A Starry Night

She lied to him, again.

She told him those scrapes came from some of her stationary items - specifically her hand sized ruler - when she had fallen asleep over them.

At first it looked like he didn't believe her, mainly due to the incident with her reddened hand that same morning but because she kept a strong unwavered expression on her delicate features, he didn't even question her about it.

Moreover, he did tell her that he would be there for her even if it was just to sit in silence. So he had to respect that vow as well as her decision to not say anything but deep down it hurt him, like a painstaking stab wound to the heart because he genuinely wanted to be the remedy that she needed.

So instead of pressuring her he asked her if she had a band aid with her to which, unfortunately, the both of them did not have hence, after they got themselves together, they made their way down to Seven Eleven that was not too far from the school premises.

Once there, the both of the stood in the cosmetics aisle while Taehyung raked his eyes over the boxes of cartooned-themed band aids as well as a few loose strips but without even asking her which one she wanted, he picked up a pack of six band aids and quickly ushered over to the counter to pay for them.

Sooyeong only watched him in his element. She knew there was no stopping him so while he paid she decided to head to the ramyeon aisle. There she picked out two chicken flavoured cup noodles and made for the register where Taehyung had been waiting for her.

She placed the ramyeon cups on the counter and the old man piped up, "₩3000." He said.

But before she could turn to her bag which dangled in Taehyung's grasp, he quickly dug a hand into his pocket. She heard loose change chime from it but she quickly stopped him.

"Don't, I'll pay for it Tae ah." She informed and unzipped her backpack.

"No, I got it covered." He pulled away her backpack and her hands let loose from it. She only looked up at him with furrowed eyebrows while he placed a few notes over the counter.

The old man immediately grasped the money and she looked at him appalled.

"Ahjussi, I said I'll pay. Please give him bac -"

The old man sighed then shut the cash register which surprised her.

"It's very a nice gesture for you to break gender norms like this but so sorry, I'm taking his side tonight." The man kindly informed and Taehyung smiled widely.

"And he's even carrying your backpack for you. I remember when I used to do that for my wife when we were still in school." He recalled and Sooyeong suddenly felt warm at his words. They must have been high school sweethearts. "And you two are so very different from the other couple that came in earlier. You have the same uniforms as them. I only recall the boys name... Dansae I think. He comes here quite often."

"Yah, ahjussi he's one of my closest friends." Taehyung excitedly announced and the old man's gaze suddenly fell over his nametag.

"Ah, I see." The man nodded in response. It was as if he had just realised something. "And may I ask what your name is dear?" He looked toward Sooyeong.

She wasn't using her blazer, only her shirt and tie so she offered him a smile with a reverent bow, "Sooyeong."

At the mention of her name, the old man's expression slightly faltered but Taehyung didn't seem to take notice of it but she did in fact notice. She wondered why he had suddenly gloomed, however she didn't question it.

The old man turned to face Taehyung and his expression changed to a more neutral one. "Look out for her. She seems like a nice young lady."

Taehyung nodded his head with a boxy smile, "We're aren't ships in the night sir, so don't worry!"

Both Sooyeong and the man smiled at Taehyung's sweet jolliness before the duo walked over toward the window of the shop but as Sooyeong walked she briefly turned to look back at the old man but he simply smiled at her which made her wonder if he knew something or maybe he had overheard something Ahro and Dansae may have spoken about but even so she was glad he didn't say anything about it to Taehyung.

They settled down beside a counter that sat near the glassy window of the store which overlooked the quiet street outside and from there they got a very clear view of the starry sky.

While Sooyeong was daydreaming Taehyung ripped open the We Bear Bare's themed band aid and hollered for her attention like a baby. When she faced him her eyes shot in surprise because his hands were just inches from her neck line.

"Loosen up your tie. Let me put this for you." He smiled, genuinely.

"Ah, no." She flushed and made to take the band aid from him. "I'll do it, just eat."

He gave her a pointed look, "You heard ahjussi. Come on."

She knew how stubborn he was so she loosened up her tie just a tad bit and allowed Taehyung to stick the band aid over the few scrapes embedded over her delicate skin. But her heart suddenly shot jolts of electricity throughout her body when his pinky fingers accidentally made contact with her clavicles.

She instinctively held her breath and made no eye contact with him while he gently padded down the edges. Once his hands were to himself she bowed as a thank you and quickly opened up her ramyeon to divert the flusteredness she felt from just now. Then he slid the rest of the band aids in her direction.

"Keep them." He declared with a soft smile before he turned to open up his ramyeon cup.

Sooyeong simply watched him, and her gaze softened at his sight. In everything he did he was always so gentle and seemed so precious, and because of that she felt so drawn to him.

Just before Taehyung could look up, she quickly shot her gaze toward the window and stared at the outside atmosphere instead with puffed out cheeks owing to the ramyeon - she didn't want to be caught staring.

She heard a slurping manoeuvre from him then a soft moan followed shortly after and she felt her tummy flip suddenly so she tried to shake off the feeling off by asking him a question.

"Why were you at school so late? Normally everyone leaves around four."

He looked at her with puffed cheeks then swallowed, "Art class. I had some things to do."

"You still do art as an extra?"

"Yes," he beamed. "Why would I ever drop that subject? It's so fulfilling and a good stress reliever."

"Future Van Gogh, I see." She smirked but suddenly brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Paint me like one of your French girls, Taehyung."

He choked on his ramyeon, "Soo -"

"I'm only kidding, namjesus." She chuckled and watched him blush profusely. "Paint me like a Van Gogh self-portrait... is that better?"

This time he smiled then gently spoke up, "I still find it hard to believe that you actually like his paintings. I never asked you but is there a reason you do?"

She pursed her lips in nostalgia, "It was because of my parents."

"Oh," Taehyung mouthed and he wondered if he shouldn't have asked that. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, really." She smiled then looked up at the starry sky. "My parents always loved stargazing but it was more so my mother. She always found inspiration in them - like it allowed her the ability to dream about whatever her heart desired and I loved the thought of that. So it became like an escape for me and on my thirteenth birthday my parents gifted me a replica of a starry night."

"Is it that same picture you sent to me way back?" he asked and watched her nod while she chewed. "And your mom drawing inspiration from the stars reminds me of that one quote by Van Gogh about the stars and dreams..." He smiled but at the same time he couldn't help but remember when Sooyeong had gifted him a replica of it as well on his last birthday. "I know your father was a great doctor but if you don't mind me asking, what was your mother's profession?"

"She was a recognised online writer before she became a paperback author." She declared and poked at her ramyeon cup. The memory of her mother pulled on her heart strings.

Sooyeong loved reading and writing just as much as her mother had but she never actually tried her hand at writing before, except for those creative essays at school, but outside of that she didn't know if she ever would.

"Although it was mostly those guide books that helped parents raise their kids and such." She laughed softly afterwards. "It's sort of weird in a way but I guess my love for literature comes from her."

"Really?" Taehyung chuckled and she nodded in response. No wonder she had managed to capture his heart with a single sticky note - literature is in her gene's. "That's so interesting but what's for sure is your parents did a good job raising you. Even the ahjussi knows you're a good girl but..."

She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to speak.

"I only recently found out that you're not such a good girl."

"Aish," She shooed him off with her chopsticks. "Please don't start with that."

That only got her into trouble with Nayeon and Ahro.

He only chuckled.

"By the way..." She suddenly remembered something at the thought of Nayeon.

Taehyung seized his laughter and stared at her with an innocent look. His eyes fell over her soft features that looked rather tensed at the moment. Everytime he looked at her he couldn't help but feel his heart fall even deeper for her. She was just so stunning with such a beautiful personality.

"Do you think I need a change of hairstyle? Like maybe trying something without bangs?" She brushed her fingers against her forehead.

He cocked a brow at her and wondered what in the heavenly bodies was she saying.

"Why? Bangs are cute on girls and not to mention practically every guy at school has them. It's the norm." He flicked his own bangs to the side and she got a preview of his clear forehead.

She furrowed her eyebrows at his answer and actions, "You think bangs are cute?"

"Yes, and yours is not over the top. It's just right." He smiled, and reached over to gently pull on them. "Don't change anything about your hair. It's perfect the way it is."

"I see you've been raised well too." She teased but at the same time her insides were on fire. Not to mention Nayeon would kill her if she heard his words. "And you didn't have to be that brutally honest. Now I may never let my hair grow longer or cut it any shorter."

He smiled a boxy smile and framed his chin with an index finger and thumb, "Got my good-natured gene's from my grandmother."

Her heart puddled instantly - his heart is one of the purest she had ever seen.

"It would have been lovely to have met your grandmother, Taehyung." She admitted but his smiling demeanour suddenly changed into a neutral look.

"She would have loved you, that's for sure." He suddenly declared. "And I know she would have fed you until your cheeks were chubby like Jimin's."

She chuckled at the thought, "Aw, that's cute. What was she like?"

Taehyung sighed as he leaned back in his chair, and it was as if all of the memories suddenly shot through him at once and a huge toothy smile graced his insanely handsome face.

"She was the most amazing human that this world has ever had. She was a hardworking, kind and a thoughtful women with so many other good traits and love to offer. I was also raised by her for fourteen long years and because of her I am the kind of person I am today. The definition of home that I always perceived was her and I could always confide in her no matter the issue. I really loved her and will always do."

She couldn't help but tear up a little. Unlike him she never got to meet her grandmother because she had unfortunately passed away a short while after Sooyeong was brought into this world.

"She sounds really wonderful Taehyung ah." She smiled, and gently held onto his hand. "I'm glad you got to share great memories with her."

He nodded with a small smile, "If I wasn't so passionate about art I know I would have been a farmer like she was."

"Awh." Her heart became velvety and she placed a hand over her chest. "I can imagine you with your straw hat, gloves and boots. Oh, even a tractor!"

"Aish..." He rubbed his nape shyly and looked outside.

"I'm sure you would've been the best looking farmer that ever lived..." A whole scenario of him harvesting strawberries crossed her mind - she made herself soft.

"So you think I'm handsome?" he broke her out of her fictional thoughts.

"Kya!" She squeaked, realising what she had actually said. "N-No. Why I would I..." She trailed, nervously.

He wiggled his eyebrows and leaned closer to her, "Your tone and expression doesn't lie."

She pouted but was still alittle flustered, "Do you expect me to say that you're going to win heartthrob of the year 2022?"

"As long as it only makes your heart throb I'm fine." He flirtatiously shot with a wink.

"Tae ah!" She gasped then got up to throw away their empty cups because his words did in fact make her heart throb and a lot. "Why are you so hormonal today?"

"I'm not." He pouted as he grabbed their things then got up to follow her like a lost puppy, "My name Taehyung and I'm good boy."

After their little after school trauma turned date they left the store but not without saying goodbye to the old man first but much to their surprise he gifted them each a banana milk for the trip home.

As they strided along the side walk and sipped on their banana milk under the light of a thousand stars Sooyeong asked Taehyung a rather random question.

"Can I visit your art class? I don't think I've been to that part of the school before..."

With the straw still in-between his lips he looked at her in surprise.

"You want to see the art class?"

She nodded furiously, "Yes, but like whenever suits you. I really want to see what you do - what lights your heart with a burning desire."

"Such poetic words to describe my passion." He peacefully went on to sip on his banana milk. "Namjoon-nim better watch his back or he'll be unemployed soon."

"Aish," She nudged his side and he nibbled on his straw, amusedly. "Stop teasing."

"Does Monday afternoon sound good?" He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she nodded with a soft hum under his warm embrace.

It seemed as if Nayeon's words were long forgotten after this sweet encounter she had shared with him. In any case, how could she not after being so warmly treated by him.

"And if you become a cognoscente in the arts don't at me." He chuckled softly.

"Now who is going to steal Namjoon-nim's job with his fancy words?" Her cheek grazed over his chest as she looked up at him, amusedly. "And I'll take my chances thank you very much."

"Then Monday afternoon it is!" He exclaimed with a bright, boxy smile.

But little did they know, that Monday afternoon was going to be far from a sweet, unsaid innocent little date they had thought it would be.

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

Listen to Sweet Night by V in the middle of the night with your earphones on. Thank me later.

Author, Lu 💜