Popularity | Taejin ✔︎

twenty-five

Taehyungs P.O.V

I help Jin stand from the ground, his hand still clutched to my uniform. His tears run dry and I can't help but feel sad and empty seeing him like this. Did he think the same thing as me when he saw me crying this morning? Fuck me crying it hurts to see this kid cry. "Jin..."

"Can you just take me home? I don't feel good." He says wiping his face.

"Sure. I'll drive you home-"

"No. I want to walk." He interrupts finally looking up at me and taking in my face. Jin places his hands on my cheeks and rubs the tears away.

"Anything you want. Do you want to get your stuff?" It feels awkward. I don't like it. God this sucks.

Jin nods and without saying anything else he leaves to the classroom to gather more of his things. Slowly walking back out his eyes are red and puffy. "Will you be okay tonight?" I ask moving my hand across his cheek to his hair and slightly play with it. A smile rises to my face.

"I'll be fine," he places his hand over mine just to pull it down. "I will go to sleep extra early tonight." He tells me.

I want it to be the same as last night. Him in my arms. His lips on mine. The urge of warmth and love that made it so comfortable to sleep soundly. His light snores and pretty face in the morning. His pouty face making his lips irresistible. I'm in love. I want him in my bed, cuddling and telling each other secrets. He wants it too I know it. We are talking about Jin here. But I hurt him once more so how dare I think like this. "Shall we go now?" I motion with my head to the hallway.

"Yes." He sighs and walks off. I'm behind him. I don't need to get anything from class so right now my main goal is to make Jin feel better and make me feel worse.

I want to hold hands with him. Something I did this morning. What changed in him? Why did he say those nasty things about leaving? Did he see Hae-Win kissing me. He knows there's nothing between me and her. Or that egghead needs to leave Jin alone. He is probably filling his head with shit! Anger boils in me. The way he approached me coming out of the classroom pissed me off more. Telling me he's going to get back at me for what I did to him. What a psycho. But right now Jin is going to cry because of me tonight I can feel it.

Once we are outside the school building papers fly across the ground. Curious I pick one up to see what it says. I don't look at much flyers around the school, I'm usually looking ahead or down at my feet from sleepiness. My eyes widen. "What the hell is this?" I whisper stopping in my tracks to scan the flyer.

"Your girlfriend." Jin blurts.

"Girlfriend my ass! Vacation my ass! Voting my ass!" I crumble up the piece of paper and throw it to the ground. "Fucking idiots don't know what they are talking about!" I pick it up again and tare it apart.

"Why are you doing that?" Jin questions.

"Why? Why am I doing this? Because these girls think its funny to set up a dating scandal. Me and Hae-Win aren't dating. We never have!" I spit on the paper and let it fall. "Never will!"

"Stop." Jin demands with a soft voice.

"Stop? Why? I'm mad about this. Can I not be mad?" I hiss.

"Someone might see you. It'll be bad for your reputation." Jin says.

I lick my lips at his words. My popularity. I look around to see no one but a couple people on the track running or stretching. "Let's go, please." Jin then grabs my hand and leads me away. It felt like someone was watching us but maybe it's just my popularity senses tingling.

I don't let go of Jins hand I let him drag me to the destination. And he doesn't seem to mind it. Cheeks grow red and he has a slump to his step. Cute. I lift our hands and kiss his. Long and sweet. "Can I make a promise?" I ask. He doesn't answer. "I promise you will be the only one."

"The only one for what?" Jin looks down still keeping his pace.

There is that sense of being watched again. I scan the scene to see no one. What the hell? I go back to Jin. "The only one for me, the only one in my eyes." I notice my breath in the cold air.

Jin shakes his head. Off school grounds we pass a park with trees who's leaves fall off. Its almost winter. Snow. Cold. Nothing. I hear something move behind me. My body reacts to look but all I take in is an empty sidewalk. "What is it?" Jin gets anxious.

"Nothing. Let's walk faster you must be tired." I finally let go of his hand letting it fall to his side. I gulp when I want to keep holding his hand. But this feeling of someone watching me I can't do anything risky with that feeling.

We go on a bit faster. I don't say much but always glaring behind my shoulder or across the street even above me. I can tell Jin was paying attention to what I was doing but he didn't question. Maybe I am crazy. Reaching Jins house I grab his arm before he could turn to his front door. I search up and around his house with my eyes. Not much to it I wonder how it is inside. "What?"

"Promise me you won't cry tonight?" I take my chance to place my hand on his cheek rubbing his bottom lip with my thumb. Maybe I should ask to stay the night so I know he doesn't.

"If you touch me like that I will." He takes my hand off.

"I'm sorry. I just can't help myself." I sigh.

"Goodnight, Taehyung." Jin said and goes to his front door and struts inside. Damn I feel like rejected. He didn't answer to my promise back there either. Is he really through with me? God I'm such a horrible person.

I bite my lip and rub the back of my neck. Damn it. I should give him space for a while. But I have to make sure egghead doesn't do anything as well. Maybe up another rumor Feeling like eyes are still on me I leave to my home collecting my phone from my pocket. But what about?