Jacket || KTH

Chapter ZERO

A WOMAN'S LIFE SUCKS.

     How does it feel when a random person walks up to you, pulls you aside and tells you about the stain on your jeans?

     You had to go shopping. Usually you sent your brother to do these chores, but since he was away and you were in short of groceries, you felt obliged to buy the stuff yourself.

     Fortunately, the convenience store was only two blocks away. With a trolley in one hand and the shopping list in other, you began rampaging around.

     Bread? Check.
     Eggs? Check.
     Instant ramen? Check.
     Chewing gum? Check.
     Your brain? No idea.

     Soon enough, you'd bought a whole bunch of junk food that your sibling Minho wasn't going to happy about. You payed the bills and rush towards the exit.

     Traffic was murder. Under the scorching heat of the afternoon sun, you could almost see the vapours evaporating in the thin air. Each step felt heavier than the other.

     You wrestled the two carry bags in your palms. Regret of not bringing the car filled your chest. Or at least Chaeyoung for a helping hand. Your lower back and abdomen started aching. This is what happens when you don't carry weights regularly, Y/N, You scolded yourself.

     Whilst crossing the road, a group of teenagers walked past you and giggled uncontrollably. Great. Now even kids were laughing at your weakened self.

      One more block to go, You reminded yourself.

     Suddenly, a large hand extracted the bag from your right hand. You yelped and swung the other bag straight at his head. Fortunately for him, he was fast.

     "Woah!" The guy ducked with impressive speed. He quickly grabbed your shoulders before you reacted again.

     "I'm not trying anything funny, okay?" He assured.

     As you calmed down, you studied the boy in front of you. It was an old habit of yours. You couldn't help but eye this random pedestrian with curiosity. The expressions on his face were genuine. You hundred percent did not notice how handsome he was. You gulped awkwardly.

     The boy in front of you looked around nineteen years old. Despite being quite older than him, he was taller; at least a feet taller than you. His broad shoulders and buff chest made him look manly, but that cute smile sort of ruined the image. You stared at him in a stupid way.

     It wasn't everyday you encountered hot guys.

     "Sorry, it was a reflex." You apologised.

     The guy grinned. Then he gestured you to come aside, since you were still in the middle of the footpath.

     "You've got a stain on your pants." He explained.

     "Excuse me?" Your eyebrows crashed in confusion. As realisation hit you, your hand automatically hovered over your butt and your fingertips were dabbed with the warm liquid.

     
     You extend your hand and snatch your bag out of his grip.

     This was humiliating. You get embarrassed as you recall the kids laughing at you, rather, your red blotch when you were crossing the road. And now another teenager, a handsome one, was telling you about your period.

    
     You desperately look at the boy with widened eyes, hoping he would help you in one way or another. He seemed to get your message.

     "How far do you live?" He questioned and moistened his lips.

     "Not really far," You confessed.

     "Here." He removed his denim jacket without any hesitation and since your hands were burdened with the grocery bags, he wrapped the jacket around your waist.

 
     You blushed as he tied the knot. "Thanks."

     "That should do." He nodded with satisfaction. "Should I drop you home?"

     "No, thanks. I don't want to bother you anymore." You bowed down, which felt weird as he was younger than you.

    
     The lack of coat made him look carefree. A white t-shirt hung loose over his frame. His brown messy hair matched those chocolatey orbs. And his smile.... You'd never seen anything so pure. A male specimen willingly wanting to help a woman in her 'oopsie' time.

    
     "Okay, then." The man said. "Take care. Bye."

     A wave of warmth washed over you. "I never got to know your name!" You called out, but his figure had already disappeared around the corner.

After changing into your nighties, you still couldn't get over the incident that had happened to you in the afternoon. You clutched the blue jacket and fiddled with its hem as you sat on your bed.

As you held onto the cloth, you took in its scent; the strong scent of cologne, or should you say, the scent of the man.

You knew you had to return it back to its owner. But how? You didn't know his address, or workplace address, or anyone who might know him. Heck, you didn't even know his name.

But you sort of did.

It wasn't long before you started checking all the pockets of the denim jacket. You did manage to find a chocolate wrapper and a penny, but nothing that might lead you to him. You thought to yourself, If I were a teenage boy with a cool denim coat, what would I do to make it clear that the jacket is mine?

The answer came to you even before you completed your thought process.

You checked the collar and the inside of the pockets and the hem, hoping to catch his name or initials. Sure enough, in a tiny and dirty handwriting, you made out a name in black ink.

     "Kim Taehyung..." you murmured to yourself as his face flashed in front of your eyes. An unknown smile crept on your lips before you hung the jacket on the headboard of your bed.

     And you passed out almost immediately.

     It had been a long day.

  
     ||

     "I'm pretty sure her name was Choi Y/N. Yes, she has borrowed my jacket. I- what? No, why would I do that? ..... Okay fine! I'll ask for her number.... I'll send it to you. Yeah, I'll talk to you later. Bye hyung."