Cliches Don't Matter [BTS Taehyung]

Chapter Sixteen

Oof.

I stopped what I was doing and stared at a boy around my age who just sat down next to me. Being the curious six year old me, I poked the boy and waited for his reply.

"Apah (it hurts)!"

He turned to look at me while rubbing his arm. I giggled and pulled my tongue at him. He stopped rubbing and stared at me, pouting his lips and looked like he was about to cry.

"Hey, is that funny? You poked me and you're laughing. I'm telling mommy."

I stopped giggling and stared at him. He said what he was going to do, but why isn't he going? And why is he mad? It was a joke.

It was my turn to pout as he got up from the sandbox and ran to his mommy, who was sitting next to my mommy. Great, I just lost another could-be friend.

I sighed and continued building my already-failed sandcastle. I was so immersed in it that I didn't notice the boy sitting next to me once more and starts staring at me again.

Poke. Poke.

"Hey. Do you have a name?"

I ignored his question and continued trying to save my sandcastle. He kept on poking my arm until I got frustrated and gave up to stare back at him with a very annoyed face.

"My name is Oh Sun Mi. Are you happy now? Stop poking me!"

I pushed his hand away and crossed my own, to warn him that I'm angry and I can hurt him if I want to.

"Oh. Well hello, I'm Kim Taehyung. But you can call me Tae."

He held out his hand and flashed me a smile, showing his teeth that was losing two front teeth. I stared at his hand and hesitantly pulled my own from my crossed arms and shook it.

"Hey, do you need help building the sandcastle?"

He pointed towards my saggy sandcastle and raised his eyebrow. For a six year old, he sure was cocky. I flip stares between him and the sandcastle before nodding slowly, only to see him running off to his mommy.

I stared at him and huffed, returning back to my sandcastle. Hmph. He asked if I needed help and he ran off to his mommy? That isn't fair. I felt tears sting my eyes and was about to cry when he sat back down, next to me.

"Sun Mi, I go-Why are you crying?"

"I thought you left me here to finish it when you offered help."

He flashed a lopsided smile towards me and held onto my right hand. He ruffled my hair with his other hand and looked at me with his bright and shiny eyes.

"Pabo. I promised. And Taehyung never breaks a promise."

I nodded and watched as he let go of my hand to pour some water from a bottle onto my sandcastle. He started to mix the sand and water together and helped me shape it.

I watched him in awe as he completed my sandcastle. He was sweating, so I moved over a little and took the hanky mommy gave me from my pocket to wipe it away.

Soon, he finished it and picked up a stray leaf outside the sandbox and placed it on the top as a flag. I had a big smile on my face as he finished it and turned towards me.

But accidentally, our lips touched and we pulled away right away. His cheeks turned pink, and I guess mine were the same. At that moment, our mommies came right to us, smiling while ushering us to get up and out of the sandbox.

"Well, I guess we'll see each other again. Goodbye, Tiffany."

Mommy was held onto one of my hands as she talked a little longer with Taehyung's mommy. I hid behind mommy as I remembered what happened before they came to us.

Taehyung, who was staring at me, flashed me a toothy grin and ushered for me to shake his hand before we left. I reluctantly got out from behind mommy and walked towards him shyly.

Instead of shaking his hand, I ran the short distance and hugged him tightly, whispering in his ear, "Thank you, TaeTae."

I could feel him smile at his new nickname from me and hugged me tightly. Our mommies awwed and cooed us as we pulled apart. I kiss his cheek softly and bid him goodbye.

And that's the last I saw of my new-found friend, Kim TaeTae.