Chapter 7

 

 

 

“It’s been a while..” 

 

Taehyung greeted him with a smirk.

 

“I didn’t know you were a fan of mine.. I see you’re still stalking me Mino..”

 

Mino.. that guy.. he really won’t stop messing with him..

 

“And seeing you still recognize me.. you must have not stopped thinking of me either..” said Mino firing back at him. “Did you miss me?”

 

Taehyung sighed. Just what is he doing here? 

 

It’s a relief that Jisoo has already gone home.. who knows what this guy will do if he sees him with her..

 

“I heard you work as a chef now..  who would have thought you’d be doing something like that?” said Mino approaching him even closer.

 

Taehyung was just grinning.

 

“Did you think I’d continue being a thug like you?” 

 

Mino grabbed him by his collar.

 

“What?” he asked irritated. 

 

Taehyung remained still.

 

Mino tightened his grip on his collar.

 

“Ohh.. I forgot you said you quit fighting..” he said grimacing. “That silly girl transformed you into a real loser..”

 

Taehyung clenched his fists.

 

“Does it make you mad? Because I called you a loser? Or is it because I called her silly?” 

 

Mino could see him slowly losing his cool.

 

And it satisfies him..

 

“I heard you broke up that day.. I’m sorry.. I should have believed you..” he said provoking him even more. “I thought you were lying when you said you had to talk to her.. we could have fought another day..”

 

Taehyung removed his hands from him and smiled onesidedly.

 

“That’s right.. we could have fought another day.. and maybe you wouldn’t have had to be sent to jail.. it was tough, wasn’t it?”

 

Mino grabbed him by his neck.

 

“What did you-..?”

 

He hasn’t even finished what he was saying when they both heard a policeman shouting at the two of them..

 

“You two! Stop!” 

 

Mino let him go right away.

 

“Consider yourself lucky today..” he said before going his way.

 

Taehyung took a deep breath. He can’t understand him at all.. when will he ever change?

 

But.. why does this situation seem very familiar? 

 

He remembered what happened at the back of the college building back then..

 

That day Jisoo came to save him.. how those guards showed up at the right timing..

 

Now if only she appears again..  it’ll be exactly the same as before..

 

Taehyung was pulling his shirt down when he felt someone push his back a little..

 

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” asked that familiar voice.

 

Taehyung turned around.

 

“Didn’t you go home already?” he asked surprised.

 

Jisoo. She really appeared!

 

What is she doing here right now? She said she was in a hurry! Was she watching him before?

 

Jisoo touched his face and seemed to be checking for injuries.

 

Taehyung held held hands and put them down.

 

“What are you still doing here Jisoo?” he asked confused.

 

Jisoo heaved a sigh seeing he wasn’t beaten up thankfully..

 

She was already inside her car and had just buckled her seatbelt when she saw from the sidemirror that someone was approaching Taehyung.

 

Someone she seemed to recognize..

 

She alighted the car and went closer to them hiding herself behind a food stall.

 

And it was really that used to be red haired guy.. Mino..

 

She became worried right away and called someone for help..

 

She knows how Taehyung and Mino hated each other when they were in college..

 

Things were really heated back then..

 

 

“Your neck has turned red..” said Jisoo looking worried as she touched his neck.

 

Taehyung caught her hand again.

 

“You haven’t answered me yet Jisoo.. why are you still here? Perhaps.. have you been listening to me and Mino?” 

 

Jisoo’s brows were closed in as her eyes kept scanning his face, his neck and his hands.. 

 

“You got a scratch here..” said Jisoo holding his hand. “Did that jerk Mino do this to you? What the heck is his problem? That son of a b**ch!!!”

 

Taehyung’s lips curled up without him realizing.

 

Jisoo’s cursing habits have never changed..

 

“Why are you laughing? Do you find this amusing? Is this fun to you? When you almost got into another fight? What did he want from you? How could someone not change at all?”

 

Taehyung feels relieved she didn’t hear what they talked about.

 

And..he feels glad hearing her scolding hasn’t changed either..

 

“Come with me..” said Jisoo unconsciously holding his hand. “Let’s get something on your hand.. the chef’s hands are the most precious.. how will you work like this?”

 

Taehyung stared at her hand holding his.

 

He doesn’t even remember the last time they ever held hands like this..

 

This sensation.. of their hands brushing each other’s.. holding them tight.. he missed it..

 

“Hey.. Taehyung.. what’s-..?” Jisoo followed his gaze and when she realized she was holding his hand, she let go of him right away.

 

“Let’s go to the restaurant and do something with your hand..” she said walking ahead of him.

 

Taehyung suppressed another smile. 

 

That scratch.. it was because he hit his hand on the cabinet earlier.. it wasn’t Mino who did it to him..

 

Still.. he can just go along with her, can’t he?

 

 

 

————————-

 

 

 

“Did you really have to put a bandage on my hand because of a small scratch?” asked Taehyung looking at his hand. “How am I supposed to do anything with this?”

 

“You aren’t supposed to get your hand wet..” said Jisoo as she closed the first aid kit. “At least for the whole night.. so it can heal by tomorrow..”

 

“You must be really worried about the restaurant..” said Taehyung looking at her face.

 

Jisoo smirked.

 

“Of course.. I don’t want to find a substitute chef for tomorrow..”

 

Taehyung sighed.

 

“You cried because I got into a fight back then.. but now you’re just worried of me because of work matters..”

 

Jisoo’s eyes thinned.

 

“But you still didn’t listen to me and got into another trouble the day after..” 

 

Taehyung remained silent. It’s true he got into another fight just the day after.

 

“But that was the last time..” he said sounding serious. “I swear that was the last time..”

 

Jisoo stared at him for what seemed like minutes.

 

That’s right.. Taehyung always listened to whatever she told him.. he didn’t do anything she didn’t like.. he made sure she was always contented with him..

 

And this is why she was shocked when she learned that he cheated on her..

 

She couldn’t believe it.. it was totally surprising to her..

 

Because she had always thought and believed he only loved her.. probably why their break up left her feeling betrayed and more hurt than ever..

 

 

“Stop staring at me like that..” said Taehyung who couldn’t hold her gaze anymore.

 

Jisoo cleared .

 

“I’ll go home.. it’s almost dinner time.. I should leave you now..” she said picking up her bag but Taehyung held her by her wrist.

 

“Stay for dinner..” he said in a low voice. “I’ll cook something for you..”

 

Jisoo took some time to respond.

 

Will it be okay if she has dinner with him? They won’t fight again, will they?

 

“Okay..” she said nodding her head.

 

Well.. she has nothing to eat at her house anyway..

 

 

 

————————

 

 

 

“Make sure to cut it as thin as you could..”

 

“They need to be cut uniformly..”

 

“That’s not how you do it..”

 

“You shouldn’t do that..”

 

 

Taehyung kept on dictating.

 

Jisoo glared at him.

 

“You said you’d feed me but why am I doing all the work right now?” 

 

Taehyung raised his hand.

 

“You said I shouldn’t use my hand, right?” he said smiling onesidedly.

 

Jisoo rolled her eyes.

 

“What a sly guy.. just tell the truth you wanted me to cook something for you..” she said murmuring. “I should have just gone home instead..”

 

Taehyung chuckled. Bossing her around is quite nice.. it relieves him of all the stress she has put him through ever since he stepped into this restaurant.

 

Then he saw her cutting the meat unevenly.

 

“No! I already told you not to cut it like that..” he said going behind her.

 

Jisoo felt Taehyung’s breath on the back of her neck.

 

His arms were on both her sides.

 

She could feel him close to her.. maybe too close..

 

And then she felt his hands holding hers gently.

 

Her body stiffened.

 

She gulped. Isn’t he hugging her right now? And even holding her hands?

 

Taehyung has always been smooth when it comes to making skinshhip with her.. or at least.. it was like that in the past.. during those months they dated..

 

But.. they are just colleagues now.. he shouldn’t be this intimate with her..

 

Little did she know, Taehyung is also feeling the same way as her now..

 

 

“You should cut it like this.. it won’t be cooked nicely if they aren’t evenly cut..” he said moving her hands with his.

 

He doesn’t know it himself with what courage it took his hands to find their way to hers..

 

Is it because he was used to being this close to her? Does he find her comfortable? Or maybe he just doesn’t mind doing something like this to her..

 

His hands guided hers. His chest leaned on her back. And their arms touching each other.

 

Taehyung felt like they were in a slow motion.

 

The usually two minute cutting of meat felt like hours..

 

And he didn’t mind it.. he didn’t care..

 

Instead.. he found himself wanting fo stay like this..to be close to her.. to hug her..

 

No.. did he really just think about hugging her?

 

He pulled himself from her right away before he could do something he’d regret..

 

He shouldn’t be thinking like this towards his ex.. this is just..wrong..

 

“I’ll wait for you outside..” he said going out of the kitchen. “Call me if you need my help..”

 

Jisoo’s shoulders slumped as she saw him leave through the door.

 

She thought he