Lifetime

Touch

I'd stopped socializing much during the school day, spending the free time I had studying and doing homework so that I could commit to photography after school. Today I found myself entranced by the old buildings at the far end of downtown, a complete contrast to the other side where the city was bustling with businesses.

Once the sun began setting I started the walk back toward our neighborhood, but decided to stop by my family's restaurant after seeing the small dinner crowd that kept a few people waiting outside, knowing they would need help.

My mom was busy playing hostess, organizing the seating chart and sending parties off with their designated server. She hadn't realized I was there until I leaned over the podium. "Ma, it's really busy tonight. Maybe I should help." I offered.

"Sel, you know we don't let you work on school nights." She multitasked, talking to me while crossing names off the guest list.

"I already finished my homework for the day. Let me help." I refuted, stepping around the stand and grabbing an apron.

She handed over her pen, kissing my cheek. "Thanks bub, you take over here and I'll go check on dad in the kitchen."

It was a little odd for the restaurant to be so packed on a Wednesday night, but I figured families were transitioning into the busyness of the school semester, feeling too tired to cook. I got into such a zone making sure the rotation of table and servers flowed efficiently, that when I glanced up to see Jimin standing in front of me I was taken off guard.

"Oh, Jimin. Hi." I blinked a couple of times, looking over to see his mom, a kind smile on her face as she kept a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I can have a table ready for the three of you in ten minutes."

"Thanks Seline." Jimin responded to me.

His mom's smile spread wider at the sound of my name. "So this is Seline?" She turned to Jimin, making me laugh as his eyes cast downward, letting me know that I'd been mentioned. "It's good to meet you."

"You too." I returned her genuine smile and they excused themselves as another party entered the restaurant.

My phone vibrated from a call and I decided to check it once a text came through right after. Hobi's name flashed across the screen as he started calling again but I declined, pulling up the text message he sent instead. Where are you?

At the restaurant. Pick me up in an hour? I responded, tucking my phone away again.

I continued with working, seating more guests until the crowd finally dwindled and doing a last walk through of the restaurant to make sure my parents didn't need any more help before disposing of my apron behind the hostess stand.

"You work here after school." Jimin's voice alerted me and I stood back up, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

He leaned against the stand and I couldn't tell if he was making an observation or asking a question. "Not usually, but my parents needed help tonight." There was a pause, both of us trying to figure out what to say next. "How was your first day?" I finally asked.

"It was okay. Your friend Hoseok was nice." He shrugged.

"Good, but tomorrow you have the same block of classes as me, so I'm sure your day will be even better." I joked, instantly regretting my comment. Was that supposed to be flirting?

I shook my head to myself, starting to leave the restaurant when he called out to me. "Wait, are you going to walk to school in the morning?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'll see you in the morning." I confirmed. He responded with a nod and I tried not to overthink the expectant look that accompanied his question, making me think there was a part of him that looked forward to seeing me.

Hobi's car sat at the corner of the block and I was glad to see that Gabby wasn't with him, sliding into the front seat. "You didn't bring food." He commented, taking off toward our houses.

"Well hello to you too. Did you only come pick me up for the free food?" I rolled my eyes at him.

He laughed. "You do know food is the entire basis of our friendship right?" He replied sarcastically. "It's okay, we'll pick up burgers instead."

After a twenty minute detour for food we sat on the floor of his living room, eating off of the coffee table while the continuous marathon of Supernatural that was always on TV played in the background.

"So Jimin," he started after shoving multiple fries into his mouth, "is pretty cool."

"Is that why you gave me that look this morning, because he's pretty cool?" I wondered, sitting back for a second to take a break from eating.

He let out a burp and I faked a gag. "You were really close to each other when I walked up. I didn't know if something was going on."

"I literally met him two days ago, Hobe." I took some of his fries after already having devoured mine.

"So you don't like him?" His forehead wrinkled as he lifted his eyebrows.

That was a good question, but one I couldn't answer yet. "Why do you care?"

"Because he's—" There was a short pause before he continued. "Because I'm your best friend. So if you do like him okay, but he better not hurt you." Everything about his tone was serious.

"Or what?" I laughed at his protectiveness, tossing a balled up napkin at him.

He caught it, throwing it back. "Or he'll have to deal with me."

I walked to and from school with Jimin for the rest of the week. The things we talked about were pretty lighthearted, our parent's businesses and everything he needed to know about our school. He talked the most about his little sister, Dani, while I went on about Hobi. By the third time we walked together he started bringing an extra breakfast pastry for me, and by the fifth I made him the latest subject of my photography.

To my mom's great dissatisfaction, Jimin started to mesh into my friendship with Hobi. They loved to talk about dance together and held a good energy between themselves. Three weeks after Jimin moved in across the street, he got curious enough of the laughter coming from the side of my house to investigate.

Hobi and I sat under my window as we usually did, both of us yelping when Jimin turned the corner, leading us to burst into another fit of laughter. Jimin joined us, sliding to sit on the grass on the other side of me.

"You sound like hyenas." His observation only made us laugh more, Hobi and I spending the next five minutes trying to calm ourselves down enough to breathe properly and stop our stream of giggles.

We talked about school for a few minutes, the subject soon transitioning into our families. Hobi asked without a second thought. "So where's your dad?"

I nudged him with my elbow, scolding him with my eyes. Jimin caught on to my nonverbal response, letting out a nervous chuckle. "It's okay, he and my mom separated a few months ago." His voice didn't convey that it was a touchy subject, but I knew by the way he reached down, slipping his hand into mine and giving it a squeeze, his own nonverbal cue to let me know it was difficult.

For once I was grateful that Hobi brought up Gabby, moving on to tell us that her parents just divorced. "How long have you been with Gabby?" Jimin questioned, his hand relaxing but still holding on to mine.

"For a few months." Hobi spent the next fifteen minutes telling Jimin about his relationship, until there was a knock on the other side of my window that was the second scare of my night.

Jimin let go of my hand quickly, the three of us jumping up to wipe off our pants. "It's getting late, kids." My mom had the look on her face that would make anyone fall into line, the three of us saying goodbye before I crawled back through my window, my hand still reminiscent of his touch.