Seolli's a quiet classmate Kim Taehyung always noticed but never had the courage to approach. Fate leads them to the same college and Taehyung tells himself things will be different. He'll take the steps to reach her heart. All she has to do is stay...
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August 14 Sunday Year 1
We broke up.
Karin messages in the group chat with her, Jiyoo, and me. The weight of the words sinks into my chest. All summer long, she was updating us about how excited she was to visit him, how proud she was when he would introduce her to his Jeju island friends, or how much she missed him in their time in between.
She was in the clouds, but now she was falling.
I want to run to her. But what can I say? Would she want my company?
Karin: I want both of you guys over :(
Both of us.
My body moves faster than I realize, and I'm heading toward the bus stop.
The sun is dipping below the horizon, which means the buses are less frequent.
As suspected, the app tells me the bus will arrive in 35 minutes.
If only there was a faster way.
"You know... usually when people hear a motorcycle, they look up."
I jerk my head up to see Jeon parking his motorcycle in front of me.
He grins, "Hey, Lily."
"H-hm?" I'm cold for a moment, guessing how he came so close to my name.
He bows his head with a smirk, taking off his gloves. "Am I right? Is your name lily?"
"S...Seolli." I share with him. It's only fair since I know his last name.
"Seollili?" He teases.
My jaw drops.
Where did he...?
He points to my necklace. "I'm not stalking you, I promise."
I blush after feeling the lily pendant.
"In a rush to get somewhere?"
"Um..." I look back down at the text messages from Karin. Could she be crying all by herself? "Mm-hm."
He nods like he knew it already. "So...."
I raise my eyebrows, not knowing how his sentence will end.
He throws his head back with a gleeful chuckle. "... Today's the day you'll take me up on my offer for a ride?"
Oh! I wouldn't want to ask too much of him. Karin lived on the other side of town.
I fiddle with my fingers.
He cups a hand around his mouth, whispering, "Are you scared your dad will find out?"
I laugh because my dad would be through the roof with excitement to hear that I had a friend with a motorcycle.
But is that what we were? Friends?
"Is... downtown okay?"
He wrinkles his nose and nods as if to say it's nothing.
After helping me with his spare helmet, I climb onto his motorcycle with care. Like second nature, I go to wrap my arms around his torso.
But then I freeze, because this isn't my father, this is a guy my age. Isn't that too close?
He looks over his shoulder at me. I blink back, clueless about what to do.
He reaches back for my leg and yanks me until I'm against his body. "Hold on to me tightly. The last thing we need is a ticket."
R-right!
I close my eyes and hold on to him tightly.
He gets us downtown in less than 7 minutes, and it only takes another 2 minutes to get to Karin's after I tell him where she lives.
"Thank you so much!" I climb off and take off his helmet. "Please tell me your name so I can thank you properly."
He pretends to think it over until he finally accepts. "Okay, but come closer."
I take a tiny step forward, waiting.
"Closer."
Another step.
"Closer."
One hesitant step closer.
"Closer," he whispers out with haste.
I blush, unable to move any closer because then my face would be up by his.
He pouts. "How can I teach your mouth to say my name... if you don't put your lips over mine?"
I wrinkle my eyebrows together and then step back with wide eyes.
He sticks his tongue out.
"J.K."
Of course.
"See you, Lili."
He fixes his helmet before jerking the motorcycle forward.
I turn on my heels and rush to knock on Karin's door, where Jiyoo answers and pulls me inside to comfort Karin with her.
