Little Red Riding Jimin

 

She smoothened her simple yet flattering dress before opening the door. "Good evening!", she hummed at the sight of the familiar stature waiting on the other side. She reached for his hands and pulled him closer as she looked up expectantly. She froze. The eyes who usually near twinkled in excitement, appeared disappointed, confused, sad. She hesitated a moment, "Are you okay?". He simply nodded and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. She led him inside, hoping her efforts might cheer him up. 

 

"I made us a pretty amazing dinner, if I may so myself!", she said with slightly feined cheer. He shed her a small smile, "It smells amazing, all right. Can we start right away?". She let out a sigh in relief, "Of course! Can't let it go cold, can we?". He chuckled, "Of course not.". He pulled back her chair, "M'lady.". She laughed at his behaviour, hoping it had returned to its usual banter, "Why thank you, good sir.".

 

When they had both taken their seats, she leaned across the table, pouring him a glass of red wine, "So what's up? How was your day?". She thought she heard him sigh under his breath, "It was all right. Lots of practise.". She chuckled in an attempt to lighten the mood, "I take it you worked hard? Is it going well?". He nodded as he took a bite of the supple steak, "It's going fine. We just need to keep improving ourselves. This tastes really good, by the way.". A smile played over her lips at hearing his compliment, "I'm glad you like it! I had an interesting seminar on Epicurus today. They discussed the similarities between his and the Stoic principles. You see they both agree emotions taint the rational mind, but they have completely different approaches on how to deal with them. Where Epicurists say that-". 

 

He suddenly dropped his knife and fork on the plate, interrupting her, "I didn't want to be childish about this, but I'm honestly a bit upset.". She eyed him in shock, trying to read his face to understand what he meant. "Don't you think it's a bit strange that I don't know something as simple as your name?". She stared at him for a moment, putting down her fork and knife as well, "So that's what was bothering you?". He eyed her furiously, "Well, shouldn't it? I mean, it didn't. I didn't care. But why tell Taehyung before telling me? How does that make sense?". Her one eyebrow raised in surprise, "Where'd you get that idea? Did he tell you that?".

He shook his head in apparent disbelief, "Why would he lie about that? He doesn't do things that don't benefit him in some way.". She scoffed, "And how do you know it doesn't? For the record, I didn't tell him.". She paused for a moment, "And I didn't tell you, because it just never came up. You didn't ask and I didn't think it was a big deal. I didn't mean for it to be a secret, I just didn't know it would come to something like this.".

 

He eyed her suspiciously, "Then tell me, what exactly is this? What am I to you? A toy? A friend? A lover? Someone you can fool around with and just forget about once you get bored?". Her hands slammed down on the table as she got up in anger, "No! Why would you even say that!? Do I seem like such a person to you? What the hell has gotten into you?". He coldy wiped the corners of his mouth with his napkin as he stood up as well, "I guess common sense got into me. Also, you didn't answer my question.". She grunted and rolled her eyes in disbelief, "Of course I didn't answer you, because your question is absolutely ridiculous. Stop being such a child, throwing a tantrum over something so stupid.". He stared into her eyes with hurt look, "Do you know my age? Do you know anything about me at all?". She was taken aback by his words, "No, I don't, but that doesn't mean that I don't care. I mean I-..". He cut her off sharply, "I think it'd be best if I just went home for tonight. Thank you for your trouble." 

 

He his heels and walked himself out, not looking back once. She just stood there, mouth slightly agape, not being able to find the right words to fit the situation. As he let the door slam shut, she fell back onto her chair, running a hand through her hair and reaching for her glass of wine. She took a small sip, which was quickly followed by a large gulp as she ended up downing the entirety of the red, velvet liquid in one go. "What the hell just happened..", she whispered to herself, struggling to grasp the situation. 

 

After letting the events of that evening sink in, she could feel anger building inside of her. Little by litte, she grew more furious at his accusations and assumptions, not being able to understand what kind of insecurity had brought all this on. She started clearing the table in a hastly fashion, throwing out the hours of work she had put into the meal. Her face had slowly start to pull into a hardened mask, while she tried to distance herself from her emotions. 

 

The table had returned to it's original, bare state, with only the candles that were still smoldering lightly giving any hint of a supposedly romantic night. She went into her room, digging up her pack of cigarettes she hadn't touched ever since she and Jimin had gotten closer and walked out onto her balcony. She sat there, hoping the nicotine and night sky might lend her some solace. She had been wrong. Slowly but surely, raindrops started falling down, wettening the crown of her head. She sighed deeply and let the rain wash over her face, letting the heaven's tears blend in with her own. 

 

She went back inside and decided to take a shower when she suddenly heard a loud knocking on her door. She jumped a little as she rushed over to open the door, words of apology and attempted reconciliation already forming on her lips. Her damp hand encased the doorknob, hopeful this time, for the second time that evening. She pulled it open in an eager motion, only to be met with slight disappointment followed by shock at the sight of Taehyung standing outside her hallway, looking slightly battered and bruised. "Can I come in?", he asked, flinching at the effort it caused him to speak, due to the cut on his lip. She blinked at him, simply nodding as she stepped aside to let him in. "Thanks.", he whispered softly. "Sure.", she replied. 

 

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