Intentions

When Sooyeong got home from school yesterday, she found Seokjin sifting through some catalogues because he was looking for some new clothing for the Spring Festival. He made sure to grapple her and get her opinion on all of the different clothing styles which she did so for a solid hour.

He even told her that she should get something for herself as well since she always dressed up for the Festival but she informed him that she wasn't going to go this year and that she wanted to spend her time at Café Shooky (she was prepared for Yoongi's tongue technology). Seokjin only sighed at her stubborn behaviour, and advised her to go however, she was adamant on not going because of circumstances.

"Ah!" she suddenly slipped from her position on the staircase, where she was found cleaning the hand rails. She went down at least four steps before she stopped herself. "It hurts..." she whined and rubbed her elbow.

She just sat there on that step, hoping that all of her thoughts could just disappear. Life was already so stressful as it is but she could only imagine what it would be like after graduation, whether she'd still be living here or not, was tertiary education even an option if things with her father's Will didn't get corrected since she still believed there was another Will.

A sudden vibration from her jean pocket, jerked her back to reality and she pulled out her smartphone to find that Taehyung had finally replied to her text where she asked him how he was and if he needed anything.

태형이 (Taehyungie):
I'm fine, just stay where you are ✨

She smiled warmly, remembering when she had texted him the same thing last week.

당신 (You):
You sure? Because I feel really bad for what happened.

태형이 (Taehyungie):
Do you want me to send you a picture of my abs to clarify that I am in fact ok 😉

You:
Yah! No! Why are you like this! 🤧

Just as she clicked send she got a sudden smack to the back of her head, she immediately gasped and her phone fell over the steps.

"I don't recall saying you could take a break!" A dirty voice followed and Sooyeong caught wind of Suhjin adorned in a silky orange robe coupled with a face-treatment mask. "Who were you texting?"

"Uh, I'm sorry Hyungsik ssi," she quickly picked up her phone and deleted the chat. "Seokjin Oppa, we need some detergents..."

"Oh, that man is not back as yet," she clicked her tongue and stopped at the bottom of the staircase. "And tell me, did you go snooping around my deceased husband's office again? Looking for something that does not exist, perhaps."

"Uh?" she looked confused but suddenly remembered that she went in there the other day. "I just printed out an assignment that was due on Thursday."

"Then where's the missing portrait?" she crossed her arms. "It couldn't have just sprung out wings and flew away."

"If I tell you that what are you going to do with it?"

"Nothing," she smiled yet it was more on the creepy side. "I just wanted to confirm if it's now with the trash. I wanted to get rid of it for a while now."

"Tch," Sooyeong got agitated and felt the overwhelming urge to throw the detergent water at that despicable women. "I can't believe my father actually loved you."

"Watch your mouth, putrid brat," she gave Sooyeong a strong pointed look. "Or I'll throw you out of this house."

Sooyeong was annoyed beyond belief but she thought about the consequence that was just flung at her and she couldn't risk it- she knew she couldn't risk it- so she turned away and continued to irritatedly clean the rails.

"Pesky mouth breather," she mumbled.

• • •

Whilst Sooyeong was in the laundry room, half asleep and waiting for the clothes to get done, she got a sudden phone call and woke up with a shock.

She quickly scurried for her phone and through heavy eyelids she read the caller ID.

"Seokjin Oppa?" she mumbled, swiped green and pressed the phone to her ear. "Oh Oppa? Did something happen? Do you need help with your online banking again?"

"No, Soo ah," he chuckled. "Where are you? And what about the Dragon woman."

"Laundry, and she's around." she said with a little yawn. "Why?"

"Come to the Outhouse," he simply said. "It's urgent."

Before she could ask anything further, the line suddenly went silent.

She looked at her screen with a light huff, "Did he just hang up on me? And why so much mysteriousness?"

Nevertheless, she plopped off from atop the dryer machine and made for her Outhouse.

*

She creaked open the door to her Outhouse and stepped inside, "Oppa?"

Her eyes scanned the place and as usual there were a lot of junk and miscellaneous things but as she went further in, she noticed the fairy lights which she hasn't used in a long while were switched on and over her bed laid a white gift bag.

She was confused.

"Surprise!" Seokjin finally popped into view and she was startled by the sudden appearance.

"What is all this?" she held a hand over her chest as she tried to calm her heart.

"A gift for the little lady." he smiled widely. "Go on, take a look."

"But it isn't my birthday,"

"You don't need a reason to gift someone something." He informed and handed her the bag. "Besides I wasted a lot of your time yesterday."

"N-No, you didn't." She assured then peeked into the bag but her expression warped into surprise.

She pulled out it's contents then laid it over her bed; it was a black pleated miniskirt and a pastel blue slightly oversized chunky sweater.

"These are beautiful, but why?" she looked up at him.

"I took a miniskirt because for your height it wouldn't be so mini." He chuckled and she pouted at his unusual dad joke. "On a serious note, you've been doing a lot at home and going through a lot so I thought it would be nice to get you something."

"But these are branded, you didn't need too." She furrowed her eyebrows, feeling bad that he spent a lot of money on her.

"Sooyeongie, it was my choice." He placed a hand on her head. "And why should you be neglected of nice things. Those two are drowning in them."

She pouted, feeling mixed emotions.

"I know for a fact you're a good person with a good heart just like your mother,"

She looked at him with doe eyes.

"And a blossoming prodigy just like your father. They were really good people, who took good care of me as well Soo, and I know they'd want you to attend the Spring Festival- it doesn't matter which day, as long as you go and remember the importance of what Spring meant to them at their special place. You're their legacy. And if you stop going, aren't you going to break that tradition they've built? You've never missed a Fest."

"But," the tears brimmed in her eyes. "Even when dad was here that place didn't feel as magical as before because of The Dragon Lady, you know."

"Then take someone special with who you think would reignite that magic," he offered then turned her head to face her little homework desk, "Maybe someone whose in that new painting you've got?"

She stood appalled, cheeks hot. "H-How do you know?"

"His name is on the back of it, I saw it when I was trying to put the fairy lights on." He sheepishly laughed. "Also at Yoongi's party I noticed how happy you were with him, just like you used to be with your parents."

"You really think he's special?" her voice was soft.

"What matters is if you think he is," he gave her a side hug. "You determine your own happiness, not others. Isn't that what your mom taught you?"

The tears at this point streamed her cheeks, and she didn't know how to respond.

"I'll leave you to it," he pecked the top of her head before he turned away. "Make sure the clothes fit, okay."

• • •

After her little emotional meltdown, Sooyeong tried on the clothes and to her surprise they had fit her wondrously, despite her not being big-busted or as curvy other girls. It still looked cute and she loved it but after her little fashion show in front of her mirror, she decided to head down to Café Shooky to completely calm her mind and think more deeply about what Seokjin advised her to do.

As she walked along the street which slowly lit up due to dusk falling, she tugged on the sleeves of her knitted button up jersey because although Spring was approaching, it still meant that winter was upon them and the nights usually got really chilly.

Sooyeong waited at a crossing line and when it was safe enough to cross she jogged over the striped lines then continued her regular strides until she finally reached her favourite café. She went up the little three steps occupying the front of the store but just before she could pull back the door she heard a loud sneeze.

She froze, momentarily, because it wasn't just any sneeze, it was a sneeze that everyone in school knew.

She turned in the direction of the sneeze and noticed a few people walking about but none of them seemed familiar and she found that rather odd because she was so sure it was him.

She shook her head and pulled back the door. "Maybe I'm just hearing things because of what Oppa said."

She entered the warm café, greeted Yoongi, and ordered a hot chocolate from the brew master, Hoseok. And of course they enquired about the Spring Festival and this time she gave them an answer that was satisfactory. She told them that she was in the process of thinking about it, and that she may have someone in mind that she wanted to ask.

Thereafter, she exited the café to go out for a little walk so she could completely decide on how she would ask Taehyung out. From just the thought of it she felt overly flustered and softly squealed but alas, while lost in her unruly thoughts and weird behaviour she tripped on something or rather someone, and staggered slightly forward.

"Yah! I'm so sorry!" She immediately apologised and began to turn around once she regained herself. "Did I hurt-"

She gasped when she saw who she tripped over.

"Taehyung? You?" she was shocked and he just stared at her. "What are you doing on the floor?"

He stood upright with a shy smile, "I'm waiting for a call from the payphone because my phone went flat a while ago, nothing to worry about."

"Oh," she breathed. "By why not wait inside the café where it's warmer. I'm sure the tone is loud enough to be heard from that far."

He smiled at her thoughtfulness, "It's fine and aren't they going to close up soon anyway."

"But you literally have goose bumps," she touched his bare arm with her hand and it immediately brought relief to him because of the warm beverage she held. "You can use my jersey to cover up your arms if you'd like or just have my hot chocolate, it'll warm you up from the inside."

"Sooyeong-"

She ushered the drink into his hands and he immediately felt them get hot.

"And I'll wait with you until you get the call," she gently dropped to the floor but immediately flinched upon the iciness of it. "Oh my gosh, it's so cold. How were you even sitting on this..."

Taehyung chuckled from above then crouched down in front of her, "If it's that cold my hands are at your service..."

"Pardon?"

"You're free to sit on them," he looked at her with crescent shaped eyes.

Her jaw dropped.

"Plus they're warmed up because of your hot chocolate. It's a guaranteed servi-"

"Taehyung!" she yelled and got a few odd looks from the surrounding people. "You're such a creep!"

"Yah, not so loud." He panicked, then set the hot chocolate aside and covered up her lips with his left hand while he held her arm with his right. "People might think I'm harassing you..." He began to sulk right in front of her.

Sooyeong only sweat dropped because technically that should count as harassment.

"It was just a joke I swear," he mumbled but somehow her mind struck up a devious and mischievous plan to get back at his perviness.

Beneath his warm, delicate hand Sooyeong parted her lips and without a second thought, she manoeuvred her tongue passed her lips and gave it one slick lick.

Alas, to her dismay he barely even reacted. He just blinked, switching up his silky mood and slowly moved toward her somewhat panicking form.

"Did you just lick my hand?"

She sweated bullets now and tried to move back but alas he swung his right leg over her left thigh in order to seize her movements and he stared at her with a playful smirk.

Out of embarrassment she shut her eyes and curled her fingers over the ends of her sleeves. She had no idea how she was going to get out of this one and with each second that ticked by she felt her heart go into tachycardia.

But that wasn't all, unfortunately, her heart was in for a whole different calibre of arrhythmia's because when she felt a sudden pressure against Taehyung's hand which still sat over her mouth, her eyes fluttered open and he was literally a centimetre away from her.

That was when she realised what was actually happening.

Taehyung's lips were pressed over his hand which literally separated their lips from each other. Immediately she felt immobilised by paralysis and all sorts of emotions and tingles rushed through every vein, artery and nerve in her body.

All she could do was stare at his closed eyes in front of her which showed no signs of rapid eye movements whatsoever. He looked calm and even though the kiss felt as if it was an eternity for her, in reality it only lasted not more than five seconds mostly because two people suddenly interrupted them.

"Oh my gahd, gadh, gadh!"

"What the hell is this?"

The two immediately broke apart and Taehyung pulled his leg away from her. As for Sooyeong she mechanically turned, face flushed, to look at her interrupters.

"Oppa's..." she breathed uneasily and stared at a happy-looking Hoseok and a slightly disgusted Yoongi.

"Is that how teenagers kiss nowadays?" Yoongi pursed his lips and furrowed his eyebrows.

She just sat there looking dumbstruck and flustered because she couldn't even comprehend what just happened to give him an straight answer.

"Huh hyungs what's up?" Taehyung nervously hollered as he sipped the hot chocolate. He was completely embarrassed at the fact the he was caught by his known elders when he was doing something he shouldn't even be doing out in public.

"We lock up for the day only to come out to see you two getting fancy here on the pavement, that's what's up." Yoongi smirked slightly. "Love may be blind but the pedestrians aren't."

The two youths blushed at the mention of love.

"Aish hyung, it's cute. Leave them be." Hoseok smiled and looked over at them sitting stiffly. "By the way, it's cold and getting late. You both should head home already."

"Actually," Taehyung piped up whilst rubbing his nape, still flustered. "I'm waiting for someone."

"Oh, I see." Yoongi stated then quickly removed his jacket and handed it to him. "Use this, it's a bit chilly and when you're done with whatever it is you need to do, make sure you walk her home."

"Yes sir," Taehyung innocently laughed.

"Have a good night and keep it PG." Hoseok wished before the two slipped into an SUV and drove off.

The air between the two was awkward and thick as fuck. Taehyung had no idea what to say about his actions because he basically did it on impulse. At the time, he couldn't help himself and now he was practically screwed.

"I-I'm sorry," he ran a hand through his hair and avoided eye contact with her. "I don't know what came over me..."

She breathed nervously, "It's fine..."

Another thick cloud of awkwardness hung above them and as Taehyung sat, the overwhelming regret pestered his brain to the point where he was almost ready to roll off the pavement and let an incoming car make him forget everything that just happened.

"By the way..." her voice was subtle. She wanted to change the subject to ease the awkwardness. "Who are you waiting for?"

"Dansae,"

He innocently played with the lid of the hot chocolate, still not looking at her, but she immediately looked over at him- suspicion ran through her body.

"It's his birthday today and I even got him a gift certificate, like I did for Beomgyu."

"Taehyung." She swiftly got up and the flustered state he was in began to fade away and was replaced with confusion.

"Sooyeong?"

"Something's off, do you not see it?"

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

CAN I PLEASE HAVE A YOONGI 😭

Author, Lu 💜