The Red of the Rose | Taeyong

21 | All-in

The first and the only class Taeyong and Miah had together today was Professor Moon's lecture. They hadn't seen each other all day ever since Taeyong drove her to campus owing to their clashing schedules, with different breaks.

The class before Professor Moon's lecture bored Miah to her limit. It was right after her lunch break too. When the hour hand struck the twelve on the clock hanging above the white board, the front row of the class was quick to remind the professor that the class time was up.

Finally! Miah closed her notebook and the two books they were using as reference but instead of stowing them away in her bag, she carried them in her arm. Then, slinging her bag over the other shoulder, she scrambled out of the class with the rest of the students only to stop at the door owing to a crowd of girls blocking the way.

Miah was reminded of a similar sight she saw not long after she had joined this college. Taeyong. It could only be him.

She elbowed her way through the crowd of giggling and swooning girls circled around a boy who was leaning over a ledge in the corridor, looking absolutely bored.

The indifferent expression on Taeyong face softened the moment he saw Miah exit the classroom.

'What are you doing here?' Miah asked, despite knowing the answer.

'Waiting for you, of course,' Taeyong replied. 'Let's walk? We have some time before the class starts.'

As she stepped forward, the entire corridor erupted in a series of gasps sounding from each corner. Miah couldn't help but blush and swoon over his dreamy charm. Outwardly, she only had a soft smile on her face when he offered her his hand but inwardly, her heart was racing, beating faster than it ever had when she placed her hand in his as they walked away.

'How was your class?' Taeyong asked her when he was sure they had managed to put sufficient distance between them and the crowd.

'Boring. I wanted to bury myself in the ground,' Miah replied honestly.

Taeyong laughed. 'I can imagine. I took a course with this professor last year. Slept through the entire semester. No idea how I passed. Why can't you keep your books in your bag?' Taeyong looked down to see Miah struggling with them.

'I... if I just.' Miah looped her arm around the heavier book to pull up the pile in her arms. 'I need to hold it properly.'

Taeyong rolled his eyes. 'Give this to me.' He took the books from her hold. 'Just keep walking, I'll carry them,' he added when Miah tried to retrieve them from his arms.

Taeyong didn't let go of Miah's hand even when they were standing right outside of the lecture hall for Professor Moon's class. And, unlike what Miah had thought, he didn't leave her hand even after they entered the hall.

The silence that usually befalls when Professor Moon enters the class, seemed to have taken hold of the classroom when Taeyong and Miah entered. As they stood at the topmost step of the hall, this sudden shift was not lost on them. There was not a single person who didn't crane their necks to peer.

Miah felt her cheeks flushing, her breath caught in her throat. The cafeteria earlier, and the small crowd in front of the classroom just now was nothing compared to this huge lecture hall fully focused on them. She had suddenly forgotten how to walk, too aware of her hand clutching the strap of her bag on her shoulder, and the other held tightly in Taeyong's grip. Feeling suddenly parched, she gulped down then looked at Taeyong and that was it. That was all she needed to do. What met her eyes was someone standing beside her, steadfast and smiling warmly at her. 'Just focus on me,' Taeyong whispered and led the way.