LITTLE DO YOU KNOW

• TEN •

EVERYTHING happened as fast as Dahyun had wished things to end that night. The Jeons and the two unrelated Kims all dined peacefully with some questions mostly raised by Mr. and Mrs. Jeon. By the end of the dinner, Dahyun learned that Taehyung was not supposed to be there if it's not for his grandmother's plea for him to take her spot over the dinner. And over that course of time, Dahyun spoke shockingly less with only chuckles as her contribution to the conversation and supportive presence to the others' turn (except for that one guy she avoided to lock eyes with).

Moments after dinner, Jungkook excused and pulled Dahyun from an awkward conversation initiated by his dad about her whimsical, supposed relationship with Jungkook. Dahyun succinctly thought that her mischief and awkward night would end with Jungkook by her side, but she was wrong.

After Jungkook had pulled her away from the others and made sure that no one was overhearing them, he began, "Are you alright? You've been silent since we saw..." he hesitated then proceeded, rephrasing his constructed thoughts, "since the dinner started." He was not dumb not to notice the change in Dahyun's demeanor after she saw his cousin. Nevertheless, he couldn't recall introducing Taehyung to Dahyun when he heard her murmured his name.

But Dahyun only responded with a firm, "I just felt sentimental is all." Then their conversation went further, revolving around that topic - which Dahyun wittily dodged continuously without blurting too much information and holding onto her stand that he had known Taehyung on a magazine and just couldn't believe that he and Jungkook were actually blood-related.

All these time, Dahyun thought that she had done her best to hide her real emotions, but it turns out that Jungkook had known her for so long that he can read even the slightest change in her demeanor.

She didn't even realize how Jungkook paid attention to her until that moment.

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"GOODBYE to you, son," Mrs Jeon's voice rang out melodiously, her words filled with affection as she placed a tender kiss on Taehyung's cheek.

Dahyun's eyes discreetly flickered towards the ground, her attempt to avoid any direct interaction with the male evident. Yet, even this subtle action didn't go unnoticed by the observant Jungkook, who cataloged every nuance of her behavior.

The scene felt almost surreal, like a carefully choreographed play where each of them had their role to fulfill. Dahyun's heart drummed in her chest, her pulse resonating in her ears as she grappled with a sudden voice. For an instant, it was as if the world was hushed, and Dahyun questioned whether her own senses were betraying her.

But then, as her name floated to her on the breeze, Dahyun's gaze was drawn inexorably upward. Her eyes met a pair of eyes that seemed to cut through the space between them, transcending the distance with a chilling intensity. It was him - the man at the car door, his demeanor enigmatic and his expression unreadable. The coldness that emanated from him was juxtaposed with the heat that seemed to suffuse her entire being.

The atmosphere crackled with tension, each heartbeat resonating in Dahyun's chest like a drumbeat in a suspenseful symphony. Her breath caught in her throat, suspended in a moment that felt eternal and fleeting.

"Why don't you just ride with us?" Taehyung's voice broke through the spell, his words a lifeline that pulled her back from the precipice of her thoughts. His casual tone contrasted starkly with the weight of emotions overflowing inside Dahyun's head. "If I remember from earlier's conversation, you're from Sinsa-dong, right? We're going to pass there," he continued, his words carrying a veneer of politeness that barely concealed the complexity underneath.

'Is he trying to ask me to ride with him? Is this really him?' Dahyun thought while her heart was racing fast as Taehyung's offer hung in the air. She felt as if an inexplicable tension was enveloping the scene like a mist. The cool breeze whispered secrets, her fingers started to fidget at her sides as she politely responded, "Thank you for the offer, sir. But I decline your generosity because I planned to grab a taxi back home."