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     chapter thirty-eight      one hundred & twenty percent.

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Arang entered the practice room, a bag filled with beverages hidden behind her back. Creases formed on her forehead as soon as she realized that the only other person present was Taehyung. “It’s about time you got here.” He jogged up to her, sweat blanketing his skin. “I’m parched. What’d you get me?” His breathing was ragged. It was obvious that he had been dancing non-stop.

“Where’s everyone else?” She queried, ignoring his question.

“They left to grab lunch.” He reported.

The girl quirked a brow as she eyed him from head to toe. “Why didn’t you go with them?”

Taehyung shook his head and combed his lightly dampened hair with his fingers. “I couldn’t. We’re practicing a new choreography and I keep messing up on this one part. I have to nail the routine before they return or else the dance won’t look right. So can I have my drink now?”

her teeth, Arang shoved the bag into his hands and glared at him. “This is a onetime deal. I’m not your errand girl. Don’t expect me to do this for you ever again. Do I make myself clear, Kim Taehyung?”  

“We’ll see. Whoa, why’d you buy so much?” Taehyung balked as he rifled through the bag for a flavor he’d enjoy.

“I thought the rest of the guys would be here.” She shrugged. “It’s called being fair. I don’t want them to think I favor you more.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered. They wouldn’t have cared if you only brought a drink for me. Okay, maybe Yoongi hyung would have been a little jealous, but he’s always like that. It’s called being a good girlfriend.” He reasoned logically. Uncapping the Triple X Vitamin Water, Taehyung chugged down half of the bottle in less than ten seconds. Once he was content, he closed the bottle and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. “Ahhh, that was good.”

Then Arang stuck her palm out. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“Oh right. Thanks.” He slapped her hand and sauntered away.

“That’s not what I meant.” She huffed, chasing after him. “Don’t you think you should reimburse me?”

He looked at her, amused. “Why would I do that? I didn’t force you to buy all of this. You did it out of your own free will.”  He pointed out with an arrogant smirk.

“Fine, whatever. I’m going now. Don’t call me unless it’s an emergency or else I’m going to block you.” Arang warned before she swiveled around on her heels and exited the room. She was making her way toward the elevator when her phone started to ring. It was Taehyung. Extremely annoyed and patronized, she picked up. “What part of don’t call me unless it’s an emergency, didn’t you comprehend?” She snarled.

“But this is an emergency.” Taehyung defended. “I’m starving.”

“Yah!” Arang screamed into the phone, almost causing him to go deaf in one ear. Her blood pressure was through the roof because of him. “You’re really thick-skinned! Deal with it yourself. I am not going to buy you food!” With her veins protruding out, she hung up and grinded her teeth. How was she supposed to get food for him with an empty wallet? Taehyung would have to figure things out for himself. Wasn’t it enough that she had bought him his stupid fruity drink? Why was he so needy?

“Who said I wanted you to buy me food?” Taehyung hollered from down the corridor. Arang turned around and glowered at him while he wore a playful smile. He was standing against the open door with his arms folded against his chest and one leg crossed over in front of the other. “I was just calling to ask if you wanted to eat some japchae and dumplings with me. My treat. You can consider it as your reimbursement.”

The piqued expression on her face disappeared and she walked back towards Taehyung. “Why didn’t you just say that from the start?” She huffed as she entered the room.

“You didn’t give me the chance.” He laughed, closing the door.  It was my sister's birthday and we had a lot of leftovers.”

The aromatic scent wafted in the room and Arang could feel the saliva accumulating in . On the floor she spotted a large container stuffed with glass noodles, vegetables and meat, a plate with small fried dumplings and kimchi on the side along with the sweet and tangy dipping sauce. “I’m in heaven.” She mused, plopping down onto the floor. “I’m so hungry I could eat a whole cow.”

“Why didn’t you buy yourself lunch before you came?” Taehyung sat down across from her and ripped apart the disposable chopsticks. He rubbed the wooden sticks together to get rid of any small splinters before handed them over to Arang. She accepted them without hesitance.

“Because I’m going to be a poor college student in a few weeks.” She snapped, shoving a dumpling and a piece of kimchi into . “It was either food or drinks. I couldn’t get both.”

“Wait… You decided to get drinks for me and the guys instead of feeding yourself?” His heart hitched. It might have been a small gesture but he was still touched.

“Yeah, is there a problem? If I didn’t, you would have complained to everyone you saw about how horrible of a girlfriend I am towards you.” She deadpanned. “I also received a bunch of gifts from BTS fans at work.” Arang opened her shoulder bag and dumped everything out. “I don’t know which gifts belong to whom. You guys will have to decide t