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i.
A month through the semester and nothing seems to work right. It’s like college never runs out of paper work, never sees holidays as “free days”, never gives you a chance to spend your money on things you would like—it’s all just readings, and never, ever lets you get some proper sleep.
Which is why you end up napping in the library, of all places. Well, people do it all the time. It’s like half of the people who stay in the dusty, paper and wood smelling room are asleep. And after a few times of doing the same, you realize how comfortable it actually is.
It’s just that you never expect the place to be packed when you wake up. And when you stretch your arms backward, spine stiff after hunching over the wooden table, you do not really mean to hit the guy. You immediately turn around to the stranger, wanting to apologize, but as it turns out, he’s fast asleep, too, clearly undisturbed by your limbs.
Maybe it wasn’t intentional, but you end up studying his features—his fluffy black hair, his eyelids that imply that he has big eyes, his round nose, and his full pink lips. He was sleeping so soundly, yet everything about the face screams beautiful.
You notice the wall clock that displays a time that you should already be home, and you gather your things, rushing to get out of the place.
But not before sparing the boy another glance.
“I think you have a crush,” your best friend, Jiwoo, remarks, after hearing the whole story.
ii.
“He’s here!” you whisper shout to the phone.
“I can’t believe you saw him again!” Jiwoo responds.
You were in the bus that night, listening to the newest album of your favorite boy group, when he enters the vehicle. You haven’t seen him with his eyes open, but you’re sure it’s the same guy from the library, albeit more beautiful, now that you’ve seen his doe eyes.
“It’s unfair how you got to see him twice already. I haven’t even had a glimpse of Mr. Perfect,” she adds, making sure to stress certain words.
“That’s not my fault,” you reply.
“Take a photo.”
“W-What?”
“I want to see how he looks like. Maybe I share a class with him. Or bumped into him a few times in the hallway.”
“Now you’re making it sound like it’s your love story.”
“Just do it, pleaaase? Send it immediately.”
“Fine.”
So you lift your phone a bit. You were sat by the window while he stood up at the alley, clutching one of the railings, two rows of seats in front of you. It was a pretty good angle, to be honest, capturing his face clearly. And it really was supposed to be fine, except when you clicked the capture button, the flash lit up a half meter-long radius from where you were, earning a couple of looks from the passengers, including him.
Sugar-honey-iced-tea.
“I’m so sorry!” you say in a pitch higher than you intended, before sinking into your seat.
You wanted to get out of the bus, except, (a) it was packed, (b) you clearly cannot break the window without getting into more trouble, and (c) you don’t think you can even show him your face.
Okay. But you did get a good photo.
iii.
“I can’t believe you need extra credits for Physical Education,” Hoseok grumbles. “If you took my dance class you shouldn’t be doing this.”
“First of all, it’s not your dance class—you’re simply the teacher’s pet.” You earn a look of shock and feigned offense from the boy. “Second, you know I. CANNOT. DANCE. Not even a little bit.”
“Yeah. It’s not her fault ‘singing’ isn’t a subject,” Jiwoo remarks at her brother.
“The music course offers—“ Hoseok almost continues before you cut him off with a “Shut up, for like, a moment?!”
“But aren’t you gonna dance in that costume?”
This time, Jiwoo gives him a neck slice.
“I’m really sorry we can’t stay and accompany you. Our dad texted me. I’ll catch you tomorrow, Y/N…”
After managing to zip up the tiger’s body, you put the mascot’s yellow head snugly on yours. Now, you’re completely unrecognizable as you walk to the gymnasium.
Everybody was cheering for their own team, but more shouted your school’s name, having the home court advantage. You waved your arms happily, gaining the students’ attention, moving and jumping to the beat of the drums as they were enthusiastically beaten.
The players were then called into the court, beginning with your school.
And you finally catch a glimpse of him again.
After a month and seventeen days.
WHY WERE YOU EVEN COUNTING?!
In a jersey.
With a cloth headband on his forehead.
Today, you learn his name.
Jeon Jeongguk.
And under the mask provided by the tiger head, you say it over and over again, practicing how it would sound on your lips.
You’re suddenly more energetic, dancing around, screaming to the confinements of the mascot when the team scores, when Jeon Jeongguk scores, and when he smiles that smile of his.
His smile—though bunny-toothed, makes you think of the first flower that blooms at the end of the winter.
~
Unfortunately, as much as you like the now named guy, mishap just always seems to happen when he’s around.
You were so exhausted, not to mention that you felt so hot underneath the stupid costume, after the game. You were walking out of the gymnasium when you see another player jog to your direction.
“Hey, wait,” the player calls out to you. “Please, stay, for a minute.”
Somehow, you couldn’t resist his charms. You were calm about it until—
“Gukkie, please,” he draws out. “You promised me.” He whines.
“Alright, alright, you’re such a kid,” Jeon-freaking-Jeongguk answers.
And there he was, glistening in sweat, coming after the unnamed player.
“I’m sorry, I know you’re tired, but I just… really wanted a photo with the school tiger,” he explains. It wasn’t necessary, but you find yourself smiling at the gesture.
Jeongguk takes his phone out.
“Ready, Taehyung-ah?” he calls.
“Uhm, c-can I hug you?” Taehyung asks, catching you off-guard.
“What?” you question, but he doesn’t seem to hear, as he stares at you intently. Turns out, he can’t see you through the costume. You open your arms for him instead.
“Yay!” and his long arms wrap around your stuffed figure.
A few shots later and you pose with the boy who turns out to be a ball of sunshine, much like Hoseok, only softer and with big cheeks. He doesn’t even look like an athlete, you think.
He waves you goodbye, moving towards his team, members giddy after their first win.
You wave back, too, but you weren’t really looking at him, but at Jeongguk, who clearly has no idea.
While finding your way out however, the ‘mishap’ happens.
You slip.
On a scattered banner.
Now, you’re flat on your butt.
“Mister Tiger!” and you recognize it as Taehyung’s voice, but a different person reaches your side first.
Suddenly, you’re face to face with Jeon Jeongguk.
Well, not really, considering there’s a whole layer of cotton padding (a.k.a. the thing on your head) between you, but you can definitely see him clear as day.
“Are you okay?” he asks as he helps you up, hands on both of your covered arms, with voice so smooth and sweet it could rival the purest of honey.
“What’s going on?” the coach interrupts your ‘moment’.
You take three steps backward from the guy, bowing at him and Taehyung, before scurrying out of the place.
iv.
*crash*
The food tray came toppling down from the pink-haired student’s hand, contents falling flat on the canteen floor.
“I’m so sorry!” you say to him. You notice that he had been carrying two trays instead of just one, and obviously, he couldn’t save both. Maybe if he only carried one, none of this would’ve—
“Gukkie might as well slap my ass again,” he mutters.
Your eyes widen at the familiar nickname.
And then, two boys come rushing to his side.
“Jiminie, are you okay?” you recognize the concern-filled voice as Taehyung’s.
“I thought Namjoon-hyung was the clumsy one?” Jeongguk snorts, taking the saved tray from him. “What about your lunch then?”
Oh… so the other tray was his.
“Hey, what makes you think—“
As the two students seem to be oblivious to your presence, you clear your throat and hand out your lunch stub to “Jiminie”.
“I’m really sorry for bumping into you,” you say to him, not sparing the other two boys a glance before making your way out of the canteen.
v.
“Jeon Jeongguk?!” Hoseok exclaims in question, earning a few glances from the people at the diner.
You slap his hand in annoyance. “Keep it down! What if someone hears you?”
“But he’s in my dance class!” he whisper shouts.
“That’s why I didn’t tell you when I found out. You’re too loud!”
“Yet you choose to stick with me.”
“Because you’re Jiwoo’s brother.”
“Aww, I thought that’s because you liked me.”
“No, I like Jeongguk.”
“Really? I couldn’t tell!” he says sarcastically and you roll your eyes at him. “Kidding. I know. And now that I think about it, it all seems to make sense.”
“What makes sense?”
“You keep on talking about this…guy with Jiwoo. How this guy has the most beautiful doe eyes, and how his bunny smiles light up your world, how he’s so cool when playing basketball, and how—“
“Stop it, Hobi!” you place your hand on his mouth, making him shut up.
The chimes of the diner rings and you both glance towards the entrance. There, in all his glory, stood—
“Jeon Jeongguk?” Hoseok calls.
“Sungjin-oppa!” you exclaim, jogging to guy.
“Hey, Y/N? It’s been a while,” he smiles at you, ruffling your hair.
“I didn’t know you were in town,” you tell him.
“I checked out a gig, and I was just going to take out chicken for my band mates.”
“That’s nice. Say hi for me, okay?”
“Sure, Y/N.”
-
“That boy definitely looks like Jeongguk,” Hoseok whispers when you got back to the seat. You resist the urge to roll your eyes again.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
“So…”
“So?”
“Why do you like Jeongguk?” he asks again.
“I thought you knew already?”
“C’mon, Y/N. I know you’re not that shallow.”
“Well…”
“Well..?”
“I see him when he’s with other people… And he’s just... so nice? He looks at his seniors with admiration, he respects everyone around him, and even if he’s playful with his friends, you can see that he really cares about them, and—“
“—Oh, Gukkie?”
You narrow your eyes at Hoseok for the rude interruption, and for suddenly bringing up—
“Hobi-hyung!” someone calls out, and you whirl your head to the source of the voice. This time, the boy you’ve been talking about has really entered the shop. Fortunately, he just waves at Hoseok, before heading straight to the counter. He must be really hungry.
Hoseok doesn’t fail to notice the way you watch the boy from afar, like he makes the sun shine in the morning, as well as how a faint pink has been dusting your cheeks.
“If you’re that whipped, you should come to our showcase then. He’s gonna have a part with Jimin.”
“What?”
“This weekend.”
“I’m not—“
“I’ll ask Jiwoo to give you the ticket.”
~
You have never screamed louder your whole life before, during, and after their performance. You couldn’t deny it—you’ve fallen harder for the boy.
vi.
The task was simple. Sit in for the whole class. Observe the professor and students. Conduct a 30-minute interview. There wasn’t much to worry about. The dean had informed the professors about it; students were randomly assigned to them. You were pretty confident and prepared. Except, nobody could prepare you for one thing.
“Where is Jeongguk? He’s never been absent for this class.” You hear a girl whisper to her seatmate.
“Do you think it’s because of the paper?” the other answers.
“Maybe he was just supposed to interview a professor as well?”
“I don’t think so. The schedule is not supposed to clash with a class. And if he misses the paper…”
“Oh, boy. Jeon can’t mess up this time…”
The class had gone smoothly, and the next thing you knew, you were standing in front of the students, handing out the forms for the survey. You exchanged polite smiles with the professor, but before you began the interview, she stood up to give one last reminder.
“After passing the survey to Y/N-ssi, I expect you to pass your midterm paper as well. You know I’m not very strict with deadlines, but before the class hour ends and I leave this room, I should have all papers. Absentees are not excused.”
You gulp at her instruction and scan the room for a sign for him. You cross your fingers before starting the interview.
~
There was 7 minutes left before the class end.
“I assume you’re all done?” the professor asks, getting up from her seat after thanking you. The students exchange glances and nod. You scan the room for any sign of Jeongguk, but he still wasn’t present.
This should have been comforting, since that would save you from another awkward encounter with the boy, but of course, you were worried for his grade. You did your best to maximize the minutes before time, collecting the papers one by one instead of having them passed.
5 minutes.
You hear the girl from earlier whisper that Jeongguk was on his way, and that he’ll be back at least a minute before the official end of the class. You look at the professor—it seems she was willing to leave as soon as you finished.
3 minutes. No sign of him.
The moment you reached the front desk, the professor was ready to call for papers, but you were able to interrupt.
“Ma’am, I’d like to take photos,” you chirp.
“Pardon?”
“I... so that… for documentation!” you manage to say. She looked reluctant, but agreed.
And that’s how you end up having a portrait shot with her, and about three class photos with the class. True to his word, Jeongguk has found a way to meld into the students at the last minute without being noticed by the professor, and when she calls for papers, his was safely tucked with the rest. Feeling that you’ve completed your mission, you exit the room after giving him a quick glance, a smile grazing your lips, feeling a tad bit heroic.
vii.
“♫ I like you
I tried to hold it down but I can’t do this anymore
Took me a long time to say this
I want to love you ♫”
You were leaning against the wall, watching the sunset from the window, while singing Sungjin and his band’s new single. You don’t normally do it aloud, but it was late, and the classroom and hallways in this part of the building were often empty. And this particular song has perfectly captured your emotions for a certain someone.
“ ♫ I’ve been crushing on you like this
But if you’re not like me, just say “I’m sorry”
That’s all you gotta do
I’ll be fine, yeah~ ♫”
You were singing the high chorus again when Jeongguk passed through the hallway. Your eyes were closed, feeling every lyric, and he didn’t dare disrupt your beautiful singing, so he just continued to listen.
Unfamiliar with the song, he did not know that it had reached its end, and the next thing he knew, you were already looking at each other.
“Wow,” he breathes. That was literally all he could say.
“W-were you standing there since—I—How long have you been there?” you ask, eyes wide in shock.
“I—I didn’t mean to interrupt you or anything,” he has been meaning to apologize, but you were already picking up your books on the floor and moving quickly towards the other end of the hallway, paying no attention to the boy.
Until that night, your heart was still pounding from the encounter.
viii.
You’ve been avoiding Jeongguk like the plague ever since that day.
But that doesn’t mean your feelings for him had died down. You don’t think it will ever, at least not until you both graduate and officially go separate ways. Every time you try to forget the emotions swimming in your heart and mind, he just seems to appear out of nowhere.
You find yourself in the café farthest from your campus—none of the students from there go here. You place an order before finding a place since it has a lot of vacancy.
“Name?” the cashier asks.
“Kookie,” you smile at her. She never questioned your choice of pseudonym; in fact, she was used to it, and got it spelled the way you want to.
The thing is, cashiers and baristas anywhere never seem to get your name spelled correctly, and after a lengthy history of mistakes, you decided to go for aliases. But when you heard Jeongguk’s friends call him ‘Gukkie’, you thought that this could be a nice alternative.
You find a spot at the corner, back against the entrance.
“One English breakfast tea for Kookie!”
You quickly stood up after hearing your name, only to find a man explaining to the barista that they got the order wrong.
“I’m glad you got it quickly, but I ordered a caramel macchiato, not tea…” he says.
“Oh, a girl ordered it,” the barista answers. He smiles after finding you standing a few feet away. “There you are, Miss!”
The customer turns around, and the next thing you knew, you were face to face with no other than Jeon Jeongguk.
You let out an audible gasp. He looks like he was about to say something, but as you feel your cheeks burning, you end up running out of the shop.
~
You finally catch your breath inside a flower shop a few blocks away. You wanted to flick your forehead for being so stupid, running away from Jeongguk again, this time leaving all your stuff inside a café, only with your phone and wallet. You prayed nobody shows interest in your stuff—you can’t afford to lose all your stuff for the semester.
Seeing that 30 minutes had passed, you make your way back to the shop. You were pretty sure Jeongguk had left anyway.
Entering the café, you made a beeline for your bag and books, only to find two familiar guys sitting next to it—Taehyung and Jimin. You take a deep breath before proceeding.
“Oh, hey. Y/N, right?” Jimin greets with a smile, eyes forming into crescents. “It’s good to see you again.”
“I—“
“Here,” Taehyung pulls a chair from the other table, motioning for you to sit down.
“I, uh, really need to go..?” you trail.
“Nope, that won’t do!” he pipes. “We’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
You open your mouth to speak, but you can’t find any words to say, even after a few times.
“Now, stop doing that. You look like a fish!” Taehyung jokes, but it’s Jimin who seems to be more offended.
“Stop that, Tae, you’re scaring her! Guk would get mad!”
“W-where is he, a-anyway?” you manage to say.
“Oh. He’s looking for you,” Jimin replies.
“L-looking for me?”
“You ran off, right?”
“I didn’t mean to—I was just—“ you try to reason.
“You should not be doing that, Y/N. Jeongguk has done nothing for you to be—“ Taehyung answers, but Jimin shoves his hand to cover his friend’s mouth.
“What TaeTae here means is, we would really appreciate it if you didn’t run from Gukkie all the time. He likes you, after all…”
You wanted to coo at the nicknames, but you had to blink at what Jimin said.
“W-what?”
Jimin giggles. “I said, Jeongguk really likes you.”
“There must be some misunderstanding…”
“No, there isn’t, Y/N. We’re pretty sure about it. In fact, we found out before he did,” Taehyung says.
“Although I do feel bad that you heard it from us first,” Jimin adds.
“But…”
“We can explain if you’d sit down?” Taehyung flashes you grin, his chubby cheeks popping.
You take the offer and look at them both. “You…didn’t come all the way here for this, right?”
Taehyung snorts. “No, ‘course not. We were really just supposed to meet up here. Guk just arrived first, then… this happened.”
“I’m really sorry for what I did,” you speak softly, “I just… I easily get flustered when I see him… especially after all the incidents that happened way back.”
“Is this about the bus thing? That was funny.” Jimin scrunches his nose.
“Yeah… Jeongguk, doesn’t he…find me creepy?” you wonder.
“Oh yeah, for a time he did,” Taehyung quips quickly, earning a glare from Jimin.
You laugh a little. “I think I did sound like a creep…”
“Ah, no, no, don’t think of that,” Jimin pleads. “You see, our friend Gukkie, he was probably just surprised. He’s also kinda afraid of girls, so that’s why. But, Y/N, he thinks so highly of you—talks about you whenever he has the chance.”
“Uh-huh,” Taehyung nods.
“One time, he said you saved his ass for a term paper—“
“How did he—“
“Yeah, plus that one time you gave dear Jiminie your lunch—“
“I—“
“And when he accidentally heard you singing by the east wing, he wouldn’t shut up about—“
“Talking behind my back, I see.”
An all too familiar voice interrupts the rambling, and you find yourself frozen on your chair.
“Took you a while, Guk,” Taehyung greets. “It was a good thing we decided to stay here.”
“Hey, that was my idea,” Jimin smacks Taehyung’s arm, and you were fighting a giggle.
Jeongguk, however, pays no attention to them, and if you would just look up, you’d find him staring. He clears his throat before handing over a cup to you. “Kookie?”
Silence filled the table. The two other boys exchanged glances, and decided it was best to leave. You wanted to stop them, but Jimin just send you a wink, as Taehyung pats Jeongguk’s back.
The said boy sets two cups on the table as he sits across you. “I’m afraid your tea has gotten cold,” he remarks, pointing at your cup.
“I’m sorry,” you say at the same time.
“Why did you do that?” you ask simultaneously again, and you bite back a smile.
“Ladies first,” Jeongguk says.
“Why did you do that?” you ask him.
“I actually meant you answer first but…” he smiles as he rubs the back of his neck. “I wanted to talk to you… but you ran off… again, I may add. I felt like a fool for always letting you go so I went out to look for you…”
“With my tea?”
“Yeah, with your tea…”
Then you notice the beads of sweat on his forehead. Screw it, you thought, and reached out to wipe them with your handkerchief. You felt his breath hitch at the contact but still proceeded with your task. You give him a smile after settling back on your chair.
“W-why did you do that?” he asks in a voice as quiet as a whisper.
“You were sweaty. I felt guilty because I knew you ran searching for me so I thought I could show my thanks…”
“No. I meant why did you run?” A pause. “Why do you keep on running away from me?”
“I was… shocked. I didn’t expect to see you here. I got embarrassed…”
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“Pfft. Of course there is. Ever since the day at the library, and at the bus, and every other encounter with you I—“
“Y/N. Stop rambling.”
Did he just say my name?
You blink at him twice.
“Y/N, you’re blushing.”
You cover your cheeks in embarrassment. Looking around to collect your things out of panic, you wanted to run away again so badly, but his hand has gently gripping your wrist.
“Y/N, please stay.”
You turn to see his face, his big eyes looked earnest, if not pleading.
“Y/N,” he starts, taking both of your hands in his. “For the lack of better terms, I… I know you like me.”
He sees you gulping at that, but you don’t remove your hands from his, so he continues.
“And I know Jimin and Taehyung have told you already, but I want you to hear it from me as well…” he smiles and you nod.
“Y/N, I like you. I like you, too. So if you would please stop running away from me, and give me a chance, I want to properly show you how I feel.”
You look at your intertwined hands and then at him, taking it all of it in. Your whole body felt like it was on fire, and you were wondering how the boy in front of you couldn’t hear your pounding heart.
“Jeongguk… I… I never experienced this in my whole life…” you confess. “I don’t really know what to say…”
He flashes you one of his bunny smiles that have the power to take your breath away. “This is my first time, too. But, I do know that I’m supposed to ask you a question, and you have to reply with a yes or no…”
You nod in acknowledgement.
“Y/N. Will you go out with me?”
“Yes, Jeongguk. Definitely yes.”
You both giggle and he squeezes your hands affectionately.
“You can call me Kookie.”