AMIN
They weren't top bodyguards for nothing.
"What the—" Taehyung stutters, eyes wide as Jungkook flicks the cap up from his head. "How did you know? I thought we were..."
"Do you think I don't know your voice after seven years, Tae?"
Shilla laughs, looking at me. "And I gave you that white hat for your birthday, Amin. You're so forgetful sometimes."
I wince.
Of course. What was I even thinking?
"Noona, I think we messed up." Taehyung whispers, and I groan loudly as I grip his hand. Then I pull him out of the café, calling over my shoulder.
"I'm sorry about this. We'll get going now."
"No way!" Shilla giggles, pulling me back. Then she claps her hands together, eyes sparkling.
"I know!"
"We should do a double date!"
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"No."
And I can't help but laugh when Taehyung's voice sharpens. Shilla had suggested a horror movie, and I knew he couldn't watch something scary for his life.
"Hm." She shrugs, tapping Jungkook on the shoulder. "Can he not watch horror?"
Taehyung tenses.
And when Jungkook shakes his head, he raises his voice.
"It's not that I can't, Miss Min."
"Oh, you can call me Shilla." She says nonchalantly, and I skim my eyes through the other choices— trying not to laugh again. "No worries, Mr. Kim."
I point at one of the screens.
"Action."
"I agree." Jungkook says, pulling Taehyung towards the ticket stand. "Wait here. We'll get tickets."
And the moment they leave, I start laughing.
"Don't tease him too much, Shilla. He can't take a single jumpscare."
She covers her mouth with her hand, a giggle escaping her lips. Then her eyes flick somewhere else, and she pulls on my hand.
I blink.
"Where—"
"Bathroom!" Shilla chirps, dragging me all the way to the entrance of the women's. "Wait here, okay?"
Then she pats my head— making me frown. She always abused her height, being a few centimeters taller.
"I'll be back out soon."
So I wait. I can barely see the sign of the ticket stand if I get on my tiptoes— and even then I can't tell apart Taehyung and Jungkook from the other people.
Had they already gotten it?
And I'm trying to peek over when someone suddenly blocks my view.
I shift.
But then I realize there's a man in front of me. And it's not just a single person— it's a group.
My expression chills to ice.
"Just wondering if you wanted company." One of them smirks, and I stare coldly into his face when he bends. "You look pretty alone out here."
"I have company."
They laugh.
"Where? Don't see them." He chuckles. "Don't feel too shy. We can treat you like a little Princess."
What the hell.
"Just piss off."
And I'm about to walk into the women's room to avoid them when one of them tips a cup onto the front of my shirt.
Cold water instantly soaks through the thin material.
I freeze.
"Damn." One of them whistles, and my breathing starts to get faster as I spin on my feet. But then I crash headfirst into the arms of someone, and jerk back in disgust.
"Didn't realize you were so enthusiastic."
They were surrounding me.
Bastards.
"Let me through. I don't have time to waste around with people like you."
"Amin?"
My head snaps up at Shilla's voice. She couldn't see me— because I was too short and surrounded.
"Shilla!"
They've caught on too, by now. I slip through when they aren't looking, finding my friend instantly.
I was so conscious.
And she looks confused for a second, before she sees the front of my shirt. And the confusion turns to white fury in a second.
"What the actual fuck?"
"Just don't." I murmur, gripping her wrist. "There's six of them— you can't fight them all. Let's just get back."
But these men.
"Ooh, a fighter, huh." He chuckles. Shilla probably would've punched his face in if I hadn't been holding her wrist still. "I also do martial arts. We should have a little fight together."
"Do you?"
A large figure suddenly shoves between us and the men. I instantly recognize Jungkook, who takes one look at the startled man before striking him heavily across the face.
He looked furious.
"Noona, where did you go?"
Taehyung tightens his jacket around my shoulders, cursing as his eyes flicker down at my shirt. Shilla's joined in, looking satisfied as she beats down a grown man to the ground.
I realize it's the one who'd spilled water all over me.
People are looking.
But they don't mind at all— had they been causing problems around here for others too?
Taehyung lowers himself, trying to zip up the jacket so it doesn't show anything at all. And I touch the top of his head, brows furrowing.
"Won't they get in trouble? They are bodyguards in KCL."
"Well, I'm their CEO." He growls, pushing the zipper up to my neck. "And I give them full permission to beat those bastards to the ground."
He suddenly buries me into his arms.
"Don't disappear on me like that ever again. Do you have any idea how much you scared me, Noona?"
"I'm sorry."
My voice is muffled because of how tight he's holding onto me.
"I'm sorry, Tae."
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We had ended up watching the movie— but I hadn't been able to focus at all. My shirt was cold and stayed wet, even with Taehyung's jacket. And he'd fussed over me worriedly for half the time.
"The nerve." Shilla crosses her arms. She asks Jungkook. "Do you think they're still there?"
"Probably." He sighs deeply. "We need to have a talk about the way you hit people, Shilla."
She argues something back.
I would've heard what she said if I hadn't been so focused on Taehyung. He looks completely down, head tilted towards the ground and fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.
"I need to go." Jungkook says, looking up to Taehyung. "Let's go. I have enough time to drop you—"
"I'll do that."
His eyes turn to me.
"I can walk him." I say, flickering my gaze at Taehyung before turning to Shilla. She checks her phone, and I see one of her eyes open and close quickly.
She just winked at me.
"Well, I need to go home and work on that assignment someone gave me." She says, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets and glaring at Jungkook.
"Let's have a better date next time."
Then she leaves with a wave. Jungkook is the one that seems more hesitant— and only when I assure him that I'd do a good job does he leave as well.
I sigh.
I didn't blame him, but he was just way too protective over Taehyung.
"Come on."
Reaching for his hand, I tighten my fingers over his and tug him towards the direction of his home. And he still looks like someone had ran his pet puppy over with a car.
"Tae, tell me what's bothering you."
He bites his lip. "I'm sorry."
And my expression crosses in confusion. "Sorry? What do you have to apologize for?"
"Because," He breathes, dragging a hand over his face. "If I hadn't been too obvious in the café, we wouldn't have gone to the movies. And if we hadn't gone to the movies, then you—"
"Hey."
Why was he so cute?
"You really haven't changed at all." I whisper, pressing myself into his larger figure. "Still thinking that everything's always your fault."
He leans into my touch.
"You need to understand that it isn't."
"Alright?"
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TAEHYUNG
"Call— if you need me." She says firmly. "With anything. I won't mind. Even if it's just the tiniest thing bothering you."
I look down into her gray eyes, trying not to smile. She always made me feel better— always. And after that night I'd found her drinking, I could see she was trying to show more.
That she cared.
"Thank you." I murmur, kissing her one more time. "You too, okay? I'll see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight, Tae."
When I walk inside my house, it feels emptier than usual. Shaking out my hair, I change my clothes to a white shirt and loose gray sweats.
I wish she lived here with me.
Blinking, I brush my teeth lazily before getting into bed. And then I pull the covers to my chest, brushing my dark curls from my forehead.
Could I make that happen?
It would be all I wanted, if I could see her first thing in the morning and the last thing I'd see before I went to sleep.
Would she say yes? What if she didn't agree?
And I'm genuinely wondering when the next breath I take cuts off into a sharp gasp.
My eyes go wide.
I instantly jerk up from bed, breathing in short bursts as I run out of my door. My shoulder crashes into the edge of the wall in my rush, and a choked sound forces out of my throat.
Panicked wheezes escape my lips as I grip my shoulder, catching myself heavily on the couch.
My phone.
Where—
It's late. Don't bother her.
With painful rasps, I drag myself over to the kitchen and roughly pull the drawer open. My entire body shakes, breaths turning weaker by the second.
Inhaler.
The inhaler she'd given me.
It's there in the corner. I collapse on the kitchen floor, hands frantically bringing it to my lips as I breathe. It isn't as good as the prescribed one I'd thrown out, but it's enough.
Something wet slips down my cheek.
My hand brushes over my tears as I cry, still trembling on the ground. I'm just relieved Noona isn't here, to see me like this.
How pathetic.
And I'd even been thinking of asking her to come live with me.
I take another stuttered breath.
Her— here to see me this way?
The inhaler slips from my fingertips, hitting the tiles. My breathing is slowing, but the tears won't.
I could never.