Once she locked everything up with the assistance of her fellow coworkers, Arang bade her farewell and departed toward the main entrance of the mall. The security guard, who often patrolled around this time to make sure there were no burglars lurking in the dimly lit floors, flashed Arang a warm and gummy smile. "Be careful on the walk home." He advised.

The elder was always amiable to her, telling her to beware of her surroundings whenever she worked the closing shift. His genuine concern for her reminded Arang that good people still did exist. He was an older gentleman, probably in his late forties. His hair was beginning to turn into a metallic looking silver and Arang had to admit it was a pretty cool sight. When she was older and her scalp started sprouting gray strands of hair without her permission she was hoping that it would be like his.

"No need to worry. I have an escort tonight. I'm sure I'll be fine. Have a nice night, Mr. Lee." She pushed the door open and a slightly cool breeze swept by her. She scanned the vicinity and easily spotted the boy, dressed in his typical black mask and hoodie, leaning against a pillar. Because he didn't look sketchy and mistrustful at all. He really needed to reconsider his rather conspicuous incognito outfit. It wasn't working out for him.

He stuck out like a sore thumb. Anybody walking by would have taken notice of him with alarms blaring in their heads. If some felonious crime had been committed around the area, he would have definitely been the prime suspect.

Arang walked up to him but he didn't know she had arrived since he was so absorbed in whatever it was that he was reading on his phone. She had to cough to get his attention. Taehyung nearly had a heart attack as he glanced up. "Oh my god," he jumped, clutching onto his chest. Where did she come from? What was she? A ghost? How come he didn't hear her drawing near? 

"Relax. It's just me." Arang replied, trying not to scoff in his face. How could a guy get startled over something like that? Perhaps she would have been better off on her own.

Taehyung was able to recover quickly as he fixed his posture. "I know. That's why I was so frightened. My mom was right. Monsters do come out at night." He pretended to shudder which earned a scowl from Arang.

"What? Were you perhaps afraid of monsters when you were little?" How childish of him. Didn't he know adults lied about that kind of stuff to get their kids to be obedient and to listen to them? She then took step in his direction and pulled his mask down. "If you're going to come to my job looking like a sociopath you're better off coming as yourself. Even though in my opinion there really isn't a difference."

Seeing the peeved expression on his face made Arang feel extremely proud of herself. Did he seriously think that he could outdo her when it came to insults? This was her area of expertise they were talking about here! She had plenty of practice, especially after having been friends with someone like Byunghyun for a long time.

He refused to take the loss on this one though. "I'm sure you know what a sociopath looks like since you run into one every time you stare into a mirror." Taehyung really wanted to give himself a pat on the back for that one.

Arang faked a yawn and crossed her arms against her chest. "Wow I haven't heard that one before. How original of you. How long did it take for you to come up with that? Ten years?" How could a girl as cantankerous and maddening as Arang be allowed to walk the face of the Earth?

What was God trying to do? Plague mankind with her sharp tongue?

Before he could utter another word, the girl strutted by him. "Are we going or what? I have to be home by midnight." She announced, not bothering to wait for him. She didn't even know where she was going! Why was she leading? That was his job! Taehyung jogged up after her and didn't bother to hide his distaste.

"You don't even know the way to our dorm. Why are you waltzing off like you own the place?"

"Who said I didn't know where it was? I asked your mom to give me the address in case you decided to bail out on me and have me wait for you like an idiot as revenge." She replied honestly. Yes she doubted Taehyung but it was hard to trust somebody like him.

They crossed the street in accordance with the light. At the kiosk where the bus was supposed to pick them up at Arang plopped down and took a seat on the metal bench since she had been on her feet all day. Taehyung, on the other hand, stood tall. 

"My mom?" His face scrunched up into one of confusion. Seconds later it shifted into one filled with anger. "Did you go to agency just for that? Yah, are you stupid? What would have happened if you got attacked again? It could have been dangerous, especially because I wasn't there! I told you I was going to pick you up! If I say I will do something I will be a man and follow through."

Arang frowned, not pleased with the fact that he was yelling at her. "Yah! Who are you calling stupid? Who said I went to the agency? I texted her! Why do you think smartphones were invented?"

Taehyung's mouth fell ajar in stagnation. "What?" He started to massage his temples as he spoke through gritted teeth. "Are you saying that you gave your number to my mom while you gave me your freaking email? Are you being serious right now, So Arang?" He was more pissed than he should have been. That was for sure. Despite knowing that he didn't care. He was her boyfriend for crying out loud!

"Is there a problem?" Arang questioned indifferently with a quirked brow. "Who I choose to share my number with is my business. I could do whatever I want and you know what? There's nothing you can do about it."

That was the last straw that broke the camel's back. "I'm your boyfriend! Therefore it is my business!" He recklessly snapped, his face scalding hot.

The bus arrived and Arang got up, a blank countenance on her face. "You mean you're my fake boyfriend. Let's not get carried away here, Kim Taehyung. You," she pointed at him while shaking her head "don't like me and I"—she gestured to herself and repeated her actions; she pointed at him again—"don't like you. We're doing this for the sake of our futures. When we're alone there's no need for us to use such sentimental labels or put up an act."

And without another word she boarded the bus. Taehyung's chest was moving up and down in a deep motion as his hands were clenched into fists. What was wrong with him? Why did he blow his top off like that? Who cared about who she gave her damn number to? He sounded so possessive and clingy. And Kim Taehyung did not do either one of those things. 

He couldn't get mad at Arang even if he wanted to.

He was the one at fault.

She was right.

He was nothing but her fake boyfriend while she was his fake girlfriend. There was no need for them to pretend when nobody else was around. So why was he overreacting like this?

They were close to being strangers! So with that embedded into his mind, he got onto the bus.

Taehyung didn't cast a single glance at Arang as he marched by her and occupied a seat all the way at the back of the bus. It was also the farthest he could get from her. The vehicle was barren with the exception of a couple of passengers. In order to calm himself down he focused his attention out the window where everything was a blur of black and speckles of light coming from the streetlamps.

Had she been too harsh on him? If Arang didn't know any better she could have sworn that her words actually had an effect on Taehyung by the expression he had been wearing. No, what she did was commendable. They needed to draw a clear line between what was real and what was make-belief. Taehyung acting like he owned her infuriated Arang. How could he use that sort of excuse to justify himself?

Even if he was her real boyfriend (which was never going to happen) she still thought that he didn't have a right to interfere with her private affairs. Not unless she said otherwise. So for him to behave in such a manner did not please the girl.

He was taking this whole playing house thing to a whole new level and she didn't like it at all. What the hell was up his ass? Was it his time of the month or something?

Wasn't it enough that she had given him her email? She didn't have to do that so he should be satisfied with what he can get and stop being a spoiled, whiney brat.

Not everything in the world revolved around him and it was time someone taught him that.

The bus lurched to a jerky stop and a boisterous and rambunctious group of guys entered. They appeared to be buzzed, if not completely wasted, as they shoved each other around. Immediately Taehyung noticed their presence and his eyes landed on Arang who was located a few feet away from them.

He was about to get up and sit near her in case something happened but he ended up staying frozen in his seat when her words echoed in his head.

Rescuing her from a group of drunken college dudes was not the duty of a fake boyfriend.

Arang was on her own on this one.

Taehyung took out his headphones and plugged them into his ears, muffling out everything around him as he gazed out of the window.

Arang started to breathe through her mouth as she held her nose. The stench of alcohol made her skin crawl. She couldn't understand why people enjoyed drowning themselves in something so bitter. Leave it to the college guys to get plastered. South Korea's future was not looking all that bright because of them.

Shouldn't they be doing something more productive?

She was sure that there were summer courses being held. So why didn't they put their time into good use? They were slurring and speaking incoherently. It sounded like they were speaking a different language!

No scratch that.

They sounded like they were Neanderthals.

What happened next made Arang want to kill herself. One of them decided to claim the vacant seat beside her. Couldn't they have gone somewhere else? "Hiiii there, purtty lady." His breath reeked of beer and she instantly shielded her mouth and nose, not afraid to show her disgust. "Heyyyy, whatcha doing? Dontcha know that's rude?" She ignored him, hoping he would get the message. He didn't.

Audaciously the man grabbed her wrist and glared at her.

Most girls would have screamed but Arang remained composed. At least that's what it looked like.

Before he knew it, she took out her phone and recorded him and his friends. The bright light from the device momentarily blinded him but his grip on her did not loosen. "If you don't let me go and leave me alone I'm going to report you all to the police for disorderly conduct in public and harassment."

They could tell that she wasn't joking and as soon as the bus came to another stop, the driver got out of his seat and ordered them to get off of the bus. They complied, not wanting to stain their clean records. The driver proceeded to apologize for the inconvenience but Arang assured him that she was alright. He returned to his post and the trip resumed.

Who knew hammered people could be so strong when a majority of their brain and body was disoriented? It was throbbing. Arang's fingers brushed up against the red marks around her wrist and she exhaled. Her heart was pounding as she tried to shake the feeling off.

In circumstances like these it was best to stay calm no matter how terrified you may be. It was the smart thing to do.

Nothing like this had ever happened to Arang, it was a first. She was just glad that it was over and done with. The fact that she had managed to get herself out of the situation before it could have gotten worse with her own abilities also made her feel elated.

It was always better to be your own knight in shining armor than to depend on someone else who might not show up to save you.

At least that's what Arang believed.

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

author's note

» surprise! another update! ouuuuuu, i bet you guys thought taehyung was going to save her! nope! ehehehe, the movie will be in the next chapter! this is kind of an important chapter in my opinion, it shows a little more about Taehyung and Arang and their personalities. i'm going to be honest, at the beginning of this chapter it was all cute with their usual bickering and i was like yes, this is going to be fluffy.

i had a happy, upbeat bg music picked out and everything too! then as I continued writing it kind of ya know ended up the opposite but i like it! and you know how at the end of dramas and webtoons the picture freezes and stuff? usually to make it more dramatic? well the image I'm picturing at the end of this chapter is Taehyung looking out of the window with his headphones on and Arang looking down at her wrist! can you imagine it? gahhh these two of a long way to go! are you all ready for their story?