Ten minutes before seven –before your so called blind date, one that you surely never agreed to. At least that was what your mind insisted on when your friends practically announced it, not having the courtesy to ask you in the first place purely because you’d say a flat out no.

Despite the blatantly ignored lack of approval from your part, here you were dressed with a little more effort in hopes that your friends would stop prying into your barely there love life once and for all. You had other things to tend to and a man wasn’t exactly on your list of priorities, not for now at least. You’d just passed the overly polite waitress after nodding a sheepish yes at your name, proceeding to make your way to the reserved table she directed you to.

To your own surprise he was already there and a part of you felt slightly defeated because he’d beaten you to it; you like to think that your punctuality was always your best trait. And also worried the fact that he could have been sitting there for god knows how long. The only thing that put you at ease was how he’d sat with his back facing the entrance, sparing you that awkward walk towards him where he eyes you at a distance.

You wonder if he’d done it on purpose allowing you to observe him instead, leaving you to assemble your own blinded first impression of him solely from the impressive length of his shoulders. Your eyes traced the tattoo peeking out the back of his neckline, jet black hair cut impeccably just above the collar of his jacket and it would be a lie to say that you didn’t expect him to look as attractive as he does from his back.   

When you rounded the table, you gaped silently, in your head for the most part, because he was beautiful –far from what you had calculated in the mere seconds you stood behind him. He didn’t expect you to come so soon, you could tell, when his brows shot up almost peculiarly at the sight of you, ridding him of the seriousness that etched his fine features. The upward curve of his upper lip pulled his mouth to a natural pout, just revealing slightly uneven teeth that only made his beauty a little more real.   

For a split second, your name sounded foreign to your ears, catching you off guard because you didn’t think he would know.

“You don’t remember me do you?” His parted lip grew into a gentle smile that reached his eyes, burning your cheeks in half embarrassment and half guilt because you don’t remember, at all.

“S’okay, your friends never introduced us. But I know you.” He breathes out a short laugh, smiling almost timidly onto the table and you were going in circles, scampering your mind for any memory of him but you couldn’t.

“Well, you should’ve said hi.” You chuckle lightly, wanting to apologize for not remembering a face like his, it was your own fault after all, probably too occupied with other things to offer anyone your attention during frat parties or whatnot.

“I should’ve… but it seemed like other people beat me to it.” He replies, eyes fleeting back to yours and you know that he’d meant your circle of friends that couldn’t quite put a sock in it.

“I figured you had a boyfriend, so.”

“Oh, sure. He’s back home thinking I’m on a girl’s night out, no worries.” You retort, raising a brow with a stifled smile when his expression ceases to serious, amused at his apparent lack of ability to take a joke.

You grin, shaking your head with a laugh, “I don’t do boyfriends.”

He was staring with an unreadable look on his face, straightening his back when silence lapsed between the two of you and he clears his throat hastily, your eyes following his surprisingly tall frame as he got to his feet.

“Let’s get outta here.” Your confusion tugged a brilliant smile out of him, his tongue poking out to run his lower lip.

“What do you say to a little music downtown?”

//

Taehyun paved way through an ocean of bodies jamming to a local jazz band that you’ve never heard of before. It was a weekend music night festival hosted by the town’s university which seemed pretty popular considering the mass of people packed in this place.

He’d asked you what kind of music you listened to which you blinked, unable to find one answer because you didn’t really mind. Your casual answer of as long as it sounds good earned you his free laugh, and he nods while he does so, long fingers working through the soft strands of his hair –a habit of his you picked up in the half hour you’ve been together.

Truthfully, you were glad that it wasn’t your typical blind date. There was no need to desperately fill uncomfortable silences or worry if he likes you or not –which was funny how before all this, you had prayed for it to be the latter but there was something about Taehyun that you have yet to point out. Maybe it was his spontaneously quiet ways, or the careful way he carries himself yet he was anything but. There were only good music, positive vibes and one hella handsome date that moves away too quickly when he accidentally touches your hand.  

“Are you a musician?” You inch back immediately when he moves a little too close for your comfort, raising your voice when you repeat the question over the sound of music.

“More or less.” He shouts, curiosity swims in his eyes and he breaks out into a sudden smile, “You really don’t remember, do you?”

In return for your guilt filled head shake, Taehyun informs you that he used to perform in college parties, making you blush when he remembered seeing you the first time in his third year.

“I suppose you don’t like the music I play then?”

“What –why would you say that?”

He’d stooped down and you freeze in place when he leans close to your cheeks, passing further to whisper by your ears. “You’d remember me if you do.”

Even through the blasting sound of everything, his voice was rough yet light and you caught it as if there was nothing else your ears were drowned in. Taehyun spoke some truth and he must have noticed the nervous flicker of your eyes, resorting to shine a much needed light on the situation.

“Tell you what, I’m up after a few songs and if you still don’t like it then I’ll forget about that second date.” He turns to face the stage, a smug smile dangerously twitching the corner of his lips as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

You weren’t sure whether you were baffled at I’m up after a few songs or second date, leaving you to stare at him like a deer in headlights.

“Who said anything about a second date?” You yell back quickly, on your tiptoes and he was beaming, making your chest flutter from something other than the vibration of booming bass.

“Neither of us said anything about the first one, but here we are.”

“Are you sure you didn’t mistaken me for someone else?” A laugh escapes you, not entirely dismissing the possibility since hundreds could show up at parties, how could anyone remember a stranger?  

“Definitely, not –no.” He pulls out his bottom lip over to a pout, narrowing his eyes at a thought, “I don’t really forget that pretty one who looks away when I make eye contact on stage. In fact you weren’t even looking to begin with. I’ve been told I look pretty hot when I’m up there, just so you know.”

You snort out your amusement over how shameless he was being, “Thanks for the heads up, I’ll try not to scream so much.”

He wasn’t kidding and you tried, you really did. But he was naturally effortless, grabbing attention like he had meant to with a voice like that of a thousand angels. When the crowd erupted in claps and hooting cheers, you’d long forgotten of your promise to him, bouncing on your feet as you wave ecstatically in hopes that he’d look your way. It wasn’t that difficult when he was already staring, keeping his eyes locked to you and you finally realize what the fuss was about. He was stunning.

Taehyun throws you yet another grin you still needed getting used to, arms brushing the flop of hair over his forehead when he pulls the strap of his guitar off his shoulders.

“Second date?” He mouths, still up on stage, mind you. A beaming nod from you was all it took for him to hop down the fleet of stairs, making his way towards you once again.

//