In a Bubble

Miss Han Sewon, the dolled up self claimed queen of our class, successfully tripped me while I was heading to my seat.

I saw her black boots shooting out into the aisle. To my surprise, it was too late, for the very first time. I was not among the ones who'd trip over it, I swear. She's been doing this almost everyday, and I've been either stepping on her foot or stepping over it, without a budge.

But I tripped over it today, landing hard on my palms and knees. Everyone started laughing like it was the most amusing thing they've ever witnessed. My face had started heating up out of embarrassment as I pushed my bag to the side with my elbow, about to force up on my feet to stand.

"Move," a voice called out from my front. I glanced up to see the least wanted one, Taehyung. He held his hand out for me to reach, not laughing, nor giving a sympathetic look. I took it, and got up.

What else are you supposed to do at times like this? You accept the help whether it be from your major bully the KIM TAEHYUNG or whoever.

I was trying to figure out this move of his, as he said, "try keeping your eyes on the ground when you walk."

He walked past me as my mouth cursed him, "jerk," on it's own. He didn't look back to respond, which was pretty rare for a kid like him.

Taehyung seemed unbelievably different the entire time. He didn't crack anything about me to anyone. Neither did he cut into my business, pointing out my mistakes and making a joke out of me like he always does.

The classes felt calm, as if it was the silence before some real storm. Having this version of Kim Taehyung was no fun. Was he really crying last night, what for though?- I thought.

I took my tray of tacos and proceeded to a random empty seat in a table for two. The cafeteria felt too loud with unconstrained talks all around. Adding to the meal, the tacos tasted shit with it's cooled down mozzarella inside. I couldn't expect better when they're serving it for so many students at a time.

A familiar face popped up, sitting before me, saying, "can't believe you were trying to catch Tae's attention fucking early this morning." Han Soo Jin, it was.

"Sorry?"

"Stay away from my sister's fiance," he said.

His claim was so ridiculous that the apple juice I just sipped in got sprayed low from my mouth. Noticing few drops of it about to fall from the table and on to my skirt, I grabbed few pieces of tissue paper and wiped the edge of the table clean. Ignoring his side of the table, I threw the balled up tissues away.

He was probably fuming with rage but having to hold that perfect charm of him, he didn't react in that instant. I took my phone out and looked down at it as I continued eating, ignoring his presence.

"What are you, huh?" Soo Jin finally spoke, trying to sound as calm as possible. And pissing him off was the only fair thing to do.

"A human," I replied, looking at him. He's losing it too soon.

"Your mouth," he said, and paused. I arched my brows up, asking for him to be more precise. He continued, "well, everything that's coming out from it, is pissing me off."

I suppressed my laughter, but maybe my lips did break into a small crooked smile in the process.

"You think being this carefree, ignoring all my words and replying only when you think it's necessary is okay?" He said, fisting his hand that was laying on the table.

I raised my hand with the taco, taking a bite yet again. Drawing my hand away from the mouth, I looked back at him, as I watched his hand sniping it's way and slapping mine to make the wrapped food fall. I've learned the to do list while being in front of losers like him a long time ago.

Watching me without a budge, he pushed the entire tray off the table, dropping the poor little food. He couldn't stay longer to get questioned for it, and so he got off quick to leave.

Of course I got up to follow him. "Yeah, jerk," I called out, and pushed a guy by his shoulder to make my way to the fleeing one.

As I did, I got pulled over by my hand from the back. "What's with that word?" Taehyung asked, looking confused. "Let go off me, right now," I told him, and he obeyed. The students unknowingly coming on my way got side bumped as I followed Soo Jin.

I was out of the cafeteria and into the now-empty hallway. "Stop with that pace, you image conscious mutt!" I said aloud, and ran to him.

"Girl, it was your hand last time. Do you wanna get slapped on your face or what?" He threatened, eyeing me in disbelief and turned his back to leave.

I pulled him by his shirt from the back, stopping him on his track. "Pay for my food."

"Ah- This girl," he said, facing me with his hand reaching for my cheeks, squeezing on them harshly. "You're driving me nuts."

I gripped his hand as a returning gesture, digging my thumb nail to the side of his wrist.

"You're fighting with her because of your sister's high school crush shit, what a shame," I heard Taehyung saying from the back.

Soo Jin let go of my cheeks, and tried withdrawing his hand at the same time as my grip against it went tighter. "Let go off my hand," he said.

"I don't want to," I replied, smiling.

"She's crazy, I'm telling you, Taehyung," Soo Jin cried out. Giving him that one last bitchy smirk, I freed his hand.

"Calculus?" Taehyung asked.

"Yeah, uh-he was the wrong one so I could shoo-in over him myself. It wasn't really necessary for you to cut in." I mumbled and got preceded by him to the Calculus class.

Being polite with me had nothing to do with Taehyung. Precisely, I couldn't have asked for him to be any nicer.

"Miss Park! You seem to know all the solutions as you've decided to teleport to your wander land. Come out and solve this." Mr Jones, our Calculus teacher, startled me.

Slapping myself internally, I went up and copied the problem in the board, staring into it for a good five seconds with silence. Following up with the equations, and doubting each and every of my moves, I finally solved it all.

I turned around and Mr Jones said, "you must've gotten it wrong. You know that I'm gonna tie you to a detention, don't you?"

I looked at Taehyung, preparing myself for the extra diss he'll be up with alongside Mr Jones. I must've had it wrong, he's looking like he's trying not to laugh.

"Sir, Emma had it all right," the topper dude said, raising his hand. I placed the marker on the wooden table and stepped into the aisle, smirking at Tae and sticking out my tongue as I took seat.

His eyes widened as I did, and lips formed into a wider smile, looking away from me. Disappointing.