"Taehyung was fond of you," his father said. "He talked about you a lot. Even when you were gone."
Somehow, you doubt that.
–
The blonde college student is pacing in front of you with hands behind your back. You're unimpressed, expression washing over with impassiveness. While Seokjin promised you wouldn't be put on babysitting duty, there's no choice now that you've accepted this particular job.
It's hard to believe that the Taehyung you grew up with is this Taehyung. If not for his eyes, smile and general mannerisms, you would've never guessed.
He looks shabby, unemployed, like he hasn't showered or looked at himself in the mirror in a couple of days. But maybe that suits him best– carefree, free spirited, doing what he wants without worrying about what anyone thinks.
At least you can admire those qualities.
"So... you're my bodyguard now?" At your ongoing silence, Taehyung stops. "Why don't you answer? Don't you know it's rude to ignore your boss?" He stares and you look at him blankly.
Taehyung sharply inhales. "Listen here, dumbo. You have a lot to learn about me and my life, okay? So you're gonna have to listen carefully. But for now, I guess it's only right that I welcome you to my life. So welcome!"
"Can you move?" you interrupt his theatrical introduction, "I'm trying to get to the washroom."
Taehyung's grin falls as you brush past him. He follows after you, complaining, until you shut the door.
It's déjà vu. Five minutes and you've already given up, letting him do whatever he wants.
–
"How do you think she'll do?"
Taehyung's father looks at your father for a moment and then smiles, a rush of air leaving his nose as he huffs. "She'll be fine. More than it actually. She'll be fantastic. Believe in her. She'll handle him well."
"I hope so."
The two men stand side by side, looking out at the garden together as the sun sets above the horizon. They're close, sharing the same alumni, having been friends since decades ago when they were still young and figuring out their lives.
"Your daughter's impressive. She's got a good head on her shoulders. I'm almost jealous. You raised her well, so don't be worried."
Your father hums a low note, looking towards the clouds. "I have a lot of regrets in life, but my daughter's not one of them."
"Now you're really trying to make me envious," he laughs.
The other man smiles. "Then go have a daughter yourself."
"I'm done having children. Taehyung never grew up. He's still my little boy and still a handful."
"It's because you've been coddling him so much that he's like that." Your father shakes his head, bantering with his old friend and not fearful that he's the President of the nation. When they speak like this, it's almost like time has reversed itself. "You should've let me teach him taekwondo."
"You did try to teach him, remember? But then he was too much of a troublemaker that you gave up and gave him back to me. Didn't he spill ink all over your floorboards?"
Taehyung's father laughs, a sound drawing out heartily from deep within his chest. On the other hand, your own dad recalls the memory and he's not impressed in the least bit.
The sun continues to set, the night taking over before the new tomorrow.
–
Taehyung's pouting. Again.
He's staring at the way you peel back the plastic cover of your small cheese and crackers snack and he licks his lips before huffing again, shoulders slumping in their spot. He looks down to his chip bag, gets up from his spot and comes tottling over. "Hey."
Silence.
You continue watching the television and try to follow along with the story. It's hard when you're not used to watching. But Taehyung is unimpressed with you ignoring him again and he plops down in front of you, forcing you to look at him.
"Hey, I said!" He's loud. "Pay attention to me! I was asking if you wanted to trade snacks!"
The seven year old haughtily shoves his bag of chips into your shoulder. "You can have these. If I get those cheese crackers of yours. I like them."
You stare at Taehyung before looking down to the blue rectangular bag held in his tiny fists. Then your eyes stray to your cheese and crackers, the one snack you chose with your allowance.
He sighs. "Please. Pretty please?! Can I have them or not?!"
You hand them over. He snatches your cheese and crackers with a triumphant smile, grinning from ear to ear as laughter fills the air.
Taehyung drops his bag of chips into your lap as he leaps over the table and runs down the hall, his bedroom door slamming shut a second later. You're alone in the living room. And as you peek into the chip bag he gave you.
There's nothing inside. Empty.
He already ate them all.
–
Bam!
The man comes at you with a forefist, knuckles prepared to come into contact with your mouth, but on muscle memory alone, your body ducks. Your back turns slightly, your leg comes out at an angle and it's brought back in a fluid spinning hook kick. Your foot collides with the side of his helmet and he's too caught off guard to catch balance.
Seokjin allows himself to fall back onto the mats. He laughs breathlessly, not in shame but because he's impressed. "You're still good, aren't you, chickpea?"
Your arm extends, helping him get onto his feet again. A small smile decorates your lips. "You didn't have to let me win. You know my feelings won't get hurt."
Seokjin shakes his head, running a hand through his hair and moving the sweaty strands away from his face. "I'm not letting you win, chickpea. You crushed me. Gave me a run for my money. Are you sure you've gotten out of shape? Or did you just use that excuse to demolish me?"
He grins and another smile, more genuine, tickles up your visage. "We should call it even then since you always won back when we were in the same class together."
"Okay." He drops a hand on top of your head, making you jolt from the sudden affection, but his arm returns to his side too soon before you can get used to it. "We're even then. But I want a rematch, Miss Y/n. I'm not letting myself be beat by a black belt when I'm a black belt too. I have a name to live up to around here, y'know."
The memory is fresh in your mind. Every time Jin was able to kick you, hit you, pin you on the mat in front of other kids. While the tables have turned and you're now able to beat him, the achievement isn't pleasant.
Rather, you remember how humiliating it was. Not because Seokjin always claimed victories, but because of your father's clear disappointed expression that came each time you fell, because you would've rather been wearing a dress and making chocolates to give to Jin, not trying to hit and kick him and beat him in a match. You wanted to be pretty, not sweaty and gross and-
"That was so cool!"
There's a shrill voice that interrupts your thoughts, coming from across the gymnasium.
Kim Taehyung is standing there with his eyes wide, baby blue bike rolled along by his side.
"Can you teach me?!" He leans his bike against the wall, throws his bag to the ground and comes running over, a grin spreading through his face. "How'd you do that?!"
Seokjin bows his head. "Mr. Kim." But Taehyung completely ignores him. His eyes are plastered on your face.
Before he can open his mouth and say something else, someone else comes running in, out of breath, blonde hair in disarray, sweat clinging to his forehead.
"Taehyung!" His eyes are full of fear, brows knitted together. You recognize him as Park Jimin, having read his file considering you were essentially taking his job.
The poor boy can barely keep up with Taehyung. "I-I told you not to go without me!"
"If you can't keep up with me on my bike then too bad."
"I-uh..." Jimin glances at Seokjin who's watching and then at you and then back at Taehyung.
The latter continues, "Plus, I just really wanted to see my new bodyguard. As soon as possible." He smiles at you and your expression remains blank.
"You've gotten sloppy," a familiar voice sounds near the main doors and you turn to find your dad. "You're using too much force when you don't need to. You're wasting your own efforts."
You nod. "I'll work on it."
Your father hums a low note and looks away from you. "Seokjin, come with me."
"Yes, sir." The dark-haired man flashes you a discreet smile as goodbye and he walks off the mats to grab his belongings.
"And you, go with Jimin. He'll show you the ropes. You begin your assignment tomorrow."
"Yes, sir."
He walks out with Seokjin in tow and when they're completely gone from sight, Taehyung lets out the breath he was holding. "Your dad's still scary, huh?"
"Dad?" Jimin's eyes are comically large as he gawks at you. "You're Chief's daughter?"
You pick up your bag, walking past the two of them. "Didn't you have things to show me?"
Taehyung grins, quickening his pace as he follows you out, practically with a skip in his step. Jimin, on the other hand, is more unprepared and is delayed, struggling to keep up as he runs.
"I don't live at the Blue House," Taehyung tells as all three of you cut through the grounds. "I have a place near here, but I visit a lot since this place is actually pretty nice, minus the actual people. Like my step-mom. She's alright, but I'm not a fan. Personally."
He's gazing at your profile with a smile that fails to be repressed, eyes all too intense and endeared like a hyperactive child meeting his hero in the flesh. In the meanwhile, Jimin is still jogging to keep up.
"W-wait, can you guys slow down?"
"It's not our fault that you're slow, Chimothy. You gotta keep up! We don't wait for anyone."
You stop, feet halting on the grass. Finally, you look at Taehyung. "What time does your classes start tomorrow?"
"Nine am." He grins. "But I like waking up earlier to grab breakfast, so you should be there umm... at least seven? Since I can't go out by myself."
"What?" Jimin's inhaling and exhaling, finally caught up. "You don't get out of bed until at least ten-"
"Chimothy, maybe you should just go. I got this."
"W-what?"
Taehyung pats Jimin aggressively on the back, enough to leave him coughing and spluttering. "I can show Y/n around. Wouldn't want to hold you up when I'm sure you have better things to do. I can handle it. Trust me."
"B-but Chief told me to show Y/n around."
"Don't worry about it, okay? I won't tell, you won't tell, Y/n won't either. It's a secret between us, alright? I know you're tired. Didn't you say you haven't been sleeping well?"
"Y-yeah?"
"Well now's a perfect opportunity. South wing, down the hall, take a left and then a right, there's a secret spare bedroom and a mattress that has your name on it. Go for it!"
Jimin looks at Taehyung and then at you. He reads your blank expression as a sign of confirmation when in reality, you know that no matter what you say or do, there's no going against Taehyung's will.
After a beat, Jimin gives in, nods and slowly begins to walk backwards before turning around and walking towards the house. Through telepathy, he wishes you a tearful good luck, saluting you as a comrade about to go into battle.
You're left alone with Taehyung.
"Now where was I? Right, breakfast. So you better be there by seven in the morning. And I don't go to bed until midnight. So I hope you're prepared to spend at least seventeen hours with me every single day. And also-"
If there's one thing that's different from the Taehyung from years ago, it's that he's evolved. He doesn't demand your attention or for you to say anything back. He doesn't need you to speak at all.
–
Taehyung's school is large, with different faces constantly leaving and entering campus. But rather than being impressed with the fancy institution, you're staying alert with the potential threats that could come at any angle at any time.
"Usually I have class in those theatres. Just a heads up, it's super boring. Like super. Won't blame you if you fell asleep."
"I'm taking political science cause dad wants me to go into government. It's a good job or whatever with decent pension. But it makes me want to blow my brains out. I rather draw. Anyways, that building over there is-"
"You liked to colour." You stop, interrupting but finally speaking for the first time since he began showing you the campus despite you already having memorized the map.
"Yeah." His smile becomes sheepish, maybe even happy that you remembered the small detail. "But I don't just colour."
You nod before glancing at your watch. "Don't you have Public Policy Analysis in Hall C in five minutes?"
"H-how did you know that?"
"I have your schedule."
"Oh. Well, it's fine. I skip anyway. C'mon, let me show you where the dining hall is. They have the best hot chocolate and a buy one get one half off deal."
But your feet stay rooted in the ground. "I insist that we go. It's one of my responsibilities to make sure you attend all classes."
Taehyung's mouth opens and closes, brows furrowing and his lips pouting when he's obviously not getting his way with you. "You're worse than Chimothy. Listen, I don't need to go. I'm doing fine without attending the stupid lecture-"
"Then I'd like to go."
Your feet turn, walking away. His sigh is audibly heard, exhaling for the dramatics as his shoulders slump, exactly like a petulant child being dragged off to do chores.
"You're going the wrong way. That's the Social Sciences building." With the new information, you do a hundred eighty turn, going towards the other building. A grin pulls on Taehyung's mouth and he picks up the pace to join your side. "Not so good at memorizing maps, are you?"
You don't respond.
To be continued...
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Q: Who is your bias?