Earlier

Jade:
You left your hoodie behind.

T:
Sorry for responding so late.

T:
Want me to come get it from you?
Im leaving the game and going to my parents for dinner but I can drop by before then

Jade:
Im out right now so..

T:
Oh ok.

Jade:
I can just bring it to you.

Jade:
If thats easier

T:
Yeah. Thats cool.

T:
If it's not an issue

Jade:
Ok. I'll text you
when im otw

T:
Bet

Conversations since that night in her car had gone alot like this, short and casual. Jade began responding to Taehyung's texts more frequently the morning after their kiss. The kiss she felt tremendously guilty over.

Not that she'd betrayed anyone, she was still very much single and mildly entertaining the idea of moving on. There were for sure offers, word of their break up spreading quickly after homecoming.

Jade's guilt was more over allowing herself to give in to what her heart and body wanted over her mind. Rationally, she wanted to be done with Taehyung or at least appear so, but being with him that night brought back every feeling she had been trying to forget. And it chapped her ass that all it took was a hug for her to fold.

Even now, as she recalls their texts from when she was at Joe's waiting for Alana and Alesha to arrive, she wondered if she should have just let Taehyung come get his shit and go about his merry way. Why was she here this late with her heart still fluttering at the idea of seeing him again after all that happened? One text and that was all it took for her to convince herself she needed to drive 40 minutes off campus to deliver a damn hoodie that she could have just ignored.

"Damn him."

Arrived.

Jade pulls up to the house at the center of the cul de sac, her GPS alerting her uselessly. She quickly snatches her phone from the cup holder and sends a text after parking near the brick-encased mailbox at the end of the driveway. Her knee bounced a little as she waited and she scoffs at the ridiculousness of the entire scenario.

Not long after her engine ceased rumbling, motion lights beam over the vast front lawn and Jade dips her head to see through her passenger window.

Up the hill of perfect-cut grass, Taehyung can be seen trotting down the front steps and shuffling down the curved driveway.

He looked cozy in an old pair of sweats, a plain long-sleeved tee and slides. From the way his hair swayed in loose ringlets around his face, it would be fair to assume it was still wet from a shower.

Her thoughts ironically refer to the moment he tossed this damned hoodie to her to shield her body from the cold. The entire reason she was here was to return it since she was tired of looking at it.

And sleeping with it.

And smelling it.

Before she changed her mind, Jade shakes her head to still her nerves, pulling her visor down to do a quick check of her face thoughtlessly before snapping it back up, snatching up the damned hoodie, and getting out of her car.

Taehyung's neutral expression shifts to an elated smile as Jade makes her way up to him, tucking his lips against each other to conceal his joy at her really being here.

Based on their last encounter, he'd assume he'd blown it. Even though technically, Jade initiated the kiss.

But he wasn't one for technicalities.

Getting that text from her was the only highlight of his day if he was being honest. The game was what it was, no thanks to him. He knew the team was going to celebrate the win some how but he wasn't in the mood to celebrate.

Dinner with his parents was as uneventful as he expected it to be. No one said much, his father taking his plate to his office because he had some work to tend to, his mother hiding her irritation at the blatant excuse to escape bonding with family, his sister keeping her eye on her phone between unenthused bites, and Taehyung pushing his food around on the plate. He loved his mother's cooking and tonight it wasn't anything less than what he would look forward to when he'd visit.

He wasn't that hungry tonight.

"Hey." he beams, already opening his arms for her as her feet crunched over the freshly cut grass. Jade wore a body-hugging tracksuit that covered her adequately but was barely enough to warm her in the chilly night air. She kept her arms crossed over herself with his hoodie crumpled against her chest, shivering a little when she stopped in front of him.

"You're gonna get sick coming outside all wet like that." she scolds him despite her teeth chattering a little, ignoring his dopey smile and Taehyung shrugs.

"Think so?" He tilts his head, wet hair wagging to the side. It was sexy for no reason and it pissed Jade off a little.

"Know so.." She chides, lifting her chin.

A look Taehyung deemed sexy for no damn reason, but he loved it.

"Well...It is scientifically proven that hugs can prevent that so.." he challenges with his lips pouted and his eyes gaze drizzling over Jade's body. She tries not to react externally to the way he is looking at her. He probably couldn't help it since that was just how he looked at everyone, Jade thought.

"Oh, it's science, huh?" She smirks incredulously and Taehyung nods.

"It is? So you don't trust science now?" Taehyung gestures to himself with an innocent smile, knowing what he was insinuating.

"Oh, I trust science. Just not you." She snarks.

"..or myself"

Taehyung notices the reluctance in her expression as well as the conflict in her eyes, and he drops his shoulders to appear less eager.

"Ok fine. I'll keep my lips to myself if you can keep yours." he fans his fingers towards himself and Jade narrows her venomous glare at him despite stepping closer.

"Shut up...better watch those hands too.." She grumbles uselessly and Taehyung only bites his lip to keep from smiling bigger at the empty threat in her voice.

She shuffled up to him and allowed his arms to encompass her in his body heat. He was always warm-natured, as the old folks say, and Jade would have chosen him over a blanket when they shared a bed.

Her arm instinctively wraps around his waist and the two of them sigh in tandem as they hug.

She didn't know why she was allowing this to happen again but she was sure she was in more control of the situation this time.

Hugs were fine. Hugs were harmless. They should be.

All she had to do was pull away fast and not linger. No funny business.

"Fuck he smells good..Don't breathe. Don't breathe. Don't breathe. Don't breathe. Don't breathe. Don't breathe..."

With her mantra in mind, Jade stays in Taehyung's embrace a few seconds longer than she intended. It was not until she felt his hold on her tightening, their bodies swaying slightly, and Taehyung sneakily nuzzling her neck the way he always did with the tip of his nose in the pleasant threat of a kiss that she realized they were teetering on the line Jade set for herself not to cross again.

So after taking all that she could allow herself of his touch, Jade pulled away with her palm flat against his chest to establish distance.

"Alright. You should be warm now.." She mutters, her fingers spreading over his heart unintentionally. Taehyung's attention falls to it and he inhales slowly before looking at Jade through the cover of his damp hair.

"Told you." He smirks, the look forcing Jade to pull her hand back.

"Whatever...I um...heard that Bayfield won. Thats great. Congrats.." she half smiled, picking a distracting subject while taking a step back.

The night's temperature immediately sends a chill over her now that she isn't wrapped in Taehyung's huddle of warmth, but she merely goes back to hugging herself in resistance.

Taehyung notices though and frowns before looking over his shoulder.

"Yeah, it was a sweep. Hey, we can go inside if you're that cold," he suggests and Jade follows his eyes toward the large faded brick house behind him.

Speculation of its pristine interior and the scent of cleanliness and superiority contrasting the manly aroma of Taehyung's teenage bedroom come to mind. His huge bed and even the comfy couch a feet away from it. It would be better to continue their conversation in there than out here but...

"No... it's late and I'm sure your parents aren't that fond of me anyway...I only came to return this since I was out."

Taehyung finally acknowledges the hoodie in Jade's arms and she takes the opportunity to offer it insistently.

"Here.." she urges and Taehyung takes it reluctantly, scoffing softly to himself as he lifts the garment to inspect it as if he'd never seen it. He then brings it to his face to sniff the hood.

"You been wearing it?" He perks his brow, his voice muffled by the fleece.

"No..not since that night." she lies.

Taehyung smirks knowingly. As if he didn't remember what Jade's hair smelled like.

"Ok. Thanks for bringing it, I guess. Hold up. Since when do my parents not like you? Who told you that?" He squints, gingerly tossing the article of clothing he hadn't even thought about since that night over his shoulder, and the corners of Jade's mouth droop in equal confusion.

"No one did. I just figured because of the fight..your face. The whole reason you couldn't play tonight..." she trails off. Taehyung shakes his head.

"No one blames you for that. They don't even know it had anything to do with you." He insists and Jade's scowl shifts from confusion to surprise.

"What did you tell them then?"

"That everyone was just drunk and some random dude picked a fight." He shrugged, his lips twisted in a guilt-ridden smirk. Jade regards him blankly for a moment, scoffing in amusement a second later.

"Of course. And who won the fight in your version of the story?" She teases and Taehyung tips his head back in offense, kissing his teeth.

"Whatchu mean? Me..the fuck. In every version..."

They share a laugh at that, Taehyung being much louder than necessary and Jade shushes him with a playful push to his shoulder.

"Shhh! You want everyone to know we're out here?" She scolds and Taehyung shrugs indifferently with his head down.

"I wouldn't care.."

He catches her hand before she can pull away, his gaze falling to it and their smiles fade gradually the longer their fingers remain intertwined.

The wind blows again and Jade uses it as an excuse to reclaim her hand, tucking it under her arm again as she takes another step down the slope of the lawn.

"Anyway...I should be heading back." She pointed over her shoulder just as Taehyung did previously and his expression softened at her retreat.

"Somewhere you gotta be?" He lifts his brow, something in his eyes telling Jade her response had the potential to make or break him at that moment.

She could fib a little, leading him to believe that she did have other plans that didn't include him tonight. Make him think that while she may be here with him now, it didn't mean she was holding out even the slightest bit of hope for them as well.

Opting to spare him, she pauses mid-step and takes a look around the quiet neighborhood.

"Um. Not really. We're kinda just standing in the street right now so.." she chuckles weakly. Grass crunched beneath Taehyung's slides as he closed the distance she'd just made between, also scanning the street.

"Come inside then. My parents don't care. We can chill in the den and watch TV. Or just sit in the car and talk for a lil bit. I'll keep my hands and lips to myself, I swear." He jokes and Jade rolls her eyes, wondering when he'd ever let that go.

Surely never...

"I hope you know you suck at lying.." she scrunches her nose in mock disdain. Taehyung remains unfazed though.

"Im being honest though. Come on Jade. I high-key feel like I'm begging at this point but at the same time, I don't care. I have no shame."

"We know." She slides in and he gives her a look, begging for a bone to be thrown at some point.

"Funny. Foreal though. I just...I would enjoy some company tonight. Your company more specifically. No B.S. No games. Just to talk for a little while longer.."

Her face is unreadable despite Taehyung's best efforts to read the look in her sweeping eyes. He could feel her prodding at his soul as well for any impurities, and while he was sure she could see a lot, he hoped his intentions were received as sincere.

Saying nothing for a minute, Jade slowly begins to depart, stepping back from a deflating Taehyung with an assured look in her eye.

"How about I just call you when I make it back to my dorm and we can talk for a while. Since you seem to have so much to say these days.." she smirks.

"I'll take it..." Taehyung lifts his hand in surrender and Jade nods.

"Good. Keep your phone close. Oh, and start accepting not getting your way a little more often. It builds character." She winks and Taehyung's heart stuttered hopelessly.

"Damn her..."

"I don't mind being humbled as long as it's you.." he says, grinning like the Cheshire moon shining over them. Jade couldn't help but laugh then, knowing he was being overly charming on purpose.

"Oh my God, go in the damn house. Insufferable ass.." Jade waved him off as she turned away, biting down her smile at his thickly laid sentiments on her way to her car. With his laughter at her dismissal tapering off, Taehyung also tucked his bottom lip as he watched her go, remaining on the grass as she rounded her hood and opened the door.

Before she gets in, he calls to her.

"Hey...you are gonna call me foreal right? You not just saying you will to have me up waiting as some type of revenge, are you?" He inquires, partially as a joke but with a serious crease in his brow. Jade pauses with one foot already inside, her hand resting on the roof.

"What if I was?" She mirrors his expression, her lips twitching up into a smirk.

Taehyung smiles at her response, mulling over what the truest answer would be. After a beat, he tossed out what was left of his pride as he spoke.

"Then I'd just be waiting." He says, sounding more convincing than Jade had ever heard him.

Something about it surprised her but she couldn't say why. What was clear, however, was that she believed him.

And that made her heart hurt a little.

In the good way, as well as the bad.

"Keep your phone close," she repeats with a soft smile, saying nothing more as she dipped inside her car and shut the door.

Taehyung remained on his parent's front lawn with his hands in his pockets, his hoodie that smelled more like Flower Bomb and mango and shea butter conditioner than his usual scent as she drove away, not turning back to head in until he couldn't see her taillights anymore. He recalls the last time he watched her drive away from him like this and how it left his stomach churning with anguish.

But this...

This wasn't so bad.