Trouble

Jeans

There was uncomfortable silence lingering in the air between both of us as we began to walk towards the nearest store that was open. I hadn't said anything after he had told me that. I had simply accepted the fact that he wasn't going to give me my phone, and stood nervously till he told me we should go to a convenience store for pads. I had nodded and simply followed him. 

I didn't like him like that. Did I? I felt at peace when I was with him, true, but I never felt any butterflies, never. I did acknowledge the fact that he looked good, and the fact that he was a really sweet person, but I had never even begun to think about what could possibly happen between us. I never thought about the things he said or made assumptions every time he touched my hand or shoulder. I always felt it was normal like it was a part of my daily life. But he had been thinking about these things...What should I do now? What should I say? 

"Tae," I start, looking at him with all amount of earnest I could manage. 

"Don't call me that," he says, taking a left turn. He was following the map on his phone and refused to look at me. 

"Wh-what? Why?" I decide to do the same, maybe we should just talk without looking at each other all the time. 

"Because it makes me want to kiss you, Eun In." I gulp. Don't look at him, don't look at him. 

"I wasn't going to tell you, ever. I respect hyung too much to ever do that, but then...you looked so good today that I found it too hard to breathe." His voice is uneven, choppy, as he almost swallows the last two words. It was really hard to not cry in such situations. Firstly, I almost felt an unearthly thrum of hormones raging through my bloodstream that would make me cry regardless of Tae, Taehyung, being there or not. And secondly, the incident inside the musical theatre was still fresh in my head. 

"Sorry," I managed. I began to blink furiously, trying to push back the tears into my eyes. They wouldn't comply, and a few of them began to slip down my face.

"Are you crying?" He asks. So he was looking at me? I turned my head quickly and began to pat my face dry. 

"Don't say such things when I am on my period," I said, brushing away the last of the tears with my palm. I sighed and looked at the empty roads. Seoul was much better like this; it helped me think. 

"There's still something," He says, stopping abruptly. I stop as well and look at him confusedly. He leans in closer, which makes me take a step back. But he simply runs his finger across my cheek and wipes away a tear I had missed. I looked away, ashamed. Why was he making this more difficult? 

- 

I walked into the convenience store followed by Taehyung. He moved towards the section at the extreme back: alcohol, and I made my way towards the medicinal supplies. I turned to say something to the cashier when I noticed that she was already looking at me. And I knew who she was. 

"Nari?" I looked at her without blinking. I didn't know she worked here...I didn't know she worked, period. I thought she had said that her parents were rich and she really didn't need to work at all. Why would she lie about that? Would she? I decided to ask her later. 

"Eun In?" Her mouth is open, as she lets out a heavy sigh and falls into her chair. 

"Why are you here?" Her gaze is downturned as she asks me this question. I swallow, pick up the correct sanitary napkin company, and walk toward the counter. 

"I had an accident," I say sheepishly. I give her the pad and she begins to ring it up. She looks at me through her lashes and I smile. Maybe I had misunderstood something. It had to be my fault. 

She smiled back and was about to speak when Taehyung walked toward the counter and slammed a can of beer onto the table. Nari jumped and looked up at the intruder. She blinked once, twice, and slowly took the beer can and moved toward the machine. 

"You want me to bill it together?" She asks evenly. 

"Yes, please." I nod and unzip my purse to pay the necessary amount. 

"I can give you an extra pair of jeans I have, as well." She says after handing me the receipt. I smiled widely and add, "You're my lifesaver,"

Her face gets partially covered by her hair as she laughs shyly. I notice that she was reading something before we had entered, and it looked like a really fat novel. I never understood how she managed to do that. 

"Can you please look at the store for one minute?" She looks at Taehyung and holds up one of her fingers. His smile tilts upwards, and he nods. He opens the can of beer as Nari begins to lead me toward the back of the store.

"I keep an extra pair in my bag because sometimes I don't get time to even go back home," She explains to me as she opens a little locker int he store room. She removes her bag, pulls out a pair of blue jeans, and hands them to me. 

"Are you sure I'll fit into them?" I ask, looking at her waist, and then looking at mine. She rolls her eyes and opens the employee washroom for me. I begin to close the door but she stops me, "Wait for a second," Her eyes are gleaming with curiosity. 

"Who's that guy outside?" She asks.

"Taehyung? Oh, he works with my father and Yoongi." I say, clutching the jeans to my chest. 

"And where's Yoongi?" She asks, her eyebrows snapping up. I look away and seem interested in the white tiles of the bathroom. 

"I don't know," I said, twirling the tassel on the bag. 

She nods, closes the door, and leaves. I remove the skirt and begin to clean up the stain. I remove the underwear as well, washing it and drying it under the hand-dryer. It does so quickly. I wear my lady-armor, then the jeans, and walk out with Tae's jacket and the washed skirt, which now smelt faintly of rose scented hand-soap. 

I walk into the main storefront and notice before opening the door that both Nari and Taehyung were amidst an intense conversation. I open the door slowly, trying not to interfere, and walk out silently. I don't succeed, however, because of their heads snap towards me when I am closing the door. I straighten myself and smile at Nari. 

"Is everything all right?" Taehyung asks, his expression looking worried.

"I wasn't partaking in childbirth. I have done this a dozen times, of course, I'm all right," I roll my eyes and look at Nari who was trying to stifle a laugh. 

"We'll leave now," I say, thanking her and hugging her across the counter, before leaving. 

"Hyung called," He said softly, handing me my phone as I walk into the brisk air outside. I let out a breath which instantly turns into a puff. 

"Okay," I pocket it and hand Tae his jacket. I'd call him later.

"Do you know her?"I ask him, pointing to the shop behind us now.

"I think I did know her," He says, his eyes overcoming with a shadow that makes me shut up. I remove my phone and unlock it. I notice a message from Yoongi. 

Yoongi: Are you all right? Where are you? 

I reply saying that I would call and talk about it later. I look at Taehyung then, who had been looking at me. 

"I don't want an answer, but...would you have liked me back if hyung wasn't in your life?" This time I understand when he looks away. He was expecting the worst sort of response, and I almost gave him that response. 

"I don't know," I said truthfully. He looks at me with a little bit of hope gleaming on his features. 

"Maybe I would have," I shrugged. He nodded, stifling his smile, and putting on his jacket. He looked relatively more at peace now. 

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