His Bodyguard || K.TH.

20. Drawing

It's getting harder to understand Taehyung. And even harder to comprehend your reaction.

"Hold my book for a second, dumbo." He rudely chucks it aside, and you barely manage to catch it. It's piled on top of the other textbooks you're holding for him like a maid, the tower tipping back and forth, nearly spilling all to the ground.

Your glare is unforgiving. "Can't you ask me nicel-"

Taehyung suddenly drops down. "Your shoelaces are untied."

"O-oh."

The college student ties your sneakers gingerly, making sure they're secure. He loops two bunny ears around the knot and then stands up with a smile.

"All done! Now you won't trip. I can't always be there to catch you."

Taehyung takes his book off the pile you're holding and walks off. You're left staring at his backside before you pick up the pace, unable to help feeling a little perplexed and caught off guard.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to understand him and predict his actions, but it's not like they were ever predictable in the first place. He's always had a knack for spontaneity. It's your susceptibility to surprise, that's changed.

–

"I know you said you weren't hungry-" Taehyung sits down across the picnic table and slides a brown bag towards you. "but I got you the jelly doughnut. It was on discount. You liked this one, right?"

"Y-yeah. Thanks."

You watch him go to town on his hash brown, chomping like a ravenous beast.

You're agitated, muddled, but also more than that. You're not sure what this emotion is. It's puzzling to pinpoint, challenging and strenuous on your mind. You just know it's different from annoyance, disenchantment, and the usual disenthrallment.

"Oh, look!"

Taehyung's pointing to your left shoulder. When you look down, you're unable to see what he's indicating.

Running out of patience and without thinking twice, he leans himself over. You flinch back on natural instinct, but he's undeterred, paying no mind to the reaction that's conditioned you since childhood.

You feel his chest hovering above yours, thin lips a millimeter away, and you hold your breath. But Taehyung's eyes are nowhere near your body. His stare isn't greasy or purposely flirtatious.

It stays quiet for a moment too long before he draws back.

"It's a ladybug." Taehyung shows you with a grin, one that had landed on your shoulder and one he sets down into the grass behind him. "See you later, little guy."

You're absolutely bewildered, though finally able to breathe again.

There are times Taehyung's unbearably cheesy and teasing, trying to get under your skin or vying for a reaction when he yearns for a kind of attention he receives from nowhere else, much like how he was when he was a kid. But the times that affect you the most are his unintentional actions when he's being sincere, genuine, his innocent self.

You're not sure what to think of it. It's confusing. And the worst part is you can't comprehend Taehyung lately. Your own head's become chaotic and you're not quite certain of the reason for it.

–

"Y/n, hang on tight." Taehyung pedals harder and glances over his shoulder. "The road ahead's under construction. It's gonna be bumpy."

"Want to switch spots?"

"Nope," he sings. "Just hold onto me."

You obliged, grasping onto him, locking your wrists together around his waist.