Trigger
Love Again“I told my mum and she made porridge for Sera.” This sounds like Taehyung. “We’re just next door if you need help.”
“Sure. Thanks, buddy.”
“Jjun?” I shuffle out of my room with my blanket wrapped around me. I have a slight headache but it’s nothing I can’t handle.
Namjoon jumps up from the sofa. “Are you feeling better now?”
I nod, planting myself in the space between Taehyung and Namjoon. I sniff.
“I have to get back first,” Taehyung says. “Don’t forget to eat the porridge.”
Seeing Taehyung out, Namjoon returns to his seat on the sofa. I flop down on my side and let my head fall on his lap. I huddle deeper into my blanket. Ah, cosy blanket. I pull the cover over my face only to have it tugged away from me soon after. Namjoon feels for fever on my forehead again.
“Thank the skies, your fever is gone,” he heaves a sigh of relief. I think I grunt something in response but I don’t know what I said.
“Do you want to go in and sleep a while more?” His sweet voice calms the rushing of blood in my head. I don’t say anything. How is his lap so comfortable?
“I’m sorry…” His voice is low, but I caught it nonetheless. I sit up a bit too quickly, triggering a blood rush. “Are you okay?”
I blink instead of nod. “What are you apologising for?”
He casts his gaze down, guilt clouding his pretty eyes. “If I didn’t sleep over last night, you wouldn’t have given me your blanket, and you wouldn’t have caught the cold.”
“Jjun,” I roll my eyes, “I was the one who offered, remember? Besides, it’s just a cold.”
“But…” He starts again, but I lie back down and pull my blanket up. With my head on his lap, I feel Namjoon pat my arm in a soft lullaby.
When I wake up again, I stare at the familiar walls of my own bedroom. I stay lying down for a while as I try to blink the sleep away. I push myself up into sitting position and looking around, I notice a slip of paper resting under my phone on the bedside table. A note.
Left the medicine on the kitchen counter.
Heat up the porridge before eating, and don’t forget to take the meds after.
Call me if you need anything.
- J
Did he go back already? Pulling on a sweater, I shuffle out of the room.
“Jjun?” I call just to confirm.
“Did you bring him home again?”
My head snaps towards the voice and I see my mum lounging on the sofa with a fashion magazine in hand. Namjoon is definitely not here anymore.
I eye her suspiciously. “You’re back early today.”
“Yeah.” Her voice is all tones of tired but it barely shows on her face. I look between her and the little pot of porridge sitting on the dining table.
“Our new neighbour made me porridge. Would you like some?”
Setting down her magazine, she looks up at me. “Yes, that would be nice.”
“I’ll just heat it up for a bit.” Bringing the pot over to the stove, I turn on the fire and let its contents simmer and boil. There were no formalities when it comes to eating with my mum so I bring out with me only two spoons. Mum sits at the table while staring blankly at her phone.
“How’s the new family next door?” She asks out of nowhere.
“They’re really nice. Taehyung will be in my class.”
Mum nods. “It’s good you made a new friend.”
The rest of dinner remains silent. There was nothing awkward or not about it – the silence hangs itself upon us without much of a presence.
“I’m going over for a while,” I say out of respect. I’d told Taehyung earlier that day that I would help him with whatever he needed help with. That, and there is also the pot to return. Mum grunts in response as she disappears into her room. I sigh.
Not bothering to put on a coat, I stand in front of the door in slippers as I press the doorbell.
“Sera!” Taehyung looks excited at first but his smile dies down quickly. “Hurry in, it’s cold outside.”
“Auntie, Uncle,” I greet when I enter. Taehyung’s parents smile warmly at me. Holding up the pot in my hands, I thank Auntie for the porridge.
“You’re welcome,” she says, taking the pot from me. “Are you feeling better now?”
“Yes, Auntie, much. Thank you.”
“Good. Now run along, I’m sure you kids have things to do.”
I bow again before turning to Taehyung. He nods in the direction of a room and leads me in. Looking around, I assume this is his room.
“So, you know how they give us book lists with all the textbooks that we need,” Taehyung starts as soon as he closes the door behind him, leaving it slightly ajar.
I raise an eyebrow at him. “You want me to help you pack your bag.”
“Eh…” Taehyung scratches his head as he flashes his goofy smile.
I sit on the floor beside his scattered books and look through them as I pull up a mental image of my timetable.
“Just bring everything.”
“Okay. Wait, what?” Taehyung blinks at me.
I shrug. “You can keep what you don’t need in the locker. They’ll probably give you one tomorrow but if they don’t, you can use mine. No one really keeps books at home anyway unless it’s exam period.”
“Ah…”
A thought suddenly crosses my mind, and I don’t know if I want to voice it out. I decide to just worry about it again at school tomorrow. Now, sitting cross-legged on the floor, Taehyung stares at me from across his room.
“About Namjoon hyung,” Taehyung starts awkwardly. It feels weird for me to hear him call Namjoon ‘hyung’ because I never call him oppa. Taehyung and I are both the same age.
“What about him?” I uncross my legs and stretch them out in front of me.
Taehyung’s face scrunches up in his thinking frown. “He’s a nice guy.”
“What did you guys talk about in my absence?” I ask, curiosity piqued. “The last I remember, you two were ready to bite each other’s heads off.”
“Just saying. I think I like this hyung. Speaking of which,” Taehyung raises an eyebrow at me, “Why do you speak so casually with him?”
I shrug. “We were as close as real siblings as kids so I never really bothered with honorifics. I guess it stuck.”
“Siblings, huh? Hyung would break down in tears if he heard that.”
I furrow my eyebrows. “Why would he?”
“What, why?” Taehyung mirrors my expression before his eyes widen. He cusses under his breath before putting on a new front, “I didn’t say anything.”
“Sure you didn’t.” I roll my eyes.
Taehyung sighs. “Namjoon hyung really cares for you a lot. You’re one lucky girl to have him by your side.”
“Are you jealous of me now?” I taunt jokingly. An unfamiliar pang of longing hits my heart as an image of Namjoon appears before my eyes. I blink it away, then fumble about to grasp onto it as it dissipates.
“I think that’s enough for today,” Taehyung says. He smiles knowingly at me.
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A/N: First update of the year! I hope everyone has had a good rest over the long weekend in preperation for the new year. I've been busy ever since I came back to work so here I am squeezing out a chapter while I can. I think we can finally expect more interaction between Sera and Namjoon from here on, what are your thoughts?
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