[Author's POV]
Taehyung was right in front of Jungkook when the younger boy was focus on dribbling the orange ball. Taehyung locked his eyes on the ball before Jungkook fooled him and finally managed to pass him and threw the ball through the ring, making a score.
"Whoop whoop I win again!" Jungkook put both of his arms up in the air, smiling cheekily as he celebrated his second victory of the day.
"Well, I'm sure he was just being kind to you." Bambam, who was sitting on the side of the court since they started the game blurted out some words as he watched the two panting.
"Am I being too generous?" Taehyung shrugged as he tilted his head slightly.
"Yeah you wish." Jungkook scoffed while Taehyung and Bambam just laughed.
"Anyway, let's go home now. I'm hungry~" Bambam whined.
"Just go ahead, I still wanted to practice for a while." Taehyung said as he motioned them to go while wiping his sweaty neck with a towel.
"You sure?" Jungkook raised an eyebrow before he gulped down his water and then took his bag and slung it over his shoulder.
"Mhm." Taehyung hummed before he picked up the ball.
"Don't force yourself tho, your hand was just completely recovered." Jungkook warned him in a concerned tone.
"I won't. See you guys." Taehyung shook his head as he waved his hand towards his friends.
"Hmm see ya~" Bambam hummed before he walked outside, followed by Jungkook as he returned the wave towards the boy.
Taehyung kept on dribbling and shooting, dribbling and then shooting again. A moment later he jumped and made a shoot from the three point area before the ball went smoothly inside the ring.
He stopped as he bent down while resting his palms on his knees. His sweat was dripping to the floor while he was panting hard, trying his best to catch some air through his mouth.
Taehyung dropped himself on the floor after he drank up all of the water that left inside his bottle. When he finally regained his energy, he changed his wet white t-shirt and short into his uniform before heading home.
The sky had changed its color to a mixture of orange and lilac when Taehyung walked outside. He was humming while listening to his favorite song through his earphone when he saw Ha Neul was walking not far in front of him.
He fastened his footsteps and then realized that the girl was holding a shoe in one of her hands. Taehyung slowed down as he took off his earphone and shoved it inside his pocket.
Why is she walking barefoot?
Taehyung's eyebrows furrowed as he confused before he came to approach the girl who seemed like staring at nothing but her bare feet as she walked slowly.
"Ha Neul-ah." Taehyung grabbed her shoulder, making her froze suddenly.
"Oh, T-taehyung. What's up?" She looked up as she flashed a quick smile.
"Why are you walking barefoot? What's wrong with your shoes? Why don't you wear them?" Taehyung bombarded her with questions that been spinning around his head for the past seconds. His tone was in concerned yet his face was looking confused as ever.
Ha Neul cracked a chuckle as he looked at the boy's face, making him even confused.
"Why are you laughing? Can't you at least answer my questions?" He demanded.
"Sorry I couldn't help it. It's been a while since I've seen your worried face like this." She chuckled softly. "Oh and I prefer walking barefoot rather than walking in a wet shoes." She shrugged.
"How come it got wet tho? And where's the other one?" He raised and eyebrow as he glanced at her shoe with eyes full of curiosity.
"Ah I accidentally walked through a quite deep puddle a-and the other one got stuck, I'm too lazy to pick it up so I just left it there." She looked away to the other side as she nodded, clearly avoiding Taehyung's gaze.
"You're always so careless." He sighed.
"Well yeah... I was kinda spacing out." She replied hesitantly before he let out a chuckle.
Taehyung took the shoe away from her hand before he turned around and knelt down in front of her.
"What are you doing?" She raised an eyebrow as she looked at him.
"Come." He spread his arms as he motioned her to get on his back.
"N-no I'm fine. My legs are still working I can walk by myself." Ha Neul shook her head as her cheeks started to get red.
"You prefer bridal style? Okay." Taehyung turned around as he stood up, leaning his body closer to Ha Neul's.
"N-no! Fine! I'll take the piggyback!" She said quickly before Taehyung could lay a single hand on her.
"Heh." He smirked before he turned around and knelt down for the second time. "Don't make me waiting, Cinderella." He said as he spread his arms.
"A-araseo~" Ha Neul wrapped her arms around Taehyung's neck as she got on his back nervously.
"At least let me hold my own shoe." Ha Neul said once Taehyung stood up and started walking.
"No, you could stain my uniform since you're holding onto my neck." He said non-chalantly.
"How did you know my intention? You can read people's mind? Woah daebak!" Ha Neul gasped as she pretended to be shock.
"Please explain why I get an F on my recent math test if I really could read people's mind?" Taehyung said sarcastically before he chuckled softly.
"That is because you're always playing video games and never study so you deserve that, keep up the good work Kim Taehyung-ssi." She said mockingly as she patted his head.
"Okay hold up, I forgot to ask my mom where I should drop these sacks of rice." Taehyung hummed.
"Yah, I'm not that heavy!!" She pinched Taehyung's cheek as she pouted.
"Yah yah, hands off my precious face." Taehyung commanded.
"Oh this is precious? Woah I didn't know." She rubbed Taehyung's entire face with her palms playfully.
"S-stop it or I'll drop you here." Taehyung said as he loosened his arms, pretending to drop her.
"Nope, you won't." She laughed as she tightened her arms around Taehyung's neck.
"Alright then prepare yourself." Taehyung grinned before he fastened his footsteps.
"Wait, Taehyung slow down please! We both might fall!" Ha Neul shut her eyes closed when Taehyung started to run while chuckling.
"You're the one who said that I'm not gonna drop you. So I won't." Taehyung's lips curved into a smile as he tried to look over his shoulder where Ha Neul's chin was rested while Ha Neul just chuckled right after she heard what the boy just said. The both of them laughed as they continued heading home.
Deep down inside, Taehyung felt relieved because he thought that they could never laugh together again like the way they used to.
He slightly regretting himself for ignoring her this past two weeks. But he shrugged it off immediately and decided to just enjoy the moment while it lasted.
As for Ha Neul, she thought that he was avoiding her and she didn't even know why. She was worried so much because she had not seen him smiling or laughing this past two weeks. But not today. He was smiling and laughing again, and she was totally grateful for that.
A moment later Taehyung stopped running but his wide smile was still plastered perfectly on his face. He then tightened his grip on Ha Neul's legs carefully, not wanting to let her fall.
While Ha Neul could finally opened her eyes as she still chuckling. She would be lying if she didn't feel a little excitement inside her despite being afraid to fall off of his back.
Taehyung realized that the both of them were actually had already fell, but they fell in a different directions indeed. All he wished for was just she changed her direction and fell for him the way he fell for her.
Will that ever happen?
―――――――
Surprise surprise~~!!
Enjoy this double updates plus TaeNeul slightly fluff moments because I owe you ;))