𝗘𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 | 𝗝𝗶𝗞𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗩

7

Tae-Hyung felt the unmistakable rush of nerves flooding his body as he stood at the entrance of the café, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His palms were clammy, and his heart raced faster with every passing second. He quickly grabbed a napkin from his bag and dabbed at his forehead, trying to wipe away the growing moisture. His nerves only intensified when he saw Jung-Kook approaching, walking beside someone a  few inches taller than him. Tae-Hyung swallowed hard, hoping the nervousness wasn't too obvious.

"Don't be nervous. He's just going to tutor you, not eat you," Ji-Min whispered, his words light but comforting. Tae-Hyung shot him a small, appreciative smile and nodded, though his stomach still churned with anxiety.

"Hi, Ji-Min! Tae-Hyung!" Jung-Kook greeted, his voice easygoing and full of warmth. The younger boys quickly returned his greeting, but Tae-Hyung couldn't help but feel a little flustered in front of his crush.

"Meet Eun-Woo," Jung-Kook said, gesturing to the tall person beside him. "He's my friend, and he's the same age as me."

Tae-Hyung looked up at the stranger with a small nod, trying not to stare too much. The guy was taller than him, with broad shoulders and a relaxed, confident posture. His features were striking: sharp jawline, defined cheekbones, and dark eyes that seemed to hold a certain depth to them. Eun-Woo’s dark, slightly wavy hair fell neatly over his forehead, and his casual outfit of a white T-shirt and jeans made him look effortlessly handsome.

"And this is Ji-Min, Yoon-Gi's younger brother," Jung-Kook continued. "And Tae-Hyung, the one you're going to tutor."

Eun-Woo gave a polite nod, his eyes briefly scanning Tae-Hyung with an appreciative smile. "Hi, nice to meet you," he said, extending his hand toward Tae-Hyung. His voice was smooth and calm, with a hint of something warm behind it, making Tae-Hyung feel a little more at ease.

Tae-Hyung hesitated for just a moment before shaking Eun-Woo's hand. His skin was warm, his grip firm yet gentle, and there was something about the way Eun-Woo’s smile made him feel—like maybe this wouldn’t be as nerve-wracking as he thought. The small smile that tugged at the corner of Tae-Hyung’s lips didn’t go unnoticed by Eun-Woo, who returned the smile, his eyes gleaming with a friendly kindness.

Jung-Kook cleared his throat, breaking the brief silence. "You two can discuss the details about the schedule," he said with a chuckle. "Tae-Hyung, don’t worry about the fees. Eun-Woo’s offering the tutoring for free." Tae-Hyung couldn't help but feel grateful for Jung-Kook's help.

"Thank you, hyung," Tae-Hyung said, his voice full of sincere gratitude. He looked over at Jung-Kook, his eyes soft with affection.

"You're welcome, Tae-Hyung. Come on, Ji-Min. I’ll teach you in the library," Jung-Kook said, already starting to walk away. Ji-Min, who had been standing by his side the whole time, waved at Tae-Hyung.

"Bye, Tae-Hyung!" Ji-Min said, pulling his best friend into a quick hug. "See you later, hyung!" he added, turning toward Eun-Woo with a friendly nod before following Jung-Kook.

Tae-Hyung stood there for a moment, watching the back of Jung-Kook’s retreating figure, feeling a pang of longing in his chest. His crush, as intense as it was, always left him with a bittersweet feeling whenever Jung-Kook was around.

"Come on," Eun-Woo’s voice broke through his thoughts. "Let’s sit down and figure out the schedule."

Tae-Hyung turned to look at him, forcing his attention back to the task at hand. He nodded quickly and followed Eun-Woo to an empty table in the corner of the café. They sat down across from each other, and Eun-Woo pulled out his phone, already typing something.

"So," Eun-Woo started, looking up at Tae-Hyung with a calm expression. "I have classes until 3 p.m., so we can schedule after that. Any day works for me."

Tae-Hyung thought for a moment, his fingers nervously rubbing together. "I have a part-time job from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.," he said softly, glancing up at Eun-Woo briefly. He caught the way Eun-Woo’s gaze softened just a little looking at his fidgeting fingers, and his lips quirked into a smile that almost seemed to be… amused?

"Oh," Eun-Woo said, his voice warm with understanding. "Then we can schedule for 7:50 p.m. to 9:10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. And on Sundays, we can do any time that works for both of us."

Tae-Hyung’s eyes brightened at the suggestion. "That works for me," he said, relieved. He hadn’t expected the schedule to align so easily.

"Great, give me your phone," Eun-Woo said with a smile, his eyes twinkling a little as he looked at Tae-Hyung, who immediately handled his phone to the elder. There was a slight playfulness in Eun-Woo's tone now. "Okay, here’s my number," he continued, typing it into Tae-Hyung’s phone. He passed the phone back to him with a smile. "Text me, and I’ll send you my address."

Tae-Hyung took the phone, his fingers brushing against Eun-Woo’s briefly as he received it. A small shiver ran down his spine at the contact, but he quickly tried to dismiss the feeling. "Okay, I’ll text you," he said, his voice a little quieter now, as though the interaction had made him feel shy in a way he hadn’t anticipated.

"Good," Eun-Woo replied, standing up. "Well, I’ve got to go to class now. It was nice meeting you, Tae-Hyung."

Tae-Hyung nodded, watching him walk away with a lighthearted smile on his face. He couldn’t quite pinpoint why, but something about Eun-Woo felt different—there was an ease to him, a confidence that was neither overbearing nor cold. It was something Tae-Hyung found both calming and intriguing.