"oh look someone has been missing mommy!"

Hershey pounced and circled around me as it wiggled it's tail in enthusiasm. I scooped it up from the floor in my arm as I cooed her. Hershey wasted no time to attack my face with it's saliva, drenching my face in process.

"Who's the daddy?"

Taehyung raised his brows at me.

"Obviously you"

I said without making eye contact with him while Hershey nuzzled me.

"What sin have I committed in my life to be your husband? I don't want to be husband of a dumbass."

His brows knitted into a straight line out of disgust.

"I was hypothetically saying, ok? You don't need to take it personally. And on your side note, who even wants to marry you?"

I agressively retrieved my belongings on the table, preparing for the study session. He didn't need to be so much disgusted at the thought of marrying me. I clearly got the message that he wasn't romantically attached to me although he hugged me or cuddled me. Apparently my crush on him grew with increase in amount of times we  cuddled and I was not at all happy with that. I was sure at the end I was gonna end up being butt hurt if I didn't stop myself soon from hanging out with him.

"God knows how you daydream about getting married to me."

My face reddened with the thought of our marriage and I wished the ground would swallow me down then and there. I didn't ask for embarrassment and here he was embarrassing me at any opportunities given.

"W-why would I do that ?! You have no idea whom I like!"

I shoot deadly glare at him only to make him smirk wider.

"Oh really? I thought I have already figured it out. Then tell me who's it?"

Taehyung approached me with a smirk wider than a cashmere cat.

"Th-That's none of your business"
I shoved the maths book on his face as I hid my face with my note book.

•
•
•

I stretched my whole body while yawning.

"Don't yawn so big. You might catch fly with your mouth."

Taehyung said while scrolling through Instagram on the bed. I sat on the carpeted floor as I scooped Hershey in my arm and started to play with it, waiting for Taehyung to ask me to do something.

"Let's have dinner."

Taehyung stood up as he headed downstairs.

"Nah I'm good. I have last night's lasagna in my fridge. If you want you can have as well."

"Mom invited you to have dinner with us."

"What? Is Aunt here? I didn't know I was invited."

Taehyung stopped his track as he looked back at me.

"Apparently she invited you yesterday but I didn't tell you."

"God, I'm not even dressed well!"
I scratched my head out of frustration while Taehyung scanned me from head to toe.

"Why do you even care? It's not like you are seeing your future in- laws."

Taehyung said as he dragged me by my wrist.

"I swear to God Taehyung,you sometimes give me desire to kill people."

I tried to yank out of his grip but he was too strong. I followed him like an animal being dragged reluctanly.

Taehyung flashed me a fake smile as his grip on me tightened. Though his grip was strong he made sure he wasn't hurting me.

The moment we were about to enter dining room his grip loosen while simultaneously he came face to face with me. He started to caress my messy hair, trying to comb my hair using his fingers.

" It doesn't matter how you dress.  Just don't utter anything which will embarrass both of us, ok?"

His voice was softener than usual and his eyes was mysterious in ways I couldn't decipher as always.

I nodded my head, not knowing how to respond but to stare at him.

When we entered the room I heard a shrill coming out of a woman who seemed like Taehyung's mother. She was beautiful woman in her early forties dressed nicely and she had short Bob haircut whereas  on her right hand side, there stood man in his late forties preparing salad. He dressed just as nicely as his wife and it was evident that Taehyung got looks from him. I can imagine myself looking at Taehyung in his forties, looking  just as dashing as his father.

After looking them dressed so nicely, I once again looked at my outfit- blue jeans and a white t-shirt that read "If You Don't have Pizza Don't Talk To Me " with a ketchup stain on it. The only thing that looked decent was my hair that Taehyung just fixed a while ago.

Taehyung's mother wiped her hands using a towel sprinting towards me.

"Hey beautiful. Nice to meet you."

She hugged me as tightly as possible,her hospitality raditing from her.

"Nice to meet you maa'm."

I tried to hug her with the same enthusiasm she hugged me.

"What's your name? Sorry Taehyung just won't tell me despite of asking him several times. The fact that he bothered to invite you on behalf of me is miracle."

"It's Haesoo. Jung Haesoo, maa'm."

"Oh please don't call me maa'm. You are making me look old. Just call me Aunt Mina. And please have a seat.

As I sat down I murmured greetings to Taehyung's father but he wasn't as friendly as aunt. He flashed me a awkward smile as if he didnt know how to interact with friend of his son.

"You have such a nice name Haesoo. I really like it."

Aunt sat down beside uncle as I sat across her and Taehyung sat beside me.

"I really like your t-shirt. You must like pizza very much. Like who doesn't like pizza?!"

Aunt said while serving dishes for everyone.

At the mention of my clothes my cheek burnt. It was quite embarrassing wearing wrong clothes to your crush's house. People say that first impression is what it counts and I have a feeling I will end up with bad impression.I wished I wore dress but it's too late.

"Actually I forgot that I was invited today."

Taehyung pinched my leg as soon as the lie got out of my mouth. I tried my hard not to wince out of pain.

"It's ok Haesoo, you don't need to lie. It's not everyday that he brings friends. No wonder he wanted to make an excuse not to invite you."

I could feel Taehyung's eyes on me but I acted as if I didn't feel like being stared at.

Now that everyone's food were served we murmured a quiet prayer than dig into it.

"So Haesoo tell me how long have you been dating Taehyung?"

I chuckled at the thought of dating us where as Taehyung was shooting his mother not-now-please look.

"No Auntie we aren't dating. We are just friends with benefits."

As soon as the words got out of my mouth Taehyung's father chocked at his food and aunt looked as if I was an alien. On the other hand Taehyung looked like he was completely done with me.

"Did I say something wrong ?"

I inquired with bewilderment.

"Mom please. I'm sure she doesn't even know the meaning of it."

Taehyung's mother rubbed her husband's back as she handed him a glass of water.

"Honey, according to you what does it mean?"

Taehyung's mother asked with concern and little bit intrigued to hear my answer.

"You mean friends with benefit?"

She nodded her vigorously  as if  she couldn't wait to hear my answer where as her husband dared not to look at me and resumed eating.

"It means friends who helps one another and benefits them."

I said meekly afraid I might have said something wrong.

"And how do you guys help each other out?"

She motioned between me and Taehyung making him bit annoyed.

"He helps me out by tutoring me for free and I help him look after his dog."

I hesitated between saying the truth about Taehyung's sleeping disorder but what if they don't know it? They wouldn't definitely want to hear it from me and Taehyung wouldn't even like if I spilled his tea. On top of that cuddle mate sounds weird and "I sleep with your son to help him sleep" also sounds wrong so I said a white lie that I looked after Hershey.

The tention between us seemed to evaporate at my explanation and the parents started to laugh like lunatics as if they haven't heard anything funnier than my answer before.

Did I add any pun? I don't remember doing that.

Taehyung's mother was slapping the table with one hand as she clutched her stomach with her another hand. On the other hand Taehyung's father was laughing so hard that it seemed his cheek might split into two. That's when I saw his boxy smile - the smile that Tae flashes rarely.

Theory confirmed. It's definitely his father's allele.

"See? I told you."

Taehyung said without any amazement but I could see that he was biting his lip to prevent himself from smiling.

"No wonder you hang out with her but no one at our place."

Taehyung's mother said after she managed to calm her down.

Now that everyone was laughing my nerve seemed to be at ease and a smile crept on my face. Though I didn't know what was funny but something about  ambivalent atmosphere made me smile.

"Did I say something wrong, auntie?"

Taehyung's father shook his head although he didn't say much.

"No sweetheart. You are completely right. I should have invited your parents as well. How silly of me. How are they anyway ?"

"Umm they desceased six months ago.

We all resumed to eat until she asked about my parents and aunt Mina had to keep her folk down. The whole room became filled with deafening silence. 

"Why do you even feel bad, you guys aren't here half of the time. I bet there's not much difference."

Taehyung said with apathy.

"Taehyung!"

Taehyung's father yelled at him, anger radiating off from both off them. At which he dropped the fork on the plate as the clink of the utensil echoed throughout the room.

"I'm done"

With that he left the room,leaving the silenced room behind him.

"I'm so sorry"

Aunt reached my hand on the table trying to soothe me with look of sympathy in her eyes.

"It's ok aunt. I'll get him."

Autho's note
I'm so sorry for the extreme late update. I'm sure someone of you might have thought I'm dead but I'm not (it's kinda true,my inside is dead). Please don't throw sandal at me for making you guys wait this long. To be honest I thought no one read this but apparently lot of you read. I will try to update soon.

Ly all 💜