🎵  “We don’t gotta go there, past lovers and warfare. It’s just you and me now.”  - Waste it On Me by Steve Aoki feat. BTS 

Y/N winced as she dabbed some ointment onto her wound, blowing on it a little before placing the bandage on. She couldn’t believe how her night just turned out. From all the things that could happen…from all the people she could meet…

Just then, her phone rang, snapping her from her thoughts. She figured it must be Taehyung as she had taken a few more minutes longer than she should’ve.

“Hello?” She answered as she grabbed her jacket hanging on her bed’s headboard. “Tae?”

“Hey, I’m here. What’s taking you so long? I’m starved!”

“I’m coming down now.” She said as she locked her door and moved towards the elevators. “Sorry, I—uh had a bit of an accident.”

“Accident? Did you trip on even path again.”

Y/N rolled her eyes. “Ha-ha funny. No, I…bumped into someone.”

“Oh. Who?”

Y/N sighed as she pressed the button, thinking it’s definitely something she didn’t want to talk about over the phone (or at all, if she was being honest).

“I’ll tell you over dinner.” She responded just as the elevator doors opened. Y/N almost dropped her phone when the last person she expected (and wanted) to see was suddenly standing there on her floor—right in front of her.

“Are you following me?” Y/N blurted without thinking, but Jungkook—who initially had a surprised expression on his face—looked mildly offended.

“No. I live here.”

Now it was Y/N’s turn to be surprised. But she wasn’t going to fall for his lies just like that. “Funny.” She scoffed. “That’s really funny, Jungkook.”

Jungkook raised a paper to her face. “See for yourself.” As she grabbed it, she borrowed briefly through it and realized that it was a contract for the lease of the dorm apartment. To make things even more surprising, he’s staying at the recently vacant room on her floor...which also happened to be right across from her.

“Whatever.” Y/N handed him back the paper hastily with a grumble before stepping into the elevator.

“Hey.”

Y/N should’ve just ignored him. That would’ve been the reasonable thing to do. But somehow, she found herself holding onto the wrong button that kept the doors opened. She looked at him, gauging his expression and was confused to find only concern in his eyes.

“What?”

“Your arm.” He pointed. “Are you okay?”

She looked down at her bandage arm. “Oh. Uh, yeah. Already treated it.” Did I just hear right? Is Jungkook asking if I’m okay?

“You fell pretty hard. Do I need to take you to a hospital? Or the campus clinic, at least?”

Y/N was even more surprised by the offer, unsure why he would be concerned for her well-being when not so long ago, he made it pretty clear that he wanted nothing to do with her.

Willing herself not to be fazed by his concern, she stood straighter and shook her head. “It’s fine. It’s just a scratch, and I can take care of myself.”

“Are you sure— “

“Yeah. Pretty sure. So, you can go on along. Wouldn’t want you wasting your time on someone who’s not worth it, right?”

She felt a rush at her words, not meaning to blurt out the memory she had tried so hard to forget. By the way Jungkook’s expression turned from concerned to dark—and if she read correctly, a little upset—he clearly picked up on the reference too. He looked like he was about to say something and she wasn’t sure if she could stay there any longer in the presence of the one boy who impetuously broke her heart into a million, tiny pieces. With that, she let her finger move over to the close button, putting an end to their conversation.

“Bye, Jungkook.” She said just as the elevator doors closed.

~~~

PRESENT

Y/N was able to calm Jen down after an hour of talking and right now, they had retreated to the back room where she had invited her to snack on some cookies she baked earlier that day. It would take at least an hour or so until the bookshop owner returned and Y/N decided to wait as she was clearly instructed not close up on her own. Not because she couldn’t handle it on her own, of course, but because the owner didn’t want to impose on her. After all, she was just watching over the shop for the day as a favor.

“I wanted to ask, Y/N.” Jen started as she munched on a cookie. “What happened to that guy who broke your heart?”

Y/N simply sighed, a small smile on her lips. “You mean after high school?” Jen nodded. “Never really saw him for a couple of years. But we met in college again.”

“Did you give him a piece of your mind?”

Y/N chuckled. “He actually became my neighbor. Lived right next door.”

“What?! That’s crazy?! How did you even manage to face that douche every day?”

Y/N paused at that, thinking how she had asked herself the same thing back then. How did she manage to face the man who broke her heart all those years ago and not want to break down in tears or hurl the nearest table lamp at him?

The answer?

“I don’t know... but one thing’s for sure, then. He was different when I met him again.”

“Different how? Like...’a changed man’?” Jen quoted with a snicker.

Y/N shrugged. “Just different.”

~~~

FLASHBACK

Y/N didn’t tell Taehyung about meeting Jungkook again. She didn’t even mention that the guy who humiliated her and trashed her feelings back then was currently living in the same building as hers—on the same floor, right across from her flat. The reason? She knew he would throw a fit and maybe give Jungkook a piece of his fist if given the chance. She also knew he would’ve offered to have her live in his apartment where she sometimes stayed when they worked on school projects together and when they had their Friday movie night rituals. But most of all, Y/N didn’t want him freaking out or worrying. She can handle this. It’s not like Jungkook was her ex. She barely made it to the friends stage; not to mention her confession was a total disaster.

I’ve moved on, she told (convinced) herself.

Jungkook as a neighbor was safe to say, uneventful as he rarely showed his face and they barely crossed paths despite living right across from each other. She figured they had very different schedules as she would often catch Jungkook leaving on his bike in the afternoon just as she’s returning to the building. Also, she never bumped into him in the mornings. She thought it was for the best. The less she saw of him, the better.

A month passed and Y/N was starting to feel comfortable with the idea of Jungkook living next door, considering she never really saw the guy and it’s almost as if he didn’t exist.

But of course, fate had different plans when on a nice, homework-less Friday night, Y/N strolled through their library’s door with a new mystery tucked in her arm, only to be welcomed by an unexpected sight.

The library was packed for some reason on a Friday night, with groups of students filling most of the tables. But that wasn’t the reason why Y/N suddenly felt her heart drum in her chest. For right there, sitting on one of the tables was Jungkook with his headphones on while hunched over the desk, writing something on a notebook.

The sight shouldn’t have affected her, really. Except the only seat available then was right across where he was sitting. Y/N had second thoughts about leaving but she decided against it, thinking how she already came all this way.

I’m a strong woman, Y/N pepped talk herself as she stood straighter and marched towards his desk. I can do this! Cute boys don’t scare me.

Once she was right in front of him, she cleared , intending to get his attention and ask if the seat was taken—even though it looks like he was alone. Y/N didn’t want to be rude if he wanted some space.

However, Jungkook didn’t look up at her first attempt… and the second and that’s when she realized he had his headphones on and would probably only notice her if she danced like a chicken or—as any normal person would—tapped him. The former option seemed unlikely and so she reluctantly reached out and tapped his shoulder twice, causing the boy to look up with a jolt, wide-eyed.

Cute boys don’t scare me... she thought defiantly just as Jungkook removed his headphones, setting his doe-eyes on hers.

But this one might, a small voice said in her head and she swallowed.

“Y/N.” He said and there was genuine surprise in his tone. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

Y/N was quick to snap from her trance and mustered a small smile. “It’s fine. Sorry to bother you, but I was just wondering if this seat’s taken?” She pointed at the chair across from him. “Sorry, I—the other tables are full.”

Jungkook looked around then, as if he didn’t realize he was in the library, before setting his gaze back to her. “Oh, no. Go ahead.”

Y/N blinked, unsure if she heard him right. Jungkook just smiled and offered the seat willingly, she thought as she sat; remembering how back then, he barely acknowledged her, and when he actually did, it was usually to ask her to shut up. Y/N was adamant not to make the same mistake again, however, and forced herself not to make small talk or even make the slightest of noises that could annoy him.

“What you got there?” He suddenly asked and Y/N tensed up.

Now he’s attempting small talk?

“Um,” Y/N paused for a while, still shocked. “It’s a book.”

“I know it’s a book.” He rolled his eyes. “I meant what are you reading?”

“Oh, uh. A mystery.”

“Cool.”

“I didn’t know you drew.” Y/N said, surprised to have said her thoughts out loud when she observed that the notepad he was busy with was actually a sketchpad and she could catch a glimpse of a really nice sketch of a human hand in front of him.

Jungkook seemed to become shy at the mention of it. “Not really. I just dabble when I have time. “

“What are you talking about?” She pointed at the pad. “That looks pretty amazing to me.”

He smiled. “Thanks.”

“Are you an art major, then?”

A nod. “Graphic design.”

“‘I just dabble.’” She snorted as she quoted his words a while ago. Jungkook rubbed his nape, a slight blush coloring his cheeks.

“Okay, maybe I dabble a lot more often than usual.”

She laughed. He laughed. And it was so easy forgetting like there was nothing wrong between them. But as soon as Y/N realized that, she wiped off the smile on her face and pretended to start reading, covering half her face with the book.

You’re supposed to be mad at him, damn it!

After that night, Y/N began seeing Jungkook more and more at the library. Sometimes, it would still be packed and Y/N would have no choice but to ask to share again. Jungkook would happily oblige and they would settle into—as she so hated to admit—a comfortable silence; reading or with Jungkook, drawing. Some nights, Y/N would get their first and almost always, Jungkook would arrive and ask to share her table, despite having several tables vacant. Y/N had wanted to say no. She really did, but she wasn’t sure why she couldn’t seem to find it in her to say “No, sorry. The next table’s vacant, though” every single time.

Worst of all, the boy kept making small talk and Y/N found herself falling for the trap every time, cracking at his jokes and even letting him in on what happened that day. It was almost too easy: talking with him, laughing with him… And if Y/N didn’t hate him so much, she would’ve thought of him as a friend.

A friend...she wondered as she stared at him drawing, thinking whether or not it’s a good or bad idea to be friends with him.

~~~

One night, Y/N planned to work on their charity fair tomorrow.  She and Taehyung had teamed up with a couple of their friends: Kim Seokjin, a senior and Y/N’s culinary student mentor and Kim Namjoon, also a senior and Taehyung’s close friend in his business classes, to put up a booth and sell some baked delicacies for their joint project. After their meeting, she found herself lugging boxes of ingredients to her dorm for her cupcakes. She was carrying a couple up to her room when she suddenly felt the box’s weight lighten and fingers grazing her hands that sent a shock of electricity to course through her veins.

When she craned her neck to look at the person who helped her, she can’t say she’s surprised to see Jungkook there.

“Need help?” He said and gave her a small smile that almost seemed shy.

Y/N knew she should’ve declined, not wanting to owe the guy anything afterwards. But she was desperate to get those boxes upstairs and get started on her baking for the fair tomorrow to even let her pride get the best of her.

“Thank you.” She sighed in relief as she let him take the boxes. “Could you take them to my door? I have a few more in the truck— “

“Don’t worry about it, I got it.” Jungkook said before moving towards the elevators. Y/N stopped at that, unsure how to take his generosity.

After the boxes were all settled in her room, she turned towards Jungkook who just set the final box on her doorstep.

“That’s all of it.” He said as he stood straighter before giving an awkward wave and turning away to leave.

“Jungkook,” she called, and he looked over his shoulder questioningly. “Thank you.”

For the first time in a ve