"Areum?" He asked, a grin beginning to form on his lips.
"Taehyung" I said, moving my eyes back to the paper.
"Why didn't you answer your phone?" He asked, pouting.
"What?" I said in confusion. He gestured to my phone which was hanging half out of my bag. I quickly picked it up and saw the spammed messages that flooded the screen.
"This confirms it" I said, turning off the phone.
"Confirms what?" He asked.
"That you're obsessed with me" I finished, chuckling.
"I prefer intrigued" he said, grinning. I rolled my eyes and continued drawing.
"Why did you come here?" I asked, my eyes staying glued to the paper.
"Because I knew you'd be here" He said, sitting beside me on the wood.
"You draw him a lot, I've seen a lot of drawings of him" he said pointing to the man. I nodded slowly, not wanting to continue the conversation.
"Who is he?" He asked, making me silently groan at the one question I didn't want him to ask.
"No one" I said, clenching my jaw slightly. He sighed heavily and stared at me.
"What?" I asked, watching him as he stared at me with a slight frown.
"You won't open up to me" he said, his face looking sad.
"Why should I?" I retorted.
"Because I want to be your friend" he replied, the sadness evident in his voice.
"I don't need a friend" I said, colder than I meant.
"I do," he said, looking straight into my eyes.
"and I know you do to, even if you say you don't, I can see it in your face"
Even though the boy had grown on me a lot and his personality was one you'd only ever come across once, I knew I couldn't attach myself to him. It would only end one way.
I sighed and turned my attention back to the book, a new atmosphere filling the space between us. I felt guilty, but also selfish. I wanted to be his friend but I knew if I did I would end up leaving him and I didn't want to cause him that pain. But I was too selfish, too curious about the boy with pretty hands and the face of a puppy. I grinned up at him and held my hand out, pointing my pinky up at him. He stared down at my hand then back up at me, confusion written across his face.
"Friends?" I asked, his face frown turning into a smile. He locked his pinky with my own and kissed it, sealing a promise.
"Friends" he agreed, smiling up at me.
Together we sat, laughing over his stupid puns that he proceeded to tell me as I drew. He seemed to always transfer his good mood onto me, no matter what was happening. When the sky got darker we began to head back, walking together in a comfortable silence.
"What?" I asked as I saw him awkwardly fiddling with his hands, glancing over at me from time to time. He sighed and looked over at me.
"Thank you" he said, looking at me and smiling.
"For what?" I asked, this moment feeling oddly familiar.
"For being my friend" he said, placing his hands in his pockets. I nodded and we walked to our houses, waving goodbye as we parted. When I entered the house I saw my mom preparing dinner in the kitchen, humming lightly to herself. She hadn't done that in a long time and it made me smile, thinking back to the times when she would sing and dance along to music as she cooked.
"Hey mom" I said, placing my bag on the counter.
"Oh hey Areum" she said, smiling sweetly at me. My eyes scanned over the counter when they landed on the orange capsule that sat on the side, my smile instantly fading. She turned around and looked at me, following my gaze and sighing.
"Areum I don't ask much of you, please can you do this one thing for me. I need you to try for me baby, please just take them" she sighed, looking at me with desperation.
"Will it make you happier if I do?" I asked, feeling a pang in my heart.
"Yes it will" she replied quickly, nodding her head.
"Fine" I said, looking away defeated.
"Thank you so much, I love you lots" she said, kissing my forehead and smiling eagerly. I nodded as she passed me the capsule, placing it in my hand carefully. I took my bag and headed upstairs, throwing it on to my bed. I ran my fingers through my hair and tied it up into a loose ponytail on the crown of my head. My eyes wandered over to the window, staring across into his room. A smile crept onto my lips as I saw him bobbing his head to the headphones joined to his and the younger boys ears. He was a good brother I could tell just from the way he acted, he got along with everyone so easily and it was something I seemed to like about him. I laughed a little watching him pretend to play an air guitar and Jeonggyu laughed beside him, watching his older brother play.
"Areum dinners ready!" My mom called from the kitchen, making me look away from the window.
"Okay!" I called down, slipping off the bed and making my way down the stairs.
-
After eating I went back upstairs and headed to the bathroom, taking a shower and washing my face thoroughly. I didn't bother drying my hair and just changed into a shirt and shorts, walking back to my room. I looked across the window to Taehyung's room to see him reading something, now alone. His eyes lifted and his gaze met mine, a smile seeping onto his face. I waved goodbye and he returned it, shaking his hand up to me. I smiled and closed the curtains before climbing back into my bed, pulling the sheets over me and going to sleep.
