Fall For You

07 | 𝑆𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑃𝑜𝑝𝑠

𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝑆𝐸𝑉𝐸𝑁

Most Sundays, Jennie would drive over to visit her grandpa at the retirement home. The day would proceed as usual, her pop would complain about being stuck with "these boomers", but she knew he was happier being with other people than being stuck alone at home without grandma around.

When Jennie's father and pop used to get along, he'd join her - but now Jennie just calls Taehyung to tag along.

Pop loved Taehyung - only because he could sometimes beat him at chess. Jennie was terrible at chess and Pop never went easy on her. Luckily, Taehyung hardly ever refuses to tag along with Jennie when visiting Pops.

The retirement home was nice, it provided beautiful gardens and trimmed hedges, lots of benches, perfect for long walks.

Over the years, Pops would get transferred into different rooms, he had heart problems that required more attending from nurses.

Jennie was a familiar face where she often was stopped to chat with by the staff. She even helped Mr. Yang tie his neck tie for his date with Ms. Lee.

Taehyung hung back, clicking his camera away, making her feel nervous and extra conscious of him more than usual.

"Pop?" Jennie peered her head out through the door as it croaked, Taehyung following behind her.

"You're late today."

"Sorry." Jennie disregarded his animosity, she knew he was cranky on the outside but had the biggest heart for her.

She walked over to him, hugging him lightly, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Good to see you Jennie. And you brought Michael with you." Pop directed his eyes toward Taehyung, mistaking him for Jennie's father.

"Pop.. this is Taehyung." She corrected him gently. "You remember Taehyung."

Pop was starting to get confused more than usual, but most days he was sharp as ever. It was making her heart ache every time she saw him this way.

He was like her second father - he taught her almost everything she knew. He brought her to taekwondo lessons, cheerleading practices in middle school, taught her how to throw a right hook better than any boy she knew, but now, sometimes he just seemed so old.

"Of course I remember Taehyung." He eyed him at the doorway. "You look different boy."

"I sure do sir. I'm not wearing my glasses." Taehyung agreed easily, as if he wasn't here just last week, or the fact that he gained 20 pounds of muscle and grew almost two feet taller.

"How's your bowling tournament?"

Pop would play a wii-fit bowling tournament every Wednesday evening with the rest of folk and staff, and his team was in second place.

"You should see these boomers trying to bowl on that TV. It's terrible." His lips turned up, "I got a 274 last week."

"Congratulations." Taehyung lowered himself into a chair nearby, bringing the chess up on the small table. "You ready to lose?"

Taehyung and Pops played chess for over an hour, while Jennie curled up in the ottoman watching. Pop asked them about school and cheerleading, a little about the recent election, and Taehyung was too concentrated on the chess board in front of him to join in the debate.

By the time it was over, Pops crushed Taehyung.

"I'll have to practice before I visit again Mr. Kim." Taehyung rose from his seat, picking up his camera bag with him.

Pops chuckled. "How old are you now, boy?"

"I turned eighteen last month."

"Ah." He nodded. "Then you're a man now. You can start calling me Joon, about time. You take good care of my girl now, promise?"

"Yes sir." Taehyung shook hands with him.

"I don't need taking care of Pop." Jennie squeaked out, embarrassed. "See you next week, okay? I love you." She gave him a tender hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Walking back to the car, Jennie held her arms against her shoulders. "Sorry about that." Still embarrassed.

"About what?" Taehyung made a face. "I like your Pops. I was beginning to think he was starting to let me win these days. But I really got my butt handed to me today."

Jennie laughed- a lot, "No way! Pop would never let anyone just win. I would've played against him more often if he did."

—

Going to school the next day was easier. Jennie got her car back and she no longer needed rides from Taehyung to school.

However, Yeri kept blabbing on about the dress she got for homecoming, and how her dress was green.

"What's Taehyung's favorite color Jen?" Rosie asked, still dateless for homecoming.

"Taehyung likes green." Jennie was starting to feel tired of socializing.

"Oh my dress is green!" Joy piped up.

Jennie decided not to retort, thinking of Taehyung and how he handles his conversations. She felt proud of herself.

At one point, Yeri kept making comments and knocked her own juice into her lap.

Rosie linked her arm around Jennie's. "They're so jealous. I bet her dress wouldn't flatter her much."

"I don't care if she's jealous. I just wish she'd keep those comments to herself."

They walked to class together.

"Are you going to the hospital this Thursday?" Rosie asked after Jennie remained lost in thought for a while.

The cheer squad was sponsoring a mini carnival for the children's hospital, an annual event their school often did.

"Yeah, I think I'm in charge of face paint this year."

"Oh darn. That sounds like fun. I'm stuck at bobbing apples. It would've been nice to be together."

Rosies comment startled Jennie. She was beginning to warm up to Rosie, and she liked the idea of having her as a close friend. She promised herself she'd take Rosie with her for dress shopping.

"Are you taking Taehyung along?"

"Oh I hadn't thought of asking him." Jennie stuttered. Forgetting about her fake boyfriend.

"I know he doesn't go here, but the hospital wouldn't turn away help."

Rosie was right. Jennie decided on mentioning it to him. Maybe with a bribe.

—
A/N: 50 reads and 10 likes on this for the next chapter :)