CHAPTER XVII

**YERIN**

I carefully unbuckled my seatbelt and retrieved my schoolbag from the side before stepping out of Taehyung’s car. Immediately, I felt the autumn breeze greet my skin. The fabric of our uniform seems to be susceptible to the current season.

I loosely hugged my frame while rubbing my hands over my arms for some heat as I waited for Taehyung to step out of the vehicle. He still had to reply to some messages on his phone which he failed to do while driving. I would have bid him goodbye and left to go inside in a heartbeat had he not motioned a hand over to me, telling me to wait for him. Well, he might have something important to say. Thus, I opted to be the good girl I sometimes can be and stayed despite the torturous September wind chilling me to the bones.

“Sorry. One classmate of mine keeps insisting to have me over for a party at his house this coming Friday. I had to phrase my excuse correctly.”

“It’s fine,” I said but the way I was shivering tells the exact opposite. Taehyung must have noticed it because even if I didn’t ask for it, he removed the jacket of his uniform and threw it over my shoulders. I couldn’t quite see his expression since it was dark out and the nearest source of light was a lone lamppost a few meters away from us. I could imagine how awkward it is for him though. I mean Taehyung isn’t one to be a gentleman. Doing so probably feels so weird for him. I appreciate the effort anyway. In some ways, I’m starting to see him as an actually decent guy minus the arrogant attitude he sometimes gives me.

“You better go inside. I don’t want to see you freezing to death even before my eommoni could meet you.”

I rolled my eyes and replied with much sarcasm. “Right! That’s all you care about. What do I expect?”

“Why? Were you expecting me to say something romantic?”

I scoffed. “As if. I knew from the start you weren’t going to do that.”

Taehyung didn’t bother to reply after that. Instead, he looked at me, now void of amusement, before turning his back on me and making his way back to his car.

“Jerk,” I mumbled to myself as I held his jacket tighter. I was somehow annoyed at the fact that just as soon as I start to actually like Taehyung for something, he just has to blow it all away with his petty mouth and unpleasant attitude. I swear this alien must be bipolar.

The vehicle’s engine roared to life and within seconds, Taehyung went speeding down the quiet street. I turned around and began heading for my apartment’s door before I heard an unusual sound from behind.

Curious, I turned back around only to see Taehyung’s car parked not far from where I stood.

“,” Taehyung cursed while he made his way out of the automobile before irately slamming its door shut.

“Out of all the time adversity could strike me, it just had to be now,” he continued to mumble.

I blinked at him in question. I don’t really know what happened but one thing I’m sure about is that Taehyung is pissed about it.

“Can I come inside?” he asked as soon as he was a foot away from me after running to my direction, leaving his car to fend for itself. I couldn’t help but notice the way he tried to shift his demeanor for my sake. He requested with a tone so fragile despite the obvious annoyance hinted on his face. If I were to follow my evil thoughts, I would have refused and made him pay for every aggravating thing he did to me. However, I’m not that kind of person so I decided to take pity on his now shivering form (since I have his jacket) and stepped aside, gesturing him to go ahead. I am the reason he’s feeling the chill. It wouldn’t be right if I deprive him of the warmth of my home, the home he bought for me.

“Do you want anything to drink?” I offered as soon as the hospitality my mother taught me while I was young appeared in my system.

Taehyung shook his head while he put on one of the pair of guest slippers from the rack by the entrance. “Don’t bother. I’m not planning on staying long. I just need to contact one of the drivers back at home.”

I shrugged and headed first to the living room, loudly asking, “What happened anyway?”

Taehyung followed after me and approached the couch before slumping himself on it. “I ran out of fuel. I didn’t notice I was running low. It’s a good thing we got here though.”

I merely hummed in agreement as a response while I stretched out my feet in front of me, removing my shoes in the process.

Taehyung settled with the silence I offered and preferred to fish out his phone from his pockets instead. I quietly observed him from where I was while pretending to be occupied with massaging my sore feet after a whole day of wearing heeled shoes.

He didn’t seem to have noticed my gaze or if he did, he chose to ignore it. Rather than picking on a fight, he fiddled with his phone for a moment before holding the device close to his ear. I would have gazed elsewhere and gave him the privacy but something caught my eye and I just can’t help but realize it.

Since when was Taehyung’s phone same as mine?

**YUNA**

“Do you want to come inside for a little while?”

Jungkook rolled his tongue in the inside of my cheek, a habit of his whenever something is making him nervous and I couldn’t help but giggle.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, feeling embarrassed at himself.

“You are.”

He raised a brow in question and I suddenly found myself thinking how hot he looked with that expression on. I mean yes, we’ve been together for years but c’mon. I freaking have the most handsome boy in South Korea as my boyfriend. I can’t just not swoon over him from time to time. My hormones aren’t that inactive.

“You look hot,” I blurted but immediately covered my mouth after as soon as it got to me how reckless that statement was.

It was Jungkook’s turn to laugh and instead of feeling flustered, I decided to laugh with him. We didn’t even drink with the others but it felt like we were really groggy. I can’t seem to focus anymore. However, I was taken back to reality when I noticed Jungkook’s hand wrap itself around my frame, pulling me to his chest for a hug.

“You don’t know how much effect you have on me, woman,” he breathed in my hair as he inhaled the scent of it. I was secretly praying the smell of my peach flavored shampoo still lingered. I wouldn’t want him thinking I didn’t wash my hair. Jungkook is many things but he is not one who could tolerate untidiness. Well, it’s a good thing we could somehow agree on that matter.

I wrapped my arms around his neck as I gazed up to meet his brown orbs which were shining in my eyes despite the darkness of the night. He looked so serene like being in this position was all he needed. He felt so affectionate of me which made me remember and regret the times wherein I thought of breaking up with him. How could I even think of something so cruel when all Jungkook ever wants since we began this relationship is for everything between us to never end? How can I deny him of the love he deserves?

“I love you,” I said, barely a whisper but I knew Jungkook heard it all too well based on the gleam on his face that came afterwards.

“I know. You don’t have to tell me that.”

“But I want to.”

He chuckled and slid his arms up to my head to ruffle my hair. “Yeah, yeah,” he muttered before moving his hands to now caress my cheek, making me look back at his face and meet his eyes.

“I love you too, Yuna-ah.”

**YERIN**

“. What’s the use of hiring so many drivers when none of them could even be available at this hour?” Taehyung cursed as soon as he ended the call in mild irritation.

I kept quiet the whole time he was talking and just by listening at how Taehyung’s tone escalated from calm to raging, I knew something was up and I found it better to just keep my mouth shut and let him be.

“All of them really needs to be fired.”

“That’s not fair.”

I quickly covered my mouth upon rashly saying the statement that’s supposed to remain in my mind. It didn’t fail to catch Taehyung’s ears though. He was now staring at me and I could only bite my lips as I wait for him to let out his anger on me. He does have the tendency of projecting his emotions to the wrong people or things. Unexpectedly, he didn’t. In fact, I even saw the way his eyes soften and his lips let out a sigh before he turned his back on me and left for the kitchen.

What was that?

~~~~~

“I drank some of your orange juice, by the way,” Taehyung informed me as he emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn in his right hand and an almost empty glass of the orange juice in his left.

A threw him a deadpan look, masking the irritation that’s bubbling in my system. In case he doesn’t know, I actually saved that orange juice for my breakfast tomorrow. That was the last batch and I am still yet to buy another bottle not until this weekend. Sometimes…no, scratch that…most of the time, Taehyung badly makes me want to rip my hair out of my head in utter frustration.

The said alien plopped himself on the couch and popped a piece of popcorn in his mouth after placing the glass in the nearest table. He reached out to retrieve the remote from the other side of the couch before turning on the television so casually as if he owns the place.

Well, he does actually own this apartment but in case he forgot, I’m the one in charge in here since he basically gave this place to me. Proper respect would have been nice.

I threw him an inquisitive look as I stood up and placed my hands on my hips. “Excuse me?”

He looked up at me while chewing a mouthful of popcorn in his mouth. “Yushhh?”

“What do you think are you doing? Shouldn’t you be going home?”

“None of our drivers is available so I’m staying here tonight.”

I swear I had my eyes pop out of their sockets. What did he say again? He’s staying over for the night?

I couldn’t have heard right.

“What?”

Taehyung shifted in his seat and turned his frame to my direction before placing his arm to rest on the back of the couch. “I said I’ll be sleeping here for tonight. Why? Is there something wrong with what I just said?

Everything is freakin’ wrong, you idiot!

I wanted to scream at him so bad but I decided to make myself at ease despite the desire to throw a fit. It was already late and I’m well-mannered enough to keep my mouth shut at this hour. What I did though was to heave a deep sigh and fake a smile.

“You always do as you please, don’t you?” I said while keeping the act. Taehyung doesn’t seem to notice my discomfort at the matter on hand because he only shrugged and popped another popcorn into his mouth.

I swear. This guy takes away years from my life.

“You know what? I’m not even going to care anymore.”

I raised both my hands in surrender while I walked over to fetch my bag from the couch before making my way to the stairs. I’m too tired to give a damn to whatever Taehyung wants. He could live his life the way he wants it and I could live mine the way I want it.

“Oy! Where are you going?!”

I no longer took the effort to face him but waved a hand instead,