IT ISN'T YOU

34| Friend

Jin's eyebrows rise in bafflement as he scans my form from head to toe, without uttering a word to me, he turned to the younger man standing beside him, "I don't remember changing the dress code of the company Taehyung."

The latter visibly gulped, "I know hyung but she seemed so uncomfortable in those skirts," he replied, eyes looking everywhere but at Jin. "You're not supposed to-"

"It was me who picked these because walking for me in those fabrics was barely possible." I cut in before Jin could continue his lecture session with Taehyung. He looked at me with an unreadable expression. I cleared my throat, "I would like you all to compromise this much for me, it would be greatly appreciated from my side." I set my eyes on the younger man beside him, feeling guilty for putting him through all this.

His mouth parted to speak but Jin's sigh cut him off, "Okay then," He nodded, putting his hands on his waist, nodding at the floor, before, his gaze shifted to me once again, "Alright we're going to make an exception for you." Taehyung eyed his older brother, befuddled but he shrugged it off giving me thumbs up, flashing his boxy grin.

"Thank you-"

"Hyung, why is it taking so damn lo-" I was interrupted by a grown man whining like a child whose mother forcefully bought him to a supermarket sale to tag along while she shops, he paused once he realized my presence and an awkward silence settled among us. His eyes lowered, looking at my barefoot feet before he gulped, "I thought we had a skirt-"

Jin held out his hand silencing the man, "I know Jimin; Taehyung I hope we're done here, Y/n we should go now, don't be late both of you, we'll get going now." He nodded at me and Taehyung, we mimicked his actions. Jin left with Jimin and Taehyung let out an audible breath, I smiled, "Since when were you holding it in?"

He put his hand over his chest as his eyes grew slightly wide and he panted, "Since he turned to me with that menacing glare." He sat on the stool against one of the walls, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Why were you scared though?" I huffed out, sitting next to him.

He closed his eyes, his head hitting the wall with a light thud, "You don't know how scary he can be when he's angry." His voice: parched. I shrugged, "Maybe not, but I know one thing for sure."

His left brow arched, eyes still shut, "What?"

I patted his shoulder lightly and his eyes snapped open, "You sound like a thirsty turtle right now and you need ten gallons of water for sure." I grinned, holding out my hand for him to take; he exhaled deeply, his palm landing in mine with a low 'smack'. Pulling himself to feet she shoved the pair of heels he's carrying into my arms, "Go change, I'll wait by the counter, and try these on before coming out." He pointed at the footwear.

"Okay."

******

"Give it to me, I'll carry it." Taehyung filled his left pocket with his fisted hand, reaching out for the shopping bag with the right one, I moved it further out of his grasp, "No, no, you've done enough for today, besides, I'm no frail woman, and you know that." I gave him a questioning look. His brows knitted together, "It's not about strength, but about etiquettes, what kind of gentleman would be if I let you carry that?" He leaped for the bag again.

"I don't care what others say, you did more than enough and I know that," I said yanking the bag back. He sighed and shook his head, "As you wish ma'am." I grinned in accord, "Now, let's go buy you a drink, treat me next time, you probably wouldn't want to attend Jin's lecturing session tonight."

"As you say,"

"We should go sit there," I gestured towards a café. His eyes wandered, scanning for the said place, the bright yellow letters stood out in the darkening night sky. "Ah, there? Sure," He followed behind me, both hands in occupying the space of his pockets. Taehyung pushed the door open, allowing me to enter first before entering himself. We sat across each other; I kept the bag below the table beside my feet.

"What are you going to have?" He asked me looking at the big display boards placed above the counter, I followed his gaze, staring at the 'Beverages' section. "I will not like something creamy like latte or mocha or coffee now, I'd go with coke," I answered my stare fixated on the bright board. "What are you having?"

"I think I'd go with coke too," He put his hand under his chin, one arm crossed against his torso, "Okay, then." I nodded, turning my head to look out of the building's glass walls, watching as night dwelled upon the sky. "What would you like ma'am?" A chirpy voice gained my attention as I whipped my head towards her. "We'd have cola, both of us." I gestured between me and Taehyung.

"Alright, I'll be back in a few minutes." She bowed and left.

I and Taehyung sat In comfortable silence, him occasionally humming to the song playing lowly over the café's speaker in his soft deep voice. His fingers drumming against the table, an elbow propped up on the surface squishing his left cheek with the back of his hands, hair falling over his eyes. "Are you uncomfortable?" He whispered as if it was not meant to be heard by me.

"About what?" I whispered back, my arms folded on the table's surface. "This whole idea that Jin hyung came up with?"

I inhaled deeply, "I wouldn't say I'm comfortable either, but, I'm okay with it, I'm willing to apologize for my wrongdoings in any way,"

Out of my peripheral vision, I saw his eyes widen for a fraction of seconds, "What about back at your company?"

"I hope they'll understand, I'll tell them I made a mistake and had to make things right."

"And if they don't?"

"Then screw them, who cares, it's not like my status or pride is going to be ranked at the bottom or something, somewhere out there will be someone who'll understand, I'll look for a new workplace then." I shrugged.

His lips twitched, forming into a slight smile, "You're bold."

"Of course, I am." I paused and sighed, completely looking at his figure hunched on the table, my hand reached out to him, gently brushing the hair out of his eyes, he looked at me, his eyeballs following the movement of my fingertips, bringing my hand down to rest flatly on the cool surface, "Thank you," I breathed out.

Taehyung's eyebrows quirked up in confusion, "For everything, for being friendly with a stranger like me, for being the only person whom I can call my friend in your household, Thank you Taehyung." I continued, a small smile tugging at my lips. He straightened in his seat, both his hands interlocked under his chin, he hummed nodding, acknowledging my thankfulness.

"Here's your order, enjoy." The waitress placed a tray in front of us, two glasses of coke placed on top of the plastic surface, taking our respective drinks, I slurped with my straw; Taehyung let out a relieved sigh when the liquid touched his tongue, slumping back into his seat.

"You know, since you called me your friend, Taehyung seems a bit too formal, you can call me Tae" He smiled sluggishly. I stopped sipping the drink, placing it on the table, focusing on the water droplets on the condensed surface, touching the falling drops with the pad of my index finger, "You don't have to, just a suggestion kind of thing from me." He added, upon getting no response from me.

I laid my head down on my desk, on my folded arms, I smiled slightly watching bubbles float up to the surface of the drink, "It's okay, 'Taehyung' weights too much for me to speak easily." He chuckled, taking a sip of his beverage.

We exited the venue, I convinced him that- I'll be the one paying for drinks, he reluctantly agreed. "Let me carry that," he huffed out pointing to the bag, I scowled, "Do you have a thing for this bag?"

"You paid for drinks too! At least let me carry that, Jin hyung will beat my ass if I let you carry it." He defended. "It's not that heavy, plus he'll not say anything." I swung the bag back and forth lightly while walking. He jogged to my other side, taking the bag from me, I sighed, "Fine, go have a date with it if you wish to." He shook his head and chuckled. We walked together along the pavements, enjoying the light breeze. I looked down at his idle hand by his side, glancing at his side profile for a split second; I lightly held his cold hand.

Taehyung looked down at our hands, his brow arched a little, chuckling he spoke, "Do you like me or what?"

I frowned, letting go of his hand, "Go to hell."

He grinned and shook his head, grasping my hand back lightly.

I'm going to keep trying for both of you.

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