Getting close to each other

Jimin's Pov-

<<NEXT MORNING>>

I hurriedly slipped in my shoes while my mouth was stuffed with a toasted bread.

"This damn alarm," I incoherently grumbled. The alarm didn't ring out at time. Being left with only ten minutes before the university class started, I stumbled my way out of the apartment.

Reaching the pathway, I fastened my pace. The least I wanted to hear was the scoldings of the professors long hours. I lifted up my hand high after noticing a taxi.

The taxi came to a halt, few meters away from me.
I instantly jogged to the car with a relieved smile plastered on my face.

My smile faltered as soon as I saw another hand grabbing the door handle.
"Excuse me, I stopped the taxi," I informed her.

She looked up at me with knitted brows. Her face seemed quite familiar.

Isn't she the girl from nextdoor?

"My apology for disappointing you but this taxi was stopped by me, for me," she spoke in a sweet voice but sounded more like a sneer to me.
She pulled the handle of the door.

I slammed my hand on the door looking at her with a Stern look. "I ain't denying that you didn't try to stop the car. But the driver pulled the car after seeing me," I pronounced clearly, putting an end to this argument. I was already late and I couldn't afford to waste further time.

"Listen carefully Mr. Arrogant neighbour. I'm already late for my university and besides it's my first day. So, kindly excuse me and take another taxi," she folded her arms and glared at me.

I was quite amused at the chose of her words.
She wasn't going to give up any soon.
I looked at her with one raised eyebrow,"And is it my concern whether it's your first day or whatsoever? I ceased this taxi. Please move aside and let me seat. You're wasting my time."

"Can't you understand at one time! I. Stopped. The. Taxi",she said through her gritted teeth and added,"If you don't believe my words, then lets ask the driver. He'll say who ceased this car."
She was utterly frustrated by this time. So was I.
All my trials went in vain.

I sighed and agreed nonetheless. "Ajhussi, please tell us for whom you stopped the car?" she asked while giving me a side glare.

This girl is sure something.

The driver was silent all this time. Maybe our childish fight made him taken aback. He laughed,"I think the car is spacious enough for two persons. Why don't you just sit together? You both are going to be late if you keep fighting over this small thing."

Indeed he was right. Why didn't I think about this earlier? I was so consumed in the dispute and bring skeptical that my morality was long forgotten. I was fine with it as long as she didn't open her mouth and sit away from me.

"I've no problem," stating that she pushed me backward by bumping her shoulder into mine and got inside the car.

I shook my head at her acts of immaturity and made myself seated comfortably inside the car, more like pressing myself against the door. "Your destination?" the driver looked at us from the rear mirror.

"Hanyang University," we both said in unison. We both eyed each other in bewilderment. "Unboiliebable",she mumbled in English loud enough for me to hear.

I held back the urge to pinpoint her mispronunciation and chortle at her.

It's gonna be difficult.

I observed her rigorously. So, she was a freshman. Above all, there were high chances of us running across each other almost everywhere. As if being neighbours wasn't enough, now we were students from same university.

Soon, the taxi pulled out in front of the university. She quickly handed him the money and dashed out of the car, running inside the campus. I again shook my head looking at her actions and gave the driver money while murmuring a 'thank you'.

I shoved my hands inside the pocket and walked to the campus building.

..°.☆.°..

I carefully carried my tray and walked to a vacant seat. My empty stomach growled at  the sight of food. This whole time my stomach was roaring like a lion. Today all the classes seemed to last for eternity and my mind was only lingering on food.

I along with the group of my friends sat on our seat and dug in our meals. I was continuously stuffing food in my mouth until it became like an inflated balloon. I chewed them slowly, enjoying its delicious taste.

Here were some day, including today, when the university cafeteria provided extremely delicious lunches.

Whilst chomping, my eyes anchored to a tiny frame of a girl in the corner who was sitting alone and playing with her food.

Ah, my neighbour Taehee.

She was just poking her food with the chopsticks.
She looked lonely and invisible to others . I didn't know but she appeared like she was finding hard to interact with others. A wave of compassion overwhelmed me.

A part of me suggested to walk to her and accompany her for lunch.

Out of nowhere, a girl swaying her body from side to side sat across Taehee. She smiled at her stretching her dark red coated lips. Her face looked like a plastic cake.

Kang Deji

She was one of those chicks who always got laid down by every boy. Girls of this type always ran after a bed and a hot guy.

But the concern part was that what she was doing with Taehee. They both were whispering and laughing together. Deji wasn't the type of girl who befriended everyone.

What is she up to now?

"Jimin," I heard my name being called. I snapped my head at the person,"Huh? Yes?"

"Lunch time is going to end soon. You haven't completed your food yet. Are you feeling fine?" one of my friend, Seokjin, inquired being confused.

I looked at my plate and realised that the chopsticks were no longer in my hand and my food was half finished. "I'm fine," I assured them.

"But to whom were you glaring?" Taehyung asked trying to spot the person to whom I was glaring. "I wasn't glaring to anyone. You guys carry on. I'm off now," I denied and excused myself from them.

Why am I paying attention to her business?

★★★

I ,along with my other classmates, stood before our geography teacher with my hands behind my back and straightened posture. He called us in his office to discuss something very important and urgent with us.

"Our freshman students are going to receive their first assignments. So, I'm wondering that I'll pair them with you guys. It'll be far more beneficial and effective than accomplishing it alone. They'll get the opportunity to acquire more knowledge from you guys and you'll also get revised about your last year's course which is vital for your this term," he explained the whole thing while going through some sort of document.

"Moreover, your social skill will enhance. For your information, you'll be bestowed with grades for this which will be added to your finals. But don't worry, you can choose your partner yourself after looking at their records. Do you agree with me?" he asked.

"Yes sir," we all nodded. He handed each of us their records and we trailed behind him to the freshman's class. I walked while rigorously scrutinizing the records. I'd have to choose a smart partner for the sake of my grades.

The once noisy room went silent just after we entered. Everyone wore a confused expression after spotting the bunch of sophomore students. The professor cleared his throat and began to trail off ,"I know everyone is surprised to see your seniors here. But they're here for a specific reason. You're going............."

He continued his speech while my eyes were wandering around the class. A girl caught my eyes, her head rested on the desk sitting in a corner away from everyone. Though I couldn't see her face, but the number of times I saw her today made me recognized her almost instantly.

This dumbass can't even concentrate in her class.

Rather giving attention to her classes, she was lost in her dreamland. What did she say me? 'It's my first day and I don't want to be late.'
Now, who was dozing off amidst the class on her first day?

One by one everyone started to select their partners, obviously each one of them picking the smartest one.

Soon, most of the seniors picked out their, leaving behind only two students.
And two seniors left; me and the other one a girl.

I stepped forward as it was my turn. My eyes were moving to and fro between the one who was by far in depths of slumber and the latter with round spectacles who was nervously fidgeting with his fingers.

I went through both of their records and the boy's record was more or less better than that of Taehee. Yet it seemed so hard to move my leg and walk to him.

My brain was telling me to choose the boy, even so a section of me didn't want that.
Apparently, my benefit was in going for the boy. Still, I was wavering.

I inhaled a deep breath before making a firm decision.

I took long strides towards the desk in the last row. After reaching upon there, I slapped the person's back of the head.

"Owww," she winced at the sudden smack and let out a whimper. She rubbed her eyes to wipe off her sleep and effaced her drool. She lifted off her head from the desk, followed by her yell,"Yah! Why did you hit me?"

She literally has no idea what is going around her. God! I'm already regretting for choosing her.

I maintained a straight face," You're my assignment partner. Meet me at my house around 5 pm."

Saying this, I scurried my way out of the room with her tagging behind me.

"What assignment?" she peeked her head from behind.

"Keep sleeping during the class and you'll get to know everything," I spoke in a scornful way.

"Hey, I didn't get to sleep yesterday,so I was feeling sleepy today," she held the stripes of her back firmly and took large steps to catch up on me.

"Oh, really? You didn't sleep yesterday night, even after you were late today. Poor you," I rolled my eyes and mocked her.

She shook her head and moved her hands here and there in the air while trying her utmost to explain me her circumstance,"I was late because I fell asleep by the time when it was nearly dawn and so I woke up late."

"Whatever, it's not my concern. Just come to my house at the time. No early, no late," I reminded her in a warning way.

"No, I won't come. You come to my house. It'll be better," she flashed her silly grin and stopped at the bus stop.

"I'm fine with anything. I just need to complete my assignment as soon as possible," I looked away.

"Uh no dear. It's 'OUR' " she corrected me in English while twisting her tongue in every possible directions around her buccal cavity.

Her acts again compelled me to shook my head at her.

<<EVENING TIME>>

I gathered the required stuffs for the assignment and took a last glance at the clock. I nodded in contentment for being on time. I then headed to her apartment.

After taking exactly two steps and arrived at her house. Wasn't it very easy?

I knocked for a few times just to receive nothing in response. I again knocked, this time more loudly so that she could hear. Yet it was silent.

Thinking that she might be in the bathroom, I decided to wait for a few more minutes.
And guess what? I didn't have her phone number.

I kept tapering my foot on the ground, my patience level was going to explode anytime soon. Waiting wasn't in my list. I always nurtured a dislike to leisurely people.

What was taking her so long just to open the freaking door? I exhaled, now it was out of control. I had waited enough.

I banged my fist on the door, making an enormous loud thud. To my surprise, the door was already unlocked. I slowly pushed it and peeked inside.

The lights of the living hall were on, eliminating darkness.
With much hesitation, I set my foot inside the apartment.

"Taehee?" I called out her name from the living hall. Silence was what I received in return. What kind of careless girl was she?
After calling over someone to her house, here she wasn't even in her house that too leaving it unlocked.
What kind of careless girl was she?

After calling her name for couple of times, I gave up and decided to return home.
Her ignorance really annoyed me to the extent.

When I turned around to leave, I heard some noises from the distant.
I snapped my towards the source of sound which was coming from the corridor I assumed. The corridor was at the end of living hall.

Should I go there or not?
No,no, it wouldn't be appropriate to invade someone else's privacy. I shouldn't meddle in other's business.

But what if there was an trespasser or even worst a robber? What if he had kept Taehee tied? That could be really dangerous.

I didn't really like the girl. But that didn't imply that I would purposefully let her get harmed.

I couldn't let something illegal or harmful happening here. Furthermore, I had already entered her apartment, it wouldn't harm to go further inside right?

I'm a man of righteous.

Agreeing on the latter proposal which appeared more sensible to me, I trudged up to the corridor with my bag as a weapon. I was well aware that this 'weapon' wouldn't be much of a use.
But at least something was far better than nothing.

Don't worry, Taehee. I've come for your rescue.

꧁༺_____________________༻꧂

ℍ𝕠𝕡𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕖𝕟𝕛𝕠𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣. 𝕋𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕧𝕠𝕥𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣. 𝕀 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕀'𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕖𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕥𝕠 𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦.

ℙ𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕕𝕣𝕠𝕡 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨𝕤.