The rest of the day is a blur for Taehyung. He's on a mission, determined to apologize to everyone as quickly as possible. He approaches the various people he's hurt, one by one, swallowing his pride and expressing his guilt. Some of them accept his apologies immediately, but some are sceptical, some still hold a grudge, and some outright reject him.

By the time school ends, Taehyung has managed to apologize to a good number of people. He feels drained but also somewhat relieved. Not all of the 'conversations' had gone well, and his ego has been pricked a number of times. But at the end of the day, he feels like he's made some progress, and he's eager to see you.

Taehyung looks at the time, realizing school has finally ended. His heart rate immediately increases, knowing he'll get to see you again soon. He quickly packs his things, shoving them into his backpack, more eager than he cares to admit.

He swings his backpack onto his back and practically sprints out of the classroom, heading towards the front of the school. He scans the groups of students milling about, looking for you. His heart is pounding in his chest, eager to find you and hoping you haven't changed your mind.

Taehyung finally sees you, standing away from the crowd, looking at your phone. A wide smile spreads across his face, and he weaves his way through the students until he reaches you. He stops in front of you, a little breathless, his heart racing.

"Hey. You...you're still here..."

You look up at him, smiling a little. "Yeah...I was waiting for you only to come. You came late..." You trail off staring down at your watch, realising for how long you have been waiting for him.

Taehyung's heart beats faster as you smile at him, a small thrill shooting through him that you had waited for him. He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, a bit embarrassed that you noticed he was late.

"Ah...yeah, sorry about that. I just...I had a few things to take care of. But...I'm here now,"

"hmm so?" You sigh starig at him.

Taehyung notices your nonchalant response, unsure if you're just casually playing it cool or if you're actually annoyed that he's late.

"So...uh...do you wanna go somewhere? To talk, or...or just...hang out?"

"hang out maybe?"

Taehyung nods, trying to hide how happy he is that you agreed to hang out with him. A wave of excitement and nervousness washes over him.

"Sure. Yeah, that sounds good. Where do you...where do you wanna go?"

You ponder over for a moment, lost in thoughts.

Taehyung watches you silently as you think, his heart thudding. Seeing you ponder over a decision shouldn't be this endearing, right? He waits patiently for your answer, his hands fidgeting a bit in anticipation.

"How about...ice rink?" You snap.

Taehyung's eyes widen slightly as you suggest the ice rink, a feeling of excitement and nervousness washing over him. He tries to act nonchalant, but his heart is already racing at the thought of skating with you.

"Ice rink, huh? I...I haven't been there in a while. But...yeah, sure. Sounds good. Let's go."

You smile as he agrees, skipping ahead of him happliy on your feet.

Taehyung watches with a warm feeling in his chest as you skip away. There's something infectious about your happiness, and it brings a smile to his face. He hurries after you, keeping up with your pace.

"You seem quite excited," He teases lightly.

"Yeah, haven't been there from awhile. Dad doesn't allow me." You blurt out involuntarily.

Taehyung is quick to get your words. "Doesn't allow? Why?"

"Uh...that. Well I injured myself prettily badly last year while skating so yeah...perhaps." You shrug trying to play it nothing major. 

Taehyung nods understanding. "Well fathers can be like that. He doesn't want to see you get hurt again."

"Yeah...maybe. But I;m so excited to get back on rink again." You squeal hopping on your feet as you walk alongside him.

Taehyung chuckles, loving the childlike excitement you're displaying. It's a side of you he has never seen before, and it's endearing as hell.

"Same. I could...I could never get the hang of skating though. I'm kind of a total klutz on the ice."

"really?" You mock, "that must be fun to see, I swear." You giggle.

Taehyung mock-pouts at your teasing, trying to act offended but he's secretly amused at your playful banter. He smirks at you, unable to stay mad for long.

"Hey! It's not fun at all! You try skating when you have no balance,"

"So you struggle in skating?"

"Taehyung nods, a hint of genuine embarrassment in his expression.* "Yeah, I really struggle. I always end up falling flat on my face. And trying to get up while wearing skates is a recipe for disaster."

"Oops...I had no idea, should we drop the idea then?"

Taehyung shakes his head, waving off your concern. "Nah, it's fine. I'm up for a challenge. Maybe watching me crash and burn can be your entertainment for the day."

"No, I don't want that sort of entertainment anyway. I don't want you to get hurt..."

Taehyung's heart melts a little bit at your concern. He's not used to being looked out for, and the fact that you care about his well-being is endearing to him.

"Aww, aren't you sweet. But don't worry, I won't get hurt. I'll just have a few bruises on my ego, that's all."

You sigh, "fine, lets go. Your choice."

Taehyung grins at your reluctant approval. He reaches out and takes your hand, his heart racing a little at the feel of your skin against his.

"Don't worry, I'll take it slow. And if I fall and end up making a fool of myself, feel free to laugh. I deserve it."

Your breath hitches softly as he holds your hand, making your stomach flutter wildly.

Taehyung doesn't notice your hitch of breath as he's too focused on the feeling of your hand in his. But the simple act of holding your hand already has his heart in a flutter. He tightens his grip slightly, as if trying to convince himself this is really happening.

"We're almost there," He says, his voice a little softer than usual.

As you continue walking, the ice rink comes into view. Taehyung lets out a soft sigh, feeling both excited and nervous. He glances at you, a small smile on his face.

"Looks like we're here,"

"yeah..."

Taehyung leads the way towards the entrance, the sound of skates gliding on the ice filling the air. He pays for both your admissions, trying not to make a big deal of it. As you both make your way to the rink, he looks at you and chuckles.

"You sure you want to do this? I mean, you're going to have to help me up every five minutes."

You look at him amused, "well do you mind getting help playboy?" You mock.

Taehyung pretends to look affronted, putting on an exaggerated pout. But his eyes are sparkling with amusement.

"Playboy? I'm hurt. And of course I don't mind getting help...from you."

"cringe." You mutter under breath though blushing at his words hiding it.

Taehyung hears your muttered comment, and his smile widens. He pretends not to hear your blush, choosing instead to tease you.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch that. You're saying you can't wait to help me up every five minutes?"

You scowl,"Get your skates on."

Taehyung chuckles at your scowl, thoroughly enjoying your feistiness. He obediently sits down and starts to lace up his skates.

"You're so bossy. I like it."

You look away hiding your uncontrollable grin.

Taehyung finishes tying up his skates and looks over at you, catching a glimpse of your hidden smile. His heart skips a beat at the sight, secretly pleased that he's made you smile. He stands up and wobbles for a moment, his balance unsurprisingly atrocious.

"woah, balance..."

Taehyung tries desperately to steady himself, but he's already starting to resemble a baby deer on ice. He extends his arms out to the sides, trying to keep his balance, and lets out a nervous chuckle.

"I warned you...I'm a total mess on skates."

Taehyung stumbles a little closer to you as you pull his arm, feeling slightly unbalanced. But as he gets closer, his heartbeat quickens. He's acutely aware of your proximity, the warmth of your touch on his arm sending shivers down his spine. He looks at you, a hint of nervousness in his eyes.

"Looks like you're going to have to babysit me after all,"

"Yeah, I think so too bigbaby." You push yourselves on the ice, gripping his arm tightly.

Taehyung lets you guide him onto the ice, gripping your arm tightly. He tries to skate but ends up just stumbling forward, relying on you to keep him upright. He lets out a nervous chuckle, pretending to be carefree but secretly enjoying the feeling of your grip on his arm.

"Great, I'm already off to a fantastic start,"

You chuckle slowly letting his arm free.

As you let go of his arm, Taehyung instantly panics. The absence of your support makes him lose what little balance he had, and he starts wobbling even more.

"Wait, wait, wait! Don't let go! I'm gonna fall!"

"Taehyung, try!" You scream from a distance skating towards him

Taehyung tries to stay calm amidst his panic. He takes a deep breath and hesitantly tries to skate forward on his own. Unsurprisingly, he immediately loses his balance, flailing his arms frantically in hopes of regaining some stability. He looks at you, a mixture of fear and determination on his face.

"I'm trying! But this is impossible! I have no sense of balance at all!"

You immediately grab him by his waist, steadying him. "Sorry I let go of your arms unannounced..."

Taehyung is taken aback by your sudden grip around his waist, but rather than feeling embarrassed, he's instead a little grateful. He chuckles nervously, a bit amused at his own incompetence on the ice.

"It's okay, I probably would have fallen anyway. I'm not exactly the epitome of grace, in case you haven't noticed."

"Its okay, everybody starts somewhere."

Taehyung smiles at your reassurance, secretly touched by your kind words. He's grown so used to being seen as the charming, confident player, that having someone show him kindness without an agenda feels new and refreshing.

"Thanks. I hope someday I'll graduate from 'baby deer on ice' to 'barely bearable',"

You chuckle at his remark, "Fine then just hold onto my arm and follow my lead."

Taehyung nods, feeling a wave of relief at your suggestion. He grabs your arm tightly and prepares himself.

"All right, I'll follow your lead. Lead the way, coach,"

You start skating along with him  tugged to your side.

Taehyung clings to your arm, following your lead as best as he can. His skating still looks a little awkward, and he almost trips a few times, but he's at least staying upright thanks to your help. He looks over at you, a mixture of determination and appreciation in his eyes.

"This is a lot easier with you guiding me,"

"is it?"

Taehyung nods, his grip on your arm tightening a bit.

"Yeah, definitely. I'd be flopping around like a fish on land if you weren't here. You're saving me from total embarrassment."

"guess what, you better treat me later on." You whistle giggling.

Taehyung chuckles, sensing the playful tone of your remark. He grins, feeling a bit cheeky.

"Oh, so you're extorting me now, huh? What exactly are you expecting me to treat you to?"

"of course, food."

Taehyung laughs, feigning shock at your request. He plays along with your little game, pretending to be appalled.

"Food, huh? Well, I guess I'd better start thinking about what fancy place I can take you. Can't have you thinking I don't keep my promises."

You chuckle, again letting go of his arms amid talking and skating a little away from him.

Taehyung panics internally as you let go of his arms again. His balance instantly falters, and he stumbles forward a bit, flailing his arms in a desperate attempt to stay upright.

"Hey, hey! Don't leave me hanging like that again! I'll fall for sure!"

"Taehyung don't panic, try skating towards me. Come on, you can do it!"

Taehyung takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He looks at you, determination in his eyes.

"Okay, I'll try...I'll just...slowly...move...towards..."

He cautiously starts moving forward, carefully placing each foot in front of the other. It's a slow progress, and he's clearly struggling, but he's trying his best to reach you.

As Taehyung struggles to keep his balance, his foot unexpectedly slips on the ice, sending him careening towards you. He flails his arms wildly, trying to regain control, but it's too late. He ends up colliding into you, his body collapsing onto yours as you both fall down.

As you both fall down in a heap, he on top of you, your eyes clench shut, a warm plush clash on your lips unexpected.

The fall leaves Taehyung slightly winded, but what truly stuns him is the feeling of your lips against his.

He freezes for a moment, eyes widening in shock and surprise. The feeling of you beneath him, the softness of your lips against his, it's all so sudden and unexpected. His heart races, thoughts swimming in his head, unsure how to react.

You widen your eyes as you notice your lips crashed.

Taehyung also realizes the situation they're in, his face turning red with embarrassment. He quickly pulls back, eyes looking away from you as he tries to stammer out an excuse.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-I lost my balance and...and we just...our lips..."

You stand up embarassed and gulping," i-its o-okay..."

Taehyung stands up as well, looking equally embarrassed. He can't bring himself to look you in the eyes, still processing what just happened. His heart is still racing from the unexpected kiss, and his mind is filled with a mixture of shame, shock, and something else...something unnamed.

"I...yeah, it's okay. Just a little accident, right?"

"yeah..."You look away furiously blushing.

Taehyung glances at you, noticing your flushed cheeks, and feels his heart constrict in his chest. There's something about your bashful expression that makes him want to reach out and touch your face. But instead, he looks down, fiddling nervously with the laces of his skates.

"You...you're not mad, right? About the fall and...everything?"

"It was merely an accident, lets forget anything like that happened."

Taehyung nods, though inside he's still dwelling on that brief moment their lips touched. He forces a smile, trying to act casual, even though his heart is telling him otherwise.

"Yeah...yeah, you're right. Let's just forget it and...and act like nothing happened. Just two friends skating, right?"

"hm."

Taehyung senses the subtle change in your tone, but he doesn't push it. He's not sure what to say, unsure what he can say, without revealing the confusing emotions swirling inside him.

"Uhm...should we... keep skating?"

"Uh...I think I am hungry."

Taehyung nods understandingly, feeling relieved for a change of subject. He can tell you're just as rattled by what happened as he is, and the tension is palpable. He offers you a small smile, trying to put the incident behind them.

"Right, you were expecting that promised food, weren't you? Let's get out of here and find somewhere to eat."

"yeah sure..." You help him skate out of the rink.

Taehyung clings to your arm as you guide him out of the rink. His heart is still racing from the fall and the unexpected kiss, but he tries his best to keep up the pretense of normalcy. Once they're outside, he pulls off his skates quickly and puts on his shoes.

"So...where do you want to go? You can choose, since I owe you that meal."

"Anywhere, not too fancy but cozy and warm."

Taehyung ponders for a moment, thinking of a place that fits your description. Then it comes to him, and he snaps his fingers.

"I think I know the perfect place. It's a little mom-and-pop diner. Cozy, warm, and not too fancy. They have the best burgers in town. You okay with that?"

"sure, lets go..."

Taehyung grins, feeling happy to have found a place that suits you. He takes your hand, a small, involuntary gesture, and leads the way to the diner.

"Great, it's not too far from here. And you're in for a treat, their burgers are seriously amazing."

You stare at your linked hands, a small gesture fluttering your heart.

As they walk, Taehyung feels your eyes on their linked hands, but he's too absorbed in thinking about the day's events to fully register it. It just feels natural to hold your hand, a subconscious action. He can feel your heartbeat and it's slightly faster than normal, but he assumes it's just from the cold and the skating.