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Studying with Taehyung is never a straight-forward ordeal.
Don’t get me wrong: he is good at concentrating on his own work. In fact, sometimes when we are at the library, I forget he is even beside me because of how silent and immersed he is. And sometimes I would watch him, out of the corner of my eye, until he catches me, and I would look away, flustered.
Other times, however, he can be a little…distracting.
Today is one of those times.
Since I am able to finish the semester and continue with university, I have to catch up on all the lectures and homework I must complete before next week, when classes start again. And since I have been so busy settling in at the Kim’s house, I have not had any time to do any of my university work, which includes a lot. So after ranting about this to Taehyung, he suggested we go to the library together to study.
Easier said than done, of course.
“Listen to this! I love this song,” Taehyung inserts one of his ear buds into my ear and the soulful sound of a classic female singer croons a lovely tune. I nod and smile, saying it’s good, before turning back to my textbook.
Thirty seconds later, he is stifling his laughter as he scrolls through Facebook, and I glance at his laptop screen to see what he is laughing at, before quickly snapping out of it. Focus, Aria!
He begins to hum as he opens up the university website, downloading lecture notes and drumming a beat on his mousepad. I click my pen, reading the same question ten times as my brain fails to register it due to the constant tap, tap, tappity-tap, beside me, which is now accompanied by the thumping of his foot on the carpet, and of course the low vibration of his voice as he hums.
Suddenly, he leans into me, softly mouthing the words to whatever song he is listening to and acting out dramatic gestures, grasping the air with his fists. Then he grabs my shoulder, still mouthing the words into his closed hand microphone, and that’s when I lose it.
“Taehyung,” I hiss, since it is supposed to be a quiet study area. His eyes are squeezed shut as the music takes over him, and so I do what any person would – I kick him.
“Ah! Aria, ow!” he pouts at me, and in that moment, I wonder how he is older than me, when he is clearly the baby here.
“Stop being annoying,” I state firmly, but before I can swivel back to my work he grabs my arm, stopping me. I glare at him, and he peers at me in concern.
“Are you okay, Aria? Maybe you need a little break.”
His words are gentle, but for some reason, they get on my nerve. “Taehyung, I have a lot of work to do, so just please be quiet, okay?”
He continues to pout. “We should take a tiny break. It’ll calm you down, come on,” he drags his thumb over my hand, pleading with his dark eyes, and for a moment I melt in them, my stress temporarily dissipating, but then it all comes tumbling down again when I see an email notification on my laptop screen from one of my subject coordinators, and I snap.
“No, Taehyung, there’s too much to do and I don’t want to. Go have a break by yourself if you really have to, but I’m staying here.”
“Okay.”
I swear I can hear his spirit deflate as I dive back into my zone, and I start to feel bad when he does actually get up and leave, slowly and sadly, leaving me devoid of his warm presence. I wish I could run after him, and tell him I’m sorry for snapping, and that of course I’ll join him for a break, and maybe we could go for a stroll on campus or lie beneath a tree. But of course, being the lazy, coward I am, I remain in my seat, gripping my pen tightly and fighting tears that blur my vision, making it impossible to read the questions.
“Oh, hey, Aria,” Namjoon pops into the frame so suddenly with a wave and a dimpled smile, but as soon as I meet his eyes the tears drop, and so does his expression.
“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” he puckers his brow, sliding into Taehyung’s seat and facing me, and I let out a choked laugh, wiping my eyes.
“Oh, nothing, just, you know, hay fever,” I force a smile, but Namjoon doesn’t look convinced.
“Are you here alone?” he glances at Taehyung’s stuff, nodding in realization. “Ah, you’re here with Taehyung, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, but he went for a walk,” I reply in a small voice.
Namjoon regards me carefully before speaking. “If you don’t mind me asking, is everything okay with you? I heard you are living with Taehyung now.”
I nod. “Yeah, everything’s…good,” I swallow. “I mean, it’s just short term, until we figure things out, but, yeah.”
“You know, Aria, I’m a very good friend of Taehyung’s, and I know how much you mean to him, so if there’s anything you need, I would be happy to help,” he offers me a genuine smile. “Even if it’s just university advice.”
“That’s very nice of you, Namjoon, and I want to thank you again for what you did last week, helping with Taehyung when he was sick.”
He waves me off with a humble grin. “Oh, it’s nothing, although Taehyung definitely weighs more than nothing,” he chuckles. “However, I’m serious, if you ever want to talk about anything, I will be happy to listen.” He says this in a way that insinuates that he can sense my mood. From what I’ve observed about this guy, he is very in tune with people’s dispositions, and he seems to be very good at giving advice, so I accept his offer.
“Of course, thank you, Namjoon.”
A pause.
“Anything you want to talk about right now?”
Another pause.
“Perhaps about your hay fever?”
“I’m fine, really, don’t worry,” I brush him off, as I do with all people who try to get me to talk about my feelings, or anything that makes me vulnerable and exposed. But there’s something about Namjoon that makes you feel comfortable, like you’ve known him all your life, with his warm inviting gaze and soft features, and so I find myself opening up, just a little.
“Actually…the real reason Taehyung isn’t here with me is because I kind of scared him off,” when I flick my glance back to Namjoon his eyebrows twitch upwards in surprise, but he doesn’t say anything so I continue. “I snapped at him for being annoying, and I feel bad because he doesn’t deserve it. He was just being nice, suggesting that I take a break from studying, but I’ve got so much to catch up on and –” I let out a deep sigh. “I’m sorry, I’m talking too much,” I cringe, but Namjoon shakes his head calmly.
“No, you are perfectly entitled to expressing yourself. It seems you have a lot bottled up inside, perhaps you really should take a little break…”
“I know I should, but I’m so behind with uni, and there’s so much to do in so little time, I –” I rake my fingers through my hair while letting out a stream of air from my lips, clenching my eyes shut as I lean back in my chair. What am I doing, ranting like this to someone I barely know? It’s not like he’s my therapist or something.
“Aria, it’s completely normal to feel stressed, especially at this stage in the semester, but don’t let it take over you, okay? It’s not healthy to overwork yourself, even if you have a lot to do, it’s important to break it up into intervals, and perhaps make a list?”
I turn to look at him then, and I feel myself begin to smile. “You know what? You’re right.”
“I’m always right,” he laughs, and I find myself laughing with him while thanking him for talking to me, and somehow calming me down.
“Taehyung is lucky to have a friend like you,” the words come out so naturally.
“He doesn’t have to be the only lucky one. I can be a friend to you too, Aria. That’s if it’s okay with you, of course,” he adds sheepishly.
“I’d like that,” I nod brightly. “I could use a friend like you. Wait, that sounded bad, I don’t mean I would use you, but –”
“I get what you mean, don’t worry, it’s a common expression,” Namjoon chuckles, immediately assuring me. “Do you have Facebook? Let’s be friends there too,” he pulls out his phone, and I type in my name, sending myself a friend request and feeling giddy while doing so. It’s been a while since I’ve done this. Because the last time I sent myself a friend request from someone else’s phone was when I first met –
“Taehyung! How’s it going, man?”
I look up from Namjoon’s phone at the sound of its owner’s voice and make eye contact with Taehyung, who just stares back at me with a strange expression before flitting his gaze down to the phone in my hands. Sheepishly, I return it to Namjoon, accidentally brushing my fingers against his, and I swear I hear Taehyung clear his throat.
“What are you doing here, Namjoon?” he doesn’t tear his gaze from me while delivering the question, and I gulp.
“Oh, I was just leaving, actually, I’ll talk to you later, Aria,” Namjoon stands up, waving softly at me, but Taehyung curls his fingers around Namjoon’s arm, blocking him.
“No, you won’t.”
“Won’t what?” Namjoon is taller than him, but Taehyung’s glare is lethal.
“Talk to Aria later.”
“But we’re friends,” Namjoon insists.
“Yeah, Taehyung, we’re friends,” I back him up, but he ignores me, instead grabbing a fistful of Namjoon’s shirt.
“Don’t talk to her, hyung, you hear?”
Namjoon looks as baffled as I feel. Why is Taehyung becoming so protective all of a sudden? Not that he wasn’t always that way but…it seems as if he has become even more protective than usual, and dare I say…possessive?
“Fine, Taehyung-ah, just let me go,” Namjoon huffs slightly once Taehyung releases him, smoothing a hand over his shirt and shaking his head disapprovingly. “I don’t know why you are acting like this, Taehyung, but please don’t take it out on Aria. She’s going through a lot right now and I hope you can be there for her, okay?”
He leaves with those words in his wake, and Taehyung is frozen for a moment, staring at the empty air where Namjoon once stood. Then he slowly turns to me, hair slightly tousled and covering his eyes, making him look even more intimidating. So my first instinct is to apologize.
“Taehyung, I’m sorry I –”
“Did you give him your number?”
The severity in his voice shocks me, and for a couple of seconds I can’t speak. “Wh-what, no, I didn’t, why are you –”
“Good,” he nods once, clenching his jaw and his fists. I reach out a hand, touching one of those fists and gazing up at him.
“I’m sorry for getting angry at you before, Taehyung. I know you were only trying to help.”
“No,” he shakes his head briskly, peering down at me through his eyelashes. “I was being annoying to you when you were stressed, so I’m the one who should apologize.”
“Well, if you say so…” I grin, and the corner of his mouth lips up into a tiny smile, which I take as a victory on my part.
“I promise I won’t be annoying again from now on,” he vows as he sits back down, opening his book. “I will focus on my work and you can do yours. Yeah?”
“Aye aye, captain,” I salute him, giggling, and he nudges my cheek with his knuckle, chuckling.
“Cutie.”
For the rest of the day, I can’t stop smiling. Cutie.
【★】
I’m the type of author to still update during my exam period lmao
happy halloween! 🎃
I swear I have a plan for this story just bear with me here 😅
I’ve decided to dedicate this chapter to MissFischer98 because I absolutely adore her Park Jimin AU “A Lost Voice” it’s the sweetest story ever and I just loved the latest chapter of hers so here’s to you author-nim! 😊💜 Please check out her story if you haven’t already!
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