Our Summer

Chapter 21

Seori and Taehyung automatically look at each other, both wearing the same surprised expression but Seori does not miss the slight tug of his lips. He holds her gaze with a straight face, like he is silently challenging her to keep her eyes on him. Her entire body goes warm and suddenly she hopes the ground will just swallow her up.

This man is a menace to her sanity

"Jung Soojin", Seori hides her flushed face and avoids Taehyung's eyes. "Come here before I send you to the pits of hell and sell your soul to the demons"

Soojin blinks at her but then through her peripheral vision, Jungkook is grinning so widely and when he sees her looking at him, he gives her a little head shake. Like he is trying to tell her not to help Seori and let Taehyung deal with her.

She catches the hint  immediately.

"I think Jungkook and I need to help Taehyung collect all the tools and clean up the entire farm", Soojin makes a show of pulling up her gloves and stretching her hands,. "We will help him clean so he can help you with that ankle, okay?"

"Soojin-"

"Okay, sounds good", Soojin cuts her off and drags Jungkook to the side, motioning Seori's students to start cleaning up with a massive wave of her hands. She glances over her shoulder for a quick second, sending Seori a playful wink and she ignores the look of disbelief in her friend's eyes.

Seori takes in one steady breath to calm the rage within her, mentally cursing Soojin in all the languages she knows. She stares at a spot in front of her, the gears in her head working incredibly fast to think of any more excuses so that the man beside her will give up and let her walk on her own.

"Stop whatever you are doing", Taehyung sighs beside her. "I can hear you thinking"

She glares at him, lips twitching as she dusts her hands. "I stand my ground"

"You are on the ground", he gestures to her position. "Park Seori. Don't be stubborn"

She is quiet for a long moment, figuring out a way to get out of this mess. She looks at her sprained ankle, frowning at it for trapping her in this situation. Then she looks at all the splotches of mud all over her clothes, dreading the thought of her looking like a homeless person who has not showered for weeks.

"Park Seori"

"No, please go away"

"Let me help you up", he offers his hand but she moves away from him.

"I can get up on my own"

"You are so stubborn", he tilts his head, eyes narrowed on her. "I should have known"

"You are so grumpy. I should have known"

Taehyung smiles at that, unable to hold it because his head is suddenly a swirling mess of her presence and her intoxicating scent. Seori may be covered in mud and murky water but her memorable scent lingers in the air around them, so potent and rich. Taehyung feels like he is suddenly craving for more of that sweet smell but he stops himself before actually leaning closer to her.

"Mister Kim, please, don't torture me like this. Okay, you can help me get up but I can walk on my own"

"Are you compromising with me?"

"I am negotiating"

They both are quiet for a long beat but suddenly they hear a noise not far from them, and before they can even turn, Soojin yells their names.