FRIENDS - p.jm

two

"Your brother seriously has no shame,"

Taehee glanced upwards from her phone, her eyes settling upon the permed, black hair that belonged to none other than Taehyung who was laughing, flirting with a group of girls around him, them hanging onto his every word.

"I know," She responded. "He only broke up with Gayoung today,"

Kim Gayoung who was now remembered as Taehyung's latest ex was apparently crying in the bathroom, and whilst some girls expressed their sympathy for the student, most shrugged the event away. In the Taehyung's eyes, she was just another conquest he'd succeeded in.

"I swear one day I'm going to kick his ass," Tak Hanna grumbled, her own gaze focused upon the Kim. "Teach him some respect,"

"Trust me, I'm waiting for that day only," The female Kim chuckled, sliding her phone into the depths of her pocket.

Tak Hanna was her best friend ever since the taller girl had moved from Gyeongju back in middle school. Not only was she stunning, the girl was intellectual, confident and a black belt in taekwondo.

She was also the only person that Taehee had told about her crush on Park Jimin.

"Anyways," Hanna turned to her best friend. "Did you hear about those boys the year below us? Apparently they've been going around cat-calling girls in the school. They said some horrid stuff to Min Yoora,"

"Min Yoora?" Taehee frowned, the name ringing a bell in her mind as she tried to project a face that matched the name. "Isn't she Min Yoongi's sister?"

"Cousin," The Tak girl corrected. "Yeah. But either way, they had the nerve to cat-call Min Yoora. Min Yoongi's cousin,"

"Did he find find out?"

Hanna nodded furiously. "It was your brother and Jimin who told him, considering that they're all good friends and stuff. But he was so angry. I think he's threatened them or something, so they're staying quiet for now, but who knows when they'll start up again,"

A disgusted expression made its way up Taehee's face. The boys in question were only fifteen, sixteen years of age. And yet, they were already disrespecting women. The student wondered how these boys would act as men.

"Kids are a whole new breed nowadays," She mumbled as the bell rang, signalling the end of break and the beginning of class.

...

"Seriously, I don't get why you work in a book store of all places,"

Kim Taehyung whined as he and his sister pulled open the door, transported into another world. The faint smell of chamomile tea drifted across the shop, botanical plants, posters and hundreds if not thousands of books lined up across the walls.

"It's fun, besides, I like reading," Taehee's lips curled up into a smile as she saw a woman approaching. "Hey, Areum,"

"Taehee, darling, how have you been?" Areum pulled the younger girl into an embrace. "Taehyung," She nodded towards the younger of the twins, who raked a hand through his black locks.

"Lee Areum," He shot a dazzling smile towards the woman. "You look as gorgeous as always,"

"Stop with the flattery you little twerp," Taehyung yelped as red, manicured nails tugged his hair. "Don't think I don't know what you get up to in school, breaking those poor girls' hearts,"

Taehyung pouted, saying nothing as he hid behind his sister who smirked. "I'll pick you up at seven," He muttered, dashing out of the door to escape the fiery talons of Lee Areum.

The two females fell into laughter as they watched the boy leave, grinning at each other.

"He never fails to flirt with me every time he visits the shop," Areum shook her head, pouring Taehee a cup of chamomile tea. "Surely he knows it's useless?"

"He knows it's pointless, but he finds it fun," The older of the Kims took a sip from her cup. "And to be fair, it is quite funny when he runs away from you afterwards,"

"I agree,"

Taehee's shift in the bookstore was relatively quiet, not busy at all. Only a few customers came in, some asking for reccomendations and the seventeen year old complied with their request.

By the time it was seven, the sky had turned dark, stars dotted the sky like gemstones, the moon pale and bright, offering its light to the nightlife of the city.

"Have a good night, Areum!" Tahee called as she left the shop, earning a wave from her boss.

Taehyung had been waiting for her outside the store, his eyes upon his screen.

"Took you long enough,"

"Are Mum and Dad home?"

"Yeah, it's bibimbap for dinner,"

The younger Kim shoved his phone in his pocket as he and Taehee walked side by side.

To an outsider, the twins always appeared to be constantly fighting, at each others' throats. Yet, they were anything but. Both were firmly protective of the other, and only their parents as well as both of their friends knew how far each would go to protect the other.

"Tae?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you not feel anything after breaking up with these girls? I mean, what if they were the one? You're just hurting them by playing with them for a bit and then dropping them out of nowhere,"

The boy was silent for a few moments before he spoke. "None of them are the one,"

"Okay, that's fine, but they have feelings, Tae, you can't just- "

"You can't tell anyone this," Taehyung lowered his voice, looking at his twin sister. "Promise me,"

"I promise," The two entwined their pinkies, nodding at the vow to keep whatever Taehyung's secret was.

"I've already found the one,"

"WHAT?"

Some onlookers stared curiously at the girl whose voice had been so extremely loud. She clapped a hand to her mouth, hurriedly bowing as a form of apology before turning towards her brother, who rubbed the back of his neck, smiling.

"You've found the one? Who is it? Is it somebody I know? Tae, you have to tell me!"

"I'm not telling you,"

"Why not?"

The younger Kim shrugged. "I don't feel like it,"

"You can't just drop that bombshell on me and then expect me not to know who it is,"

"I'm not telling you,"

"Please,"

"Nope,"

"Pretty please with a cherry on top,"

Taehyung made a face as Taehee put forwards her best puppy eyes, her expression so adorable that it made Taehyung want to vomit.

"That just looks ugly,"

"KIM TAEHYUNG!"