Spring Day // Kim Taehyung ( V )

Chapter 25

Sunday passed in a quiet haze. Mostly, I spent the day eating and watching TV—routine, predictable. Occasionally, I exchanged words with the boys, sharing a laugh here and there. But then, Taehyung's interruptions always managed to break the mood. I was now on the balcony, enjoying the fresh air of this quiet evening. 

Honestly, I couldn't quite understand him anymore. After our trip to the beach, I thought things might have settled. Instead, he drifted away, ignoring me for a week, then reverting to his usual teasing and dismissiveness. It's as if he's trying to keep a distance, but I can't grasp why.

And yet, girls seem to be the ones who confuse me more.

Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me. Turning around, I saw Taehyung—standing there, unexpectedly serious.

"Hi," he said softly.

Ugh. Not now. I wasn't in the mood for his usual antics. I rolled my eyes internally. "What now, V?"

He hesitated, then asked, "Can I sit with you?"

I paused, swinging my legs, deciding to give him a moment. He didn't look like he was here to tease or provoke me—something different about him today.

I sighed, then nodded. I tend to let people do what they want, even when I'd rather stand my ground. Saying no isn't easy for me unless I'm certain I want to.

He moved over and settled beside me, leaving just enough space between us.

"Why are you here?" I asked, avoiding eye contact.

He looked up at the sky, a faint smile on his face. "The truth? I wanted to be alone... but then I saw you."

"How's that wanting to be alone?"

"Maybe I wanted to be alone... with you," he admitted quietly.

My gaze shifted to him. He still avoided eye contact, watching the stars rather than me. There was a calmness in his expression I hadn't seen before—something genuine, or perhaps he was 

just good at hiding his usual bravado.

"I'm sorry, George," he suddenly said.

He continued before I could respond. "I thought you wouldn't want to be friends with someone fake, so I showed you who I really am from the start."

I frowned. That's honest, but also a little unsettling. His bluntness, especially so early, felt almost intrusive. I appreciated his sincerity, yet his attitude rubbed me the wrong way—being dismissive and cocky without reason.

"Not very respectful, don't you think?" I snapped.

He looked surprised but quickly collected himself. "That's not normally how I am," he said softly. 

"I'm actually a pretty nice person. I just—I don't know how to approach people. I've never had a real conversation with a girl before."

"Talking to fans doesn't count," I pointed out.

He nodded. "I know, but you're different. You're not like the others."

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for more.

"I'm sorry if I seemed rude or aggressive," he continued. "I really want to be friends with you. I just don't know how to start sometimes. It's stupid, I know."

His words caught me off guard. I watched him silently, trying to gauge whether he was sincere or just putting on a show. This vulnerability—this rare moment—made me wonder if there was more to him than the arrogant persona he usually projected.

He looked up at the stars again, a hint of remorse in his voice. "I'm not usually dramatic. That's not who I am. I just want to connect, even if I mess up along the way."

I hesitated, then spoke. "Alright. Next time, just be a little less cocky. We can be friends—if you treat me with respect."

He chuckled softly. "I am nice. You're just easily annoyed, George."

"Is that so?" I responded, a small smirk forming.

He pouted, clearly joking. "Can't a friend make a joke?"

"Was that a joke?"

He grinned, then shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just trying to lighten the mood."

I couldn't help but laugh—a genuine one this time. For a moment, I wondered if I'd made the right choice in giving him another chance.Taehyung might be difficult, unpredictable even, but beneath that bravado, there's a side of him that's earnest, searching for connection. He might not have mastered how to start a friendship—yet—but I could see that he was trying. And somehow, that mattered more than I expected.

The silence stretched between us for a moment, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It felt more like a pause for reflection, like we were both weighing the weight of unspoken things.

Taehyung shifted slightly, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. "Thanks for giving me a chance," he said softly. "I know I can be a lot sometimes. I just... don't always know how to show I care."

I looked at him, studying the tension in his shoulders, the tentative openness in his expression. It was different from the usual cocky smirk or teasing grin. For once, he seemed genuinely vulnerable.

"People aren't perfect, Taehyung," I replied, my voice calmer than it had been earlier. "But if you want to be my friend, you'll have to respect boundaries and be honest. That's the only way I'll trust you."

He nodded slowly, a small, grateful smile forming. "I get it. I'll try."

The stars above shimmered softly, casting a gentle glow over the quiet street. The world felt still, as if holding its breath, waiting to see what would come next.

"I guess I've been trying too hard to impress everyone," he admitted after a pause. "But with you... I just want to be myself. Even if that means messing up sometimes."

I considered that, then responded, "Everyone messes up. The real test is whether you're willing to admit it and try to do better."

For a moment, we just sat there, the night wrapping us in its quiet embrace. I wondered if this was the beginning of something different—an understanding, perhaps, or at least a truce. And while I was still cautious, I couldn't deny a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, Taehyung could be more than just the unpredictable troublemaker I had pegged him for.

As the cool night breeze brushed past us, I finally broke the silence with a small smile. "Just don't make me regret this, okay?"

He grinned back, a little more sincerely than before. "No promises. But I'll do my best."

And in that moment, I realized that sometimes, the hardest part isn't making friends—it's learning to see past the masks and finding the person beneath. And for all his flaws, I started to believe that Taehyung was trying to do just that.