A Note to Myself | Taekook

18

Arriving late to class, Jungkook shrugs off the guilt of getting detention as his mind is more fixated on remembering the note-writer's lips on his own. It kind of excites him that he doesn't know the identity yet—like he's playing some sort of little game, picking up clues to guide him to his happy ending. He tries not to think about his first kiss being stolen; he pictures it as more of a unique start to discovering newfound emotions. Of course, it helps that he imagines a certain someone while he fantasises. Perhaps he doesn't want to know the identity of the note-writer if he can just assume it and never find out—he can't be wrong or right if he doesn't one hundred percent know.

There's a documentary playing on the projector, and the lights have been turned off. Jungkook's eyes drift to Soobin, who's sitting next to him. When Jungkook arrived late, Soobin told Jungkook that he got detention for texting in class. Thinking back, Soobin could be lying; he too could have arrived late since the note-writer left the closet before Jungkook did. Naturally, that makes Jungkook's eyes wander to Soobin's lips. Plump and moist. Jungkook licks his own lips.

"What lip balm do you use?" Jungkook asks.

Soobin is startled by the random question, turning to give Jungkook a raised brow. "W-Why?"

Jungkook palms the side of his neck, awkward. Why did he go ahead and ask that? "Your lips."

Soobin touches his lips, confused.

Jungkook continues, "They look well hydrated." Jungkook buries himself into his textbook, feeling embarrassed.

"Thanks?" Soobin scratches his head before reaching into his pocket. "I use this brand."

Jungkook takes the lip balm, inspecting it as if he were actually interested in what lip balm Soobin uses. He remembers the kiss in the closet and thinks if it tasted like cherries—the lip balm has a cherry logo. The more he thinks about it, the more he can taste the cherry lingering on his lips.

"Do you want to try it?" Soobin asks.

Jungkook shakes his head. That would be an indirect kiss—ignore the fact he could have potentially kissed the boy already.

"No thanks." Jungkook hands the lip balm back.

"What I like about this one is that it leaves a little bit of a red tint on your lips. Maybe that's why my lips look more hydrated?"

Jungkook nods. "Well, who were you texting in class?"

"You."

Flashbacks of Jungkook's phone vibrating in his pocket amid his very first make-out session reappear. He goes to grab his phone to see the messages but is met with an empty pocket. "Shit."

"What is it?"

"I think I left my phone in the—" Jungkook curses again under his breath. His phone is still on the floor in the janitor's closet.

The lights flick back on as the bell for lunch rings.

"I guess we can walk to detention together?" Soobin asks.

Jungkook jolts up. "Sorry, Soobin. I'll meet you there. I got to get my phone back."

Jungkook rushes back to the janitor's closet, praying that his phone is still there. When he approaches the door, he notices that it's open—did he forget to close it? When Jungkook walks in, he is surprised to see Jimin holding his phone. "Hey, that's mine!"

Jimin flinches, almost dropping the phone. "Why the hell is your phone in the janitor's closet?"

Jungkook freezes, stumped on how to explain the situation; instead, he takes the flip the cards and accuse the accuser route. "Why are you in the janitor's closet, huh?" Nice comeback, he thinks.