Chapter Four

"How did it go?" Ah reum finally asked when they reached So min's room. So min closed the door behind her when she stepped in, throwing her school bag to a corner. Her parents welcomed Ah reum as per usual since it was almost a daily routine for Ah reum to come over and chill at their house after school. Besides, her house was relatively near to So min's  and their parents knew each other as well. So min thought it was about time she would ask since she could see Ah reum mentally restraining herself from asking when they were walking home.

"I don't know.." So min breathed out, frustrated.

"Why? What happened? He didn't give you a definite answer?" Ah reum asked eagerly but confused at the same time.

"Yeah..he just left me hanging and he said he will tell me another time.." So min told her in an uncertain tone. "Oh no..what if he forgets about this?" she suddenly asked Ah reum with fear in her eyes. Her grip on the chair she was sitting on tightened. 

"Nah..Taehyung's not like that. He will probably text you or something. You gave him your number right?" Ah reum asked. So min nodded instantly.

"Well..all you have to do now is..wait. He will text you," Ah reum said while narrowing her eyes on the phone So min was holding onto. "Ah..But why did he leave all of a sudden? I saw him rushing out of the class," Ah reum asked curiously. So min scoffed incredulously just thinking about what happened back there.

"Jeon Jungkook," she said his name while curling her fists in fury.

"He was too impatient to wait any longer," So min added while rolling her eyes.

"Not even for a minute?"

"Exactly what I'm saying!" So min raised her voice, then tried to calm herself down.

"You know what? Forget it, let's not talk about him. It's too infuriariting just thinking about it and it's destroying my mood on the last day of school," So min commented before she got distracted when her phone vibrated, signalling for a new message. She froze before her eyes travelled to Ah reum who seemed to be having the same thoughts as her.

So min unlocked her phone and Ah reum immediately moved over to peer at the screen.

It was from an unknown number. 

So min breathed in and out before opening the message. 

Hey, it's Taehyung here. Do you think we can meet tomorrow outside somewhere? I have something to tell you regarding today. 

Oh my god.

So min screamed when she read the message and so did Ah reum. The two girls jumped in joy and hugged each other as if they had won victory in a war. "Oh my god. Is this what I'm thinking?" So min screamed as Ah reum held onto both of her hands. 

"A date?!" They screamed in unison as So min quickly ran over to her wardrobe to pick out clothes. Ah reum stumbled over with the phone which So min threw on bed. "Hey wait! You need to reply him first!" Ah reum reminded her before So min realised.

"Ah right.." 

After replying his message, she was surprised that his reply came instantly, meaning that he was probably on his phone. They finalised the place which they were meeting before he ended off with a 'See you soon,' That caused So min to shriek once again as she kissed her phone multiple times.

Little did she know of what was waiting for her.

Jungkook walked in a cafe store which he always go to. As he entered the familiar environment, he took the usual window seat that he always took and took out his laptop. He turned it on before raising his hand to give an order. A female waitress came with a shy smile as she placed her hair behind her ear when she saw Jungkook. 

"Hi, what would you like to order?" 

"Iced Americano. Thank you," he told her before he focused back on the laptop.

Today, he was going to finish the economics project that he had to do. Even though it was only the first day of holidays, he wanted to complete it as soon as possible since it was a burden to him. Furthermore, he needed to finish up a part for four people. He breathed out in annoyance just thinking about the group discussion on the day before. Jungkook detested group work since he always felt that the work s porduced are not up to his standard. And he found that irritating since in the end, he will still be editting everything.

So he'd rather finish everything up by himself.

He was staring into space at the window contemplating while wating for his laptop to load when he remembered So min's strange behaviour yesterday. He swore that he caught her laughing at him when he didn't do anything funny in particular. Somehow, he had a bad feeling about it but decided to dismiss the thought as her just being strange. Focusing back on the project, he started to type with his laptop.

Soon, his order came but it came with something extra. He looked at the drink the waitress left on the table before he picked up the folded paper underneath it.

It was a number.

He sighed before putting the paper at a side and focusing back on the project. It wasn't even long before that happened and yet, another girl came forward to his table.

His eyes slowly travelled up as he stopped typing in his laptop for a second. The girl looked around his age and was smiling politely but he caught the group of girls behind her at a few tables away giggling and chattering to each other as they focused on the girl. Jungkook looked at her with no expression.

"I have been observing you for a while..Do you think I can have your number?"

"Sorry, I have a girlfriend." Jungkook simply lied to her coldly before his eyes went back to the laptop as he continued typing without hearing her response. The girl was left rather awkwardly standing there for a few seconds before she realised that she was rejected and quietly left back to her friends. This wasn't the first time it happened and Jungkook almost scolded himself for forgetting that these always happen when he comes to this cafe. He made a mental note to stay at home the next time even though he liked this cafe for their environment. 

"Hey Jungkook," 

He was distracted again before he could continue. Jungkook was close to cursing before he looked up to see Taehyung dressed in a slightly more formal looking attire. He was wearing a collared oversized shirt with jeans. Jungkook was surprised as to why Taehyung was here but he tried to maintain his expression. He raised a brow instead.

"What are you doing here?"

"Guess with that brain of yours!" Taehyung said excitedly before he voluntarily took a seat at Jungkook's table without asking. It can't be..

"You're..meeting So min here?" Jungkook raised his voice slightly with rounded eyes. Taehyung instantly beamed at his correct answer.

"Ooooh..As expected from Jeon Jungkook," he said it in a teasing voice but Jungkook couldn't understand him.

"Why here?" 

"Because you're here! I knew you'd be here, this is your favourtie cafe ain't it?" Taehyung blabbered on contentedly and proud of himself but Jungkook was beyond irritated as to why he's here. That meant that he couldn't focus on his project because Taehyung needed him to do something for sure.

"But why do you need me?" Jungkook questioned rather coldly.

"In case your plan backfires. You know–I need a plan B in case like she doesn't agree with it! Since you're here, you can watch us and tell me what to do in case it doesn't work," Taehyung was literally putting Jungkook responsible for it and Jungkook didn't like that. Jungkook rolled his eyes and was about to object to him when Taehyung suddenly stood up while looking at his watch.

"Hey friend–It's almost time soon, she can be here any minute now! Remember to watch us! I'll text you," Taehyung brushed him off before leaving his table to another empty table a few tables away.

Jungkook messed up his own hair in frustration before he cursed under his breath. He was already regretting his choice of deciding to in and giving Taehyung the idea. He was definitely regretting it. Jungkook sighed before he plugged his earpiece into his ears.

It wasn't even five minutes before Jungkook noticed So min coming in the cafe. She wore a flowery dress that rested above her knees and heels with her hair braided to one side. She looked feminine and different to how she usually looked in school. Jungkook groaned when he realised that he could no longer work on his project now. He picked up the drink and drank from the straw with his one hand in his pocket while he watched her walk over to Taehyung's table with a huge smile. 

Taehyung, on the other hand, stood up to welcome her as he shook her hand before they sat down. 

"Wow, you look great." Taehyung praised her, causing So min to blush instantly at the compliment.

"You too," she commented back bashfully while looking away. Taehyung smiled at her actions before he ordered drinks for the both of them. They turned taciturn after ordering drinks as So min fiddled with her fingers while waiting for him to speak. Taehyung mentally thought over the plan that Jungkook shared with him in his brain again before he cleared this throat.

"So..regarding yesterday..You see–the thing is," Taehyung started off.

"Yeah?" So min looked at him and their eyes met. That caused Taehyung to hesitate for a moment since he did feel guilty about the plan. "It's not that I don't like you or anything–" he suddenly spoke, causing So min's heart to throb in her chest. 

"But–"

"But..?" So min repeated his word anxiously. "I can't say that I like you as much as you like me," Taehyung tried to explain but it was just getting So min more confused and perplexed as to what his answer is. "And so–" Taehyung bit his lips.

So min looked at him puzzled as she waited for him to finish. 

"I suggest that we have this.."

"Criteria," he suddenly mentioned.

"What? A criteria?" So min asked back, baffled and in disbelief. 

"Yeah..A criteria!" Taehyung said it again but this time with more confidence as he smiled back while pointing a finger up. He said it like it was a normal thing which caused So min to be stunned.

"So what is it? What's the criteria?" So min asked.

"E-erm that is..if you get the first place in our school for the coming exmination at the start of next year, I'll date you!" Taehyung finally spilled the beans. Wait what? First in the whole school? So min was beyond astounded as slightly hang open. Taehyung bit his lips as he waited for her response to it. When he saw that she was stunned at his suggestion, he instantly prayed for her to fall for it. Please please fall for it.

"What? So you're saying..if I do get first place, you'll date me?" So min questioned back. She was really confused at the moment because she didn't know how to react to this. It was neither a rejection nor an acception. Just..what kind of response is this? Taehyung heard her and nodded instantly at her words. So min's brain was instantly running its engine as she thought about his suggestion. 

"So min–Are you alright?" Taehyung asked as he slightly bent down to her level when he saw her staring blankly without blinking. 

"E-erm if you're not exactly fine with the deal–We can discuss again! Yeah, we can change it if you want to–I totally understand! I mean–First place in the whole school?Who am I kidding! That's almost impossible for met ask! I'm sor–" Taehyung started to blabber since he got nervous but So min suddenly gripped onto his hand tightly with her hands, causing him to stopped talking.

"It's okay! I'll take the deal!" So min instantly agreed, causing Taehyung to be stupefied. So min didn't think far because honestly when she heard of the deal, all she could think of was that Taehyung wasn't rejecting her. To her, it sounded more like an opportunity rather than a rejection. That couldn't make her any happier. Why would she disregard a deal like this?

"Really?" Taehyung asked in doubt. 

"Yes, really." So min smiled as her hold on his hands tightened.

"That's great!" Taehyung laughed before he threw his hands around So min and pulled her closer. So min was astonished by his actions as he suddenly pulled her into an embrace. Her heart pulsated in a frenzy as she awkwardly moved her hands to hold his back. But before she could do it, Taehyung released her.

"Thank you so much!" he held onto her hands and shook it vigorously. 

What an idiot, Jungkook thought to himself while watching the two of them.

He shook his head as he closed his laptop and placed it into his bag, packing his stuff. Since So min accepted the plan just like what he expected, his job was done here and he was going to leave the cafe to continue his project at home.

Jungkook was already irritated at the fact that his schedule got disrupted thanks to Taehyung. However..he didn't really understand why he decided to stay when he could leave from the start as well since in his mind, he already calculated that So min was dumb enough to fall for his plan.

She will never be able to date Taehyung this way.

Why?

Because she will never be able to get first place in school no matter what.

Because Jungkook knew too well that he would be the one having that place.

Jungkook was carrying the strap of his bag on one of his shoulder and was about to leave the cafe when he was stopped.

"Jungkook!" Taehyung called him from behind. Jungkook cursed in his mind again before he turned around, irritated.

Taehyung had already ran forward to him as he threw one arm over Jungkook's shoulder. So min was following behind but her eyes rounded at the sight of Jungkook's presence. What is he doing here?

"Hey So min! You don't mind if Jungkook joins us for the rest of our 'date' right?" Taehyung asked back, smiling cheekily. So min was charmed by his smile and couldn't help but agree as she shook her head. "What are you talking abou–" Jungkook was dragged out of the cafe by Taehyung before he could finish his sentence.