The Double

𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓇𝓉𝓎-𝒯𝒽𝓇𝑒𝑒

The day after our maybe date is not weird but also isn't not weird.

Taehyung warned me he'd be busy but texts me little thoughts throughout the day, and I find myself carrying my phone around with me in case I miss one. It's not productive and I finally text Anna after getting ready for bed.

Omg, it was totally a date, she writes.

I stare at the screen. My phone rings.

"You know it was a date," Anna says.

I wrap the plush robe closer around me and adjust the pearl-infused sheet mask Ira left out for me to get it out of my eye. "It was, right?"

"Kissing? Hot chocolate? Holding hands?"

"What does it mean, though?"

Anna snorts. "That you enjoy each other's company and are getting to know each other. And want to bang."

"Probably."

"You mispronounced 'definitely' as 'probably'."

"I don't know if that's a good idea." The mask slips again and I try not to move my mouth too much when I speak.

"None of this is a good idea."

"I don't need to compound it."

"You don't need to do anything you don't want to," she reminds me. "The question is if you want to."

"I don't know."

"Then figure it out before you go further."

Easy for her to say—she doesn't have to deal with the dreamboat that is Kim Taehyung up close and personal. I give a noncommittal response and change the topic. "How's work?"

"I had to reprimand a guy on my team," she says. "He thought it was a good idea to use a photo of Miley Cyrus on the wrecking ball as his laptop background."

"Why?"

"Said it was a cultural meme. I walked him through how it was bad idea, and he took it better than I expected. Not Ben level."

"Still irritating."

"I'll say. Speaking of Ben, has he acted up like the immature man-child that he is?" I'd told her what happened at the Dior show.

"Nope."

"Good. Bullies like that back down when they're challenged."

"Let's not waste breath talking about him anymore." Ben is out of my life. "Did you finished with the life coach?"

She doesn't hesitate. "Canceled the last two sessions. I'm in control here. Not him."

"You tell him."

"I run my life, and if that means I remain moderately dictatorial, so be it."

"No one tells you what to do, within reason."

"No one's the boss of me, except my boss."

We both slap the phone in a virtual high five.

☆⌒(*＾-゜)v

The next morning I wake to a text from Taehyung. Breakfast? When do I get to test Eppy?

Yes and soon, I text back.

We meet out on the street and Taehyung's in his usual disguise of ball cap, black jeans, and black T-shirt. He has a coffee that he hands to me—iced americano, exactly as I like it—and a paper bag with what I suspect are pastries.

We walk down to the beach and take a seat on one of the benches where he hands me a croissant and takes a bite of his own. It's peaceful with him, watching the sun glisten on the lake, alone except for a stream of panting joggers who speed by.