Boongi❤️:
Step out

Several minutes passed before the text came through, just as the sound of two soft taps against Alana's back window had her flinching. She'd barely read it when he appeared in her side view leaning against her car, seemingly out of nowhere, and her heart fluttered at the surprise.

She thought of herself as more aware of her surroundings than that.

Yoongi's eyes lift from the ground as the driver's door opens slowly, a little smirk perking up as Alana emerges with that expected and adorable scowl on her face.

"Can you not do that?" She fussed as she scooted from her seat to stand, turning briefly to reach back into her car for her bag and keys. Yoongi tuck his bottom lip to mask his smile, tilting his head to watch her.

"Do what?" He chuckles. Alana is still rummaging in her front seat as if she were looking for something and she mumbles irritably just loud enough for him to hear.

"Sneaking up on me like I ain't strapped.." she threatens playfully, stepping backward once she is sure she wasn't forgetting anything.

"You almost scared the hell out of...me."

Her pause comes after she's fully out of the car and now standing in front of Yoongi, who didn't seem as close when she first opened her door.

"As if that's hard to do.." he chuckles, notably not stepping back. But Alana didn't mind it, nor could she respond to his snide response.

Yoongi looked as good as he normally looked. His skin was perfect and holding that soft natural glow. His dark hair is tucked beneath a knitted Raiders beanie that's accented by the tiny silver hoops dangling from his ears.

He's dressed down in a black leather letterman dark jeans, and a white tee that's caressed by a silver chain with a small cross at his collar. She was sure he had Nikes on but she wasn't looking that hard to care about what he wore on his feet when everything above them looked this good.

Citrus, cedar, and bergamot greeted her on the night breeze, along with the soft notes of mint and leather. He'd obviously had time to freshen up from his post-game Bayfield warm-ups and Alana assumed after a night of playing as hard as he did that he'd be too tired for anything but chilling on his couch.

"What?" Yoongi's brow creased with mild concern and Alana merely lifted hers in surprise before shaking her head.

"Nothing.I um...like that jacket.." she deflects and Yoongi glances at his sleeves as if he didn't know what the hell he put on.

"Preciate it. You ready? You ain't gotta pee or nothing?" He teases with a smirk, pushing his hands in his pockets. The question instantly snaps Alana out of her mini daze of attraction.

"What? No. Shut up." She kissed her teeth.

"Where are we going anyway? You look all nice and I look like I just finished shaking ass on a basketball court for 2 hours.."

Although she wasn't exaggerating about what she'd been doing, Alana looked far from what she insinuated, still fashionable in her cropped hoodie, hip huggers, and waist beads. Considering she took extra care in freshening up, re-slicking her curly bun, relaying her edges, and touching up her makeup before leaving the arena. Alana had anticipated seeing Yoongi after the game at some point, whether it was at the arena, Joe's, or the dorms.

She'd never tell Alesha that was the real reason what took her so long to meet her outside after changing.

Yoongi of course gives Alana's body a quick downward scan, keeping himself from staring at her tiddies for too long, his eyes coming back up to linger on her lips before kissing his teeth in disagreement.

"You look straight. Anyway, there's this food truck by the riverfront downtown I've been wanting to try. A Mexican joint. Figured we could get something and post up. My treat." He then shrugs, trying to come off as casual as possible.

Food.

All this cryptic texting and vagueness just to go get food.

Alana hesitates for a second, surprised at his unsubtle offer to take her out without officially asking her out. Riding together to get food off campus like this was different, but nothing she would oppose.

"Post up." She deadpans, squinting suspiciously at him.

"Yeah," Yoongi shrugs, matching the incredulous look in her eye.

"I did ask if you were hungry earlier.." he adds and Alana lifts her a finger to stop him before he gets ahead.

"No, you asked if I had eaten."

"Same shit. Now come on before they close." Yoongi nods over Alana's hood towards where she assumed he was parked and without another word, he turns away.
Alana followed him around her car and across the parking lot, falling in step with him as he walked casually.

His black Sonata wasn't far from where Alana parked, backed in the parking space with the passenger side facing them. Yoongi unlocks it but tugs the handle and opens the door before Alana has a chance to touch it. He leans patiently against it, regarding Alana blankly as he waits for her to get in.

But she pauses again, that same suspicious look in her eye. It flits between the inside of his car and his face a few times before he finally breaks.

"Alana. Would you stop looking at me like I'm tryna kidnap you," he whines. Alana clutches her bag comically, looking him up and down with fake caution.

"Well, you're certainly sounding like one." She says and Yoongi laughs.

"Woman, Get in the damn car. It's cold.." he laughs in exasperation.

Alana didn't know why she was being so difficult. Perhaps she just liked the way it made Yoongi frustrated and she could see it playfully creasing just above his nose when he smiled.

"C'mon P. Since when do you not trust me?" he lifts his brows, still feigning innocence.

She pouts and despite her suspicions, she gets in the car. Yoongi closes her in as soon as he's sure she is secure and he walks leisurely around the front and joins her in the cocoon of leather interior and Colorado cherry-scented freshener.

"Seatbelt." He mutters without sparing her a look and Alana begrudgingly yanks the strap across her body to click it into place.

"You know I can fight right? So if you tryna set me up, it ain't gon go how you want it to" She says, noting Yoongi's little smile as he starts the car, shifting gears shortly after to get rolling.

"I know you talk a lot." He tosses back, easing off his brake to embark on exiting the student parking lot. Alana watched as they passed cars on the way, hers included, and a thought occurred to her just as Yoongi was about to join traffic.

"So wait... I thought you were going out with the team tonight. At least that's what you told me earlier."

Yoongi ensured he had the right of way before responding, shrugging as he turned the wheel.

"I was but.....changed my mind," he mutters plainly. His turn signal stops clicking as he merges and Alana narrows her eyes on the streets ahead. She makes a sound, a little 'hmm' that could be interpreted in many ways, but she says nothing more as she settles in for the ride.

"I'm not allowed to do that or something?" Yoongi regards her briefly before resuming his focus on hopping on the interstate and Alana shakes her head.

"You absolutely are. I was just asking. Figured you'd be with the guys after a big win like that.." Her mouth shrugs nonchalantly, resting her elbow on the window silk comfortably.

Several taillights beam in the distance, flickering and switching lanes as Yoongi settled in the middle, easing back in his seat with one hand on the wheel. He shoots her a look, noting her pretty profile as she seems to accept her fate.

"Maybe I just didn't wanna kick it with them tonight..."

At his words, Alana caught a glimpse of his delectable side eye and smirk that effectively killed her curiosity and sparked an agonizing flutter in her tummy that she chose to blame on hunger.

The homes in Taehyung's parents' neighborhood looked like something straight out of one of those real estate commercials full of side panning shots displaying the array of classic cookie-cut homes ready to be bought.

Spring Haven was known to locals as the neighborhood very few families could afford. Any mention of the subdivision surely garnered looks of interest and questions regarding your parent's occupation and income.

Jade kept such questions to herself when Taehyung first brought her there, merely stopping by to run into his parent's house to get something and come back out. He invited her in but she declined, not wanting her first potential run-in with his parents to be in passing.

Honestly, one look at the house and she felt a little intimidated. Part of her wished she'd asked him what his parents did.

Not that it mattered.
Not that he made it matter.

She knew he came from a decent family from what little he'd told her but...

"Damn.."

She exhaled the thought as she cruised down the narrow streets only lit by scattered light poles and the distant porch lights, admiring the grand brick two-story homes in appreciation.

Nearing the end of the street she recognized, her eyes go to her passenger seat with a resigned sigh. The whole reason she was even here say folded neatly beside her.

Less so a reason.

More an excuse if you asked anyone else...

A couple of weeks back..

Jade sat in the 24-hour gym parking lot, her forehead pressed against the steering wheel of her Malibu, cursing to herself and praying at the same time that the next time she twisted her key in the ignition, it would start.

But as it did two and three times prior, nothing.

"Of fucking course.." she whimpers pitifully as she lifted her head, wincing at the feeling of blood rushing back to the spot between her eyebrows.

The one time she decided to make use of the gym membership she had off campus this late, and her battery was dead at 11 pm on a Sunday.

She sighs, leaning back in her seat just to stare off into the abyss of painted concrete and light poles.

Alesha. No answer.

Alana. No answer.

Demi. No fucking answer.

"So all you bitches are just sleep huh? Fuck fuck.." she mutters under her breath as her thumb scrolled through her texts, pausing at a thread with a message she'd left unread on purpose.

"Just thinking of you. I hope you enjoy your day."

It wasn't odd for Taehyung to send her texts like that periodically. She hadn't completely cast him out or blocked him like she'd been advised. She wasn't very responsive to him either, probably only texting back 50% of the time.

But when she did respond to him, it never took Taehyung long to text her back.

Jade contemplates for a minute, weighing her options.

She could see if an Uber or Lyft was out this late.

No. She didn't want to leave her car. It wasn't a bad area but that didn't mean something wouldn't happen.

Then her final option took its place at the head of the line, grinning evilly as it pulled her wary eyes down back to her phone screen.

She'd called everyone she would prefer the come help her and it was getting later and later.

Her thumb lingers over the call button.

With a defeated sigh, Jade taps her thumb on the screen a few times and brings it to her ear.

30 minutes or so go by and the bright beam of headlights force Jade to glance up from her phone, her elbow propped against the window and cheek resting on the back of her hand.

She squints at first, not recognizing the car until the lights go black and she locks eyes with its driver.

Her heart fluttered at the sight of Taehyung and her expression softened when she was sure he could see her, but she quickly schools her features, looking away as if she were suddenly distracted by something in her passenger seat.

Taehyung hops from the driver's side of his car just as Jade opens her door and the two meet with it standing as a barrier between them.
He was still as annoyingly foyne as he always was, even with his brow and lip still bruised.

Taehyung's tongue poked at the corner of his mouth as his eyes skimmed over what he could see of Jade's body, most of it shielded by her car door and tinted window.

He exhaled solemnly as he looked back up.

"You good?" He swallows, his eyes zigzagging over her face in search of any signs of distress. Even if he wasn't trying to, Taehyung's gaze had a way of melting into a person and making them feel vulnerable. As if she couldn't feel any more vulnerable than a person stranded in the middle of the night.

"Yeah, I'm ok. " Jade responds, sounding smaller than she intended. Taehyung's face goes cold for a moment at the shakiness in her voice.

"Nobody's bothered you since you've been out here, right?" He adds and Jade vehemently shakes her head.

"No no.., it's just been me out here. Look, I'm really sorry for calling you this late. I tried Mo and Lana but I guess they're both asleep...I had no one else to.."

"Jade stop..." Taehyung interrupts her, his voice stern and his eyes serious. Jade is silenced with her lips parted to speak but the words fall flat.

"It's cool. I'm glad I was up...."

Not doubting that he was indeed up for one second, Jade forces a smile.

"Well...Sorry if I interrupted something. Hopefully, this won't take long and you can get back to whatever you were doing.."

Taehyung was about to tell Jade that she hadn't interrupted anything but the deafening silence that filled his bedroom. But he knew after everything that had happened, she wouldn't believe him.

"You brought the cables right?" She says, stepping away from the car and leaving Taehyung at her door. He turns his head to follow her as if led by a string. She was still as pretty as she could be, even in her Gym Shark crewneck and leggings.

"Yeah, I got em. Pop your hood for me.."

After doing as she was told, Jade stood by hugging herself against the cold while Taehyung connected the jumper cables to her battery and his. At the sound of her teeth chattering, he glances over at her.

"You cold?"

"I'm fine." She shakes her head to lie, knowing damn well with her pores open from sweating, even her thin long sleeved workout set wasn't enough to keep her from shivering.

Disregarding her response, Taehyung unzips his hoodie. Knowing what he was about to do, Jade put up a hand to refuse it.

"I said I'm fine."

"I didn't ask you how you looked. Here..so you don't get sick." He handed it to her with no-nonsense stamped across his brow and Jade took it and put it on, albeit reluctantly.

He now stood at the front of her car in his baggy pajama pants and T-shirt. The street light nearest to them cast a warm orange glow over his skin that made the definition in his arms more pronounced.

Jade forced herself to look away as he got back to work, leaning over to finish securing the switch. It was only about a minute before he was straightening his stance with a focused look on his face, tutting his chin over the hood.

"Ok, I'm gonna start mine, and then you go ahead and try starting yours after." He instructs and Jade watches him walk to his car, dipping into the driver's seat. She promptly does the same and awaits his signal, mumbling a prayer to herself that this would work.

Taehyung's headlights flash as the engine growls and Jade pressed her break and turned the key, still praying silently that she'd hear her engine start. For the first few seconds, nothing happens and her heart begins to plummet, but the telltale sound and feeling of her car rumbling to life has her near tears of joy.

She didn't know why it had her emotional, perhaps her period was approaching or because she was hangry and sore from the Stairmaster and just wanted to get back to her dorm to sleep.

But then with a tiny celebratory 'yes', Jade eases off her break.

"Oh my God, yes!! Thank you!" She whispered to the ceiling of her car and Taehyung was already out of his to disconnect the cables.

He smirks in accomplishment at the sound of her engine purring, closing her hood for her. Unlike before, Taehyung walks to her passenger side and tugs the handle, which after a moment of Jade's consideration, unlocks for him. He gets in her car without a word, leaning over to observe the panel of lights beyond the steering wheel.

"How long has the 'check engine' light been on?" he frowns and Jade's eyes shoot to it.

"Um...I don't know." she begins, honestly just now noticing it. Taehyung hums thoughtfully as he inspects the rest of her dashboard before leaning away.

"You should let it run for a little bit just to make sure it's good. You think you need a new battery?" he asks and Jade lifts her brows at the question.

"Probably. I don't know...I can go by Autozone after class tomorrow but.."

"I can meet you there." he jumps in to say, sounding as he did when they were together and Jade needed something done with her car. She gives him a look and it takes Taehyung a few seconds to register it.

"Just to make sure you get what you need.." he adds and Jade sighs.

"I think I can manage. If not, I'll just ask one of the people working there."

Taehyung chuckles at the idea, shaking his head.

"Oh please. You can't trust them. They'll just try and upsell you some shit you don't even need." he begins, not noticing how Jade was now gripping her steering wheel.

"Well, I can't trust you either, and yet here we are.." she blurts out, not even knowing why she said it.

Taehyung freezes at the outburst, his eyes widening a fraction before blinking. Jade can't even bring herself to look at him, opting to shut her eyes tight with a mild grimace. Taehyung slumps back into the seat, training his gaze ahead at his beaming headlights in front of them.

"Ok then..understood" he mutters after a beat.

"I'm sorry." Jade exhales and Taehyung shakes his head.

"Don't be. I probably deserved that so it's cool." he waves her off. Jade goes to reach for him but stops herself, cursing herself silently.

"No...well maybe. But I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I'll be fine Tae. Thank you for coming out here to help me with this. I really appreciate it."

His big soft eyes regard her like the wounded puppy he was and a reluctant smile graces his lips.

"Of course. Anytime..It's cool if I wait with you while you let the car run, right? Or is this you kicking me out?" he half-jokes, pointing to the door.

Jade's lips press together in reluctance, her eyes scanning the creepy ghost town of a parking lot before responding.

"If you don't mind. Only if it's not keeping you from something.." she says and Taehyung is already opening the car door to get out.

"It's 11 at night. You aren't keeping me from anything, I promise. Let me turn my car off and I'll be back."

Jade nods just as he shuts the door, closing her in with her loud thoughts for the short period it takes Taehyung to jog to his car, open his door, reach inside to kill the engine and headlights and return to her with his keys in hand.

In that time, Jade focused on stilling her nerves and telling herself that no matter what happened, she wouldn't fold. She would just sit there and keep to her side of the car and he would keep to his until he left.

Easy peasy.

When he was settled back in, Jade was on her phone settling on a random mix of music to fill the silence between them as they waited. Taehyung insisted on letting the car run for about 10-15 minutes to make sure it didn't cut off again and Jade halfway believed him since she knew very little about cars. But she wasn't ignorant to it also being a ploy to be with her longer.

After some small talk about classes and random trending topics one of them happens upon their phone, a song starts playing that is more than nostalgic for both of them.

This is for you...you...my number one.

The beat loops and Usher repeats the line, laced with a soothing guitar that leads the singer into his iconic run that had singers all over the internet in a chokehold.

At the sound of it, Taehyung looks over at Jade in hopes of her thinking the same as him. With her head leaned against the seat and her eyes closed, she smirks.

"I know you over there looking at me..."

"No Im not." he lies, still looking at her and Jade laughs.

"Yeah, you are..you always look at me when this song comes on."

"No, I don't." he denies.

"Yes, you do. Because you always start singing it off-key just to bug me.." she opens her eyes, confirming the gaze she already knew was on her.

That look that made Jade forget the drunk and belligerent fool from a week ago, or the idiot begging for her forgiveness in her bedroom as she tossed his clothes into his waiting hands.

When he looked at her like this, like the stars and heavens existed in her eyes, Jade was transported back to the evening they danced to this very song at the Ballers Banquet last Valentine.

When he mouthed the lyrics to her with his hand guiding her hips as they swayed amongst the other lovers.

When she thought he was different and that she was safe.

And damn him for it.

Spotlights. Big stage. 50 thousand fans screaming in a rage...

Bodyguards. Limousines. This is the way I see you in my dreams...

"Can I be honest with you?"

His voice interrupts the memory graciously, although she's still haunted by his eyes as they map her features.

"Sure."

"When you hit me up, I thought I was dreaming." he huffs in mild embarrassment, visibly swallowing what little pride he had left as his head lolled so that he was staring at the glove compartment.

"I couldn't sleep so I'd been in the bed just staring at the ceiling, thinking bout shit. Wondering about...everything. So when I saw your name on my phone, I thought it was a cruel joke or something until I picked up. Then when I heard your voice, I didn't know what to expect. But when you said you needed help, I was kind of glad it wasn't a dream.."

"Glad that I was stranded?" she smirks beside him and Taehyung chuckles lazily, shaking his head slowly.

"Naw. I was just happy I'd get to see you." he resumes his gaze on her.

"I miss you. A lot. And not just in the sense of us not being in a relationship but I miss you. Talking and watching TV or vibing out to music like this. It's just....." he pauses, his eyes falling from her face again as if looking at her made it harder for him to speak.

At least the feeling was mutual. She smirks haphazardly, it not really touching the melancholy in her eyes.

"Well..I hear that's a normal thing to feel when someone isn't around. You miss them...."

"Yeah. Funny, I heard that too.."Taehyung huffs humorously at that, inhaling deeply as he braved another look at her.

"I'm losing my mind over this shit man...I can barely focus on anything anymore. I'm alone outside of class and practice. Yoongi's pissed so I haven't been chillin' with him. The other guys think I should just talk to him but I don't know what to say. I wanted to ask you what I should say but I figured that wouldn't be appropriate. You're still pissed, and rightfully so. My parents are pissed. Coach is pissed. Playing ball isn't as fun as it was. I can't sleep..."

"And you blame me for that?" Jade interjects, her brow perked curiously and Taehyung quickly kills that idea.

"Of course not. I know who's to blame. But it's still true that I'm not the same without you." he insists, only for Jade to interrupt him again.

"Tae, It's only been a month. Sooner or later, things will go back to how they were. Anger fades. You see I don't hate you anymore..." she jokes, hoping to see his lips perk up a little.

"Yoongi will come around though. He doesn't seem like the type to hold grudges like most people. You two will just have to have a conversation and it'll be fine. The Coach and your parents will get over this too. I'm sure they're just disappointed. And as far you being lonely goes..Eventually, another pretty face will catch your eye again. As soon as the season starts and you're tossing up that winning shot every game, everyone will be praising you again and you'll have plenty of options to make you forget about us.."

Jade did not mean to come off so bitter at the end of her version of a motivational speech, but she believed her predictions to be true. It wouldn't take much for Taehyung to bounce back from this and she had to be honest with him about it.

And herself.

"That's false for so many reasons.." he chuckles sadly after a beat, looking away to stare at his callused palm. Usher's voice continued to croon softly in the background, its volume decreased significantly at some point during their conversation.

"What do you mean?" Jade asks. From how Taehyung was back to avoiding eye contact, she knew whatever it was was hard to say.

He bites his inner cheek, furrowing his brow as he finds a spot on the car floor mat before speaking.

"That Monday after the homecoming party, I met with the coach and he suspended me. I'm not starting this season." he sniffed, prompting Jade to look at him in disbelief.

"Tae..." she begins, going quiet again when he shakes his head.

"It is what it is. I mean...I guess I'm lucky I wasn't kicked off entirely. And it is temporary so..I might get my spot back based on good behavior I guess...He wasn't really specific on what he wanted me to do.." he laughs it off, still keeping his head low and fingers picking away at his skin. Jade watched him for a moment, frowning at his hands before looking around the parking lot.

"I'm sorry."

Taehyung clicks his tongue indifferently.

"It's what I deserve right?" he smirks solemnly.

He goes on picking at his calluses like he always did when he was in his feelings, something she hated at first but learned to interpret as his way of coping. She'd always stop him and tell him he was only making it worse, offering to scratch his scalp instead while he told her what was on his mind.

Of course in this present setting, it wouldn't be appropriate to do such things. But she could still offer comfort in the only way she could right now.

"Tae. You don't deserve to lose your spot on the team. You worked hard and earned your place like everyone else and it's not something you deserve to lose over some stupid fight. You made an impulsive decision led by some alcohol and pent-up emotions. It's something that could have been prevented but you live and you learn. So don't keep beating yourself up over it..."

She didn't mean to but the irony of her last statement has Taehyung smiling sardonically.

"But maybe this is a good time for you to focus on getting better. And I'm not just talking about basketball. Time to reflect and improve and show that you're capable of some change. Communicating. Taking accountability. And who knows? You might be able to get back what you lost..."

Taehyung lifted his head and turned it to her at that, gauging the way she was also looking at him. Eyes full of conflict shone even in the dimness of the car, both of them searching each other's gazes for something they couldn't say.

Jade is first to break eye contact, now fidgeting with a nob near her radio.

"And not that it changes anything but...I can admit that I miss...this too. A little bit." she scrunches her nose and Taehyung smirks at her sarcasm, taking her words for what they were at that moment. Even though it rattled his chest with butterflies hearing her say she missed him, he knew it was a fleeting feeling.

As she said, it's normal.

"Thank you." he smiles and Jade nods.

The atmosphere shifts just as smoothly as the transition between 'Superstar' to City Girls, JT, and Yung Miami's nasally voices chanting the ever-famous opening lines.

REAL ASS BITCH, GIVE A FUCK BOUT A NIGGA

The change in pace has both of them busting out in laughter, Jade scrambling to change the song.

"I don't even know how this song got on my playlist. I bet Alana did it..." she laughs. Taehyung sucks his teeth at her denial.

"Don't go blaming her. You know you like that shit.." he teases and Jade pokes her lips up as if something smelled.

"I do not. I'm a good girl..." she defends and Taehyung rolls his eyes.

"Right." he chuckles breathily, stifling a yawn.

"It's almost midnight.." she notes, trying to keep from yawning her damn self as she gazes at the clock. Taehyung sits up in the seat, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"It is. And I think your battery is good to go..." he says reluctantly and Jade does her damndest to hide the tiny twinge of disappointment.

But she doesn't dare disagree.

"Yeah. I think you're right." she blinks, exhaling sharply as she sits up in her seat.

Her hands gripped the steering wheel as she checked her gas gauge, vowing to get some tomorrow before heading to Autozone. She didn't want to risk stopping anywhere tonight and needed to call in someone again to accompany her.

Though she knew Taehyung would gladly do it if she asked, she knew it to be a bad idea to take advantage of his company.

At least that's what she told herself...

When she leaned away and looked over at him, Taehyung was regarding her softly, giving her a tiny smile.

"Cool. Well, I guess I'll just...head on out then.." he tacks on with a soft bite of his lip, not making any moves towards leaving just yet. Not that Jade took an issue with it, since she hadn't moved either.

"Yeah.. OK." she returned his smile, her breathing slowing the longer they looked at each other.

Eventually, the jingle of Taehyung's keys announces his moves as he leans over the center console tentatively (and awkwardly) for a hug that she cautiously accepts, lifting her chin to rest on his shoulder. She felt stupid for succumbing to Taehyung having a reason to touch her but she missed the way his embrace felt. Selfishly, she wanted to feel close to him, her hand splaying over his back as he leaned his head against hers. Even if she still hated him a little.

There's a moment as they pull away where their faces pass, and only an inch of space exists between their lips. It's slow and heated, Jade smelling the minty scent of Colgate on Taehyung's breath as she inhaled. As well as the scent of his body, reminiscent of baby lotion and fabric softener. Nothing deep or heavy, despite his presence feeling that way.

He smelled like comfort and home.

Out of habit, Jade turns her head to catch one last whiff of his skin and her mouth brushes against Taehyung's in an accidental kiss.

She pulls back from him with a gasp, already mumbling an apology with her eyes fluttering in embarrassment. But Taehyung remains frozen, his eyes fixed on her lips in a daze that drowns out everything but his stuttering heartbeat.

Noting his focus, and the fact that he still held her close, Jade's eyes fall to Taehyung's lips as well.

Only a second later were their lips pressed together again, starting slowly and carefully. As if they were getting reacquainted after being apart for millennia.

Taehyung's hand came to rest on the side of Jade's neck, his thumb skimming over her jaw and cheek as his lips sought more of her. Kissing her the way he knew she loved to be kissed, chased, and savored. Teased just a little. He missed kissing her.

A soft whimper stills her parted lips and Taehyung sweeps his tongue between them, eliciting another moan that snaps her back into reality.

She pulls away from him abruptly, turning her head to hide the unexpected tear rolling down her face. She clears her throat as she wiped it, scooting further away from him to her side of the car. Her hand goes to the gear stick, signaling that she is ready to leave.

"I'm sorry.." Taehyung stammers, blinking dumbly since he was still a little caught up in their kiss. Jade shakes her head to sober herself from it.

"It's fine. Um...Thank you again..so much for getting out of your bed and coming all this way just to help me. I promise you that it won't happen again though so...you can go back to doing whatever you were doing.." she rushed to say in one breath, her hand still idling on the gear stick in park.

"Jade....I didn't mean.." Taehyung begins again.

"It's ok. Just go...." Were her words, sounding final in the way she tenses her jaw.

Taehyung took her prolonged silence as his cue to leave. He obediently exits her car and shuts the door, and Jade doesn't spare him another glance as she cautiously reverses from the parking spot and pulls away towards the street.

Wiping tears from her face the entire way as Taehyung shrunk in her rearview...