Phantasmagoric || pjm

III

You sighed as you chewed on your food, watching the boys play on the court as the girls on the lowest step of the bleachers giggled their heads off and whispered to each other. Some would glance at you and talk bad about of you, and you knew about it, it was all they did, anyway.

Someone cleared their throat and you looked to your side, quite startled to see the boy who would sit beside you.

"Sorry." He chuckled. "Is it okay if I, uh, stay with you?" He hesitantly asked.

You sheepishly nodded and he slowly sat beside you. He opened his lunchbox and took his food out, the smell of chicken hitting you instantly.

Your stomach grumbled and you shut your eyes tight in embarrassment. He chuckled lightly as you silently cursed yourself.

"It's fine," he said, still laughing a bit, "I don't think I'd be able to finish this anyway. Would you like some?"

You looked at him slowly, meeting his eyes, and you noticed that there was some type of sparkle in them. You looked down to the food that looked so inviting that your stomach made another sound.

"S-sorry." You stuttered, flushed.

He just laughed it off and lightly gestured for you to take. You bit your lip as your hand made its way to the container and you got the smallest piece you could find- which was not so small, by the way.

You put it in your mouth and the flavor was filling up your senses. You gasped and looked at him in surprise.

"Is it good?" He asked and you vigorously nodded, but stopped, realizing how you were acting.

You swallowed, cleared your throat, and replied with a simple yes.

He chuckled at you for the third time that day, saying that it was fine to be yourself around him. You blushed at what he said, and you knew that this might be the only time you were going to let someone in, after Jimin.

And that's what he was thinking, too. That you were the only person he was going to let in.

"Oh, where are my manners." He suddenly said as you two were chewing your food.

"Okay, first of all," you started, covering your mouth as you spoke, "don't talk with your mouth full."

"That goes for you, too." He remarked and you rolled your eyes, accepting your defeat.

You both swallowed your food and you looked at him, waiting for him to continue what he was going to say.

"We haven't introduced ourselves properly." He said. "My name's Kim Taehyung."

"Y/l/n Y/n." You introduced back as he held out a hand which you took and gently shook.

You both smiled at each other and your hands may have lingered for more than it needed to, and when you finally let go, the girls at the bottom bleachers noticed, making them become even more envious of you.

They had been watching you since the start, and they all found Taehyung cute, they were sure to give you a beating when you came across them.

The bell rang, and Taehyung told you that he'd go ahead. You nodded as you started to pack up your things.

He jogged down the bleachers, ignoring the girls who were trying to catch his attention. He lightly ran to the hallway and checked if anyone could see him. Once it was clear, he made his way to your locker and opened it, and put the third envelope in.

He was breaking rules, not just school rules but their rules, and he knew this. But he couldn't watch you be apart from the other much longer, and Taehyung knew that the other couldn't either.

He sighed as he closed the door and the bell rang again, signaling that he was late for class.

You were seated, waiting for Taehyung, while class started. Although you were jotting down notes, you couldn't help but wonder to where Taehyung was, and at the same time you knew, that the girls were watching you.

After a while, Taehyung came in the room, apologized to the teacher for being late, then sat down beside you. You glanced at him and he gave you a rectangular smile, making you laugh slightly.

He chuckled back as you turned your head front once more and focused on the board. You knew that Taehyung was never going to replace Jimin, no one could, but you needed someone else in your life aside from your parents, too. And well, cousin.

•••

The final bell rang, signaling that classes were over. You and Taehyung packed up and decided to walk to the gate together, and you told him that you'd go to your locker first.

Inside, you were hoping that there would be another note, you wanted to finish this 'mystery' or whatever this was, you wanted to know why you had a journal delivered to you.

And why it was specifically for you.

You opened your locker and you were surprised to see two envelopes. One was on the spines of your books and the other was just flat on the floor of your locker.

You took the one laying down first, and when you opened it, you frowned.

It was one of those death threats from the popular girls, saying to stay away from Taehyung or consequences will have to come to play.

Taehyung saw how you reacted and immediately snatched the paper from your hands. You tried to get it back from him, but you were too slow- and a bit too short.

Anger filled him up, along with sadness, he didn't like seeing anyone being treated this way, because even he knew how it felt to be on your side of the play.

"Yah," he said sternly as you stopped struggling, "how long have you been getting these?"

"Since two years ago." You shrugged, as if to show him that it was nothing.

Sure you were used to it, but it still hurt.

"And you haven't reported it?"

"What's the use?"

You turn to your locker and get the envelope you were here to get and opened it,

Written on

You sighed as you saw the next 'clue'. You put it back inside the envelope then stuffed it in your bag. You saw that Taehyung was spacing out so you took it as a chance to snatch the paper from his hand.

"Yah!" He shouted, earning some attention from the passers in the hall.

You shushed him as you put that paper in your bag too.

"Let's just go," you said, "I want to sleep."

He put his hands in his pockets as you two started to walk, very much aware of the attention you two were gaining.

He didn't say anything as you walked, he respected your privacy, and he already knew about two years ago. He also knew that if he brought it up, you would just get hurt again.

You two were by a cafe when you parted ways, but before you did, Taehyung slipped another envelope in your bag, a zipper you forgot to close.

He waved you goodbye and you did the same, unaware of the events that were about to unfold. Unaware of the happiness that you were soon going to feel.