Aria

Later that week

"You really haven't seen Taehyung today?" Tuai asked one of her friends as she passed by our table, I watched as the girl shook her head. 

Tuai nervously bit her bottom lip and swept her gaze across the room before landing on me. She narrowed her eyes and turned away from me quickly, storming back the way she came. 

No one had seen Taehyung today? 

Come to think of it, I hadn't seen him in a few days- ever since I snapped at him for being so worked up over Jungkook touching me. 

I wondered if he was okay... 

"Stop that." I whispered to myself, hating how I was feeling worried about someone I barely knew. 

But still, I couldn't help it. A part of me always thought of Taehyung, regardless of how ..disconnected.. we were. 

I jumped a bit when the seat next to me was taken, turning my head to the side and smiling lightly at Jungkook. 

"Hey, Kookie.." I murmured, pushing my extra plate of fries to him. He smiled in delight, grabbing several at a time and stuffing them in his mouth. 

Jungkook and I had talked frequently over the past few days, he was just nice to be around. 

"Hey, Juancock!" Lua exclaimed as she pushed herself into the seat on the other side of me. I glared at her, gaping at the nickname. 

She merely flashed a sarcastic smile at me and laughed a little when Jungkook started choking on the fries he had stuff between his lips. 

I lightly pat his back in attempt to help and he pulled back to wipe his teary eyes that had begun to leak from the choking. He laughed lightly and shook his head, glancing back and forth between the two of us. 

Lua had been rude to him ever since I befriended him and I didn't understand why. She hardly ever talked to me anymore either. 

When Hyei sat down, Lua scooted closer to her and smiled happily, "Wanna go catch a movie after the exam this afternoon?!" 

Hyei nodded and took a bite of her sandwich, grinning with her mouth full. "Can I come too?" I asked, placing my fingers around Lua's wrist and ignoring the slight burning. 

The more I got used to people touching me, the less and less it hurt. It was like I previously had a new layer of skin and had to build up a tougher layer to objects that passed over it. 

Lua looked at me from the corner of her eyes and rolled them in what seemed to be annoyance, "Did I ask if you could come?" she huffed, pulling her wrist away. 

I frowned, wondering what I had done to make her so mad at me. "Luu.. what did I do?" I murmured, grasping her wrist again and pleading her to look at me. 

She sighed and turned to me, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're too clingy, sorry but I only felt sorry for you. Now you have Jungkook, please stop trying so hard." 

She pried my fingers off of her and turned back to Hyei, who looked between the two of us with confusion and something that looked like second-hand-hurt from how I was being treated, though she didn't say anything. 

I felt someone softly place their hand over my left one and looked over at Jungkook, who was smiling sadly. "I'll take you," he promised, squeezing my fingers. 

I smiled a little and nodded, mouthing "thank you" to him. 

~*~ 

Jungkook pulled my hand behind him as we walked up to theater, he was more excited than I was. 

He looked so handsome in his white tee and black ripped jeans, while I looked slightly better than average in my floral print high-waisted shorts and pink tee. 

"What should we watch?" he asked me, glancing between all of the choices and not noticing the annoyance that was flashing over the attendant's face because of his inability to make a decision. 

"Umm, X Men?" I said, my tone more questioning. He nodded excitedly and repeated the name to the attendant who sighed and muttered what sounded like 'finally' before giving us the tickets and taking our money. 

I was a little self-conscious as we walked through the building that was packed with people. I knew my hair and skin were enough to make people stare, but hopefully it would be too dark in the theater for many to notice. 

I kept myself pressed up against Jungkook's arm in hopes of being hidden from the public, biting my lip nervously. 

He either didn't notice my discomfort or didn't put much mind to it. In the past two years, I'd only left the academy once to shop for new clothes. 

And so many people had stared at me that day, that now I just asked Lua to get me stuff that looked to be my size. 

Jungkook wanted to get popcorn and something to drink but I asked him quietly if we could just get something to eat on the way back, I was growing more and more uncomfortable with the people surrounding us. 

He agreed and led me to the room that our ticket number indicated. We sat almost all the way in the back and thankfully there weren't many people in the room. 

The lights dimmed more and I let out a shaky sigh of relief, briefly closing my eyes and smiling when I felt Jungkook lace his fingers with mine. 

Was I gaining feelings towards him?

When I opened my eyes and looked at him, he was smiling at me as he lightly squeezed my hand in his. 

I grinned and turned back to face the big screen that was expanding across the far wall, but my gaze was caught on the entrance door as two familiar figures entered. 

It was too dark for me to tell just who it was, but as they ascended the staircase, my breath hitched when Tuai came into view, Taehyung holding onto her hand and following behind. 

He wore a blue-jean button up shirt with black ripped jeans and his light brown hair was parted more than usual, a headband pushing it back as always. 

They hadn't noticed Jungkook and I yet and I watched as they moved into the row in front of ours. 

They sat down just as the previews started and I couldn't help but shift my focus down to them when I heard Tuai giggle at something Taehyung was whispering in her ear. 

Jungkook leaned closer to me and tugged on my hand, "You okay?" he whispered, biting his lip when I turned to look at him. 

God, this kid is attractive. 

Looking at his face so close up in the dim light of the movie previews, made me want to melt. I nodded at him, hoping that my blush wasn't visible due to how close his face was to mine. 

He lightly pressed his lips to my nose and I gasped, causing him to chuckle at me and lean back. 

I smiled, real and genuine for the first time in what felt like a lifetime as I watched his lips spread open in a breathtaking smile. 

I grasped his hand tighter in mine and leaned over to rest my head against his shoulder, my gaze moving to the movie playing on the screen and for once I forgot all about Taehyung, who still hadn't noticed us as he made out with his girlfriend.

~*~

I was still holding hands with Jungkook when the movie ended, our fists both resting in my lap as he rubbed his thumb across the backs of my knuckles. 

The movie credits played and the room lights slowly became brighter. My earlier insecurities were forgotten as I stood and tugged on his hand, murmuring to him about how we should go eat somewhere. 

"Aria?" A voice behind me said before I could walk out of our row. 

I turned and gazed at Taehyung, his arm around Tuai as she gaped at Jungkook and I. "Hi Taehyung, hello Tuai." I heard Jungkook say as he squeezed my hand tighter and came up beside me. 

Taehyung's focus shifted from me to Jungkook and I noticed him tense a bit before looking back at me. 

"Um, Ari and I were just about to go find a place to eat it if you guys wish to join us?" Kookie said, hesitantly looking down at me. 

My eyes widened but I didn't object, silently wishing he hadn't said anything about it. 

"Oh, sure, we were getting pretty hungry weren't we baby?" Tuai said, glancing at me as she spoke to Taehyung. 

He seemed a little lost as he nodded in response to her question and I bit my lip. 

"Uhh, well I guess that, um, you guys could follow us to, um, this steakhouse that's uh, down the road.." I couldn't help the nervous shaking in my tone as I spoke to them, looking back up at Jungkook then to the couple again. 

Taehyung nodded again, still almost in a daze, gesturing for us to go first.