For the whole week, Taehyung has been trying to pull me out of school. Everyday I would receive a 'going home' slip or a call from the head office saying a family member wants to pick me up, but I knew it was him. He would text me beforehand which would ruin the surprise every time.

I would have loved to have spent the day with him, to excuse myself from the long and uninteresting lectures. I needed to stay in school though, otherwise that golden title of class pupil would rust into a bronze. My reputation was something I needed, so that each teacher would be happy to get me and that my application for colleges would shine out brighter than others.

Taehyung would sometimes even come to class, but refuse to write down the notes. Instead, the occasional crushed ball of paper would hit my back or my phone would vibrate in my school jacket. I wouldn't answer him until after class which would just be him tempting me with his insane ideas or attempts of what I presumed were flirting techniques.

Also, the cut I received while skateboarding with him had become less noticeable. Jimin was very pushy about what had happened. I didn't tell him I skipped school to be with Taehyung, so I made a terrible excuse of how I slipped on the concrete while exiting the school, which he thankfully bought. If he knew Taehyung was a part of how I got my wound, he would hassle him until he felt the need to start a fight.

Today though was a sunny Saturday, baby blue skies and cotton candy clouds was the mural God painted for me today. I knew it was a matter of time before Taehyung showed up at the door, wanting to hang out with both Jimin and me or just myself.

I sat on the plush, velvet sofa, a bowl of buttery popcorn in my lap as my hands clasped onto a steaming mug of tea, the herbs' smell rising into my nose and making me sigh contentedly. I was enjoying the peace and quiet that was in the large house once again. I missed it so much after going out with Taehyung and trying something I wouldn't have naturally done. 

While I was cuddling into the sofa, Jimin was proabaly getting ready to go out. All week he's been spazzing over some girl he met at a coffee shop downtown and no doubt he was going there soon. He wouldn't stop blabbering on about her which I didn't mind since I loved seeing him happy, but the guys on the other hand had to hit him to shut him up.

"Ona!" I turned my head to see Jimin rushing down the stairs; dyed copper hair parted slightly in the middle, his loose white shirt halfway stuck into his ripped blue jeans. He was a mess, but in a funny way.

"Ne?" I cocked my head to the side as he strolled up to me, breathing as if he had run a 50 mile marathon.

"Where's that silver locket you used to wear?" He asked. What on earth would he need that for? I'm used to Jimin asking stupid, silly questions, but sometimes he has this way of throwing me off every once in a while.

"Why? It won't suit you." I chuckled as he rolled his dark eyes at me.

"No, it's a gift for someone." He simply said, as if giving away something of mine wasn't a big deal.

"What?!" I moved the popcorn off me and put down the warm mug to cross my arms over my chest. This pabo. "You can't just give someone something that belongs to me! Go buy something if you're that desperate!"

"You never argue with me." Jimin raised his eyebrows at me.

"Well, you never decide to give my stuff to people before. We're learning more about each other today." I snorted as I grabbed a handful of popcorn and placing each one into my mouth one by one.

"Okay, can you tell me where you got it exactly then?" Jimin asked. I watched him as his hands ruffled his bright hair, making it look like blood orange waves were crashing on his head.

"The mall. I can't remember exactly, but I can help you." I smiled and a sigh of relief came from him. Always willing to help my brother.

"Thank you, Ona," He flopped down on the couch to deliver me a bear hug, causing me to be thrown back against the couch. "You're the best sister."

"Wow, you must be in love with her then." I laughed as I patted his back while trying to remove myself from his death-like grip.

"I just want to impress her." He shrugged once he let go of me. In his eyes I could tell that whenever she was mentioned, a shimmer of happiness entered and his face brightened; lips turned in a shy smile and eyebrows raised with excitement.  With the way he's acting I can see a rushed wedding in his future.

Jimin rarely gets into girls that often; the ones he dates are just fillers because he feels like he needs someone to care about besides myself. Seeing him like this makes me happy and its only happened once before, but the ending of that story didn't go so well.

"I'll call the guys to come too." He added, snatching out his phone from his pocket and immediately dialing one of them.

"Today?" I groaned, falling back against the soft cushions and wanting to cling to them for life before giving up today's relaxing afternoon.

"Why not?" He had his phone raised to his ear.

"Because I want to lay here and bask in the warmth provided to me from this couch which you are ruining." I pushed him over with my foot, sprawling out until I took up most of the couch.

"You've been here all week. It's the weekend so we should go do something. Yah, Jungkook!" Jimin yelled into the phone, causing me to grab one of the threaded pillows under my head and groaning into it. "Get the guys ready. It's an emergency."

______________________

"Jimin looks like he's on a mission for the most powerful thing in the whole world." Jungkook said as Jimin led us through the mall, feet quickly paced and almost as if he's in a baby jog.

Along with us was Sky, her silvery midnight hair was pulled into a high ponytail, showing off the small gauges in her ear and electric blue headphones around her neck, rap music filling the atmosphere around us. I started to like her more on the drive here, she was so cheery and always kept the mood fun which I enjoyed a lot. The guys also enjoyed her company a lot, Namjoon and Hoseok the most. She would always try to beat them with small rap battles, cheering a little when Namjoon would get his words mixed up. It was adorable to watch.

"Jimin if you don't slow down I'm going to hit you with my shoe." Taehyung taunted my brother. I giggled from his remark since Jimin actually slowed down, not even taking mind that Taehyung didn't call him Hyung like usual.

"He's in the zone," I shrugged. "He wants to impress that girl." We walked past shops filled with colorful clothes, each having a price tag that was either too expensive or sadly priced. I never had the urge to walk through the mall, but I did like looking at everything that I wished I had. I made small notes of the things I wanted; shoes that were comfortable looking and some shirts that were flowy, ending mid-thigh.

"It's not that hard," Taehyung chuckled as he slipped an arm unconsciously, I think, around me. I could feel the heat that radiated off him through my large, beige sweater, making me want to embrace the warmth but my mind reeling away the idea. The leather jacket he had worn before was on him, the same sandalwood fragrance sprinkled on. "He's just making it that way."

"Well, I think it's cute." I smiled as I watched my brother scurry around trying to find the same jewelry store I had went to many years ago. The problem is, I highly doubt they had the same one. My father had bought it for me for my fourteenth birthday, so there couldn't be an exact replica.

"And annoying." Yoongi muttered from my left, once again blurring out the world with loud hiphop, but leaving one side open so he could hear.

"I bet you, once he gives it to her, she's going to still turn him down." Taehyung laughed, causing me to roll my eyes.

"And you've never been turned down?" I looked up at him. His dark hair was lightly covering his eyes, obsidian. His carnation colored lips were turned into a smirk, as if he knew all the secrets the world was trying to hide.

"Not once." He turned his head, to look down at me and might I say the distance between us was limited to the size of half a pepero stick. I could already feel the rising blush crawl up my pale face and no matter how much I wanted to bring it down, it wouldn't.

"And why's that?" We were still walking, the boys and Sky probably too involved with their own conversations to see Taehyung lean closer, causing that pepero length to grow shorter.

"Because I would look at them like this," He tilted his head slightly, his eyes moving from my own chocolate brown ones to my lips, then back. I could feel his warm breath caressing my chin, the smell of peppermint hitting my senses. "Pull them closer," His arm that was around me tightened. I felt my feet stop as he had pulled me closer. "And lean in." His voice was a soft whisper as I saw him leaning closer, causing my heart to thump like a drum and my breath to halt. I awaited his inviting lips, my childhood self screaming at me to just give in.

But once he was mere inches away, our lips not even touching but too close to tell, he pulled back. He tried holding back a laugh, but failed as a deep chuckle left him. He removed his arm from around me and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"That usually works." He shrugged as he started off again to follow our party, leaving me breathless as I tried to gulp down air. This wasn't fair. He can't tease my younger self to come out, scream at me to lean in, and then not even acknowledge what he has done to me.

I shook my head to rid myself of any adult thoughts from surfacing. I rushed back to the group, seeing Jimin had entered a jewelry store that was shining with a bunch of different rings, bracelets, necklaces and even the diamonds that stick into a man's work tie.

"Jimin," I walked up to him, needing to talk to someone to rid myself of thoughts of Taehyung, who happened to be standing with Hoseok, watching a group of very pretty girls walk by. I wanted to roll my eyes at them ,but Jimin was already whipping out his wallet to buy something he probably wasn't sure about. "What are you doing?"

"Buying something." I watched as the jeweler behind the glass counter smiled slyly at Jimin as he pulled out a silver locket, almost like mine but looking heavier. On the sign in front of the display it read ₩4000000, making my jaw drop, almost like one of those stupid cartoon characters.

"Are you insane?! That's too much for this thing." I grabbed his arm as it was already pulling out the money. Jimin was the child of the family that liked spending. With parents as rich as ours, he thinks that spending whatever amount would just be filled back in his pocket. Me, on the other hand, I liked to save everything seeing as I knew the rich rule all too well. Yes, our parents were wealthy but that didn't mean we were.

"She's worth it though." he grinned as he moved his arm from my hands and handed the man the money, who looked a little too happy for my liking. I sighed as the jeweler started to place the necklace delicately into a ruby red box.

I turned around, too annoyed with my brother's actions, when I saw Taehyung leaning against a wall across the way with a girl in front of him. His hand was placed against the wall next to her head, his teeth indenting his bottom lip as she spoke to him. Hoseok was also talking to a girl, a little less forward, while Jungkook just stood next to him, looking at the ground to try and avoid any contact.

"What is he doing?" I sighed, but Namjoon must have heard me since he was closest. He looked to where I was staring, chuckling a bit.

"What? Jealous?" He nudged me. I saw Sky giving me a small little smile, as if she knew something I didn't. Maybe she did.

"Aniyo," I groaned and pushed him back. "I just don't think now is the time to be flirting while his friend is over here spending way too much for a little locket. Someone needs to talk sense into my brother."

Just now I heard the girl giggling, her laugh way too girly and high. She wasn't dressed too showy; a pink baby doll dress with small flats on her feet. She was pretty I'll admit and I knew I was feeling self conscious at that moment with my large sweater and black ankle boots that have been worn out.

"Why don't you go tell him that?" Sky said, her American accent slightly slipping through from the excitement I can see bubbling up in her.

"You're obviously bothered by it." Jin laughed.

"More like upset." Yoongi chimed in and for once I was considering hitting him. I have always been quiet and a follower, but push my buttons enough and I will crack.

I kept my mouth shut, knowing that if I spoke another word they would all find a way to create this into a problem I didn't want in my life. Jimin finally came over, breaking the awkward, well for me, silence as he held up the small bag that held the locket.

"She's going to look so beautiful with this on. I mean, she already is, but I can't wait to give it to her." Jimin was like a kid that had finally won a prize from the claw machine and is cherishing the little stuffed toy.

"You're more smitten with this girl than Jin is when looking at his reflection." Namjoon said, causing the older boy to pout and cross his arms.

"Why do I bother cooking for you?" We all laughed at what he said, trying to console him but he got too fed up and stayed silent.

"Taehyung, Hoseok! Stop flirting and come on. We're getting food. And stop dragging Jungkook into situations he doesn't want to be in." Namjoon grabbed Jungkook's wrist to pull him into the group to get away from the girls and the two Casanovas.

"I'll call you!" The girl called as Taehyung walked away, a prominent smile on his face as he shrewdly placed a piece of paper in his pocket, quickly running his hand into his hair to hide that fact that he got someone's number.

"Really?" Namjoon sighed, glaring down at the younger one.

"What? I can't do anything with a girl but Jimin can buy an expensive gift for someone he's met only three times?" Taehyung questioned his Hyung.

"At least I plan on talking to her more than you will with that girl." Jimin said over his shoulder, causing Sky and Jin to chuckle.

"Just get in the car before I run you over with it." Namjoon said as we approached the group's big black truck. I was usually amused by the boys' banter, but right now, I was feeling more quiet than usual. I sat in between Taehyung and Jungkook in the back as Namjoon drove with Jin as his co pilot; Sky, Jimin, Yoongi and Hoseok being crushed in the middle.

As we drove to our food destination, I watched as Taehyung played with the small scrap of paper the girl had probably given him. I saw writing but couldn't make out the number the black ink formed. He kept crumpling it and unrolling it, as if in a rhythmic way of keeping sane; something a person under stress would do.

"You okay, Noona?" I heard Jungkook ask beside me, making me turn my head to him. His large brown eyes looked at me, concern filling them and I smiled at him. Whenever I had a rough day or a thought on my mind, Jungkook always was my source for comfort besides Jimin. Even though he was younger, he seemed to know a lot.

"Just hungry." I nodded, but I could tell he didn't buy it. I didn't know why I was like this in the first place, but I didn't want to worry him any further.

Once Namjoon pulled up to a restaurant, everyone's first sentences was what they wanted to eat, except Yoongi who wasn't paying attention except to his phone. Taehyung seemed to have removed his emotionless screen and turned into someone with a happy-go-lucky smile with wide eyes.

"I can't wait to have some Dak Galbi," Taehyung sighed, as if the thought made him full already. "What about you?" I didn't even realize he was talking to me until no one answered him, making me look at him to see his eyes on me, as if penetrating my soul.

"Oh," I laughed nervously, which surprised me. "I'm not that hungry." I could feel my dongsaeng's eyes on me, but didn't look at him since I knew I would have to answer them.

"I'll share with you then so you don't have to eat much." He smiled down at me, crinkles around his eyes forming and his eye smile making crescents.

"Thanks, Taehyung." I smiled as Jin asked for a place to sit, having the waiter lead us to a booth in the back.

"Why don't you call me Oppa? You used to." He said as he sat next to me, causing me to scoot over next to Hoseok.

"Because it's kind of silly since we're only a couple of months apart." I laughed, picking up my menu to explore the thousands of drinks they had printed. The smell of cooking meat and shouts of laughter created a comforting atmosphere. I knew the boys always came here since it was the usual hangout if they were hungry. Only once have I been here with them but that was back when I was only getting to know each of them; Taehyung though I knew a little more since Jimin knew him longer than the rest.

"Well, I like it," Taehyung said, nudging me a little. "Makes me feel closer to you." His eyes scanned the overpriced list of food as if what he was saying didn't affect him. Well, it affected me. Terribly. I only called some of the group 'Oppa' because of how they acted and their roles of the group. Jin because he was the oldest, Namjoon because of his father-like attitude towards everyone, and Yoongi because he was always grumpy like an older man or wiser than any of us.  Hoseok was just Hobi to me because at one point he would make cute little noises to me which sounded like his nickname. Taehyung was only a few months older, so calling him that would just be absurd. When I was younger I did it because of the small crush I had on him, but he didn't know that was my reason.

"What's good here? I've never entered this place." Sky laughed as she was having trouble picking.

"I'll help." Namjoon smiled as he pointed at various things to her.

"What is going on with all the flirting?" Taehyung huffed, as if it bothered him.

"You're one to talk." I chuckled. The waiter came over to write down our drinks orders, smiling a little too big when talking to me and Sky. Taehyung and Namjoon's stares on him though kept him from furthering anything, causing me to silently laugh at the two boys.

"What's that mean?" Taehyung's eyes didn't leave the waiter as he walked off, as if he was the lion and the poor boy was his gazelle he would devour.

"That girl earlier," He turned back to me once the waiter left behind the kitchen doors. "You were practically on her." Also the demonstration you gave me. Was that flirting or just giving an example? I tore at the thin napkin the restaurant provided, creating small bits of white tissue to pepper the dark, wooden table top. 

"I wouldn't call that flirting," He laughed, picking up the white torn bits and blowing them off his fingertip. "It was more of digging for information."

"About what? Her phone number? Her weight?" I questioned.

"Nothing to worry about." He grinned at me, showing off his straight, white teeth. I sighed at him for being so secretive, but with Taehyung, he was always like this. Either all talkative or bound by lock and key.

"You always worry me." I rolled my eyes at him, done destroying the white paper as I started to play with my fingers, finding the prints more interesting than the way his eyes watched me. Truthfully, I didn't like what they did to me. After the day on the beach, I've been feeling strange, not knowing whether or not to trust myself around him.

"Really?" His deep voice asked and I gulped.

Just then the slam of drinks arriving brought me back to reality and I smiled at the waiter, thanking him. I took a long sip from my fruity drink, relishing in the sweet yet sour flavor of the toxic blue liquid.

"Are you ready to order?" The man's eyes lingered on mine and I could feel a blush appear on my face. Not as strong as the one that blooms when Taehyung speaks, but enough to make his smile widen.

A snap of fingers in front of his face made both of us blink and I realized Taehyung had tried to snatch away the man's attention.

"We're sharing Dak Galbi, so write that down." Taehyung ordered, rather rudely but I didn't speak since I didn't want to add anything to it. I looked down at my hands, avoiding anyone's gaze at that point.

Everyone else ordered, more polite than Taehyung. I didn't want to question Taehyung, but my thoughts were eating away at me. Why can't he just be normal for once?

"I can't wait to give this to her." I heard Jimin say across from me. He had brought the bag that held the silver locket with him, as if he was afraid it would be stolen.

"Did you have to bring it in?" Jin asked, handing out chopsticks to everyone and passing more napkins my way since I had practically torn mine up.

"It's precious." Jimin pouted, almost hugging it.

"Guys, it's cute. Shouldn't you be happy that he's doing something like this?" Sky asked everyone as she placed the chopsticks in her hand, automatically placing her fingers in the right position.

"What if she doesn't like it?" Taehyung jumped in, staring down Jimin.

"Then I'll find another way to win her over." Jimin grinned, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip as he most likely came up with different scenarios of making the girl his.

"I'm sure everything will go perfectly, Hyung." Jungkook patted Jimin's shoulder, making Jimin smile bigger.

"Yeah, it's a good gift," Hoseok added. "Makes me jealous." Everyone chuckled from Hoseok's jealous tone, lightening the mood after Taehyung's rude gesture to the waiter.

"Maybe one day I'll treat you this well, Hyung." Jimin nodded, clinking his glass with Hoseok's.

"I'll be waiting, but don't keep me waiting long because I'm very impatient."  The waiter soon brought our dishes, steam raising from all of them in vast plumes of dense, white smoke. Once mine and Taehyung's shared dish was placed in front of us, the waiter gave me a very shy smile, head bowing politely to me.

"Move along before I get you fired." Taehyung said without looking at him, only grabbing the chopsticks on his left and grabbing a piece of the marinated chicken, plopping it into his mouth. The waiter seemed flustered for a minute, wringing his hands in his white apron before slowly bowing and quickly disappearing.

"Taehyung, you alright?" Namjoon asked as he chewed on a steamed vegetable.

I grabbed my chopsticks, watching as Taehyung chewed thoughtfully on his chicken, staring out the clear windows in front of us, his eyes following passerbys.

"You seem off today." I told him, grabbing a stir fried piece of cabbage and placing it into my mouth.

"Just hungry." He said, shrugging and taking a bit of the rice cake off with his fingers. The two of us ate silently as the others chattered away about upcoming parties or somethings I wasn't really aware of.

I wanted to get inside Taehyung's mind and see what really made him turn from a childish, happy boy to a man that was hot-tempered and unsure. It was the many question marks in life I had to figure out.