Chapter Two - Official

❤

            After leaving Chanyeol and his friends, I went with Nari towards my classroom. Nari’s class was only a few doors down. Nari majored in Nutrition, so we didn’t have class together that often anymore.

            “Hey, Jiyeon, I hope that Chanyeol guy comes around again!” She continued to hold my arm while walking.

            “Why?” I asked.

            “Because! He could be the one for you!” I looked at Nari like she was crazy.

            “No, I don’t think he is… I think he’s taken.” I said somberly. I mean, come on, I do not want to get reminded that I will always stay single!

            “Huh? I think he’s single-“ Nari was cut off by someone since that person ran up to us and put his arm around me.

            “How’s my cutie doing?” I looked up to the guy and slapped his arm away jokingly.

            “Oh, shut it.” I rolled my eyes and smiled. “Why are you so embarrassing?”

            “You look pretty today. Now I know I have to protect you from these wolves around here.” The guy had a determined look on his face.

            “Jin, why are you such a weirdo?” I raised an eyebrow at him. “By the way, where’s the rest of the boys?”

            Jin is one of my cousin’s best friends. My cousin is Namjoon, and he’s older than me by one year. He’s the older brother I never had. I’ve known his best friends since childhood and we are all pretty close. Namjoon and Jin are one year older than me, while the rest are the same age as me. I’ve known Yoongi, Jungkook, Jimin, Hoseok, and Taehyung since they were young, and they’ve all always been protective of me. I think it’s because Namjoon told them to be.

For the longest time, I’ve had a crush on Taehyung. It was pretty embarrassing when we were in middle school. I liked him but I guess it just didn’t work out. He had a girlfriend the same time I developed a crush for him, so I decided to just stay as a friend figure. Nari tells me I don’t look at other guys because I still might have hope that Taehyung will turn to like me since Taehyung is single right now.  I think she’s dramatic and overthinking our situation. Time and fate was just not on our side, and I’ve grown to accept that. Taehyung was always in some type of relationship with another girl whenever my feelings for him would creep up. It back then. Do I still think he’s cute? Well yes, it’s a known fact that all of the BTS boys are handsome.

“Oh, look, here they come.” Nari pointed out. Jin gave her a hug and asked how she was doing after he realized she was next to me.

“Ji Ji!” Hoseok waved at me.

“Hoseok, please don’t call me that,” I shook my head and laughed.

“What’s up?” Yoongi stood next to Jin.

“Jiyeon! We missed you!” Jungkook and Jimin stood by my side and I pinched both of their cheeks.

“Alright Jungkook and Jimin, give the girl some space.” Namjoon came in. “You look nice today. Special occasion?” Namjoon asked.

Nari decided to joke around and say, “Yeah, she’s going on a date later!” Everyone turned to look at Nari.

“Who’s going on a date?” Taehyung coolly walked in front of us.

“Jiyeon is!” Jungkook piped up. “That’s a first!”

I playfully hit Jungkook. I looked at Taehyung, but his face looked stiff. Worried, I asked if he was sick. “Are you okay, Tae?” I put my hand over his forehead.

Shocked, he stuttered, “Y-yeah, no, I’m fine.” He gave me a smile and said, “Thanks.” I put my hand down and gave him a smile.

“Who are you going on a date with?” Namjoon asked. “Do I know him?”

“Nari was just joking, I’m not going on a date with anyone.” I laughed.

“Well, if you ever do go on a date, I want to meet the guy you date.” Namjoon ruffled the hair at the top of my head.

“Yeah, that won’t be for a while, Namjoon. I don’t see anyone in line to date me,” I rolled my eyes.

“That’s because Namjoon and someone else over here scares them away…” Jimin mumbled quietly.

“Hm? What was that?” I asked since I didn’t hear him clearly.

“Oh, nothing!” Jimin smiled and Jin slapped the back of his head.

Nari added, “Well, that might be sooner than you think!” She winked at me.

“What do you mean?” This time it was Taehyung to speak.

“Jiyeon talked to a really cute guy today! She even wished him good luck!” Nari said with a smile.

“WHO?” Namjoon asked.

“He’s really popular here and-“ I grabbed Nari and dropped her off to her class. “Bye you guys!” Nari turned around and waved at the boys.

After I dropped her off to her class, I walked towards my class and saw that the BTS boys were still in the hallway.

“What was she talking about?” Namjoon asked me. “You wished someone good luck?”

“Yeah, but it was nothing serious...” I looked away, afraid to blush in front of them. “Jin, let’s go to class now!” Jin was a Literature major too, so we had similar classes that we took together.

We left the boys and entered our classroom. “So, who’s the boy?” Jin wiggled his eyebrows as we sat down in our desks.

“Please, can we talk about something else?” I rolled my eyes.

“Sorry, we can’t actually. I want to know who caught the goddess’s attention!” He winked towards me.

I gasped. “Do people really call me a goddess?” I whispered closely to him.

“Yep!” He grinned.

“That’s so embarrassing. I’m not even worthy enough to be called a goddess. I can name 100 other girls who are prettier than me. And Nari is in that list.” I nodded my head.

Jin shook his head in disbelief and flicked my forehead. “Geez, I’ve known you forever and you haven’t changed. You never give yourself enough credit. I thought it was bad in middle school, but it’s even worse now.”

“Ouch.” I started rubbing my forehead. “I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about,” I mumbled.

“Ji, you’re pretty-“

“Yeah, but so are other people-“ I was cut off as Jin put a finger on my lip to shush me up.

“Yes, but most people aren’t as humble, hardworking and caring.”

I continued to think. “But why did you bring up middle school?”

            “Taehyung.” He replied nonchalantly and started getting his notebooks out of his backpack.

            I looked down at my desk and bit my lip in thought. Taehyung? Did Jin know I had feelings for him? “What do you mean?” I asked quietly and slowly. Jin was still fixing his stuff and didn’t look at me but continued to answer my questions.

            “Ji, I know you like-or maybe liked- him.” Jin admitted and looked over at me.

            I kept quiet, so Jin continued.

            “Ji, you could have had him in a second.” Jin said.

            “No, you know that’s not true,” I said in disbelief. “He always had other girls lining up for him, and he went with them. How could I have had him back then?”

            “It is. Shin Jiyeon, those girls were nothing compared to you.” Jin rolled his eyes.

            “What are you talking about? He even dated Lee Chaeyoung and she was the most popular girl on campus!” I furrowed my eyebrows. Why is Jin saying this nonsense? “I was just his friend on the side, nothing special. He always saw me as a little sister, that’s why I knew it would never happen with us. He didn’t see me as a potential girlfriend and honestly, I don’t think I’m his type- he would never be interested in me.” I don’t know why, but I started to confess some of my hidden insecurities. How could I, Shin Jiyeon, compare to Lee Chaeyoung? She was adorable, popular, and she wasn’t shy or awkward, like me. I pouted at how I compared to Chaeyoung.

            I heard Jin sigh. “See, that’s what I’m talking about. You didn’t and still don’t give yourself enough credit.” He then mumbled to himself, “Both of you are fools.”

            Before I could even continue on the conversation, our professor came into the room and I was stuck wondering what Jin meant.

            Taehyung stayed in my mind throughout the whole class period. Flashbacks of me liking him on and off in middle school and high school kept popping up in my head and it was giving me a headache. To be honest, out of all the BTS boys, Taehyung is the one I am closest to. He always had my back whenever I needed him and I started to develop feelings for him, even if we were just considered to be ‘best friends’.

            BTS and Taehyung were always popular in middle school and high school. They played sports, made music, and even participated in dance shows. Everyone loved and admired them. Even though I was their close childhood friend, I didn’t become a part of the popular crowd because the girls at school would always try to leave me out because I already spent “too much” time with BTS. I never confessed this to BTS because I was worried that they would make a scene and get mad. At school, I just became a wallflower to avoid any attention that could go on me.

After school and on the weekends, BTS and I were always hanging out. Taehyung and I would study together and we became closer that way. When a guy I liked told me that he couldn’t date me because I was too quiet and shy, I cried to Taehyung and he hugged me, telling me it was okay and that the guy was stupid for rejecting me. After being in his arms, my heart started to feel a different way and I started to develop feelings for Taehyung. I started noticing how kind he treated me and how he would always care for me. I thought he liked me for a while and being young and unafraid, I decided that I would confess my feelings to him.

We were both in our last y