You and Taeyang sat opposite each other in the canteen, you wanted to say something but you were too afraid it would sound dumb or be completely irrelevant. Not to mention the fact that Taeyang looked completely comfortable just sitting there in silence, it didn’t help your nerves at all.

Taeyang saw you fidget in your seat awkwardly at the silence, admitted he too was now finding it more uncomfortable but what could he say? He tried to think, but he was distracted by your eyes. He found it strange to find an Asian girl with green eyes, and yours were a pure, bright green that shone like emeralds in the light.

Your eyes held the innocence and optimism he adored about you, and the depth to your eyes made him curious. How was he supposed to keep his distance when he was this attracted to you? He wanted to wince at the consequences of this meeting.

“So you like comic books?” you finally said, at first he was confused but when you pointed to the sticker on his binder he understood immediately.

The smile that made your kegs turn jelly appeared and stretched out across his lips, if only those lips could come closer till they were an inch away from yours…

“Yeah, it’s the one thing my mind can get lost in,” he lied. It wasn’t the only thing, your eyes made him lose focus of his surroundings till he concentrated on nothing but you. Damn, he was so going to regret this.

“What comic books do you like? What about Marvel? I used to have a Marvel comic book collection as a kid, but my umma and appa sold it. They said I was too old for them,” you said with a small smile.

You watched shock appear in his eyes. “You like comics?”

You laughed nervously. “Yeah, growing up with GD kind of made me turn into a comic book freak as a kid. Why?”

He shook his head. “Nothing, it’s just…I didn’t think girls liked comic books. I thought they played with Barbie dolls and had tea parties.”

“If I wasn’t so comfortable in my seat, I would have probably hit you for that comment,” you joked as you took a chip and bit into it.

You saw Taeyang’s mood darken and his mouth became a firm thin line.

“Trust me, your punches wouldn’t hurt me,” he said darkly. You felt an eerie shiver run down your spine as his words processed through your mind. What did he mean?

“You get punched often?” you asked him, meaning for it to be a joke but the minute the words  left your mouth you wanted to take them back. “I’m sorry, that was really insensitive of me,” you apologised but he shook his head.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

Feeling guilty as ever, you hung your head low but you wanted to know more. He was the biggest mystery ever…well apart from your scarily accurate dreams of the future, he was the second biggest mystery in your life.

“I’m sorry anyway.”

Taeyang gave you a grim smile. “It’s nothing. Let’s just say…I know the feeling of being punched,” he hid his grimace from you as memories of steel knuckles slamming down onto his face and body repeatedly till he was knocked unconscious.

You watched as his knuckles turned white from the way he clenched his fists into tight balls, without thinking about it you put your hand on top of his and rubbed your thumb gently across the back of his hand.

Taeyang couldn’t have been more surprised if you had slapped him, he was used to the cruel and cold hearted people, but your kindness stunned him to his very soul. Your thumb soothingly rubbed circles against his hand, and he wanted to savour your touch. He committed this very memory to his mind, he wanted to always remember the compassion you brought into his life.

“I hope everything for you is okay at home. If you need to talk to anybody, I’m always here,” you promised him sincerely, you couldn’t help but notice his cheeks were turning a light shade of pink. Was he blushing? For you? You wanted to smile in satisfaction at the thought, but now wasn’t the time.

“Thanks for the offer ~~~~~ ah, but I don’t need anyone,” Taeyang assured you in a voice so miserable you wanted to cry for him. You squeezed his hand softly, and gave him a bright and encouraging smile.

“Everyone needs someone. And I’m happy to be that someone for you,” you told him looking deep into his eyes.

Taeyang wanted to kiss you so badly that he was beginning to question his sanity, how could one girl make him want to give up everything he had worked for? He wanted to finally understand a concept he had never fully understood…love. To be loved or to even love someone.

His heated gaze swept over your entire body making you squirm in embarrassment in your seat, no guy had looked at you as passionately as Taeyang did now. If his eyes had teeth, they’d be eating you right now. You couldn’t believe your desire to be with him, you wanted to make all his hurtful memories disappear and replace it with happy, blissful ones. Ones that he would cherish.

Taeyang couldn’t help himself; he turned his hand and clasped his fingers around yours. His rough hands were powerful and strong, but his gentle touch seared you till you were giddy from it. If only he knew what his mere presence did to your brain!

“Thank you ~~~~~~ ah,” he said softly, his eyes a perfect shade of brown that made you want to gaze in them forever.

You looked at the clock on the canteen wall and you sighed. “I have to go, I promised I’d meet up with my cousin and his friends in 5 minutes and they're on the other side of campus.”

He unwillingly let go of your hand and stood up. “Then let’s go.”

You followed suit, and stood by his side furrowing your brows in confusion.

“Where are you going?"

He smirked seductively and tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear. “I can’t let a lady wander around on her own now could I? I am surprisingly a good guy you know,” he teased you relentlessly. Rolling your eyes you lightly pushed him to move.

“Alright Mr. Sarcasm, keep walking.”

As the two of you strolled around the campus dangerously close to each other, other students eyed you two curiously. Some in envy, some in shock. You noticed that some cast wary glances at Taeyang; as if they were worried he would pounce and attack them if they made one single move wrong. It amused, irritated and confused you all at the same time.

“How do you deal with it?” you blurted out as your curiosity got the better of you. He raised an eyebrow.

“Deal with what? The boring professors or the shady students?” he joked. You giggled and shook your head.

“No! I mean the other students staring at you like that, I’m kind of getting self conscious,” you admitted. When his eyebrows went up higher, you gasped. “I’m sorry, didn’t you notice? God I’m being so stupid,” you cursed yourself.

Taeyang chuckled humorously. “It’s hard not to miss them staring at me, but I like to think it’s my good looks.”

You wasn’t sure if he was joking or not, but you shouldn’t have cared. He is good looking; even the most highly paid model in South Korea would envy his well muscled body and his tawny skin. You began to wonder if he had a six pack.

You wanted to slap yourself. Of course has a six pack ! You should be wondering if it’s an eight pack! Your conscious scolded you. You blushed at the thought; actually…even an eight pack wouldn’t have surprised you either. No doubt that you would be seriously impressed though, but then again…he never failed to astound you in one way or another.

You wrinkled your nose at his answer. “Yeah I guess, but doesn’t it bother you?”

He shrugged. “You get used to it. At least they’re not ramming knuckle dusters into my side, that seriously hurts,” he winced as a painful memory assailed him. Why did he even bring it up? He could feel the raw pain even now.

“Someone punched you with a knuckle duster?” you asked shocked at his confession.

“I was joking ~~~~~ ah,” he lied, you seemed to buy it.

“Well you certainly have an odd sense of humour.”

He gave you a droll stare. “It came from amazing company.”

You laughed. It hurt him a little that you didn’t hear the truth in his joking tone, but he let it pass. You shouldn’t know his true past; it would disgust and frighten you. Besides, he shouldn’t even be associating with you, let alone telling you secrets from a past that should be left alone.

“You have a leaf in your hair,” Taeyang said, he pointed at your hair.

“I do? Where?” your hand flew to your hair, but you couldn’t feel it. Taeyang smiled and took a step closer to you.

“Here, let me help,” he offered and fished it out. He was so close you could feel the heat radiating from his body, it made you want to hug him and never let go.

“~~~~~~~ ah!” you heard GD call your name impatiently from a far. You looked and mouthed ‘in a minute’, GD huffed and turned his back on you.

“I’m keeping you from them, I’ll leave now,” Taeyang said coldly. Talk about serious mood swings, but he was already walking away.

“Thanks,” you said as he walked away. He didn’t look back, pissed and confused at his sudden aloofness you stormed over to your cousin, his friends and Remi.

“You’re late for once,” TOP said in his low voice, you rolled your eyes and sat next to him.

“I wish I could say the same to you, but oh wait, you’re always late,” you snapped back. TOP held his hands up in surrender.

“Why were you talking to that freak?” GD hissed suddenly, he looked so hostile and so angry you wanted to squeal and run behind something for cover. However, GD is your cousin and you knew he would never hurt you. That gave you more confidence.

“What are you talking about?” your own temper flaring, matching his.

GD glared at you. “I think we both know ~~~~~~ ah. Why do you hang around with him? He has no friends; no one likes him…except for you. Did you ever think he was doing it to get into your pants? And you’re letting him, I thought you were better than that.”

You slapped GD. Hard.

You were seething, you spoke in a low dangerous voice. “How dare you! How can you begin to think I’d give myself away so carelessly to someone, and I thought we were family? Don’t talk to me, don’t text me I don’t care. Just stay out of my life.”

You your heel and stalked off in the opposite direction, your eyes filling up with tears. Of all the people to hurt you, it had to be your cousin. GD was the one person you could count on, but he’d let you down and hurt you.

“~~~~~~ ah! Wait!” Remi ran in front of you and hugged you tight. “He didn’t mean it ~~~~~~ ah, he was just trying to protect you. You know GD loves you like his own little sister.”

You sniffed. “Yeah? Then why did he practically say I was a ?”

Remi pulled back and stared at you. “You know what he’s like. He says things when he’s angry that he doesn’t mean. It’s his warped way of protecting you, he regrets every word he said ~~~~~~ ah.”

“Well, I don’t want his apology at the moment. I just want to be left alone.”

Remi nodded. “Then let me drive you home at least. You don’t have any more lectures do you?”

Shaking your head, Remi lead you to her car where she drove you back to her house.

“God, I just want to punch his little head,” you shrieked as you walked into your house, and imagined GD’s face was your hand and you began to punch it. Remi laughed at you.

“Don’t we all. Yeah, I know I’m his girlfriend, but even he annoys me sometimes,” she said with a roll of her eyes.

“Well, I get the first punch,” you said. “I’m going to go and make some Kimchi. Want some?”

“Sure, I’ll go ring my umma that I’m eating here,” Remi walked back out of the house, whilst you went to the kitchen to prepare the food.

You began to prepare everything, until it came to cutting the ginger. You washed your hands not bothering to dry them at all and them you took a sharp knife from the drawer.

Your damp grip slipped on the knife, and it sliced through the air as it descended down. If it had landed it would have cut straight through your toes, but it didn’t land. Instead Remi had caught it.

You jumped back in shock. How did she get here so fast? Without being heard?

“Would you be careful, I don’t want blood in my car again,” she scolded you. But you didn’t listen, you gaped at her.

“How did you do that?”

She stared at you. “How did I do what?”

“You were outside, then all of a sudden you were here,” you yelped. Remi put the knife on the counter, keeping it far from the edge.

“~~~~~~ ah, I was standing behind you,” Remi said. You refused to believe it.

“But even then, you couldn’t have gotten here that fast,” you argued. Remi let out a tired laugh.

“~~~~~~ ah, you’re tired and distressed over your argument with GD. Is the garlic messing with your vision?” Remi joked.

You wanted to correct her and say. “Actually you're messing with my vision.”

But you caught yourself, tired of arguing you nodded in agreement.

“You’re right, maybe I am just tired. Sorry, it’s just…well you have very fast reflexes,” you said. You watched for any hesitation or worry in Remi’s face, nothing. She looked composed and calm, her calmness reminded you of Taeyang.

“I’ve been told.” There was a knock on the door. “I’ll go get it.” Remi offered and left the kitchen, leaving you alone.

You tried to forget about the event just not, but you couldn’t. There was no way Remi could have gotten to you and the knife that fast, even if she was standing behind you. Besides, the way she grabbed the knife in the right place rather than the blade, her movement hazy and too fast for your eyes to follow couldn’t have been coincidence.

No human had reflexes that good.

“What is happening to me?” you asked yourself out loud. Remi is human, and you felt guilty for even thinking that she wasn’t. Remi was your friend, you shouldn’t doubt her.

“~~~~~~ ah someone’s here to see you,” Remi said behind you, you slowly turned to face an apologetic looking GD.

“Hi,” he said in a quiet voice.

You turned back to your cooking. “What do you want?”

“Urm, I’ll leave you two alone,” Remi said, you heard her walk away. You continued to ignore GD’s presence.

“~~~~~ ah please talk to me,” he finally begged, rushing to your side. You kept your eyes down.

“What’s there to talk about?”

You could almost hear him pull his hair out in frustration. “Anything, just say something. Hurl abuse at me, insult me…anything! Just please talk to me.”

You him with a glare so fierce, he actually held his hands out in protection. “Do you really want me to talk? Well here’s what I have to say. I think you’re a judgemental, arrogant annoying pig, who jumps to conclusions and completely disregards what other people have to say,” you hissed at him.

GD winced at your words, he nodded meekly. “I know, and I’m really sorry. I know you’re not a…you’re not that type of person,” he changed his words the moment he saw your livid expression. “It’s just, you’re my baby cousin and I love you like my own sister and if anything happens to you because of some guy…I don’t think I’d ever forgive myself.”

You softened, and you let him hug you.

“I’m so sorry ~~~~~ ah, what do I have to do to make it up to you?” he said in your ear. You pulled back.

“You can make it up to me by helping me prepare the food,” you said.

GD’s famous mischievous smile returned. “Well, you chose the perfect helper.”

2 minutes into cooking, GD had spilt half of the garlic onto the floor making you have to chop more. And he forgot to add the chilli.

“Okay, maybe I should’ve chosen someone else,” you joked. GD scowled at you as he had been degraded to just stirring the Kimchi.

“I’m glad you two made up,” Remi said from the door. You smiled at her.

“Yeah, I can’t really stay mad at people for long.”

She laughed. “Well, I’ll be in the front room watching TV. Let me know if he burns the house down,” she winked at GD.

GD frowned at her. “Just be glad I love you, otherwise you would be in serious pain right now.”

Remi rolled her eyes and headed back to the front room, not at all initmidated by him.

“Hey oppa. Does Remi do weird stuff?” you asked him. He looked at you curiously.

“Weird stuff like what?”

“I don’t know, when you two are alone, does she have really fast reflexes? Like, faster than normal?”

GD stayed quiet for longer than he should have but he finally answered, not looking up. “No, pretty normal reflexes. Why?”

“Nothing, just wondering.”

And nothing more was said on the subject.

The three of you had a wonderful dinner, and when they left. You trudged upstairs and went to bed.

-

-

-

“I enjoyed tonight,” Remi said in the car, as GD drove them to his house.

“Yeah, I did too. I’m glad me and ~~~~~~ ah made up.”

Remi’s face turned instantly serious and she turned her body slightly.

“Earlier this evening ~~~~~~ ah dropped a knife, and-…”

GD cut her off. “Let me guess, you got it before it landed on one of her toes and saved her a trip to the hospital?”

Remi nodded. “Yeah, but…she’s getting suspicious. She was asking me questions, and I tried to convince her it was nothing but she wouldn’t have it.”

GD took Remi’s hand into his, and held it tight.

“She was asking me questions too. She’s always been paranoid all her life. Don’t worry, we will keep everything hidden till it’s time,” he assured her.

Remi sighed. “I guess she has a right to be paranoid this time. Anyway why can’t we tell her now? I hate lying and she deserves to know.”

“Because, she’s not ready to know yet. It’s too early, I don’t want to hurt her with information she doesn’t need at the moment,” GD explained patiently.

Remi leaned back against her seat. “I guess so. But ‘soon’ better hurry up, I don’t think we can keep this from her any longer.”

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Hope it was okay :) Please comment and let me know what you think!!