Our Summer

Chapter 3

"I invited Park Seori for coffee"

Taehyung chokes on his tea when Jungkook says that, his eyes flicking up in surprise. "What?"

"Here. My cafe. Not a date", Jungkook adds. "Chill"

"I did not mean-"

"I know", Jungkook cuts him off with a slight teasing smirk. "I am being friendly. Unlike you"

Taehyung gives his friend a look before returning to his tea. He turns to the side, catching Jimin's judging eyes scrutinizing him.

"What did the lecturer do to you?"

Taehyung huffs loudly, slumping himself into the comfy chair as he pulls his sleeves up. He presses his lip together, considering his reasons that will never make sense.

He dislikes the city people with all his might. That is all.

"You are going to say you dislike city people", Jimin prompts with a slight eyebrow raise. "And you want them gone"

"Why bother asking?", Taehyung shrugs.

"Park Seori, and the students have been nothing but delightful. I heard Yoongi said some of the students even helped him with his classes. Yoongi has been wanting to meet Park Seori but she is not at the school today"

"She is not watching her students?" Taehyung makes a face. "Why is she not doing her job? Isn't she supposed to be there, guarding them? What if the students need her at the school and she is not there?"

"Because I need my coffee, Mister Kim Taehyung"

Seori suddenly appears at the door of the small cafe, turning everyone's head. They did not hear the faint chime of the bell when the door swung open. They did not see her walking past the big window beside their table either. Maybe they were too focused on their conversation to even look around.

"And we live in the twenty-first century where you can communicate easily by using this thing called a phone ", she waves the phone in her hand. "Also, good morning"

Jimin and Jungkook quickly greet her, inviting her to join the table but Seori shakes her head, politely rejecting them. Taehyung sits still, his heart might have leaped out of his chest at her sudden appearance.

She heard him. She heard everything and there's a flicker of guilt lingering in the center of his chest.

He opens his mouth to say something but is met with her cold gaze. Like she is dismissing him completely and pretending he is not there.

"I would not want to spoil his morning by joining you. And I have my students to watch. Would not want to receive a complaint from the people accusing me of not keeping watch. Have a great morning, everyone"

She turns to the counter, on which Jungkook scrambles to his feet to get her order at the cashier. Jungkook gave Taehyung a quick deathly glare before getting to his feet. Taehyung is still very much tongue-tied. The cold blow from her words sent a weird feeling all over his skin, pulling it taut and sprinkling with jitters of fire.

"You- Taehyung", Jimin runs a palm over his face. "That was not necessary, you know"

Taehyung clenches his fists on his thighs, still staring at Seori at the counter, cheerfully talking to Jungkook and the cashier. He can hear her small laughs and the little jokes she makes, surprised to see how comfortable she is already with Jungkook.