Opposites Attract

Chapter 03

TAEHYUNG'S POV

As I sit at the head of the long table in the student council room, I look around at the members gathered for today’s meeting. My voice is clear and steady as I begin explaining our project plans and upcoming events for the school year. Jimin, seated beside me, hands out a set of papers, each detailing different event proposals and schedules.

I clear my throat to make sure I have everyone’s attention. It’s almost second nature now—leading, managing, organizing. I lay out the plans, reviewing each point and inviting suggestions. A few council members raise their hands, proposing ideas, and I nod in acknowledgment, sometimes offering feedback or corrections, adjusting as necessary. It feels good to have things running smoothly, at least here.

After about 40 minutes, the meeting winds down, and I dismiss everyone to get back to their schoolwork. It’s lunch break, and the hallway is buzzing with students. I head toward the cafeteria with Jimin, Jackson, and Sana, who caught up with us as we left the council room.

“Where are you guys headed?” Sana asks with a bright smile, and I reply, “Just grabbing lunch.”

“Perfect! I’ll tag along,” she says.

As we approach the cafeteria, the laughter and voices get louder, blending into the familiar buzz of a typical school day. But as we turn a corner, my eyes catch a scene that immediately puts me on edge.

Lisa, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, is surrounded by Hanbin and a few of his friends. Their smirks and casual body language tell me they think they’re just having fun, but I don’t like the way Hanbin is standing a bit too close to her. He’s leaning in, his face full of confidence, while Lisa seems…uninterested. She rolls her eyes, clearly not impressed by whatever he's saying, but she’s letting him go on.

I stop, instinctively analyzing what’s happening, and my friends halt beside me. Jimin glances at me, knowing that look on my face.

Without a word, I stride over, pushing my hands into my pockets to keep my cool as I approach Hanbin. I place a firm hand on his shoulder, and he turns to look up at me, his expression shifting slightly as he registers my presence.

“Something wrong here?” I ask, my voice calm but with an edge that I know he picks up on. He’s just a few centimeters shorter than me, but it’s enough to give me a slight advantage.

Hanbin gulps, his previous confidence faltering. “Oh, hey, Taehyung,” he stammers, glancing between me and Lisa, who’s watching silently. “I was just…uh, inviting Lisa and her friends to my party this weekend.”

I glance at Lisa, who shrugs as if to say she’s completely unbothered by him. That makes it all the more irritating, though I keep my tone steady.

“She won’t be able to make it,” I reply, forcing a polite smile. “We have plans that day.”

Hanbin gives a quick nod, murmurs something about understanding, and then hurries off, his friends following close behind him. I watch them disappear down the hall, exhaling slowly to let go of my irritation. It’s not like I want to be possessive, but seeing other guys trying to get close to her—even if they don’t mean harm—always gets under my skin.

I feel a light tap on my shoulder, and Jimin leans in. “We’ll go ahead and grab a table. Want us to order for you?” he asks, his voice carrying a hint of a smirk.

“Yeah, that’d be great. Thanks,” I reply with a nod.

Once Jimin, Jackson, and Sana leave, I look back at Lisa, who still seems as unbothered as before. She lets out a small giggle, clearly amused.

I run a hand through my hair, sighing deeply. “Do you like seeing me angry, Lisa?”

She steps closer, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me down slightly so we’re face-to-face. Her smile is teasing, her gaze playful. “Always,” she murmurs, and I can feel my resolve weakening.

I rest my hands on her waist, and she kisses me softly. As much as I try to remind myself of our recent arguments and the doubts lingering in the back of my mind, it’s hard to resist her. It’s like she has this strange hold over me. Just being close to her makes all my worries and irritation fade, at least for a little while.

When we break the kiss, I look at her and whisper, “Looks like I’ll be skipping lunch.”

She chuckles softly, pulling me in for another kiss. Even as I feel the familiar pull towards her, I can't shake a lingering thought—how did I let myself get this wrapped up? With other people I’ve dated, I never felt this attached, this…distracted. But with Lisa, everything feels different, like she brings out a side of me I didn’t even know existed.

After a few moments, I pull back, taking her hands in mine. “I’ve got to head back soon. Jimin and the others are waiting for me,” I say, though I don’t let go of her hands just yet.

She nods, her expression unreadable, and I feel a brief pang of frustration. There’s so much about her that I still don’t understand, and sometimes it feels like she’s deliberately keeping me at arm’s length. But then she smiles, and the frustration fades, replaced by the familiar warmth I feel whenever I’m with her.

As I head to the cafeteria to rejoin my friends, I can’t help but replay our interaction in my mind, wondering what exactly it is about her that affects me so much. I know Jimin will probably say something about my "obsession," but right now, I don’t really care.