The Art Teacher | Jikook ✓ | The Next Chapter

Part 8

It's the seven again. 👀 Thank you so much for 7K reads! 💜💜💜

Dae-ho

I am about to be on a date. Me, Min Dae-ho, of all people. The member who has never even flirted is about to go on a date with a really cute guy.

My face warms up and I fiddle with the white bucket hat I'm wearing. Uncle Hoseok dressed me, but I can't help but feel self conscious. Being someone else on stage is different. It's a persona in a way, someone I don't have to be at all times. It's all Do-hyun has seen of me and it makes me wonder if he'll be disappointed by the real Dae-ho.

When I enter the café, I find the cheerful omega sitting at a booth, his empty wheelchair sitting at the end of the table. His black hair is parted, revealing his forehead. His clear, thickly-framed glasses magnify his warm, coffee eyes.

He waves excitedly at me and I quickly go over to the booth and sit, feeling my palms start to sweat. I wipe my hands off on my thighs and swallow.

My eyes focus on the simple necklace around his neck, his collar bones prominent and exposed by the neckline of his black t-shirt. It's a cute shirt and has the bisexual flag going horizontally across the chest.

The unbuttoned, black and white flannel hangs off his figure lazily and I am brought from my daze when he giggles.

"Are you going to say hi, Dae?"

"Sh-Shit, yeah. Sorry. Hi, Mint—I mean Do-hyun." I cover my face and groan.

His laugh crescendos. "No, I like that. You can call me Mint. It can be your special nickname for me."

I stare at him incredulously, but he averts his eyes shyly. He is blatantly flirting with me, but he is still too nervous to hold to it.

"Okay, Mint." I try it.

Gah, I'm so awkward.

"Do you want to order anything?" He looks up at me behind his eyelashes, fiddling with the flannel sleeves that hide his fingertips.

"Yeah! I mean, it would be rude not to, ha ha."

"You're so shy in real life." Do-hyun giggles. "I should be the one freaking out."

I fuss with my hair. "I've never dated anyone."

He blinks. "Really?"

"Do you not believe me?"

"No, I definitely do."

I pout. "Do you want me to order for both of us?"

He nods and rests his head on his palm, the flannel still hiding his hand.

Glad to get away from my own awkwardness, I order from the person working the counter this time and make note to not bother coming here on these days. There's no point if Do-hyun isn't here.

"Uh, I'll take a frozen white mocha with a double shot of espresso and boba added. I'll also have a vanilla-bean latte with one shot of espresso, a grilled panini, and a double-chocolate chip muffin," I request, pulling out my uncle's card that I still have in my possession. Should I be treating my own date? Probably. But it's much more satisfying to use Yoongi's stuff.

"I can bring the food to you so you can get back to your date with Do-hyun." the barista offers and I thank them, dropping a tip into the tip jar.

"Thank you."

While I'm walking back to the booth, Do-hyun grabs my shirt and bites his lip.

"Can you sit beside me instead of across?"

Blanking, I nod dumbly and scoot in beside him. I have no idea what to talk about. I rack my brain for information about him before pulling my phone out to FaceTime Ki-moon.

"What are you doing?" Do-hyun asks, his eyes widening when I move my phone so we can both look at the screen.

My best friend picks up, his expression tired as he rubs at his eyes. He's wearing Jung-nam's onesie and it's big on him, so his collarbones and shoulders are on display from sleep, black hair splayed out on what looks to be the maknae's chest.

"Dae, you can't call this early. You'll wake up Namie," my leader groans, voice gravelly from sleep. "He hasn't gotten much sleep because he's been taking care of me during my heat."

Do-hyun's freckled cheeks flush and he stares at the phone, unblinking.

His two biases look like sex. What a mistake.

"U-Uh..." I look for words, but I know none.

Once Ki-moon's eyes finally adjust, they widen. "Oh my god. It's not what it looks or sounds like. I wouldn't—we aren't even dating. I wouldn't—Min Dae-ho!" He whisper-shouts. "You can't video call with a Spr!te without warning me! What if I just got out of the shower or something?"

Do-hyun waves shyly. "Hi, my name is Kim Do-hyun. I'm on a date with Dae."

Ki-moon brightens up at this. "Oh~ You're cute. Dae-ho, way to go. I hope his awkwardness isn't too much for you. He's a big virgin."

My face burns brightly. "You started your heat early. You're on birth control. That shouldn't happen." I look at Do-hyun since he would know more than me.

"You might want to check with a gynecologist or ask an older omega." Do-hyun looks off, musing to himself.

"I'll ask Jin or Jimin. I hate gynecologists." He shivers. "At least during my heats."

I stare ahead.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Do-hyun! Please give Dae a chance! I gotta go. Love you, Dae."

"Love you too," I mumble, swallowing once the call ends.

Our food is delivered to our table and I thank the barista absently and Do-hyun grabs my hand.

"Please look at me."

I do so, surprised to see him giggling.

"You know, I'm not a hard stan. I agreed to go on a date with you for you, not to get to Ki-moon and Jung-nam. I want to know about you."

His words make my heart flutter and my throat dries as I stare at him.

"Is there something on my face or in my teeth?" He covers his mouth and nose with his free sleeved hand.

"You're just really beautiful," I mumble.

The hand covering his face moves and he shakes his sleeve down, brushing his fingers over my lips. "So are you."

Slowly, both of our faces turn beet red and we instantly turn away from each other, our hands still firmly clasped together.

"Thank you for the food," he whispers a while later, letting go of my hand to grab the boba coffee and muffin.

I stare at my hand, feeling empty without his in it. This is weird. I'm too sensitive to touch.

"You're welcome."

He giggles and rests his head on my shoulder. "I like the fact you remembered exactly what I like~" he sing-songs and my senses are assaulted by mint like no other. His voice is so pretty. I may not be as sensitive to smell as alphas and omegas, but sound is my equivalent. I want to hear him more in all kinds of situations.

I want him to sing for me.

Author's Note: Dae-hyuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun. I love them. Send help. Also, if I hosted a mini contest based on Asp!re fanfics with prizes, would anyone participate? It'd basically be a one-shot/short story contest based on Asp!re. I thought it'd be a fun way to celebrate the book reaching a magic number, 7K. You'd be able to write whatever ship you wanted, even if it wasn't cannon. Meaning poly or whatever you came up with. Maybe I'm weird. I dunno.

What do you think of the story so far?

Make sure to take care and love yourself as best as you can.

With lots of love,

-BBM