Paper Cranes | Park Jimin

7: Irresistible

"Just stay away from Jimin as much as you can."

Taehyung's words echoed at the back of my mind on a loop like a broken record. As much as it peeved me for having to hear Jimin's name throughout the day, it puzzled me as to why Taehyung himself would warn me about his own friend.

What I wondered more was that he had told me this precaution in a rather collected manner. I debated over the fact that perhaps it was because Taehyung was an English major that he had intentionally made it sound gentler than it should have, or maybe it naturally was supposed to be that way.

On the upside, he offered a hand in case I'd have trouble keeping my distance from Jimin. Though it was clear to both of us that his friend was the root of the problem here.

Still, I just couldn't find the logic as to why one would warn people about their own friend. It just didn't fall together rationally.

"Miss?"

My thoughts were abruptly cut by a voice and I blinked myself back to reality.

"Oh, sorry," I quickly apologized to the cashier, bowing my head. "How much is it again?"

"Your total is—"

"Excuse me, could you add this? I'll pay for the items," another voice interjected making me snap my head to its source, then back in front.

The guy on the cashier looked hesitant for a moment, but nodded his head shortly. I wanted to react, like decline the offer, but my mind ran with the speed of a turtle that when my mouth parted, tabula rasa happened.

And I was in one of those moods where I could care less about anything.

The cashier was about to give me my cup, but someone took it away. Maybe I should just go home and sleep without eating. I grumbled in a low wheeze.

"Let me. You seem spaced out." He walked past me as if I had agreed to him already and I noticed the hard look on the cashier's face just before I followed where my food had gone to.

Jimin was already seated on the same spot we stayed at the first time we got here. My cup noodles waiting for me beside him on the table.

My languid self overpowering, I simply took the seat beside him and ate my noodles in silence. I could see Jimin staring at me from his reflection on the glass, yet I feigned ignorance, busying myself with my food.

But then I choked on a noodle and began coughing like crazy. I thumped on my chest with my fist and I felt a hand patting me on my back. Jimin held out his water bottle and I took it without hesitation, gulping down the contents.

Catching my breath, I turned away from Jimin and coughed some more, tears brimming on the corners of my eyes.

Fate totally wants to speed up my death, and Jimin is my grim reaper.

What if Taehyung was actually warning me about this? Could he be the goblin then?

I pushed the thoughts away and straightened up on my seat, blowing a raspberry.

"Thanks," I reluctantly said, but the cheeky grin he sported made me mentally take it back in an instant.

"Guess I saved your life there, huh?" he teased.