Butterfly

6. The Wallet

I slip out of bed before the sun, turning off my alarm so it doesn't wake Sandra. I wander the apartment for a few minutes, then walk over to the door, slipping out quietly, walking down to the mailroom.

I unlock our box, pulling out the mail, flipping through it, my stomach turning slightly at a letter from the childcare services of Korea. I stare at it, addressed to Sandra, and I force myself to flip to the next letter, resisting the temptation to open it.

I close the box, still occupied with the mail, and I head back up the stairs, moving the letter to the bottom of the stack. I slip into the apartment, the door unlocked from me leaving, and Sandra's up, shuffling around the kitchen. I hesitate, then walk in, setting the mail on the counter.

"Morning," I say hesitantly, and she looks up, surprised, then smiles a bit.

"Hey. Why are you up?"

I shrug. "Couldn't sleep." We stand there for a minute, neither of us sure what to say to the other.

"Do you want breakfast? I can make eggs, or pancakes."

I glance at her, and she's so hopeful, so sweet that I can't tell her I don't eat breakfast. "Yeah. That would be nice."

She smiles happily and I give her a small smile. "I'm going to get dressed."

"All right. I'll get some food started."

I head to my room, slipping on my uniform skirt and white button down blouse, messing with my hair until it looks good. I wash my face, brushing on light mascara, then lip gloss, picking up my backpack and heading to the kitchen again.

Sandra smiles at me from the stove. "There's a plate ready, I know you like to leave early."

"Thanks." I sit down, taking a couple bites, enough to make her happy but not make me lose my appetite for lunch. "I'll see you."

"Have a good day. Don't bother locking the door, I've got a friend coming over."

I nod, heading out, and I walk slowly to the bus stop, the morning air cool on my face. We live far enough from school that I have to take a city bus, which is always crowded and loud in the mornings.

I slow my steps at a familiar figure leaning against the side of the covered bus stop, and I roll my eyes slightly, seeing the cigarette in his fingers. His uniform shirt is practically half unbuttoned, not tucked into his pants, his tie barely tied loosely, his hair messy. I'm not sure how he's not dress coded, if he looks like this every day.

I walk over to where he's standing and he raises an eyebrow at me, letting out a breath of smoke. I wrinkle my nose at the scent as the smoke reaches my face, flooding my nostrils.

"They're going to smell the nicotine on your uniform, if you smoke before school."

Jimin raises an eyebrow. "I didn't know you cared."

I turn, looking out over the street, watching the cars pass by. "I don't."

He lets out a breathy laugh. "Sure."

I throw him a dirty look and he smirks, pushing back his hair with his fingers so it's even more tousled.

"I've never seen you on this bus before."

"Yeah, my car broke down and I can't afford to fix it. Hell, it would probably cost less to replace it." He lets out a breath of smoke, and it blows directly into my face.

"Would you put that out? It's disgusting."

I can hear his smirk. "I don't know what you have against me smoking, babygirl."

I ignore his use of the nickname again, instead taking the cigarette from his fingers, dropping it and using the heel of my shoe to grind it out against the pavement. "I don't know what you have against healthy lungs. Aren't you supposed to be a swimmer?"

He tilts his head, and I know I've hit a nerve. "My lungs are plenty healthy."

"Then stop smoking before you can't swim." I raise an eyebrow at him. "You know I'm right."

Jimin chuckles lightly, leaning against the plastic of the bus stop again. "Do I?"

The bus pulls up and I roll my eyes at him, joining the line of people getting on. I reach for my wallet to get out my bus pass, then realize it's not in my pocket, nor is my key ring. "Fuck."

"Lose something?" I turn to Jimin and he holds up my wallet, an annoying smirk playing at his lips. I give him a look, taking it from his fingers, pulling out my bus pass.

"Really mature." I swipe my bus pass and walk to the back of the bus, taking hold of a handle. I catch movement behind me and turn, seeing Jimin next to me, and I roll my eyes, turning my back on him again.

"I'd think you should be thanking me."

I turn again, raising an eyebrow. "Why would you think that?"

He smirks lazily. "Leaving your wallet in the mail room like that, anyone could have taken it."

Oh. "I left it in the mail room?"

Jimin raises an eyebrow. "Would you prefer me taking it from your skirt pocket?" He takes a step closer, reaching forward, his hand brushing against my hip, just above my skirt pocket.

The corners of his lips pull into a smirk and my cheeks heat as he reaches in my pocket, delicately pulling out the wallet, holding it up between two fingers. "Because I'll reach in your skirt any time."

I give him a dirty look, my face warm. Is he flirting with me right now? "Pervert."

He chuckles, slipping the wallet back into my pocket, his fingers brushing my hip again. "You asked."

I let out a breath, turning my back on him, and he just chuckles lightly, his infuriating little laugh making my cheeks heat.