School
Love AgainI wake up early the next day to prepare breakfast. The original plan was to feed myself on the way to school. But as I subconsciously toasted more slices of bread than I can eat, I decide to just make sandwiches for Namjoon too.
Changed into my uniform, I put the lunchbox meant for Namjoon into my bag before zipping it up and hitching it onto my shoulder. I bite onto my own sandwich and open the door to have Taehyung knock on my forehead.
“Oops, that was not supposed to happen,” Taehyung says cheekily.
I roll my eyes. “Sure, it isn’t. You ready for school?”
“Will I ever be?” He sighs, then his eyes narrow at me. “Is that a sandwich?”
“No, it’s a potato. Does this not look like a sandwich?” My sarcasm is on point this morning.
“And you couldn’t have been nice enough to make one for me too?” He blinks his puppy eyes at me.
I shrug. “I thought you would have eaten at home. I made extra for Jjun, you want?”
“You made breakfast for Namjoon hyung?” His eyebrows shoot sky-high as amusement glitters in his eyes. I resist the urge to smack him.
“Shut up and let’s get moving already. The bus leaves in ten minutes.”
We reach the bus stop just in time to make it the last few to board the crowded bus. Squashed against the door, I flatten myself as much as possible to avoid skin contact with any strangers. Usually, I would leave house earlier to walk to the previous bus stop to catch the bus. With Taehyung, I wasn’t sure if he wanted to walk the extra block and we were also slightly late today.
“Is it usually this crowded?” Taehyung struggles to ask. I notice how he’s supporting the weight of people around us so I get more breathing room but judging from his expression, it must be quite tiring. So I tell him my usual routine.
“We should do that tomorrow,” he agrees a bit too enthusiastically and I laugh at his response.
Dazed in the crowd, I forget about the door opening at the next stop and the driver had so conveniently ignored to warn me. I only remember where I’m standing when the solid door behind me swings out. I yelp out as I fall, but the impact of skull against concrete never comes. I open my tightly shut eyes to see a pair of familiar ones look back at me.
“Sera! Namjoon hyung!” Taehyung hurriedly reaches out to pull me back up on my feet, Namjoon’s firm hands supporting my back. Lucky for us, majority of the people get off at this stop so when the back of the bus clears up, the rest of us in front move in. Spotting an empty seat, Namjoon pushes me over.
“We’re getting off the next stop,” I remind him, meaning that there’s no need for me to sit. His response is a glare I know to mean there’s no room for discussion. Pouting, I do as I’m told.
“Such dark mood to start the morning?” Taehyung just had to go poke at Namjoon by asking this. Namjoon narrows his eyes at me and I look away. What did I even do to him?
Namjoon mumbles something about needing his caffeine kick as I reach up to press the bell. Like the impatient person I am, I stand before the bus fully stops. Inertia sways me off my feet as the bus jerks in its break.
“Oi!” Namjoon flies forward to steady me and as I compose myself I try to ignore how ticklish his hand on my waist is making me. I clear my throat and putting on my best poker face, I push past the boys and alight the bus.
It’s a short three minutes into the school. Juggling my backpack as I swing it over to my front I pull out the lunchbox inside and casually pass it to Namjoon.
“What’s this?” Namjoon asks, blinking at me.
“Potato.”
Taehyung smacks me playfully on the arm. “Enough with the potato thing already!”
I shrug and with hurried steps speed walk into school. In eagerness to hide my embarrassment, I have for a moment forgotten that Taehyung is supposed to be following me into class. I turn around to call for him only to have him bump into me. I rub my head where it collided with his chin.
“Did they tell you to stop by the admin office first?” I ask Taehyung.
“Nope, I already have all the documents I need.”
Nodding, I lead Taehyung down the common corridor and up a flight of stairs while being overly conscious of the stares we’re getting.
“Are you one of those popular kids in school?” Taehyung asks out of nowhere. I shake my head grimly.
“Oh, Sera sunbae!” Jungkook waves at me and I smiles back. As he jogs up to me, he brandishes a piece of paper and excitedly pushes it in my face. Studying it, I realise that it’s the Math test he’d had over the weekend. He’d narrowly passes his paper, a surprising improvement from the F he’d gotten on the last test.
“Wow, Jeon Jungkook!” I give him a celebratory smack on his shoulder. “But you know that you have Namjoon sunbae to thank for this, right?”
Jungkook’s smile falters slightly. “He was only a one day relief tutor,” he argues.
“Whatever,” I roll my eyes. “We still on today or do you want to take a break?”
“I’ll be waiting in the library later,” Jungkook confirms.
Taehyung nudges me with his elbow as we continue up the stairs to the next floor. “You seem pretty popular to me.”
My nails poke into my palm as I clench a tight fist. “Probably not in the way you’re thinking. By lunch you won’t even want to talk to me in school anymore.”
“What, why?”
I don’t answer his question. Strolling into class, I take my seat at the back corner while Taehyung lingers awkwardly around me. I almost laugh because he looks so adorable when he’s confused. Almost. I want to tell him to just grab a random seat but the rest of the class files in with our homeroom teacher close behind. My neighbour, Jimin, eyes Taehyung suspiciously as he sits. The girls talk about the new boy in hushed whispers as they steal glances at Taehyung.
“Kim Taehyung, right?” Our teacher calls out, startling Taehyung. “I see you’ve found yourself a buddy.”
“Yes, sir,” he answers timidly. Jimin snickers at him and I shoot him a death glare. But accustomed to my aloofness, he doesn’t spare me a second look as he returns his attention to the front.
Amidst the chaos, Taehyung is called up to the podium introduce himself to the class. As there is only one empty table left just by the front door, our teacher asks if he’ll be comfortable sitting there.
“Actually,” the teacher scans the class, “Park Jimin, you come to the front and let Taehyung sit by Sera.”
“Why!” Jimin’s eyes widen.
Before we can delay class any longer, we are told that this would be only until we find time to rearrange the seating plan. Defeated, Jimin pulls out his books from under the table as Taehyung makes his way back. He looks slightly uneasy with all the eyes on him but I smile at him reassuringly. When I turn back to Jimin, I see that he’s staring wide-eyed at me.
As he hoists up his bag, he leans down and whispers to me, “You’re pretty when you smile.”
“She’s taken,” Taehyung so kindly whispers back. “And thanks for the seat!”
Jimin raises his eyebrows at the part about me being taken but he nods curtly at Taehyung as he moves to his new seat.
“Of all things you could say,” I jab him, “why am I suddenly taken?”
Taehyung rolls his eyes at me. “You have Namjoon hyung.”
“Poor Taehyung has to sit with the ice queen,” my sensitive hearing picks up from somewhere. Three tables down, two rows away.
“They came into class together. Of all people he could ask for help from…”
“Taehyung seems like a nice kid. We should warn him about Sera.”
I wonder if Taehyung is hearing this too and when I turn towards him his curious eyes find mine, confirming my suspicions. I shrug nonchalantly. Maybe being Taehyung’s buddy at school isn’t that all a good thing. I might be used to being the loner but I don’t suppose Taehyung would appreciate sharing that label with me.
After class, Taehyung makes use of the short transition break to fire me with questions.
“This is what you were worried about the whole time?” He asks.
“Go talk to other people and make friends.” I already feel bad enough that Taehyung is stuck with me but he made me guiltier by rejecting people who want to know him.
Taehyung narrows his eyes at me. “Are you a bully?”
I almost choke on the water I’m drinking. I smack him playfully on the arm, a smile playing on my lips. But before I can defend myself, a couple of girls come up to him.
“Taehyung?” One of the girls start, catching Taehyung’s attention. A light shade of pink tints her cheeks as he turns towards her.
“We’re just wondering if you want to join our study group,” the other girl offers. “It’s late in the semester and everyone’s already got their own groups.”
I am not surprised by Taehyung’s answer: “I’m with Sera, right, Sera?”
“Oh, but Sera isn’t into study groups,” the girls speak up for me. I shrug when Taehyung shoots me a curious look.
“What she said,” I say, leaning back against my chair.
Taehyung rolls his eyes at me. “I’m still with Sera anyway. Thanks for the offer but I’m good.”
I pretend to be annoyed by him but I’m cheering on the inside.
“You think we can steal Namjoon hyung over, too?” Taehyung asks. His question raises eyebrows around us.
“He’s with the popular people,” I tell him. His mouth forms an ’O’ as he takes in the new information. It’s not long before another one of his sneaky smiles creep up on his face.
This is why now at lunch, I am squashed between Hoseok and Taehyung at the cafeteria. Namjoon stares at me from across the table. I hang my head in disbelieve at how I got myself into this situation.
“Sera wants to what?” Yoongi asks for the third time in the past five minutes.
“Technically, it’s what Taehyung wants,” I clarify. Earlier, as soon as we entered the cafeteria, Taehyung had dragged me over to this table and sat me down just because Namjoon was here too. He’d climbed in beside me and the first words out of his mouth were to ask to join Namjoon’s study group.
His exact words were, “Namjoon hyung, we want to join your study group.” His logic had been that it wouldn’t make sense to pull Namjoon out of his group, so it would be better for ‘us’ to join them. Either way it was ridiculous but Taehyung was adamant on being with the smartest guy in school.
Hoseok had almost spat out his rice and Namjoon has been staring at me since. I mean, who even forms cross-level study groups? I smile awkwardly at the seniors.
“Please ignore what just happened. This guy is not very right in the mind.” I pull Taehyung up, lasers shooting out of my eyes.
“I’m fine with it,” comes Yoongi’s horrifying agreement.
“Me too,” Hoseok echoes.
I look at Namjoon with pleading eyes for him to disagree to this. He’s the smartest guy here – surely he could see how wrong this arrangement would be?
“School study group would be a bit awkward,” Namjoon says, much to my relief. “But I can find time to help you study if you want.”
Taehyung frowns in disappointment. “Ah… that’ll do! Come on, Sera, let’s head back to class.”
Looking between the seniors and Taehyung, I bow slightly in apology to the older people before shaking my head following behind the younger kid.
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A/N: Continues from Chapter 15, before I broke the flow with Taehyung's POV. And to compensate for the delay in updates, another chapter will be up today!
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