âMy birthday is next week, Oppa! Remember to get me something~ Love you!â
He was in the middle of transferring egg cartons into larger crates for storage at the back of the cafe when her voice suddenly rang through his ears. Startled, he dropped the cartons, egg yolks splattering everywhere; pulse thundering in his ears. âTaeeunâ?âÂ
He had stepped out to the front, determined to find her. It was ridiculousâ she was gone. Gone, but for that sliver of a moment, when he heard her voiceâÂ
His hand gripped against the counter once he made it there. He was slipping, he was losing his cool. He understood and accepted his reality on the day of her funeral. It has been three years and counting. She would have laughed at him, if she really was there.Â
"Hey, are you alright?" The voice was distant, so far away, Taehyung didnât even think it was an actual person. He thought he imagined it, much like Taeeunâs voice. Though, the warm hand against his shoulder anchored him back to realityâ and reminded him just how cold he got at a triggered memory. "Just relax."
"Iâm relaxed, thank you."Â
No, he really wasnât. It was a punch in the gut, despite it being childish and stupid for something this âsmallâ to bother him. Perhaps it wasnât so small if the wound was still so fresh, and a phone notification tone just added salt to it. A voice reminder, stating that it would be Taeeunâs birthday really soon. A voice reminder, a memo, that consisted of her voiceâ a function that she set into his phone before she left. It goes off a week before her birthday. He should have remembered.
Slouching against the counter, he closed his eyes and brought his free hand up to drag against his face. âGot it.â He muttered, quieter this time, as he lifted his gaze and was met with the face of his manager. Though, no look of surprise or shock flickered.
Just recollection, and thankfulness. "Iâll be fine."