Stuck in my head

😫13

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" i ask, a single eyebrow raised.

"This pizza is really good," Taehyung tells .

"Not that," i say with a roll of your eyes. i know that Taehyung knows exactly what you're referring to, he's just being annoying about it, as per usual. "The whole 'we're married' thing. You like it, don't you?"

"The "Mr. and Mrs. Kim' thing?" Taehyung says with a smile. He's relishing in the feeling, especially when it's obvious that you're not as keen on the collective nickname. "I fucking love it. You don't?"

"We're college students," i remind him.

"So? That means that they think that we look old enough to not be college students. I consider that a win, especially because Jimin always says I look twelve," Taehyung says with a shrug.

"We're not married," i add. It's the truth.

"You're right, we're not, but Mr. and Mrs. Kim has such a nice ring to it, don't you think? I love the way that it sounds," Taehyung says. He basks in it.

"We're not even dating, Taehyung," i say with a sigh, exasperated. Doesn't he get it? It's weird, being Mr. and Mrs. Kim, because you never have been. There never was a Mr. and Mrs. Kim. And quite frankly, there never will be. "We're not even interested in it."

"Who says?" Taehyung asks, and the path he's directing this conversation down is not one you'd like to take. It's rocky and bumpy and unclear, hazy with fog. i don't do fog. i like when things are clear cut and visible.

"I do," i say with a frown. "Are you interested in dating me, Taehyung? Because I don't know about you, but I don't really want to date you right now. Or, like, at all."

Taehyung pauses. His brows are furrowed again, but all the way this time. He stares down at his pizza, and he contemplates. i sit there and watch him, feeling the weight of every second as it passes by. Were you too harsh? Maybe you were. But it was the truth, and he deserves something honest, even if it's brutal.

"Oh," Taehyung says, like he wasn't expecting those words to come out of your mouth. What i said has been lingering between you like smoke, refusing to dissipate. "Well, I—I guess that makes two of us." It's obvious that there's something else there, just underneath the water, but you don't press further. It sounds like he'd rather keep it hidden.

When we leave, the waitstaff bid you goodbye exactly as you had predicted.

"Enjoy your evening, Mr. and Mrs. Kim," they say cordially as you and Taehyung pull on your coats and hats and gloves and head out the door.

"You too," Taehyung says softly after a few seconds, like he was waiting for the words to fade away before speaking. "Thank you."