school desk | vkook

- THIRTEEN -

this. this made me
change my mind.
// j

Taehyung reads the note in disbelief, shaking his head. He doesn't know what to feel. He likes the mysterious boy he's been writing with; they'd formed some kind of bond through messages of advice and silly doodles. How long has Jeongguk known?

Then it hits him, he is the arrogant boy the other has been complaining about. The one who "has everything and doesn't even know it, yet he thinks he's so cool and popular". Taehyung feels how a big pit of anxiousness grows in his tummy. Does he really give off that kind of vibe?

"Taehyung-ssi?" a girl's voice interrupts his thinking.

"What?" he looks up in confusion.

"We're supposed to discuss in pairs with the person next to us," the girl smiles warmly as she explains the task. The two quickly come to a conclusion after talking for two minutes, having a little time over.

"Um, this is really random, but can I ask you something?" Taehyung scratches his neck.

"Sure thing."

"Does everyone really know who I am? You knew my name, for example. Like, do they think I'm some rich kid who gets everything he wants?"

She furrows her eyebrows. "People know you because you're so friendly. Everyone knows at least one person who's been helped or comforted by you, yet you always hang out with the same two people," she explains, looking a bit flustered. "You're a bit of a mystery, you could say. No one ever thinks a bad thought about you, though."

Taehyung looks at her, eyebrows raised. Is he actually popular?

"Kim Taehyung, the friendly mystery." He says slowly, smirks and nods with approval. "I like it." The girl chuckles before turning away.

Taehyung turns his attention back to the school desk, stuck in dilemma. To forgive or not to forgive, that is the question. He traces all the little conversations fondly with the tip of his finger. One of them reads:

yeah, they force me to
smoke all the time :/
// j

don't let them
do that! i'll go
on a flippin' rant
why smoking is
bad for you! take
care of yourself!!!
~ t

aww, don't worry
about me. worry
about that asshole
i told you about tho
// j

why?
~ t

idk man, he's
just so self centred.
thinks everyone loves
him or something
// j

sounds like an
annoying guy
~ t

Turns out the exact opposite is true. Taehyung doesn't even feel angry, he just feels terrible. Disappointed in himself, but he can't figure out why.

+

"Taehyungie, this is our stop!" Hoseok nudges his friend on the school bus home.