on opposite ends | vsoo

SMALL STEPS

CHAPTER SIX.

The next few days for Jisoo are quite mundane. She spends her free afternoons studying for the O.W.L.s or doing assigned tasks. Sometimes when the library is too packed, she goes out to study by the Great Lake for some space and fresh air in her little nook under a willow tree that wasn't the Whomping Willow. Sometimes she goes there with Bona, other times she goes alone. Thursday afternoon, she sits under the shade of the willow tree while memorizing Arithmancy formulas. They had a test coming up tomorrow and there was this tricky equation she couldn't get the hang of every time she encounters it during their many discussions. Until now, she's stuck so she's trying to work her way through it for tomorrow's test.

The sound of crunching of leaves and stone from behind her makes her peer around the side of the tree trunk, she hears someone approaching.

Taehyung stops in his tracks when the two of them make direct eye contact. He has on regular, casual clothes. He's bundled up in a bomber jacket and big pants, and his hair is a mess of brown curls. The smile he has on his face is like the cherry on top because he looks like a troublesome two-year-old.

Jisoo sighs and closes her book instantly.

"Oh, no, no, wait - I didn't know you'd be here." Taehyung hurriedly runs up towards her, shaking his head while frowning. "I thought I was the only one who knew about this spot."

Jisoo looked up at him from where she sat, nestled in between the large overgrown roots of the willow tree that had sprung up from the soil. The tree bark was soft, so it was comfortable to lean your back against and the view of the still waters of the Great Lake from this vantage point made Jisoo feel serene and at ease. The low hanging branches and leaves provided with some sense of privacy and shade plus the area was also secluded, a little ways off the castle grounds and you had to climb through a pile of boulders on the way to this spot.

Jisoo and Bona came here all the time since they were second years when they first stumbled here by accident, and it's only now that she's run into another person.

Taehyung stands beside her seated figure. "Sorry for intruding." He tells her, which wasn't really necessary but she appreciates his thoughtfulness at least. She's aware he's probably only saying that because he wants to be on her good graces so she can finally go on that date with him.

"I was leaving anyway." Jisoo's just not in the mood to entertain him right now though, she needed to study for the test tomorrow and she couldn't do that tonight because she was assigned to do rounds around the castle. She had no other free time. She's collecting her books when she sees Taehyung back away from the corner of her eye.

"It's fine, Jisoo. I can leave, you seem busy with studying." He says softly, which made her look up at him in mild surprise. He shrugged at her, hands deep in the pocket of his jacket. He doesn't seem hurt or offended with her attitude at all, he just looks like he understands that she really does need to study. "I'll see you around, little raven."

Jisoo groans. "Stop calling me that." she says before she can stop herself.