#tae.chi

Finding the other wearing their clothes

Honestly, the place was a mess. Whenever I entered her apartment, I had to be prepared to see a trail of clothes leading up to her bathroom, cups and half drunk coffee on the coffee table, books lying face down on the floor. It was so messy sometimes that I would refuse to set foot inside; though today it was slightly better. I grabbed the books and put them on the sofas, collected all the mugs and dumped them in the sink. One by one i grabbed the items of clothes, including that one red hot bra I really liked and gathered them in my arms ready to dump them on the bed. I opened the door and saw her face down in the middle of the bed. It was 1pm. 

She startled as I dumped the pile of clothes right on top of her head. 'what the-', she woke up glaring at me. 

'Your place's a mess', I replied. I went around the room, picking up her laundry and dumping it in the laundry bag. 

'I was having an awesome dream you know', she looked pretty cute with a pout. I turned around and saw her standing there by the bed side in my shirt. 

'You know I've been looking for that shirt everywhere!' I said as I came near her. 'it's time you give it back', I whispered as I grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled with her arms around my neck. 

I accidentally met his eyes through the window. It's weird when you make unintentional eye contact with someone. You're suspended in a moment of uncertainty. Should you smile? Should you ignore? Of course me being the anti-social person, I ignored. 

I come to this place often, alone among all the couples eating out. I feel comfortable in my lonesome space so it doesn't bother me to see an empty seat in front of me. Yet all the time I've been here, this is the first time I've seen someone come alone too. 

He's sitting at a slight angle to my chair, enough that we can't directly look at each other. That doesn't stop us from looking at the beautiful view from the window in front of me, or more specifically, at each other's reflection. 

The first time i accidentally make eye contact is when I'm fixing my hair. My hair comes lose from my bun, and I try to check my reflection in the window just as he glaces my way. I quickly drop my gaze, suppressing the urge to the hide under the table. It's just that his gaze is unnerving. 

I keep looking out the window at the beautiful view occasionally while eating my food, and at a particularly embarrassing moment when I'm discreetly checking out my teeth (I often get food stuck) I happen to make eye contact again. This time when i turn around I draw everyone's attention as my cutlery clangs off my plate and down to the floor. 

I take two deep breaths and bend down to pick up my cutlery. If this night could get anymore embarrassing, I would be ready to jump out that window. 

For the rest of the night I don't look at the window. I quietly eat my food and clear the bill. 

As I get up I feel a presence behind me. It's the eye contact guy. He gives me a half smile and shrugs. His eyes are smiling. 

We end up walking up to the bus stop, engaged in our own world. Turns out he thought I was cute, checking out my teeth in a window reflection. Turns out I thought he was cute too, the way he kept sneaking glances at me while we walked side to side on our way to our homes. 

Turns out our cuteness matched, judging by the way I saw his tears when I walked towards him in a white dress. 

Hira was staring at the dangling necklace, her heart beating out of her chest at the proximity. Yoongi was in a strange mood today, staring and glancing at her whenever he could. Now she knew why. 

She had come home exhausted from running around the ER all night. It was her bad luck that she got handed the 7 to 12 pm shift; she couldn't change though. No one was generous enough to swap with her. 

She unwound her scarf and hung her white coat on the hooks by the door, revealing the black dress she had worn. Even with a routine as hectic as hers, she sometimes wanted to dress up. 

As she turned around, she saw yoongi staring at her over the rim of his cup. It was weird, normally yoongi wasn't that focused on her. Ever since they had taken the decision to live together, yoongi had been this way. A glance here and there, an occasional kiss or a hug on hard days, sometimes cuddling while watching a movie. But today he had been staring at her since morning. 

He had almost burnt their breakfast since he kept glancing at her. Hira decided to shrug it off and moved towards the bedroom to change. As she turned around to close the door, yoongi pushed the door and walked in. 

"Ah... Is it something serious? Do you wanna talk about something" Hira asked. She needed to know what was up with him. 

Yoongi walked away and sat heavily on the bed. He sighed and gazed at her, waiting for her to sit beside him. 

"Tell me. Is it something serious?", Hira's anxiety made her voice shake as she moved closer to him. 

"It is", Yoongi said as he grabbed her arm and twisted her towards the bed, pinning her beneath him. "I'm going insane trying to slow my pace, but I can't anymore. Is that ok?" 

"Of-of course" Hira stuttered, her heart running a marathon. Her eyes were fixated on the silver chain that was only inches away, and beyond that his wide neckline showing glimpses of skin. 

"Are you sure" Yoongi asked as he came closer, almost whispering against her cheek. 

"Yeah" Hira murmured as Yoongi turned his face and began planting feather light kisses on her jawline, along her cheek and finally, her lips.

Usually Hala cooked for the both of them. It wasn't because he was incapable or unbothered; he was so busy with his dance practice and vocal lessons that he couldn't cook as much as he wanted to anymore. Today was his day off though; which meant any minute now he would walk in and help her cook lunch. 

Hala was slicing onions when he came in looking adorably sleepy. "Good morning... Err afternoon", he stretched while yawning. "What's cookin' good lookin'", he winked as he came closer to look at the ingredients so he could figure out his lunch. It didn't matter how lame his pick up lines were; it always made her smile. That and his dad jokes could pull her out of a horrible mood. 

"I'm making pasta. Is that ok?". 

Hala yelped as his arms snaked around her waist, his chin on her shoulder. "Yum. Let me help too". 

"Go wash up first. And please put a shirt on!", Hala said as he untangled himself and walked in the direction of the bathroom. Hala started humming as she walked to the cabinet that Jin had installed according to his height - meaning she could barely reach it properly. 

She was standing on her tip toes, her fingers lightly brushing the jar when suddenly she felt a hand on her waist, another grabbing the jar easily. She jumped slightly turning around to face Jin. 

"Uh thanks", she stuttered noticing how close they were. 

"You're welcome", Jin said as he put the jar on the counter, leaning in. "So...", he smirked looking at her lips. He didn't let her reply as he closed the distance, kissing her. 

"Ok...", Jin pulled away breathing heavily, "What do you want me to do". 

"Uh... Boil the pasta please", Hala stuttered as she walked around him to the counter. Jin smiled as he pulled the pasta bag out of the cabinet. It was cute how she still blushed whenever he came close to her. 

Its safe to say I was supposed to fall in love with him. Who wouldn't? With someone like him it was meant to happen. It was in bits and pieces. 

I was young when I met him and he took care of me among others. He teased me mercilessly and I teased him back, it became a game for us - Who could make the other laugh more. At first it was because I was happy and I wanted him to be happy too, later I realized it was just because I loved it when he smiled because of me. The way his eyes would disappear, the way he laughed with his whole body as if that much joy needed his whole body's energy to burst out. 

It was so innocent at first; hanging out and having late night conversations, him being there for me through thick and thin. But then something happened. We grew up.

I guess the first time I really felt a spark was the time I was super sleepy, barely able to keep my eyes open. And then suddenly I felt a hand lift my head to put a pillow under my head. I wanted nothing more than to nuzzle the warmth of that hand but before I could it moved to drape a blanket over me. The next morning I woke up thinking it was a dream. 

Small instances like these came and went, a smile here a touch there, all innocent for him but not for me. This feeling kept growing; this innocent love I had for him. 

The day he came out dressed like that I knew I was done for. Grey hair and those glasses, the striped shirt that was open far too much; it would be a sin not to take advantage of that. I let my eyes speak what my mouth couldn't, knowing I wasn't supposed to feel that way. But fate was on my side. 

We got a little too drunk, our conversations got a little deeper, our skinship more intimate until finally one us made a move. Too drunk to think about anything, we went along with it. I guess what I'm trying to say is, it was decided from the start, I was supposed to love him and he was supposed to love me. Sometimes softly, sometimes a little rough, we were there for each other as lovers in secret, as friends in public. 

But right now, at this moment with his hand brushing my hair and with a smile on his face, I would want nothing more than to be beside him.

Bano moved to her cheap new apartment a week ago. Her bags were still unpacked - a testament of a lazy college student. Her parents wanted her to stay at home; when she refused they told her to make it by herself. They thought it would scare her away; she was stubborn though. She would show them she could do it without any one's support. 

The first thing she did was got a job at the nearest club/restaurant as a waitress. She was determined to make it on her own. 

She dizzily remembered last night. It was her birthday and her friends threw her a party; on the way back, high on drinks and happiness, her friends started to ask random people to sing her a song. They were quite loud about it too. 

The older couple just looked at them weird, the kids laughed at them and well it was not a success. Until the rabbit boy. He was standing alone by the roadside, staring off into space when he was rudely interrupted. "Sing her a song. It's her birthday". 

He looked startled, his big doe eyes shinning. He glanced at each of the girls until his eyes rested on the birthday girl. "Let's not bother him. I'm sorry", Bano said as she began to walk past. 

"We don't talk anymore...". Bano turned around when she heard him singing. He had a beautiful voice, but his pitch was all over the place. He was also slurring a little, indicating that he was quite drunk. It was horrible. And yet Bano had not heard a sound more beautiful than that horrible pitch and sloppy words. 

"Thank you" Bano said when he ended the song with a twist of his wrist. 

"You're welcome, lady". He almost toppled over while bowing to her. 

"Are you ok" Bano asked him, concerned. 

"Never been better". His smile scrunched up his nose in the cutest way. They left him there on the street, lost in his own drunken thoughts. 

Bano was rudely snapped back to reality when she heard angsty music blasting from her neighbors walls. These walls were so thin, she could hear everything. Including her neighbor singing along - no screaming along the lyrics. She got super annoyed and punched the wall. When the noise didn't die down she decided to give him a tasted of his own medicine - she brought her speakers and plugged in her Iphone. Though she hated this song, she was gonna play it just to annoy him.  

I'm a barbie girl, in a barbie world... She knew her expensive speakers - the only thing she invested her money in - would drown out his music and she was right. After 3 seconds, she heard a loud what the fuck from her neighbor. Satisfied, she turned it down and finally there was peace. 

She took out her clothes from the suitcase and went to the bathroom. She really needed a shower. She had a habit of humming her favorite song of the week when showering. It just happened to be Chainsmokers this time. She got so into the song she started singing it loudly while getting out of the shower, her towel wrapped around her and her hairbrush acting as a mic. She ended the song with a thank you and bow to her invisible audience and grabbed her clothes to get changed. 

Bano left her apartment to get mail from her mailbox when she sensed a presence behind her. She got startled, dropping her mail all over the ground. 

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you". It was rabbit boy. He was here. And he was picking up her mail. 

"Uh thanks", Bano said awkwardly. "You live around here?" she asked shyly. Rabbit boy just smiled in reply. 

Bano was about to leave when she heard him say "Chainsmokers is my favorite band too by the way". 

Oh hell NO Bano wanted to yell as she realized it. It couldn't be! Since when did karma turn against her! She turned around to glare at her neighbor before walking back to her apartment. Today was not going smoothly. At. All. 

She was pacing her tiny apartment anxiously. Rabbit boy, the one and only who sang so horribly and made her night better was her infuriating neighbor who loved to scream Back in Black randomly throughout the day. How was this possible? He was so obnoxious with his loud music and not caring about his neighborly attitude, but why did he have to be so cute! Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. While she was debating whether to answer the door or not, something slipped through the door.

"You left this behind", the sticky note said. Bano peeled it away to see an envelope addressed to her apartment. Junk mail. Again. She threw the mail and the note in the trash while she went to get ready for work. 

She thought the day couldn't get any worse. She was wrong. Not only was her boss very...well bossy, her customers were no better either; shamelessly flirting and making her uncomfortable. She was mid way through her 4 hour shift when rabbit boy walked in, sitting in her section. She almost dropped a customer's order when her eyes met his; he was so beautiful it was overwhelming. She cleared her throat as she walked towards him and took his order without blushing and stuttering. He ate alone and in silence, not glancing at her at all during the time he was at the club. But when he left after clearing his bill, and tipping her amazingly, he didn't go out the door but instead at the stage. 

"What's he doing?", Bano asked her co-worker. 

"He plays and sings sometimes. He has an angelic voice", her co-worker sighed. 

Bano was skeptical. She still remembered him singing horribly to her that day, with no talent whatsoever. That was until he actually picked up the guitar and sang. His voice was beautiful, hitting every note perfectly, a far cry from his screechy mess that day. Bano got off work the same time as he stopped singing. 

"Well since we live in the same building, I'll walk you home", rabbit boy said. Bano simply nodded in reply. He seemed so nice and polite, and he hadn't played loud music since their battle of AC-DC versus Barbie Girl. "So I didn't catch your name". 

"Umm...I'm Bano".

"I'm Jungkook. Nice to meet you". They walked a few more feet in silence. 

"Look. I need to apologize. I didn't know you were living next door. It was empty for a long time. I guess I went home for the weekend because I didn't see you move in. Also embarrassing you about singing in the shower. Though I do like the Chainsmokers. I hope I didn't offend you too much".

"Um ..yeah no issues" Bano said, suddenly shy. This boy was not only cute, but he was so polite too. Bano couldn't grasp how she had misjudged him at the beginning. They walked the rest of the way in awkward silence. 

"So uh...thank you for walking me back", Bano said while opening her door. 

"No issues. Anytime" Jungkook said as he went inside his apartment and locked the door.

Bano was getting ready for bed, wearing her oversized Naruto pajamas when a shrill noise startled her. She rushed to open her door and see what's going on; a few people were coming out of their apartments. 

"Excuse me...what's going on?", Bano asked a random people passing by. 

"Fire alarm", he muttered while walking away. 

Bano quickly grabbed her keys and went out, locking her door behind. The residents were gathered outside in front of the building waiting for the fire trucks. "Hello neighbor", Jungkook waved at her through the crowd. 

"Hi", Bano replied with a small smile.

"So...nice pajamas. You look cute", Jungkook gave her a once over. Bano had forgotten she was in her oldest pajamas which quite possibly had a few holes. Jungkook started talking about Naruto and soon Bano got engaged in the conversation. They chatted until they were told to go back in their apartments. The fire alarm was a prank by some kids. 

"Um so...listen..." Jungkook began. 

"Yeah...?" 

"Um...nothing never mind". Jungkook quickly shut his door.

A few seconds later, there was a knock on the door. Bano opened it to find no one there, but as she was about to close it, she noticed a sticky note.

Would you like to go get dinner tomorrow? With me? I'll even sing Chainsmokers for you :P. Yes or Yes?. She grabbed her pen and tick-marked both yes check boxes. She stuck it on his door, knocked and retreated.

She stood with her ear against their shared walls, waiting for him to get the message. 

"YASSSS", she could hear his shout through the wall before he realized she could probably hear and quieted down.This was going to be fun. 

Maira hummed as she stood in the kitchen, making hot cocoa for two people, dancing slightly to Jimin's voice. She poured the mix in the cups, depositing the dishes in the sink. She could always do them later. 

She grabbed the two mugs and entered the living room, placing hers on the coffee table while carrying the other to the small dance studio. She knocked on the door and pushed it slightly to reveal Jimin dancing to a beautiful melody, his movements fluid and soft. 

"I made you hot cocoa", Maira said in a soft voice. She didn't want to interrupt his dance practice but the cocoa would cool down if she waited. 

"Thank you baby", Jimin smiled as he moved forward to grab the cup. "I'll just wash up and come out in five minutes. I'm done for the day". 

Maira handed him the cup and left, closing the door behind her. She grabbed a book from her shelf and sat on the couch, snuggling into a fleece blanket with her cocoa warming her hand. She had just finished a page when she sensed someone's eyes on her, making her look up. 

"Why are you staring at me?", Maira asked feeling awkward under his scrutiny. 

"No reason. Carry on reading", Jimin said sipping his hot cocoa. He always drank it super hot while Maira cooled it down to almost lukewarm. 

He went to the kitchen to put his empty mug in the sink, deciding to do the dishes so Maira wouldn't have to. 

"Leave them. I'll do them later don't worry", Maira yelled over the noise of the water and clinking of dishes. 

"No it's ok. There aren't many, I'll do them", Jimin said as he began washing the dishes. It made Maira smile how much caring and considerate Jimin was. She felt guilty; he would do these random things to make her day easier while she could not help him with his work. 

A few minutes later, Jimin noisily plunked down on the couch beside Maira. After watching her for a few minutes which Maira tried to ignore, he lied down with his head in her lap, displacing her book. 

"What", Maira said while giggling, "are you doing?". 

"Nothing. I danced and did the dishes. I'm tired", Jimin whined as he nuzzled his head against her belly. 

"Awww our jiminie is tired", Maira said threading her fingers in his hair, stroking his temple softly. Jimin smiled as Maira began to read out loud for the both of them. A few minutes later Maira noticed Jimin dozing off. Overwhelmed with how innocent he looked while sleeping, she leaned down to kiss his temple while shaking him awake. 

"Wake up and sleep properly in the bed", Maira said. 

"Hmmm", Jimin just mumbled as he turned his head, making her laugh. 

"Wake up!!", Maira said shaking him forcefully. 

"Why", Jimin pouted, "did you wake me when I was having the best nap of my life".

"Don't exaggerate. You should sleep properly", Maira said as she pushed him off her lap and got up. At the same time, Jimin grabbed her waist and pulled her down beside him on the couch. 

"I have a better idea", Jimin said as he bent down and kissed her. After a few minutes, Maira pushed him away and stood up. 

"Come on. You should go to bed already, you need the rest". 

"Okay", Jimin got up, placing one last kiss on her palm. 

"You should rest too. I'll be going to bed first then. Don't stay up too late reading", he said as he went to the bedroom and plunked on the bed. 

Maira smiled as she grabbed her book and continued reading. She just wanted to finish one last chapter before going to bed. 

Hira dug her bare feet in the wet sand, waiting for the waves to brush her toes and retreat. She could hear Suga standing nearby, humming the new melody he'd been working on. It was rare to see him so carefree and relaxed; Hira was glad she was able to convince him to step outside. 

Hira gathered her knees and rested her head on her folded arms, watching him with a half smile. She must have dozed off for the next thing she knew, Suga's arms were wrapped around her torso, his chin resting on her shoulder. 

"Hey", Hira murmured sleepily. "Did I doze off on you?". 

"Yeah", Suga replied watching the sun sink into the horizon. "I think I just found inspiration for my song". 

"Really? That's great. What's the idea?" 

"You sitting on the beach, dozing off with the most innocent look on your face". 

"Stop it. Seriously what is it", Hira asked. 

"Why must I repeat", Suga sighed as he got up and pulled Hira up. 

"Really? I am your inspiration?", Hira asked smiling. 

"No. Your sleeping face is. Now let's go", Suga turned around and started to walk. 

"Awww that's so sweet of you to write me a song", Hira giggled as she raced to catch up with him. Suga remained silent as she continued to tease him. 

"Whoa", Hira came to a sudden stop as Suga stopped walking and turned around. He grabbed her waist and pulled her close as their lips met. They kissed for a long time, until they ran out of breath. Suga pulled away, resting his forehead against hers, breathing heavily. 

"This was to shut you up for your incessant teasing", he turned around with a smirk. 

"You can't just do that so suddenly", Hira raised her voice at his retreating back. She was frozen at the spot, still reeling from his sudden kiss. 

"I'll leave you behind if I get to the car before you", Suga said not bothering to look behind at her. That pushed Hira into motion, walking quickly until she was beside him. She grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together, swinging their arms while walking back to their home.