Almost V

열셋

"He has?"

"Uh-huh." She looks at me from the corner of her eye.

"Like what about?"

She shrugs. "Just things. He's curious. That's his personality."

"Like a cat, huh?" So this is nothing out of the ordinary. She doesn't offer anything more, so I say. "Well, anyway. That's all there is. He was just teasing me with these muffin things on the Bees, and -"

I feel rather than see Anna's head swing in my direction. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?"

"Omo, Anna. My ears. I didn't know you could be so loud." We still have a line, so I put on a fake smile and pass tickets through the tiny hole in the window. "That actually hurts my eardrums."

"But that's what you said, right? You said you were on the lifts with Taehyung? Why were you on the lifts with Taehyung?"

"It's a long story."

"We've got six hours."

I sigh. Between customers, I give her the short version of the story. I don't tell her about my ongoing search for V, because that seems so personal - I juts tell her that I met Mark and didn't realize I was barking up the wrong tree.

"Mark Tuan?"

I sigh. How small is this town, anyway?

"He should have told you," she says.

"I should have picked up on it."

Anna shakes her head. "I still say he should have made it clearer. No way both of you got signal crossed. Shame on him."

"I don't know about that," I say, but I appreciate her show of support.

She gives me the hurry-up signal.

I keep going with my story, leaving out most  of the details, especially any details with secret feelings and legs touching. "He was trying to cheery me up," I say, when I tell her about Taehyung and the Bees. "it was no big deal."

"Hmm," is all she say.

"What does that mean?"

"It means, that's all very interesting."

"Why?"

Four quick knocks on the door. I startle. Anna squeals. Four knocks only means one person. My nerves go crazy as Anna opens the door.

"Ladies," Taehyung says.

"Why speak of the devil," Anna says, giving me a smile that is so wicked, I can hardly believe it's on her sweet little face. I immediately regret I told her anything and try to signal back with my eyes: IF YOU GIVE AWAY ANYTHING, I WILL STRANGLE YOU IN YOUR SLEEP.

Taeyung looks at me, then at me. I catch his eyes and try to look away, but it's like honey. I'm stuck. I can feel my insides melting and my heart trying to outrun a group of zombies. I can't seem to inhale enough air. stupid hotbox. It's uncomfortably hot. I feel physically ill and fear I'm going to pass out.

"Hey," he says in a soft voice.

"Hey," I say back.

Somewhere in the distance, I hear a light tapping.

"Suzy." I really like it when he says my name. How silly is that?

"Yes," I answer.

"Customer."

Damn it. I manage not to say that aloud, but I do, however, spin around on my stool too fast and bang my skinned-up knee - which still hasn't completely healed - and yelp. The pain helps to break whatever crazy spell Taehyung's got over me. Until something warm touches my hand.