10 Things I Love About You (Kim Taehyung - part 2).

~~4~~

just a quick warning to say how AWFUL this chapter is, and I'm really not happy with it but it's been so long that you guys deserve a chapter, so I hope you can somewhat enjoy it and just know that the next chapters are going to be so much better!

thank you, 

Taeliciouslay.

"You believe in me."

The sweet and bitter aromas merged together in an inventive salsa as I wiped down the last table, smiling at the two customers I passed on the way back to the counter. Guitar music sounding over the speakers, but only lightly to match with the calming feeling that the café aimed for. Jungkook smiling at me as I walked behind the counter and took over as he began to make the order for the woman. Light chatter filling the time as I took the money and opened the till counting the exact change and handing it over before looking back to see how much longer the order would take. I caught eyes with Jungkook causing me to raise my eyebrow in confusion as to why he was staring into my soul.

"Everything okay?" I asked, the confusion present in my tone.
"I don't understand why you even work here," Jungkook muttered, placing the plastic cup under the coffee presser as I rolled my eyes, "you actually have talent and can do something with your life." He muttered, I sighed before closing the till and once again turning to look at him.
"Jungkook, you are literally the most talented person I've ever met in my life, what you on about, son?" I mocked as he laughed before subtly flipping me off.
"I'll fight you, Abela," he playfully threatened, passing me the hot cup. I glared mockingly, placing a plastic lid on the cup and calling the order out to the basically empty café, "don't think just because you're dating my best friend I won't." He whispered, taking a step towards the counter and smiling at the customer as she started to leave. I hit him softly with my hip earning a slight yelp.
"I like the smell of coffee, nothing better than that aroma, is there?" I asked as he rolled his eyes, taking a cake from the counter display and pushing himself onto the counter.
"Buy a candle, you weirdo," he muffled, small pieces of cake flying out of his cheeks. I laughed before crossing my arms.
"What right do you have to judge me for working here, you've been working here longer." I scoffed, his eyes soon burning into my own as he huffed.
"I was dragged into this, what's your excuse?" He grumbled, wiping off his apron before taking another bite of the cake, "plus, I've not got a boyfriend who actually believes in me," his smirk radiant, almost triumphant as though he thought he'd won the argument, I laughed slightly before shrugging.
"I'm sure Jimin does believe in you, Kookie," I mocked causing him to almost choke on his cake. He went to reply but was cut off as the bell above the door chimed, announcing a new customer. Jungkook quickly slid off the counter and wiped his mouth before stepping closer to me and growling.
"This isn't over, Abe, I'm going to get you back for that." He muttered, his smile almost sounding in his tone as I laughed before looking at the customer with the smile I had perfected over the past two years.
"What will it be today, sir?" I asked, hearing Jungkook mocking my voice as he made his way into the stockroom, causing me to roll my eyes internally.

The paint delicately danced under my fingertips, the colours dulling as I wandered further into the darkness of the room. The light from the hall being the only source of light in the dark room. The hours had turned to minutes since I had returned home, Jungkooks words resonating somewhere deep within my soul as I questioned why I was working in a coffee shop instead of creating art for a living. I sighed, dusting off a solemn chair located at the back of the room, a simple painting of a sunset resting beside it. More light flooded the room as the creaking of the door sounded, causing me to raise my head to look, Taehyung was resting against the door frame, arms crossed with a confused look etching onto his features.
"You okay, love? Why you in here... in the dark?" He asked, as I sighed and dropped my head into my hands.
"I'm wallowing in my own self-pity, Tae, let the darkness consume me!" A low chuckle sounded from above me, subtly glancing up from my arms to be met with his signature smirk, "oh, how I hate that smirk." I mumbled, his footsteps appearing to come closer before his arms tightly wrapped around my hips and lifted me off the ground.
"I thought Laurie was a drama queen," he scoffed, I regained my balance and turned to look at him, an unimpressed expression gracing my face as I raised my eyebrow at him, "let's go talk somewhere I can actually see your face." He laughed, I huffed but allowed his hand to lead me down the stairs to the living room. I wandered a few feet in front of him before turning back and staring, lifting my arms and dropping them to signal that I was ready for him to speak.
"What's going on with you? Why were you wallowing in self-pity?" He asked, his words so sarcastic that if an eyeroll could be presented in words, those would be it. I huffed before throwing my arms out and whining.
"I'm a failure! A fraud! A simple barista!" I yelled, the drama exaggerating each word, Taehyung rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest whilst raising his left eyebrow, "I had so many dreams, so many hopes and now what? Nothing, a big old nothing!" I huffed, falling onto the couch, Taehyung exhaled whilst looking down at me, a smile teasing his lips.
"Are we quite done with the one-man performance?" He asked, I paused before slowly nodding my head and moving into a sitting position, allowing space on the couch – which Taehyung instantly took over.
"Tae, I don't know what to do anymore..." I trailed, my voice soft as I glanced down at my hands, my fingers danced in a hopeless tango with one another, only pausing to pick nervously at the skin.
"Abela, my love, you can do whatever you want to do," he paused, lifting my chin up so that I was now looking at him, "you can be a scientist, astronaut, bookkeeper, model, teacher, dancer and anything else you can think of. You are capable of anything you put your mind to if you only allow yourself to dream." His voice was soft, his eyes caring, his hands warm. I smiled slightly, placing my hand on his cheek, tilting my head.
"Dreams don't pay the bills," I whispered, "having a job, no matter how far away from my dreams it is, does," I stated, he nodded his head slowly before scrunching his face together and shrugging.
"Know what else pays the bills?" He asked, his voice almost playfully mocking, I rose my eyebrow in anticipation of his answer as he leaned in, his breath tickling my ear, "my job." His laugh soon followed, rolling my eyes I pulled away and looked at him with a sardonic smile, lightly pushing his chest as he chuckled, "I'm serious, Abe, you deserve to follow your dreams. You deserve to have everything in the world, and so what if it means we can't eat out as much as we usually do and we need to be more cautious with money for a few years, if it means that I get to see that smile on your face every day when you come home, I'd do it in a heartbeat." I smiled softly as I once again shook my head.
"Just because I'm not going to art school doesn't mean I can't continue with art, it just means I need to be more mature and understand that for us to be able to live in a house, I need to make this sacrifice," my voice became muted as he placed his finger on my lips.
"As long as I've got you, being homeless is okay." He stated as I rolled my eyes and scoffed, standing up and laughing. I started to walk towards the kitchen, still laughing lightly.
"You really are something else, Tae," I laughed, pushing the door open, "but cheesy sentiments don't keep us warm at night, as much as they make me smile." His laughed bounced off the walls, walking into the kitchen and leaning against the counter. He smiled at me and shrugged.
"I just don't want you to have to sacrifice art school once again," I opened my mouth to question the 'again' part of the sentence but instantly stopped myself as his eyes became soft, "you already had to give up going to look after your mum when she got sick, and I know that you wouldn't ever have even questioned it but now the opportunity is back and I know that she would want you to go..." I paused, glancing down at my shoes before raising my head to look at him.
"Why are you so invested in me going?" I questioned, shrugging and turning to look in the fridge for ideas on what to cook for dinner. His familiar arms wrapped around my waist, his lips lightly pressing against the base of my neck.
"Because I believe in you." I felt my heart stop for a split second, a smile tugging at my lips as I closed my eyes, resting my head against his shoulder, "and I want you to believe in yourself." I sighed, squirming until he released me. Placing my hands on his shoulders and lifting myself onto my toes, I lightly pressed my lips onto his before dropping down to my natural height.
"I never thought I could love you more than I already did," I joked, a smile instantly lighting his face, "I'm not saying that I'm definitely going to go... but I will consider it." I stated, pointing at him, he instantly raised his arms in defense, winking before jumping in triumph, once again causing me to roll my eyes.
"That's all I'm asking for," he paused, pushing himself onto the counter and grinning, "it's only fair you get to follow your dream, as I get to wake up next to mine every day." I spluttered before turning to look at him, my cheeks burning as the blush rose to my skin.
"You really outdid yourself there with that sappiness," I teased as he dusted his shoulders and laughed, "thank you for always believing in me though," I whispered, he blew a kiss and winked.
"I'm always going to be your biggest fan, baby!" He yelled as I rolled my eyes, forcing my full focus on the fridge, not once noticing the black velvet box hidden in his pocket.

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hello loves!

hope you've all been well. just want to once again apologise for how long this took, but life has just been a little bit hectic as of late but I hope that you're still enjoying the book.

thank you all so much for reading, voting and commenting, it all means the world to me! I'm hoping to update soon - but don't hold me to it!

thank you,

taeliciouslay <3