ISTTIMI

CHAPTER 10: SCENE TWO

SCENE TWO: ROGER RABBIT

If you think the overthinking went on for weeks, well then, you're wrong. If you didn't, congrats to you!

The overthinking was short-lived; probably lasted for only an hour.

So there we were inside one of the Kim's SUVs, a Hyundai Genesis GV80. Jennie sat on the passenger seat, while me, my brothers, and Taehyung were all trying to fit ourselves in the second row. Jin was joking around with Mr. Ko, the driver, while Joon listened to music with his earphones, and Jennie was using her phone - stalking Kai perhaps.

Taehyung and I? We were just sitting quietly next to each other. I was in between him and Jin so I don't think I can ask him the reason why he suddenly told me he likes me... or if that actually meant something more than being friends. Not that I'm expecting something like that....

When we arrived outside the convenience store near our house, Taehyung pulled me with him to buy the ice cream for Soobin. My brothers and Jennie were left with Mr. Ko inside the car.

"Soobin likes mint chocolate flavored ones." I told him as he scanned the ice cream flavors inside the freezer.

Taehyung nodded and exclaimed when he found one. Taking it, he suddenly looked at me with a troubled expression on his face. "Soo, listen.."

I raised my eyebrows, expecting the worst. My hands were shaking so I instinctively placed them behind my skirt. "What?"

"The thing I said a while ago," he said, scratching the back of his head while smiling nervously at me, "I meant that as a friend."

My heart sunk as I tried hard to smile. "O-of course. That's what I thought anyway."

He pouted while nodding once again. "I just want to clarify that. You weren't talking to me in the car so I thought you were weirded out by what I said."

I laughed nervously. "No, I didn't think of it that way." I forced a smile, "Besides, you know my brothers all agreed that we shouldn't have romantic relationships before we turn 18 because we want to have high marks for our dream university so you telling me that you like me didn't sound like you're confessing to me. It's common to say that to a best friend, isn't it?"

I wanted to slap my face after my long reply. I sounded really defensive and I don't think he bought my lie!

Taehyung then smiled. "Yeah, of course, I know your priorities right now. I won't say anything like that again just to make sure, especially when your brothers are always around us. If you didn't take what I said as a confession, then your brothers will surely do."

I pursed my lips. "Just pay for that ice cream so we can go home already." I went back to the car without waiting for Taehyung. 

"Where's Tae?" Jennie asked when I sat beside Jin.

"Still paying." I replied and closed the door.

We got home after that. Taehyung and Jennie greeted Soobin and mom before giving the pint of ice cream to the birthday boy and left. Soobin and Beomgyu got so excited with the ice cream that they skipped dinner for that.

Kids.

For the rest of the week, we practiced and practiced until the week for our finals before our semestral break started. We all stopped practicing after classes, prioritizing our own exams.

I spend my studying in mom's study during the weekend. On Monday and Tuesday, my friends and I went to the Manor to have a group study, even our 9th grade friends joined in.

"Hyung, can you teach me math?" Jungkook asked Taehyung once we took a quick break from studying.

Jimin, who was seated beside Taehyung, said, "We're just on a break, JK. Let your hyung rest."