THE TRANSFER STUDENT

A Wandering Mind

"Jin-ah, where shall we go next?" Jisoo looked up at Seokjin, who didn't respond. She frowned. "Jin?"

Seokjin was deep in thought. For some reason, the way Taehyung had put his arm around Byulyi really... bothered him. And where were they going? He couldn't help but wonder.

"Jin!"

Seokjin snapped back to reality. "Huh?"

Jisoo frowned. "What's wrong with you? You've been so out of sorts all day."

"I have?" Seokjin laughed. "No, I haven't."

"Are you not feeling well or something?" Jisoo put a hand to Seokjin's forehead and felt hers with her other hand. "No, you feel fine."

To be honest, Seokjin was tired. They had been walking around Hongdae aimlessly for about an hour window-shopping - as Jisoo called it. It just involved him waiting under the hot sun for her to take a look at clothes and end up not buying it. It was exhausting.

But Seokjin forced a smile. "I'm fine, Jisoo." Seokjin took Jisoo's hand in his. "Where do you wanna go next?"

"Aren't you hungry?" Jisoo frowned, looking at her watch. "Oh- it's already almost five! Wanna get some dinner?"

"Sure," Seokjin smiled again. "What do you wanna eat?"

"Um... well. Ah!" Jisoo smiled brightly. "There's this new western restaurant somewhere round the corner. "Ah! There it is. I heard it's good."

Seokjin's eyes followed where Jisoo was pointing. It was a western restaurant on the second storey of a building across the street. The ambience looked pretty good - there were couples sitting near the window, overlooking the street-

Seokjin froze.

The couple seated in the corner looked oddly familiar. His eyes widened.

It couldn't be them, could it?

"Jin?" Jisoo waved a hand in front of Seokjin's face. "Jin!"

"Oh- sorry." Seokjin snapped back to reality.

"There you go again," Jisoo frowned. "If you're tired, we can just go home now. I'm fine."

"No, no, no." Seokjin insisted, forcing a laugh, his eyes still eyeing the couple eating happily. No, it's probably not them. "But let's go somewhere else to eat."

"Why?" Jisoo followed Seokjin's line of sight, but didn't see anything. "Are you not craving western food today?"

"I'm-" Seokjin's voice broke. "Yeah, I don't feel like eating western food."

"Ah..." Jisoo smiled. "Finally you're telling me your true opinion. I always felt like you held back what you wanted to eat for my sake. So what do you wanna eat, then?"

Seokjin was distracted. He wasn't even focused on anything Jisoo was saying. "Anything, just not... here. Just not... western."

"Ah-" Jisoo grinned. "I know! I'll bring you to this noodle shop down the street. My parents bring me there often, they're really good for their spicy seafood noodles, I think you'll really enjoy it..."

Seokjin's mind went blank. What was he doing right now? Why did seeing the two of them through the window, having a meal together bother him so much? They looked happy, too. What if they were really who he thought they were?

"Jin, hurry up!"

Seokjin's eyes went back into focus. Jisoo was already a distance away from him, holding out a hand and motioning for him to follow after her.

He felt horrible. These feelings of his... These weren't the same feelings he felt for Jisoo. Seeing Jisoo with Minhyun, or Jackson, or Jisung, or any other guy in the class... Seokjin didn't feel this same way. He didn't feel this...

Angry? Upset? Disappointed?

Seokjin bit his lower lips nervously.

Jealous?

He glanced back up at the window.

They were still there. The guy reached over the table, pouring water into the girl's cup. It wasn't anything much, but Seokjin imagined being in his place, pouring water into her cup and having a nice meal with her-

No, Seokjin.

Seokjin pulled himself together. He forced a smile, quickening his steps to catch up with Jisoo, grabbing onto her hand. Jisoo smiled sweetly at him and pulled him along.

As they walked away, Seokjin couldn't help but look up one more time, rubbing his eyes and squinting hard.

This time, Seokjin was a hundred percent sure. The couple sitting at the window was definitely who he thought they were-

Seokjin felt a strange feeling bubbling in his stomach.

Taehyung and Byulyi.