SCENERY / Taejin

7. The Softest Touch

We made our way up to the rooftop. True enough there was a splendid garden there; there were rows of herbs and small potted flowers planted in a neat pattern and fairy lights and flowering vines created a dome-like structure over the entire length. It was beautiful.
The smell of the different herbs made the atmosphere nice and relaxing.

"V-ssi..?", I was interrupted back to the realisation that I had company.

"I'm sorry for being so straightforward and asking you to meet and all so suddenly.. I hope you'll forgive me if I've been so crude," and she bowed.

She had done nothing wrong and I didn't want her to feel any more awkward than it already was.

"No..no..please don't think of it that way. I'm really happy this date happened. I'm just a lil nervous is all," I manage to say almost stuttering.

That seemed to assure her a little. She sat down on the bench near us and continued,
"I guess it only adds to your charm," she giggled almost inaudibly. .

"Well, if it's only nervousness, let's get to know each other slowly. I'm actually a year older than you.. so you can call me 'Noona' but you can just call me by my name too if you want to. I'm fine with anything."

She seemed alot more relaxed now. Her body language and her facial expression just radiated friendliness and confidence. Maybe it doesn't have to that uncomfortable between us.

I took a seat down beside her.
"Thank you, Noona. Yes,I would like to get to know each other," i smiled. 

She returned it and started talking.

I don't know exactly how our conversations went from our favourite animals to how she got suspended from her middle school because she was caught stealing all the oranges in the school yard, leaving all 6 trees bare in the end; but Noona was a fun person to talk to.

"My friends and even my fans still call me Oh Orange and use the 🍊 emoji to type anything to me."

"But what exactly did you do with all of the oranges?,"

"I ate them of course! The ones in the school yard were especially good. And I enjoyed the mischief. XD"

I couldn't help laughing. On TV, she played a character struck with one tragedy after another that every grandmas and aunts watching were crying along with her.

But the person next to me- her eyes sparkled and her face contorted in animation as she told me more of her orange thieving episodes.

This was definitely a person who would be so easy to like.

Two hours later and I bade the group good-bye. I was beaming and waving to Noona as I went into the car.

__________

I tapped my foot restlessly as I move up in the elevator. I was a lot later than I had intended to and I was pretty sure Jin-hyung had gone to sleep already. I looked at the watch. 1 AM. Definitely asleep. Hyung liked to be punctual, to sleep and wake on time.

I cursed myself as I made my way to the door. The lights were already turned off. I heard muffled talking from Jungkook's room. Him and Jiminie were probably still awake playing games.

I made my way to the kitchen, trying to make as little sound as I possibly can. I opened the fridge and started to put away the things I had bought.
Blueberry and mango yogurt.. heavy cream... white chocolate... I try to remember if I had missed anything.

I kept cursing myself wishing I had made back home just a little earlier. I really wanted to join that little baking date they probably had here.

As I started heading back to my room, I walked past the living room without almost noticing the sleeping figure on the sofa.

Hyung. Hyung was on the sofa. He had waited up for me.

Unconsciously, I made my way to him and sat down on the floor. Resting my arms and face on my knees, I looked at his sleeping face.

He looked so peaceful.
So perfect.

My right hand left me without command and started to stroke off the stray hairs on his face.

"Hyung," I began..

My fingertips were shaking..
I've touched his face and hair a thousand times but the moment felt so intimate.

"Hyung... I met someone today.."

My fingers started to trace out his outline, from his ear and down to his jaws..

"..she's fun and easy to talk to.."

I felt the greatest urge to cup his face...
My hand gently slided to the back of his neck and made a soft grip.

"..she's funny too.."

My eyes were fixed on his face but I started focusing on some features more intently than the others.
First his eyes, lashes long and beautifully laid out..
then his round nose,which made the cutest twitch at the slightest touch..

"I think I can like her.."

...and to his lips. Plump, rounded lips, heaving slightly as he breathed in and out..

"..like her if I try..."

I couldn't help it. I leaned forward and without waiting for a moment longer, my lips were on his.

The softest touch. And it stayed. For the shortest but a solid minute. 

I pulled back slowly. I was surprisingly calm but my tears started to well up.

I dropped my head down to the space on the sofa near hyung's head and as I took a huge breath in, the smell of leather made my nose sting.

"..no, I can never. Never even If try for a thousand times..I couldn't like anyone else,hyung."

And in silent sobs, I started to drift to sleep.

Slightly longer chapter. I got carried away. (☉‿☉)