March 16
Tuesday
Year 1

When I walk into class, Taehyung and his friends are already seated.

The anxiety bubbles inside me when I see my seat occupied by another person.

It's my fault for assuming that it would be alright to leave the house a little later.

A crowd circles Taehyung and his friends. It only took a couple of weeks before it's like it was in high school.

Glancing all over the room, I try to find an empty chair. One closer to the aisles would have been better, but they are all taken.

It's harder to confirm if a chair is empty since everyone is hanging around everywhere comfortably before class starts.

What if I take someone else's seat? What if it gives them anxiety too?

"Taehyung, tell us why you couldn't hang Sunday." Jin teases.

"Oooooh!" The students crowding around him hint at something.

Sunday?

I bite my lip and slowly climb up the stairs.

Karin who's usually beside Jin elbows him and smirks. "You were with someone for white day. Weren't you?"

My foot slips from the step and I flail my arms out to steady myself.

"Taehyung, you can't have a girlfriend." Jimin grabs his shoulder and shakes it. "You belong to us."

Taehyung chuckles before turning to look at the source of so much noise — me.

With burning cheeks, I meet his stare, but then grow uncomfortable because what if he thinks I expected him to save me a seat? He doesn't owe me anything. We weren't really friends.

He avoids my eyes and I try to make it seem like I'm not staring.

How embarrassing.

Why are my eyes always going to him?

A couple people whine. "Taehyung and who?"

I excuse myself as I slip past and sit somewhere in the back.

With a deep breath, I make myself comfortable.

It isn't until I pull out a pen that I realize my hands are shaking.

I place it over my heart and try to calm down.

It shouldn't bother me.

Nobody owes me anything.

Mr. Jung taps his hands on the podium and people take their seats.

Taehyung stretches while glancing around the room, his eyes stopping at me again.

A terrible feeling goes over me when he turns back around and hunches over his notebook.

I was prepared to wave but instead I placed my hand on the desk.

It's okay.

Taehyung's really popular.

It wouldn't be fair of me to always sit beside him.

Right?