windfall || k.th

9

I wasn't able to get any sleep last night. Even when hours had passed, the feeling of Taehyung's lips brushing against mine lingers. I could still feel the warmth of his body, the touch of his forehead against mine, and the shiver that had run up my spine at his stare.

"I still love you."

I shake my head.

"Y-yeah, apparently he used to drink a lot of chocolate when he was still struggling with running the company. And it just somehow turned into his version of alcohol." I take a sip of the hot coffee Jin had prepared, hoping it'll make me feel better.

"Aish... I can't believe that jerk. Yah, you should just sue him!" Jimin's eyes widen like they always do when he's mad or agitated, and Jin sends him a glare.

"There's no need for that, Jimin. You keep forgetting that the boy is rich." Jimin groans at Jin's words with a roll of his eyes, "What's the use of being rich if you can't even respect your employee? Some moral he has!"

As Jimin huffs in anger, I can't help letting out a small smile.

"Yah, I said fifteen thousand won, not fifty!"Jung Haemin bellows, her eyes widen threateningly. I stare at the top-up card in my shaking hand, not daring to meet her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry. I'll exchange it for you right away-" I jump as she slams her hand onto the counter, her bright red painted nails standing out. Her friends, who stood behind her, giggle as they watch me quiver in fear. Though I don't associate myself with students at the university, I know.

As one of the popular Ulzzang girls, Jung Haemin is not to be messed with.

"Kim Hyunji." She scoffs, "The perfect student; always top of the class. What's wrong, huh? Did your brain malfunction? Or perhaps... you were never really that smart after all? You cheated in class, didn't you? You were oh so desperate to save your poor little family, you had to use some dirty little tricks to get that certificate. How pathetic!" She spits, and her friends laugh irritatingly at her string of venomous words.

I take in a deep breath and try my best to hold in the tears that were about to escape. And just as I was about to mutter another apology, Jimin burst into the store in his work uniform, steaming in anger.

"Yah! You three! What the hell do you think you're doing, huh?! Get the hell out of here!" He marches over, grabs on to Haemin's arm and roughly drags her over to the exit. Haemin's friends follow behind them in a panic, screaming for Jimin to let go. Once they reach the exit, Jimin pushes them out and yells, "Don't come back before you learn how to stop being such an ass!"

He huffs as he turns around to meet my eyes. I look away on instinct, too ashamed to look at him. As I put away the top-up card, I hear his footsteps and a huff of breath as he makes his way over to me.

"Hyunji-yah... What did I say about letting those girls do that to you?" He sighs. As Jung Haemin's words once again ring in my head, I once again feel tears pool at the back of my eyes.

You were oh so desperate.

Your poor little family.

How pathetic!

I force down a sob that was about to escape, and Jimin notices. He walks around the counter and pulls me into his comforting warmth, his hand stroking gentle circles on my back.

"It's okay, Hyunji. It's okay. Just let it out."

That's when I lost it. Once the first tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. Jimin hugs me tightly as I tremble in tears in his embrace, mumbling 'it's okay, it's okay' over and over again until my sobbing had come to a stop.

"See? I told you working in a university convenient store is a terrible idea!" He playfully scolds, a smile on his face. I let out a wry smile as I wipe away my tears, "Yeah... Thank you, Jiminie. I really don't know what to do without you."

The smile on Jimin's face widen at my words, but it falters as he leans down a little to catch my eye level, his eyes serious.

"Hyunji-yah, don't get me wrong, I don't mind backing you up when you need me to. But, I still stand by what I said before. It really hurts me to see you being stepped on by those people. As much as I like staying by your side, there will be times where I'm not here with you. Jiji, please. Be strong. For me."

Though after that I've never really needed someone to defend me when it comes to being browbeaten, Jimin's still the same. Huffing, eyes wide, his fists tightening. And just by that, I know just how much he truly cares for me.

"Yah, can you stop being creepy? You're scaring me." Jimin grimaces, and my smile falls.

"Hyunji, you okay? You've been staring at Jimin and smiling by yourself." Jin frowns, his face clearly showing concern. I feel my face heat up as they both stare at me, "Uh- Y-yeah! I'm fine! Perfectly fine!"

"Wah~ Jiminie, I think Hyunnie might've developed a crush on you! Congratulations!" Jin claps his hands excitedly, awfully resembling a happy seal. To his statement, both Jimin and I give the exact same response at the exact same time.

"Eww, hyung! Gross!"

"Eww, oppa! Gross!"

"Oh my, oh my! What's this? Telepathy?! I see my ship sailing!" As Jin continues flailing his hands around and giggles hysterically, the bell rings, indicating the entrance of a customer. Jin stops his movements and clears his throat, completely disregarding Jimin's disgusted expression.

"An espresso, please." A familiar voice rings and my eyes immediately shift to the familiar back of the man. Jin notices my tensed form and follows my eyes, Jimin doing the same.

"Wait... don't tell me, that's the arrogant swine, Kim Taehyung!"