attraction.

Teenage Dream. 3/3

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid girl!

Park Chaeyoung is embarrassed with herself for being so stupid.

It wasn't that she was ashamed at his body count (hell, they lived in the twenty first century there's no need for slut shaming!) although she admits that it took her by surprise, she was more or less disappointed with herself.

It's not until she finally feels the coldness of the wind against her skin, as she runs in heels and a dress with tears running down her eyes like a damn music video that she realizes that she became someone that she is not. All for a boy. One boy, who's craft and skill was to make you fall in love with him effortlessly like the sun rising.

Is it through the same charm that warmed her heart that he used to woo eight other women before turning 18?

She feels disgusted with herself and as she does the walk of shame, she doesn't bother to answer when her older sister asks her what is wrong, she simply goes to the bathroom, showers and cries before heading to bed.

The next morning, she has his leather jacket perfectly folded and left it with one of the other footballers to pass onto him.

A new day.

With only two weeks until they officially have their final exams, Park Chaeyoung cannot afford to be unfocused.

After all, she was a Park and Park's know how to get shit done! She shouldn't be feeling like this to begin with!

-

It's a stressful time for everyone and it doesn't help that she's been dodging him at every opportunity possible. If she doesn't ignore him completely and walk away, she gives him a deadpan expression and reminds him to fill all the appropriate forms or he won't get admitted to university and take his final exams.

How could someone so annoying be so damn cute?

With all the students busy with the exam preparation, Jeon Jungkook has etiquette. He doesn't disturb her during class or free periods when she's in the library studying last minute but the issue was the window of time in between was too small every other time. He has no idea where she is at lunch and hearing from the other girls in his class, he learns that she was sitting in the toilet cubicle alone.

He feels really, really guilty.

His opportunity however comes in the most unexpected way.

Jeon Jungkook is standing in the entrance of the school when the rain suddenly hits, or well—pours. He gets a sense of dejavu, hearing a familiar sigh beside him.

Turning, he holds his hand out to her elbow, as though he weren't letting her move.

"Chaeyoung," his voice is heavy.

She looks at him, in an expression that was almost unreadable—a mix between tiredness and sadness, if he were to guess.

"I'm sorry," he tells her, "... if my past hurt you, if I made you feel uncomfortable."

"You don't need to apologise, you didn't do anything wrong," her voice is quiet, yet a soothing validation for him, "... I'm not angry at you or anything."

"Then why are you ignoring me?"

His words are straight forward, and he can see that she's surprised by them.

"I think," she takes a breath, her eyes straight at the rain in front of them, "... I felt embarrassed. I was beginning to catch feelings for you, Jungkook. You've been this perfect man—funny, charming, polite. I felt like I was on cloud nine, but by the end of it—I wasn't me anymore. It almost was, like I was shifting myself to be who I thought you wanted me to be."

Her eyes begin to tear up, and he can see that she's doing all that she can to hold it in.

"Thank you for the few weeks of my life where I got to really enjoy my high school experience," she turns to him with a lined smile, "... but this is where it ends, for us. It's better that way."

Before he could respond, she passes him her umbrella before running to her car.

When he messages her, asking for her to talk he gets one final message before his number is blocked.

[Study Hard Jungkook. One final stretch for the rest of your life.]

-

They meet again when final exams are over and it's time to take graduation photos. He sees her from the corner and how she has the most beautiful bouquet in her hands and is taking family photos with his sister, mother and father. He recalls that her parents mainly work abroad and thus wonder if they'd come specifically for the photos. The ceremony was quick due to COVID-19 but most people gathered to take photos in the building and talk to their friends for the final time.

Unlike him, and every other student, he noticed that she didn't move much. No one approached her beside the polite greeting and no one had requested to take photos.

"Chaeyoung!"

He doesn't think, quickly making steps towards her and her family, bowing a full 90 degrees to her parents.

"Can we take a picture together?" He asks, making her sister fawn at how cute he was.

She seems hesitate at first but begins to smile and he holds his arm around her waist.

"A really cute picture!" Her older sister shows her, "... please send it to my sister after this so we can get it framed."

He nods.

Her family decide to give them a moment as they look around the building.

"Which college did you decide on?" She asks him, feeling the thick tension between them.

"I got offers to Yonsei, Dongguk, Hanyang and SNU," he tells her proudly, noticing a smile growing across her lips, "... I really want to choose SNU but it's a full ride football scholarship in Yonsei so I'm still not sure. You?"

If he's not wrong, she'd gotten offers (and probably scholarships) from all the top universities in the country and he's curious to see her pick.

"Well done Jungkook, that's not easy at all, you did well," she smiles brightly at him, "... I'm not 100% sure but I think I'll be accepting Stanford or Berkeley. I'm taking engineering."

He nods.

Park Chaeyoung was truly in another level.

"Aren't you scared to be away from home?" He asks her.

She nods, "... a little, especially being far from Alice. My parents have business in the US a lot so I'm sure they can still visit often."

"Chaeyoung," he looks at her, which she hums in response, "... I really like you. I know that we've had our differences and that the timing probably could be a lot better, but I can't stop thinking about you. Can we keep in touch?"

"And how about the distance? A relationship is not easy, especially with someone so unexperienced like me," she tells him, "... distance will only put a strain on it."

"I don't care about that, we'll figure it out," he tells her, "... do you want to? Figure things out with me, Chaeyoung?"

"How about we go on a date first and see?" She looks up at him and smiles, "... 2pm tomorrow?"

"I'll pick you up then."

-

All good things must come to an end (but do you want a bonus chapter why do I feel like this is unfinished!!!). Thank you for the support for Teenage Dream! Please feel free to request prompts for this series, as always! <3