PEACH'S
WARNING
MARIGOLD THRIVED IN her soul as she sifted through her locker, her sunny yellow polo tucked into a light denim mini skirt — she even wore white ankle socks against her mother's advice, making sure the maid polished her white low heels. that day wasn't just any regular monday: it was going to be the first time she'll see jeongguk after the incident in the truck.
and she was prepared to spend more time with him, even though there was not–so–subtle doubt plaguing the very back of her mind.
so, she made sure she didn't look so much like a 'priss', and had her hair down to let it bask in the sunshine. she wanted today to be full of fun, and adventure, and freedom — when she was out of school of course. skipping was not an option.
"hey raesun," she turned her head to be faced with a worried taehyung, a boy from her history class. his hair was faded from it's harsh cherry red to a delicate peach hue, the colour seemingly darkening his tanned skin. she didn't know him all that well, so as to why he was about to talk to her, she didn't know.
"taehyung, right?" raesun smiled; he nodded, leaning against the locker beside hers. he had an apple in hand, throwing it up and down in one hand casually.
"i wanted to speak to you, if that's okay?" when she agreed, he continued slowly, almost carefully as if there was glass beneath his soles, "i've heard rumours that you've been hanging out with jeon jeongguk. i guess i wanted to know if those rumours were correct before i say what i'm about to say."
she frowned, still sorting through her school textbooks without sparing the melanin boy a glance, "i don't think that's any of your business—"
"it is, sweetheart, especially if the likes of you are associating yourself with someone like him," his stern tone threw her off, resulting in her dropping a textbook.
sweetheart — it didn't sound at all the same when it left his lips. they weren't lips that held cigarettes or embraced beer bottles or spoke flirtatious compliments. it sounded too dry and sarcastic coming from taehyung.
she waved his hand away when he bent to pick it up, hurriedly grasping it and hugging it to her chest in a pathetic attempt to defend herself, "what are you trying to say, taehyung?"
"that if you're not careful, you'll get hurt," his voice lowered, softening from its once crisp octave. his eyes, full of knowledge yet she saw a true warning amidst the intelligence.
a warning given from his own fear.
raising a brow, raesun was struggling to keep strong and determined to keep up her defence, shuffling her heels on the scuffed linoleum school flooring, "i won't. jeongguk wouldn't... wouldn't let that happen—"
but her first moments stepping into the garage said something to suggest otherwise.
"and how do you know?" his own dark brow lifted, biting into the apple and staring at the marks he left, "you've known him for what? a couple weeks?"
"i–i think you should leave me alone," she whispered, placing the textbook back in its place atop the organised pile, "if jeongguk finds out you've said these things..."
"he'll what?" he chuckled, taking his eyes off the fruit in his grip to smile cockily at the girl in front of him, "go on, tell me. tell me what he'll do, because i highly doubt it will be anything nice."
with a huff, she swung her locker door shut, "you know what he'll do. so leave me alone, please."
both of his brows lifted this time, stepping away backwards while his hands rose in defence, "alright, i'll leave you alone," then, smiling a box–like grin in feigned innocence, he spoke again, "but take my words into consideration, before you see what jeongguk can really do."
watching him walk away sent a shiver down raesun's spine, an electric caress across her spinal cord that only echoed his words in her brain. amongst her admiration for jeongguk and the trouble with her family, the warning started to slowly scream, her eyes concentrating on the back of taehyung's white shirt.
if you're not careful, you'll get hurt.
you'll get hurt.
h—
"hey, sweetheart," the now cursed nickname shook her out her trance, jumping when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. the voice, dripping with sly nectar, flourishing with blackened roses from cigarette embers, elicited the electric to shoot straight towards her brain.
coincidentally, it was the one and only jeongguk.
hurrying to cover what just happened, she smiled, turning to see him cladded in his regular black jeans and worn band shirt — he looked familiar and it made her feel a lot better.
"hi jeongguk," she said, her cheeks slowly blooming carnations as he gently smiled, a nimble finger tucking hair behind her ear.
"you look different," he scanned her up and down, eyes dancing with adoration and champagne gold — she let out a breathy laugh, hoping he meant it in a good way at least, "i like it. a lot," he reassured her.
"thank you," she mumbled.
he smiled wider, offering out his hand, "let's go to art class, shall we?" and she took the hand, swearing she saw daffodils and daisies blossoming between the joint skin of both rough and soft flesh.
you'll get hurt.
— 杏 —
