Scarlet Craving

Chapter 9: Tension

How did it come to this? Thanks to Ava's big mouth and Taehyung's perfect timing. I now found myself sitting between Taehyung and Hobi at a nearby coffee shop, sweating like crazy. Few words have been said since we arrived, instead, the two of them have been exchanging dirty glances.

This is what I was worried about. Hobi has been somewhat protective over me as his younger sister in the past but I didn't think he'd react this badly. I know this is a first for him, for his little sister to have a serious boyfriend. As for Taehyung, I didn't know if this was his first relationship although it did seem like the first time he's had to deal with an overbearing protective brother like Hobi. The thing I was most worried about was whether my vampire boyfriend was going to kill my very human older brother.

I decided to try and diffuse the situation. They might actually like each other once they've calmed down a bit. "Ah you guys, I've heard the coffee here is very good. Why don't we order some and try it?" I said happily.

"That sounds good." Taehyung smiled at me.

"Yes, it does but Piper doesn't like coffee. I thought you would know that being her boyfriend and all." Hobi quipped. I glared at him.

Taehyung smiled sweetly at Hobi. "I do know that however I also know that she likes to drink mochas and that would be considered coffee would it not?" Taehyung cocked his head to the side. Okay, this was getting worse.

I need to think of something else but what? "Hobi, how's your dance studio going?" I asked, he removed his glare from Taehyung as he smiled warmly at me.

"It's going very well. We recently won a trophy from a competition in the city."

"That's good! Another one to add to your trophy case." Hobi nodded excitedly at me. "Ah Taehyung, Hobi runs a dance studio back home. He's really good at dancing." I said, trying to get him to join in on the conversation but he just nodded. I was going to kill Ava when I saw her next.

The conversation then descended into another awkward silence again. I began bobbing my leg up and down, clenching my hands into fists on my lap. Taehyung had noticed this as he placed his hand on top of mine, gently brushing his thumb over my skin. I found this relaxing until I felt Hobi's hard stare at the side of my head. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take.

"Hobi, Taehyung did really well on a test the other day. He was one of the best in our class." I was ignoring the fact that Taehyung most likely did well due to him being a vampire and already knowing all the answers.

Hobi leant back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. "Did he?" He said uninterested.

I was at my limit. I stood up abruptly from my chair. "I'm going to go order," I announced as I looked at both of them. "Please be nice while I'm gone," I said with a heavy sigh, walking away to order at the counter around the corner. I ordered two coffees and a milkshake for myself, a treat for having to deal with this. I carried the tray of drinks back over to our table but before I could turn the corner however I heard the two of them talking.

"I don't approve of this," Hobi said curtly. "I don't think my sister should be dating, she should be focusing on her studies." I got so mad. I'm an adult now. I can make my own decisions about my life. Before I could give Hobi a piece of my mind, Taehyung began speaking.

"Shouldn't that be Piper's decision? She hasn't fallen behind in any of her classes since we started going out." Taehyung said.

I could hear Hobi taking in a sharp breath through his teeth. "You're not very respectful to someone who is older than you." Little did Hobi know that I was dating a vampire that was over three hundred years old.

"Then should I call you Hobi hyung?" Taehyung asked in an amused tone.

"Hoseok hyung," Hobi said. Seriously bro?

"Fine then, Hoseok hyung. I like your sister very much and I have no intentions to stop seeing her unless she tells me herself that she doesn't want to date me anymore." Taehyung said in a serious tone.

"You have a lot of nerve," Hobi said, annoyed.

"I am just being honest about my feelings."

"Are you trying to start a fight with me?" Hobi said, raising his voice.

"COFFEE!" I rushed back over to the table with the tray in my hands, placing it hard over Hobi's fingers that were resting on the table.

He pulled his hand away. "Ow! Piper." He shut his mouth once he saw me glaring at him.

"Will you please stop picking on my boyfriend!" I heard Taehyung chuckle behind me. I turned my head to face him. "And you, stop enticing him!" Taehyung's expression changed to a shocked one. I sat down "If you both can't be nice then don't say anything at all!" They both pouted at my words. I felt like a mother dealing with her naughty children.

I sighed. "Hobi, I know you're just trying to look out for me but I am an adult now. I like Taehyung, so I'd like it if you could get along with him." I grabbed Taehyung's hand. "Taehyung, Hobi is my brother and although he may come off as being overprotective he does care about me. I want the both of you to be able to get along."

They both grumbled "Fine."

They managed to be somewhat polite to each other for the remainder of the day and just like that the weekend was over. I successfully managed to prevent the two of them from butting heads. Taehyung was with me as I said goodbye to Hobi at the train station. "Don't go away for so long next time. Try to at least come back for a holiday or two." I teased.

"I will don't worry." He pulled me over for a big hug. "Taehyung...If you hurt her I'll come back and kill you." Hobi said while squeezing me to him.

He released me to see Taehyung nodding his head politely at him. I watched Hobi get on his train, waving goodbye at me from his window. I felt slightly heavy-hearted as I watched his train get smaller and smaller. Taehyung grabbed my hand. "Do you miss him?" He asked soothingly.

"A bit. Thanks for being nice this weekend." I squeezed his hand as I smiled at him.

He lifted my hand and kissed it softly. "You're welcome." I felt my face instantly heat up. He chuckled at my reaction, was there ever going to be a moment where my heart wouldn't race when I was around him?