Hot Chocolate

The remaining periods before lunch flew by exceedingly rapid but it was rather enjoyable for Sooyeong. Having Taehyung as a seatmate was just as good as having Eunwoo but one distinct factor between the two was that Taehyung had snacks hidden on the inside pocket of his navy blue uniform blazer.

Obviously he offered Sooyeong some treats but she declined, having felt bad for the thought of taking his food but at the same time she couldn't help but be consumed by an inconsiderable amount of warmth. It was magical.

"Sooyeong noona if you're not going to eat what Seokjin packed for you just slide it over please." Jungkook whined, from beside her, despite having a mouthful of food. "You just keep poking at the ramyeon in a daze I can't take it anymore."

"Hm?" She looked up, having heard nothing Jungkook just said despite that her eyes locked with his and she noticed the specs he had on. "And when did you get specs Harry Potter?"

Jungkook smirked but Jimin only shook his head as he mixed his bowl of kimchi which sat over the cafeteria table. "Last week. It makes me look more of a senior don't you think?" Jungkook showed it off by framing his chin with his index finger and thumb.

"Are they tested?" Sooyeong poked, and she finally took a bite out of her ramyeon.

"No." Jimin piped up, after having placed a chopstick full of kimchi into Sooyeong's ramyeon. "He thinks he's old enough to know what he needs to know just because of those glasses. Idiot I tell you."

"Yah!" Jungkook hollered and kicked Jimin from under the table. "So what and at least Sooyeong wouldn't jump Eunwoo anymore."

Both boys laughed as Sooyeong felt her cheeks flush at the memory.

"Ack! Don't be like that Jungkook ah!" She playfully pushed on his shoulder but that only earned her ramyeon to be stolen. "Honestly you two are something else." She mumbled as Jungkook happily ate down on Seokjin's cooking.

"Anyway, what do you two make of the new seating plan?" Jimin changed the topic, as he eyed Jungkook's dumplings from across the table.

"Eunwoo was a good seatmate. I feel bad that he has to put up with that big mouth-blockhead who demands everyone around." Sooyeong heaved frustratedly as her eyes shot over to Dansae's table where he and his click sat, incessantly talking for everyone to hear.

"Can't argue with the facts." Jungkook agreed. "And I swear I felt Eunwoo's emotional pain. It was horrific." He melodramatically stated then sipped on his banana milk.

"You're just his doppelganger not his actual twin you bag of muscle." Jimin rolled his eyes skyward and Sooyeong snorted. "I don't even think that theory works for actual twins."

"Aigoo." Jungkook sent Jimin a look of disbelief. All he was trying to do was cheer Sooyeong up. "Anyway, this a good chance to reconnect with Taehyung so your cute little crush can transform into a mega colossal crush. I just pray that the heaven and the stars answers my pleading prayers."

"They listen to children. Not adults. So if you want it to work get rid of those glas-"

Sooyeong choked at Jungkook's words, cutting off Jimin. Then both boys turned to face her in concern.

"Excuse me what now?" She squeaked and her cheeks turned a bright scarlet. "Why do you two have to be so creepy!" She breathed in disbelief, her chopsticks pointed at them. "Interrogating me ten months ago for giving him hot chocolate wasn't enough? Now you want to announce it to everyone."

"Look, now you made her angry Jungkook ah." Jimin announced, and he finally scooped the dumpling he had been eyeing all the while and he offered it to her as a peace offering.

"Typical Slytherin behaviour for a Hufflepuff, Jimin ah." Sooyeong pouted but she only put down her chopsticks. "And I know you wanted the dumpling so just have it."

"Aish Sooyeong noona." Jungkook pouted as well. "You know we don't mean any harm. We just want you to be happy again. Remember all that Van Gogh and anime stuff you and Taehyung hyung discussed way back. You were so happy. We only want that for you again."

"I know. I'm sorry." She admitted as the memories came rushing back to her, including her sticky note she had posted on his locker. "And before lunch ends I want to go back to my locker." She stood up and grabbed her backpack in a haste because something in her mind suddenly struck her. "And you can have my ramyeon if you want Jungoo. I'll see you in class."

With that she walked away and headed for the hallway.

"Yah! Soo ah!" Jimin called after her but it was only in vain.

Jungkook's sudden mention of Van Gogh made her ponder on about her sticky note from ten months ago so she marched straight toward her locker to search the remaining sticky notes to check if Taehyung might have left her a note as well. Since, curiosity had struck her deep.

She anxiously walked through the mostly deserted hallway until finally she reached her destination. Her eyes frantically ran over the locker as she dropped her backpack between her feet. Each message on each note soaked into her brain and like before she felt her heart warm up. Tears even brimmed at one point too.

After a solid three minutes she finally came across a suspicious looking sticky note with a message that reminded her of the promise she had made with Taehyung at the Cemetery last week. The note was doused in a soft blue like many others which occupied the piece of metal and the words were written ever so neatly.

'2022 is our year. You'll get through this and you'll find your yellow paint again. Fighting! <3'

She felt a small smile tug at her lips. He still remembered that she appreciated Van Gogh. And at one point she had also sent him a selfie of herself with the replica painting her parents had gifted her. Obviously he was excited about it and multiple emoji's where sent straight after.

A small, content breath slipped through her lips at the thought. Who would've thought watching the stars with her parents that night would lead to such a chain reaction of events and emotions that mostly featured Taehyung.

She took her notebook out from her backpack and pasted his sticky note on the front inside cover - where Jungkook's, Jimin's and Eunwoo's sat. Then she proceeded to remove the rest of the sticky notes from her locker but as she did, a certain pair of footsteps, among the few others that lackadaisically walked about, got closer to her with each second that passed.

"Yah!" The owner to the footsteps suddenly called.

It was soft and sweet yet it still managed to startle Sooyeong because she was so lost in her activities.

With her eyes wide she stared at the individual in front of her, notebook to her chest as if trying to soothe her sudden tachycardia, "T-Taehyung ah? You scared me!"

She stuttered at first then hit his arm playfully but he had an apologetic look over his ethereal features.

"Now I know what Eunwoo feels like." She mumbled and shivered slightly. "So what brings you here? Did you have lunch?"

A smile left her lips as she continued to peel off each sticky note but a short sudden flash of memory crossed her mind. She realised Taehyung was missing from Dansae's table at the cafeteria.

He pursed his lips before he spoke, "I went down to Café Shooky. The hyungs said you can take as much time as you need off work."

She turned to face him, stunned, and a whiff of hot chocolate suddenly hit her nasal senses.

Café Shooky was like her second home. She's been working there for roughly two years in order to save up extra cash and build her resume for university - being social in the field she wants to deter into is a need - but when her father passed on she utilized some of her leave days to try and pull herself back together and sort out her dad's Will and insurances.

Also at the same time, Suhjin wanted her to quit for some odd reason. She really was trying her best to lower Sooyeong and rise Ahro in the hierarchy. But at the end of it Sooyeong kept her job and decided to keep it a secret from the elder women because apart from the Will and insurance claims that went to that wicked women, she has next to nothing.

The only thing she would cash in of her father's was the university fund he took out for her - once she graduates from school therefore she really needed the extra money to cope with her necessities now more than ever. Her life really has become a living a hell.

"I was actually thinking of going back soon." She finally answered. "I-"

"Sooyeong ssi," Taehyung cut her off. "Please don't force yourself." He advised then handed her a beige styrofoam cup of what smelt of hot chocolate.

She looked down at the said cup and all she could think of was the past. Everything that's occurred today all seemed to link back to ten months ago. What does fate intend for her?

"Taehyung ssi..." She looked up at him, and her hands slowly warmed up with the treat. "You don't have to do this just because I did. I didn't do you a favour. It was common courtesy."

"I'm not doing it because I want to repay you or anything. I'm doing it because I know how it made me feel." Taehyung admitted with a smile. "It felt like hot chocolate was one of the few antidotes to all things crappy in my life."

His words stirred an emotional rollercoaster in her heart. She was hurt from him hurting yet it somehow his words made her feel wanted because her act of kindness had seemed to have helped him out a bit, but at the same time, the latter part of his words seemed so familiar to her.

For a second or two she recollected her memories and that was when it suddenly clicked in her brain. She realised that he had paraphrased as well a censored a very infamous line from the series, Thirteen Reasons Why.

But before she watched the series, she had read the book upon Jimin's request. Just like her, he was an avid reader. Whenever she asked him for recommendations he often said that the kind of books which he read, couldn't be recommended.

But, since that book was based on very thought-provoking themes such as surviving high school, teenage life coupled with it's very real difficulties that one could possibly encounter, he thought it would be a good idea to lend her a hardcopy of it.

Once she had her hands on it, she flew through the pages in a single night. Every page was endearing and different from other books which she had previously read.

It was such an extraordinary journey for her to experience as an individual. It was a totally new, non-cliche adventure which had simultaneously touched her heart so much so that she made sure to binge watch the entire series in order to get the best of both worlds.

"Just have it. It'll make you feel better." His tone was soft and he placed a hand on her shoulder.

She broke her out of her deterring thoughts at his soft contact but by the time she looked up, his hand had already slipped away from her shoulder and he turned to leave.

Sooyeong stood with a saddened pout on her lips as she watched him put distance between them. She hadn't realised just how big of an impact her small act did for him.

Her rationale for doing what she did was solely because of her love for hot chocolate (and his, which she found out from Jimin) which proved many times over to be an effective mood reliever for her. And since he was in a bad state of mind at the time, she wanted to cheer him up even if it was just a little but seemingly so, it did a little more than that.

"Tae ah!" She called after him.

He stopped.

He turned to face her and within his pant pocket he felt his smartphone buzz one too many times but despite that he stared at her, confused.

"Sit with me, please?" She asked and a small smile had spread across her face.

Taehyung slightly cocked his head to the side, even more confused at her actions. He then watched her crouch down to take a seat on the white-tiled floor and she tucked her journal into her backpack before gently throwing it over her exposed legs to make place for him to sit beside her.

To him she looked innocent and delicate but he couldn't deny that she always brought a smile to his features. He thanked his lucky stars for the opportune presented to him on a silver platter. Nevertheless, he stepped toward her and sat down comfortably beside her.

"You know, instead of using your backpack. I can lend you my blazer to cover up." Taehyung informed as he tugged at her navy blue backpack.

She gave him a smile, the kind that puffed out her cheeks a little, after having sipped on the hot chocolate, "It's fine and this is tasty. Thank you."

He only nodded, and leaned his head against the locker behind him, "When was the last time we actually sat down to talk?" he asked with a soft sigh, as he raked a hand through his silky hair. "And last week doesn't count."

"Hmm..." She pondered as she offered him some of the hot chocolate since he brought only a single cup. He just stared at her but the look on her face urged him to take it. "I think it was for your birthday but then again that wasn't an actual sit down." A frown took over her lips.

"Oh yeah, I was with Dansae that day. I remember." Taehyung recalled but Sooyeong only cringed at the name mentioned to which he didn't notice. "And you got me A Starry Night phone case..."

He shuffled in his pocket after handing Sooyeong back the hot chocolate and she only watched him, curiously. It hasn't been that long since she gifted it to him but she wondered if he still uses it-

And he most definitely did.

His smartphone was in his hand now, the back of it facing the two of them and a sweet chuckle left his lips as a thumb caressed the cover.

"It looks nice doesn't it?" He chirped, as he brought it closer to her.

She melted and allowed a soft giggle to escape her lips, "It really does."

Not long after their cute exchange the bell had went off. But as Taehyung got up he sighed deeply because the bell just ruined his chances of initiating his reconnection with her.

Nonetheless, he went on to help Sooyeong get up and off the ground but when their hands had touched he felt his heart skip a beat.

And to deter the emotions which took over him so suddenly, he turned away from her and dug in his hands into his pockets. Whereas Sooyeong proceeded to get her books from inside her locker.

Taehyung then pulled out his smartphone which had been buzzing away with notifications, majority of them being from Jungkook.

Taehyung raised his eyebrows as he read the messages.

전국 (Jungkook):
Did you find her?

전국 (Jungkook):
??

전국 (Jungkook):
???????

전국 (Jungkook):
And make sure you two talk or maybe more than that - ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

At this point in time Taehyung regretted going to Jimin and Jungkook to ask for their help in finding Sooyeong. He sighed, sucking up Jungkook's teasing nature and he continued reading the messages.

전국 (Jungkook):
And she just had lunch hyung. She's probably not gonna finish the hot chocolate. Make sure to share it with her. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Tell me if you do tho. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Taehyung choked on his saliva at the message.

당신 (You):
At the rate you're moving just third wheel us bro. 🙄

Taehyung sarcastically replied and he looked up at Sooyeong who as a matter of fact still had some hot chocolate remaining.

A U T H O R ' S N O T E

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I updated and I'm so sorry, it's just that life's gotten sm more hectic since the lockdowns eased.
But in any case, I hope you are all keeping safe and wearing your face masks when out in public! Also, please take Vitamin C supplements and eat lots citrus fruits to keep your immune system healthy and strong!

Author, Lu 💜