was funny how he felt like he still knew her. Of course, he did but...it was more than that. That same Taeyeon with her same personality, Kibum could just open up to her. "For the most part?" She asked. The blonde glanced up at her. He didn't need to tell her, it would burden her too much. "Are you staying up all night for work? How's your girlfriend? Is she driving you nuts?" Kibum choked on his own saliva as he heard Taeyeon mention his now, ex-girlfriend.

"Actually," He cleared his throat, now feeling as though his shirt collar were constricting his airway. "She, uh.. She cheated in me..we didn't really work out.." The thought of being without that person, the one he thought he wanted to spend the rest of his life with made him disappointed. As if he'd failed. She called him every night to beg for him to take her back but he only turned her down. If it didn't hurt to not be with her, the hurt from rejecting her over and over did. "But you know what they say, a heart can break but it'll still beat just the same." He swallowed still avoiding his friends gaze. The atmosphere around the table grew quiet and awkward as Kibum slowly took in more and more breaths. Taeyeon was one to hate awkward tension and so was he. There was never a time where such a thing exited between the two of them. Not until now.

And honestly, right now..all Kibum wanted to do was run into his best friends arms and have her tell him everything was alright.

@Kim Ki-bum At the joke of the souvenir, Taeyeon felt her sprites instantly raise. This was the guy she knew - he could pull her leg as much as she could pull his. Something as simple as that comment was all Tae needed to rid away her fears as well - he couldn't hate her...well, that much. She still had a chance to rebuild what they had before, right? "Yes I was..I tried to start a new life but it just didn't work...and, well...I mean, if you'd like to try on some of the clothes I brought back with me you're always welcomed to have those..." She tore her eyes away from Kibum, looking around the ceiling as if she was talking to no one in particular. She couldn't resist, however, the urge to laugh as she finally meet his eyes. She was very away of how obscure she really was.

"For the most part?" She inquired as she rested her chin on top of her hand. What did that possibly mean? Judging by the circles under his eyes, she knew there was more to the story than what he was giving her. "Are you staying up all night for work? How is your girlfriend? Is she driving you nuts?" She may not have realized it then, but she possibly could have pushed a button. Her intentions were innocent though and she was curious what was driving Kibum to look as if the life had been zapped from him. It honestly looked as if he rolled out of bed. "Why'd you go blonde too? ..Did you want to be more like me?" Taeyeon joked as a small but mischievous grin crossed her face. No one wanted to be like her, and if they didn't realize it yet, she was innocent but completely insane.

@Kim Taeyeon Though he wanted to reply with a snarky, sly comment when he heard they weren't together, something like "good.." or "I told you so.." but Kibum held his tongue, simply crossing his arms instead. "So you were in the states?"A small smile crept it's way onto his lips and still he wondered if she went because of her fiancé. Kibum had always wanted to travel, in fact..it only brought a smile to his face to know she had the opportunity to go somewhere abroad. "You wouldn't happen to have brought me a souvenir?" He couldn't help but let himself open up. This was supposed to be his bestfriend, wasn't it? Besides, he couldn't take it. Seeing her face so glum at the mention of her now, ex-fiancé. Kibum looked up from the table, "I'm kidding." He chuckled, something he hadn't done in months.

"Anyway.." He said, crossing one leg over the other. "Im....I'm fine." The blonde might as well have been lying through his teeth. It was clearly evident by the look on his face. His eyes had dark circles under them, his hair was a mess, and he hadn't bothered wearing any sort of makeup. To be honest, he looked like he'd been crying all night. His own 'sweetheart'had been sending him messages all night begging him to come back, though he only rejected her too hurt that she'd cheated on him. "For the most part.."He added, trying to make it seem convincing. Kibum looked down at his feet once again, running a hand through his hair. It was still unclear why she went to America. He might as well have been angry if it were for her fiancé at the time, but perhaps it was for school or something else. Hopefully it was for something else.

@Kim Ki-bum She could feel her heart call out in almost unfathomable pain as Kimbum's expressions told her a story he never could. He couldn't even hold her gaze....She swallowed hard as he told her that he missed you. Her heart cried out almost instantly in response, I've missed you too. More than you could imagine. I checked my messages over and over...but...She couldn't bring herself to voice it. She was in no spot to make him feel guilty. She just... She had done this to their friendship...it kept entering her mind. The way his voice even sounded...Taeyeon brushed a piece of her wavy hair behind her ear...she was at a loss of words. What did she say to him? Her lips split to answer, when he then...brought up her fiance.

She didn't realize her heart could sink any further. She had to fight off a lump in the moment it was brought up. She wouldn't cry though - she wouldn't even give the slightest hint of how she felt to Kibum. Taeyeon knew how Kibum felt about him...and sometimes, when she really listened to him...she could tell she had shades over her eyes...but her heart was foolish.. "I've been...well I'm okay now. I was in the States...and me and my fiance aren't together anymore..." She fell silent as she took a moment to recompose herself. "And...how are you?" Taeyeon shifted in her seat, trying to make herself feel more at ease.

@Kim Taeyeon "Can you sit? We Can talk and catch up. As long as I'm not keeping you from a pressing project." Kibum shook his head, obliging her request hesitantly. The guilt from her previous comment began to settle in. He wasn't busy. He was never busy. All he did was work on a computer all day, and quite honestly it didn't even take long. There were hours and hours of time saved up to stare at her messages. "So how have you been?" He gave soft glance somewhat hoping she'd give him some sort of tip of where she's been. "I missed you." Kibum avoided her gaze as he stared at the table, "I missed you a lot." Though he may have changed, he was still straight foreword. There was no beating around the bush when he was talking about his feelings. He really did miss her and he'd be lying if he didn't admit it.

"How's your fiancé?" He crossed his arms a bit bitterly. Kibum hated him and she was quite aware of it. The two of them even got into a fight over him before she 'disappeared', which was part of the reason he thought she didn't tell him goodbye. Some of those bitter thoughts from before began to creep back into his mind. There was no reason she should've been with him. He was an _____ who always called him gay and even threatened him when she wasn't around. All because her 'special someone' was jealous of him. Perhaps he should've told her about that by the way..

@Kim Ki-bum @Kim Ki-bum "I just got so busy." Was this a scene from a movie? Those words were just as hollow and empty, like someone had given Kibum lines to read. She should have known. It was more than that... That voice was a broken one. Empty and alone. He would have never answered in such a manner before. He usually returned her rambles with a chime of his own. They could go on for hours and hours about nothing...but with the biggest, goofiest grins on their faces. She could feel her heart tug as she gave him the softest of smiles...the only thing she could find herself able to do in response. She wanted to sit there and pinch his cheeks and tell him not to be so gloomy and he had no reason to say sorry...but she could tell those words were not that right ones to use after she abandoned him. He may have been her best friend at one point, but no best friend does what she said without much of a explanation. And no best friend doesn't keep in touch. He looked so different...and she could already tell, he was going to behave much differently. What had gone on...she hadn't a clue. And she couldn't feel any bit more guilty. She may as well have been a stranger.

"It's not your fault...work and school come first." She played along with it, instead of trying to pick and prod. If he wasn't completely open with her...she couldn't except more. She didn't want to stand in silence, though. If he was too busy to talk before, but he came today, did that mean he had time? Or...did he just pity her and her foolish ways? "Can you sit? We can talk and catch up. As long as I'm not keeping you from a pressing project." Taeyeon joked lightly as her cheeks were consumed in a bright warm smile. If he didn't think he needed anything, she knew he needed someone to talk to. Even if he didn't tell her everything that has happen in her absence...it's better than not talking at all. And besides...often times...she felt like all she really needed was to be able to talk to him. To cry on the phone with him as her and her past fiance went through the hardest of challenges...if she had him to grieve to, and if he had her....well, they wouldn't even be in this spot meeting in the mall, like completely strangers. Standing here as if they agreed to meet each other here in public, as if they had talked on some online chatting site and were scared they weren't who they claimed to be. "Just for old times sake? She added as her mind surged with realization - maybe her past lack of communication came across as if she didn't care. That couldn't be more wrong. She wanted to tell him everything and anything now - if he'd hear her out.

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@Kim Taeyeon His heart skipped a beat as he heard her voice. It was the voice he had missed for so long, the voice he knew would have sat here all day waiting for him if he didn't show up. After knowing her his whole life, Kibum knew she was indded the type to do that. Not that she really liked to do wait, but she'd wait for him and that was the one flaw Kim Taeyeon had. All he did was work now. He'd become socially dettatched from everyone, Kibum simply wasn't the same loud, popular Kibum she used to call her bestfriend. Maybe she didn't quite understand just how much she hurt him.

"You're blonde now!" Her voice rang throughout his earbyds as if it were a symphony. The most beautiful music he'd ever heard. But despite how much he missed it, Kibum was also still upset. After leaving him by himself for the longest time all she had to say was the fact that his hair color changed? He already knew that! What he wanted to know was why she didn't even bother to tell him she was going. Messages had gotten so painful to read that, as she continued to send them, he didn't even bother to open them anymore. Kibum pushed away his selfish thoughts. Maybe she'd been lonely too, perhaps there was more to the story.

Taeyeon wrapped her arms around him as she finally decided to say a proper hello. It surprised him. He hadn't been hugged in such a long time that the feeling had grown quite foreign. Slowly, he brought his hands up to return the guesture, fighting the tempting urge to cry. Kibum really needed a hug. He inhaled her scent carefully as if it were precious to him. Nothing had changed. In fact, it was as if she'd never left. She looked the same, sounded the same, smelled the same...it was still Taeyeon. Kibum adjusted his glasses as she pulled out of the hug. "You really had me worried."She said, "You didn't even reply to me, not once."

Kibum just simply couldn't answer her. It wasn't that she knew anything he'd been going through these past few years. His parents had gotten i to an accident, killing his mother and leaving his father in a deep coma. However, they ended up pulling the plug having deemed him brain dead soon after. Of course on top of that, there was his grandmothers passing and the end of his 2 and a half year relationship with his supposed to be sweetheart who'd done nothing but cheat on him. Honestly, Kibum wondered how he wasn't severely depressed. "I'm sorry."He stared down at the tiles of the malls floor, rubbing the tip of his shoes together. "I just got so busy." Knowing he just lied through his teeth, Kibum looked back up to watch her reaction.

You know what happens when you start to get anxious? You start to lose your mind. Every man that had walked by, she could have swore it was Kibum. She even had stood up from her seat once or twice with a dorky grin plastered before she realized that not every guy with black hair was possibly Kibum. There was much more to him than his hair. "Aigoo, where is he...?" She pondered out loud...even though she should have known better than to except someone who didn't even say they were going to be attending. Could she have really hurt him that badly..? Who was she kidding, she could even feel the emptiness in her chest. Who could blame him for not attending, matter of fact...

"Hey, stranger." From the change of atmosphere and the sudden shadow dawning over her, she knew this time, it was for real. Besides, no one could possibly sound like him. She spun around in her seat, with a beaming smile as her assumptions were confirmed. There, lingering behind her, was the source of that all too familiar voice...but that voice did not match the image standing in front of her now. He was wearing simple clothes, with glasses (which was a total shocker...Kibum, glasses?) and... "You're blond now!" She exclaimed. What a lame thing to say for the first time you see each other. Not to mention, that was rather obvious.

...But now she knew why she couldn't pick him out earlier. Regardless...

She stood up, still in a bit of a awe as she lunged and latched her arms around him. "Annyeong~!!!" A proper reunion was in order and her mind switched from amazement to happiness. "You came, you showed up! You had me worried! Ah, you let me ponder. Not nice~" She rambled as she released him from her death hold and took a step back, still beaming like a child. His appearance was certainly different, but what did it matter? She knew she probably looked the same more or less, just slimmer and in more American styled clothing...well rather, more revealing clothing. But he wouldn't judge her on that, and she certainly wouldn't hold his style against him either. It has been 3 years.

"You really had me worried." She chattered one last time before she stuck her tongue out at him, trying to be playful when it dawned on her. "You didn't even reply...not once.."

@Kim Taeyeon After years of being too hurt to answer the messages of his best friend, Kibum finally read the last message she'd sent to him, asking to meet up at the mall. Having known her for many, many years he knew she'd probably still go. Just like the idiot she could sometimes be. He really did miss her. As a matter of fact, it hurt to ignore her messages. But, even though it hurt to ignore them, it also hurt to attempt to answer them. Paragraph after paragraph, Kibum wrote to her but he never actually sent any of them. Everything he'd done these past few years was lonely and he knew it would have been less bland with her around. She was his one and only friend. Now all he did was sit at home and do work, hiding up in his home all alone.

He thought about it. They could've eaten ice cream on the sofa while laughing so hard at the way American Actors were acting. They could have celebrated each other's birthdays in the most cheesiest ways. They could have done anything, anything but be apart. Kibum sighed standing up from his computer chair. He looked terrible. So much different than he did since she'd left. His hair was blonde, he hardly ever wore his contacts, and his outrageous since of style had since depleted into much simpler outfits that consist of nothing but plain t-shirts and skinny jeans. On top of that, he looked like he'd been staring at a computer screen for six hours. Of course, he had been but..

After arriving at the mall, Kibum slowly walked around. He hated people and going out was one of the things he never did unless absolutely necessary. His eyes scanned the crowds of people hoping that she hadn't changed too much. His eyes stopped on her long blonde hair. She truly hadn't changed a bit, though he was a bit worried since his hair used to be black.. Slowly but surely, Kibum walk to her sitting at an empty food court table. "Hey, stranger." He said.

@Kim Ki-bum
Other people, they generally want to bury their mistakes. They want to go on in life pretending things like them falling in front of the crowd was just a figment of their imagination. Somethings though, aren't supposed to be locked away with a key. They rear their ugly head when you least except it over and over again until you can no longer take the torment.

You could say Taeyeon had been enduring this torment for quite sometime. Day after day in America, Taeyeon would find herself thinking of her best friend on the most random occasions. When she was sitting at a restaurant, laughing with her small clique her mind would go back to him, when they used to pretend to be waiters and server each other tea and biscuits. Or when she'd be walking down the street, watching kids play jump rope, her mind would flash to him and the times they would chase each other like dogs who lost their minds in circles around the neighborhood. Those memories made her chest ache in pain - it was a different kind of torment than you'd expect. A longing for what was before. Not embarrassment, not shame...but regret. She so foolishly had got up and without a second thought, left it all behind. Did she even give him a proper goodbye when she had left only three years ago? She couldn't recall. She just knew one day, they were talking about the most obscure things and the next, she was sheltered away in the smallest space in another country.

Now, though, as she stood in the very crowded mall back from her own personalized hell, she pondered only one thing. How was her long lost friend doing? Had he changed? Would he meet her here? When she first returned she did her very best to reconnect to him - to just be there for him like she had before. However, she did not know if her message fell on blind eyes - he never replied to her on any of the social media sites, no matter how many messages she sent. He never confirmed today's date or time. Yet, she still went here...just hoping and praying that maybe he wasn't as torn apart as she imagined he would be...that was a prayer she hadn't a clue whether or not it'd be answered.

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