"ALL THINGS TRULY WICKED START FROM
INNOCENCE"
- Ernest Hemingway

MI-YOUNG PARK WAS FORGETFUL.

Ah shit, did I leave my pencil case at home?

She glanced at the boy seated behind her and his array of pencils and pens neatly laid out on his desk.

Damn, why he got so many?

"Excuse me, but do you care to share the wealth?"

The boy whipped his head up to face Mi-young dumbfounded.

"Huh?"

She glanced at the writing utensils spread out on his desk before looking back at him.

"O-oh, do you need a pencil?"

"Yes, please."

The boy quickly scrambled to get a pencil for her.

"Thanks!"

She smiled at the boy before quickly turning around to face front again.

And the boy couldn't help but feel giddy inside by just a simple interaction.

~•~

She trailed her hands through her hair, entwining her finger through her onyx locks of hair, reflecting the faintest light with each curve of the purest ink strands.

He couldn't focus.

Sitting behind her was too distracting for Jungkook.

Every now and then, Mi-young would run her fingers through her hair in attempts to move the long strands out of her face.

And every time she did that, Jungkook couldn't help but lean closer and closer to her.

She smells like strawberries.

He was about to tap her on the shoulder in hopes to start a conversation, but then the bell rang, dismissing class.

Ah shit.

Mi-young was about to run out until she realized she still had his pencil.

"Oops, I almost forgot! Here's your pencil, thanks again!"

Before Jungkook could say another word, she ran off.

He glanced at the pencil on the desk and smiled.

Picking up the pencil, Jungkook only had one thing on his mind.

She smells like strawberries.

~•~

She placed the crimson, scarlet fruit in her mouth and chewed.

The sweetness enveloped her tongue sending rays of contentment down her throat.

"Want one?"

The boy crinkled his nose.

"Ew, how can you like strawberries?"

"Ew, how can you not?"

"Strawberries are too sweet for me."

"Taehyung, everything is too sweet for you."

Whilst Taehyung and Mi-young were bickering, Jimin plopped himself down next to Taehyung at the lunch table.

"Chim! Look, mom packed me strawberries, our favorite! You want some?"

Before Jimin could respond, Taehyung interrupted.

"Aw, how cute. Your mommy still packs you lunch?"

His teasing demeanor only made Mi-young want to smack him across the face with a chair.

"Anyway, Jimin would you like some strawberries? They're really sweet!"

"Ew, how can you like strawberries?"

Mi-young cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"But you love strawberries."

"Nah, strawberries are nasty and they always get mushy."

Mi-young pouted.

"I want my strawberry-loving Chimchim back!"

Taehyung rolled his eyes.

"Geez, stop whining."

"Butt out, Taehyung!"

Jimin's eyes lit up.

"Hey, don't tell Taehyung to butt out!"

"Hey! Whose side are you on? Your sister or your twat of a friend?"

Jimin paused.

"Oh. I see how it is. Well then if you'll excuse me, I'll be taking my strawberries somewhere they can be appreciated."

Jimin hesitated. He wanted to stop her from leaving, but he didn't.

Instead, he stayed silent and continued to eat his lunch with Taehyung, while she walked away.

~•~

Just do it, Jungkook, just do it! She's right there!

Jungkook was holding his tray and was about to go to his usual spot on the bench outside of school when he saw Mi-young there instead.

He nervously nibbled on his bottom lip and looked around to see if anyone else was around.

No one's here to stop you, so just do it!

He huffed out a breath and slowly started walking towards her.

Mi-young noticed a shadow behind her whilst she was eating her strawberries, so she quickly turned around with bright eyes.

She was expecting Taehyung or Jimin to come back for her, but was surprised when she saw Jungkook instead.

Jungkook's eyes widened and his lips parted in shock from her sudden movement.

C'mon Jeon, say something.

"H-hi."

"Hi."

"Erm, sorry it's just that I usually sit here, a-and so I was wondering if, um, it's okay if I sit here with you?"

"Sure."

Mi-young turned back around and resumed eating, while Jungkook slowly took a seat beside to her.

Every now and then he would glance at her, wondering if he was really sitting so close to the girl of his dreams.

Just the two of them.

Jungkook tried to think of ways to start a conversation.

She smells like strawberries.

"You smell like strawberries."

Mi-young turned her head towards Jungkook with a confused look on her face.

"Pardon?"

"Oh, erm, I notice you're eating strawberries?"

Nice save, bro.

"Oh yeah, I love strawberries they're my favorite."

"I love strawberries too! They're my favorite too! They're amazing!"

Mi-young smiled at how cute the boy was acting.

"Would you like one?"

Jungkook bit his bottom lip and nodded his head quickly.

"Thank you. I don't know if you, uh, if you remember me but—"

"Of course I remember you. You're the boy who lent me a pencil earlier, right?"

She remembers me! That's always a good first step!

"Yeah! I also helped you find your way to class on the first day of school!"

"Ohhh, yeah! You're also the one that follows me and my brother home, right?"

Jungkook was speechless.

Think fast, Jeon!

"Erm, well I, uh, t-that's actually the same route I take to walk home anyway. S-so, uh, like no? I-I mean, n-no."

"No?"

"No! I mean, no. I wasn't following you home?"

"Um, ok?"

"Ok."

Nice save, bro.

Jungkook mentally cursed himself for being so awkward around the girl.

The remaining lunch period was spent in silence.

But Jungkook didn't mind the silence.

He enjoyed the beauty of nature with the sun rays falling like blankets of white upon the greenery with the browning leaves so papery and delicate.

He enjoyed the air surrounding him, so crisp, so gentle, and so tepid with the sweet melody of the birds chirping.

But most of all, he enjoyed the company of Mi-young.

Eyes slightly darting to his side to take quick glances at the beauty next to him, he smiled.

Slighting humming to herself whilst eating the sweet fruit, she looked around admiring the falling leaves.

Innocence radiating off from the ethereal beauty.

She smells like strawberries.

Strawberries, sacred to the Virgin Mary herself, symbolizing the great spiritual purity, righteousness, and perfect nobility of spirit.

She smells like strawberries.

Her twinkling eyes looking down at her lap, cheeks slightly pink with a healthy glow, rosy shining plump lips forming a slight pout at her empty bowl when she realized she finished all of her strawberries.

She smells like strawberries.

Jungkook internally freaked out at how cute and innocent she looked.

Biting his bottom lip, a rosy-hue kissed his skin as he looked down at his lap.

She smells like strawberries.

~•~

A/N: OH HELLO! ITS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I LAST UPDATED IM SORRY! I've been so busy this week and I'll only get busier because now my exams are coming soon :// And oof this is probably my least favorite chapter that I've written, sorry!

Also some of y'all already know but I had this huge theology research project I had to do and know really well for this huge presentation, so I remembered some stuff about the Virgin Mary and strawberries and thought I would just throw it in. I mean I didn't study all that for nothing, so I'm putting it to good use (?)! Hurray! Let's count the number of times I've said that Mi-young smelled like strawberries lmao. Anyway, I hope you are all having a great week and that you're taking care of yourselves❤️ I love you :)

aND THANK YOU FOR 5K DHSKJFJSJS I CRY. THANK YOU THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU❤️❤️