#Tae's POV…
I pulled my bike up off of the hard grey cement, slowly waiting to see Jungkookie emerge from his house. When he did, I mounted the seat and rode over to meet him.
❝Hey Jungkook,❞ I said with a smile. ❝How've you been?❞
❝I'm fine,❞ he replied bluntly. ❝and you?❞
I was elated to hear his melodic voice. ❝I'm doing good. Other than the usual Kim household commotion, nothing too interesting.❞
❝Oh. Thanks for the tree,❞ he mumbled before getting on his bike and beginning to ride off.
At this, my smile fell. What happened to the bubbly & happy kookie? ❝Hey, are you okay? You're riding your bike again instead of the bus, I noticed.❞
It looked like he tried to force a smile. ❝I.. Hyung, can we talk?❞ We started to ride to school.
❝Aren't we already?❞
Kookie giggled a little. ❝True. But I mean, about the tree and everything...❞
❝Oh! Sure, yeah, what's up?❞ I ran my hand through my hair, hoping I didn't look too bad.
He seemed to be bubbly with words that wouldn't come out. It kinda looked like he wanted to cry. ❝Did you do it just so I would forgive you and kiss you?❞
Those words hit me, and as we continued down the street I was momentarily speechless. ❝What? No, gosh no. Why would you even think that?❞
Sighing, he replied, ❝Well... because I don't know what to think of you. First, you're dating Olivia, then you're making fun of me and throwing away my chicken eggs, then you try to kiss me!❞
As those words and the guilt attached to them sunk in, I was overcome with an urge to hug him. Resisting, I stared at the ground, ashamed. ❝I'm trying,❞ I spat out. ❝I'm trying so hard to be better. I don't want to be a coward anymore, and I'm sorry.❞ I looked up, meeting his eyes.
When he didn't reply, I chose not to pry. ❝I'm sorry, Ju…kookie.❞
•
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❝Today you will be assigned with new science partners,❞ Mr. Min-Jae said loudly as he entered the classroom.
A chorus of groans and hoorays erupted, and he silenced us once more.
❝Okay, let's see,❞ he muttered as he looked at a sheet of paper.
❝Yugeom and Wonyoung.❞
Wonyoung sighed and whispered something to Olivia.
❝Terry and Wooshik.❞
Wooshik didn't seem opposed, and he winked at Terry from across the classroom. What a player!
❝Jungkook &...❞
Oh buddy, how I hoped it would be me...
❝Momo-you both better prove to me that...that was a good decision,❞ Mr. Min-Jae warned.
They giggled and seemed pleased with the decision. Me, however? I was pretty disappointed. Kookie was, in all honesty, my only friend since I lost Wooshik. Funny how one argument can change so much.
❝Kim Taehyung, did you hear me?❞
My head shot up. ❝Huh?❞
❝I said you're partners with Olivia. Pay more attention please.❞
Olivia? Olivia Rodrigo?! This was going to be some science class, being partners with her.
She, on the other hand, seemed more than pleased to be paired up with me. When I looked over at Kookie, he was whispering something to Momo. But he should be whispering with me! All I wanted was to talk to him this morning and I messed that up too.
When we were instructed to switch seats and join our partners, Olivia made no hesitation in running over and coddling up next to me. Ew. Man, if you knew Olivia in real life as I did, you would hate her. I mean you would just want to avoid her and never see her again. Asking her out is probably my biggest regret. Kookie's iridescent. Olivia? Olivia's... what's the word from social studies...she gilded. Boring, coated in a thin layer of shiny prettiness. And she's mean!
(𝑵𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆. 𝑰𝒕❜𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.)
❝So. Tae, are you ready to start this project?❞ Her voice sounded like a dog when you stepped on its tail. With boots on.
❝Mhm.❞
❝Oh, don't tell me you're still hung up over Jeon Jungkook,❞ she said with an eye roll. ❝There's other fish in the sea, you know.❞
I stifled a laugh. ❝Just because there's other fish in the sea doesn't mean they're all the same, Olivia.❞