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“Oh my God, Aria, long time no see!”
I instantly flinch as soon as I hear that familiar high voice. Leah. Her hair is shiny and blonde, and she hasn’t changed one bit since I last spoke to her three months ago in my humanities class. She smiles, and I force a less enthusiastic smile back.
“I know right! Uni’s crazy like that.” I don’t recognize the voice that speaks those words, but it vaguely sounds like my own, except…fake.
Her eyes slide over to Taehyung, who gazes blankly up at her, pouting slightly as he slowly chews his sandwich. She looks between us, a knowing smile curling her lips.
“So…you guys a thing?”
Taehyung chokes violently mid-swallow while I splutter out a strangled laugh that doesn’t sound human. Leah just beams at us as if she got the reaction she expected.
“Um, n-no,” I stammer out, heat rising to my cheeks. I’m embarrassed, of course I am, and Taehyung continues to cough, thumping his chest.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” Leah asks him, sounding more worried than I feel.
“Yep, all good,” Taehyung clears his throat, flipping the thumbs up and not even sparing her a glance.
“Wow, sorry about that,” Leah laughs, flicking her hair back. “Didn’t mean to make things awkward between you guys…”
She shoots me a wink, and I widen my eyes. I forgot how conniving she is. This was the main reason I decided to avoid her – she brings too much drama.
“Well, anyway, I’m meeting someone now, so I’ll see you around, Aria, and…”
“Taehyung,” he says through a mouthful of food. I stifle a laugh as Leah’s face visibly changes to a look of disgust, before it is swept away with a smile.
“I’ll see you guys around, yeah?”
With a wave she is gone, and I release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
“Who was that?”
“Nobody.”
“That’s a strange name,” Taehyung grins proudly at his joke. I sigh.
The days that I do come into uni have become longer. Instead of darting out and catching the bus home, I sit in the cafeteria with Taehyung. He’s usually always there first, waiting eagerly for me, his food untouched. Then, when I join him, he starts eating, asking me about my day, my classes, how much I slept, if I ate enough for breakfast. Little things, but they make a difference. It feels good to have someone waiting for you, someone you can sit with and talk to about your daily tasks. It is a routine, one that makes me comfortable, and I am starting to forget how it feels to want to be alone, to purposefully isolate yourself so that no one will talk to you. And all it took was one person. Taehyung.
I watch him finish his sandwich, always in his own world, not concerned about what people think of him. Yet, I can’t help but wonder where his own friends are, and whether he has anyone else to talk to. Surely, I’m not the only person he talks to, right?
“You’ve been staring at me for two minutes,” he states, so matter-of-fact, without looking up from his food. When he does meet my eyes, he cocks an eyebrow. “You think I’m handsome?”
The fact that he says it in Korean in no way softens the blow, and I don’t even know how to react. If I say no, he’ll think I’m lying, and if I say yes…it won’t be a lie, will it? I’m not blind. Taehyung isn’t completely ugly, and I saw the way Leah looked at him. Despite his casual lowkey way of living and dressing, and the fact that he almost always has his hood up, he is tall, and interesting. He certainly caught my interest.
But before I can even formulate a response, he just laughs, eyes squinted, waving his hand. “Just kidding, I know I’m not handsome.”
He goes back to eating, and I blink. Did he really just –
“What do you mean?”
I am just as surprised as him at my question. He shrugs. “I don’t think I’m good looking. Even though everyone says so.”
“They do?”
“Wow, you sound so surprised. I am hurt,” he places a hand on his heart, feigning a hurt expression. “My grandma says I am the most handsome boy in the world.”
“Don’t all grandmas say that?”
Taehyung laughs. “That’s true, but – look behind you!”
I turn, but there’s nothing th…”Hey!”
When I turn to him again, he has stolen one of my chips, and it is the one chip I was looking forward to eating because it’s the biggest and crunchiest with the perfect amount of salt –
“You could’ve just asked me for one.”
“And where’s the fun in that?” His impish grin is annoying, but also adorable, and I can suddenly imagine him as a little boy, getting spoiled by his grandma with sweets, pinching his cheeks as she tells him that he is the most handsome boy in the world.
“What’s your grandma like?” I ask, and I can’t help but smile when Taehyung’s entire face lights up as he talks about her, his tale laced with anecdotes that give me an idea of what he was like as a child – I mean, let’s be honest, he still behaves like a child, but in an endearing, innocent way. Not quite naïve, but…full of wonder and gratitude for the little things in life.
He makes me feel grateful for the little things in life.
Little things like waking up, going to media class, eating lunch, talking about everything and anything…because I get to see him.
Dammit Aria don’t get attached. You can’t get attached, remember?
I don’t remember.
And I still don’t remember when we make plans to work on the upcoming media assignment, which involves the use of a subject, a model, to tell a story of some sort, be it through a series of photos or a short film.
“I want to make a film,” Taehyung proposes his idea. “A film about a girl who wears a hood all the time.” He raises his eyebrows at me, and I scrunch up my nose.
“Don’t make a film about me. I’m boring.”
Taehyung nods, humming in agreement. “Hm, you’re right, I think I’ll change it to – ow!”
“Why are you agreeing with me, huh? You wanna die?“
Taehyung bursts into laughter. “I was joking, Aria, geez. You’re not boring…” he trails off, deep in thought. Suddenly, he faces me, eyes bright. “Maybe I should also be in my film!”
“Do you really have to make a film? Can’t you just take some photos like I’m doing? Photos are easier,” I yawn, exhausted at the mere thought of directing, shooting, and editing a film.
“But that’s the thing – it’s too easy, so it’s not going to be fun!”
“What?” Did I hear him correctly?
“Let’s make a film. Come on, you have to help me,” he begins to tug at my arm, and I sigh for the millionth time. “Come on, do I have to do aegyo for you to agree? Pleeeease.“
“Oh, god, no, that won’t be necessary,” I shake my arm out of his grip, amazed at how eager this boy is to do aegyo at any given time of the day. If you ask me, aegyo shouldn’t even exist anymore. It is so embarrassing.
“So you’ll be in my film?”
“Why me? Don’t you have any other friends to drag into it?” The question comes out harsher than I intended, and Taehyung slumps down in his seat, looking down.
“I do…” He doesn’t sound convincing.
“Where are they?” I press.
“They don’t have time for me…” he is mumbling at this point, and he looks so sad. I feel guilty for asking, so I give in. “Okay, I’ll be in your film.”
Taehyung meets my gaze with round eyes that compress into crescents as he grins. “Really?”
“Really.”
Why is it so hard to say no to this guy?
【★】
Because he’s Kim Taehyung, that’s why! 😂
Two things:
1. LOVE YOURSELF ANSWER is better than I ever expected – the songs, the choreo, IDOL 😍
2. The real Kim Taehyung has said Aria’s name! I swear I never saw this before writing this story 😂 Here’s the video (0:04)
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