Chocolate #1

Of Grease and Turmoil // Taehyung x Namjoo

Namjoo huffed as she kicked the car jack in frustration. Twenty freaking minutes. She sat here in the middle of nowhere, like a loser, trying to change a flat tire via a youtube tutorial video. But her stupid phone was starting to run out of battery and the tutorial guy was making no sense at all. Kim Namjoo was trying her best not to get irritated by this very unfortunate and unnecessary predicament.

As a senior in college, Namjoo was nothing but thrilled that she snagged an internship at Cube magazine, one of the most high-end magazine companies in Korea. After a successful first day of internship (which was unfortunately a good 10 miles away from her university), her trustworthy car proved itself to be a traitor, as the tire went out flat. She would have stupidly continued driving if it wasn’t for the random truck ahjusshi who was hollering at her. Namjoo thought he was trying to make a pass at her, which is completely disgusting, so she ignored the man. Much to her embarrassment, the ahjusshi monotonously said, “You have a flat tire,” when they came to a stop light and sped off without a second glance.

And so, here Namjoo was, parked in some random neighborhood in the middle of nowhere. In the middle of this blazing hot summer. Her cousin Jimin just so happened to ignore her desperate call for help three times, making Namjoo send him some very angry texts, while her so-called friend Sungjae was too busy to drive out to her. Probably meaning he was either playing video games or going on a date with a girl. With a sigh, Namjoo had no choice but to figure it out herself.

She tossed her crisp new blazer and smooth blouse in the backseat of her car and threw her beautiful suede pumps on the ground of the passenger seat. This is most definitely not the attire fit for changing a tire. Uncomfortably dressed in a tight black skirt and a black tank top, and not to mention barefoot, Namjoo rumbled through the trunk of her car and managed to find the spare tire and some random tools that Namjoo had no idea how to use. Which is why Namjoo acquired the help of youtube, but only to be utterly confused and frustrated at what the freaking tools were called and used for. Not to mention the amount of sweat that was dribbling down her forehead and neck. Hands covered in grease, she must have been a sight to see.

Namjoo groaned as she just sat on the ground, leaning against her car in defeat. She hated wasting time, and this most definitely fit into that category. This was not how Kim Namjoo planned for her day to go. After an amazing first day at Cube Magazine, Namjoo was supposed to take a warm bath and snuggle in bed, watching movies in bed, instead of going to classes. She could only let out a whimper as her dreams of a perfect day was now long gone. This was it… this is how Namjoo was going to die. In the middle of nowhere, maybe die of exhaustion or heat, but most likely desperation.

“You look like a hot mess.”

Namjoo opened her eyes and saw a guy parked in his car on the other side of the sidewalk, wearing a very familiar and despicable smirk. She groaned… really now, of all people in the world to stop by and see her in this state, it had to be Kim Taehyung?

It’s not like Namjoo really had anything against the guy, he just agitated her to no end. He was a senior, like Namjoo, and she did not really know him. Until he became buddies with her dear cousin, and now inviting Jimin meant inviting Taehyung. She asked them once if they were dating, only to receive a punch (a weak one, Namjoo might add) from Jimin and a glare-smirk fusion from Taehyung. Well, anyway, the point is that Taehyung basically annoyed the hell out of Namjoo, especially by his oh-so witty remarks and that stupid darned smirk.

“Really?” Namjoo voiced out loud, “Of all people, I run into you?”

Taehyung made a mocking sad face as stepped out of the car, “Oh, that really hurts, Namjoo. Here I am, so excited to see you, and you look like Santa brought you coals.”

Namjoo stood up and narrowed her eyes, “You would too if you were stuck here for the past” she looked down at her watch, “thirty minutes, now.”

Taehyung smirked, “Nah, I know how to change a flat tire, thank you very much. I would not be in your predicament at all.”

Namjoo gave him an intense glare as Taehyung crossed the street and examined the wheel.

“Looks like you popped your wheel real good,” Taehyung said with a cluck. Namjoo rolled her eyes, “Well thank you captain obvious, I couldn’t figure that out.”

“Damn, girl,” Taehyung said, “You’re extra sassy today. Not that you aren’t normally, but definitely on another level right now.”

Namjoo let out a breath and said, “How the hell did you even get here or know I was here?”

Taehyung stood up as he took his jacket off, “Jimin asked me to come rescue you. He was stuck in class, but he said that you would take out his organs and feed it to the dogs. Can’t let you do that to my best friend, now, can I?”

He sheepishly grinned while Namjoo just blinked at him, not really listening to his words. hung open as she stared at the Taehyung’s body. Now, Namjoo is a perfectly healthy young girl and it definitely was normal to react in this way. Especially if said person had a body like Taehyung’s. He was wearing a muscle tee that showed off his tanned, muscular arms and gave a little peek of the toned chest that hid underneath the shirt. Hot damn. Namjoo furiously shook her head at the thoughts and shut . This was Kim Taehyung. The most annoying critter to walk on the planet. She absolutely refused to be ogling over his body.

Said creature smirked and said, “I know you like the view and everything, but can you hand me the car jack.”

Namjoo flushed a little, but blamed it on the heat. It was definitely the heat. With a hushed complaint, Namjoo grabbed the different equipments from the trunk and gave it to him.

“Here. I don’t know what’s what. These were the only things that were in my trunk,” Namjoo said, trying to collect the little dignity she had left of herself.

Taehyung grabbed the wrench and started to loosen the bolts on the tire. Namjoo couldn’t help but stare at his flexed arms… well, damn, she did not know Taehyung had such nice arms. Namjoo shook her head again. Snap out of it! She watched as Taehyun loosened each bolt and then started setting up the jack under the car.

“You know,” Taehyung said, in between each pump of the jack, “You don’t seem very thankful to someone who came out of his way to rescue the damsel in distress.”

Namjoo rolled her eyes. She forgot… even if he had a nice body, this was Kim Taehyung. Every time he opened his mouth she wanted to sock him in the face.

“I am not a damsel in distress,” Namjoo said, crossing her arms.

Taehyung laughed, pausing from his work. He looked up at her with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, “Oh, really? Says the lady who’s wearing a skirt, barefooted, with car grease on her little manicured hands.”

Namjoo gasped as she looked at her disgusting nails. Yuck!

“I-I… I could have managed by myself. I was practically done by the time you came.”

Laughter rang from Taehyung’s mouth as he stood up, “Okay, then, miss.” He handed her the wrench, “It’s all yours.”

Namjoo blinked and felt her cheeks turn pink. Stupid Namjoo and her stupid pride. Namjoo coughed as she felt his amused gaze on her when she awkwardly knelt down to fix the car. She blankly stared at the wrench in her hand and placed it against a bolt. It probably went here. Yes! It fit! Victorious! Namjoo did a celebration dance in her head and smirked. Of course, she could do it! She twisted the wrench to the left, but it wouldn’t budge. Namjoo tried again with all her strength, but it just wouldn’t move.

“What the hell!” Namjoo shouted. She could feel Taehyung’s smirk even without looking at him and realized she lost. Damn.

“And you were saying?” Taehyung said, the glint still in his eyes. Namjoo sighed as she got up and handed him the wrench, “I guess I’m not strong enough.”

Taehyung smiled at her, in a playful way. It was kind of cute. Namjoo blinked. Nope, annoying, definitely not cute. Taehyung took the wrench from her and went back down to fix the car.

“By the way,” he said as he easily took off the bolts, killing bits of Namjoo’s pride, “What do I get in return for saving you?”

Namjoo sighed. Of course he would. “I don’t know. What do you want?”

“Hmm,” Taehyung said thoughtfully, “I drove all the way out here, when I could have been comfortably playing video games with Sungjae. And now I’m sweating, under the blazing sun, fixing a very sassy girls’ car. I don’t know, what do you think I should ask for?”

Namjoo grit her teeth, appalled that she was attracted to this Neanderthal, “I. don’t. know. You want money?”

Taehyung pulled out the ripped tire and replaced it with the spare one. He started screwing the bolts back on as he said, “No. Come on, Namjoo, we’re friends. I can’t do that to a friend.”

Namjoo felt her vein twitch. Friends?

She snorted, “We’re not friends. You’re a friend of a friend.”

“Ouch,” Taehyung said, placing a his hand over his heart, “that hurt. All this time I thought we had something special.”

Namjoo ignored her heart’s little somersault and rolled her eyes, “You’re the one who wants something in return.”

Taehyung finished putting the bolts on and let down the car jack. Namjoo forgot about their previous conversation and gleefully looked at her car.

“Oh my gosh! It's fixed!!” In excitement, Namjoo completely did not think as she swung her arms around to hug the closest human being, that being Taehyung. She wasn’t aware of her actions until she felt him stiffen, those strong arms and those defined muscles underneath his shirt. Namjoo flushed as she pulled away, cursing herself. She awkwardly looked around at everything but his face as she mumbled, “Ah, um, thank you.”

Taehyung smirked at her reaction, “I’d prefer that reaction to your sassy eyes rolls any day.”

Namjoo rolled her eyes, “Whatever. Thanks, anyway.”

Taehyung wiped his hands off on his pants, “So, about that favor.”

Uh oh, here we go. Namjoo finally looked at him in the eyes, “What do you want?”

There was this gleam in his eyes that made her stomach churn and her cheeks burn. He stepped closer to her, way to close for comfort. His face was only a couple inches away from her own and his hands reached up to her chin, gently lifting her face up to look at him. Namjoo gulped, not used to being so close to a guy, especially that guy being Taehyung. He was so close that she could lightly feel his breath on her lips and his half lidded gaze penetrating her soul.

“How about, a kiss?” Taehyung whispered, gazing intensely into her eyes. Namjoo’s eyes widened as her heart fluttered in anticipation. A kiss? Was he really? She stood frozen, not knowing what to do. His lips were so close to hers that Namjoo just needed to move forward a couple centimeters and they would touch. Namjoo’s eyes were locked on his plump lips and her breath hitched when she felt him move closer. Namjoo closed her eyes in anticipation… to hell with thoughts and logic. Here was a good looking boy who attractive and just fixed her car. Let the guy have a kiss. She gulped, awaiting the touch of his lips. But it didn’t come.

“Hello, Namjoo?”

Namjoo blinked as she opened her eyes and saw Taehyung standing a couple feet away from her, not nearly as close as before.

“You okay there?” Taehyung asked with a smirk, “You stopped replying to me and suddenly closed your eyes.”

Namjoo flustered… what the hell. Did she seriously just imagine Taehyung kissing her? Namjoo fumed with embarrassment. Oh goodness, it definitely had to be this scorching heat. This day just couldn’t get any worse, could it?

“I mean, I don’t know what kind of weird things you were imagining when I said reward,” he said with that signature smirk. Namjoo shook her head in embarrassment and crossed her arms.

“It was nothing!” Namjoo huffed, trying to hide her humiliation, “So what is it that you want then?”

“How about you buy me a meal?” Taehyung said, “As my reward, ya know? I would ask for a home-cooked meal, but you don’t seem like the domestic type, so, a bought meal wouldn’t be too bad.”

Namjoo twitched again, all butterfly feelings disappearing. How did this boy make her heart flutter one second and then make her want to kill him the next?

“I am a good cook, thank you very much.” Namjoo said, clenching her fists. Taehyung raised a brow in surprise, “Oh, really?”

Namjoo let out a scoff and said, “Yes. I’ll cook you the damned best meal you’ve ever tasted.”

Taehyung smirked as he grabbed his jacket, “Hmm, I guess I will have to be the judge of that.”

Namjoo mirrored his smirk, “Oh, don’t you worry. You’re gonna end up asking me for more.”

Taehyung laughed, “Alright then, how about this Friday night?”

Namjoo nodded, “That sounds fine.”

Taehyung was about to step away, when he turned back and bent down to level to Namjoo’s face level. Taehyung stuck his face way too close for comfort and Namjoo found herself blushing again. What the hell was up with this guy, making her blush so much?! Taehyung smirked and wiped her nose. He pulled away with a grin, “You got some car grease on your nose, though.”

Namjoo finally let out her breath and flushed in embarrassment. This whole flat tire situation was not boding well for Namjoo. And her heart would not stop erratically thumping against her ribcage. Darn this stupid boy who was grinning like a fool.

Taehyung smirked as he crossed the street back into his car, “I’ll see you on Friday!”

He waved as he sped off in his car. Namjoo shook her head at the turn of events, almost expecting to wake up from this crazy dream. She heard Taehyung’s car back up and he pulled down his window.

“It’s a date.”

He winked and drove off in his car, leaving Namjoo alone with her fixed car. She blinked, trying to ignore her heart that was not only doing somersaults but now flipping and thrashing all around the ribcage. She couldn’t stop the smile that formed on her face or the pink blush that made its way to her cheeks.

Namjoo hopped into her car and blasted the AC as she started her way back to her dorm. She thought about different food recipes the whole ride back. Namjoo had to a Taehyung to impress on her date.

Flat tires weren’t so bad after all. 

A/N: I love Taehyung! Hehe, I hope you guys liked his character! I had so much fun writing this... it was inspired by my recent flat tire accident. I wish I had a Taehyung to come save me... dang. LOL. Anyway, I found myself kind of liking this pairing. Hope you enjoyed this little short! Please leave a comment about the story and you can pitch pairings/ideas for future ones too!