Jungkook had been trying to win against Buttercup his whole life, and she always came on top no matter how much or how hard he tried. 

from early on it was established that she was indeed the final boss of his much-played video games. 

it started when they first bumped into each other in the kindergarten playground. Jungkook, who had never stepped out of the way of anyone, not even his villain Dad, found an insult when Buttercup with a mere 3 ft 5 stood her ground against him when trying to go for a round in a swing. he remembers having a broken umbrella by the end of the confrontation as well as a broken nose as he watched her triumphantly swing as high as she could. 

later that week, he got to watch her annihilate one of his Dad’s monsters all by herself while her sisters ganged up on a much smaller one. it all bundled up to make him feel she was able to stomp on his pride that easily. 

and she had never run from a fight. much like him, she seemed to run towards it. unafraid of anything. the only difference between them was that he was able to win against everyone and everything but her. 

and so it began his schism to defeat Buttercup Utuniom no matter what. 

and he tried, God knows how he tried. 

differently from their siblings, Jungkook and Buttercup had always been appointed to the same classes. at first, it was a challenge for their teachers, as Jungkook used his time solely to annoy her instead of trying to learn something. he went from declaring himself the anime expert every time he challenged her to a battle, to then wrecking his brain trying to pull up smart pranks on the girl. 

what no one prepared him for, was the fact that she knew all the anime including how to apply its techniques while fighting—something not even his brothers would do. or how she always seemed to pull even better pranks at him, like the time when she made everyone ignore Jungkook’s existence in seventh grade and he thought for a whole day something had happened and he was indeed, a ghost. 

even his best friends, Jin and Yoongi, who had been in the same class as him since they were infants, had always found Buttercup the girl—which says a lot because, at this age, their class was pretty much split up as it consisted of a majority of boys and the total of nine girls attending. all of them, except his rival, would gather around the same spot in the school every day to do whatever they did. Jungkook tried to pry one or two times before having his ass kicked by Buttercup. which only infuriated him even more since she didn’t even take part in the little girls club. 

Buttercup was always playing with the other boys in the class… including his best friends. but every time a boy dared to disturb the girls, she would come to the rescue. 

in his mind, her attitudes were always a mystery. revolting to say at least. Jungkook hated her guts, and he knew the feeling was mutual. 

but then came the end of the eighth grade.  

it was early June, the sun was high in the sky and the school grounds were emanating a heat wave from the concrete floors. it was lecture day, and all of the classes were gathered in the main pavilion as the Mayor of Townsville gave a speech. 

Jungkook, however, sneaked his way toward the interior of the smaller gymnasium, where the coolness of the shadows would freshen his skin and the lack of cameras or people would protect his peace. 

as he sneaked past the boy’s locker rooms, thinking of lying down on top of a gymnastics mat to catch on some sleep, and lazily opening the door to meet his temporary refuge, he is halted by the scene displayed in front of him. 

Buttercup snaps her head back as she catches a volleyball in her hands, eyebrows slowly furrowing as she is caught playing alone. 

“Why are–?” Jungkook attempts to ask but the ball previously in her hands is shot like a cannon toward him. He catches it swiftly, his body only jerking a bit back. And then she barks, “You shouldn’t be here.” 

He tilts his head, still puzzled. “No, you shouldn’t be here.” the volleyball comes to rest lazily between his hip and his arm, and Jungkook can’t help to notice how Buttercup crosses her arms and clenches her jaw shut. “This is my spot to hide… How come you know of it?” 

She scoffs before answering, “Well, duh–This is one of the few places in school without prying eyes… Besides, it’s hot as hell outside.” 

“And free water,” he adds, head pointing to the water cooler by the benches, eyebrows still knitted together as he eyes her. 

“And free water…” 

his tongue clicks and his head tilts slightly again. “Still, this is my spot,” Jungkook concludes, bothered by her presence. he wouldn’t lose that too to her. “You better find another place to skip the lecture today, Butterboo–”

She rolls her eyes, taking a few steps closer, “Bla bla bla–” she mocks him before getting serious again. “Don’t call me that. Ever. Besides, I arrived first so… Beat it, stinky face!” 

“You beat it, Butterbitch!” he says and it’s enough to get her fuming. her fists ball and she has to breathe hard to not fly toward his neck. “What?” he asks, provoking. “Afraid to get detention?” 

“Definitely not afraid. It’s just not worth it to have to look at your face there too,” 

“Huh,” he thinks for a second. instead of offering a reply, he rolls the volleyball back to her and starts carrying a big gym mattress out of a deposit room. “You know–” he discards the heavy thing on the floor before lying down on top of it. “It’s not much Powerpuffy of you to skip a lecture… You sure you’re made of the same thing as your sisters?”

Buttercup hits the ball hard against the wall, “Tsk–You too?!” she hits it again with more force as it bumps back toward her. 

“Wait.” Jungkook’s upper body jerks up and he sits, staring inquiring at her side profile. “Is that why you’re skipping it?! Because of those–” 

“No.” she interrupts him and her cheeks flush. “Shut up.”

“Yes, it is!” he points in an aha moment. “And the girls club–That’s why–! Oh wow… I can’t believe the toughest fighter is scared to face some wimpy meany kids–” 

she caught the volleyball before looking at him, “I never said I was scared of them–I just don’t have the patience to listen to their crap. It’s different–”

“To hell with them!” Jungkook snaps, “They shouldn’t be your concern–I should!” she looks at him with one eyebrow arched as he continues enthusiastically, “I’m the one able to crush you if I wanted to. They’re just weak little… Spoiled kids! You should fear me, not them.” 

“Ok…” 

“Ok?! What do you mean, ok?” Jungkook continues outraged. “I’m sure you flip out of your mind knowing I’m perfectly capable of ending you, right?! I’m the one who can do that–You know, right?! And I think of defeating you like–Every day!” 

Buttercup chuckles as soon as he finishes, “You’re being serious?” and at her question, he looks even more furious, “Oh, you are… Jungkook–I mean, yeah, I do have the urge to punch you in the face whenever I see you around but you’re not in my mind like… Ever.” she shrugs. 

“Wah–” he exhales frustrated. “Then prepare yourself for hell!” he sits forward, pointing a finger at her, “Imma make you think of me ALL the time! Just you wait!” 

she chuckles again, playing along. “Good luck with that, snail bait!” 

ever since then, there was an understanding between the two. where once there were three—Jungkook, Jin, and Yoongi—now there were four. 

and Buttercup was their greatest addition. even though Jin would suffer in both her hands and Jungkook’s since she maximized the latter’s sense of humor and disposition to greater pranks. 

the quartet was inseparable. they spent the lunch hours in between classes running away from school, exploring the woods of Townsville or the abandoned houses around town. In classes, they would cause trouble, and before going home the last stop was always the ramen shop owned by Yoongi’s parents. Yoongi himself was tired of being punished for the ruckus they ended up inciting there every time, but somehow, whenever they looked back at the memories, it was always worth it. 

as for Jungkook’s schism? it was still there but in a different way. they still argued, Buttercup and him… they ignited a bickering session every time they laid eyes on each other. but it was more for their personal amusement than anything else. 

Buttercup's sisters found it odd why she would hang up with Jungkook around school, but they never questioned her too much as every time they battled the Rowdyruff boys in town she seemed more than eager to give him a beating. Both Blossom and Bubbles got the idea over time that she was friends with Yoongi and Jin, and Jungkook was just a consequence—a package deal. 

Taehyung and Jimin however, got to think that the reason they had gotten closer was because of Jungkook’s master plan to overthrow Buttercup. They knew how much he was obsessed with winning against her. 

and so time passed and tenth grade began. 

it was Halloween night, the school was fully decorated with skeletons and eerie spider webs. Jungkook was sitting on top of one of the cafeteria tables scanning the place, while Jin chatted up by his side, and Yoongi was ready to disagree with the last comment when he spotted Buttercup entering the building alongside her sisters. 

the place was dark, and although only some strikes of light would dance around, illuminating selective spots at a time, Jungkook wouldn’t be able to miss her amongst the crowd. 

she walked with confidence, sporting a black and white striped suit. her hair was freshly trimmed into a wolfcut, tousled, and sprayed green. she wore strong purple makeup to give her a deadly look and her eyes glowed green just like his. he had seen the movie Beetlejuice with Taehyung once… he knew she was dressed like the character, and it only made her look tougher to his eyes. 

No other girl was dressing as disheveled as her, they all came in perfect costumes—too perfect for his liking and the sake of Halloween—like cute witches, angels, and princesses. “There she is!” Jin said as she spotted them as well and got separated from her sisters. 

as she made her way toward them, Jin continued, “You got this!” he cheered sending a thumbs up toward Yoongi, and Jungkook looked from one to another confused. 

“What? You didn’t know?” Jin asked Jungkook ready to mock him for being such an airhead. “Yoongi has had a crush on her since we wore diapers.” 

“Shut up, she’ll listen–” Yoongi shook his hand in front of Jin trying to end the chitchat, way too flustered. 

“I guess you were too busy bickering with her to notice!” Jin continued laughing at Jungkook’s puzzled face. 

before he could question anything else, or hear anything else the other two said muffled by the loud music, Buttercup approached them with a grumpy face and a red cup in her hand. Jungkook had never seen her with a different haircut other than her usual bob up until now. “I can’t believe they will serve this juice crap to us…” she complained not noticing how he studied her new look.

“Lucky for you I stole from my Aunt’s cabinet before coming,” Yoongi offered his signature gummy smile while signaling his pocket and something in the way Buttercup’s face lit up made Jungkook gulp drily. 

between receiving that information and spending the next hour watching the two, Jungkook started getting restless. somehow, holding the piece of information that Yoongi had a crush on Buttercup, made the whole group dynamic drastically change from his point of view. and if there was one thing that Jungkook didn’t know how to fully accept when he didn’t want to was that thing called change. 

it wasn’t midnight yet, the music offered by a DJ hired by the school blasted loudly and reverberated both on the decorated glass windows and their thumping hearts. Black-eyed Peas was playing and the gang felt joyful. a large crowd of students danced cheerfully to the beat as they made their way through. 

they decided to take the back door of the canteen to exit toward the soccer field and spend the rest of the night there, laughing and betting against each other—preferably Yoongi betting on Buttercup and Jin on Jungkook as to who would win this or that. 

as they went down the stairs at the back of the canteen, a group sat in a circle, right under it, called for their names. there were some familiar faces amongst them, some boys and two girls from their class. 

“What are you doing down there?” Jin, who was normally the social butterfly of their quartet, asked, immediately being pulled to join the circle. 

they had an empty glass bottle of Coke spinning in the center of the circle they were all making. the game was truth or dare. and it might have been the liquor the four of them had ingested half an hour ago—Jungkook and Buttercup way more since their organisms worked differently—or even the glee floating in the air of this school party night, but incredibly and for everyone else’s surprise, all four agreed to play. 

three rounds went on, and none of them had been chosen yet. the bottle never pointed in their direction even though they had sat in a line. Jin, Jungkook, Buttercup, and Yoongi. 

“I don’t think I can hold my pee any longer–” the latter gets up as the bottle spun again. “I’ll be back in a few!” he adds and Buttercup nods with a smile as he goes up the stairs again. Jungkook watches as Yoongi enters the loud building with a quick glance, vanishing from their sight just as quickly as the loud beats are muffled by the door closing.

“JIN!” one of the girls sitting by the circle exclaims as the bottle ends pointing at their friend. Buttercup leans forward to see his reaction, a smirk adorning her features, and Jungkook's eyes follow the movement as he leans back to make room for her. “Truth or dare?” 

Jin doesn’t take much time to ponder, “Truth of course!” 

“Do you have a crush on anyone in this school?” the girl asks and her smile sparkles, hopeful. Buttercup’s eyes quickly dart in Jungkook’s direction, accomplices of taking note the girl was probably asking for herself. and more yet, when both of them had to suppress a burst of laughter when their friend absentmindedly answered, “Eh–Not really.” 

Jin himself spun the bottle again, tipsy and anxious to witness something more fun than just love questions. the tinkling sound of the glass spinning on the concrete floor was almost hypnotizing Jungkook, who kept his arms crossed as well as his legs. He could close his eyes and be sure he would fall asleep to the sound and faint hubbub… Almost… 

“BUTTERCUP!” some shouted, and his eyes snapped open alert. 

Jungkook took a glance at her as Mitch, a boy from their class, asked with a smirk, “Truth or dare, Puff girl?” 

he raised an eyebrow at the boy’s comment and then watched as Buttercup’s eyes trailed to the bottle as she bit her lips trying to make a decision. 

“Truth,” she said finally, and some of the participants booed her choice. “Ugh, fine. Dare!” 

she glanced around as they all giggled, whispering worthy ideas to make a Powerpuff girl finally comply with their requests. Jungkook seemed the only one annoyed just as much as she was with the sudden situation, even Jin found it a tad funny. 

“What about a kiss!” Mitch suggested and Buttercup clenched her jaw. “I think she’s never done it before–” he commented with the others as if she wasn’t there. 

Jungkook felt ready to jump in but was surprised as she answered promptly. “Not that you need to know anything about my life, Mitch, but yes I have.” Jungkook noticed how her cheeks popped with a faint red and how she unconsciously kept clenching her jaw. “Boy…” he exhaled suddenly and all eyes snapped at him, including hers. “You have the Buttercup Utonium ready to do a dare, and that’s what you ask of her? A kiss? What is this?” he scoffed playfully. “Are you a fanboy of hers or something?” 

they all broke in chuckles and Mitch did his best to try and explain his part but his efforts were in vain. 

“I don’t know about you guys, but I think now I want to see that kiss happening–Buttercup and Mitch sitting in a tree!” one of the girls hummed with malice. 

“Ew!” Mitch exclaimed quickly, “Nuh-uh! Not a chance.”

“God… You’re such idiots…” Buttercup mumbled to herself while playing discouraged with the bottle by her feet. Jungkook heard her as she did so. 

“What? Besides being dumb you’re a wuss too?” Jungkook blurted trying to shift the focus solely to Mitch. 

“Why don’t you kiss her yourself since you’re so keen to come to her rescue?!” 

“I VOTE YES!” one of the other boys shouted and suddenly chuckles and whistles floated in the air. 

“KISS HER, KISS HER” they chanted together. 

Jungkook started arguing, his eyebrows knitted together, and the vein on his neck jumped. Jin looked from one friend to the other, distressed as to what he should do, Yoongi was out but still… Buttercup was his crush. 

“OH MY GOD, ENOUGH!” the girl in question shouted and they all fell silent. in a swift move, she sat on top of her feet, kneeling. “It’s a kiss you want? It’s a kiss you’ll have. Gee–All this for a stupid fucking kiss.” 

it was the last thing Jungkook heard before being pulled by the thick silver chain adorning his neck and having his mouth crushed by Buttercup’s lips. 

he didn’t react more than to close his eyes with the impact at first, hands suspended by his sides as she tugged with urgency at his necklace. the crowd watching them, including Jin, gasped, some even whistled perversely. her lips pressed on his, and as her free hand snaked toward the back of his head and tugged at his hair, he held on to her hips bringing her shily closer. 

“Get a room!” 

he only had the time to search for her lips with his once more, now parted, before she pulled back. 

Jungkook’s breathing was heavy when she did so, and her tired eyes, as she slowly batted her eyelashes, had never looked so green. iridescent emerald-green. they stayed on him for what felt like an eternity, and the corners of his mouth almost got pulled up when he saw the traces of his Frankenstein makeup left on the tip of her nose and the sides of her mouth. it had matched perfectly the hints of green she also had painted on her face purposely for her costume. But then they parted ways, looking elsewhere, and suddenly it hadn’t been enough. 

“There. Happy?” she remarked to the crowd and Jungkook’s stomach twisted as he saw her get up and walk toward the soccer field in the cold night. 

right then Yoongi came through the canteen back door, whistling joyfully the tune being played inside, and the truth or dare game resumed even though Jin and Jungkook got up leaving the circle too. “We’re not playing anymore?” the boy asked as he reunited with the other two. “Where’s B?” 

“She went ahead to the field!” Jungkook said feigning normality as he placed his arms around both boys' necks and dragged them with him.  

Buttercup was sitting on top of the goalpost, her legs dangling as she stared at the stars when they came in laughing at something Jin had just said. 

“Took you long enough,” she commented grumpy as ever, and for the first time, Jungkook froze upon her image. “I hope you have more booze though!” she opened a small smile, and Yoongi was quick to pass her the flask. 

“So…” Jin started, and things were about to get awkward, Jungkook could feel it, and so did she, as they shared a quick glance. 

saved by the bell, Taehyung landed out of nowhere, startling both Jin and Yoongi and interrupting the former. “We have to go,” he said simply with warning eyes toward his brother. 

Buttercup observed how Jungkook’s head tilted—something he was prone to do whenever confused or daring, “What happened?” he asked taking a step toward the captain of the Rowdyruff’s. she jumped out of her spot, getting prepared.

even though she warmed up to Jungkook’s presence in her life, she knew he and his brothers weren’t saints. and that was a silent agreement between the two—their work and their personal lives were very, very different things. 

“Now, Jungkook.” Taehyung barked before taking flight. 

Jungkook looked back at his friends and took a second longer at those iridescent emerald-green eyes, before taking flight after his brother and leaving a dark green trace behind. 

that was the last time Buttercup saw him. 

a few days later she got to know the Rowdyruff boys left town without notice. that was when she swore if she ever saw Jungkook again she would crush him like he had never been crushed before.

contact with the Rowdyruff Boys had never been the same for Blossom as it had been for her sisters. 

while Bubbles viewed life and people from very early on with positivism that could blind her sometimes and Buttercup had always been one to know how not to mix business with pleasure, Blossom had continuously struggled with both approaches. 

she couldn’t remember Taehyung or his brothers much from when they were little, apart of course the trouble their dad caused around the city—something that she was always responsible for taking care of. her memories of him from that time to middle school were always tainted by the position both he and she occupied. 

they were leaders, even when still children. and while she definitely tried her best to lead her sisters to exemplary behavior, always doing their best to save the city and fight crime, Taehyung did everything opposite with his brothers, so it wasn’t a surprise she didn’t want much to do with him. 

in school, they were rarely paired in the same class. she remembers having more shared teachers with Jimin than Taehyung himself. if she were honest with her priorities, fighting Mojo and his kids was just a side thing for her, her grades and social position came always at number one. 

and boy, being number one made her act crazy… 

that was all she needed to do from the moment she was born. be the number one at fighting crime, be the one setting the example, be the smartest you can be… the list goes on and on, so it wasn’t a surprise that she took that perspective to her personal life too. the only problem was that contrary to her heroine side, in school, she always had the same exact rival to compete with. and that made her want to yank her hair off. 

while Buttercup most times came home with teacher’s notes to their dad, saying she was once again fighting or disturbing class because of Jungkook, and Bubbles would confess at night that maybe Jimin was different or that he wasn’t so bad like his brothers, Blossom had nothing to say. or to worry, really. 

none of the boys was a problem for her, the only thing she needed to sort out was why the hell she wasn’t always number one with her grades in school. 

she knew she had a perfect score, she was the leading student in her own class, but then every time the month ended and she passed by the official board, her student number was second. 

the frustration was consuming her, and it lasted a long while. Buttercup was always making fun of her, most often than not joking about siding with the star of the school as she nicknamed the mystery student to be. Bubbles laughed and went along with the jokes. and Blossom did everything she could to uncover who the number one person was. it became her side project, but to her dismay, one with zero results. 

no matter how she tried, begged, and even baked a full batch of her infamous chocolate cookies to give to her favorite teacher as bribery, no one ever gave in. “it’s against privacy regulations” was what everyone seemed to say when she approached the subject. 

by the end of middle school, she almost lost her head and went through with Buttercup’s plan to steal the information from the school’s office. thankfully that same night they got a call from the Mayor and fighting crime became once more her priority, leading her astray from breaking the rules.

but then, her prayers were magically answered. 

Blossom loved routines, and every day since she was old enough to handle her own money, she stopped by the Cherry Pop. she came to know it almost fatefully, due to a robbery that happened at the store many years ago. at the time a couple of records had been stolen, as well as some of the cashier's earnings, and of course, she found the money with the leader of the Rowdyruffs. it was to expect, but deep down she still thanks Taehyung for introducing her unknowingly to what became to be her favorite store in town. 

and now, here she was, going downtown right after classes to pay the store a visit. it was almost the end of the school year, summer was knocking on the door and the sun's rays were already litting up Townsville. Blossom decided to stop by Cherry Pop’s and listen to the new records she knew had come for the summer when it happened. 

it was a rule Professor—their dad—always insisted they followed: their powers were only to be used when needed. and right at that moment, she didn’t need to hear conversations with her super hearing ability. but she still did. 

right before coming out of the store, she spotted two of her teachers across the street, talking while pointing to something inside a dossier. it seemed like a harmless encounter between the two of them, that later developed into something school related. it was almost the end of eighth grade which meant the final results were about to be hung on that stupid board, and curiosity got the better of Blossom. so she perked her attention to the two of them and begin hearing everything. 

“... Ugh, he’s such a good student… And I bet if it weren’t for that misleading monster they call father he would be such a nice kid too.” 

she watched attentively as Miss Margaret sighed as she agreed. “I know… I wish there was more I could do for them. Somehow, giving him my dusty record player for saving me doesn’t seem quite enough.” 

that piece of information has Blossom’s eyebrows knitting so bad they almost merge together. 

“I just don’t know how he keeps it. Every time – His grades are always up there… I mean. When does he study if he’s always doing his father’s evil deeds and covering up for his brothers when the cops show up? I feel like they are constantly down in the station– At least that’s what Sharon says, you know, her husband works there.”

Blossom has always been quick with her thinking, and by this alone, she thinks anyone would be able to figure out they are talking about Taehyung. no one apart from the Rowdyruffs has an evil dad in Townsville or goes around doing evil deeds like Mr. Clarkson described. and it has to be him because Jungkook can’t even be discussed when it comes to his grades as he doesn’t care enough, and although the covering up part seems like a Jimin thing, she had been in his class last year, she has seen his grades and it doesn’t come without much effort on his end. what shocks her, however, is the part where Taehyung saves Miss Margaret. that isn’t a thing villains do, and she would know, she has been fighting crime ever since she was born. 

“He’s just… Gifted, I reckon.” Miss Margaret’s statement has her snapping out of her thoughts. “He isn’t much of a reader, but I noticed that if he pays enough attention he’s able to remember about the subjects… You must notice it too. Explaining it once to him is enough. That kind of annoying student that comes once in a lifetime, I guess!” she chuckles as Mr. Clarkson agrees. 

“Well, too bad he got that suspension for the graffiti thing… Otherwise, he would definitely come first on the board, once again. And he deserves it. With everything the kid has to go through… I can’t even imagine!” 

suddenly, Blossom isn’t able to focus on the conversation anymore. her world starts to spin in a way she didn’t deem possible. 

Taehyung, the leader of the Rowdyruffs, son of Mojo Jojo, a criminal to heart that she has been fighting ever since… ever, is apparently the star of the school. the student she has been most ardently trying to unmask. the person that she viewed as her most formidable opponent and if she was brave enough to admit, the person she at some point began admiring from a distance. 

it was like suddenly discovering the earth was flat all along. 

that night was hell for Blossom. she had trouble digesting the discoveries and bumping into the protagonist of them later at dawn wasn’t the best option for her fiery angst. the Powerpuffs had received a call about some troublemakers causing a ruckus in the middle of the night, and the cops were adamantly fixated on taking them to the station at any cost, even if said troublemakers had fled the scene of the crime—a graffiti pig dressed as a cop in a brick wall by a well-known bar. 

Blossom had suggested to her sisters they should swipe town apart to cover more terrain, and now that she straight up bumped into Taehyung down an alley next to the Cherry Pop she regretted her decision thoroughly. 

“You!” she grits through her teeth and watches how he turns his head, his side profile shining under the moonlight. 

“What about me?” 

Blossom doesn’t know what frustrates her most. from knowing he is the one she wanted to find so badly to his nonchalant attitude as he turns back once again and proceeds to draw on the alley with his red canned spray, every little thing seems to poke at her somewhat short fuse. 

“It’s you!” she exclaims frustrated, partially embarrassed for not having a grip on her confused emotions or a better thing to say. 

Taehyung looks back at her, a crooked smile adorning his features as he shakes the canned spray, “Uhm, it’s me…? Unless you’re seeing someone else, Red, I’m pretty sure it’s just me –” 

“No, idiot! It’s you as in you’re the student I have to compete with!” 

The boy was about to paint another stroke but halts completely. Under Blossom’s furious gaze, he crouches down to place his canister on the floor before facing her again. 

“You don’t have to compete with me, you want to compete with me. It’s a bit different, Red.” 

“I don’t want to compete with you! Up until fourth grade I didn’t even have competition. I was always first! And then –Suddenly you are always there in that fricking board! It’s my board, my first place!”

“Your first place?” He asks amused as he crosses his arm. “Didn’t seem like it this whole year… Or the one before.” 

Blossom bites the insides of her cheeks as she feels her pink eyes turning hot. the last thing she needed was to burn everything to the ground, including her favorite store, with her laser eyes just because of him. 

“It’s not so fun when people shove it to your face is it?” Taehyung adds. 

“That’s the difference between you and me,” she scoffs bitter, “I would never do such a thing.” 

“Oh, really? You seem to forget that I share the same powers you have, Miss Perfectly Right.” 

there is something hidden in his eyes that Blossom can’t quite figure out. he steps closer to her, and for the first time in her whole life, she views him as daunting, dangerous even. “And I remember quite clearly when you referred to me as a brainless kid to your friends on the patio, nothing but a pebble in your shoes. Guess I’m just fulfilling the description of the job.”

Blossom’s eyes fall to the damp concrete ground, searching for her past memories and balling her fists to the possibility of her being unjust with someone. but he was a Rowdyruff. they were the bad guys… so what if she called him an airhead? 

“You don’t even remember, do you?” Taehyung searches for her eyes as he scoffs. there is no ounce of anger in it like she expected it to be. he was just… disappointed. 

gulping down and sticking to her pride, Blossom shrugs. she did remember the moment now that he talked about it, and she did indeed make less of him but that was how she felt at the time, and at the moment she is still too reluctant to acknowledge he is any different than that. 

“Whatever. I guess it serves you right.” he kicks the spray canister he had been using to paint, “Good luck trying to be first from now on.” 

leaving no room for response, he flees the scene with a swoosh. 

Blossom’s shoulders sink and her world doesn’t stop spinning. just like that she is faced with the feeling that perhaps she is being the villain in someone else’s story. 

she hears the cops’ sirens from a distance and quickly retrieves the canister that had rolled up to the sidewalk, taking it with her as she flies home. 

for the months to come, Blossom keeps to herself. Taehyung isn’t in her class, again, and she is somehow relieved by it. the only time she sees him is whenever they have to fight each other and it always ends up being a rollercoaster of emotions for her. she takes the opportunity to release her pent-up anger toward him, but then, every time he ends up being arrested or badly hit by herself, her chest stings differently and she ends up returning home with a bad taste in her mouth. 

his good grades never stop coming nevertheless, which frustrates her to the point that even though she rarely bumps into him in school, she begins having trouble focusing on her studies. which is a first—one that she wished had never happened. 

and after the first half of ninth grade of her watching her world collapse around her, Taehyung decides it would be fun to poke at her wound a bit more and so he starts leaving badly drawn doodles of her face around school with words such as “wuss” or “loser”. 

at first, it was in her locker, which bothered her but not so much. a wet tissue resolved the problem pretty fast. but then when later on Patty Conklin started making a fuss for seeing it behind the gymnasium, the whole school started making funny faces as Blossom passed by in the halls. 

Buttercup threatened everyone with her looks as she started more and more coming to Blossom’s side in the hallways. and Bubbles was always turning the tables with reversible psychology or as she called it “leverage gossip”. but that was bothering Blossom more than Taehyung’s little revenge. 

she didn’t need people coming to her rescue. 

and so something in her blossomed. for the rest of ninth grade she fought harder, focused more, participated in more activities, studied better, and by the end of it not only did she come as a top student with several acclamations that their dad was sure to hang in their fridge but she also found her first boyfriend—Dexter. 

throughout the entirety of summer, she was able to put past her the whole Taehyung graffiti incident. she had managed to bump into him only twice, both being part of her job as he was once again involved with crime. and for the rest of it, she enjoyed going out with her sisters, or hanging with Dexter as they strolled around savoring milkshakes or the new records arriving at Cherry Pop. life felt normal again, the world was once more round and it spun her way. 

but then came the beginning of tenth grade. 

for the first time in years, she and Taehyung shared classes. not only that but someone in the secretariat thought it would be better for the students to have lockers placed near the classes they would be going to, and suddenly she had to see Taehyung’s annoying grin every morning before the first bell rang. their lockers being right across from each other. 

“Morning, Red.” he would say like a well-programmed clock as he leaned in his metal cabinet, red cap boyishly back, arms defiantly crossed. 

“Mind your business, Jojo.” she would hear Dexter approach like a knight in shining armor, scowling at the Rowdyruff, before she could snap at the boy herself. 

in return, Taehyung would send him a sly smile, not at all bothered by his presence. “Your panties already twisted, Dex? So soon? Sheesh.” 

and of course Dexter balled his fists annoyed, Taehyung knew how to get under his skin. Or everyone else’s for that matter. but Dexter also knew he was no opponent for a boy who could conjure fire with his hands, therefore his threats were just that... threats. 

“Go find yourself a wall to paint, airhead.” Blossom would come to the rescue and between her remarks and the way Dexter always kissed her cheek, placing his arm around her neck as they walked away, the smile would fade from Taehyung’s lips. 

although exhausting, it was a routine that Blossom was used to. she could even say that every time he would get into heated arguments with her while in class due to different points of view or better, due to pure spite, it was the fire she needed to boost her throughout the day. she wouldn’t change it. 

but it was only when he began missing classes the week after the Halloween party that she realized how much she didn’t want to change it. 

weeks turned to months, hatred turned into longing, and the heart she thought belonged to Dexter had always been in the hands of another. it had all been there, kept in a forgotten drawer much like the red paint spray canister with a cherry doodle that she looked at resentfully every now and then.  on its bottom, the words that taunted her for the years to come in his absence. Taehyung wuz here.

She almost didn’t show up to see the lights. 

After being struck with the unpleasant intensity of feelings she had never experienced that early morning, she felt the urge to stay inside for the night. Something felt oddly out of place. She wasn’t acting like her deity self. Unfortunately and without much choice, she had to countlessly remind herself as she groomed her hair, that she had come to Joseon with a mission. She had no time to unravel the causes of the sudden commotion within herself as she had come to fulfill a promise to a dear friend. 

And so, after being pampered with expensive silk and golden accessories all over her hair to meet expectations, she forced herself to step outside when the sun went down and the people started filling the narrow streets with paper lanterns. 

While she strolled around, it was visible how everyone felt cheerful, hopeful, and blissfully forgetful of the dangers being faced recently with a Kumiho on the loose. The streets, even if for just one night, felt like magic. 

The more she followed the crowd on the pretense of enjoying the festivities like everyone else, the more she felt enchanted by her surroundings. Her ears were blessed with the buzz of laughter, and the songs played by the street entertainers made her forget for brief moments she was actually hunting. The moonshine reached every little corner, eager to bless the event, and the town folks showed gratitude through cheerful chitchatting as they drank the night away.  

She stopped by a stand filled with colorful trinkets, committed to analyzing further the regalia as she caught notice of a large group passing by. The men all wore the colors of the king’s officers, and instinctively her eyes searched for a familiar face walking amongst them.

There was a slight disappointment that grew in the pit of her stomach for Jeon Jungkook not being in their midst. 

Instead, as she glanced further on, she found him standing relaxed on a balcony, escorted by some of his men as he made conversation with scholars. With a certain hesitancy to her movements, she settled for watching from a distance. Underneath the short cloth that hangs from the stall, she watched him make an enthusiastic toast, shining under the moonlight, completely unaware of her eyes on him. Some of his companions lunged by his side, under the effect of the alcohol, spilling the content on the floor and causing a ruckus while he laughed. 

If it was not for the old seller calling for her attention, she would have probably stayed there the whole night. Planted like a tall tree, unable to do anything but watch that particular Officer’s existence. 

With a small apology, she gave back the hairpin she had been holding in hand to its merchant and walked slowly toward the busy street. Her eyes never left his figure. 

Afraid of being uncovered for now being in his direct line of sight, she took refuge in the shadow of a house, right across the street. People passed by, following the sound of the drums that were being played up ahead on the large square, but everything felt like background noise to her. And Jungkook apparently, since his eyes never lowered to the street. She was partially thankful for this, however, as it was the only reason he hadn’t spotted her yet. 

The more she watched him, the more it started to feel hard suppressing the insistent grin that threatened to appear on her features every time the Officer laughed or scrunched his nose as his fellow mates made jokes. Her mind twirled in the process, eager to find the reason why she felt so compelled by his actions. She certainly had never felt such a thing before, let alone something incited by a human being. And perhaps that was why her eyes seemed so stubborn to leave him. 

Clouded by curiosity and enchanted by his mannerisms, she almost didn’t notice how the Madam from earlier that day, Madam Lee as the family she stayed with had informed, had approached him with the excuse of pouring him another drink. The woman that made her way through and unabashedly ignored the other customers was wearing her best silk, she noticed, probably intended for this moment alone and not the festival itself. She proudly displayed a Cheshire cat smile that prickled the deity that watched the scene from a tucked alley. 

Madam Lee was overflowing with happiness, and if she recalled that terrible morning well enough, this was the first time Jungkook attended the festival as the hostess asked him to. 

Her eyebrows furrowed suddenly bothered, as she saw the mistress pull him by his sleeve implying that she would like to tell him something with some discretion. The rest of the scholars seemed distracted enough with their drinks and uproar to even notice. Jungkook eyed her for a few seconds before nodding, as if encouraging Madam Lee to speak, which she did do, but only after tugging on his sleeve once more to bring his ear closer to her mouth. 

If the deity were in her fox form, she would have growled enraged upon seeing the scene. Why the display before her eyes led to such behavior being incited in her, she wouldn’t know. The same thing had happened that morning and although she had spent the evening pondering, she still didn't have an answer. Nor a change in her animalistic behavior.

Thunder started dancing in her irises the moment Madam Lee chuckled shily as she kept whispering close to the Officer’s ear. In a split second, Jungkook’s eyes which had been nonchalantly staring up ahead left the plaza to scan the busy street and to his surprise, were met with the fox’s instead. Their eyes clashed like magnets and an electrifying jolt ran through her body. 

Just then a gust of wind rushed down the street and part of her untied hair floated with it. She saw how the corners of Jungkook’s mouth lifted up as he eyed her, and she couldn’t help how her eyebrows knitted further, furious. Her golden orbs betrayed her as they didn’t leave him, she couldn’t break the connection no matter how she tried, still, she was able to notice the girl beside him waiting for an answer. Jeon Jungkook just forgot to give her one.  

With a thumping heart, she tried to calm herself down to prevent a storm from forming and consequently ruining the event. The light wind was proving hard enough to deal with for the folks who crossed her way, as their gowns danced unstopping around them and hats were lost to the skies amidst laughter. 

Still, their eyes were locked, and Madam Lee started to get confused by the Officer’s sudden reaction as she was left forgotten by his side without his reply.

A shrieking sound is what finally breaks their hypnotic gaze. A scream coming from the plaza. Jungkook briefly averts his eyes with fright, hand coming to his sword attached to his belt. He sees a commotion up ahead, and people running from it. The scholars standing on the balcony next to him grow agitated, much like their betrothed and the servants. He glances toward the alley again but the mysterious woman whose looks seem to intrigue him isn’t there anymore. He leans over the balcony to check if she is tucked just underneath him but finds turmoil instead. Just more people running, scared. Perhaps she ran too, he thinks. 

With a quick command, his men follow him down to the streets. They see themselves opening the way through a sea of people who ran in the opposite direction. 

Approaching the center of the square, they are able to spot what had frightened everyone with such terror. A lifeless body was half fallen from behind the curtains of a small carriage. The eyes of the poor woman were still wide open in shock, the only thing missing was the color in her pupils. Where there should be a dark circle was now a muddy canvas painted in all white.

The scene gets even more atrocious, as Jungkook cautiously opens the curtain to inspect and is greeted with her ribcage torn apart. He doesn’t have the time to check what is missing as he already knows who is behind this. Better yet, what is behind this grotesque crime. 

The Officer quickly orders two of his men to stay put by the body, some to keep the villagers out of the streets, and his second commanding officer to follow him toward the woods. The bloodied path left by the culprit was unmistakenly pointing to the borders of the city, right where the pine trees divided territory. 

Jungkook wills his sword as soon as he arrives at the entrance of the wooden portal, taking a step inside the maze canopied by overhanging trees. His focus is solely on the beast he was born to catch. 

She had successfully tracked the Kumiho to the woods as her deity gifts seemed to be working again and her senses were all heightened. Her human feet opened a path through the dense vegetation in the dark without the need of holding a torch to be able to see. 

It was clear as day the direction she needed to follow due to the scent of blood that sickened her to her core. The Kumiho was close by, she could feel it in her bones. Climbing to the middle branch of a tall tree, she decided to hunt from above, decided to surprise her prey instead of frontal combat, or even risk the escape of this unworthy being. 

With feathered feet, she humped silently from tree to tree in the dark, slowly closing the gap between them. She was able to see the shadows of the Kumiho mingling in the dark foliage as it ran. It wasn’t wearing its fox-like appearance, but instead using the image of a young woman bearing nothing but her undergarments. She was so close that the Kumiho’s uneasiness was palpable to her through the air. 

And then suddenly there was nothing. 

Her body jerked at the intensity of a total blankness and she felt dizzy. Her feet wobbled as she tried desperately to regain balance on top of the tree branch, steadying her breathing and dis-compassed heart so as to not fall. When she was finally able to stand again, the Kumiho she was so close to catching had long disappeared. 

The sound of warped laughter echoed around her. The Kumiho celebrates its escape as she launches from the tree to the ground, snapping her head in every direction possible, unable to use her night vision as she had done before. What is happening?, she desperately questions herself as she tries to form figures in the dark. It didn’t help that the moon had hidden itself behind the density of the trees. 

She was never one to throw in the towel, however. Despite the debt she had to pay due to the promise she had made, now catching this monster was a matter of honor. So crouching where she was in between the branches and the damp grass she closed her eyes, solely focusing on her hearing instead. Even if it wasn’t heightened, she could still hear well in her human form. 

Her eyes opened in a snap, sharp as the tip of a sword, and she began running toward the sound of something crushing the leaves that pilled on the dirty ground of those woods. 

The eyes that once before lit the way in the dark, were now flawed, but still, she ran like a missile, avoiding the trees with pure instinct and years of life that trailed behind her in the form of a pair of white tails.  

The clash between her and the body before her couldn’t be avoided even if they wanted. She launched herself to kill, and he—in all his might and training—rolled with her on the floor, able to protect his own neck from being torn apart by the fangs that snarled close to his face. 

A wave of shock shakes the both of them, as her eyes lock with Jungkook’s scared ones and she rolls herself over to get off of him. Panting confused and still on the ground, Jungkook’s wide eyes are glued to her image as she gets up and tears from her body the silky dress gown she had been wearing and consequently clamping her movements. In the darkness of the night, lit only by the moonlight, he finally sees her without theatrics, standing tall in her manly pants, tied undergarments around her chest, and the tails swaying from one side to the other. He could swear she was glowing, silk skin basking in the moonlight that now shined through. The most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. 

“Are you hurt?” her velvety voice hits his ears as she eyes him concerned. 

Except she isn’t a woman, his brain yells alarmed. 

Exceptionally quick, he is back on his feet, only now his sword is being pointed straight at her neck. “So you’re the one killing all of my people–” he growls infuriated and his eyes swim in liquid choler. “My men–My–” he stumbles on his words as the loss of his closest companion is still too fresh to process. Minutes prior to their unexpected encounter he had witnessed his right arm officer being pulled to the darkness of the forest only to find him lifeless, disposed of by a tree. 

“You need to breathe,” she tries to ease him, as her eyes go from his to the sword wielded by him. “Breathe–” her hands are by her sides as a sign of submission. But as she talks she realizes once more that her bewitchery doesn’t work on him. 

“Don’t dare!” Jungkook snarls. “I know what you are. I know what you do with your words. You won’t command me, beast!” his sharp sword is able to inflict a tiny cut on her throat as he takes a step further, but she doesn’t wince. Instead, she lifts her chin, stoic, and looks at him closely. Before she can work a way to make him believe she isn’t the one inflicting damage to the village, he continues, “Don’t deny it. I can see it in your eyes–” 

“I’m not the one you’re looking for,” she says unshakable. 

“Yes, you are!” he snaps. “That is why I was so keen on you. I thought–” he chuckles in sad realization to himself, “I thought I was infatuated with you… When this whole time it was just because I’m a hunter, and you–You’re the beast I’m made to hunt.”

The air she inhales in surprise as the dots connect in her mind doesn't leave her as she is frozen for a second. This was the reason she had been faulty ever since landing feet on the village. 

She was aware of the tale of the hunter—a child born to a blue moon when the stars were perfectly aligned, being able to lend the force of the superior Gods to strike balance in life when the deities failed to do so. Jungkook was the only one among human beings to be immune to the powers she and her fellow deities possessed. Not only that but when around him, he was able to diminish their power altogether. 

“This–” he pulls from under his garments an emerald green medallion, hanging from his neck by a leather string. “This is meant to protect me and warn me from beasts like you and I’m certain that–” he pauses as he takes a glance down. 

She watches as his eyebrows knit together in confusion and his sword falters by her neck. “It isn’t glowing,” Jungkook states. 

“Why would it glow?” she feels compelled to ask. 

“Because it has glowed every time I was close to a beast!” he shouts impatiently, trying to bring the amulet closer to her so as to see a change. 

As she gently tries to push the sword he was still pointing at her, he grows eerie again, letting the emerald stone pend from his neck to shift his attention back to her face. With a grunt, he forces the blade against her throat again. “That is what I’m trying to say!” she raises her voice, starting to get impatient herself. The real culprit was still on the loose and with her powers turned off they faced danger for being so exposed and unguarded. 

Jungkook eyes her with a clenched jaw. “I’m not the Kumiho you’re after,” she explains finally. “I’m a servant of Inari, I arrived here at Joseon after the incidents started happening. I came to help a friend. I’m not a beast, I’m a deity.”  

He gulps as his heart quivers ready to believe her words, but the scene of his best friend being pulled by a beast is still rewinding in his mind. His turmoil makes the knuckles of his hand turn white as he still holds the sword close to her pulsing neck.  

Her ears perk and the sound of branches snap them out of the face-off. They freeze and she is able to faintly recognize the abhorrent iron smell of blood. The Kumiho was close again. 

Jungkook still doesn’t let her out of his watch, even though his eyes shift around the canopy, and so her movements are constricted under his sword as she tries to be alert toward the presence of the real danger. She sees through her peripheral the moment a shadow comes sprinting behind his back as his eyes are focused on hers instead, and she makes a decision on the spot. She won’t let him die. 

Grabbing Jungkook by the string of the emerald medallion, she pulls him towards her, and the way his sword pierces her skin right at the base of her neck is enough to disrupt the trance she stood under his gaze. With her movements now free, she swirls him around, taking his place instead to face the savagery of the Kumiho. 

Jungkook is thrown to the side, as he sees the Kumiho piercing its claws right under his savior’s rib. She falls to the ground with the injuries inflicted not only by the beast but also by his sword and he gasps remorsefully. He tries to collect himself, and as he sees the Kumiho lifting its claws once more to deliver the final blow with a deranged smile on its face, he runs enraged in defense of the deity he almost unrightfully killed. He isn’t sure if he will make it on time, he fears being too slow compared to such beings, but still, his legs don’t give up.  

Before he arrives, a bolt of lightning blinds him, casting him back once more, and its thunder deafens his ears. The high pitch is so intense that every sound that follows is muffled and he is afraid he will lose his consciousness as he stubbornly stumbles his way toward the deity who isn’t moving. 

Jungkook watches in horror as the Kumiho drags itself out of the picture, painting with scarlet red the vegetation as its arm is missing. He crawls and then with difficulty he stands, picking up his sword, resolved as to not let that killer’s fate be anything other than death itself. 

But then his heart tugs and he is unable to move. 

The Officer looks back and sees the woman that saved his life losing her own. She lies on the cold ground with her eyes trailing to the sky as she panted softly, admiring how the moon shone so brightly and gifted her its final light. Jungkook dropped his sword with a thump and shortened the space between them, falling to his knee right by her side. 

Her eyes search for his as his shaking hand wraps around her neck, trying to stop the bleeding. “I’m–I’m sorry,” he gasps still in shock. He eyes nervously how bloodied the short undergarment around her chest is and he becomes uncertain of what to do to stop so much bleeding, trying to avoid what he knew to be a certain fate. 

“Please stay with me,” he mumbles softly, and his free hand goes to make pressure on her right rib. His eyes are wavering, lost, and it is the touch of her palm on his wrist that calls for them like a beacon. 

He gulps as she opens a smile, “It’s ok,” she whispers, “I need you–” she tries with difficulty, and he inclines forward to help, “I need you to kill that thing. Please.” her eyes are desperate as she looks intently at his irises, “Go.”

Jungkook shakes his head, eyebrows furrowed, unable to let her that way. “Go! Please.” she pleads with all her remaining strength, but he doesn’t move. His hands never stop making pressure, stanching the blood however he could. 

Drawing a shaking breath his starry eyes are the last thing she sees before the world spins and the moonlit night goes dark around her.

✿ to be continued...

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Other than practices or diverse schedules BTS had Taehyung normally kept himself busy with light hobbies. Things that made his mind rest and heal from the rush he was always exposed to. 

It varied from learning how to play the trumpet like his favorite artists, or arts and crafts like the painters he admired dearly. He sometimes took uncompromised walks, just to see what he would end up discovering or seeing... Sometimes, however, it was all about staying at home just singing along to covers he would find online or even watching noir movies and dreaming of different times. 

Taehyung was all about the dreamy and unrushed lifestyle people had back in the days... Sure, having things easier was practical, fast, and well, easier. But he would often dream of that magical moment of pursuit and its journey, like buying a record for example. It wasn't just about going to the shop. Hell, not even the shop, nowadays you can just download the songs. Back in the days, however? It was all about feeling the butterflies waiting for your favorite band to drop an album, and then waiting days and weeks for it to come to the store... It didn't stop there, most often than not, you would just go there, listen to the tape or vinyl on the spot and still go home empty-handed because you had no money to buy it. At least that's what his father told him countless times. But the glow in his eyes every time he talks about it... That's something Taehyung lived for. 

And that's why ever since he put his eyes on the girl a friend of a friend introduced him to, he couldn't help but think he wanted to take it slow. Because as far as he knew, everything that wasn't rushed was something to keep dearly. Something that had meaning in your life, something that would make his eyes spark. 

"And you still haven't asked for her number?" Jimin asked after taking a big gulp of his water bottle. They were both sweaty from practice, and Taehyung unconsciously thought he should start improving his cardio because of the heavy way he was breathing. 

"No, not yet." 

And that makes Jimin chuckle incredulously. "And how exactly are you planning on seeing her again? Because, like. Not to be a total pessimist here, don't get me wrong, but Seoul has millions of people. And we- You, are an idol."

"There's going to be a party," He brushed his hair back and breathed in, his heart still thumping hard against his ribcage. "Well, not a party per se... Just a casual gathering. I'm hoping she’ll be there."

"You're hoping? You're kidding, right?" 

"I have a feeling she will be there." He said with assertiveness before glancing back at their choreographer who was calling for them. 

"You're unbelievable." 

Taehyung knew Jimin was probably thinking he was just not that invested in the girl, but this is how he is. 

Not that he isn't invested, on the contrary, he is overly invested. So much so, he would often catch himself thinking of the little interactions he had with her... Or the dialogues, and overthink about the questions he could have made or the better answers he could have given. This to him was a clear sign of how much space she is occupying in his mind and therefore how much he wants things to work out for the better. 

But he is also a universe believer. He has faith that things will play out just fine if he believes enough. And he does in fact believe she will attend the gathering. And that he will have the chance to talk to her and get to know her better. And maybe, just maybe, if things go alright he could ask her on a date like he wanted to do ever since she said 'hi, it's so nice to meet you too!' while placing back a strand of her hair behind her ear since she seemed somewhat shy. 

And for a week he kept thinking about that little action of the strawberry blonde girl. His mind kept also drifting to his angels, always calling for help in getting her to the party. 

It worked. Angels or not, it worked. 

As soon as he arrives at his friend's house, there’s this mood. The song ‘This View’ from Surfaces is faintly playing making the whole ambiance feel like a lazy summer day. The kind of day that comes back to memory once in a while from when you were younger like he was experiencing his first love for the first time. 

And then he sees her. 

Glass in hand–with fresh juice that matches the patterns of her top–and the long strawberry blonde hair tied half up in a loose way. She’s chatting so excitedly with people she isn’t even bothered by the sunlight that is kissing her eyes ever so softly, making her feel even dreamier. 

Taehyung kept looking, not even bothered if people were noticing where his attention was, or if he looked like a weirdo. That's how he is. He isn’t afraid to be vocal about what he likes and what he doesn’t, even if he usually ends up talking about it in a cute and soft way. 

But then, as a reflex, she glances at him. Their eyes lock since he’s already looking, and that probably makes her a little fidgety because the next second she focuses again on a friend that was by her side. 

But she looks again as if checking if his eyes were indeed what was burning her skin and not the sun itself. And her suspicions are correct. He never takes his eyes away, just adds a smile to his features. 

And she smiles back like a reaction to his own. 

Taehyung points to the empty porch with his head; a silent invitation that made him gulp down nervously even though he appeared to be confident and relaxed. And then he excuses himself from the conversation he was having with his friends–or pretending to have since he didn’t really focus on anything. 

He feels a small breeze touch his skin when he arrives at the porch, and even though he doesn’t know if the strawberry blonde girl will follow him there, he feels content. He feels like he is somewhat living in a dream. 

“Hey, stranger!” Even though he has his back facing her, he smiles knowingly. He had loved her voice from the beginning. 

He turned. 

She was there, smiling warmly at him, like a summer vision. 

“Hey… Deo,” His smile widened, turning his eyes in a crescent moon shape, full of fondness. He had forgotten how big their size difference was and Taehyung had always had a soft spot for cute little things, “So… I have a question.” 

And at that instant, everything stopped for a bit… This was his pursuit of a magical moment.

✿ next> 

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It had been three weeks since she had said yes to going on a date with him. Three weeks of smiling like a fool whenever he thought about the moment; how she was so taken by surprise at his question that her first reaction was to frown cutely. Three weeks of rushing toward his cellphone whenever he heard a beep, hoping it was a text of hers. 

Three weeks of postponing the date because of his tight schedule, feeling like a fly trapped on a wall. 

And now, driving on his way to her apartment buildings, he couldn’t help but tap the wheel with his long fingers in a frantic and anxious beat. Would she like what he had planned for their first date? 

When Taehyung asked her out, he did so with thoughts of being able to take her on a nice date. In his mind, he would have closed the last floor of Hybe building, ordered from the fanciest restaurant in Seoul, and they would have dined there accompanied by the wonderful view. Perhaps he would have asked for some ambiance music while they chatted. He had wanted to ask everything about her that way… Like people used to meet back in the days; a Sunday kind of love. 

Instead, he had to make questions through texts. And the more he thought about it, the more it had felt rushed, and empty. As if a piece had been missing from the final picture. Reading those cybernetic words had less impact than they would have had if she had said them face to face. 

The car came to a stop and the GPS announced his arrival at the final destination. He bent down, closer to the wheel, to try and look at the building before him but his breath faltered as he did so. 

Right before him, Deo stood in front of the edifice, mindlessly looking down at her phone. She was dressed in all black, except for her Nike shoes which were perfectly white. Her wide-legged pants flew in the light breeze, just like her strawberry blonde locks that were loosely being held by a pair of sunglasses — that sat on top of her head. 

She looked modern and casual yet beautiful, like an ancient poem beaming in sunlight. Taehyung’s face lit with a smile. 

He thought about grabbing his phone and texting her a simple “look up”, but he found himself tired of all that jazz. He wanted to be old school, get out of the car, open the door for her… But at the same time, people passed by right behind her. Someone could see and then he would attract attention he couldn’t afford to as an idol. 

So he opted for the middle ground — not so twenty-first century, nor so old fashion. He lowered the window and whistled the first notes of This View, which had felt overly appropriate for the moment. 

Not even five notes in, she lifted her head curious, squinting her eyes in the direction of his car. Taehyung waved at her from the inside of it and she opened the most beautiful of smiles, running lightly toward the vehicle. 

“It was about time,” she said, closing the door after she got into the passenger seat. He smiled wide, scrunching his nose with such happiness. Her comment only added fuel to the fire that burned and roared in his heart. 

“And now that is finally happening… Are you ready?” 

Taehyung saw the girl lean her head on the seat back, just as he was doing to look at her — with a somewhat mischievous smile, and two big brown orbits that were as sweet as honey. She nodded, biting a shy smile, and he started the car. 

“Where are we going?”, Deo asked when he got out of her building area and took a right to the high road. 

“Don’t worry about anything today”, Taehyung said, glancing at her quickly to smile yet again. He just couldn’t help himself. “I just hope you like it!” 

Deo accommodated herself better on her seat and placed the leather fanny pack she had been wearing across her chest on her lap. Taehyung swiftly turned on the music, and as he shuffled excitedly through his songs, looking for the perfect tune, she found herself looking out the window. The sun shone brightly in the sky on that summer day, and her heart felt as warm as the rays of sunshine that touched her skin. 

Taehyung pulled over next to a green field full of red poppies, after what it felt like thirty to forty minutes of a ride — not that she had been counting, but a whole playlist was played until they reached their final destination. 

Deo eyed him once he turned off the engine. If she were with anyone else, she would immediately ask why to stop in the middle of a field like that. She has had her fair share of countryside back in the days when she lived with her parents, where the thought of dust in the air and having to dirt her feet made her feel frustrated. 

But somehow, as she eyed Taehyung and he held her gaze, she didn’t feel so discontent about having her white Nikes encounter the brownish chunks of earth that awaited for her right outside. 

“Oh, right!” He exclaimed. His right hand came to rub the back of his neck. “Uhm… This was not the initial plan… I was wanting to have a private diner at Hybe, or maybe in a hotel but then my schedule got packed and… well, you know,” she saw him shrug a little disconcerted, eyeing her from time to time to try and read her expressions. The girl beside him could feel he was afraid she wouldn’t like the destination he had picked and she promptly got ready to ease his mind. 

“I know this isn’t great– and we can totally turn back to the city! It’s just that… There are not that many places I can go without being seen, and at the time this seemed… Romantic” he emptied his mind and she chuckled, sensing her cheeks flush. 

“Well I think this is beautiful”, she said glancing through the window and then looking back at him. 

His mouth opened and closed, not knowing what to say out loud. His eyes traveled across her features wistfully. Afraid of becoming redder than she already was, Deo mentioned opening the door so she could get out but he was quick to stop her. “Wait!” 

As she looked back, he had already motioned to get out of his seat and smoothly go around to her own door. Opening it, he extended one hand for her to take. She couldn’t help but chuckle at his exaggerated accent as he said “My lady,” diving deep enough into his character that he bowed his head for her to make way. 

It didn’t take much to understand why people couldn’t take their eyes out of him. He was primarily amusing; made of intrinsic quirks and irresistible expressions. And she indeed felt like a princess, like he suggested by his adorable roleplay. Never in a million years she would imagine herself on a date with Kim Taehyung. That scenario was only fittable on a word document page, or so she thought. 

“Thank you, sir”, she took his hand, feeling much like a pinch to her skin, stating he was real while hopping off the car, landing with a quick jump that made dust dance around her feet. 

From then on, each second was marked by a different surprise of events, all unpredictable much like the owner of those fluffy locks that danced unruly to the light breeze floating around them. 

It started with him suggesting a picnic, and she watched as he excitedly opened the trunk to reveal a red plaid towel and a basket full of goods. When had he found the time to arrange all that, or even think of all that, was beyond her comprehension. She knew he had been preparing for a comeback, hence the lack of time to wander around freely. 

Taehyung tried with all his might to make the towel stay put on the ground, but the not-so-gentle breeze that made the poppies around them dance, also made it gain life. Deo couldn’t stop laughing while seeing him battle the red dancing cloth. And after much protest on his part, she decided to help, smartly taking out her shoes while standing right in the middle of it. She then trapped two of its ends on the ground with them. 

Taehyung followed suit, taking off his loafers and taking care of the remaining stubborn pieces that still flapped around. 

“It’s been a while since I last been to a place like this”, the girl by his side confessed, looking at her own feet instead of the view in question. There was some kind of melancholy in her voice, one that Taehyung recognized promptly as he too had felt homesick quite sometimes. 

And to his personal experience, there wasn’t much to do when that feeling came. You either went home if you could, or you waited for the feeling to subside until it greeted you again further on the road. Since the first option wasn’t available — and to his just discovered selfishness, he didn’t want it to be available — he did what he knew best. He entertained. 

He got up with a quick jump. “Then we should take lots of pictures! That way you can come here often, even if through a screen!” 

His boxy smile was enough for her to regain her spirits, and before she could do anything else but mimic his actions, he had his phone in hand ready to work. 

And then came the next surprise. 

The wind wouldn’t let her long golden strands in peace. Whenever she would pose for a picture, he would laugh uncontrollably at how ungoverned her hair was. Deo first got stressed, shouting at the invisible air currents to leave her alone, and the action reminded him of Jimin’s lashed-out cuteness. Instead of pictures, he recorded the moment, laughing endlessly and making her fall into her own laughter minutes later. 

Not much time they spent in heaven, as minutes after was Deo’s turn to jump out of the towel. “OH NO!” she exclaimed surprised. 

Taehyung followed her finger, pointing to the basket beautifully placed on top of the plaid cloth, almost a pictorial straight out of a vintage magazine. “Woah,” he added amused, crouching near it. “I’ve never seen this many ants together. No, you can’t go there! Hey! Little ant, I’m sorry, but that’s not yours!” 

The girl watched the scene perpetuous. They really were as distinct as water and fire. But the tingling feeling on the tips of her fingers made her expressions soften, and the look on her face was of nothing but fondness. 

Graciously giving Deo her pair of Nikes, and then clumsily putting on his loafers back, Taehyung grabbed the plaid towel — completely unaware she had been staring at him — fanning it in the basket to scare away the ants. 

“Should we eat inside?” Deo suggested, plopping down as he turned, pretending to tie her shoelaces. 

He glanced toward the car, and then around him. He nodded. “We can’t miss the sunset. There’s no way”, he paced with the towel on his shoulder and the basket in hand. “Ah! I know! Here!” 

She got up and turned around. “Inside the trunk?” Deo asked, not feeling so sure how that would work. 

As she came closer, he had already placed the towel on the extension of it, the basket occupying the space next to him. She was about to ask where she would sit, but Taehyung had her pinned down by the way he looked at her. The same way people look at magicians; as if she was about to perform a great act. 

And the final surprise of that day, before the sunset turned gold those lush green fields, came in the shape of a kiss. 

Taehyung brought her closer, standing right between his legs. He was still a few inches taller, even if he was sat. And somehow her eyes got bigger, and rounder standing there, so close to him to the point she could feel the tip of his nose gently brushing her own. 

“This is the only thing I can’t postpone anymore” he confessed before taking her lips on his. 

The only thing they had noticed about the sunset that day, despite him saying they couldn’t miss it, was how warm their skins felt under its sunlight beams, as their eyes had been occupied lusting on the darkness of a much-wanted kiss.

✿ to be continued... 

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.✩　. ⋆ . . * 　 . diamond of the first water,

* ⋆ . · ✵ diamond in the rough * ⋆ . · ✵ two * ⋆ . · ✵ three * ⋆ . · ✵

.✩　. ⋆ . . * 　 . a bee dancing in the dusk,

* ⋆ . · ✵ one * ⋆ . · ✵ two * ⋆ . · ✵ three * ⋆ . · ✵

.✩　. ⋆ . . * 　 . the garden of paper hearts,

* ⋆ . · ✵ one * ⋆ . · ✵ two * ⋆ . · ✵ three * ⋆ . · ✵

.✩　. ⋆ . . * 　 . hidden love letters and little notes,

* ⋆ . · ✵ one * ⋆ . · ✵ two * ⋆ . · ✵ three * ⋆ . · ✵

the first time Bubbles met Jimin—romantically—was by accident. 

or rather, a scheduled accident, much like her first time seeing him ever. 

they still remembered each other of course, from fighting back in the days. or from middle school, where their siblings were still very much discontent in each other’s presence… but not them. they had always been different from the other four. 

they began to form a liking toward one another early on. Bubbles could pinpoint the exact moment in fact. 

it was a chilly day, it had just begun drizzling, and she was on her way home holding her favorite blue umbrella when she spotted two boys crouching near the sidewalk poking at something with a stick. 

as she approached them, curious at what they were doing while laughing in a creepy manner, she noticed they had been poking at little snails. she was twelve at the time, and the boys seemed a bit older, but she was ready to lecture them. 

she despised people that treated any kind of being that way. no matter how small said being was. 

as she furrowed her eyebrows and came closer to them, she realized one of the said boys was about to stomp on the fragile snails. she remembers running rushedly towards them, trying to stop that catastrophe from happening, but then something surprised her. or better, someone. 

Jimin came in a flash, holding the boy’s foot millimeters away from the sluggish beings, just in time to save them. as he looked up and the mean bully could properly look at his face since he was wearing a hoodie due to the rain, his expressions faltered as Jimin’s showed he was very discontent. 

the two boys ran away, as quickly as they could. they were probably aware of the rowdy ruff brothers’ reputation, and also pretty aware of what Jimin was capable of doing. 

as soon as they were out of sight, however, Jimin’s harsh glance returned to the little creatures on the sidewalk. Bubbles noticed how his features changed as he opened a cute smile looking at them, and something warm and fuzzy filled her body, even if the weather was feeling cold against her cheeks. 

he felt like a ray of sunshine, crouched on that sidewalk. golden locks escaping the soft blue hoodie he was wearing to protect himself from the rain. 

without thinking twice, Bubbles walked toward him, extending her umbrella over himself as well. he looked up confused, and as she smiled brightly at him, showing a big thumbs up, proud of his attitude, he got up in a rush and fled away, overly embarrassed. 

ever since that day, the two of them were never conflictual in each other presence. Bubbles realized he was actually a good boy despite his previous actions, and although from that day on he had been a bit awkward around her, they developed a connection of sorts. 

but today… today was different. 

she wasn’t meeting him in school, or in a fight. today she was meeting him on a date.

even if he wasn’t her actual date. 

it all began when her best friend, Nari, the one she had been friends with ever since kindergarten, waited for her outside the gymnasium where she was having a cheer tryout. 

she was still in her sports shorts and a cropped tee when Nari dragged her over to the milkshake shop across the street, overly fidgety, claiming she was in desperate need of help. 

it turns out that Nari, much like everyone else, had been developing this secret crush on Jimin ever since he had started attending their art class. or so Bubbles thought. “Well, it was nothing serious… I saw him in our classroom and I thought I should just be polite and invite him since he seemed alone in there- and I thought he was going to say no for sure!” the girl explained in a rush while they entered the shop hearing the clink of the bell announcing their arrival. 

her brown-haired friend didn’t have the time to explain it further, as the moment they walked in, Jimin’s best friend raised his hand high and waved it to both of them, signaling their table. 

Bubbles felt herself walking automatically, much like a robot with a mission. her head was totally focused on understanding the situation. What she could piece together was the fact that, first and foremost, her best friend had omitted a crush—even if a small one, by the way she had explained the situation before entering the milkshake shop—and second, she was about to face her first date ever without even knowing her pair. it didn’t get better to know she was going through this moment with someone she had to see almost every day because of “work”. still, Nari was her best friend, and there was nothing she wouldn’t do for her. 

“hello! I’m Hoseok,” Jimin’s friend got up from his seat, and Bubbles could see how excited he was by the size of his heart-shaped smile. she made a mental note of how bubbly he was. “It’s really nice to meet you- even though we have the same class!” he says chuckling and both girls can’t help but smile. 

Nari makes introductions that aren’t but slight background noise to her ears, as her eyes are focused on the blonde sitting by the window.

even though Bubbles sat on the end of the double bench, making room for Nari to sit right across from Jimin, the conversation happening was between her best friend and the bubbly boy—the one she thought she was having the date with. 

“you like them too?” she hears Hoseok exclaiming excitedly while looking down to his tee and Nari shakes her head affirmatively with a huge smile. “I’ve been dying to go to their concert, you know…” 

five minutes became ten, and soon fifteen. there was no sight of a waitress to attend to their table and Bubbles couldn’t help but feel fidgety. her fingers twisted the paper straws incessantly in front of her while her eyes scanned the place after someone that could ask for their order. 

“that’s probably some influence from my sister's side since she is majoring in fashion and planning to open her clothing store,”

“that’s so cool! I hope I have a brand of my own someday too…” they seemed so in tune with each other that one could think Nari and Hoseok were the ones that had been in touch for years now. 

suddenly Bubbles got a bit impatient. she was a talkative person and she loved meeting new people, but something about this whole situation seemed foreigner to her. she looked over at her best friend, sitting by her side, and a smile tugged on the corners of her mouth almost instantly. 

she had never seen Nari so enthusiastic before, not like this. she was glowing. and suddenly Bubbles decided to get up, claiming she was going to order for all of them since it was taking ages. the reality was that she felt like she was intruding on a moment that wasn’t meant for her. 

“I’ll go too!” Jimin exclaimed jumping from his seat in a rush, and although the other two seemed alienated from the outside world to even realize it—or question anything at all—Bubbles gave him a questioning glance to which he explained, “to help. you’ll have to bring four orders… right?” 

she ponders for a bit; the strangeness of having never been on a proper outing with Jimin, much less on a date, makes her hesitate. as soon as she glances at Nari and Hoseok, chatting like their world depended on it, all the hesitation goes to space. 

“alright! but no stealing the tips jar,” she warns him with a glance as they move toward the counter. 

“that’s something my brothers would do,” he offers his best innocent face and Bubbles almost laugh at how theatrical he was being. “not me! I would never… really.” 

they reach the colorful counter side by side, and as Bubbles looks up to scan the milkshake menu, Jimin leans on his side facing her but his eyes are trailed on their table. 

“I think I’ll be having one mocha… one mint chip for Nari and–” Bubbles thought out loud.

“they really have a lot in common,” Jimin commented with a half-hearted smile, eyes still on the pair laughing while they scribbled something on a napkin. “Hobi also likes mint chip.” 

Bubbles shifted her eyes toward Jimin with the new piece of information and he held her gaze. 

“what about you?”

he shrugged pretending to think. “maybe I’ll take a mocha today too.” 

Bubbles couldn’t help but bite another smile and hit him softly on his arm. before he could catch her staring at him fondly with a shade of pink on her cheeks, a waitress appeared on the other side of the counter with a friendly smile. 

“ready to take orders?” 

she took her eyes off Jimin, surprised by the sudden approach, “oh yes! yes we are”

“it’s two mochas and…” Jimin began before glancing at the table with eyes that suddenly went from smiley to a puzzled look. “no. that will be all.” 

Bubbles followed his gaze, confused, but as she looked at their empty seats, she understood what had happened. 

“coming right up! you can seat, I’ll deliver it at your table, sweets.” the lady said cheerfully and the blues walked away. 

Bubbles went ahead intrigued as to why their friends had disappeared all of a sudden. wasn’t Nari supposed to be on a date with Jimin? 

“well… I guess this is how matches made in heaven work, " the blue-eyed boy commented while casually sitting back in his seat and scrunching his nose while inspecting a napkin. 

Bubbles who was looking through the big window like a kid looking for their lost puppy sat straight on her seat again and took the piece of paper in her own hands. 

“have a nice date, we’re out…” she read out loud the message engraved in the white piece of paper with Nari’s handwriting. 

“she even left a heart and a little flower,” Jimin pointed out with his index finger. “and tons of exclamation marks.”

“so…”

Jimin started chuckling nervous, “so.” 

until now he had not realized they were alone, left to be on a date by themselves. suddenly her blue eyes on him became too much to handle and he froze on spot, not knowing what to do. he always fled when something like this happened… he had been doing it whenever Bubbles stared at him like that. he remembered the first time he did so… she was holding an umbrella over his head wearing the cutest raincoat ever, full of rainbows. 

his heart was doing it again. stupid heart. 

“here it is, my sweets!” the lady that had previously attended them said placing their milkshakes on the table, but their gazes were still glued to each other’s blue eyes. “oh and I forgot to mention! you won the couple prize of this week!” 

both of them looked at her embarrassed. 

“oh- we’re- we’re not–” Bubbles started stuttering while nodding her head and Jimin saw how the lady started retrieving the hand she had been holding two matching keychains. 

“thank you so much!” Jimin exclaimed, lifting his hand to take the trinkets before the girl sat across from him could say anything else. “look Bubs, that’s your favorite!” 

the smile on the waitress's face returned promptly as she handed Jimin two octopus keychains and looked over at them with adoration. “congrats on being our twentieth couple this week!” 

Jimin smiled at her as Bubbles was too red and confused to say anything else. 

from that day on, even though they had never seen each other again due to Jimin getting out of town with his brothers, you could see Bubbles arriving at school every day with a purple octopus dangling from her backpack. she never knew if he still had his. the only time she heard his name was when Nari’s boyfriend—Hoseok—nonchalantly talked about his blonde friend every time they went to the milkshake shop and reminisced about that day. 

Bubbles always smiled at her mocha with fond memories wondering if she would ever see him again. 

perhaps next time they could actually have a proper double date.