peach starbursts ━━ h.hj + k.sm

0.9

first person pov 4 - Seungmin

Thursday morning. It's early. I didn't really sleep, but I was writing. My head is clearing, a little bit at least.

Today I'll forgive myself more. That's what I write on the orange sticky note on my mirror. Orange is agenda, objective. Red is tasks. Blue is reminders. Green is for when someone asks for a sticky note.

I close the open notebook on my dresser, a beat-up spiral notebook that I've had forever. I don't want to read what I wrote before I fell asleep because it was not a today thought. Today is a happy thought day. Today I will smile and I will study and I will eat.

I walk outside, and Hyunjin is waiting for me. My heart twinges, of course he waited for me.

I tuck the cereal bar into my front pocket.

"Hey!" he calls, waving his hand. The other hand is holding a rather large tupperware container.

"Hey," I respond as I step down the stairs, plastering a smile on my face.

He shoves the container into my arms excitedly, saying "open it!" over and over again.

Inside the container is a batch of double chocolate cookies.

Underneath it is a note that says "peaches".

I pick it up and look at him, confused.

"Okay, so explanation. I tend to latch onto people, and I know that. I didn't mean to scare you or make you feel bad about the whole you weren't there in the morning thing. The thing is, I'm not good about realizing boundaries, especially when I want to get to know someone. And I want to get to know you," he clarifies, and my stomach flips unconsciously.

"So," he continues, "I decided on the word peaches. When you say peaches, which you are free to say anytime, I know that I'm being pushy or asking too much or whatever. And I realize it wouldn't exactly work in a situation like last night but I hope it works otherwise."

He looks at me expectantly, my facial expression complete shock.

His face sobers, and he searches my eyes.

"Unless, of course, you don't want to get to know me. Then I guess this whole thing isn't important," he says, rushed.

I'm silent again, and I know it's bad but I don't know what to say.

"I'm sorry, I'll take it back, I didn't mean to assume," he grabs the piece of paper but I hold onto it.

"No," I say, stumbling over my words, "I mean yes, I want to get to know you. Sorry." I trail off, and his eyes light up immediately.

"Oh! Good. I'm glad.."

It's quiet for a minute, before I start to laugh. I can't help it.

"Why peaches?"

He smiles, playing with the rings on his fingers awkwardly.

"I don't know ... just the first thing that came to my mind I guess."

"Okay," I say quietly, and then smile. This time I'm not faking it.

"Ready to go?" I pull out the cereal bar in my pocket, unwrapping it as I wait for his response.

His response is delayed a bit, but then he nods eagerly.

"Yeah. Let's go."

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Hyunjin messaged me while I'm at school to tell me that he's taking a later bus home from school because he needs to talk to a teacher about catching up from the parts of the school year he missed. I responded thanking him for letting me know, and I try to enjoy the quiet walk home. It's weird not having him there to talk my ear off. It's not something I thought I'd miss.

When I get home I take out the yellow plate, arranging the cookies in a spiral and setting it in the middle of the kitchen island. I wash the tupperware and dry it, bringing it up to my room and writing "return container" on a blue sticky note on my mirror.

I hear the door close downstairs and my mom calls "pizza!" and I walk downstairs for dinner.

She's staring at the cookies on the counter as I come into the kitchen, and she looks up at me, puzzled.

"Who are these from? A client?" she asks, referring to the clients who often send up generous gifts. She's a decorator for crazy wealthy households and often receives more in gifts than she does as an actual salary.

"No," I say, "they're from a friend."

He face pinches in confusion as she opens the pizza box.

"You have friends?" she asks, and her disbelief isn't mean so much as it is genuine. I'm not really a person who has friends. And what friends, or at least acquaintances, I do have she rarely knows about.

"Yeah," I say lightheartedly, sliding a piece of pizza onto my plate. She shrugs, taking a piece and leaving the room. I take a bite of the pizza as I walk upstairs to my room. It isn't until I've reached my door that I realize that I'm smiling. 

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this chapter explains the title and also a lot about the book ... it may not seem like it but it definitely does

this is an important chapter so i was hesitant to post it until it was perfect but i need to post it sometime

IMPORTANT i'm going to be posting less third person pov's for a while, i'm just not great a writing them, but tell me if you want more

feedback is always appreciated!