Bit By the Bug

one

one

 

  "ah, shit, what is he doing here?" kim jennie frowned, leaning over to set her cup of coffee on the diner table. waiting for her next night class in just a few minutes, she had settled for some hot drink within the cafe just in front of their university. she'd caught a glimpse of the oh-so-familiar and uninvitedly unwelcome kim taehyung, and hoped by leaning over out of his eyeline that he'd not see her. "why does he always have to appear almost anywhere around me like a stupid mushroom? must have a lot of nitrogen scattering around, eh."
   it was late, but the streetlights and tricycles lit up the narrow street outside the school's gate.

   seeing some random schoolmate smiling at her direction, jennie turned her attention away without encouraging her. she doesn't want any attention right now that might cause the stupid taehyung to even notice her. might just pretend she hadn't noticed the girl—too bad she did. "hi jennie!" she called out to her and smiled. jennie forced a grin so as not to be rude to her.
  
   the last time she'd had a peaceful lonely time to herself was over a weeks ago. for the most part, she didn't care but engineering is exhausting and mind-cracking. she needed her alone time right now. she needed peace. and take note, she's somehow the kind of a loner type of a person. she hated attention, too. but what can she do? the damage had been done. she blamed kim taehyung for it.

   taehyung was a second year student; an engineering student also. a photographer of the school's pub: the Chronicles. the annoying guy literally entered her life in a 'flash'. with one click of a shutter release the now infamous picture taken during the freshmen's orientation where she was caught flipping her hair with eyes close and neck exposed—with a matching black ribbon choker(her favorite), he made her immortal and also made it damn hard to maintain her simple college life. because of that photograph, she was now the school's 'little darling freshman'.

   because of taehyung, her image became popular. some stupid, bubble-headed guys always asking her out if she's free. what do they think of me? A one-night stander?! fuck them! she would curse everytime it happens. some would even praise her perfect shot and incredible visual. always telling her that she's photogenic and might even try with the upcoming school's annual pageant. uh-oh. never! some insecures would even call her bitch and sometimes whore.

   being a 'little darling freshman' meant she's not had even the slightest hint at a decent date in just under three months. her course was tense enough as it was, but take away any kind of recreational affection and the little bit of inspiration, to be added up with the hell-bound equations and formulas ... she's doomed. the only men who wanted to be seen with a famous freshman were the ones wanting to show her off like a dating trophy. she refused to be a novelty story they could tell their friends at parties.

   "what, kim? not happy to see your boyfriend?" her schoolmate—tiffany laughed. she was a pain in the ass, but she'd take a bullet for her nonetheless.

   "do me a favor. try to distract him while i do an escape plan." jennie said, ignoring the boyfriend comment. denying the obvious fact that she had nothing to do with taehyung would only make the teasing worse. "i'm beat and you all have this handled. i still have night classes and i don't want to be interrupted by my redeemer."

   "you got it, boss." tiffany nodded, automatically moving away from jennie's dining table.

   "hey, superstar, where you off so fast? running off to do some more modelling?" sure, the teasing around had been hard at first, but she ignored it. jennie flinched at the sound. naturally, there were still few jerks willing to annoy her. she turned, keeping a blank face, as she acknowledged him. "Azel." her classmate. deciding she didn't want to deal with him, she rudely turned away.

   "whoa, so the little darling doesn't have time for average joes like me, eh?" he yelled after her, snickering that made her skin crawl.

   "don't you have a bribe to take?" she mumbeld back.

   "hey! it's been months and you're still affected?!"

   jennie didn't answer. she glanced at her wristwatch and saw that it's twenty minutes before her night class.

   "why are you walking all alone by yourself?"

   she stopped moving, closing her eyes. wasn't tiffany supposed to be distracting taehyung? then what was the photographer doing alone with her? she didn't like him being around. just his presence worked her nerves and distracted her concentration.

   "hi," taehyung greeted lately, stopping his bicycle beside her by the road. "you know, it'll be much better if you're not alone all along and i'm on my way also to our department." he offered and for a brief moment she got a good look at his face—not that she needed to see him to remember what he looked like. his hair was fluffy, his bangs falling to his brows in soft brown strands. the man had an endless supply of loose pants and sweaters and long sleeves. she wondered wondered whe he carried print film when all she'd seen him use during every documentation for the school was a digital camera.

   jennie didn't know why she noticed every small detail. perhaps it was bacause taehyung keep popping around her—at school and even a few times when she went to see her sister. jisoo worked with her husband. jin had helped her once with some of her artworks to be sold and her sister's husband was kind enough to give her a hand. she had wanted to post her works online and so jin said he has a friend who could help with the pictures so that it may look presentable for the buyers. too bad it was taehyung. jisoo and taehyung hit it off, making it harder for jennie to avoid the guy. he was like a cockroach she couldn't get rid of.

   OK, so maybe cockroach was a bit harsh. but he was a pain in the ass and she was too tired to fmdeal with him tonight. truth be told, jennie understood the friendship between jisoo and taehyung. they were both photographers with laidback artistic mentalities. jennie has always been too edgy for such an easygoing lifestyle. she needed to be up and moving, needed mental and physical stimulation.

   dazed from lack of sleep because of some researches and projects, she continues to walk. taehyung moved his bicycle, his dark eyes struck her like a shock of cold water over the head. she blinked, coming out of her daze. taehyung would have been a handsome man, if she didn't resent him so much. he was athletic, but not too muscled. when he smiled, he has that famous, unique square grin and, when he spoke his words were coming out of his mouth like a lullaby. voice so deep. it was enough to give a girl chills.

   "are you going to be at sunday dinner?" taehyung asked, still following her with his slow pedalling—clearly trying to make a small talk.

   he always did that. didn't he realise he's nearly ruined her life?

   "is there a department banquet?" jennie frowned. she didn't remember any celebration with the school org or any solidarity for the early prelim of the first semester.

   "sunday dinner with your parents," taehyung explained.

   what in the world did he know about sunday dinner with her parents? jennie automatically knew the answer. jisoo. her sister had told him.

   "um, yeah, probably, if i can get away," jennie said.