FORGET-ME-NOT | kth

Chapter 26 - Take care

Taehyung's POV

My peaceful sleep was rudely interrupted by an uncomfortable sensation on my face. My eyes crinkled in confusion, though I couldn't open them. As the fog of sleep began to lift, I realized it was some sort of light, bright enough that I wasn't seeing darkness even with my eyes closed. A red hue was all I could perceive, and I wondered what it was. Am I dreaming? Am I in heaven? Did I fall asleep with my head in a lava lamp?

Startled, I jolted awake, my eyes opening to sunlight hitting me directly in the face. I squinted, a wave of panic washing over me until my groggy brain kicked in, and I realized I was in Maya's apartment. I fumbled around for my phone to check the time.

My class.

Maya, who had been sleeping peacefully beside me, woke up because of my frantic movements. "What happened?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep, and I shook my head.

"What time is it?" I asked, hoping I hadn't missed half the day already. She reached for her phone, blinking slowly.

"It's 7:30," she said, and I let out a dramatic sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank goodness! I thought I overslept by, like, a decade." I confessed, shielding my eyes dramatically from the assault of morning sunshine. Maya chuckled, still half-asleep but thoroughly entertained by my morning melodrama.

"Curtains are so necessary here." I grumbled, crashing back onto the bed and moving closer to Maya. I cuddled up to her, making her chuckle.

"Good morning," she said, smiling as I kissed her.

"Good morning" I replied, feeling content until my gaze fell on the window. To my surprise, I could literally see a man casually getting dressed in the adjacent apartment.

"Oh wow, and free morning entertainment too," I said, gesturing toward the window. "Seriously, you need curtains."

"Hoseok got rid of them a while ago, and I don't want to spend money on new ones for this temporary stay," she sighed, sounding resigned to the lack of privacy.

I sighed too, then an idea struck me. "Then why not stay with me?" I suggested, surprising even myself with the spontaneity of the offer.

"Really?" she asked, a mix of excitement and uncertainty in her voice.

"Yeah," I nodded, smiling. "no more free entertainment for the neighbors."

"I don't exactly put on a free entertainment show for the neighbors, though," she said with a chuckle. "I change in my bathroom, and I'm barely home anyway."

"True," I conceded with a grin. "But it'd be nice to have you around more often."

She smiled, a hint of playfulness in her eyes. "Tempting offer. But are you sure you can handle having me around all the time?"

"Absolutely," I replied confidently, my smile widening. "It'll be like having exclusive entertainment—just for me."

She laughed softly, her voice muffled as she buried her face in the pillow. "I'll think about it."

"Take your time," I said gently, reaching over to squeeze her hand affectionately.

What am I even saying? Did it sound like I asked her to move out with me?

 No, that's not what I meant at all. I was simply trying to be considerate, offering her an option to escape this apartment with no privacy so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable. 

"What happened?" she asked, her brow furrowing as she noticed my distant expression.

"Oh, nothing serious." I reassured her with a smile, though a touch of concern lingered in my voice. "I just realized I might be late if I don't get going soon."