The minute Hyunsoo sat down next to Jungkook, who was sitting next to the window seat, he faced Hyunsoo with a surprised look and then quickly shifted his gaze out the window saying nothing.

“Hello.” Hyunsoo didn’t want this journey to be awkward, no matter how much they despised each other.

However, Jungkook gave no response to having heard Hyunsoo at all. Instead, Hyunsoo decided that Jungkook or not, it didn’t matter to her. She had Jimin right behind her, even though he was distracted by his not-yet-girlfriend Seulgi.

“Hey Jimin, make sure you don’t tell anyone what I told you just earlier,” Hyunsoo said, and as she turned her head to face ahead again, she caught Jungkook’s eyes staring at her.

“Gotcha!” Jimin called behind Hyunsoo.

The coach driver didn’t take too long to take off; they were on their way back to school ten minutes later. Jungkook kept his face away from Hyunsoo and out towards the window, where he could see nothing but trees and the occasional huge signs for tourist attractions. Hyunsoo, on the other hand, couldn’t help but glance at Jungkook every few minutes. She wondered why, but couldn’t think of an excuse for herself. Something inside her – something she was scared of exposing, even to herself – made her want to capture Jungkook’s attention somehow. She wanted to see him interested in some way. So Hyunsoo decided to go with whatever her heart was thinking.

“Jimin, do you think it was right of me to have said yes to Jinyoung?” Hyunsoo said it before realising what she was actually saying.

She was right. It did catch his attention. Although, this was the last thing she wanted anyone else to know… especially Jungkook, who witnessed Jinyoung’s confession. He wasn’t even trying to hide it anymore. He was looking at her, using his whole body to face her from his seat. It somehow felt even more awkward than before. This is why I shouldn’t follow my heart. Stupid heart! I need to use my brain now. Come on brain!

Jimin, still distracted by his future girlfriend, didn’t realise Hyunsoo’s mistake and had obviously forgotten his promise just moments ago. “Yeah, I can’t believe it took him this long to wait for your response and then ask you out on a date!”

Jungkook raised his eyebrow at Hyunsoo. They were both looking at each other, even though Hyunsoo was talking to Jimin.

“Uh, well…”

“You know, I think Jinyoung is actually right for you! I’m guessing he might have liked you since you two met? He’s always nice and, you know, helps you and stuff,” Jimin said, oblivious to Hyunsoo’s panicked face and Jungkook’s frown at Hyunsoo.

The most confusing thing that was bugging Hyunsoo at that moment was, why did she care what Jungkook heard and thought? She had no answers. No excuses to give to herself once again. She wanted to push those feelings away. She didn’t want to care, it was Jungkook after all, and he never cared for Hyunsoo.

She remembered Jungkook saving her from that senior.

He didn’t care. He ended up hurting her himself, rather than letting the senior do it.

She remembered Jungkook saving Hyunsoo from getting hurt in middle school.

He didn’t care. He didn’t even know her, and when he found it, he mocked her.

Hyunsoo didn’t want too remember anything anymore. Her face screwed up in annoyance and just when she was about to tell Jimin to keep quiet–

“Shut up.” It was Jungkook. “Go talk to your own partner.”

Hyunsoo looked at Jimin quickly, catching his eyes and signaling not to say anything. He took the message and turned to Seulgi, though he became quieter suddenly.

Jungkook did something very odd then. He looked back at Hyunsoo and asked, “Do you want a snack?” He was holding a packet of chocolate buttons.

It was so rare to see Jungkook act like he cared, she couldn’t believe sometimes that he would torture her first, then next moment he’s offering snacks like nothing happened.

Hyunsoo took the packet and once again, they sat in silence. This time, it wasn’t as awkward as before. Rather than awkwardness, there was more of a curiosity flowing in the air; questions going through both their brains, trying to think of what to ask the other.

It was Jungkook who spoke first. “Do you really hate me?”

The question shocked Hyunsoo a lot more than when she shocked herself by exposing Jinyoung’s date request to Jungkook. She didn’t know how to answer. All sorts of thoughts were swimming in Hyunsoo’s head, except for the answer she was looking for. This is why he avoided me? Did it affect him that much? Have I hurt him by saying this? Do I really hate him? If I do, then why do I feel so bad for hurting him? What if I don’t hate him? What if…

Jungkook interrupted Hyunsoo’s thoughts by saying, “Never mind.”

“No!” Hyunsoo could feel her heart dropping as Jungkook had said that, “I don’t really hate you… I mean, you know how we are… we’re like, like Tom and Jerry! You know, the cat and the mouse? You’re the mouse, I hate you, but I can’t hate you.” Hyunsoo was talking, but she wasn’t really. She felt her lips move, but she had no idea what she was really saying. It all came out in a rush. It came out from the heart, the part that didn’t want to expose and wanted to keep hidden forever. She couldn’t understand it herself.

Jungkook didn’t need any explanation whatsoever. He took it all in and smiled. “Give me back my chocolate buttons.” And he took the packet back from Hyunsoo’s hand.

Well, at least the old Jungkook is back. Was Hyunsoo happy?