do you guys like gifs bc look at the one i added i wanna combust omg okay chapt 22 leggo :)
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"Thanks for coming everyone!" Mina bowed and led her guests as they left her house.

I sat quietly on the couch by myself, watching people leave one by one. I checked the time and it was already 11pm. Just then, I received a text on my phone.

'I'll leave first, see you in the car.' --Taehyung

I smiled, looking up and saw Taehyung heading towards the door. Before he exited, he winked while smirking at me.

Kim Taehyung, that was unnecessary.

I looked elsewhere, smiling so hard to myself that my cheekbones were starting to hurt.

Five minutes since Taehyung left, I went to approach Mina. "Hey Mina," I called her and she turned to face me, "Thanks for having me tonight, I'm leaving now."

"Aww can't you stay longer?" She asked, tugging my arm, "It's dangerous for you to make your way home alone too. I don't mind you staying overnight."

Pfft, I'm not going home alone, silly.

"I'll be fine, thanks again," I said and pulled her in for a hug. She hugged me back tighter and swayed me gently from left to right.

She finally released me, "I should thank you instead for coming. And that pepero game with Taehyung, you two sure still have great chemistry with each other. Besides, you both are single. Why not you just date him, again?" She asked, and I gulped.

"Me and Taehyung - we're just a history. We're only friends now, alright," I said to her as calmly as possible, although a drip of sweat was threatening to fall from my forehead.

"Righhtt..." She smirked, "Be safe. Call me if anything happens, hope to see you again. Annyeong!"

I smiled, waving to her goodbye, "Annyeong!"

I made my way out of the house and hastened my steps to get to the car.

My heart was already beating fast the moment I saw Taehyung in the vehicle, starting the engine. The headlights were on, and they were shining brightly at me. I looked down as I walked closer to the car, trying my best to hold my smile as I was still replaying that whole pepero game with him. Darn it Taehyung, what have you done to me.

I climbed into the car, keeping myself cool as I slammed the door close. I could already feel the awkward atmosphere between us. Taehyung tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, suddenly turning to look at me.

Hyejin, stay cool. Pretend you don't notice him.

I looked out of the window, although my heart was insanely beating fast for god knows why. Through the reflection on the window, I could clearly see his eyes were still on me. I waited for him to say something.

Only the tapping of his fingers on the steering wheel was heard.

"Uhm, aren't you driving?" I finally broke the silence.

He twisted his head back infront. "Yeah, I'm just warming up the car for a bit," he cleared his throat, "Wanna go get ice cream before we get home?"

I turned to him, nodding. I was a little disappointed though, he wasn't looking back at me then.

I stared down at my fingers, distracting myself so that I could stop being so anxious around him.

Taehyung finally started driving off, without saying anything. He was probably thinking about the same thing as I was - the pepero game.

The traffic light turned red, and the car came to a halt. I twirled the ends of my hair as I desperately tried to think of a topic to talk to him about. The silence was killing me.

"Uh, what ice cream flavour do you like?" I asked the most random question I could ever think of.

He slightly chuckled, somehow charmingly, before looking at me. "Vanilla," he answered. I slowly twisted my head to look back at him, and my heart skipped a beat when our eyes met. I became completely frozen, like I'm hypnotised by his beautiful eyes.

"I like vanilla too," I replied, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Good," he said, "Then we're compatible."

He bit his lower lip, then turned back his head to the road in front when the traffic light turned green.

He only said we're compatible, but I couldn't help myself from smiling so wide like a creep.

I felt so weird. Usually, Taehyung and I would be teasing each other, or bickering, but we've changed so much. It's like we're comfortable with each other.

Or is it just me?

Trying to keep a conversation going on between us was a big failure for me, so I just kept quiet for the whole car ride to the provision shop. Taehyung parked the car swiftly, somewhere near the shop, then he turned off the engine before pulling out the key.

We both went out of the car. I turned to look at Taehyung, then I realised he wasn't heading to the shop, he was just resting his back against the car, checking his phone.

"Aren't we getting ice cream?" I asked him, puzzled.

"Yeah, you go get it and you pay. I'll just wait here."

Anddd he's back.

All the anxious feelings and nervousness disappeared in just a second. I rolled my eyes at him, heading into the provision shop. Luckily I brought my wallet along, and I purchased two vanilla ice cream cones. I came out of the shop and Taehyung was still resting his back against the car, in the same position as before.

I walked towards him. "Here's your ice cream, your highness," I teased, handing the ice cream cone to him.

He broke into his signature rectangular smile, "Great, now I order you to carry me all the way to the park."

I smacked his chest, "Yah! Cut the act already. I'm too tired to be carrying you all the way there."

He chuckled, peeling the wrapper of the ice cream, "Then should I piggyback you instead?"

"Of course," I replied, licking my ice cream. Taehyung turned around, his back facing me. He slightly bent down so that I could reach his height, and I finally jumped onto his back. "Are you okay? Am I too heavy?"

"You weigh like a cow," he answered.

I smudged some of my ice cream on his face. "Woops, sorry," I tittered.

"Yah, Lee Hyejin. Watch out after I put you down," he warned me, and I laughed before wrapping my arms around him. I took the opportunity to inhale his sexy cologne. Damn, it sure smelled so good.

He carried me all the way to the park, not very far from the provision shop.

"You can put me down now," I said to him when he stopped infront of a bench. He cautiously put me down, then turned to face me. I broke into fits of laughter when I saw his face that was smudged with vanilla ice cream. "You're a mess," I said, using my thumb to wipe off the ice cream on his cheek.

Just then, I saw him staring down at me, not even blinking, before looking elsewhere. I realised what I was doing, then quickly put my hand down and looked away too. I took a seat on the bench, and combed my fringe to the back of my ear. The anxiousness was returning.

Taehyung sat beside me, licking his ice cream. "Do you like pepero?" He suddenly asked and I choked on my ice cream before coughing continuously.

"W-Why are you asking me that?" I questioned him.

"The game earlier," he spoke, and my toes immediately curled up, wishing he could cut the topic because it was embarrassing me, "You're lucky that I was chosen to do it with you. What if you're told to do the pepero game with some other random guy, or the guy who spiked your drink, huh?"

I didn't even realise my ice cream was melting in my hand.

"Well..." I wasn't sure how to respond.

"I didn't wanna do it initially," he blatantly said, still licking his ice cream.

I glared at him, "Then why did you stepped out to do it with me in the first place, huh?"

He scoffed. "To save your damn butt, idiot. Would you rather play the game with me, or play it with another guy?" He looked intently into my eyes, waiting for an answer.

My mind got blank for awhile, and I gulped, looking away.

"Answer me, you punk," he pestered, pressurising me.

I cleared my throat, why is he asking me such a question?

Of course, it would be a disaster for me to be playing such an affectionate game with someone else. And of course, it would be crazy of me to be enjoying too much, playing the pepero game, with Taehyung.

I finally sighed. "With you," I replied softly.

I blushed and stood up from my seat, walking towards the bin to throw my ice cream that already melted. My hand was all sticky, but I couldn't care much because I wanted to take back whatever I just said a second ago.

He was muted for awhile, then he laughed at me, "You're like, so, so, so into me."

How'd you know?

I turned to him, furrowing my eyebrows, "Yah, I told you I don't and I will never have any weird feelings towards you. I'm even wearing the ring."

"Yeaaah, whatever, let's go home," he said, eating the last bit of the cone. He stood up and walked before me, and I was following after him from behind, secretly cussing myself for being weak that night. I'm not supposed to be easily shaken up by his small gestures, but I couldn't help myself - infact I couldn't even peel my eyes off his muscular back as I watched him walk before me.

Hyejin, stop.

After walking for a few distance, Taehyung and I reached the car. We climbed into the vehicle and Taehyung turned the engine into ignition. He drove off, heading home.

"Taehyung?" I suddenly called him.

"Hmm?" He responded.

"Thank you," I blurted out after mustering up much courage.

"For what?"

"I don't know. Well, you warned me about my clothings, you saved me from the guy who spiked my drink, you saved me from doing the pepero game with anyone else. I just, uh, wanna thank you for all of that," I said, sincerely.

He slightly chuckled, "You're so cheesy."

"I'm being nice," I input.

"Yeah, and the word 'nice' doesn't exist in Hyejin's dictionary," Taehyung hissed at me. We finally reached home, and he parked the car infront of the house.

I rolled my eyes humorously. "Right, say that to yourself," I bit back, getting out of the car.

I went into the house and flicked the lights on. Before Taehyung did, I quickly ran upstairs, heading into my room and locked the door. I threw myself onto the bed, hugging my pillow tight whilst unknowingly smiling to myself.

I'm so done for, I think I'm falling for him.

***

I woke up the next morning, squinting at the bright sunlight shining into my eyes. I forgot to draw the blinds, and I was still in my grey sweater and black jeans.

I sat up, stretching and yawning. I looked at the clock by my bed, and my eyes widened in shock to see that I only had 40 minutes before my work shift starts.

I jumped off my bed, puzzled at why Taehyung didn't wake me up to tie his tie or something, but then I realised the door to my room was locked the whole time. I smacked my own forehead.

I hope his tie isn't a mess.

I quickly went for a quick shower before pulling out something comfortable for me to wear to work from my closet. I grabbed whatever necessary with me and with the little time I had left, I rushed down, heading out of the house. I went onto my bicycle and as usual, I cycled all the way to work.

"Morning, Hyejin," Jinyoung greeted me the moment I stepped into the cafe. She's always early and ready.

"Morning, Jinyoung unnie," I greeted her back, quickly putting on my apron as I walked to the counter.

"Hyejin ah, someone left flowers for you today," Jinyoung said to me, and my eyes slightly widened. She pointed to a bouquet of flowers on one of the tables, "It's over there."

I looked at it, puzzled, "Who gave it?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. He left minutes ago."

I slowly made my way, walking towards the bouquet of flowers. I picked up, inhaling the sweet scent of the fresh flowers. A card fell out of it, and I quickly bent down to pick it up, reading it ;

'Dear Hyejin...'