Jungkook and Jimin decided to crash over Taehyung's place and are now rummaging through his kitchen for some drinks and snacks, mumbling about wanting to hang out and keep themselves updated with whatever that has been going on in Taehyung's life. As if they do not see each other day and night, bumping into one another as they walk to and back from work nor do they share one group chat that is never silent.
"Seori thanked me for the oatmilk", Jungkook tears open a packet of corn chips as he plops onto the sofa. "She should be thanking you, not me"
"Does not matter", Taehyung sighs as he removes his dark green flannel, throwing it straight into the laundry bag beside the washing machine. He is about to pull his shirt off but then he stops, remembering he has two uninvited audience members sitting in his living room. "Why are you both in my house again?"
"Bonding time", Jimin stretches his legs on the couch. "What is with this oatmilk?"
"Taehyung ordered oatmilk for-"
"Jungkook", Taehyung almost yelled at him, shaking his head discreetly.
Jimin looks over his shoulder, giving Taehyung a look before turning to Jungkook, raising his eyebrows in mute query. "I see"
"As if Jimin does not know", Jungkook shrugs his shoulders, looking not guilty at all.
"Well, Taehyung even asked me to replace her light bulb-"
"Jimin- What did- Get out. Get out both of you"
Taehyung lets out a long grunt as he presses the side of his face, looking absolutely done with the conversation. He stands in the middle of the space, calming the inner turmoil threatening to burst out of him before looking up at his two friends. They are looking at him too, with a sheepish smile on both faces.
"Get out"
"I like it here", Jungkook looks away and continues eating the chips. "Oh do you know Namjoon read her papers that day"
"Papers?", Taehyung walks to the living room, suddenly curious.
"What papers?", Jimin asks.
"Something about a lecturer having to write and publish a paper every quarter or something like that. Namjoon was very impressed he could not stop talking about her- her paper I mean"
"Oh she did mention that the other day!", Jimin nods in agreement. "I saw she was working on it at the bookstore the other day"
Taehyung's eyes shift from Jungkook and Jimin repeatedly, lost and confused.
"Look at you being lost", Jimin pulls up a smirk as he leans into the couch. "Don't ask us how we know a lot about her. We talk"
"I did not ask", Taehyung scoffs lightly, crossing his arms almost too forcefully. "I do not care about that trouble"
"Trouble?", Jungkook's doe eyes turn round in confusion before they melt into a playful glint. "You have a nickname for her already?"
"How adorable", Jimin stretches a hand towards the chips in Jungkook's hand and takes out a few pieces. "Calling her 'trouble' now, I see?"
Taehyung's body tenses under his friends' scrutinizing watch, and his tongue feels like a rock as he fights the urge to snap and deny everything. He hates that everything he says seems to take a wrong turn and suddenly everything is leaning towards Seori.
"Have you apologized to her?"
"I am working on it"
-
The following morning, Taehyung had woken up with the most genuine intention of wanting to find Seori and redo his apology. His apology the day before might have failed terribly and the weird feeling weighing his heart seems to swallow him up, making him want to smack his head onto the wall just to get rid of it.
But first thing first, he needs to drop by Namjoon's bookstore to deliver some strawberries from yesterday's harvest. He pushes the wooden door open and the first person he sees is Seori leaning over the cashier, her loud laughter bouncing over the wall of the quiet store followed by Namjoon's deep chesty laugh.
She is laughing so excitedly, her hands tapping on the wooden surface of the table while another clutching on her stomach as if she is about to burst into blinding fireworks. It takes Taehyung a moment to fully grasp the sight of her, standing there in the bookstore, almost like she is glowing as the morning light seems to illuminate her entire being.
She looks like a beam of light. Taehyung's heart almost stopped beating for a second. And he might have stopped breathing too.
They would not have realized his presence if not for him blindly walking into a small table at the side, his knee hitting one of the table legs and knocking off a small wooden decoration onto the floor. The loud thump startled Seori and Namjoon, both turning their heads towards Taehyung's direction with a surprised shriek.
"Tae!", Namjoon smiles at him. "You are here!"
Taehyung stands at the side of the table he just hit, looking like a deer caught in the headlight, his hands awkwardly stiff at the sides as he gets his brains to work. His eyes are glued to Seori, and some parts of his brains failed him and he cannot seem to look away.
Seori's face drops, not completely, but a little. The beaming expression on her face disappears when she sees him and she stands up straight, no longer relaxed. Her eyes drop to the wooden decoration on the floor, before they slowly move up to Taehyung's stricken face.
She actually wants to thank him for the strawberry tarts and all the food he had helped bring to her the day before. But somehow, with the blank look on his face and his eyes looking straight into hers, it seems like he hates to be in the same space as her. She shifts on her feet, her fingers playing with the sleeves of her blouse as she arranges the word in her head.
"Seori, thank you for this book anyway! I will cherish it", Namjoon suddenly speaks, breaking the weird silence.
Taehyung's eyes shift to the small book in Namjoon's hand, his expression changing in a blink of an eye when he realized why Namjoon thanked her. He watches as Namjoon flips through the book with colorful little tabs in between the pages.
"This is my favorite book and I have about four annotated and tabbed copies of it. This one's for you then", Seori adds with a soft smile.
Taehyung looks at Namjoon, and then at Seori, and then at the book in Namjoon's hand. Something burns inside him. Something is pulling his insides. Something is playing around with his head.
Then Seori turns to him once again, looking like she wants to say something to him. He sees the way the words are forming in her head and she is seconds from uttering the words to him.
"Mister Ki-"
"I will see you later then, Namjoon", Taehyung turns around and leaves the bookstore, the door slamming close behind him.
Seori's mouth hangs open, the unspoken words falling out as her eyes follow him through the glass, watching as he disappears behind the walls. She stares at the windows for a while, dumbfounded. Then she turns to Namjoon, who mirrors her startled expression.
"He is having his morning mood"
Seori clicks her tongue, shaking her head to herself as she leans on the table, sighing. "Does he really hate me this much? He looks like he wants to throttle me"
Namjoon sighs heavily too, rubbing the back of neck looking regretful. " I apologize on his behalf"
"Eh no, I do not mean that. I just wonder why he always looks at me that way. Like my existence vexes him"
-
Taehyung stares at the blonde girl, Eri, he remembers her name, his mouth half opened and his body still buzzing with surprise when she popped out of nowhere just mere seconds ago, smiling so sweetly at him. He holds the door to the workroom, forgetting that he is supposed to lock it.
"Mister Kim! I have a coffee delivery for you", Eri lifts the iced coffee in her hand.
His face twitches as his eyes look at the cup of coffee in Eri's hand and then his eyes shift to her still beaming face. He gulps, half in surprise and half in confusion.
"I did not order the coffee"
"Miss Park bought it for you"
His body jerks in surprise, and suddenly he loses his focus, having to blink multiple times just to process the answer. "She bought it...for me?"
Eri nods.
"W-Why would she buy it for me?", Taehyung finally manages to pull the door close behind him, locking it without even tearing his gaze away from the coffee.
"To thank you for bringing her food yesterday"
Taehyung's eyes perk up in interest, a weird warmness creeping into his heart. "Why didn't she give it to me herself?"
Eri smiles slowly as clears her throat. "She has an online meeting at the school with the faculty members. She asked for my favor to buy an iced coffee and get it delivered to you before you leave work"
Eri gestures to him to take the coffee and he takes it, despite still feeling confused. He shakes the coffee gently, his mind still contemplating if he should drink the bitter liquid and suffer silently. He dislikes coffee with every inch of his existence. Even the smell of the beans can give him a terrible headache. And the taste makes him feel nauseous at times.
But this coffee is a gift. From Seori.
Without thinking twice, he takes a slow sip of the coffee and immediately regrets his decision.
That is the most bitter iced coffee he has ever tasted in his entire life.
He coughs, face twitching in utter disgust as he hisses at the terrible taste.
"Miss Park specifically asked me to order your coffee bitter", Eri holds in the urge to laugh. "Extra shot, no sugar"
"She- What", Taehyung looks at her with blank confused eyes.
"Bitter coffee to match your bitter attitude", Eri looks half guilty as she speaks. "Miss Park said that, not me"
His jaw drops in surprise, mixed emotions creeping on his face as he processes the words. He looks at the coffee, then at Eri, then back at the coffee. He ponders over the words again before a slow amused smirk appears on his face.
That sneaky woman.
He fights every urge to smile, like a fool, not wanting to show so much to the blonde girl standing in front of him. But his heart is beating weirdly underneath his chest, the amused feeling, and many other unnamed ones, charging through his body making him want to just laugh out loud.
"I think", Eri speaks suddenly. "Even the coffee fails to match your bitterness"
~~~~
NOTE
I know this is a random short update but i just feel like updating for no reason at all.
I hope this short chapter is good and enjoyable!
Thank you for reading! Sending you lots of love and hugs!