good intentions.

Taehyung woke up from a nightmare, his hair and letting out a tight sigh. It would've sounded like an airy laugh to practically anyone else.

He rubbed at his face, slightly oily at his nose, and immediately felt for a pack of facial wipes in the dim light coming from the window. The cool feeling the wipes left on his unblemished, fair skin brought him back to reality, as he swiped his tongue across his dry lips and fixed his bed head.

Checking his phone, Taehyung found that he woke up seven minutes before the alarm he set. He switched it off, a little thankful that he didn't have to wake up to noisiness, dragging himself to the bathroom.

He stared at his reflection in the steamed mirror. Closing his eyes, he focused on his breathing, the oxygen damp from the heat of his shower. There was something in him that wondered how others thought of him as attractive and beautiful, as he felt like he was too offbeat for this world.

On his way to the kitchen to make coffee, he stopped. On the usually empty vase, there was a single rose. 

How long will you last? he wondered.

---

Monday, the most hated day of the week, was here.

Nari was bustling out of the house, having overslept. Jihoon was crying over something beyond her comprehension, and she forgot to pay for that month's water bill, so Alice complained of having no daily morning shower.

She opened the flower shop's door with more force than she intended, jolting Jin.

"Are you okay?" was the first thing he asked, eyes scanning over her disheveled appearance. Nari's clothes were somewhat wrinkled, her face was free of makeup, and her hair was loosely tied in a bun.

She nodded, swallowing with a dry throat. "This morning wasn't the best."

"I'm sorry about that. Did you have breakfast?"

What are you, Mystic Messenger?

Nari just shook her head.

He grinned with full lips. "I brought extra food today for break time because I skipped too. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day though."

She barely breathed out, "Thank you."

Jin eventually mentioned what he and Taehyung talked about over dinner last Saturday to Nari. Nari didn't ask, but she couldn't just ignore what he had to say. Lately, V was the only thing occupying her mind, distracting her to the point of being spacey.

He was just... not what she expected. Not that she expected anything, but besides that, it was a freakish distraction.

Her only friend other than Alice and Jihoon (yes, she had to consider them as friends to keep her sanity), she realized, was probably Seokjin. Which was ironic, since he was a man. And.

She was afraid of men.

Maybe it was a subconscious acceptance and wish that her son would grow up to be as kind and gentle as Jin? Maybe? She had to assume.

He also was the first and only person to meet her family, consisting of her "mother" and "nephew." (She never considered Alice her mother, and Alice never considered Nari her daughter, so they just called each other by their names with respect.)

And lastly, Jin asked about her week often. Yes, that was quite important to their friendship.

He not only would notice when someone was down, but had the gut to ask about it and share his kindness. He was a sweet young man, but he was five or so years older than her. That was Nari's hesitation; she knew that s could play a huge role when it wanted to. His wisdom could be his manipulation.

She wished that her mind would stop thinking that way, though.

Apparently, Jin and V's dinner conversation circled much around Nari.

Taehyung offered guest IDs in lanyards to let both Jin and Nari meet him at his workplace and during his photo shoots, and wanted to personally give the lanyards them that Saturday.

Nari was slightly flattered (though she would never admit it aloud).

They just unceremoniously met twice, right? Did Taehyung treat every stranger like the way he treated her? She was starting to seriously question what she should've expected from him.

When Saturday came— and swiftly at that— she met Taehyung again.

"Nari-ah!" he exclaimed, waving. He was so social.

"V-ssi," she greeted in reply. She refused to look at him properly.

It wasn't that she was shy, but he really wasn't someone she could get used to looking at. Jin was already a beautiful problem. Her weak eyes needed a break.

But Taehyung, in his model-esque stance, his features strikingly attractive, gave her the shivers. He was blinding.

"Oh, you can just call me Taehyung if you want," he said with a bright, square smile.

I don't know if I can, she thought.

Taehyung then drew from the inner pocket of his coat (it was chilly outside) the lanyards. "Where's Jin-hyung?"

"He's in the restroom," she answered, but then blinked. Nari was surprised at how casual that came out.

"Do you call hyung your oppa?"

"Pard— what?"

He looked at her expectantly, refusing to repeat himself. His lips were shut, and he was clearly trying to hold something in.

Meanwhile, she was still trying to figure out where that came from.

"I— no. I don't say oppa, he's just— Jin." Nari turned away, mumbling, "He told me to call him Jin."

To prevent another awkward moment, Taehyung changed the subject. Nari was starting to think that he'd eventually get tired of her lack of social skills, and eventually stop doing... whatever he was doing.

"I heard from him that you work here."

"Yeah, I do," she confirmed quietly.

"Does little Jihoonie come here often?"

Nari glanced at him. He remembered not only her name, but Jihoon's too, after hearing them only once. Was it just excellent memory, or—?

"No, hardly," she responded after a moment, turning to busy herself with the flowers in the shop.

Taehyung watched her, her hands fondling with the petals and leaves, and said, "Can I see him again?"

Nari made a face. He wanted to see it, but his hands stayed at his side, and he didn't move from his spot near the counter.

"Are you trying to get to know me because you're after my son?"

She really didn't lie to him about her son. But why did she lie to Jin?

And why was she so aggressive and cautious towards him? Did he leave a bad impression? But then, why did she tell him the truth?

Or is she lying to me? Taehyung wondered.

"No, that's not it— erm! I mean, yes! I'd love to get to know little Jihoon too! I love children!" He looked away too. "But that's not what I mean."

Her expression was a pained one, realizing that Taehyung likely had a good day, though that was judged by his cheerfulness with someone he was hardly acquainted to.

She began to stammer, "I— I'm so sorry, that just came out of nowhere for me—"

"I understand if you don't want me to see Jihoon-ah immediately," he interrupted, shaking his head. "I must've startled you when I mentioned your 'nephew.'"

He remembered about that too... ugh.

Nari closed her eyes and composed herself. "Taehyung, sir— just." She was far from composed. Her hand hid her face. "Please accept my apology still, I— I'm not the best with words. He is really my son, but I try not to spread that around so openly, so please... God, just what am I asking for?"

"Why did you decide to tell me?"

"I don't know," she mumbled, more to herself. "I probably thought that keeping it in from everybody was stressing me out, and I was sure I wouldn't meet you again, so I didn't think I had anything to lose. But fate is a... lovely, beautiful thing—"

Nari turned and flinched, seeing him directly behind her with the lanyard dangling from his finger. His shadow and position triggered something unpleasant from her as she pointedly hung her head, an limp arm raised to receive it.

Something was off. He was eerily quiet.

When she finally looked up, she squinted her eyes and saw a look of unexplainable awe on his face, falling dumbstruck.

"I'm a little surprised right now," was what he said, throwing her off further. He scratched his head. "Just realized I didn't know you could talk so much."

Nari deflated a little, her face heating up. She was about to point out that they barely knew each other, but bit it back.

"I didn't know either," she forced out, reverting to her timid self.

"Your voice sounds so cracky but clear when you talk," he commented, not realizing the randomness in his words. "But then it can sound emotional. You have nice facial expressions when you're expressing your emotions, and your shyness can be very captivating."

Her face crinkled. What is this now?

Taehyung glanced at her, shaking his head. "I was just thinking you could be a great actress naturally. Like Emma Watson. I think that's right... that's my friend's celebrity crush, haha."

Nari blinked several times as she took this information in. Was he just complimenting her to excuse his words, or was that genuine just now? If more people knew her, would they agree with whatever he said?

"Is that why you want me to go to the building you work in? To get recognized... or something?"

"What? Uh," he scratched his head again, "no."

"What are you two talking about?"

Both of them whipped their heads to Jin, who changed into his casual pink sweater and gripped the strap of his worn tote bag. Taehyung awkwardly waved to him and gave him his lanyard.

"Don't you think Nari-ah can be a great actress one day?" asked Taehyung. Jin blinked. Something Nari noticed about Jin's blinking was that he blinked hard, as if he constantly had something stuck in his eyes.

"Where's this coming from?"

Nari, unbelievably, stifled a laugh, because that exactly what she was thinking earlier.

And apparently, it was so quiet that it was left unnoticed. Nice.

"I just thought about it when I looked at her," Taehyung said so casually. Nari was stupefied.

"Okay," Jin said slowly. "I can see you Tuesday at ten. What about you, Nari-ah?"

Nari bit her lip. It wasn't like she had plans, but if she were to come, she'd have to bring Jihoon with her. Alice wasn't the most reliable with feeding him and making sure he wasn't in danger for long periods of time, and who knew how long she'd spend her day there.

Even at that very moment, Nari had that mother sense in the back of her mind, always alert to tell if he was fine or not.

"I'm free," she managed, and then froze, as if she didn't mean to say that.

---

written 17.05.20.

posted this in chicago whilst trying to look for places BTS has been to like the apparent creep i am ah yes thank you me for growing up this way

---

good intentions. / extra

When Nari came home (in a daze), Alice had to know everything, as she was an avid shipper of Nari and anyone out there. Nari couldn't leave a single detail unmentioned.

She looked white by the end of it, just overwhelmed. But Alice was throwing a little party of one.

"Lord, I thank you on this fateful, God-ordained day," she prayed right in front of her.

Nari's hands were blocking her ears, fingers creeping further on her face. "Oh my g—"

"Hush, my child. Let us take a moment." She looked enthusiastic at seemingly nothing. "I appreciate these men."

Embarrassed beyond relief, Nari retreated to her room.

She found Jihoon napping on the square middle of her bed, as if he had a good life. She couldn't even laugh at it because her brain was so congested.

In all honesty, Nari had no idea what Taehyung wanted from her. Why did he want to get to know her?

Was it her foreign appearance? Was it because she knew Jin? Was it Jihoon? No, he already said something about, erm— but he could be lying, for all she knew—

My mind is an idiot, she mentally sighed. Taehyung-ssi literally couldn't be less friendly with his intentions.

Nari leaned over Jihoon, his queerly-damp hair, and noticed the faint smell of roses on him. She circled over to her desk, the vase of roses knocked over and the fragrant water spilling down to the wooden floors she polished a week ago— that same day when she properly met Taehyung for the first time.

Instead of getting upset over it, Nari found it as another excuse to go to Beauti-Floral next Saturday evening. But first, there was Tuesday to look forward to.