"Hey JiAh! How are you?" Taehyung greeted her with a politeness that felt… unreal. Like a movie star delivering a line.
She could have stood there all day, just watching him. He was ridiculous. A Greek god, she thought, except instead of wings, he needed a spotlight. The world would fall to its knees.
JiAh froze. She felt like a statue, trapped in Chi Sun's disaster plan. He was *here*, standing right in front of her. Her heart hammered. She was probably already flushed crimson.
"JiAh? Are you okay? JiAh?"
"Oh! Uhm… Sorry! I’m good. How are *you*, Taehyung?" The sound of his name on her tongue felt like a short circuit. Blood surged in her veins, making her skin burn.
"I’m good," he said, and then that *smile*. The one that could launch a thousand ships. "You wanted to say something?"
"Yeah… I just… I wanted to tell you… That… I think I…" She stammered, her internal tape recorder stuck on repeat.
"Come *on*, JiAh, just say it. You can do it. Tell him you like him," Chi Sun whispered under her breath, her voice tight with impatience.
JiAh finally forced the courage to speak. “Taehyung-ah! I like…”
“You like…?” The suspense was killing her. Was he really expecting this?
“I like… to borrow your notes from the last assignment.”
She blurted it out loud enough for everyone to hear. The entire world turned to stare.
“Please?” She managed, the words a strangled whisper.
Chi Sun smacked her forehead. “You absolute idiot.”
“Oh! Uhm, okay. I’ll give them to you tomorrow.” Taehyung seemed… slightly bewildered by her reaction.
“Thank you, Tae.” She spoke in a flat tone, her voice a monotone.
JiAh’s face fell. She’d botched it. She just looked down at her feet and turned to rejoin the others, refusing to meet his gaze.
She could feel Chi Sun’s ‘you hopeless mess’ glare boring into her back. She avoided eye contact.
*Maybe I really am going to be alone for the rest of my life.* She wanted to disappear. An earthquake. Cockroaches. Just… anything. *What a drag.*
“JiAh.” Every time his deep voice said her name, her skin prickled.
She turned around, clueless.
Was he going to refuse? Would he regret helping her? She’d blurted out nonsense in front of him. Her chances were already zero. Now they were… negative.
“Do you like me?” He asked, his gaze unwavering, as if he was certain she’d say yes.
For a moment, the world stopped. Everyone stared. Taehyung and JiAh were suddenly the center of attention. Everyone was desperate for an answer. It was a Kdrama scene.
JiAh was dumbfounded. She didn’t know what to do.
Had he actually said that? What was she supposed to do? Was she that predictable?
*JiAh… you are so screwed.*
She couldn’t read his expression. Was he angry? Was he going to yell at her? Or worse, tell her to fuck off and never show her face again?
*Oh god, what to do?* Everyone was watching. Should she pretend to faint? No. She was a terrible actress. Should she just lie down in front of a bus? Would it hurt much? Why couldn’t the school have poison so she could have a peaceful death? She should just run away. Could she outrun his words of honor? Where would she go? Pack her bags, leave the country, change her name to Oli London?
*Why is my life such a mess?* It was so embarrassing. She wished for a zombie apocalypse.
“JiAh…”
“Aani! I don’t like you,” she blurted out.
*Fuck you, bitch. You should die in hell.* This was her last chance.
Taehyung blinked, then smirked. He moved closer, and she saw her reflection in his eyes.
“Can I buy you dinner then?” he asked.
“What?” She couldn’t believe she’d heard that. Was this real? It felt like a dream.
“After the trip is over, if you’re free, we can have dinner together. We can also help each other with the upcoming project.”
“Okay.” She managed, her eyes wide, hyperventilating. She was afraid she’d start babbling nonsense.
“Great then! See you around.” He smiled again and turned back towards the bus.
Everyone, including JiAh, was shocked. Taehyung had never shown interest in any girl before. This was… unprecedented.
“OMG! OMG! OMG! He asked you out!” Chi Sun grabbed JiAh’s arm, practically vibrating with excitement. “You finally have a date!”
“Come on, kids, it’s time to go. Take your seats on the bus. We’ll depart in five minutes.” Mr. Nam called out.
“Let’s go, we’ll talk on the bus,” Chi Sun dragged JiAh to the back of the bus. They took the last seats. JiAh noticed Taehyung sitting up front with Jessie, turning back to give her a smile. JiAh smiled back, and the bus started moving.
“I can’t believe he asked you out. You’re so lucky, JiAh,” Chi Sun gushed. “I think he’s going to propose! Don’t say yes right away, or you’ll be taken for granted. Play hard to get. OMG, you’ll have a boyfriend! And I’ll be your bridesmaid!” She giggled.
“Chi Sun-ah!” JiAh interrupted. “I feel like I’m going to be sick. I’m going to sleep for a while. Wake me up when we get there.”
“Oh, okay. Are you alright? Just tell me if you need anything. I’m right here.”
JiAh nodded and rested her head against the window. She got what she wanted, but she still felt uneasy. Like there was a knot in her stomach. She couldn’t figure out what was wrong. She wasn’t ready for this.
*Why am I not happy?* Was she scared of losing him? She’d liked him for so long, enjoyed being a secret admirer. She’d never thought about what would happen if they actually ended up together.
What was this feeling? Why was it so complicated? She wished for a simpler life. He was too good for her.
She felt sleepy. She just needed an escape.
She closed her eyes, resting her head against the window. A few minutes later, she drifted off. A short escape from reality.