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animeniacss · 4 years

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A Palette of Emotions - Artist! Taehyung x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 27- Dreams Come True

Synopsis: Taehyung dreams of being a professional and famous artist one day, but finds that the sea of creativity can be lurking with blood hungry sharks, as well as bland, motionless starfish. Swimming through the sea of opportunities somehow washed him up onto the shore of Bright Star Preschool, as an art teacher. This wasn’t where he expected to be 4 years into his career, but anything to get his big break though, right?

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 5k words

Chapter 27 - Dreams Come True

Kim Taehyung had only visited the Korean National University of Arts once. He was 18, hair rebelliously dyed a light coffee brown, clinging to Jimin’s arm as if he was a koala. The excitement was clear on the teen’s face as they strolled across campus, Taehyung commenting on every work of art on display, every building, everything that he came across. It was glorious, the idea of coming to that school back then seemed like nothing short of a dream, one that felt just a little closer to the realm of reality with every step he took onto the campus. Just thinking about it had Taehyung brimming with excitement.

But that was almost 7 years ago, and Taehyung had never gotten into the school, despite sending in even more than what the application process required. Despite the defeat he felt in that moment, he knew one day the opportunity would come back full circle, and as he packed his weekend bag, that burning sense of opportunity rushed into his lungs as if it were meant to be air.

“You excited?” Jimin asked Taehyung curiously, watching his friend zip up his bag and toss it by the door. His friend looked up, offering a boxy grin as he turned towards the closet one last time.

“Of course! I’ve only dreamed of something like this for my entire life!”

“You said that about the Ilsan Art Festival too. And about every other art show I’ve gotten you in.” The boys laughed a bit.

“Well, this one takes the cake, and will continue to take the cake for as long as I live and breathe on this earth.” Jimin watched as Taehyung slipped past him, heading into the living room. “I need to finish packing my works.”

“Do you know what you’re bringing?”

“I have a few ideas, but there’s one I know I’m bringing for sure.” Jimin watched Taehyung walk towards a large canvas covered by a blue tarp. Curiosity piqued him, and he walked over towards his friend. Taehyung turned to Jimin, immediately catching the curious look in his eye, and he grinned. “Oh, you want to see?” he asked.

“No, I just find the blue tarp covering it to be truly mesmerizing.” Taehyung laughed a bit at his friend’s sarcastic remark, but instead of revealing the work, he simply walked it towards the door, setting it down against the wall. “I can’t see?”

“I’m revealing it at the art show. So no, you can’t see until we get there.” Jimin pouted, crossing his arms. That didn’t deter Taehyung though, and he stuck his hands into his pockets. “Jimin, don’t look at me like that.”

“All I do to get you here, and I can’t see what could be your magnum opus ahead of time?” Taehyung huffed, shaking his head. “If I was pretty, you’d let me see.”

“Jimin, you’re very pretty.” The boys had to laugh as Taehyung patted his friend’s shoulder.

“…Okay, thank you.” Jimin grinned. “Let’s get some of this stuff downstairs. I rented a little trailer for us to fit all your stuff safely.” Taehyung nodded, and with that squared away, he scooped up his painting and quickly carried it downstairs. Presenting this work at that art show, the idea that this was no longer a distant dream, but instead a reality, Taehyung found himself heading to the elevator with a spring in his step.

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Jung Hoseok was conflicted as he sat across from you at your dining room table. You both were cutting up some new activities for the students this upcoming week, as you were continuing to talk about colors. The idea you had for a poster had you beaming from the store all the way back home; a large rainbow, each color-filled not just with colored pencil, but also with drawings of different objects represented by each respective color. Red had apples, hearts, firetrucks, yellow had bananas, blue had the ocean and bluebirds, the list went on. The background was not left as white either. Anything on the picture was colored in, and colors outside the rainbow were added as well. Trees showcased the brown color, pink sprinkled along the light grass as variously shaped flowers. You were hunched over the table, hair pulled back tight as to not get in your eyes. Your eyes. Hoseok watched as your eyes fixated on the poster sprawled out before you. What was once a blank white canvas with limitless possibilities has now become an eye-pleasing set of various colors and words, just enough for the preschool children to enjoy looking at, as well as understand. Your eyes darted back and forth on the paper, before lifting your head in order to get a higher-level view. When you looked up, you saw Hoseok looking at you.

“Everything okay?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah.” He smiled. His eyes fell back to his work, and he continued cutting up some of the worksheets and paper, stacking them into individual piles. A moment of silence crossed between you both again, until Hoseok decided to speak up once again. “Taehyung’s going to that weekend art show today, right?”

“Oh yeah. I meant to text him good luck in the workgroup chat.” You stated. “He’s probably preparing to head out so I’ll send it after I finish this; won’t expect a response for a while.”

“Yeah,” Hoseok said simply. When he looked back up at you, you had already gotten back to work, coloring in the green section of the rainbow, showing grapes, grass, frogs, and anything else the both of you decided would make quick and familiar connections with the students. “Taehyung told me he wanted to go to that university when he was younger, so he must be pretty excited.”

“Oh?” you hummed. “That’s awesome. I think that’s exactly what he needs to get his career going.”

“Do you think he’ll stay at the school if his career takes off?” When Hoseok asked that question, your hand immediately stopped on the poster, the tip of the green-colored pencil resting firmly against the paper. You hadn’t thought about that yet. With every question swimming aimlessly in your mind, that was one you didn’t allow yourself to get to yet. Would he be able to stay? No, there’s a better question that should be asked right now.

Would he want to stay?

“Well…” you began, sitting back in your chair. “He only has this job to make money while he tries to really start his career, so…”

“You don’t think so?”

You shook your head. “I don’t know…”

“…Have you made your decision yet?” Hoseok said. You looked up at him. “You know what I’m talking about.”

“I didn’t consider the idea that Taehyung possibly wouldn’t be in the area. I never factored in long-distance relationships…” Hoseok nodded.

“Well, remember that I don’t intend to leave,” Hoseok said simply. Even though he shot you a playful grin, you seemed less than amused. “What? Don’t look so upset, it hurts my feelings.”

“You’re not helping me at all by making comments like that, Hoseok, and you damn well know it.” Hoseok hummed, his head dropping in defeat as he continued to work. Setting the colored pencil in your hand down, you sighed. “He and I kissed when I went over to check on him.” You admitted. Hoseok’s hands froze, and he looked up. “After his concussion…”

“Oh?” He hummed.

“Mhm. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but it did. But after it happened, I…couldn’t stop thinking about it. I get more nervous whenever I see him now, the butterflies in my stomach won’t stop. I feel like I’m turning red just talking about it now.”

“You are.” Hoseok smiled.

You covered your cheeks, unable to control the breathy laugh in your chest. “I thought about it so much afterward, I even called Bong-Cha to talk to her about it. He told me he wanted to kiss me and…I told him yes.” Hoseok blinked, eyes focused solely on you as you continued to talk. “I didn’t even think of Namjoon or anything else at that moment. I just…really wanted him to do it.”

As Hoseok listened to you speak, he felt his heartbreak in two. He knew the day would come where you made a decision, and he felt pained to know he lost the race to your heart. Though a part of him knew the outcome, another part of him was hoping it would all be a dream, and somehow, he would be the one to cross the finish line. But how could you win a race you were never apart of, to begin with? When he realized he had yet to speak up in response to your confession, he coughed into his hand, leaning forward to rest his hands out on the table, palms open, and motioned towards your own. You glanced at him but gently placed your hands into his for a moment. Hoseok squeezed your hands tightly in his own, lifting them and bit and planting a small kiss on your knuckles. You smiled a bit, watching as Hoseok looked up at you, and an ever-so welcoming heart-shaped grin flashed onto his face.

“It seems like you’ve made a decision, hm?”

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Taehyung and Jimin had finished setting up and unpacking in the hotel they had gotten for the weekend, a five-minute walk from the campus. As Taehyung finished unpacking, he walked towards the window, opening the curtains and staring out into the distance, eyes beaming as he stared out at the view. The view from the campus must be just as beautiful. He thought to himself as he watched people below pass by, the sounds of city-life filling his ears. He was so excited, knowing in less than 24 hours, he was going to be setting up his art at one of the most prestigious art colleges in South Korea. He could barely wait, he wanted to run and do it right away! When he turned around, Jimin was sitting at the desk in the room, shuffling through papers most likely needed for his assignment as an ambassador of the company.

“Tae, post a picture on Instagram saying you’re unpacked and ready. Get everyone excited and make sure to tag the college.” Jimin hummed, his eyes not even once looking up from the papers stacked before him. Taehyung walked past his friend, messing up his hair and earning a frustrating groan from his manager.

“I’ll do you one better,” Taehyung said. Once he got his phone from the bedside table, Taehyung quickly opened the video camera up, pointing it in his direction. He spun around the room, stopping when Jimin was in the frame. “Say hi, Jimin.” He cooed. Jimin finally looked up, it took a moment to adjust to what Taehyung was doing, but he was quick to adapt, waving at the camera. “We’re getting ready for the art show tomorrow. Hope to see you there~.” Taehyung was quick to flash a peace sign, and a grin to the camera before shutting it off. He then shuffled towards the artwork he had stacked by the closet, snapping a picture of the one still covered by the blue tarp. He snapped a photo of the scenery out on the balcony, and one of him holding up his official badge to get into the show the next day. With these photography skills practically on fire, Taehyung was ready to post. He plopped himself down on the bed, humming to himself as he set everything up on his Instagram, the photo dump showing every aspect of his excitement. “Now, for a caption.” He hummed to himself, pursing his lips. It had to be good!

So excited for my work to be shown at @KoreanNUArts this weekend. I’m hoping to see some people there! One of my newest works is going to be shown there! O.O

“Done.” Taehyung grinned, tossing his phone beside him on the bed. He lied back, his badge still in his hands as he held it up by the lanyard. It wasn’t anything amazing to look at, just a white card with his name and the campus logo on it hanging off a campus lanyard. However, to him, it was one of the best things I have ever seen. “I still feel like I’m dreaming.” He admitted.

“Have you tried pinching yourself?” Jimin asked curiously.

“Several times, and now I’m bruising on my arm in several places.” Both of them laughed. “I can’t wait to tell everyone back home how it goes.”

“I’m sure they’re excited for you.” Taehyung sat up, pulling his legs close to his chest and resting his chin on his knees.

“You think this is it?” he asked curiously. Jimin, curious as to what his friend meant about that, turned his head to look at him. “The entire drive here, and the entire time we were unpacking and stuff, I kept thinking something crazy is going to happen.”

“Maybe it will. This is a big deal.” Jimin smiled. “I wanted the guy to look at your work, I never thought he would invite you to participate in the art show so quickly. That itself is a sign of good luck.” Taehyung smiled, nodding his head in agreement with his friend. “How about we rest a bit then go find something to eat for lunch? I’m starving.” Tae nodded his head in agreement, flopping himself back on the bed. He grabbed his phone, looking at the flood of Instagram notifications he had already started to receive. Quickly, he swiped through a few to see what they were.

So happy for Oppa! Wish I could go!

I know what school I’m applying for if handsome Tae-Oppa is there uwu.

You get even more handsome every post. Is the mystery artwork you? <3

Taehyung hummed, closing the app down after giving a few comments like, and responding to others with a smiley face or a heart. Just as he was about to set his phone down and rest, his phone vibrated one more time, and the Instagram notification came up once again. When he took a good look at it, he felt his heartbeat just as a bit faster when your username was attached to the comment.

Good luck at the show! You’ll do great! Also, beautiful view over there 😊

Taehyung sat up, looking at the post for a moment in silence. For a moment, his body was at war with itself. His heart knew exactly what he wanted to say in response, a cool response that would hopefully have your heart thumping on the other end of the line: It’s nice, but definitely not the prettiest view I’ve ever seen 😉. However, his logical brain sent a thought through his mind: Do you really think that’s appropriate to say right now? Especially on a public platform like this?

Taehyung pursed his lips in annoyance, but ultimately, knew his brain was right. Regardless of the absolute brilliant response he had, he knew it could lead to bad things. Still wanting to reply, he simply sent her the response: It’s even better in person, you should come to see one day! :D and tossed his phone on the bedside table, burying his head under his pillow.

Jimin glanced over at his friend shuffled constantly under the covers. “…You had a really good pick-up line for her, didn’t you?” Taehyung’s eyes poked out from under his pillow, watching as his friend lifted up his phone, and pointed to the comments of the post, your comment in particular. Taehyung groaned, hiding his face as if it would also hide his shame, but it didn’t, and Jimin had to laugh. “But if it’s any consolation, whatever you were going to say most likely would have worked.”

“Thanks.” He said softly. After a moment of silence, Taehyung added. “I don’t know what she’s thinking after she came to my house…but I hope she makes a decision soon. I want to at least know. It’s killing me inside to wait, but I don’t want to push her.”

“Well based on what you’ve told me between you two, it’ll only be a matter of time. For now, get some rest, and let’s focus on this show tomorrow.” Taehyung nodded, nestling his head deeper into the pillow in hopes it would help him fall asleep.

It didn’t.

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Before Taehyung knew it, Jimin was waking him up bright and early the next morning, shouting that they were going to be late if he didn’t hurry up and get dressed. Taehyung practically flew out of bed when he remembered where he was, rushing into the shower as he shouted behind him: “Call for room service! I’ll pay!” to a snickering Jimin. The days had turned to hours, the hours to minutes, and if Taehyung didn’t scarf down his breakfast when it arrived, those minutes would turn into fleeting seconds before they had to leave. Any moment now, he was going to be up in the biggest art college in the country, something he never thought he would get to do. It filled him with excitement, and he practically skipped out of the shower and got dressed.

“You know we won’t be late now that you’re up, right?” Jimin asked. He was sitting on his bed, watching as Taehyung ran back and forth, tossing his pictures onto the cart he was using to move them around.

“Well, you got me hyped up. You asked for this, you know.” Taehyung said. With the final painting sat securely on the cart, Taehyung hummed, satisfied. “It’s all ready.”

“Good. Now eat. It’s getting cold.” Jimin motioned to the food room service had brought, placed on the desk where it waited patiently to be eaten by the artist. He slid into the seat, nodded his head, and quickly began to chow down. Whether it was because he was rushing, or because he was starving, neither Jimin nor Taehyung knew, but Jimin only chuckled in amusement as he finished up his own meal.

Before the duo knew it, they were headed down the block. Then, they were already inside, Jimin signing the duo in and pinning their name tags onto their jackets. He patted Taehyungs as it rested on his chest, and blurted out a remark along the lines of “So official”.

Before Taehyung knew it, Taehyung was being led to his spot, a blank wall that was right in the middle of the floor. It was only half of the wall that he had access to, the other half designated to a student. However, he found himself beaming regardless as he began setting up paintings. As he did, he overheard Jimin chatting to someone, most likely about his job. When Taehyung overheard the words: “We’re very grateful to have this opportunity. We’ll work hard.” Slip out of Jimin’s mouth, it reminded him he only got this opportunity due to Jimin, due to his job, due to his ambition.

Would I still have gotten this spot if I were on my own? He thought. Doubt it.

“Don’t start doubting yourself now,” Jimin said. Taehyung looked over and saw Jimin fixing his blazer, grinning kindly at his friend. “I see those ‘My art isn’t good enough for this’ eyes. Get your smile on. We wouldn’t have gotten such a good opportunity for the company if it wasn’t for your art.”

“…Yeah?” Taehyung asked.

“Yeah! If I didn’t have your art and your status as a bargaining chip, we would have had to think of another way to get him to agree so quickly. Mr. Kim and I owe you our lives.”

“The way you phrased that sound very, very manipulative in your case.” He said, and Jimin laughed a bit. Taehyung scooped up his phone, seeing the surge of support coming in through his social media from the fans. Some comments praised his hard work, others praised his face in the video of him spinning around in the hotel room, but instead of rolling his eyes at those, each and every comment made his heart skip a bit. He turned back to the final painting left on the cart, the one he had been waiting to showcase until the very last minute. Lifting it up, he set the tarp aside and quickly placed it on the wall. Jimin looked up, running a hand through his hair as he examined the painting for the first time, only moments before everyone else.

“Wow.” Jimin grinned. Taehyung turned to his friend, seeing the sparkle of intrigue in his eyes. A small smirk formed on his face, and he nodded.

“I know, right?”

It wasn’t long before the doors opened to the public and people began coming in.

Taehyung watched as Jimin spoke with college students and other individuals who passed by, a warm smile on his face as girls and boys alike swarmed him. They may have no interest in a future with the company, but they had plenty of interest in the two handsome men before them. Taehyung shuffled around, scanning every person that passed by. He was kind of nervous. No, scratch that, he was incredibly nervous, the most nervous he had ever been. He didn’t need to necessarily talk people into buying anything today, it was only for show, to get his name out there and show even more people his art. Despite this, each person that glanced his way, he wanted to go up to and start chatting up.

I have to keep calm. Taehyung thought to himself. He put his hands in his pockets, walking slightly deeper into the room in hopes to get a better look at the artwork of those around him. Paintings decorated each white wall, each one like a blank canvas in its own way, allowing for the paintings to decorate them in order to tell a story. Small podiums held any statues or pottery made, placed directly onto the floor in order to allow people to get a 360 degree look at each one, to admire all of its features in any angle they chose to. Taehyung turned on his heel, staring up at a large painting, one that commanded the presence of anyone that turned in its direction. It looked to be about two times the size of Taehyung’s largest painting and decorated with just as many colors if not more. Taehyung’s eyes darted every which way, from one corner of the painting to another, trying to take in. Each section of colors told a different story, slowly blending into one another until they met in the middle, forming a cohesive story. It was truly a sight to behold, and Taehyung felt his heart swell just by looking at it. It was then he truly knew he was at one of the top schools for the arts in Korea. When he turned back around, hoping to call Jimin over for a moment in order to show him what he had found, something, in particular, had caught his eye. Jimin, once again, was chatting with someone at his little booth. This time, however, it was not a couple of typical college students, but instead a middle-aged couple, the woman turned towards Taehyung’s paintings while Jimin spoke to the man. Taehyung stepped a bit closer, watching as Jimin motioned to the centerpiece, Taehyung’s newest work of art. Taehyung, now fully invested, headed over to the man, pulling his hands out of his pockets. Jimin caught sight of his friend approaching and grinned.

“Oh, there he is! Taehyung, there’s someone I want you to meet.” Jimin motioned to the older man, who was smiling. “This is Mr. Oh Jihoon and his wife.”

“Pleasure to meet you, at last, Mr. Kim.” The man beamed, reaching out to take Taehyung’s hand. The boy quickly took it, giving him a handshake while also nodding his head.

“Yes of course.”

“I saw you were walking around. Did you enjoy what you saw?”

“Very much, yes. That painting over there had just caught my attention.” Taehyung motioned to the painting on the wall that had just captured his full attention for a solid 2 and a half minutes, and he heard Jihoon laugh.

“I’m not surprised. That was made by one of our seniors, Miss. Kang Areum. She’s very talented, remind me to introduce you before the day ends.” Taehyung nodded. “However, I came to make sure I introduced myself, and I wanted to see what I agreed to include in the art show in person. I wanted to make sure they were as captivating in real life as they were on Mr. Park’s slideshow.”

A sheepish smile crept on Taehyung’s face, and he nodded. “Thank you very much. I appreciate the opportunity, Mr. Oh.” Jihoon motioned to the paintings one more time, pointing to one in particular; Taehyung’s newest work. It was a simple, minimalistic picture, the dark silhouette of a young woman from the chest up with a high ponytail that cascaded freely down her back, but the small details of hair strands sticking out making it much clearer where the hair begins and ends. The silhouette was colored black, with the only visible feature being a flashing white smile shape on the face portion. The only other noticeable features of the paintings were words. Words of encouragement decorated the background in black, and if they overlapped onto the silhouette, they transformed into white words. The words were beautifully written with a steady hand and flowed eloquently from one color to the next.

“I didn’t see this picture in the presentation,” Jihoon admitted.

“It’s a new one. I managed to finish it just in time for this and so I thought I could reveal it here.” Jihoon smiled, nodding once again as he turned to his wife, who looked up at the picture. Taehyung watched her for a moment, that same spark that twinkled in Jimin’s eyes only a few hours earlier just as apparent now, if not more so. “My wife has taken quite a liking to it.” Taehyung watched the older woman walk towards him, gently taking hold of his hands and smiling.

“I think that is such a cute painting. It looks like it was truly made with love.” Taehyung’s ear heated up for a moment, and he only chuckled shyly. “I knew it. Whoever inspired that painting is a very lucky individual.”

“Thank you…” Taehyung said softly. He watched Jihoon gently put a hand on his wife’s shoulder.

“Why don’t you go look at the painting Taehyung said caught his eye over there?” he hummed, pointing down towards the other side of the room. “I’ll meet up with you in a few minutes, I need to talk to these two men.” Jimin and Taehyung shared a glance, watched as the woman said her goodbyes, and headed down the hall to another part of the show. When she was far enough away, Jihoon turned back to Taehyung, and only for a moment, he noticed a serious gleam in the man’s eye, one that sent a shiver down the young artist’s spine. “I have a few questions for you.”

Taehyung gulped. “Yessir.”

“Do you take commissions?” Taehyung blinked. “My wife really seems to like this new painting for yours, but it is clear that a specific woman inspired this one. It wouldn’t be right of me to buy it for my wife. So, would it be possible for us to communicate and work out a deal for you to commission one for my wife as a surprise gift?” Taehyungs hands slipped behind his back, Jimin quickly noticing but keeping his gaze as subtle as he could. From the corner of his eye, he saw Taehyung’s hands form fists behind his back, and it looked like they were trembling. “We don’t need to discuss prices just yet; you find out what you need to do and throw a price at me. Is that something you’d be able to do?”

“…Yes,” Taehyung said simply. “I would be honored to do something like that. Are you sure my work will suffice as a gift for someone as important as your wife?” Jihoon grinned, immediately letting out a belly laugh that attracted the attention of those around him.

“My wife said it herself, she really liked that painting. When we walked past, she tugged my arm and pointed right at it. I was on my way to talk to one of the planners of this event until she caused that detour. So yes, I’m absolutely sure.”

“…I see. Then, yes. I’d love to.” Jihoon smiled, patting Taehyung’s shoulder as he handed the man his business card. Taehyung glanced at Jimin, who quickly extended a hand to take the card since Taehyung’s clammy, shaking hands were still currently indisposed.

“Thank you, Mr. Oh.” Jimin grinned.

“Of course! Call me in the next day or two, name your price and I’ll send over anything you need.” The boys nodded. “Well, I need to go now. I see my wife eyeing up a few other works as well. Gentlemen.” The boys nodded, bowing slightly as they watched Jihoon stroll away, hands in his pockets. Taehyung stood there for a moment, Jimin examining the business card in his hands as silence fell over them. When he turned to Taehyung, he gently passed the card to his friend.

“Taehyung? You okay?” he said. Taehyung took the card gently into his hands, staring at the name of the man he just spoke to, his phone number, and his business email. Taking a deep breaths, Taehyung gently sank down onto the chair behind Jimin’s little booth, allowing every muscle in his body to finally relax. Jimin couldn’t help but smile, watching as Taehyung stared at this card intensely, eyes beaming. He felt this was finally his moment, finally, he was the one given the opportunity he damn well deserved.

Finally, he was the one with a sparkle in his eyes.

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cartoons-tothemoon · 6 years

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Zak Storm Origins Part 1 Live-Blog:

Hello! The Miraculous Ladybug PV Discord recommended the show heavily as a better alternative to ML when it comes to certain writing things that get on our nerves, so they recommended Zak Storm, and now I am watching it. Such is life.

I’ll put all my commentary in stuff in the “read below” section, so I don’t clog up your dash if you don’t want to see it. Have a nice day!

- First things first, I want you to know that the only things I know about Zak Storm is that it’s about a brown haired pirate kid and the Bermuda Triangle. That’s it. I’ve skimmed some of the post edorazzi does about Zak Storm, but I really mean that I skimmed it. I’m going into this effectively blind, so, this should be interesting for all of us.

ORIGINS PART 1:

- The theme song is very radical, I guess. Nothing makes sense, but the theme music’s cool.

- Man of Action, as mentioned in the theme song, is the company that created Ben Ten, of course, my memory’s pretty bad, so I could be wrong.

- Panning over the background for ambience’s sake. There’s surfboards, a tiki head, a globe, a starfish, some fishing wire in a cabinet, a swordfish, a sea shell, etc. It’s very nautical themed but, then again, I don’t know what I expected from a show about pirates.

- The man fiddling with the radio appears to be Zak’s father/uncle/general caregiver, and seems to have a degree. The font is too small and blurry to make out, but I suppose it implies that he’s not the bumbling fool that the Hawaiian-styled shirt implies.

- A map and an eel-head. Huh.

- He SNEAKS. *Knocks over a bunch of stuff as he attempts to escape the scene of his crime.* He attempts to SNEAK.

- Classic beleaguered father figure and classic probably cursed necklace. Considering Zak knows of the necklace, as well as its existence, it’s probably not that bad though.

- Wow. I can’t believe ZAG actually put in the time and effort to actually animate water here. On one hand, it’s necessary, but on the other hand, in Miraculous Ladybug, literally nobody ever cried until Syrena. It was just weird sniffling. I got distracted, bottomline, good job for doing the absolute bare minimum here, Zag.

- How confident is this Zak kid that he can surf while listening to music and playing on his phone? What a guy.

- AND he’s on a webcam. Wow.

- His English voice sounds kinda cute, though, in an Ash Ketchum kind of way.

- He’s literally just the protagonist in a JRPG game. So, yeah, Ash Ketchum. “Pressure? What’s that?”

- His dad/uncle/care-giver’s head looks really small in comparison to his body, but that’s more of a “my opinion” kind of thing, given how relatively realistic ZAG tries to keep the proportions.

- Wow, those storm clouds appeared really quickly.

- Was the whole storm thing mentioned on the radio earlier? I wasn’t really listening.

- “Take off the necklace” is the necklace the one thing that’s keeping him from capsizing or on the board or? Otherwise, why would Zak grab it?

- I’m barely 2 minutes in. Sorry for this effectively frame-by-frame analysis, but in my defense...I’ve never done this before.

- “How do we make those dark storm clouds shrouding our protagonist in disappointment more ominous?” “I dunno, man, a skull?” “Genius.”

- Storm family magic. I knew it.

- A potentially tragic misunderstanding is going on here.

- Whoops. I guess I expected the dad/uncle/care-giver figure to be more emotionally distraught over potentially losing his son to a mystical portal forever, but...We barely know them and he clearly knows the necklace, so, he may...Be fine?

- Never mind. He’s probably not fine. Also, why is he not more panicked to be surfing around lightning? Probably shock.

- Cool water animation, though.

- Zak, I haven’t really grown emotionally attached to you yet, and I want to like you, but please stop with the dumb slang.

- Huh, so it was his dad, after all.

- On one hand, the whole “I must be dreaming thing” is very cliche, on the other hand, I feel bad for this small child who’s abandoned in the middle of the ocean with only a webcam, surfboard, and dumb necklace and crying out for his dad, that I’ll let it slide.

- Green and red, the most insidious colors imaginable. At least it isn’t red and black.

- This green skull guy looks almost 2D animated in the first shot, which is not a bad look.

- I like that boat design for that golden skull guy, at least, a lot more than what looks like Zak’s ship, but I suppose he’s supposed to have that generic pirate look.

- Never mind. It’s less generic than I thought it would be.

- He’s still going along with the nightmare idea, He’s in shock, He’s trying his best, I remind myself.

- Yay! Tiny British ghost friend! Also, who are you calling him small? The ghost friend looks to be a child.

- Scratch that. Tiny, maybe British, astral-projecting spirit friend who’s bad at jokes.

- Cool name for a boat, but aren’t boats usually called she's? Eh, whatever.

- Wow, already trying to escape. 2 minutes with tiny spirit friend who’s name...Hopefully hasn’t been mentioned yet because it shows how well I can pay attention to the forest, and you’re already trying to abandon him.

- “Eye of Peru,” just where does this take place? It’s clearly not in some weird alternate fantasy world if countries from our world exist.

- Clovis. That’s the tiny British spirit friend. I have no strong feelings about him whatsoever.

- Okay, seriously though, Goldenbone’s voice is very cool sounding. Just very classically threatening. It’s kinda like Slade with a bit more energy put into it, but I’m not sure if that statement is right.

- Zak has such dumb sneakers I love him.

- Wow, actual guns. Those look like legitimate pistol designs, but they shoot laser beams. We had to get them through the censors somehow, I guess.

- I think this is the first time I’ve seen a hook hand actually used for something useful outside of just looking cool and threatening.

- “You have a salty spirt, boy.” Dang, who’s Zak vagueing about now.

- Please don’t say good boy. That’s a very cursed phrase if you aren’t talking about an aging labrador.

- I love how Clovis just low-key called him an idiot. Zak really is just a JRPG protagonist, all shiny and dumb and easy to trick, but it would be bold of you to assume that I don’t love him for it.

- Also! Bermuda Triangle! One of the only things I knew about the series has at last been integrated.

- “Let me talk to him.” Why? Why would background skeleton #423 actually suggest this? Does he think he’s special? Because he’s going to have a bad time looking into that mirror and seeing everybody he’s ever known there.

- Why is the Bermuda Triangle just a myth or a legend in this world? It’s a region in our world that’s known for its ship disappearances, it’s not entirely explained, but it’s not like it’s the jersey devil or anything.

- “Surf rat and internet wannabe.” Well, at least he’s honest.

- Clovis confirmed for ectoplasmic whatever, but is also totally a poltergeist.

- 13:55-14:20...Sigh.

- So, does Goldenbone being dead allow him to touch both corporeal and non-corporeal beings, or is Clovis constantly tangible but also not?

- Oh never mind this was actually explained.

- Yes, Zak. Listen to your strange magical heirloom here for once.

- You know what’s worse than a sword? A talking sword.

- Ah, yes, the classic ZAG transformation sequence. This totally won’t happen every single episode to add run-time and repeat animation.

- You’d also think he’d be used to this by now, or just completely out of it given everything that’s been happening.

- I wish they did more animation with the fire, but that’s really a nit-pick.

- What’s up with Clovis just...Continually doing peace signs. Does he not know what else. he can do with his hands.

Conclusion: Zak is dumb but I love him. Golden bones is evil but trying his best here. Clovis is also there. Why does he have a cockney accent. Good show. 7/10.

#me #live blogging #live blog tag #zak storm

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krissysbookshelf · 7 years

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Enjoy An Exclusive Sneek Peek Of: Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney Stevens!

As the tomboy daughter of the town's preacher, Billie McCaffrey has always struggled with fitting the mold of what everyone says she should be. She'd rather wear sweats, build furniture, and get into trouble with her solid group of friends: Woods, Mash, Davey, Fifty, and Janie Lee. But when Janie Lee confesses to Billie that she's in love with Woods, Billie's filled with a nagging sadness as she realizes that she is also in love with Woods...and maybe with Janie Lee, too. Always considered "one of the guys," Billie doesn't want anyone slapping a label on her sexuality before she can understand it herself. For Billie—a box-defying dynamo—it's not that simple.

LEARN MORE

THE SHORT PART before PART ONE

That’s the way things come clear. All of a sudden. And then you realize how obvious they’ve been all along. — MADELEINE L’ENGLE , The Arm of the Starfish

NINE YEARS EARLIER

Three-hundred-year-old oaks were good for two things: hiding from playground fights and kingdom-watching. Billie McCaffrey climbed skyward and settled into a sprawling fork to observe her classmates. Over by the four square concrete slab, Janie Lee Miller sat cross-legged with her nose in a library copy of A Wrinkle in Time. Across the field, Woods Carrington was campaigning for a kickball game. Just below, two third-grade boys, Mash and Fifty, fought over a fourth-grade girl in blue bows and light-pink sunglasses. Other boys swung from the monkey bars while a herd of girls huddled, giggling and happy, around the adults. Their teacher, the center of the girls’ commotion, was dressed in a plain denim jumper and wore a bouquet of smiles. She produced from an ugly black handbag her newly awarded Corn Dolly. “Ooooh,” said the little girls. “Ahhhh,” said other teachers, who asked if they could hold the doll. They treated that decorated corn husk like Billie’s daddy treated a Bible.

Billie oooohed and ahhhhed like everyone else, her voice barely above a whisper. No one even glanced up.

Before the end of that school year, Billie had learned from her daddy that if she wanted friends, she couldn’t stay in tree forks. So she stopped climbing up, up and away, and befriended every boy in her grade by either brute force or voodoo charm. Woods, Billie’s new best friend, claimed it was her kickball skills. By God, that girl could kick a ball farther into Mr. Vilmer’s cornfield than anyone in the class. Even the most competitive boys loved her for it. The girls were a different story. They didn’t quite know what to do with her. And Billie didn’t know what to do with them.

Late summer brought water-gun fights, fishing at the quarry, and biking to and from the dam to skip rocks along the mirrored surface of Kentucky Lake. All this good fortune sparked a happy question from Woods.

“Hey, B, will you come to mine and Janie Lee’s wedding tomorrow?”

Billie chomped on an apple they’d smuggled from Tawny Jacobs’s orchard. Juice ringed her lips. “Do I have to wear a dress? ”

“Nah,” Woods said. “You’re my best man.”

After passing the last bite to Woods and wiping her mouth with her shirtsleeve, she considered his request. Seemed fair. Seemed important. “Sounds good to me,” she said, even though it sounded worse than awful.

“Promise? ” He looked concerned that she might go back to her tree-climbing, avoiding-everyone ways.

“Promise.”

She made the mistake of spit shaking. That night she asked her dad, “Will I go to hell if I break a promise? ” He’d assured her that hell did not work that way. But she didn’t know which way hell worked yet, so she tore up all the notes she’d written asking Woods not to marry Janie Lee.

The next day, Woods Carrington stood behind one of those sprawling playground oaks and wed Janie Lee Miller with a grape Ring Pop and a peck on the lips.

Billie wore her cleanest jeans and stood by Woods’s side.

She looked up to her old perch and thought this friend thing was very hard.

PART ONE HEXAGONS ARE TRIANGLES

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do. — EPICTETUS

I’m waffling on my tombstone inscription today. Elizabeth McCaffrey, born 1999—d. ? R.I.P.: She found trouble. Or. Elizabeth McCaffrey, born 1999—d. ? IN LOVING MEMORY: Trouble found her.

“This is a bad idea,” Janie Lee tells me. Which is her way of saying we’re going to get caught.

“We will not be contained by a grubby youth room and pointless rules,” I reply.

Janie Lee peers down the hallway. There’s no sign of my dad, but her expression indicates she’s voting for retreat. The dingy carpet beneath her feet is patterned with repeating arrows that all point the way back to our assigned sleeping room.

I tickle-poke her in the ribs. She giggles and leans into the tickle instead of away. “I’ll protect you,” I tell her.

That’s enough prompting for her to skitter down the hall with me—two handsome thieves on a wayward mission.

We stand in front of a door labeled Youth Suite 201. It’s 3:12a.m. Janie Lee is wearing a sweet pink sweatshirt, flannel pants, and UGGs, which always make me ugh. I am wearing a camo T-shirt, jeans I stole from Mash last weekend, and combat boots that I found at a local army surplus. Clothes I can sleep in. And, well, clothes I can live in.

Elizabeth McCaffrey, born 1999—d. ? IN LOVING MEMORY: She died in her boots.

I perform the prearranged triple knock.

Davey props open the door, and behind him the rest of our boys offer various greetings. He’s the newest of the gang and we’re all still learning him. There’s an awkward pause while we work out whether we’re supposed to fist-bump or shoulder punch or hug. I up-nod, and that seems to be acceptable enough for him to duplicate.

I turn my attention to the rest of the room. I’ve just noticed that Einstein the Whiteboard is leaning against the mini fridge when something hits me. It’s Woods, tackling me to the decades-old carpet.

“Hello to you, too,” I say from beneath him.

He licks my face like a Saint Bernard and then pretends to do an elaborate wrestling move that I don’t evade. (Even though I could.) Without warning, a two-person dog pile becomes a six-person dog pile. Davey hesitates, then lands near the top. He must be learning us a little. Boys really are such affectionate assholes. I am crushed at the bottom and Janie Lee is half-balanced on top of Davey��s back.

“Love sandwich,” she mouths at me.

It is. It’s not. It’s more. Labeling and limiting something as big as us feels somewhat impossible, but usually we call ourselves the Hexagon. On the account that sixsome sounds kinky and stupid.

“Up! We’re crushing Billie,” Woods says, because he’s always directing traffic.

Fifty farts in Davey’s face in a momentous fashion, and just like that, the jokes begin and the dog pile ends, boys sprawling onto the two couches as if it never happened. I digest the scene as I slouch against the door. Boys. My boys. I’ve been collecting them like baseball cards since third grade.

Woods. He’s not pretty, but he’s stark and golden and green like a cornfield under noon sunlight. Tennis shoes; low-cut, grass-stained socks; ropey calf muscles; blond leg hair; khaki shorts; aqua polo; and an unmatching St. Louis Cardinals hat tamping down floofy blondish-brown curls: he is these things. He is so much more. I know exactly what he’ll look like in thirty years when he’s sitting on our porch drinking peppermint tea.

Davey, elfin and punkish in smeared eyeliner, sits next to his cousin Mash, who looks nothing much like him. Fifty always appears a bit smarmy, and tonight is no exception. His dark hair is oily and he hasn’t shaved in a week. Janie Lee sits slightly apart, cross-legged and petite in a papasan chair. She takes up about as much room as a ghost. Then me. Knees up. Chin up. Happy. Taking their mischief like the gift that it is.

Some lock-ins are for staying up all night and playing shit-tastic games. This one is for parental convenience. The youth group is cleaning up Vilmer’s Barn tomorrow—early prep for the upcoming Harvest Festival—and Dad didn’t want to run a shuttle at six a.m. Tyson Vilmer, barn owner, patriarch of Otters Holt, grandfather of Mash and Davey, will be there waiting with his enormous smile and incredible enthusiasm. Despite the fact that we were supposed to be in separate rooms and asleep by two a.m., I am pretty damn excited to help. Two a.m. bedtime was wishful thinking on my father’s part. We are not true hellcats, but the Hexagon is particularly bad at supposed to when we’re all under one roof.

The other four can’t decide who will open the meeting: Woods or me.

I copy Dad’s southern drawl and say, “Let’s start with glads, sads, and sorries and then say a prayer.” They all laugh, except for Davey, who hasn’t been to enough Wednesday night Bible studies to get the joke. I gesture to the writing on Einstein the Whiteboard. “Dudes and Dudette, I predict this lock-in ends poorly.”

Woods will hear nothing of my prophecy. Einstein is among Woods’s favorite things on the planet—a medium-sized board that technically belongs to the youth group but practically belongs to him. Woods developed leadership skills in utero, and he thinks in dry-erase bullet points. Currently, Einstein says: THINGS TO DO WITH A CHURCH MICROWAVE. Five bullets follow, and most of them look like a one-way trip to a stark-raving Brother Scott McCaffrey, my father.

In the bottom corner, someone has drawn a sketch of a Corn Dolly being lifted on high by a stick figure. They’ve labeled the stick figure Billie McCaffrey, which makes me label them all idiots. The joke is so old it has wrinkles.

A Corn Dolly is only a corn husk that has been folded and tucked and tied into the shape of a doll. In the town of Otters Holt, the mayor handpicks this husk on the morning of the Harvest Festival, which is an annual event the town treats like Christmas-meets-the-Resurrection. The dolly is then assembled and bestowed during the middle of the Sadie Hawkins dance to the most deserving woman of the year.

Hence, the joke.

“Ha. Ha. Ha,” I say, slow clapping.

Woods is positive THINGS TO DO WITH A CHURCH MICROWAVE is suitable 3:15 a.m. material. “You say ends badly. I say ends brilliantly,” he says.

Fifty has an opinion on the matter. “The only thing farfetched is Billie actually winning a Corn Dolly.” He laughs at himself. Too hard. We are often forced to forgive this failing since his facial hair allows him a fake ID, which allows us the beer that comes along with that privilege.

I’m eye-rolling. “You asshole.” Just because it’s true doesn’t mean he needs to say it.

Fifty stands up as if to challenge me while Janie Lee buries her face in the nearest pillow and reminds us that teenagers don’t, won’t ever win the Corn Dolly—Gloria Nix, twenty-three, was the youngest.

I wave Fifty forward with both hands, ready to wrestle him down.

“Back to Einstein,” Woods announces before Fifty and I go for a real row. This may have happened a time or two in the past.

“Back to Einstein,” everyone, including Fifty, choruses. The merriment rises to previous levels.

“This microwave thing.” I point to the first bullet point: Cook Pineapple Bob. “I do like it.”

Woods is beaming proudly. “He’s had a good life.”

I agree. Pineapple Bob is, well, a pineapple. Frozen these three years in the youth fridge. Named by yours truly.

“We’ll burn down the youth room,” Davey replies. He doesn’t say it in a distressed way. It’s more of an FYI. Like he’s maybe done something like this before. I’ll light fire to that backstory eventually and smoke out some truth, but right now, it’s all Bob, all the time.

The youth room microwave is from the eighties, black as coal, and built like a tank. No doubt donated by some senior church member who moved to assisted living. Its smell is a mix of baked beans, ramen noodles, and burnt popcorn (with the door closed). So if we properly execute bullet point number three (Melt 50 Starlight Mints), its condition will drastically improve.

Janie Lee laughs nervously, her UGGs bouncing against the wicker of the papasan. She’s sipping hard on some vodka–wine cooler concoction Fifty has made. I give her a little fist-bump love for showing initiative. On both the rebellious drinking and the microwave. She doesn’t offer me a drink. I don’t need alcohol; I get drunk on schemes.

We begin.

The first three steps are disappointing. Pineapple Bob pops pretty loudly, as does the handful of Monopoly houses and hotels we’ve stolen from the game closet. The Starlight Mints have to be scraped off the microwave walls. It’s more eventful when Mash pukes up wine cooler on a half-eaten bag of Twizzlers.

“Come on, man,” Fifty says. “I wasn’t done with those.”

“You okay?” Janie Lee comforts Mash, which is pointless. Every group has a hurler: he is our hurler. He is used to puking. She is used to babying him. They are a very good team.

“Shhhhh with the upchucking,” Woods orders.

Woods and I turn our attention to step four, which is seeing How Many Peeps Is Too Many Peeps? The answer: more than forty. It’s messy and delightful.

Woods and I clean, reload, and move on to bullet five. Fifty moves on to more vodka. Typical. Step five involves boiling a used sock—Woods’s, because he has the worst-smelling feet—in Dad’s newly purchased World’s Best Preacher mug. Two minutes in, we’ve got gym smell and no action. It’s a little anticlimactic to be bullet five.

As we watch the mug-and-sock do its nothing, Woods says, “In basically three hours we have to be in the barn.”

Fifty lifts his head from a plank position on the floor and says, “In three hours, we could be walking Vilmer’s Beam.” This makes Mash throw a blanket over his own head. Everyone is tired of hearing Fifty bellow about walking the loft beam in Vilmer’s Barn. It was a dumb dare in fifth grade. We’re seniors. We’re over it.

I say, “I hate mornin—” and the sock catches on fire.

“Heck, yeah!” Mash says, too loud, and then laughs.

Janie Lee says, “The other room!” Because there is a group of our fellow youth snoozing in Youth Suite 202.

The fire is small—barely more than a magnifying-glass-on-grass sort of spark—and entirely worth the four steps that came before it.

“Hot cup of sock, good sir?” I ask in a British accent.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Woods says, reaching for the microwave door.

Davey sits bolt upright. “Do not—!”

The moment Woods opens the door, the small fire becomes a larger one. The mug rockets out of the microwave and explodes on the carpet. The fire—well, most of the fire— lands on a fuzzy blanket. The flames poof. Woods snatches the other sock—the one whose mate is now ablaze—and beats at the fire. He only fans the flames.

We are all screaming. There is more fire. More sparks. Both shoot out of the microwave; the antique appliance dismounts the counter and lands on the carpet with an explosive bang.

I imagine my father sitting up down the hall, scratching his head, lifting his nose toward the ceiling, sniffing. A yell gathers in his throat.

“Give me something to beat it out!” I shout, and Mash laughs so hard that he vomits again.

“Puke on the fire, man,” Fifty says.

Davey shucks his jacket; Janie runs into the bathroom and returns with a damp towel. The jacket is working but not fast enough. Janie Lee throws the towel over the whole mess in a big Ta-da-I-will-fix-this fashion.

The fire is suddenly enormous.

“Was that the towel off the floor?” demands Woods as Davey rolls his eyes and says, “I’m calling 911.”

Janie Lee shrinks from Woods’s tone, nodding furiously. There’s commotion in the hallway. The counter, where the microwave previously sat, is also on fire. The alarm begins a high-pitched wail and the sprinklers descend from the ceiling as if they are Jesus in the second coming. We are all getting soaked as Woods yells, “We used that towel to mop up vodka!”

It’s hard to tell what is fire and what is smoke and what is microwave, but incredibly, I see the toe of the sock that started it all. Dad is going to kill me.

“Time to peace out,” Davey says, gesturing toward the exit.

The fire alarm continues to pierce our eardrums. Woods throws open the door to the hallway. “Abandon ship!” he shouts gallantly. Always directing traffic. He’s glistening with sweat. We all are, but he’s glorying in it.

Mash throws last week’s bulletin onto the fire before heading to the hallway. Fifty gives the wall a pound and yells, “Wakey, wakey. Church’s on fire.” Davey issues me a long look. He’s got some I told you so in those eyes. I’ve got some I know, I know in mine.

I grab Janie Lee in her sweet pink sweatshirt and UGGs and drag her behind me into the hall. She’s as soaked as the rest of us and not wearing a bra, and that’s gonna be a problem when we hit cool autumn air.

I think: I didn’t mean for all this to happen. I also think: I effing love Einstein the Whiteboard adventures. I have a moment of true fear when Woods plunges back inside the youth room. Before I even have time to process this, he reappears, coughing, and says, “Help me, Billie.” He darts into the smoky room again.

In I go to rescue Woods, who wants to save his precious whiteboard. Einstein is too near the fire. The edge is already melted, and I assume too hot to touch. “I’ll get you another one,” I promise him.

Not what he wants to hear. I drag Woods away and shove him toward the back stairs.

Around us, kids are evacuating. They’re carrying phones and sleeping bags and pillow pets. Two sixth graders are getting on the elevators while Fifty screams at them, “Take the stairs! Didn’t you learn anything in kindergarten?” A very familiar form is swimming upstream against the evacuees: Brother Scott McCaffrey. My tired and scared and angry father frantically counts everyone he sees. He flings opens doors, yells, moves to the next room. Precise words are impossible to hear over the fire alarm. But as I watch him check Youth Suite 201, I see he’s putting two and two together.

Likely conclusion: where there’s smoke, there’s Billie.

Janie Lee and I quick-walk toward the exit. She pulls me against her and says right in my ear, so I hear it over the noise, “Billie, I think maybe I’m in love with Woods!”

“Jesus,” I say, and hope it counts as a multipurpose prayer.

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animeniacss · 4 years

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A Palette of Emotions - Artist!Taehyung x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 24 - Art is Subjective...

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 4.8k words

Chapter 24 - Art is Subjective

Taehyung watched from his folding chair as Jungkook eagerly set up his paintings around his spot in the show. Taehyung insisted on helping, but Jungkook told him he was not allowed to do anything but sit in the chair and offer support to the high schooler. Despite all of Taehyung’s insisting, Jungkook was not having it and proceeded to set up all of his work on his own. When he was done, he was quick to pull out his phone and step in front of his stall. Taehyung looked over at the eager boy, curious as to what he was doing.

Jungkook’s wide grin made Taehyung smile. “Smile, Hyung! This is going on my Instagram and I’m tagging you, so look cute!” Taehyung had to crane his neck slightly, but offered the camera a slight glimpse of his boxy smile, a peace sign lifting into the air. Jungkook snapped several pictures and stuck the phone in his pocket. “I’m so excited for everyone to start coming! Do you think I’ll sell something?”

“I’m sure you will,” Taehyung said. “But this can be a hard thing to do, so don’t get upset if you don’t have much success, it’s only your first art show.” Jungkook plopped beside his mentor, who offered him a supportive pat on the shoulder. The younger nodded and ran a hand through his hair.

“I know. I’m not a seasoned pro, like you.” He nodded, and Taehyung had to let a laugh out.

“Don’t suck up, I’m not buying shit.” He teased, and the both of them grinned. After a moment of silence, Taehyung nodded. “But you’re not wrong.” Jungkook giggled a bit, and with that, the sound of people approaching the area around their stall had Jungkook right back on his feet.

For a good hour, Jungkook was standing outside of his stall like a puppy who was eagerly waiting at the door for its owner to come home and greet him. Taehyung watched for a while, before standing up and approaching the younger boy, who was just waving goodbye to someone who had stopped to look.

“Don’t stand right here the whole time,” Taehyung advised, and Jungkook looked over. Taehyung could see his eyes widen slightly, as if he wanted to hear Taehyung’s advice, but was scared of what it would end up being. “You look a little desperate. If you at least sit down, the right people will see the work and come over. That’s the best time to get up and walk over to say hi.” Jungkook nodded. “One time I stood up for a whole 6 hours in front of my stand. I think I tried to make contact with every person who passed me by. At the end of the show, I had sold nothing, and only left with a headache from all of the intense staring I did.”

Taehyung’s confession did make Jungkook nod in understanding. “Right….” He said softly.

“It’s good to be eager, but don’t be too in your face. Just sit back and relax for a few minutes.” Jungkook nodded, plopping back down on his seat and crossing his arms. He watched people pass by, looking in the direction of his stall, their eyes scanning all he had to offer before deciding if they wanted to stop and stare or move on for now. Jungkook felt his heart sink with every person that passed by. Taehyung immediately noticed this, and nostalgia fell over him; the nostalgia that brought him back to his early days of selling art. 18 years old, sitting on the grass with Jimin and a tarp full of his earliest works. Most of those works now have either been sold, donated, or given away as gifts, but he remembers the feeling of disappointment that fell across him each moment that passed with nobody stopping to stare for longer than a few seconds. “Art is subjective, Jungkook…” He said simply. “Not everyone is going to like what you have, and that’s fine. We talked about that.”

“I know…” he said, “But it sucks more when you experience it in real life.”

“Heh…” Taehyung let an amused grin fall across his face. “Trust me, I know.” He was quick to stand up. “How about I go do some front-line work?” he asked. Jungkook glanced up at Taehyung, curious as to what he meant by ‘front-line work’. “I’ll walk around, and if I see anyone selling stuff similar to yours, I’ll help you make connections with them. And if anyone is staring at what other people are selling, I’ll point them in this direction.”

“Really?” Jungkook’s eyes sparkled; it was as if Taehyung had just handed him the world on a silver platter. “You’d do that?”

“Sure! Jimin did it for me, and I ended up making a few art buddies from it. So, it doesn’t even hurt. You can even take a walk around later and do it yourself if you want.” Jungkook nodded. “But for now, man the front lines. I’ll be back.”

“What about your head?” Jungkook asked, the realization finally hit him. Taehyung scoffed.

“I’m fine, my sunglasses are on. I’ll be back soon.” He waved Jungkook off, and sticking his hands in his pockets, he headed off deeper into the art show. Jungkook leaned back in his chair, grabbing his water and taking an extra-long sip of it.

--------------------------------------------

“Where do you think Jungkook’s set up?” you asked curiously, glancing over at Hoseok. He ran a hand through his hair and shrugged.

“Not sure, but I’m sure if we keep looking, we’ll find him.” He said simply. You nodded, continuing to look around as you both passed several stalls. You watched as individuals stood around their crafts, pulling in those who walked back, hoping that they could pair someone up with the art of their dreams in only a few seconds. It felt as if you were at a car dealership instead of an art show, but at the same time, you enjoyed seeing how passionate everyone was! “Anything you see catching your eye?” Hoseok asked curiously. When you turned back to your friend, he smiled. “I’ll buy you something.”

“No way, it’s okay.” You assured. “I just like looking. I don’t have any room in my apartment for artwork, that’s why the dolphin is hung up in the school.” Hoseok chuckled. “If I find something small, maybe I’ll get it, I don’t know. It really has to catch my eye.”

Hoseok laughed once again, and the both of you headed deeper into the park, arms linked together in order not to get separated.

While the both of you were walking and admiring, Taehyung was doing the same thing. He had stopped at a few different stalls to look at some work, chatting up some of the local artists who seemed to be around Jungkook’s age or a bit older. At this moment, he was not the artist. He was Jimin, the charismatic, handsome businessman who was sure to coax anyone into a deal without even realizing it. Taehyung had been channeling his energy the entire walk from Jungkook’s stall. And so far, it seemed to be working.

“My friend Jungkook is a few stalls down,” Taehyung said to a young girl no older than 20. She had an entire stall of hand-crafted figurines of famous cartoon characters. As several young children begged their parents for figurines of Pororo or Mickey Mouse, the girl was watching Taehyung scroll through Jungkook’s Instagram. “He’s talented, but still new to the art world. I’m trying to get him some art friends.” The girl chuckled a bit, tugging her hair into a ponytail. With his glasses acting as a cover, Taehyung’s eyes fell in her direction from the phone, wanting to gauge her reaction to see if she was interested. However, every few seconds, he saw her eyes flicker from the phone, gazing up in Taehyung’s direction. When she thought he was staring back, she quickly looked back down at the phone again.

“He’s talented…” she repeated softly, nodding her head. Taehyung set his phone back into his pocket and turned to the girl. She glanced up at him, and that was when Taehyung slipped off the glasses, piercing her with his dark and intense eyes. He could have sworn he heard her gasp, but he ignored it and offered a warm smile.

“We’ll be there the whole time, so you should come to say hi and see all of his work in person.” The young woman quickly nodded again, and Taehyung saw her cheeks turn a soft pink.

“I’ll come to stop by in a bit when I take a break.” She murmured. Taehyung nodded and waved goodbye. The girls waved as well, and Taehyung passed by her stall, glancing over all of her creations before continuing down the path. His hands slipped into his pockets, and he was quick to slip his glasses back on, the sun beginning to hurt his head just slightly. He continued through the stalls, trying to find artwork and artists that he thought would be a good connection for Jungkook to have. He wanted to try and find people with various art styles, allowing the group to share experiences and teach each other new ways of making art. In Taehyung’s mind, that was one of the most important things about making connections with others.

As Taehyung was deep in thought, manager mode on as he eagerly searched the area, he was stopped almost immediately, when he heard a high-pitched voice hit him right in the back of the head.

“I think that’s Jungkook down there. Let’s go say hi!” Taehyung was quick to spin his entire body around, eyes darting directly to whoever it was who made that noise. It was easy to find, he knew exactly who it was: Hoseok.

Dressed in a pair of baggy jeans and an oversized blue button-up, Hoseok was grinning as he pointed in the opposite direction. Taehyung’s eyes turned slightly to see who exactly who he was with, and when he saw you, his heart swelled into his chest. You were holding a beautifully crafted mug in your hand, practically cradling it that was how tiny it was. He watched you set the mug down quickly, thanking the artist for allowing you the chance to hold and look at it. Waving him off, you followed Hoseok down the path and towards Jungkook’s stall. Taehyung stood there a moment, wondering if he should follow you. He had been waiting for the chance to see you and watching you hurry farther and farther away from him only made him want to try to catch up.

No, no. I’m helping Jungkook. I’ll catch her later, I’m sure. He thought to himself, shaking his head. As he watched you both disappear behind the other groups of people walking between exhibits, he turned back on his heel and continued down the path.

-----------------------------------------------------

Jungkook was standing outside of the stall, holding up a painting of his as he spoke to a kind older woman who was asking about it.

“You really are a talented young man, aren’t you?” she beamed. Jungkook laughed nervously.

“Oh, thank you, I don’t know if I’m really all that good just yet. I have a lot more practicing to do.” Jungkook admitted sheepishly. “My mentor has taught me a lot though, he’s the real talent.”

“Well, if someone is teaching talent such as this, then he must be.” The woman grinned. Jungkook laughed shyly. “Well, I want to go find my husband and bring him over to see the collection you have here. He’s quite a lover of the arts, you know. Would it be ok if I come back in a little while?”

Jungkook’s eyes sparkled. “Of course!” he said eagerly. “I’ll be here all day.” The woman nodded.

“And what did you say your name was again, dear?” she asked.

“Jeon Jungkook.” He smiled happily. The woman nodded, waving before walking down the path. Jungkook watched her go for a moment, and that was when he saw Hoseok and you appearing, heading towards his stall. That only made the smile on his face growing wider. “Hey.” He said happily.

“Hi!” You said happily, hurrying over to Jungkook. “How’s it all coming?”

“I’ve got a few people to stop and look, but no sales yet.” Jungkook pouted. “But a nice older lady came and said she was going to bring her husband to look, she liked my stuff.”

“That’s great!” Hoseok cheered. You were quick to scan the stall, and saw two open chairs sitting under the shade.

“Taehyung ended upcoming?” you asked curiously.

“Oh yeah. He said he was going around to find some other artists I could meet and talk to since I don’t know many other people other than him. He should be back soon, hopefully. I don’t want him being out too long, he said his head was still hurting a bit.” Hearing Jungkook’s comment made you feel a bit uneasy, remembering how he looked when you had gone to visit him the other day, despite how hard he had tried to act anything but. As that memory flooded your mind, you couldn’t help but also remember the kiss –

“Well, if we don’t cross paths that’s okay!” You said quickly, offering up a nervous giggle. Hoseok looked over at you, raising an eyebrow.

“We can always come back later, you know.” Hoseok was quick to point it out, and you nodded your head. Hoseok had no idea about what happened the other day, in fact, nobody outside you and Taehyung knew. Hopefully.

“Yeah, that’s true…” you said simply. “We can…” Hoseok, who was actively confused as to what had suddenly gotten you so jumpy, simply rubbed your arm gently. “Anyway, let’s take a look at what we have here, hm?” you walked towards the stall, and began to quickly admire all of the work. “Wow…” you said in disbelief. “You made all of these in such a short amount of time.” Jungkook nodded.

“I do a lot of it on the weekends, and I doodle a lot during class.” He admitted. Hoseok shook his head.

“You shouldn’t do that, Jungkook. Your grades are important.” Jungkook chuckled a bit.

“I know, I know. But I’m a good student.” He assured quickly. “Oh! You have to come back later, anyway. My uh…” The realization of what Jungkook was going to say made his cheeks turn red. “My girlfriend is coming by when she gets out of work.” Hoseok and you smiled as if you were his parents meeting this girl for the first time. Jungkook must have felt that same thing because he could only laugh nervously. “Not until later though, okay?”

“Okay, okay…” the both of you said simply, grins on your faces. You quickly turned around and continued to look at his artwork, while Hoseok motioned to a nearby stand and led Jungkook that way.

Taehyung returned to the stall about 20 minutes later. He had managed to get a few people to look up Jungkook on Instagram and either follow or reach out that way, with another few offering to come by the stall later and say hello in person. He felt good knowing that he was able to help the teenager, and he was excited to see the look on his face when he came back and told him.

Taehyung had also snagged two orders of fries for the boys to enjoy from the snack stand they had set up right outside the entrance to the park, a nice treat for Jungkook to congratulate him on his hard work so far. As he popped a fry into his mouth, he quickened his pace. He wanted to sit and relax for a bit, he didn’t realize he had been up and walking in the heat for almost 40 minutes, and he was starting to feel it in the back of his head. As he walked closer to Jungkook’s stall, he was met with a very…interesting sight.

When he approached the stall, he didn’t see Jungkook standing in front and chatting up those who passed by. No, instead, he saw you. You were kneeling in front of the canvases, admiring Jungkook’s hard work with a smile on your face. As Taehyung watched you, it made him think back to the look on your face when you first saw his work in person. It had been stuck in his mind ever since, and he didn’t think it would ever leave.

He finally approached the stall, with you still unaware of his presence. “Hey.” He finally said. You were quick to glance up, and stood up almost immediately afterward. “I thought I saw you before, but I wasn’t sure.” He lied. “How are you?”

“Oh, I’m good. How’s your head?” Taehyung shrugged.

“Touch and go. I think I’ll make it to Christmas.” He grinned a bit, and you offered a smile. Taehyung glanced down at his hands, still holding the fries tightly. “If I knew you were here already, I would have offered to-.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” You assured quickly. “We already ate…” Taehyung nodded, smiling gently at you. “Hoseok and Jungkook went down a bit to look at other groups, they should be back soon.” You quickly motioned to the chairs in the shade. “You should sit down and rest. Jungkook said you’ve been up and in the heat and a long time, you’ll make your head hurt more…” Taehyung decided to follow your advice, taking his seat quickly and setting Jungkook’s fries in his chair. You watched him for a moment. “Are you guys staying long?”

“Maybe.” You chuckled. “Jungkook said someone took an interest in something and is coming back in a little while with her husband. He got pretty excited, so we might hang around a bit longer and see what comes out of that.” Taehyung felt a proud smile form on his face.

“That’s good.” He said happily. Silence fell over the both of you as Taehyung began to eat, something that you realized happened very often between the two of you. You watched him for a moment, watched as he nibbled on his fries and rested comfortably in his chair. You had to admit, you were wondering what he was thinking. However, the last thing you wanted to do was bring your drama up today and risk anything being thrown out of proportion. Taehyung, though you couldn’t tell with his glasses on, looked over in your direction. When he spoke, it surprised you.

“Want one?” he asked, holding the bag of fries in your direction. You blinked, shaking your head.

“No, no. I’m okay…” you assured again. “I already-.”

“Ate. I know. You just looked like you wanted one.” His playful and boxy grin crept onto his mouth. “Feel free to take one if you change your mind okay?” You were hesitant but nodded.

“Okay…”

“Or you can eat Jungkook’s if he doesn’t come back in time.” As you watched Taehyung chuckle a bit and return to eating, it made your mind spin. You were surprised he was as calm as he was right now, especially compared to you. You weren’t sure what had him this way. Your first thought was the concussion was more serious than anyone had thought, but maybe that was a bit too extreme. Letting out a soft breath, you simply decided to turn in the direction Hoseok and Jungkook left in. Lucky for you, they were coming right back to the table. Hoseok hurried up to you.

“There’s a whole group of little knick-knacks at that table over there. Want to go look?”

Hoseok asked when he approached you. Jungkook walked over to Taehyung, sitting next to him and grabbing the fries. He quickly began eating them, and the duo fell immediately into the conversation, Taehyung showing him all of the people who he managed to speak too, and Jungkook sharing what had been going on while he was away. You turned to look at them, watching as Taehyung ruffled Jungkook’s hair, congratulating the younger male on a job well done so far. It made you smile, seeing him so happy.

“So…” Taehyung hummed. “When is this woman coming back with her husband?” Jungkook shrugged.

“Not sure. But I hope she comes back soon. She was really nice. She said her husband is really into art, so maybe they’ll buy something.” The giddiness in Jungkook’s voice was infectious, and Taehyung couldn’t help but be excited himself. “That would be amazing!”

“I’m sure it’ll happen.” Taehyung assured. He got up quickly, walking towards the nearby garbage and tossing his trash in. He took a moment to scan the area. He wanted to see if any good people were passing by, anyone he could chat up and introduce Jungkook’s work too. A few more people stopped and glanced over, curious about what there was to see. Taehyung could hear Jungkook quickly getting up from his seat, eager to talk to more people. It was then he noticed a familiar person walking in the direction of the stall. This person, middle-aged, walked arm in arm with a woman who seemed to be chatting his ear off. The man was looking around as they walked, and Taehyung felt his heart sink the minute he saw that woman point in the direction of Jungkook’s stall. Oh Min-Jae. “Oh God…” Dread covered Taehyung’s body like a blanket, and at that moment, he wanted to die.

“What’s wrong, Hyung?” Jungkook asked, walking over to Taehyung. He looked in the same direction, and a grin broke out on his face. “Oh, that’s the woman who said she liked my art!”

“Of course, it is…” Taehyung groaned, covering his face. He walked back towards the stall and rested his hands on it, trying to collect himself. “Of. Fucking. Course! Of course, her husband is Oh Min-Jae why am I not surprised?!” Jungkook raised an eyebrow, turning towards the couple once again, who was getting closer with each step. It took Jungkook a minute to remember all of the times Taehyung had mercilessly gotten frustrated and talked about Oh Min-Jae, and Jungkook bit his lip. “Oh…”

“Don’t worry, you talk to them. I won’t start anything…” Taehyung said quickly. “Just make a sale. I’ll be over here wondering how someone you claim to be so sweet ended up marrying Satan himself…” Jungkook looked over to see the couple approach, and quickly smiled.

“Hello again.” He said happily.

“Hello again, Jungkook.” Mrs. Oh chimed happily. “This is my husband, Mr. Oh Min-Jae.” Jungkook quickly nodded his head, smiling sweetly as he introduced himself once again.

“My wife hasn’t stopped talking about you. It’s made me very excited to see what you have to show today.” Jungkook nodded, watching as the couple went closer to his works of art. From the corner of his eye, he could see Taehyung still standing on the side of the stall, not wanting to move in fear he would catch even a glimpse of this guy. That was the last thing he wanted. “Hm…” the man said. “Very interesting. You have quite a unique style here.” Jungkook nodded.

“Oh uhm…thank you.” Jungkook said softly. “My mentor has really taught me a lot. He’s an amazing artist.” Jungkook glanced at Taehyung once again and saw the guy was chewing on his lower lip, using up all of his strength not to move from that spot. It made Jungkook feel bad, because he wanted Taehyung to get the recognition he deserved. “Maybe you’ve heard of him, Kim Taehyung?”

At that moment, Taehyung’s eyes went wide, and he felt as if he was going to die. He quickly turned to look at Jungkook, hoping he would catch his gaze. However, he did not. Min-Jae pursed his lips together, and nodded.

“Yes, I know who that is. Amazing how someone who likes to paint dolphins and mentored such talent out of you. Unless we are thinking of two different people, which would not surprise me in the slightest.”

Bastard…Taehyung thought to himself, eyes narrowing.

“No! Kim Taehyung, I know you know who he is.” Jungkook smiled. “He paints amazing pictures of-.”

“-Of dolphins, like I said.” Min-Jae repeated. “I’m merely saying it takes true talent on your part to create such beautiful pieces under the guide of someone so unprofessional in his craft.”

“But that’s not-.”

Before Jungkook could finished, Taehyung turned the corner and crossed his arms. “For someone who hates me, you sure do love having my name in your mouth.” Taehyung scoffed. Min-Jae looked over, and a devilish smile graced his lips.

“Taehyung, happy to see you.” He said simply. “How is your life of mediocrity suiting you?” Taehyung glared, but tried his best to keep his cool and brush off what the older man had said.

“Just fine, thank you.” He said simply. Min-Jae turned back to his wife, who was admiring some of the pieces Jungkook had laid out. “We’re not going to have the same issue we had when you saw my artwork, right? Harassing me and not buying anything.” Min-Jae laughed.

“Unlike then, I actually enjoy the artwork I see right now.” Min-Jae said simply. Taehyung frowned as the man turned to his wife. “Did you find the one you liked, dear?” The woman, smile beaming, lifted up a painting of a beautiful skyline. The feeling emanated a warmth, as if one was indeed at the beach and enjoying the sunshine the picture gave off. “That’s absolutely beautiful.” He grinned. “You’re incredibly talented, Jungkook. You have the potential to truly become something amazing in the artist world.”

As Taehyung watched the scene unfold, he heard a voice behind him that caused him to turn his head. “Taehyung!” When he turned, he saw you approach. You were beaming, holding something in your hands. “Look what I-.” before you could show him, you caught sight of the other people before you. You quickly looked at Hoseok, who gently pulled you back behind him, wanting to shield you in case anything happened.

Taehyung turned back to Min-Jae, and watched as Min-Jae pulled out his wallet. “We’ll take it.” Jungkook’s eyes widened as Min-Jae handed Jungkook a handful of won. He skimmed it over and immediately could tell there was more in his hands than he planned to charge for the painting.

“What? Sir, I can’t-.”

“Take the entirety of it. Consider it my intuition that you’ll be able to double or triple this selling your art in the future.” Min-Jae looked at Taehyung one more time. “It’s truly good work. You might want to give your mentor a few pointers.”

“Okay, now come on!” Taehyung frowned. Almost immediately, he felt someone grip his arm. When he turned around, he saw Hoseok holding onto the sleeve of his arm. He sighed softly. He saw you watching silently, unsure of what exactly was going on, but Taehyung could tell that you were a bit put off. Jungkook watched as Mrs. Oh turned to Jungkook, smiling sweetly.

“Thank you, sweetheart. It’s going right above my study. It is going to be wonderful.” Jungkook nodded, smiling sweetly. Mrs. Oh quickly took her husband by the arm. “Now you. Knock it off and let’s get going.” With that, the both of them headed away from the stall. Taehyung watched as the both of them left, and he turned to Jungkook, who was holding the money given to him tightly in his hands. His eyes were sparkling as he looked at it. Taehyung sighed, walking over to Jungkook and patting him on the shoulder.

“Good job, Jungkook. You sold your first painting.” When Jungkook looked up at his Hyung, Taehyung only offered him a smile. “Put that money somewhere safe.” He walked over to you, watching as you looked down at the thing in your hands. Taehyung tilted his head as he approached you. “What did you buy?” he asked curiously. You glanced up at him, showing him the little canvas, you had in your hands. As he walked over, he kept thinking about what he had told Jungkook earlier that day.

Art is subjective…. Not everyone is going to like everything.

Taehyung tilted his head as he approached you. “What did you buy?” he asked curiously. You glanced up at him, showing him the little canvas, you had in your hands. You were holding a bright yellow figurine, shaped like a star with a bright smile on it. Taehyung looked down at you.

“It’s a cute little figurine.” You smiled. “You know, a star…like Bright Star Preschool.” Taehyung blinked. At that moment, despite the annoyance and anger, he was feeling after having to get through that conversation with Min-Jae, he ended up breaking into the widest grin at the sight of you. “I think it would look really cute on my desk, don’t you? It was cheap too.” Taehyung chuckled a bit.

“Definitely.” He said softly. You smiled a bit, nodding in happiness. “Hey, uhm…do you want to take a walk with me?” he asked curiously. “I want to clear my head…”

“Uhm, okay, sure!” You said sweetly. Taehyung nodded, quickly leading you down the path and away from the stall, leaving Hoseok and Jungkook there with nothing to say.

Art was subjective. Taehyung thought to himself again. But I have a feeling that prick just did that on purpose.

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animeniacss · 4 years

Text

A Palette of Emotions - Artist!Taehyung x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 16- What Makes Me Passionate

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 4.8k words

Chapter 16 - What Makes Me Passionate

Taehyung felt that he was floating on Cloud 9 after, what he would at least consider, a successful date with you in the hills outside of Seoul. He had such a good time, and even with his silly little slip-up, he was confident that you enjoyed yourself too. When he got home afterward, he lounged out on the couch and flipped on the television, his phone resting safely on his lap until you sent him that confirmation text that you had made it home safely. Once he did, he had Jimin on the phone for over an hour, gushing like a schoolgirl about his afternoon, and how happy he was. Saying it out loud only continued to fill him with happiness.

That happiness lasted into the night and right into the next day. Jungkook wanted to come over and paint, and Taehyung had no objections. As he waited in his kitchen for the knock at the door, alerting him of Jungkook’s presence, Taehyung was whipping up a few sandwiches for the duo to eat at lunch.

“Hyung!” He heard faintly from behind the door. He lifted his head in the direction of the door, where a loud knock came following the voice.

“Yeah, hold on!” He shouted, setting the food on the table before heading to the door. When he flung it open, Jungkook was standing in his view, a bag slung over his shoulder, and a grin on his face. “Hey, Jungkook. Come in.”

“I have some cool new things that I painted over the past few days that I want to show you, Hyung!” Taehyung looked over as Jungkook slid off his shoes and set his bag down on the coffee table, plopping down in front of it before starting to pull out a bunch of canvases of varying sizes. Taehyung felt as though he was looking at himself on Christmas, frantically opening presents with wide and curious eyes, even though Jungkook already knew exactly like he was going to pull out and show. When Taehyung walked over, plopping down on the couch and watching as Jungkook turned in his direction, handing him a few of the smaller canvases. “Which one do you like the best?”

When Taehyung spread the handful of canvases on the couch beside him as well as his lap, looking them over with focused eyes. The various canvases were practically like a rainbow, various colors lined up and spread around the canvases as a focal point for each. The red canvas resembled that of a rose, a hint of green poking out at the bottom as if the flower had just recently bloomed. The yellow resembled a daisy, bright and lively behind hints of a blue background. Purple resembled a stunning lilac, and as Taehyung’s eyes landed on each new canvas, he continued to get the same theme: floral.

“These are nice. What made you choose to do a whole floral theme?” Taehyung’s eyes lifted to see Jungkook and…what was that he noticed on Jungkook’s cheeks? Red-tinted blush? Jungkook must have realized as well because he immediately turned away. “What’s with the sudden red face?” He hummed.

“It’s a long story, just answer the question of which one you like best, please.” He begged, not turning back to look at his Hyung. Taehyung, already with a good idea of where this was going, looked back down at the pictures laid before him.

“Well…” Taehyung began. “I think my personal favorite is the lilac. But there’s something to suggest that can be of good advice.” Taehyung’s explanation made Jungkook finally turn back around to face him. “But I’ll only tell you if I get an explanation. I need some backstory to make a fair decision.”

Jungkook sighed, offering only a pout in response. “Alright.” He began. “One of the girls in my class…noticed me sketching during art.” Taehyung rubbed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, an amused smile forming on his face. “So, she started talking to me a lot and said she thinks I’m talented. Usually, girls are pushy with me but like…she’s pretty calm. She hasn’t tried to flirt with me or anything. She just wants to talk about my art and it’s nice.”

“So, does that have a connection with the paintings on my lap?” A curious Taehyung asked.

“Yes,” Jungkook said. “She said she’s a really big fan of flowers. But she never really told me a specific one, she just kind of say she liked flowers. So, I made a whole bunch of flowers, and…I wanted to give her the best one.” Taehyung smiled.

“That’s cute, Jungkook. These are all good.”

“But you like lilac best?” He asked curiously. Taehyung nodded. “Then I’ll give-.”

“Hold on,” Taehyung said quickly. “Remember I said I had a suggestion that could work if I had the right information?” Jungkook nodded. “Well, now I have the right information.” Taehyung leaned back against his couch and motioned to the paintings. “If you don’t know what kind of flower she likes the best then give them all to her.”

“But isn’t that a bit excessive? She’s not me…” Jungkook’s ears tinted a little pinker. “my…girlfriend, or anything.”

“But clearly, you want her to be,” Taehyung said simply. Jungkook huffed, but he didn’t respond because he knew Taehyung was right. So did Taehyung. He’s a love guru now, after all. “But I know what you mean. Dropping like 5 different paintings on her desk in class seems a bit…too much. So, what would you do if you were buying a bunch of regular flowers for her?” Jungkook raised an eyebrow a bit, confused as to what Taehyung wanted for an answer. “Well?”

“I’d buy her a bouquet, I guess,” Jungkook said. Taehyung motioned down to all of the paintings once again, then offered his friend a small smile. “…Oh. Oh! Hyung, that’s a great idea!” Jungkook immediately took the paintings back into his arms, laying them out on the coffee table now. “I can go pick up a little carrier and give it to her on Monday! Hyung, you’re a genius!”

A genius. Yes, he was. Taehyung crossed his arms and offered Jungkook a playful, yet confident grin. “Any time, Jungkook. Considered it repayment for helping me last time.” Jungkook laughed a bit.

“How did the date go, anyway?” Jungkook asked curiously. Taehyung sighed, wagging his finger just slightly at the teen.

“Now, now Jungkook, it’s rude to kiss and tell, now isn’t it?” Taehyung asked curiously. Jungkook raised an eyebrow. It was obvious to him that Taehyung had been dying to share the experience since Jungkook first walked through the door of the apartment. After a second, Taehyung’s boxy smile returned to his face. “Alright, well since you’re being so adamant, I guess I can share.”

“You’re insane. I still can’t imagine how you scored that date.” Jungkook muttered, but Taehyung ignored it. Resting in the back of his chair, he resembled that of an old war veteran, preparing to share his stories of grandeur with the grandchildren at a family reunion. It made Jungkook snicker in amusement.

“Well, we went to the hills and had lunch. We got to do some painting, and overall, it was a really good time. She said she wants to do it again sometime, so hopefully, soon we can plan another one.” Jungkook nodded.

“That’s great.” An amused Jungkook responded. “What did you end up painting?” Taehyung looked to his left, pointing to the painting that was resting against the wall. “Oh, wow. That’s incredible.”

“I just need to finish shading. I was going to do it at some point today.” Jungkook looked down at his stack of paintings on the coffee table. “Hungry? I made some lunch.” He quickly added, before hopping up and heading into the kitchen.

A few hours had passed after lunch, and the boys decided to just start painting. Jungkook’s desire for mentoring has slowly just formed into a painting session once a week, with some advice sprinkled here and there as questions arose, and honestly, bother Jungkook and Taehyung couldn’t have asked for a better arrangement. Taehyung had his painting on his biggest canvas, allowing him to stand up and fill in the shading in the areas he had previously labeled in hopes to remember. He was working quite diligently, his brush furiously rubbing against the canvas to add dimension to the face, body, and background of the scene as if it was basking in the glow of the sun. Jungkook must have noticed Taehyung’s hard work because he spoke up with a question. However, it wasn’t a question about whether or not he should use a particular color scheme, and that took Taehyung slightly off of his guard.

“What makes you passionate, Hyung?” Jungkook asked. Taehyung turned his head to look at Jungkook when he asked this. He stalled his reply to see if Jungkook would add anything else to his abrupt statement, and he did. “Is it her?”

“…Didn’t I already answer that last time?” Taehyung asked curiously as his eyes wandered back to his painting.

“Well, yeah. But I asked if she inspired you then, not if she made you passionate. You can be inspired by anything but I think it won’t be anything special if there’s no passion in it. That’s why I turned to you for advice in the first place.” Taehyung sighed. Suddenly, he no longer felt like the wise, older mentor that he had enjoyed being up until this point. “Well, am I right?”

“I…I mean I guess,” Taehyung said. It would explain all of the sketches he’d made of her recently, all of the features he has gotten to put to paper and morph into something almost as beautiful as the real thing. “I just like to draw her. Is that weird?”

“When you word it like that…” Jungkook’s comment elicited chuckles from both of them. “I was just curious, because if passion lets you draw amazing things like this-.” He motioned to the painting that Taehyung was working on. “-then I mean come on. I could only wish to have that kind of passion when I work.”

“Seems like you do already Mr. Florist.” Taehyung teased. Jungkook laughed shyly, and Taehyung turned back to his painting, continuing to shade in his painting.

“Maybe I should reword my question,” Jungkook added. “…Do you think being in love makes you passionate?” Taehyungs brush stopped stroking the canvas, pressing against the canvas for a moment.

“Well, it can be a source for people, definitely, but-.”

“I mean for you, Hyung.” Jungkook corrected. Taehyung was silent for a moment, not looking at the younger boy though he can feel his eyes burning holes into his back. After a moment, he shrugged.

“I couldn’t tell you…” Taehyung said. “I’ve never been in love before.” Jungkook nodded, deciding to leave the conversation at that and turn back to his work. As the duo got back into focusing on their paintings, Taehyung’s eyes wandered towards his desk, where his small stack of haphazardly placed sketches laid. Through them, he could see different prominent features of you poking out into his view, from your cheeks to your adorably addicting grin. Love was something he never really experienced growing up unless you count the occasional adolescent crush. He had never been in love before, at least not before now, and honestly, he wasn’t sure how he felt about it.

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Your night with Hoseok wasn’t much different from Taehyungs in terms of conversation. Hoseok had come over with some take-out and wine, much like he did every time that he stopped by knowing they would be doing work. However, it wasn’t long into the cutting and preparation of materials that Hoseok asked the dreaded “So tell me all about your date!”

“It was fine.” You said simply and hoped Hoseok would leave it at that. You and Hoseok both knew him well enough to know that was next to impossible.

“Fine is not detailed enough. What did you do, what happened? I’ve held off texting you about it because I knew I was coming over today and I’ve waited long enough!”

“Do you just find all your entertainment in my life?” you asked curiously. Hoseok only nodded, and you sighed. “All we did was have a picnic and paint! I sent you the picture of what I made and I told you it’s going up in the classroom Monday.”

“Yes, that’s all fine and good but I want to know like…what happened?” You raised an eyebrow at the way he emphasized his word, and Hoseok sighed. “Was it good enough to go on another one with him?”

“I…I don’t know. I told him I had a good time and would do it again but…I don’t know.” Hoseok’s eyes went a bit wide, and he leaned forward. You glanced up at him. “What are you staring at me like that for?”

“Did…did he kiss you or anything?”

“Hoseok!”

“I’m curious!” He gasped, grinning a bit. “I just want to know, that’s all!”

“I just…” you shook your head. “No. No, we didn’t kiss or anything like that, we just ate and he helped me with my painting a bit and that’s all.” Hoseok leaned back in his chair. “Besides, even if he tried to kiss me, I don’t think I would’ve gone in to accept it.”

“Why?” Hoseok asked curiously. You sighed, clasping your hands together and pressing them to your forehead as if they would help push out the words you wanted to share.

-------One Week Ago----

You had just watched as Taehyung and Hoseok walked out of the restaurant, Taehyung’s eyes falling in your direction as he made his way towards the door. Once he was out of your sight, you sighed. The sigh alerted Namjoon, who decided to look in the direction you were just in time to see the duo leaving the building.

“Hoseok and Taehyung? Didn’t think they would show up here? Did they know where we were coming?”

“No, I don’t think so.” You said simply. “I didn’t even know we were coming here, so I’ll be concerned if they managed to find out.” Namjoon chuckled a bit, taking a sip of his wine.

“Well, maybe they just wanted to see how lovely you look tonight.” Your eyes cast up to Namjoon, and all you could do in response was chuckle.

“Thank you, but my hair is a bit frizzy tonight so it’s not-.”

“No, it’s perfect.” He assured, offering you one of his gentlest smiles. “I think the frizzier hair suits you well. It looks more natural that way, you know?” He gently reached out, poking at a bit of hair on your forehead that was sticking out. You had to admit, it made you giggle a bit.

“Thank you.” You said softly.

As your dinner with Namjoon began to wrap, he paid the bill that was almost as long as your phone number and escorted you out with a hand resting gently on your hip. Upon walking out of the warm, heated building and into the slightly brisker air, it made you shiver slightly, instinctively scooting closer to Namjoon in the hope to find warmth at his side. Namjoon noticed immediately and was quick to tug off the jacket of his tux, sliding it over your shoulders. When you looked up at him, Namjoon smiled, his arm slipping around you as he led you down the street.

“It’s a nice night. Do you want to take a walk before I take you back home?”

“Okay.” You said softly, nodding your head. Both of you headed down the street, admiring the lights that were turning on to illuminate the street as you both walked down. “Thank you for dinner.” You said gently.

“Of course! I hope you enjoyed it.” He smiled happily. “I had a great time.”

“Me too. It was delicious.”

Both of you walked in silence for a little while, just enjoying the comfortable air that followed you both through the night. As Namjoon walked you back towards his car, he was quick to open up the door to the passenger’s side. As gentlemanly as ever. You smiled, quickly taking off his jacket and handing it back to him.

“Thank you for this.” You said softly. Namjoon was hesitant but took it back knowing well that you were about to be in his heated car. When his hand grasped on to it, a few his fingers pressed against your tight knuckles, which made you bit your lip. When you glanced up at Namjoon, you saw he was staring right back at you. The way his eyes captivated you, was unlike anything you had ever seen every time you got the chance to catch a glimpse. Regardless of how you felt going on a few dates with Namjoon, you had to admit he was extremely attractive, and the fact he asked you out at all was something that you would never wrap your head around. You must have been staring at him for far too long, because the next thing you knew, Namjoon quickly leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to your lips.

The action was so sudden, it completely caught you off guard, transporting you back into the reality that you were faced with. What was going on?! Before you could give a proper reaction, Namjoon pulled back. It was only slightly, leaving a small gap between the two of you so that if either of you wanted to go in for another kiss, the travel would be short. You blinked, staring up at Namjoon with what must have been wide and confused eyes. Namjoon chuckled breathlessly, scratching his red cheek as two dimples poked out into view.

“Sorry, I uhm…” Namjoon couldn’t seem to find the right words to finish the thoughts swimming in his mind. Your fingertips reached up to your lips quickly, as if you could catch the feeling one more time simply by touching them. When your eyes raised back up to Namjoon, he blinked. “Are you okay?”

“Y…yes, I-.” Now you were the one lost for words, unsure of what you could say at this moment. That silence that overtook the both of you before returned, however, unlike before when it was comforting, now it was totally awkward. Namjoon’s eyes widened, and he quickly covered his mouth.

“Oh God, I made you so uncomfortable, I’m so sorry, I should have asked or something first, I-.”

“No, no!” You said quickly, waving your hands. “Namjoon I just…it just took me off guard, that’s all. But…I guess it makes sense you’d want to do that…we’ve been on several dates now…” You could see the guilt wash over his face as he ran a hand over it, hoping it would wipe the guilt away, but to no avail. He quickly let out a deep sigh, and you looked down at your feet.

“Uhm, here….” Namjoon quickly helped you into the car. Once you were settled, you watched him close the door and walk around to the other side. Your eyes trailed him all the way around, and you could see his hands run through his hair as he slid in beside you.

No matter how fast Namjoon could have driven, that awkward silence followed behind you, filling the car with tension so thick you almost felt as if you were suffocating. For a while, you looked down at your lap. You had no idea what to say at this moment, it was still shocking that you had even experienced it. As your eyes trailed over to see if Namjoon’s reaction had at all changed, you noticed that his eyes were fixated only on the road. One of his hands gripped the steering wheel, while the other covered his mouth, almost as if he was thinking while he drove. You didn’t know what to say but felt like you should say something.

“…Sorry.” You said softly. Maybe not that. Namjoon immediately looked over at you, eyes wide.

“S-. Why are you apologizing? You have nothing to apologize for. I should be on my knees begging for your forgiveness.” A small smile escaped your lips.

“I feel bad I gave such an uncomfortable reaction.” You said softly. “I didn’t mean to…it just happened. But I didn’t…mind it? I don’t know.”

Namjoon offered you a small smile. “Feels like we’re back in high school, doesn’t it? All these weird emotions in our minds yet not enough wisdom yet to sort it all into its proper places.”

“All these years later and clearly I still can’t.” You added. Namjoon laughed a bit. “I never really dated in high school, either, so I never had the experience.”

“Neither did I. I can’t remember the last serious relationship I was in.” You nodded. “But I am sorry that I made you uncomfortable. I just…I’ve kind of wanted to do that for a while.” You nodded.

“…Thank you, I think.” You both shared another chuckle before you pressed your hands together. As Namjoon pulled up to your apartment, you glanced up at where your window was, then looked back at Namjoon. “I’ll see you Monday morning at drop-off, then.” You smiled happily. Namjoon smiled.

“Yes, see you then.” He said. When you slid out of the car, you offered him another shy wave before heading up the steps and into your apartment building. Namjoon leaned forward to watch you, making sure you made it in alright.

This part you didn’t see, but once you were out of his sight, Namjoon slammed his hands angrily on the steering wheel, cursing at himself for his stupidity.

--------------Present Day---------

“HE KISSED YOU?” Hoseok shouted, standing up so quickly that the chair he was resting on flew back and slammed down onto the floor. The sound made you both flinch in surprise, and Hoseok quickly turned to pick it up. “You never told anyone that part!”

“It wasn’t anyone’s business, that’s why.” You spoke. “Besides, if I said something then Seokjin would have been losing his mind, and I did not want to deal with it.”

“He had no right to do that!”

“And who are you to tell me or anyone else what they can do on a date?” You asked, frowning. Your harsh tone stopped Hoseok in his tracks, and his tense body quickly began to relax muscle by muscle.

“But still, he….” As you watched Hoseok mutter his words, you saw his face droop and his eyes grow slightly darker, as if he was trying to escape this reality and wake up in a new one. You frowned. “He did that…and then Taehyung, he…” Hoseok plopped back down on the chair, shoulders slumped in frustration. “I can’t believe that he did that….”

“Are you okay?” You asked softly.

“Are you?” Hoseok gasped. “He just surprises you with a kiss then acts like everything is okay. He didn’t even look awkward when he dropped off Kai that next Monday…”

“He didn’t have to. I told him it wasn’t a big deal.”

“B-but it is a big deal!” Hoseok said quickly.

“…Hoseok, what’s wrong with you? Why are you getting so worked up about this?”

“Well, there’s Namjoon who's taking you out on dates and now starting to kiss you. Then there’s Taehyung who just took you out, and…” Hoseok’s shoulders slumped. “What’s going to be the point of having me around then?” For a moment, you couldn’t tell if Hoseok was teasing you with that question, however, even if he was, the truth behind his statement and the fear that lied within it became more prevalent as Hoseok crossed his arms. “It already took a while after we made plans to hang out to actually hang out.”

“Hobi…” you said softly.

“I know you don’t want to date me, that’s…well, it hurts but there’s nothing I can do about it but I…I can’t handle all of this anymore. It’s stressing me out.” You quickly reached out, taking Hoseok’s hands tightly into yours. He glanced up at you, a slight pout on his face much like that of a little child

“Hoseok even if I date a thousand different people in my lifetime, they’re not going to be my best friend like you are.” Slowly, Hoseok’s head lowered until he was resting his forehead on your hands, which he was tightly gripping with his own. You managed to lift your thumb, gently stroking his hair in hopes that would soothe him a bit.

“Please don’t date a thousand different people, I can’t fight that many people.” You smiled a bit at Hoseok’s playful comment. “I just don’t want to feel unimportant to you, that’s all. Hearing these stories about your dates, as much as I want to know, it kills me inside.”

“You won’t ever be unimportant to be, Hobi~.” You cooed reassuringly. Hoseok took a moment to remain in that position, silent as he relaxed into the feeling of your thumb, and eventually your entire hand, lifting into his hair and stroking through it gently. As he did, you pursed your lips.

As you watched Hoseok rest there, you began thinking about Namjoon, Taehyung, and Hoseok. How on earth did you of all people manage to get three guys like them roped into your life? And how the hell were you going to work all of this out? What kind of relationship did you want to be a part of? Did you even want to be a part of a relationship right now? Obviously, you do if you’re accepting dates left and right. You thought to yourself. If that were the case, how on earth were you going to be able to determine the path that was meant for you? You knew the simple answer to all of these questions:

You had no fucking idea.

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While you and Kim Taehyung were thinking about your love lives in your unique ways, the weekend came to a close and schools opened back up for the next school week. With this, a certain Jeon Jungkook strolled into his high school. This was the most nervous he had ever been in his life, next to maybe when he graduated from middle school and had to give a speech to the entire room. However, he wanted to set his plan into action as soon as possible, and he knew the longer he waited, the longer it would take for him to do this, eventually meaning he would never do it. So, it was now or never.

As Jungkook walked into the school, a few girls approached him to talk or wished him a good morning from the other side of the hall, giggling and sighing when he offered a hello back. He was being friendly, however, he had one mission that he knew he was going to complete before the morning came to a close. Entering his classroom, he saw her. Sitting at her desk in the front of the classroom, young Moon Nashin was talking with a small group of her friends. She was only alerted of Jungkook’s attention when one of her friends called out to wish him a good morning. She was quick to follow suit.

“Good morning, Jungkook!” She said happily. Jungkook nodded, walking up to her.

“Good morning.” He said softly. His hands were shaking so they were stuck in his pockets for right now. “Uhm…Nashin… I bought you something, and I want to give it to you if that’s okay.” Nashin’s eyes widened in surprise at the news, and she turned to her friends, who were just as shocked as she was.

“Okay!” She said cheerily. “That’s so exciting, what did you get me?” Jungkook nodded, setting his backpack on the floor and opening it. He quickly lifted a small bouquet. However, the bouquet was not flowers, at least not ones with a floral scent that could be smelt. These flowers only smelt of dried paint, of the hard work and passion Jungkook put into his art. When he stuck the little bouquet out to Nashin, her eyes went even wider, and Jungkook saw her face light up. “Wh-.”

“You said you liked flowers, but I didn’t know which ones. So, I painted you a whole bunch. And my Hyung helped me think of a unique idea to give them to you like they’re a real bouquet so…here.” He handed them to her as she rose from her seat, and she immediately took them. “You inspired me to paint a lot of pretty things recently. I wanted to thank you for that.” Nashin looked up at Jungkook and offered a wide, excited smile.

“Thank you so much! These are beautifully done!” By now, the rest of the class had gathered around to examine what Nashin had received. A few other girls in the room were whispering, jealous of her for her amazing gift, while boys were kicking themselves yet again for not being like the Jeon Jungkook. He only offered a shy smile, scratching his neck. Before he knew it, Nashin quickly embraced Jungkook in a tight hug. This startled him immediately, catching him off guard and making him stumble a little.

“Tell your mentor he’s a genius, this was so thoughtful and I’m so happy I get to be your inspiration, Jungkook!”

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animeniacss · 4 years

Text

A Palette of Emotions - Artist!Taehyung x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 19 - Date Number 2

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 5.2k words

Chapter 19 - Date Number 2

It had been a few weeks since your…enlightening lunch with your younger sister. After her little conversation with those two men at the entrance, she returned to the table, attempting to continue your conversation as if nothing had changed. However, you couldn’t stop thinking about her comment. As playful or fabricated as she intended for it to be, she agreed with your doubts regarding your romantic standing with three men who you still were unsure if you wanted to have any romantic standing at all. It wasn’t something that could just be pushed away when the pizza was brought out to the table and Bong-Cha began talking about her own love life.

Despite that, however, you managed to keep up appearances at work as to not worry any of your coworkers. Yoongi’s team had placed second in the high school basketball tournament, and Yoongi had just returned to the preschool to continued his physical education teachings with the kids, much to their delight. There was one day, a Wednesday, where you and Hoseok dropped off the kids on the field with Yoongi, who eagerly herded the kids towards him in fits of excitement. Hoseok headed to the classroom once again to sneak a snack and rest, tired after a long morning of teaching small groups of children the names of shapes and colors. It’s a taxing job. Meanwhile, you were walking down the hall when you saw the door to Taehyung’s room open. Stopping in the doorway, you watched the man run his hands through his fluffy hair and pace the room. He was looking all over the room as if each location held a new secret to whatever answer he was so desperately looking for. He didn’t notice you at first, so you crossed your arms and rested on the door frame, silently continuing to watch him.

“…You look like you’re losing your mind.” You finally said, and dark eyes turned to look in your direction. It made you chuckle. “If that’s what it is, you’re a bit late to the party. In a preschool, one is supposed to lose their mind within the first week of employment, or else they’re considered crazy.” Once Taehyung offered a small chuckle, you stepped into the room. “What’s wrong?”

“Everything.” He admitted. “President Kim said that his higher-ups want to come and evaluate me.” You blinked. “I thought I was only hired here as a recreational thing, not a real teacher. I don’t have my teaching degree.”

“I know. But you work full-time here, and I’m sure Seokjin speaks your praise at all of his evaluation meetings. Don’t worry too much about it, they probably just want to come and finally meet you.” Taehyung’s shoulders slumped. “If you want to trade, you can easily do my educational evaluation.” You said simply. “I have to show all of my lessons for the past four months, along with all of the student’s progress and how I plan to help continue to keep their progress going. It’s lots of paperwork.”

Taehyung shook his head. “No, thanks…” A smile formed on his lips. “But that makes me feel a little better.”

“Don’t stress, you’ll be okay.” You assured.

“But it’s not just that,” Taehyung said. “I got invited to another art show this weekend and I wanted to try and have a few new works prepared for it, but I haven’t hit my usual quota.”

“Is something on your mind causing all of the artist blocks?” you asked curiously. Taehyung looked over in your direction. He was silent for a moment as he studied your features, unsure of what to say. You offered him a soft smile, and his heart swelled a bit. It felt as if it did a flip, and Taehyung had to make sure he wasn’t having a stroke at that moment before responding.

“…No, not particularly.” He said simply. After a brief moment of silence, he coughed into his hands. “How’s your sister?” He asked. You glanced at him, hands at your sides. “Has she been well?”

“…Is she causing the block?” you cooed, grinning a bit. Taehyung’s eyes widened, and he shook his head.

“No, no, no! Maybe that was a bad shift to different conversations but trust me, she is not the reason I’m having this block.” You forced a little laugh out, and a feeling of guilt sat right on Taehyung’s broad shoulders. He only felt that way because as the giggle subsided, the corner of your lips turned downward, and he hated that sight.

“I see…” you said simply. “I was just kidding, anyway.” You smiled. “But Bong-Cha is just fine. She’s as obnoxious as ever. She even got upset with me the other day because she asked if I wanted to go shopping with her. But she told me an hour before she left. So, when I told her that I was busy working on my education reports, she tried to guilt me into not coming with her.” You scoffed. “She’s lucky she’s got a cute face because she’s a little devil.” Taehyung chuckled. “Anyway, on a different topic…” you began, and Taehyung walked towards his desk, before turning his attention back to you. For a moment, you knew what you wanted to ask. You knew that you wanted to initiate getting together after your educational evaluation had ended. However, you knew bringing that up would only cause you trouble, and the worst part of it was, you had no idea when that trouble would hit. After racking your brain for a moment, you shook your head. “Tell me more about this art festival.”

Taehyung coughed into his hand. “Oh, well it’s actually by Haneul Park.” He said simply. “I found it online so I messaged the people doing it. It’s a bit small, they just started holding it a few years ago. But artists just kind of get together and paint, and people who pass by stop and look and sometimes will buy or even commission a painting right there.” You smiled.

“That’s amazing. I hope it goes well.”

“I’ll do my best.” Taehyung smiled. “If you want to come, Uhm-.”

“I’ll see how much of my work I get done, okay?” you said happily. Once again, the appearance of that infectious smile made Taehyung’s only grow wider.

“Right, of course.” He said happily. “I understand.” Your eyes wandered to the clock, and a small hum escaped your lips.

“I should probably go try and get some of it done now, while I have the time.” You said simply. “I hope you get over your artist block and do well this weekend at the show.”

“Right.” He said, opening up one of his drawers. “Thank you. See you later~.” Both of you waved one another off, before you disappeared out of the room, closing the door behind you. Taehyung took a moment, embracing the silence that enveloped him before plopping down in his seat. Quickly, he grabbed hold of a nearby pencil, sharpened to still untouched perfection, and grabbed a small piece of paper that he kept several of inside his drawer. When the two combined, Taehyung began sketching a big circle on the paper. As he smoothed out features, darkened lines while erasing others, he smiled to himself as a familiar smile breathed life onto the once blank paper. As he continued to scribble, he could feel his mind chipping away at the artist block that so stubbornly sat within his mind.

---------------------------------------

Namjoon was approaching the daycare at the end of the day, the bright school coming into view as he rolled up. The windows were down, and despite the wind whipping in and out of his car, he could hear children shouting in excitement as they ran around outside waiting anxiously to be picked up. As Namjoon got closer and closer to the school, immediately, something flashed in his mind.

An image of you, bright red in the cheeks, staring up at him in shock as your fingers grazed your lips; lips he had just taken the liberty to kiss. Just the thought, as cute as it was, slammed his hands on the wheel, cursing himself. He still had yet to see you since then, having Jungkook drop off and pick-up Kai at daycare ever since. The last thing he ever wanted was to make you more uncomfortable, and seeing you could make it worse. However, Jungkook couldn’t make it in time to get Kai, leaving only Namjoon to do it. As he pulled up to the front of the daycare, another car pulled away. When he looked out the window, he saw Kai immediately. He was sitting on the swing with Kim Taehyung, both swinging side by side as Hoseok pushed the little boy, who was grinning ear to ear. After a moment of scanning, he saw only Kai was left, hence the undivided attention from all of the teachers. That included you. You were standing beside the swing, smiling softly as you watched the little boy flying on the swing.

The sound of Namjoon’s car turning off alerted the attention of those on the swing set. Seeing your eyes flicker in Namjoon’s direction. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and he had to force down a gulp as he stepped out of the car. Before turning into their view, Namjoon made sure his glasses and suit jacket were fixed and that he looked presentable. Once he was ready, he turned around and waved to the group.

“Daddy!” Kai cheered, kicking his legs. “Mr. Hobi, stop me, please!” Hoseok laughed a bit as he grabbed the swing, settling Kai before he hopped off and hurried to meet his dad at the door. “I thought Kookie was picking me up.”

“Kookie has to do schoolwork today,” Namjoon said as he scooped his son up, kissing his cheek. “Why, would you rather he picked you up instead of your favorite dad?” Kai giggled, little arms wrapping around his father’s neck as he offered him a tight hug. He looked towards the three of you and smiled.

You seemed to be the only one offering him a kind smile, but honestly one out of three smiles was more than what he thought he would receive. Hoseok paused for a moment, before following your lead and offering a gentle smile and a nod. Taehyung, however, offered no smile, instead of keeping his lips in a tight and thin line with no intention of saying anything. Namjoon nodded. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Kneeling, you grabbed Kai’s backpack and walked over to Namjoon, passing it to him with a nod. “Have a good night.”

Namjoon was hesitant, glancing down at your hand that tightly held the colorful backpack. Nodding, Namjoon’s hand outstretched and took the bag. When he smiled, his dimples poked out. It made your smile just slightly wider. “Goodnight.” He said gently. “Say thank you, Kai.”

“Byeeee, Teacher! Thank you!” Kai said, extending his hand to wave. You quickly waved back, grinning more as Namjoon carried his son to the car and buckled him up in the back. You watched him slide into the front seat, starting up his car. He did not drive away immediately, instead of turning back to watch as you, Hoseok, and Taehyung headed into the daycare once again. He let out a sigh, but the sigh must have been too loud, as he heard Kai shift in the backseat. “Daddy, are you okay?” he asked. Namjoon looked over his shoulder to his son, who stares at him with a look of confusion etched on his face. He had to rack his mind of something to say to his son that made sense, something that he would accept without a second thought. Kai was wild, but he was also smart. Namjoon liked to think that’s one thing he passed down to his son.

“I’m okay,” Namjoon assured gently. “I just wanted to make sure I had all of our stuff…” Kai looked to his side, patting his backpack and offering a grin.

“I packed all my stuff by myself today.” He said, and Namjoon chuckled a bit.

“Oh, good.” He hummed. “I’m proud of you. Let’s head home and rest before dinner.” Kai nodded in agreement as he looked out the window, watching as his dad put the car in drive and pulled away from the daycare center. As Namjoon drove away, he kept thinking back to his interaction with you just now, hoping that he did not do anything that would make you uncomfortable. That was the last thing he ever wanted to do.

----------------------------------------

“Taehyung.” Jimin hummed, glancing over at his friend. Despite the bustling air surrounding the duo as they sat together at their little art festival, Taehyung was in his world since he arrived. Many different people passed by the groups of people who were creating or trying to sell already created artworks, the clear sky and beating sun shining their paths. It was a welcoming and friendly atmosphere around the art fair, and everyone seemed to be infected to act that way as well. That is, except for Taehyung.

Taehyung was sitting comfortably under a tree, his paintbrush hovering over the blank canvas before him. Jimin, who was watching him from his seat under the tree, let out a sigh as he got no response.

“Tae…” Jimin said again, but once again fell on deaf ears. He sighed, lifting himself from his spot in the grass and walking over to him. “Earth to Taehyung.”

The boy’s head spun around in a whirl. “Hm?” he asked, eyeing his friend.

“How’s your painting coming?” he asked curiously. “You’ve been so busy with it, it’s almost as if you’re in another world.” Jimin sat beside his friend, curiously tilting his head as Taehyung turned back and ran a hand through his hair. Upon closer inspection, Jimin saw that little to no progress had been made on the painting, and all that he saw was scribbles of various colors in small spots. It made Jimin smile. “This a new abstract piece you’re working on?”

“No…” Taehyung sighed. “I thought being outside would be good for me but it’s not doing much good.” A sigh escaped his lips and he set his canvas down onto the grass, his paintbrushes lying beside it. Quickly, Taehyung dug into his pocket and pulled out a folded-up piece of paper. Jimin watched as he unfolded it, and examined it for a moment.

“Oh…is that-?” Taehyung nodded.

“We spoke during work and afterward I wanted to draw her again…” Taehyung said softly. “I thought it kind of cleared some of my blocks. Normally it does, but this time I just…” he sighed. “I’m not sure, my head is foggy lately.” Jimin offered a gentle rub to his friend’s shoulder. “It sucks. I can’t remember the last time I was this block.”

“I can,” Jimin said simply. “When you first came to my house. We were what, eighteen, and you had that huge fight with your parents over the summer break. You were trying to paint enough so that we could move you to Paris…” Taehyung chuckled a bit. “But you couldn’t get anything to come up for weeks.”

“…Yeah, I remember now,” Taehyung said softly. “But it still sucks, and I hate it.” Jimin snorted a bit, grinning.

“I know. But you’ll get your groove back. For now, why don’t you just enjoy the time out here with your best friend, loyal companion, and favorite manager?” Jimin asked. Taehyung pursed his lips.

“Because none of those people could make it today.” Jimin gasped, shoving his friend as a playful grin formed on his face. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” He teased, but to no avail as Jimin continued to shove him, both of them laughing in amusement. Taehyung sighed, taking another look at his picture of you he had recently made. He scanned each detailed line, each glimpse of an eraser mark that remained ever so faintly, ones that only he could see because he knew exactly where they were. He had no idea how long this artist’s block would last, but he had one idea of what he could do to try and fix it.

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“The Leeum Museum of Art?” You hummed softly “Why?”

“Yeah,” Taehyung said simply. “I wanted to go to a museum to get some much-needed inspiration.” You leaned back in your seat, resting against the comfy back of the couch as you nursed a half-empty glass of wine. “So, I thought I would ask if you wanted to join me?”

A long silence followed Taehyung’s question, mostly because you didn’t know how to respond. Yes, you wanted to go and enjoy the time out with Taehyung. However, how would Taehyung take the offer? You had already suggested seeing him again but…well, that was then. You felt differently then, things felt differently then. Taehyung caught wind of the silence, and when he let out a long exhale, even over the phone it sent a shiver up your spine.

“…You don’t have to consider it a date if you don’t want to,” Taehyung added quickly. “I just want to spend time with you, as friends. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“I know.” You said softly. As you took another sip of your drink, you sighed. “But it sounds fun. I’d love to join you.” Taehyung grinned on the other end.

“Okay. I’ll plan the entire thing, okay? Is there anything that doesn’t work for you?”

“No, I’m free as a bird the same times you are.” You grinned. “Just let me know.”

“Okay.” He hummed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m excited to go. You’ll like the museum, it’s amazing.” You couldn’t help it, you had to grin, even more, the sound of Taehyung’s excitement making you feel excited right along with him. “I’ll call you tomorrow after I set it all up, okay?”

“…Okay.” You said softly. “Have a good night, Taehyung.”

“You too.” He said happily. “Goodnight.” The both of you hung up the phone and you looked at your wine glass. The contents were almost empty and you tossed the remainder of the drink down your throat. The glass settled on the coffee table, and your head lolled onto the back of the couch.

“Guess I have another date.” You hummed softly to yourself. “Let’s see how this one goes.” As another grin formed on your face you hopped out of your seat and headed to your room. Arms stretched above your head, you let out a loud groan.

As Taehyung set his phone down, he looked over to his work station, where tons of uncompleted sketches and small paintings waited patiently for the day Taehyung would finally finish them. As he walked over, he set himself into his seat and lifted some of the papers. A few were bent, crumpled up in fits of artistic anger only to be reopened hours later when Taehyung felt regret at throwing away something that could be so perfect. Taehyung sighed, staring as if somehow, the longer he stared the more likely inspiration would jump out at him. For now, nothing. Sure, he’s doodled, sure he’s put paint to canvas. However, nothing he’s created recently was anything he would ever attempt to sell anywhere, and his completed paintings were growing older with each passing day. As he rested his head back on his chair, he let out a deep sigh.

Hopefully, a trip to the museum would help spark the dull part of his imagination that was normally oozing with inspiration. If not, then he can take solace in the fact that he got to spend time with you for the day. That was a win in his book too.

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“I can’t believe you got another date with her,” Baekhyun said over the phone. Taehyung offered a confident grin even though he knew his friend couldn’t see it. He was waiting on a bench by the entrance to the bus station for you, his most recently received text saying you were on your way and would be there soon. Despite the cloudy skies and rumors of rain later, Taehyung felt the sun shining throughout his body. “Sparks are flying, hm?”

‘Well, I don’t know if she considers it a date.” Taehyung admitted. “I’ve noticed she’s been a bit off these past few days so I don’t want to push her too much. But-.”

“Buuuuut you want to go on a date with her so bad anyway, right?” Baekhyun teased. Taehyung chuckled a little along with his friend.

“Of course, I do.” He said simply. “I just hope she isn’t uncomfortable.”

“If she agreed I’m sure that she’s not uncomfortable,” Baekhyun assured. Taehyung nodded, his eyes scanning the crowds of people for any signs of your arrival.

“I’m going to get going. She should be here soon.” Taehyung said. With a quick goodbye, Taehyung slid his phone into his back pocket and crossed his arms, continuing to scan the area. He had yet to catch a glimpse of you, wondering if five minutes had passed since your text. As he continued to look, he heard a voice gasp behind him, and it shocked him a bit. When he turned around, he saw two girls, most likely a year or so younger than Taehyung, standing up straight and tall with stunned expressions on their faces. “Uhm…”

“I told you, Seohyun, it’s Taehyung from Instagram. That seriously attractive artist!” One girl whispered to her friend, though Taehyung heard it and couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Oh my God, you’re right.” She squealed. “Wow, nice to meet you, Oppa.” Taehyung smiled a bit.

“Nice to meet you too. Always makes me happy to meet fans, you know? Makes me feel like some sort of celebrity.” The girls giggled at each other.

“You are talented, Oppa. I went to that art show you said you were going to last week in the park. I saw you, but you were so busy that I didn’t want to bother you.” Taehyung smiled a bit.

“Busy being artist blocked, maybe.” He hummed playfully. “But hopefully that’ll be gone soon.”

“Hopefully,” Seohyun said. “Fighting, Taehyung-Oppa~!” both of the girls giggled like school girls, and Taehyung once again had to let out another laugh. “What are you doing today, Oppa?”

“Oh, uh…” Taehyung thought about his next words carefully. He didn’t want to admit that he was going on – what he considered to be – a date. Not because he was worried it would create issues, he was in no way popular enough for that. He honestly, didn’t think it was anyone’s business. “Just going to the museum so that I can get some artistic inspiration.” The girls offered each other smiles.

“I hope it works out.” They said happily. “Maybe next time, we can join you.” Taehyung blinked.

“We’ll see…” He laughed nervously.

“Oh! Can we take a picture, Oppa?” Seohyun asked curiously. Taehyung nodded, smiling as he watched the girls dig into their purses to grab their phones. Taehyung took this moment to look back over his shoulder to see if he caught you arriving yet. He didn’t, and a sigh escaped his lips. “Ready!” they cheered, and Taehyung turned back around. He watched as Seohyun lifted her phone, angling it so that both girls and Taehyung were in the shot. Seohyun put up a peace sign, her friend threw up a finger heart, and Taehyung put a peace sign over his eye. The click of the camera sent that picture into Seohyun’s photo’s app, and she gasped in excitement. Almost immediately, she pulled it up and showed her friend, who immediately begged for it to be sent to her phone. “Thank you, Oppa.” They gasped, looking up at Taehyung. Their eyes were sparkling and they were grinning like little children. It made Taehyung feel a warm and fuzzy sensation throughout his body. He had met a lot of fans at shows and in random spots, but most of them have usually only commented on his looks. These girls mentioned his art somewhat, and that alone made him feel happy.

As the girls continued to look at the picture, Taehyung once again turned around to look for you. As his eyes scanned the crowd once again, he saw you. You were approaching the entrance to the bus station, fixing your bag that rested across your chest as you walked. Your hair, unlike almost every other time he had seen you out, was not tied up in cue ribbons, but instead was released, and fully resting on your shoulders. You were wearing an oversized beige sweatshirt that was decorated with brown and black stripes. It was tucked into a brown skirt, one that clung to your hips much like the skirts you wore to work, however, this one was much more casual, and looked a lot cuter on you. Taehyung let out a breathless chuckle as he watched you get closer, and quickly called your name. When you looked up in his direction, so did the two girls.

“Hey~!” You grinned, hurrying over to Taehyung. “I heard it was supposed to rain so I brought my umbrella just in case, and wanted to make sure I’ve dressed appropriately so I was running a bit late. Then, I got lost in the crowds when I got here so I had to find my footing a bit, and-.” When you looked up at Taehyung, you saw him grinning playfully as you continued to ramble. It only made you laughed nervously. “Were you waiting long?”

“No, not at all. I was able to keep busy.” He grinned. “You look nice, once again,” Taehyung said. You smiled, smoothing out your skirt.

“Thanks. I wasn’t sure what I could wear to a museum that made me look sophisticated.” Both of you laughed a bit. “I’m glad I look okay.” Taehyung nodded, offering you his arm.

“Shall we go?” He asked, looking down at you. You hummed, smiling up at him before nodding, hesitantly taking his arm. Taehyung could see that hesitancy and bit his lip a bit.

“Let’s go.” He said happily. As the two of you began to make your way inside, the girls were standing in front of you. “Hello again.” He greeted. You raised an eyebrow, staring at the two girls who looked less than amused.

“You have a girlfriend?” Seohyun pouted sadly. Taehyung looked over at you and saw your cheeks tint pink. However, you said nothing. Taehyung had no idea what to say to them, not sure if confession that you were not a thing yet could ruin everything, he had been working towards with you.

“I’m not his girlfriend.” You said quickly. “We’re coworkers…but who are you two, anyway?” The girls exchanged glances.

“Fans,” Taehyung said simply. “I took a picture with them while I waited for you.” You hummed, nodding your head before offering them a smile.

“Yeah, and he can’t have a girlfriend, Seohyun, because while we were talking to him, he was-.” The girl was interrupted by you lifting your hand in her direction, and she blinked.

“We’re going to miss our bus….” You said simply. The girls, nor Taehyung gave a response. “…Well, it was nice to meet you. Have a good day.” You said simply. The girls tried to but back in, but you calmly nodded your head and led Taehyung into the bus station. “So, Taehyung, how long ‘til the bus arrives?” You asked curiously.

“About 30 minutes. We have enough time to grab a snack on the way if you’re hungry.” The girls watched the two of you create small talk, heading deeper into the crowds of people both entering and exiting the station along with you. Once you were out of their sight, the girls stood there, defeated in their failed attempt to try and intimidate you.

Taehyung looked over at the door when you were deep enough in, to see if those girls ended up following you. They didn’t, and Taehyung let out a sigh of relief, glad to avoid any issues. Upon looking back at you, he saw you staring up at him.

“…What?” he asked.

“Was that girl going to say you were flirting with them before I got there?” You asked curiously. Taehyung ran a hand through his hair.

“Probably. But I didn’t. They were just asking for a picture and talked about my art. It made me happy, I was trying to be nice.” You nodded, shrugging.

“It doesn’t matter to me.” You said simply. “They were very pretty so I wouldn’t blame you.”

“I wasn’t,” Taehyung said again, harsher this time. A smile formed on your face, and you squeezed his arm just a bit.

“I know.” You replied simply. “I’m just kidding.”

“Not very funny…” Taehyung pouted, causing a giggle to arise from your stomach. Taehyung sighed, smiling a bit as well from your infectious giggle. “Come on, now. Let’s get going.” You grinned, nodding as you followed Taehyung down the hallway and towards the faster-arriving bus.

As both of you stood waiting for the bus to pull up to the station, you looked at Taehyung. He had pulled out his phone, typing away on the keyboard with his hand, his other arm still extended to provide you with something to hold. You had yet to let go, but he didn’t seem to mind the position. You stared ahead as the bus pulled up to the stop, and people got off the bus and headed onto the streets of Seoul, some listening to music while others chatted with friends both in person or on the phone. Taehyung gently led you onto the bus and motioned you towards the first available seats he could grab. You smiled at him as he seated himself beside you. “Are you excited?” he asked, smiling at you.

A quick nod, followed by a smile was your initial response. “Yeah. I think museums are pretty fun.”

“You always struck me as the kind of person who loves museums.” He said simply. You shrugged.

“Guess I’m not as much of a stick in the mud as you thought, hm?” Taehyung laughed a bit.

“I guess not.” He cooed. “But even if you were, I don’t think I would have minded either way.” You felt your cheeks tint pink, and you immediately looked out the window, watching as the bus started up and pulled from the stop and into the traffic on the streets. You didn’t know how to reply to that one.

So, you didn’t.

Upon reaching the bus stop, it was another 5 minutes to walk to the actual museum, but neither one of you minded. Despite the gloomy weather, you would most likely get inside before any major rainfall occurred. So, arm in arm, you made your way down the block to the museum. As you both arrived, the museum in view along with crowds of people exiting and entering, you felt Taehyung’s arms flex a bit. When you looked up at him, his eyes were sparkling more and more with every step closer.

He was so entranced in what he was looking at, and you were too invest in him, that neither of you noticed two familiar figured that caught immediate glances at you as you headed inside.

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animeniacss · 4 years

Text

A Palette of Emotions - Artist!Taehyung x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 17 - Good Luck, Mr. Min!!

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 5k words

Chapter 17 - Good Luck, Mr Min!

We’re going to need your skills for an important project, Kim Taehyung! I’ll explain more when you get in this morning. We’re counting on you!

That was the text from Seokjin that Taehyung had woken up. He had no idea what it meant, or what the job would entail, but he knew even bothering to ask before arriving at work was pointless, so he simply headed out the door. Despite this curiously ominous message, Taehyung walked into the school Monday morning, and he was practically beaming. He hadn’t seen you since Friday, when you had your date, however, knowing that came to an end today excited him more than usual. As he entered the building, Taehyung could hear a commotion coming from Kim Seokjin’s office, which was only getting louder the closer that he got. When he approached the office, he quickly opened the door.

“I think we should do it.” You said simply. “I can draft up a little field trip pamphlet to give to the parents, too.”

“Is it too short of a period?” Hoseok asked curiously, scratching his head. “I mean, we just found out a few hours ago.”

Seokjin shook his head. “I don’t think so. If we make a few phone calls today and I run out to the store afterward, we can have everything ready for-.” Seokjin looked up when the door opened and grinned. “Good morning, Taehyung!” He said happily. “I’m glad you’re here! Did you get my text?” Taehyung simply nodded. “Okay, perfect! Listen, our schedule this week is going to change just slightly these next few weeks.” As Taehyung walked over, he looked over in your direction. You offered him a gentle smile before turning back towards your boss. “Yoongi is coming in today for an entire hour to do gym with the kids. The basketball team he coaches at the high school is preparing for their state championship at the end of the week. He’s managed to work around coming here, but now that it’s only a week away, he’s having the kids preparing any time during the day that they can. So, he’s coming in today to see the kids and do a big activity with them.”

“So, we were thinking of maybe taking the kids this Friday when school lets out to the high school and bring some good luck treats for the team and Yoongi-Hyung. He was kind of bummed he couldn’t work his schedule out to do both.” Hoseok added.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Taehyung said. “But can I ask why I got a text saying that there is something only I can do?” Seokjin grinned.

“Aha, I’m glad that you asked, Taehyung! See, I want the kids to make little posters for the team, but they’ll need some samples and stuff. So, since you have some time while the kids are doing the gym, I want you to make some. And if there’s anything else that you think the kids will need let me know and I can get it all for you.”

“Alright then.” Taehyung smiled. “I’ll work hard.”

“Alright then, I’ll start making some phone calls.” Seokjin agreed, before shooing the trio out of the room. Hoseok closed the door behind him, waving Seokjin off as his boss plopped down in his chair and reached for his phone. When Hoseok turned around towards his co-workers, he saw Taehyung already leading you down the hallway. He watched for a moment as Taehyung purposely scooted himself close to you.

“Did you have a good rest of your weekend?” He asked curiously. You smiled happily.

“Yes, I did.” You said happily. As both of you continued to walk, you glanced over at Taehyung and could see him continuing to look at you, and it made you giggle. “What are you staring at?”

“Staring? I’m not staring…” he said quickly, averting his eyes. You laughed a bit.

“Okay…” you said softly. “Oh!” You quickly turned towards Taehyung again. “I hung up my painting in the classroom. Do you want to see it?”

Taehyung offered you a grin, nodding his head. “Absolutely.” You quickly took hold of Taehyung’s hand, leading him down the hall and towards the classroom. Taehyung was shocked by the initial hand gesture, looking down at his hand which was locked in your tight, yet gentle grip. He didn’t complain, however, and followed you into your classroom. Upon entering, Taehyung noticed that right above the whiteboard that was cluttered with objects such as erasers, posters, and markers, hung the adorable painting of a beautiful, sunny hillside, with a few scribbles that were hardly recognized due to the height and distance of where the painting was hung. It made Taehyung chuckle. “I think it looks amazing.” He assured. “The kids are going to love it when they come in.”

“Good. I think it gives the room a lot more personality.” You were beaming, and it only amused Taehyung even more. When you turned your head to the sound of the door opening, you saw Hoseok finally entering the room. “Hobi hung it up.”

“I would say my work is finally being appreciated.” Hoseok teased, grinning. You offered him a smile, and when Hoseok noticed the way Taehyung was looking at you, he put his hands behind his head and decided it was time to change the subject. “I can’t wait for this event with Yoongi-Hyung.”

“Oh, I know. I can’t wait to see what kinds of posters the kids make. He’s going to be so surprised.” You were grinning ear to ear, and now Hoseok found himself falling victim to your beaming, child-like grin, and he was smiling along with you. “We should be getting ready for the kids to come in. I’ll see you later.” You finally said, turning to Taehyung and offering your remaining smile. Taehyung nodded.

“Right, I should probably get started on those posters and things anyway.” He nodded, waving you both off before excusing himself out of the room. With the door closed, only you and Hoseok were left behind in the room. When you looked at him, you saw him turn to the door and stare, even after Taehyung had exited view.

“What are you staring at?” you asked curiously. Hoseok looked over at you, and you could see his smile replaced with a slightly somber thin line on his face. You frowned. “Don’t tell me you’re still-.”

“No, I’m not,” Hoseok said quickly. “I was just watching him leave, that’s all.” Despite this, you knew Hoseok was lying. After he confessed his concerns regarding his place in your life, much less your love life, you were able to better identify the cracks behind that normally beaming smile. Walking towards your desk, you grabbed your water bottle and took a sip.

“I work with children who lie for a living, Hoseok. Don’t be another one.” Hoseok pouted as you put the drink up to your lips. “I already told you that you’re in my life regardless of what else happens in my life. Got it?” Hoseok nodded as you walked back over to him, patting his shoulder. “There’s no need to worry about anyone else.”

“Then what kind of life am I supposed to lead if not as your jealous bodyguard?” he asked playing. Now, both of you offered a giggle as you headed out the door to the front of the school, to wait for the kids.

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As the day rolled on, you and Hoseok were working with the kids, while Taehyung was sitting in his room getting busy looking up information about Yoongi’s school and, most importantly, his basketball team. He wanted to make sure that, much like he would with a paying client, that all details were perfect, and Taehyung took that promise to the nth degree, as Yoongi had been a good friend to him in the months he had been there. As Taehyung was scribbling a few ideas on notebook paper, he heard the door open. When he looked up, he saw a face that made him quickly shove his paper into the nearest desk drawer.

“Yoongi-Hyung.” He grinned. Yoongi smiled a bit.

“Hey. Just wanted to say sorry I took your usual slot today for an hour session.”

“Oh, that’s okay!” Taehyung assured. “Mr. Kim told me your teams preparing for a regional championship. It’s really exciting!” Yoongi nodded, crossing his arms.

“We have a lot of work to do. My team is great and talented, but they’re still teen boys so they’re lazy and love to goof off. None of my beatings are proving effective just yet.” Taehyung grinned at Yoongi’s playful humor. Yoongi rolled his shoulder a bit, rubbing it slightly. “But I tried to work everything out.”

“I’m sure the kids will understand,” Taehyung assured. Yoongi nodded, looking around.

“Oh. Seokjin-Hyung told me you finally managed to ask-.” It didn’t take Taehyung long before the sentence ended to turn slightly red, and Yoongi noticed when he laughed in amusement. “How did it go?”

“Fine.” He said simply. “I think she liked it and she said she wanted to have another one soon.” Yoongi nodded when he saw the faint smile on Taehyung’s face simply at the memory of the evening.

“Good.” He grinned. “Alright, then I’ll let you get back to work.” Yoongi grinned. “See you later, okay?” Taehyung nodded and waved him off as he watched Yoongi head out. When he was alone again in his room, Taehyung sighed. He returned to his seat and plopped down onto it, once again pulling out the different posters he was working on, and quickly getting back to work with his designs. As color filled the previously white canvases, Taehyung felt himself getting more and more excited for this little surprise to occur. Yoongi was relatively quiet when he wasn’t with the kids, which was rare considering his schedule, so getting to see this new side of him was going to be…interesting. It was not long after that the faint sound of children cheering as they headed down the hall was heard, and Taehyung smiled to himself as he heard them.

“We see Mr. Min for almost a miblion hours today!” That was Kai. “That’s like…a triblion hours!”

“I know.” You gasped, easily matching the excitement of the kids. “Mr. Min is so excited to see you guys!” Taehyung paused his doodling for almost a second, listening as the voices of several students came and went.

“What about Mr. Kim?” he heard a curious little Yuna ask from the other side of the door. His ears perked up a bit.

“We’re going to see him too. Isn’t it exciting that you have a long gym time and an art class today?” Hoseok asked curiously.

“Uh-huh. I like Mr. Kim, he’s funny.” Yuna chimed. Just like that, the children were out of earshot, on their way to their extended gym class. Taehyung couldn’t help but grin, leaning back in his seat. He felt like his heart was going to leap out of his chest.

This job was so rewarding.

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The end of the week came quickly, and plans were being made in secret. Yoongi had an absolute blast with the children, playing everything they wanted to, from freeze dance to basketball, to simply sitting on the floor and rolling balls back and forth. It was simply the time with their favorite gym teacher that made them have a blast. If any other outsider was taking a peek at the gym class today, they would think it was Yoongi’s last day forever with all of the tight hugs he was giving to the girls and boys that swarmed him. You would never think it was only for a few weeks of preparation for a big championship. However, the children had worked hard the entire week to create colorful and amazing posters that would excite Yoongi and his basketball team. You and Hoseok bought snacks for the teens, and the kids each made their good luck charm for the team. The morning of the trip, the children were buzzing with anticipation. They could barely contain their excitement, the event feeling like some sort of secret mission, at -least according to the ever-adventurous Ryujin it was. You watched as the kids sat in their seats, Taehyung handing them each of the posters they had made.

“Now remember, are we arguing about who gets to hold the posters?” Taehyung asked the class curiously.

“Nooooooo.” The kids hummed in perfect harmony. Taehyung grinned.

“Right. They’re big, so we can all get to hold up the signs so Mr. Min and his team can see us. Plus, we can all give out our charms so we’ll all get to do something -.”

“I wanna go now!” Kai gasped, beaming. You crossed your arms, your nonverbal look of disappointment at Kai’s abruptness immediately causing him to stop and sit back down, his hands in his lap. “…Sowwy…”

You offered him a smile, before turning to Hoseok. “Ready?” you asked curiously. Hoseok nodded, holding up the field trip folder that contained all important information, like the children’s contact information, medical information, local emergency numbers, and their signed permission slips from their parents. In his other hand was the bag of goodies you both got. “Perfect. Alright, everyone, line up!” The kids began screaming as they headed into line, but you couldn’t help but allow them to do so. Just this time. They were excited, so it was hopeless to do anything more than a simple “Quietly, please.” When that failed, you shrugged and walked to the front of the line. “Everyone, partner up, please.” As if on cue, the children grabbed hold of the hand of the child beside them, in two perfect rows before you. However, you were shocked to feel a tiny hand grab hold of your own. When you looked down, you saw Kai beaming up at you. “Kai…Soobin is your partner. You both picked each other.”

“Uh-uh. I wanna be with you.” He said, quickly squeezing your hand tighter. You sighed.

“Kai, honey…Soobin needs a partner too…” Kai’s wide eyes only went wider, and he whimpered.

“But…”

“It’s okay,” Taehyung interjected quickly. He lifted his hand, intertwined with little Soobin’s. The heigh difference was so apparent, and made Soobin jump slightly in the air, causing him to giggle. You sighed, knowing immediately what would follow.

“I wanna hold Teacher’s hand!” Beomgyu shouted.

“Me too!’ Yeji begged. You sighed, turning around as kids continued to shout out the names of teachers they wanted to be paired with.

“And we’re walking!” You said, beginning your journey almost immediately to stop the shouting of jealous children.

The walk was very close, the high school only being a short walk from the daycare, and an even shorter drive for Yoongi to make regularly. Seokjin locked up the daycare, leaving a note of absence, and the group of 20 children with 4 guardians made its way down the street. A few passers waved hello to the children, who happily waved back despite them being strangers. You smiled as you lead the way. When the travel got silent, you decided to spice it up. “Sing for me! Let me hear the Stylish Tomato Song!” The kids gasped, and without any further prompting, began to sing.

With a muscular body (crush, crush)

Wearing red clothes (love, love)

Giving out sweets and sour scent (yoohoo)

It’s the Stylish Tomato (tomato)

I will become a juice! (gulp)

I will become ketchup (squirt)

I will dance! (Hey!)

Boastful tomato (tomato)

The sound of the children singing the song with Hobi and Taehyung acting as the backup vocals was nothing short of hysterical to you. Seokjin was sure to record the performance from the back of the line, grinning all the while. As your group approached high school, you quickly quieted the children down and looked at the front gates. School had recently come to an end; you could tell by the few straggler students who had looked at the singing children as they passed one another on their way out of the school. When the group came to a stop, this was when Seokjin took the lead. He had already called the headmaster of the school to inform them of their arrival, and the details were already worked out to have them go to the gym upon arrival, where Yoongi would be with his team. Hoseok and Taehyung handed the posters to the children in groups, and they gripped them tightly. “Are we ready?” you asked curiously. The kids nodded, and you headed towards the door. Both you and Seokjin approached the door, and already, you heard a loud noise as you entered and headed down the small hall leading into the room.

“ARE YOU GUYS KIDDING ME!?” The sound of the loud whistle alerted all of your attention and made a few kids squeak in surprise. You and Seokjin poked your heads in. Immediately, you saw Yoongi standing with his hands on his hips. He was glaring up at one of the taller high school boys, and despite the height difference, he looked intimidated. “I WORK AROUND MY SCHEDULE JUST TO COME HERE AND WATCH YOU ACT LIKE A FOOL?!”

“N-no, sir…” The boy gasped softly, meekly almost.

“Well, it sure and hell seems that way. We only have two weeks and you would much rather be late to my practice for what? A girl?”

“I told her I couldn’t talk but she wouldn’t-.”

“No excuses.” Yoongi tossed the kid the ball. “You’re the best guy on this team so every second you’re not here in an insult to the rest of the team.” The teen-only nodded.

“Yessir…” he said softly.

“Get out of my sight before you sit bench the whole time.” Yoongi scoffed, and the teen scurried away with the ball. “I want 20 consecutive passes to Jin-Sung.”

“Wow…” Taehyung said softly. “Who knew that little body held such rage?”

“I did.” You, Seokjin, and Hoseok said in unison. Taehyung blinked. “You’ve never seen Yoongi have a stern talk about teamwork with these guys, have you?” You asked curiously. Taehyung shook his head. “Exactly.” As you gently pulled the door back a bit more, Hoseok whipped out his phone and allowed the kids to make their presence known.

“THIS GYM IS SO BIG!” Beomgyu gasped.

“It’s bigger than a big room!” Yeji agreed, and Chaeryeong nodded along with her. Immediately, you saw Yoongi looked over, as did the boys on his team. You turned to the group of children.

“Guys…why do we say?” you asked. Immediately, the kids rushed over to Yoongi, posters flapping the wind.

“GOOD LUCK, MR. MIN!” They shouted. Immediately, the sour expression on Yoongi’s face disappeared, and he knelt to immediately see the children at eye level when they approached. He was beaming, his gummy smile practically glued to his face.

“Oh my gosh, what is this?” he asked curiously.

“Good luck in your fight!” Yuna said, beaming as she handed him the poster, she held with Taehyun and another little girl. Yoongi grinned.

“Thank you.” He spoke. As he took a moment to examine the posters, the kids gathered and showed him what they made on their respective boards. “Did you make these with Mr. Kim?” he asked curiously. The kids nodded in confirmation. “Awww that’s so sweet, guys.” He ran a hand through Beomgyu’s hair, who was beaming as he hugged Yoongi tightly.

“We made uhm…” Chaeryeong began to speak and Yoongi looked over. “Uhm…we made…”

“Good charms!” Lia interjected, helping her friends. Hoseok and you walked over, handing each child their charm. They stuck them in Yoongi’s direction, the chaos only adding to the smile on his face.

“Why don’t you go give them to the boys playing basketball? Mr. Min only has so many hands…” you pointed out. A few kids decided to shuffle towards the basketball players.

You and Taehyung looked to see that Yoongi’s basketball team, who was standing on the end of the field, looked stunned. Were they dreaming? Where was Coach Min…and who the hell was this guy? The confusion on their faces was enough to make both of you snicker.

“What the hell man?” one guy asked.

“Hyung…” a seemingly younger player asked, kneeling as a group of children approached the team. “Is Coach Min okay?”

“I uh…I think so?” The boy who had just gotten scolded coughed into his hand. “Mr. Min?” Yoongi looked up as his team got closer. “What’s uh…what’s going?” Yoongi finally stood up, and Hoseok took the posters from the kids as they watched Yoongi.

“These are my preschool class.” He said simply. “I had to cancel my next few weeks with them so we could only focus on preparing-.” He shot a glare at the older boy, who shivered. “So they came to surprise us, it seems?” You watched as Yeonjun walked over to one of the teens.

“Are you grown-ups?” he asked curiously. The boys knelt to the kid’s level as they began to get swarmed by curious kids, all of whom began chattered out a million questions a moment, especially the more talkative ones. Yoongi looked over at his four coworkers, who were simply grinning.

“What made you guys do this?” he asked. You could see him blushing slightly in embarrassment from all of the attention.

“We thought it would be fun.” Hoseok grinned. “And you were surprised!”

“Yeah, I was…I’m amazed that the children were able to keep a secret.”

“It was pretty easy when the only person they couldn’t tell wasn’t going to be around, you know.” Hoseok pointed out. Yoongi nodded, and the duo laughed a bit.

“Oh, well Yeonjun ‘accidentally’ told Seokjin about the whole thing, only to be berated by the other kids.” You pointed out. The memory of twenty-something young children shouting at their friend that they ruined the surprise was, honestly, pretty hilarious. Yoongi laughed more, always amused by the hyperactive child. “It was adorable; you had to see the relief on his face when Seokjin said that he already knew.”

“Gosh, those kids are hilarious.” Yoongi then turned to watch as the teens showed the younger kids the baskets and the balls, and one teen had taken a curious set of boys to the crate that held all of the spare balls as well as the air pumps. “…DON’T JUST STAND THERE!” He shouted. The teens looked up. “These little angels are here for me! Get back to practice before you get to relax! We’ve barely broken a sweat you lazy punks!”

Taehyung snorted as the teens scurried away from the laughing toddlers. “Jesus…” He said. “You’re cold, Hyung.” Yoongi chuckled.

“Mr. Min! I wanna play basketball!” Ryujin begged. Several other kids agreed, and Yoongi nodded.

“I guess we can work something out.” He said, nodding his head.

For the next little while, Yoongi, Taehyung, and Hoseok took small groups of children and allowed them chances to be lifted and try to toss the ball into the basket. The teens were practicing on the other side, and those who didn’t want to actively play sat to the side and watched with you and Seokjin. It was a bit loud, and a lot was going on, but the kids were having a lot of fun and the teens seem to enjoy the ever-enthusiastic audience supporting them. Yoongi scooped up Ryujin into his arms as she made a basket, clapping her hands as Yoongi spun her around.

“I think we’ve got a natural talent here, everybody!” He beamed as the girl giggled in his hands. A set of teens waiting for their turn to practice watched the scene unfold, and once again, their utter confusion at Yoongi’s constant mood changes had you giggling.

“This is the weirdest practice I’ve ever been to.”

“It’s going down in the history books, Hyung…” Yoongi, overhearing the two gossiping boys, turned to face them, and they immediately went silent.

“What? Scared my new prized student, Ryujin will take your place?” he asked. The little girl grinned in Yoongi’s arms. The boys couldn’t help but chuckle at the girl’s confident expression.

“Awww Coach, come on now.” One said.

“I’m gonna play for Mr. Min!” Ryujin said.

“You are,” Yoongi said, high fiving the little girl. “Alright…” he set her down. “I have Ryujin to replace Jin-Sung, who is next to replace Jeong-hoon?” The kid’s hands flung in the air, shouting and begging to be next as Yoongi looked to his star player. He immediately looked up at the mention of his name.

“What?! Coach!” Jeong-hoon gasped. His distraction led to him being hit in the side of his head with a flying ball, thrown to him mid-conversation by a teammate. “OW! Damn it.”

“Oh man, sorry Jeong-hoon.” The male said quickly as he rubbed his head. Yoongi snorted.

“You’re gonna have to do better than that if you want to keep your spot at the captain of this team.” Yoongi turned back around towards the children to choose who was next to go. Jeong-hoon pouted, tossing the basketball in Yoongi’s direction. He heard his teammate shout at him that he was crazy, and the ball just kept flying. Yoongi, just as he was about to scoop up Soobin, turned back around, and grabbed the basketball. Jeong-hoon smirked, crossing his arms at his coach as he watched as Yoongi set the ball on his finger and spun it around a few times. The children gasped, aweing at their teacher’s spectacular talent. Yoongi stopped after a moment, tossing the ball back to the team captain. “Get back to work.”

“Yessir,” Jeong-hoon said. The other teen’s boys sighed, grateful they weren’t going to die just yet, and the game resumed.

“He’s ruthless.” You said to Seokjin, who grinned.

“Seriously. Remind me to never get on his bad side again.”

Both of you laughed at that. “But he’s very similar with both groups of kids. He cares a lot about them all.” You nodded. “We got lucky with him.” Seokjin nodded.

“I consider myself very lucky with the staff I managed to collect.” He stated. You looked at him. “You know, like Pokemon.” You laughed a bit, and Seokjin’s attention was averted by one of the little boys beginning to talk about how he knew of Pokemon from older members of his family, the duo having a fun little conversation. Your eyes quickly turned back towards Yoongi, who was back at lifting children to the net as they shot baskets. You rested forward, your chin resting in your hands. It took a few moments for your eyes to wander around. Taehyung had not only been holding children up to reach the basket, however, instead, but he also hoisted each child upon his shoulders. The kids were cheering in delight as they got to toss a few different baskets. He was beaming as she playfully swayed from side to side, causing whichever child was on his shoulders at a time to grab hold of Taehyung’s head, squealing in delight as if Taehyung’s shoulders were a ride. It made you smile a bit, watching as the children waited with such anticipation to have their turn. After a little while, Yoongi rounded up his team. He sent two boys to go get a small table for them, for Hoseok to set down the snacks that you brought. There were cookies, juice, a bowl of various fruits, and other snacks for people to pick at. The kids and the teens were already starting to form a little bond with one another, and when Yoongi finally allowed for a break, they all sat around and talked, which the boys were finally starting to enjoy.

“Okay, let’s eat,” Hoseok said. Yoongi motioned for the boys to wait, allowing the kids to get snacks first before they were able to as well. Once the kids were all seated and eating, the teachers grabbed a few things and began to eat as well.

As you sat beside Yuna and Yeji, both of whom were eating and chatting about their time at the school, you looked over to Taehyung. He was sitting with a few of the teens, who were talking about Yoongi, and what he was like as their coach. By the looks of it, the small handful of boys were laughing at each other, and overall having a good time. You hummed, watching Taehyung lean back on one of his hands. It immediately reminded you of his posture, his stance, back on top of the hill. You always knew Taehyung was attractive, any person could notice that. However, there was something about him right at this moment, popping a piece of cut-up apple into his mouth, that was just…really interesting to look at. Yoongi must have noticed you staring at Taehyung once again, but you had not yet noticed that he was staring at you. When you blinked yourself back to reality, Yoongi had stepped aside you, popping a grape into his mouth.

“You spacing out?” he asked curiously. When you looked over at the gym teacher, he knew immediately, and a smirk formed on his face. “I was right, huh?”

“Thinking about what?” you asked curiously, resting your hands on your lap.

“Well, that’s something only you can tell me, huh?” he asked curiously. “I can take a pretty good guess, though.” He motioned to Taehyung, who had just set Chaeryeong onto the floor and lifted Kai onto his shoulder. “I heard you guys went on a date recently.”

“Yeah, I guess you can say that.” You said softly.

“You don’t sound too excited about that…” Yoongi’s comment made it feel as though your chest was tightening, and you had to take a deep breath. Your eyes wandered to Hoseok, who had sat in a circle with a few kids and passed and basketball between them.

“It’s not that…” you said softly. “At least, I don’t think it is.” As your eyes wandered between Hoseok and Taehyung, your mind began racing, about a lot of things. You were thinking about your date with Namjoon, your date with Taehyung, the feelings of concern with Hoseok, and his underlying years of feelings with you, all of it was making your head spin for days. You looked at Yoongi, who was patiently looking at you and waiting for an answer.

“Can we go somewhere and talk?” You asked curiously.

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animeniacss · 4 years

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A Palette of Emotions - Artist!Taehyung x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 10 -The Painting

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 4.6k words

Chapter 10 - The Painting

The sound of Oh Min-Jae’s voice made Taehyung want to crawl into a hole and never come out. As he looked towards the voice, he stared straight ahead at the middle-aged man, in his argyle vest, slacks, and wearing that same shit-eating grin Taehyung remembered all too well from earlier that month. Min-Jae’s eyes wandered over to the canvases that were spread out among the stall, and a snicker left his lips. That sound rang through Taehyung’s ears and he felt as if he wanted to die.

“Now, how on earth did you manage a stall at the Ilsan Art Festival?” Min-Jae asked curiously. Taehyung ran a hand through his hair and shrugged.

“Oh, my manager got me the stall. He knows a few people.” Taehyung said simply, his face still stone cold. At least, he hoped it looked that way because internally, Taehyung felt his heart beating in his chest and ringing through his ear. He wanted to punch this guy so badly.

“How is he doing? Park Jimin, right?”

“He’s doing just fine,” Taehyung said simply. Min-Jae nodded. “I never would’ve expected you here, since you’re such a stickler for professionalism and high-society.” Min-Jae chuckled a bit.

“Oh well, sometimes you find some hidden gems in a place like this. It is the biggest art show in Korea, after all.” Once again, Min-Jae scanned Taehyung’s work once again, then his eyes flicked back to the boy. “But then again, other times you don’t find anything. You just find a silly hobbyist with too much time on his hands.” Taehyung stuffed his hands, now balled into fists, deep into his pockets. They were shaking so bad. Just before Taehyung felt as if he was going to lose it, he heard a voice.

“Hey, since Namjoon left do you want to….Oh. Sorry, are you with a customer, Taehyung?” When he looked up, he saw you standing beside Min-Jae, your hands crossed over your chest lightly. Taehyung scoffed.

“No, I’m not. He was just leaving.” Taehyung said simply. You blinked, glancing over at the older man who was still standing there, relaxing without a care in the world. When you looked back at Taehyung, you could see how aggravated he looked. “He doesn’t want to buy anything,” Taehyung added.

“Oh okay.” You said simply. “I’m starting to get hungry now, did you want me to get you anything from the vendors?” You asked. Taehyung leaned forward as you set the map you had gotten earlier in the day in front of him. You circled the food vendors with your fingers. “There’s someone selling tteokbokki, someone selling pizza, someone selling hamburgers and hot dogs-.” You heard Taehyung gasp, and you glanced up.

“Hamburger.” He said quickly. You chuckled, nodding your head.

“Okay, I’ll bring one back.” You said simply. Taehyung nodded. When you turned around, you saw Min-Jae was still standing there. It startled you a bit since you weren’t expecting it. “Woah…Uhm…”

“Sorry.” He said gently. “Did I startle you?” You nodded a bit, glancing over towards Taehyung. Immediately, the deep frown was back on his face.

“I told you to leave. Why don’t you go bother someone else?” Taehyung hissed.

“I wasn’t done speaking to you,” Min-Jae said simply.

“Well, I’m done listening. If you’re not going to buy anything, just get away from my stall.” You glanced between the two men as they stared at each other.

I’m getting major déjà vu… You thought to yourself. As Min-Jae stepped closer to the stall, you shuffled yourself over, standing in between the stall and Min-Jae.

The man raised an eyebrow before he spoke. “Can I help you, Miss?” He asked. You quickly stated your name, and he nodded, a grin forming on his face. “Ah, I remember you. You were Kim Namjoon’s date to my most recent art show.” He said simply. You blinked. “You’re just as lovely now, I’m amazed I forgot.” You gripped the strap of your pocketbook tightly.

“Thank you, Mr. Oh.” You said simply. “I recognize you as well. However, uhm…excuse me for being rude but…” You bit your lip. “If you’re not planning to purchase one of my friend’s paintings, you should go. There’s so much other stuff to look at, why waste your time if you won’t buy anything?” Taehyung blinked, watching as Min-Jae shifted in his spot.

“May I ask…why you’re getting into someone’s business that, if I’m being honest, does not involve you?” he asked curiously. Your chest lifted as a big breath entered your lungs.

“My friend seems pretty distressed and aggravated right now. It’s not good for his business. If you don’t plan to buy anything, I advise you to leave.” Min-Jae glanced up at Taehyung, raising an eyebrow in confusion. After Taehyung showed a very similar reaction, Min-Jae couldn’t help but chuckle.

“For a pretty face, you have a disrespectful attitude,” Min-Jae said simply. You felt your heart sink into your chest, but you simply didn’t move, not your facial expression, or your body. Nothing. You were like a deer in headlights.

“S-sir…” you said simply. Min-Jae shook his head.

“I can tell when I’m not wanted somewhere.” He said simply. “Give Mr. Kim my regards when you see him.” Min-Jae glanced up at Taehyung and scoffed. “Good luck.” He said simply, before walking down the path. Taehyung rolled his eyes, finally glad to be rid of that nuisance.

“Hey, thank you for that,” Taehyung said gently. When he saw you turn towards him, he noticed only then that your face was as white as a sheet. “…Are you okay?” You quickly covered your face.

“Aaaaah, that was awful!” You gasped. Taehyung watched you drop down, squatting. Your head tucked under your folded arms, and Taehyung could now only see two ribbon-tied space buns from his view. “I can’t believe I just did that!”

“Why?! You were so professional and calm! You did a great job telling him off.” Taehyung said, peering over the side of his stall to get a better look at you.

“I can’t do confrontation, especially with people older than me. It freaks me out, I get so anxious!” You said quickly. Taehyung could hear a bubbling panic in your voice. “Why did I do that? Oh jeez….” Taehyung slowly walked around to the front of the stall and knelt beside you, gently helping you to your feet. He could see your eyes were a bit red and he quickly wiped them away.

“Are you telling me you’re jealous that you’re not the only one in the world who gives me a hard time?” he asked. When you looked up at him with wide eyes, you saw a playful grin spread across his face. “I mean that’s obviously why you interfered, right?”

“Uhm…well.”

“You don’t have to admit it.” He said, patting your head. “I appreciate it, though~. From now on, I’ll make sure that only you get to push my buttons and make me mad.” You blinked.

“You think you’re funny or something, don’t you?” you asked, wiping your eyes. Taehyung nodded.

“Extremely. Stand-up comedy is my backup if my art never takes off.” You had to laugh at that one, nodding your head. Taehyung smiled a bit until the sound of a group of voices in the distance alerted both his attention and yours. Hoseok, Yoongi, Seokjin, and Jimin were all walking together, some of them still eating food while others just walked and listened to the group conversation. Taehyung glanced down at you again, watching as you tried to fix your flyaway hair strands and making sure your make up wasn’t to smudge from the tears in your eyes. As the group got closer, Hoseok was the first to notice you were upset. The grin on his face immediately turned to concern, and he rushed over to you, taking your hands into his.

“Are you okay? Why are your eyes red?” he asked curiously.

“I’m okay, promise.” You said.

“Taehyung, what did you do?” Yoongi asked curiously. Taehyung’s eyes went wide as he saw all of the boy’s eyes dart right to him.

“What?! No, I didn’t do anything!” He said quickly.

“No, no. It was a guy named Oh Min-Jae. He’s a big shot art guy who I met when I went to that art show with Namjoon a few months ago. He was giving Taehyung a hard time and I…told him to back off. I was a bit nervous, though…” Hoseok smiled.

“That’s good!” He said quickly. “Don’t beat yourself up.”

“Yeah, but-.” You immediately were stopped as Jimin walked over to you.

“Seriously, don’t worry about it. That guy has got his mindset and anyone who thinks differently is his enemy. You did a good job if you told him to back off, he treated Taehyung and all of his work like garbage at that art show.”

“That’s the reason you didn’t connect my work. He took all the handles off the wall to find me online but kept all the work up so it would still look full. He’s a selfish scumbag.” Taehyung added. You nodded, and felt Hoseok pull you tightly into a hug, his hand patting your head.

“Want something to eat?” he asked curiously.

“I was just about to go get something for me and Taehyung at that hamburger stall.” You stated. Taehyung pulled out his wallet and looked at you.

“Why don’t you sit and rest? I’ll go get us something to eat.” He said. You blinked. “I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Uhm, okay, if you’re sure.” He said. Taehyung motioned you towards one of the folding chairs behind the stall, and you plopped down, smoothing out your skirt. As he ruffled his hair, he headed down the path towards the food stalls at the front of the festival. As you watched him walk into the growing crowd, Jimin rested against the stall and look at you.

“You know, everything Taehyung told me about you is true.”

“Oh? He told you I was hard on him for a while?” You asked, pressing your fingers together.

“Oh yeah, every day,” Jimin said simply. You pouted a bit. “But he also told me that you seem genuine and honest with your emotions. You wear your heart on your sleeve a lot.”

“Do I?” You asked curiously.

“I think so,” Jimin said, smiling sweetly at you. “But I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Whatever beef you and Taehyung had in the past few weeks is in the past, so I look forward to hearing all the new things he’s going to tell me about you in the future.”

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Taehyung walked down the dirt path, his eyes scanning the nearby vendors as they chatted up potential customers and fixed their stalls to look as appealing as they possibly could. Taehyung hadn’t run into much success today, at least not in comparison to what it looked like these people were experiencing.

I wanted a stall in the front. Who wants to walk all the way in the back of this huge place? It’s hot and nobody wants to. Taehyung thought to himself, pouting out his lower lip in frustration. When he arrived at the food court that attracted everyone within eyeshot, he pulled out his wallet, heading straight for the hamburgers and hotdogs that he could practically smell from his stall. He was craving one so badly, it felt as if his stomach was eating itself in anticipation for the juicy burger and soft bun, with a little bit of lettuce and cheese, maybe a nice, crunchy pickle and tomato. Yeah, that sounded delicious. As he stood in line, patiently waiting his turn, he saw a familiar face standing up a few people in front of him. A set of curly locks, some of which were pulled back into a short ponytail at the top of the head. Taehyung immediately recognized the tall boy, and when he turned around, Taehyung lifted a hand in his direction.

“Jeon Jungkook!” He shouted. The boy looked up, his wide, doe eyes scanning the area for a moment. It made Taehyung chuckle. “Jungkook. It’s me!” When Jungkook made eye contact with his senior, Taehyung could see his eyes light up even from the distance that he was standing. Jungkook quickly hurried over with a burger in his hand.

“Hyung! What are you doing away from the stall again? Did you finally sell all your art?” Jungkook asked curiously. Just then, it felt as if a knife had pierced Taehyung’s chest, and he pursed his lips.

“I feel like you know that answer, Jungkook.” He hummed. Jungkook’s lips turned into a playful grin as he giggled a bit. “I’m just getting some lunch finally. I’m starving.” As Jungkook nodded in understanding, Taehyung looked around. “Where’s your walking paycheck? Kim Namjoon.”

“Oh. Well, Mr. Kim said he wanted to take Kai and do a little bit of father-son bonding so I got the okay to explore on my own. I was preparing to come by your stall again after I ate lunch, so I’m glad that I ran into you.” Taehyung smiled.

“I feel like you give my work to much credit.” Taehyung hummed sheepishly, feeling his cheeks turn pink.

“What? No way! It was through finding you on Instagram that inspired me to keep painting.” Taehyung glanced at the younger male when he heard that comment.

“You paint?” He asked curiously. Jungkook nodded. “Oh, that’s cool.”

“Yeah. I found your Instagram when I tried getting inspiration for a school art project. I thought your stuff was cool, so I painted the project. I did well and got a good grade. It was after that I started getting even more into painting.” Jungkook finally opened the burger he had just bought, taking a large bite out of it. Taehyung smiled a bit. He watched the younger boy chew for a few minutes, and when he swallowed, he continued to talk. “I’ve looked up to you for almost a whole year now.”

Taehyung felt as if his heart was going to swell up at this moment and he was going to explode Years of hard work and struggle, all the sleepless nights drowning in coffee and paint palettes. Hearing someone say this to him, he felt a wave of excitement wash over him. He had to quickly turn away from Jungkook, who noticed immediately.

“Are you okay, Hyung? You look like you’re about to cry.”

“I’m fine,” Taehyung assured quickly. “Just some dirt or something in my eye, you know. Stupid dirt path….” Jungkook didn’t sound convinced as he hummed, and took another silent bite of his burger. As Taehyung wiped his eyes, he finally arrived at the front of the food truck and quickly placed both his and your orders. When he turned back to Jungkook, Jungkook had already finished his food and was tossing it in a nearby garbage can. When he looked back over, he smiled up at his Hyung.

“Will you teach me how to paint?” Jungkook asked curiously. Taehyung blinked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

“Teach you? I thought you already painted.”

“Huh? Oh, well yeah, I do. But I just paint...you though, Hyung…you paint.” Taehyung couldn’t help but chuckle at that, even though he had no idea what the hell it meant.

“And that means what exactly?” Taehyung asked. Jungkook looked at Taehyung as he turned and took the food, the heat emanating from the little black basket that he was given to carry everything in.

As Taehyung began walking away, back in the direction of the stall, Jungkook kept up a quick pace to follow. “Well, it’s kind of hard to explain. I like to paint, and I guess I’m pretty good, but I don’t feel like my paintings mean or say anything. I can look at all of your paintings and see a story behind them. With mine, they’re just nice to look at. If I’m going to make cool art pieces and maybe even one day start selling them, I want them to mean something to me.”

“Huh…” Taehyung pursed his lips. “Well, I guess I can give you some pointers and advice if you want.” He suggested. Jungkook’s eyes lit up in excitement, and a childlike grin covered his face. “Let me just get through today first, okay? We can maybe meet up in a week or so to plan everything.”

“Okay! We can exchange numbers or something if you want to.” Jungkook suggested, and Taehyung confirmed his statement with a nod. “This is exciting.” The boy beamed in anticipation for the upcoming weeks, and Taehyung let out a breathy chuckle. As they headed down the path, he saw his stall in the distance. Jimin was talking to a few passersby, while you sat with Hoseok in the shade. He was rubbing your shoulder, while you sat back and drank some water. It seemed that Seokjin and Yoongi had stepped a few rows down, and Taehyung could see them admiring clay figures and statues that were on display within eyeshot.

You could see Taehyung approaching from the corner of your eye, and looked up. “Oh, you’re back.” Taehyung nodded, approaching you with a little basket that contained a burger and French fries, still steaming hot and ready to be eaten. “Thank you.” Taehyung watched you scramble in your purse for a moment. At first, he was unsure what you were trying to do, but when he saw a little beige wallet pop into his view, he huffed.

“No way. I won’t let you pay me. It’s my treat.” He assured, setting the food in your grasp. You reached out and took it into your hands, watching as Taehyung plopped himself down on what used to be Jimin’s chair. Jimin turned to face his friend, before walking over and leaning down. Taehyung glanced up before inevitably, he lifted a French fry, and Jimin took it into his mouth with a grin. You chuckled a bit, before finally turning to your food. When you did, you saw Hoseok leaning in as well, his eyes wide as he examined the French fries that were scattered in your basket. You glanced at him, seeing his offer a cute little smile, like a child begging his mother for a cookie even though he hadn’t yet finished his dinner. You smiled, holding up a fry as you watched Hoseok immediately take it into his mouth, humming in happiness at the salty snack. You did the same with another fry, humming as the warm meal overtook your body and let your once anxious muscles begin to finally relax.

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By the end of the day, as the sun was setting over Ilsan, Taehyung watched as people began to pack up whatever they had left and head for home, tired after a long day of sales pitches, rejection, and counting change. Taehyung knew the first two all too well but wished he had gotten to experience the latter more. It wasn’t all too bad though, as Taehyung managed to sell a few smaller works he had done, and those who hadn’t bought anything did end up following his Instagram, with the hopes that he would create something soon that would interest them more. Jungkook had been preparing to leave, meeting up with Namjoon and Kai when Namjoon sent a text that Kai was getting tired and fussy.

Once confirming he had all of his belongings, Jungkook looked at Taehyung, who was beginning to stack canvases up to be moved. “I’ll message you soon, okay, Hyung?”

“Right, we’ll be in touch,” Taehyung said, glancing up at Jungkook. “Have a good night.” Jungkook nodded. He turned to everyone else, saying his goodbyes before he darted down the dirt path and out of everyone’s sight. Taehyung chuckled to himself, before setting the works of art he had gathered up onto a small palette jack since carrying them all by hands at once would be straining after a long day of work, and he was not in the mood to make multiple trips.

“I think you made out pretty well,” Jimin said, smiling at his friend.

“Better than I thought, I guess.” Taehyung shrugged. “I’m just happy I got to come, so I won’t be picky, you know?” Jimin nodded, smiling as Taehyung turned to put the last few paintings on the jack. When he looked over, he saw you standing beside them, lifting a canvas in your hand. “Hm? What are you doing?”

“I can’t stop looking at this dolphin. I just think he’s so cute.” You said. Taehyung walked over to you, putting a hand on his hip.

“What makes you think he’s a boy?”

“Is he a girl, then?” you glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. Taehyung shrugged, grinning.

“I dunno.” He admitted. When he saw you smile and turn back to looking at the painting, Taehyung lifted a few more that were sitting on the floor, Hoseok quickly offering his assistance when he saw there were still some left laying down. “Thanks.” He said simply. Hoseok nodded, and Taehyung stood straight up, looking over at you once again. Hoseok was quick to follow his gaze. “Hey, do you want to buy it?” Taehyung asked curiously. You glanced over at him.

“Buy it? Well, yeah I guess I do but-.”

“If you like it so much, you should have it,” Taehyung stated. You glanced back down at the adorably blue dolphin and the arm sunset colors that sat behind it so naturally.

“…Didn’t Namjoon say the same thing?” You asked curiously, eyes darting in his direction. Taehyung felt his ears go hot when he saw your eyes stare daggers into him. “What made you change your mind?”

“Uhm, well…” Taehyung coughed. “It’s my painting and I can do what I want with it. You said so yourself, didn’t you?” He asked, a hand resting on his hip. You blinked, thinking back to the quarrel you had witnessed between Taehyung and Namjoon earlier in the day.

“…I guess you’re right, yeah.” You agreed simply. Taehyung nodded.

“I thought about it and if it makes you happy then I shouldn’t stop you from having it.” He said simply.

“But even so, I can’t afford it at the price you’re charging it for.” He said simply.

“I’ll sell it for half off.” He said simply. “Don’t mention it. I’ve tried selling it for years, and nobody has looked at it the way that you do.” He said. You glanced down at the painting one last time, smiling for a moment.

“That’s sweet. But this deserves more than just half off. It should be sold at its full price.” Taehyung chuckled a bit. “It’ll find a home one day, trust me.”

“But I seriously want you to have it.” He said once again. A pout formed on your face as you set down the painting on the cart. “Hey, come on-.”

“I wouldn’t feel right buying it so cheap. Besides, even with half off, I don’t have the money on it.” You explained it simply. Taehyung nodded, though he was disappointed at the thought of his painting still waiting for its home. He turned to Jimin, preparing to wheel the palette jack down towards the entrance.

However, before he could, Seokjin walked over. When he looked up, Seokjin pulled out a wallet, along with a checkbook. “Hm? Did you need something Hyung?”

“Yeah, I did. I need a painting.” Taehyung blinked, looking over his shoulder at the paintings on the cart, now at a standstill by Jimin. You and Hoseok were looking over too, curious as to what was running through your boss’s mind.

“The painting?” he asked curiously. “Which…which one?”

Seokjin flipped open to a clean check-in his checkbook. “The dolphin.” He said simply. “I want to buy it and hang it up somewhere for us all to enjoy it, you know? It seems to means a lot to her, and in turn, to you as well.” Taehyung lifted the canvas one more time, his eyes falling between the picture, and Seokjin, multiple times in a row. He wasn’t too sure what was going on. It made Seokjin chuckle. “I want to buy the painting, Taehyung.”

“Oh! Uhm, okay…” He said. Seokjin leaned forward, looking at the little price tag that dangled off the corner of the portrait, before lifting his checkbook into his view and scribbling away with his pen. When he was done, he ripped out the paper and handed it to Taehyung. “Pleasure doing business with you, Taehyung.” Taehyung nodded, taking the check-in exchange for the painting. Seokjin smiled, before walking over to you. You were fixing one of the buns in your hair when Seokjin stood before you.

“Here.” He said, motioning the painting towards you. You blinked, taking it into your arms. “When you come in Monday morning, you better find a great spot for it in the school hallways, okay?” You glanced at Taehyung, who was still staring in shock, and what seemed to be slight confusion. When you looked down at the picture for the final time, you couldn’t help but giggle.

“Seokjin you didn’t have to do that.” You said and saw Seokjin offer you a smile in return. “Thank you. I know exactly where I’m going to put it!”

“Good.” Seokjin grinned. Taehyung watched as you smiled, continuing to look at the picture with absolute joy in your eyes. He had to admit, it made him fill with what he thought was content and happiness, seeing just how happy you were with that painting. At first, he thought it was because he finally sold that painting, and knew it would be treated with love and admiration.

However, as he and Jimin split from the group and said their goodbyes, Taehyung began to realize that it might have been the world holding smile you had plastered on your face that made his heart skip a beat.

------------------------------

The drive home was relatively silent, the only noise coming from the radio that was just barely cranked up enough to be able to hear the music playing. Jimin was driving, Taehyung sat curled up in the passenger’s seat. His legs were pulled to his chest, and his hoodie was pulled up over his mess of black hair. His drawing pad was perched up against his knees, and he was drawing.

“How do you think it went?” Jimin asked curiously. “Overall.” Taehyung shrugged.

“Fine.” He said. “I’m happy with what I got sold and that everyone had a good time coming to see me.” Jimin smiled. His eyes never rose from the paper that he was doodling on, not once. As Jimin approached the next red light, and slowed the car to a stop, before allowing his eyes to wander towards his friend in the next seat. His angle prevented him from seeing what Taehyung was drawing, and the inability to see made him curious. However, Taehyung did not seem to be budging, even when he glanced up for a moment to see Jimin staring at him. He simply went back to drawing. Jimin smiled, looking back at the road as he lifted his foot off the brake.

“You seemed to finally squash your beef with her. It’s about time.” Jimin added. Taehyung simply hummed, nodding his head. Jimin couldn’t help but chuckle. “What are you drawing anyway, Taehyung??” Finally, Taehyung set his pencil down, and Jimin once again had to glance over. When he did, he saw Taehyung smiling fondly in his direction. When he spun the paper around, Jimin immediately saw a face sketched out in pencil. He took a moment to examine it, and he finally noticed a set of two space buns on top of a smiling face. When Jimin looked up, Taehyung was sharing a smile similar to the one in the picture.

“I’m drawing my absolute favorite part of the festival today.”

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animeniacss · 4 years

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A Palette of Emotions - Artist!Taehyung x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 9 - Startist

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 5.8k words

Chapter 9 - Startist

“How did this day arrive so fast?”

“Tae-.”

“Didn’t I just start work the other day? How is it already the end of the month?!”

“Tae-.”

“I don’t even think I’m ready. Jimin, tell me we can reschedule.”

“Yeah sure, let’s reschedule a planned art festival.” Jimin huffed. Taehyung continued to pace around his apartment, Jimin watching from the couch as he sipped a soda, his arm draped over the couch. They had just picked a collection of tangible paintings to bring with them tomorrow and had taken pictures of others that wouldn’t fit in their limited space. The pictures were stacked by the door so that Taehyung was sure he wouldn’t forget them. However, even though that was done and he could relax, Taehyung continued to move his feet. It was as if the term ‘relax’ was no longer in his dictionary. “Okay, you’re making me tired watching your pace,” Jimin said as he pulled Taehyung down beside him on the couch. Taehyung’s neck left his head to roll back on the couch and he groaned. “The festival isn’t until tomorrow.”

“I know but I can’t believe it arrived so fast.”

“Well, you’ve been busy preparing and working. Time flies when you’re having fun, isn’t that the saying?” Jimin grinned. Taehyung pouted, looking at his friend. “Don’t worry! It’ll be fine. Besides, you went to Oh Min-Jae’s art show and that was ten times more intimidating, wasn’t it?”

“…Guess so.” He said softly.

“Besides, as much as I live to carry the weight of your career on my back, you’ll have more support tomorrow than you did then. Your coworkers are coming.” Taehyung nodded. “Plus, I told my boss and he said he was going to bring his son Kai, so you have him in your corner too!” Taehyung raised an eyebrow.

“That clumsy businessman?” Taehyung asked curiously. “Oh great, just as I need, someone punching a hole in my paintings.” Jimin laughed a bit. “But fine, fine, whatever.”

“You should get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.” Taehyung snorted.

“Sleep.” Taehyung huffed, standing up from the couch, Jimin following behind. “That’s a funny one.” Jimin smiled, leading his friend to the bathroom so that they could get ready for bed. Jimin planned to spend the night, not only to assure that they had enough time to get everything to Ilsan but also to make sure that Taehyung woke up on time and didn’t sleep through the entire event. It had happened before, and Jimin swore it would never happen again if his life depended on it. Jimin watched as Taehyung wiped his face and hand quickly through his hair, leaning against the doorframe. “I hope tomorrow goes well.”

“It will. I did a sacred dance of luck during my break at work, so expect to completely sell out of your paintings within the first hour.” Jimin said, making Taehyung snicker.

“If I can just sell one or two, that’ll be great,” Taehyung said as he walked past his friend. Jimin watched as Taehyung headed towards the couch. “Well, goodnight.” Jimin raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t tell me you plan to stay up,” Jimin said, walking towards him. Taehyung grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and shook his head.

“No.” He said. Jimin blinked. “Jimin, as much as I love you, we haven’t shared a bed since we were kids. What if rumors start flying that I’m involved with my manager?” Jimin grinned a bit, shoving Taehyung off the couch, and laughing when he heard the thud hit the floor.

“Go sleep in your bed, dumbass.” He said. Taehyung stood up, and Jimin grabbed the blanket, sitting on the couch as Taehyung went towards his room, the duo saying goodnight to one another for the final time before the apartment went dark. Taehyung crawled into bed, laying on his back and staring at the ceiling. He hadn’t felt his anxiety since he had his job interview. Normally, art shows excited him, but after his absolute humiliation at the last art show, where his entire career was just obliterated in front of his eyes, Taehyung no longer knew what to expect. He wanted it to go well, but he was nervous. Would people continue to see his artwork as unprofessional, or ridiculous? Would people be interested? Would he finally have to admit defeat and give up on his dreams?

“I shouldn’t think like that,” Taehyung whispered to himself as he tugged his blanket over his face. “I’m going to sell out tomorrow.” As Taehyung continued to manifest positive energy, he somehow managed to send himself to sleep, dreaming about tomorrow.

---------------------------------------------------

Taehyung and Jimin managed to arrive at the art festival with enough time to spare, more than enough even. Their spot was placed towards the back of the venue, and it wasn’t as big as the boys thought it would be, but that was okay! Music was blasting from speakers raised above the vendor stalls, people were selling food and drinks for famished visitors, and the air was filled with jovial artists ready to share their crafts with the world. The atmosphere alone made Taehyung’s heart pump with excitement, much like it did every time he took his first steps into an art show. Jimin and Taehyung hung up canvas’s wherever they could, hoisted others in front of and on top of the stall, and also made sure to put all of Taehyung’s contact information in an easy to read place. Once they were done, Jimin set his Bluetooth speaker up and began to play some music, a tactic they usually did to attract people when they were out in public, and the duo sat back. Taehyung looked around, watching as other people in their area began setting up their areas with their creations as well. Paintings, sculptures, mosaic works, even people who had weaved baskets into beautiful and intricate designs. There were so many amazing talents that attended the Ilsan Art Festival every year:

Now Taehyung was one of them!

“Jimin,” Taehyung said, making his friend look over. Taehyung had pulled out his phone, snapping pictures of the stall and all of the pictures inside. When the picture was pointed towards him, Jimin lifted his fingers into a peace sign and smiled. “Maybe if I make a post, more people will come,” Taehyung said. Jimin got up, walking towards Taehyung, and taking his phone.

“Well then we need the startist himself in the picture, don’t we?” Jimin asked. Taehyung raised an eyebrow at the unknown word, and Jimin grinned. “Star and artist, I just made it up. Startist!” Taehyung laughed a bit as Jimin motioned him towards his stall, lifting his phone. “Ready? One, two, three-.”

The duo continued to snap pictures for a few moments until the sound of voices began to be heard in the distance. The boys looked over and knew it was time. The festival had opened to the public, and people were starting to head in and look around. Taehyung took his phone back and hummed, smiling as he sat down in his chair. There was some time before people started to reach his stall, so he pulled up his photos and began checking for good ones to post on his Instagram. He selected photos of himself, the artwork, and the one of Jimin sitting with the peace sign up, and uploaded them. His finger tapped the screen idly for a few minutes, unsure of what to put as a caption. As he thought, he saw Jimin get up and walk across the path, to another young adult who was setting up his art and began complimenting his work. Taehyung watched as the duo converse, Jimin finding a balance between promoting Taehyung and complimenting the other boy. Taehyung looked down and chuckled to himself as he typed “Jimin called me a ‘startist’ today.” After adding a few emojis and tagging the festival, he set his phone down and rose from his seat.

A good two hours had passed, but Taehyung could have been told it was 15 minutes and believed it. He had been talking not only to people passing by but other nearby artists in hope of sharing contact information. The more people he became friends with, the more people could help him promote his work, and vice versa. This kept him incredibly busy, and when he finally collapsed into his chair, he let out a shaky breath. Jimin passed him a water bottle from their mini cooler, and Taehyung opened it, practically emptying it of the contents in seconds. He hadn’t realized how thirsty he was.

“You’ve gotten a lot of people to come and see your work,” Jimin said. “That’s pretty good.” Taehyung nodded, smiling. “Guess my sacred dance of luck didn’t work though, you only sold one of the smaller works so far.” Taehyung shrugged.

“That’s okay,” Taehyung said. He quickly scanned the area. “Honestly, I’m just waiting for one thing right now.” He said. Jimin nodded, leaning back in his seat. “I wonder when they’ll be here. I texted Hoseok-Hyung, but I haven’t heard anything yet.”

“I’m sure they’ll be here,” Jimin assured. Taehyung nodded, taking another sip of his drink and closing his eyes. Now would be an okay time to rest, it seemed. He had been working hard and was already exhausted. Each time he had an event in the heat all day, he wondered how on earth he was always able to do it. Just as he was getting comfortable, he heard a high-pitched voice.

“What on earth is a ‘startist’?” Taehyung looked over and grinned from ear to ear. Approaching at a quick pace was Hoseok, a familiar heart-shaped smile on his face. He, along with Seokjin and Yoongi, wore jeans and various tee-shirt designs. Hoseok approached Taehyung, the duo locking hands before giving a quick hug. “Sorry, we’re so late. Seokjin-Hyung took forever to get ready.” Taehyung had never heard President Kim be addressed as ‘Hyung’ before, and it stunned him for a moment. That is until Seokjin spoke.

“Well, when the day comes that you learn how much time and effort it takes to be this beautiful, you’ll come to understand me, Hoseok,” Seokjin said, running a hand through his hair. Yoongi, who stood his hands in his pockets, rolled his eyes.

“So, what do we have here, Picasso?” Taehyung looked over, walking towards his friend.

“Well, all of the physical copies are some of my more recent stuff.” He then motioned the curious eyes towards the various photos pinned up on a makeshift clothesline on the front of the stall. “These are older ones that I like to show off whenever I go somewhere.” Yoongi nodded.

“And yet all I get to see is handprint rainbows and using clay,” Yoongi said simply. Taehyung chuckled a bit, before looking around. His eyes fell on Hoseok.

“Uhm, where’s-?”

“Oh. She stopped to get herself something to drink and get a map.” Hoseok said. He leaned back, staring down the path they arrived from. “She should be here soon. Oh, there she is now! Right on time~.” Hoseok called out to you as Taehyung looked over to find you himself. The minute he saw you look up, his eyes widened. No longer was he staring at a pencil skirt and nice blouse hidden behind an apron full of school supplies, with a slicked-back ponytail or bun. Today he was staring at a set of space buns on top of the head, tied together with hanging yellow ribbon. He saw a white button-up blouse tucked into a light-yellow floral skirt. Your accessories all supported the yellow theme, from the complementary beige handbag to the matching pair of beige flats, to the yellow and orange necklace that dangled around your neck. This was a look that Taehyung had yet to see you in, and he had to admit, he had to do a double-take to make sure it was you. “Come here. Look at all of Taehyung’s awesome stuff.”

“I’ve seen most of it on Instagram, you know.” You said, walking over. You saw Taehyung staring at you, and put a hand on your hip. “Hi.” Taehyung immediately shook his head and offered a smile.

“Oh, uh hey.” He said. He immediately, took your hand, leading you past your coworkers. Hoseok blinked, turning to look at you pass by. “I wanted you to meet someone.” Jimin looked over from his phone when he saw Taehyung leading you in his direction. “This is my best friend, Jimin. He’s my manager.” You watched the handsome man stand up from his seat and turn to you, smiling as he stuck a hand out.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you.” He said, taking your hands. “Taehyung has told me so much about you.” You chuckled a bit, your mind only beginning to imagine what Taehyung had shared about work. You nodded and introduced yourself to him as well, before Hoseok hopped behind you and pulled your hands back, replacing them with his own to say hello. You watched as the duo began to talk to one another, before turning to Taehyung, who had his hands in his pockets.

“Have you had any luck?” you asked curiously. Taehyung shrugged.

“I sold one thing and a few girls came to ask for my Instagram handle, so…maybe?” You couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. “I’m hoping to sell a few more things before the day is over.” You watched as your coworkers stepped back, also taking a moment to introduce themselves to Jimin, and examined the paintings on display. A few you recognized from Taehyung’s Instagram and were amazed to see them in person at this moment.

“I think you’ll be okay.” You assured, looking at him. Taehyung chuckled a bit, watching as you walked closer to the paintings just as a young couple passed by who also stopped and stared. Taehyung quickly hurried over, introducing himself to the young couple and beginning a conversation. You turned and watched him for a moment as he motioned to some of his artwork, sharing conversations and the occasional laugh as they shared some idle chit chat.

The day was progressing at an enjoyable pace. Taehyung took a moment to step away from his stall, Jimin offering to watch over things so Taehyung could take a well-deserved break with his coworkers. The group of 5 perused the rest of the art show, admiring all of the different vendors scattered around the enormous plot of land being used for the festival. You watched as Hoseok dragged Taehyung by the hand to a stall selling masks.

“Look at how amazing these are. Mister, can we try some of them on?” Hoseok asked the man curiously. The man nodded, watching as Hoseok grabbed a few. Hoseok’s was red with a silly mustache, and Taehyung’s was white with wide, blue eyes and a tiny mouth. They were silly, and most likely for young children, not necessarily two grown men, but they didn’t care. “Taehyungie, try this one on.” Taehyung took it and put it over his face, while Hoseok did the same, the duo turning to face each other, the duo began laughing. “You look ridiculous!”

“Says the one with the stupid mustache.” Taehyung laughed, pulling his mask off of his face. You crossed your arms, shaking your head in amusement at the two dorky children before you. Hoseok turned to you, grinning. “You need to take our picture!” He handed you his cellphone and pulled Taehyung close. You glanced at Yoongi, who was just standing with his hands in his pockets as he watched the hyperactive duo fool around, an amused smile on his face. Lifting the phone, you snapped a few pictures of the duo. Just before you put it away, however, Seokjin made sure to stick his head into the frame as well.

“Don’t forget me! How can you forget Worldwide Handsome? I’ll never understand.” The boys began to laugh.

“Get a mask then, Hyung,” Hoseok said.

“What do you mean? He already has one.” Yoongi pointed out, motioning to Seokjin’s face. Seokjin let out a forced laugh at Yoongi’s playful insult, while Taehyung and Hoseok doubled over in stitches. You scanned the area, seeing that people passing by were staring at the scene before them.

“Guys, am I taking the picture or not?” you asked curiously, holding the phone to their view. The three boys looked in your direction, before finally getting themselves into a picture-ready position. “Okay, ready?” You held up the camera, snapping a few more pictures of the trio. Once that was done, the boys returned the masks, thanked the man, and returned Hoseok’s phone to him. “You three are so childish.”

“That’s why you hang out with us, isn’t it?” Hoseok asked, scanning through the pictures on his phone. He began to laugh, his face lighting up in absolute delight. “Hyung, you look ridiculous, oh man…” He said. Seokjin peered over Hoseok’s shoulder to see the one picture that was taken when Seokjin was mid-blink. “I’ll send these to you guys.” Taehyung nodded, sticking his hands into his pockets.

“I need to get back to my stall. Jimin said he wanted to take a look around too.” He mentioned.

“I’ll walk back with you.” You said, fixing one of the buns in your hair that was beginning to loosen up. “I saw a few vendors that way that I wanted to get a good look at.” Taehyung nodded. “Are you guys joining us?” You asked the other boys.

“I’m going to get something to eat, I’m starving,” Hoseok said. Seokjin and Yoongi agreed, and the group of you parted ways down the dirt path. You and Taehyung walked silently down the path, passing by people who were looking at different art vendors. You scanned around, before glancing back at Taehyung, who was fixing his hair.

“Have you ever considered doing stuff other than paintings?” You asked curiously. Taehyung looked over at you, and you motioned to a middle-aged woman selling what looked to be ceramic bowls she had created by hand. Taehyung shrugged.

“I do a bit of pottery and stuff, but I’m mostly into painting.” He said simply. “None of my pottery looks good enough to sell though.” You smiled.

“That’s probably untrue.” You said. Taehyung chuckled.

“Well, unless people want to buy something that fell on the floor before I got to harden it in the oven, then yes, it is true.” Both of you laughed a bit. “But there’s something about using paint that’s always been calming for me, so I use it the most.” You nodded, being able to understand that, even just a bit. “I think you’d feel the same way if you stopped being so worried about things going wrong.”

“I never said I was.” You said simply. The two of you approached Taehyung’s stall, your conversation stopped when the tiny voice ripped through the nearby vicinity.

“TEACHER!?” You looked over to see Kai, wearing shorts and his favorite dinosaur shirt, charging towards you as fast as his little legs would carry him. Kneeling, you opened your arms and caught him quickly, scooping him up. “Hi!”

“Well hello, Kai.” You said happily. “Are you here with your Daddy?” Kai nodded.

“And Kook too,” Kai said, pointing to them. “Look.” Taehyung looked over to see Namjoon standing by his stall, staring in their direction as they yell from his son alerted his attention. Jimin was standing there as well, but there was one boy, most likely this kid named ‘Kook’, standing there that he had never seen before. Taehyung watched Namjoon run a hand through his hair and fix his glasses quickly as you both approached.

“Kai. Don’t scream in public.” He said sternly. Kai pouted, nuzzling himself into your shoulder. Namjoon looked at you. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“I was invited to see Taehyung’s work.” You said simply. “And to be fair, you didn’t say anything on the phone about coming, either.”

“Well, once Jimin told me he used his precious hours on the clock to promote his friend-.” Namjoon glanced at Jimin, who only offered an innocent smile. “I figured I would come and look too. Besides, Kai likes art.” You smiled, looking down at Kai who was now looking around at all the nearby vendors. Namjoon finally coughed in a balled-up fist. “Uhm, you look nice today.”

“Oh, thank you.” You smiled happily. Taehyung rolled his eyes, walking past the two of you and towards Jimin, who was standing with the other younger boy. They looked over, and Taehyung could see the boy’s eyes light up.

“You’re Kim Taehyung?” he asked curiously. Taehyung nodded. “Oh wow, so cool.” The boy looked back at the paintings sitting on the stall and grinned. “I’m Jeon Jungkook, I babysit Kai when Mr. Kim is busy.” Taehyung nodded as he listened to Jungkook continue to talk. “I found you on Instagram about like 6 months ago, you’re crazy talented.”

“Oh wow, thanks,” Taehyung said, feeling his cheeks turn a bit pink. “Glad you like my stuff, Jungkook.” Jungkook grinned.

“Such a small world that you teach in Kai’s preschool, isn’t it?” Jungkook asked. Taehyung nodded in agreement, before turning to his friend.

“Jimin, you can go walk around, I got the stall from here.” Jimin chuckled.

“Alright, have fun. Call me if you need anything.” Jimin grabbed his wallet, stuffing it in his bag. Waving off Namjoon, he headed down one of the paths leading farther into the festival. Taehyung turned back to Jungkook, who was admiring his paintings.

“I told Mr. Kim when I found out you were going to be here, so he let me come along. I wish I could paint like you.” Taehyung chuckled a bit. “How do you do it?”

“Takes practice, I guess,” Taehyung admitted. “I’ve been painting since I was a kid, after all.” Jungkook nodded. Taehyung glanced over his shoulder to see that you had set Kai down, even though he was reluctant to be out of your arms. However, after Namjoon sent him away, he hurried over and latched onto Jungkook’s leg, grinning widely. Taehyung rested his elbows in front of him to lean against the stall and watched as the two of you spoke.

“Hey, so Uhm, I wanted to apologize for Seokjin-Hyung’s comment about that date a while back,” Namjoon said to you. “You know how he can be a bit over eccentric. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“Is that the reason you didn’t mention a date these past few weeks?” you asked curiously. Namjoon nodded. “I appreciate that, but I’m so used to his antics that they don’t even phase me anymore.” Namjoon nodded. “Also, I know he won’t leave me alone until I finally make good on his word and allow you to take me out to dinner.” Namjoon chuckled a bit.

“I won’t push you if you don’t want to go out with me.” He said.

“It’s not that I don’t, it’s just…well, your son is my student and-.” Namjoon nodded.

“I understand.” He said. “I just really like spending time with you. And knowing that Kai has a real love for you in school makes that even better. That’s why I’m always so adamant to go out with you.” You blushed a bit, smiling. You didn’t see it, but Taehyung rolled his eyes from where he was standing.

“Well, I guess one more dinner wouldn’t kill anyone.” You said. “I just need to see when I’m free.” You saw Namjoon’s little almond-shaped dragon eyes sparkle slightly in excitement.

“Absolutely. Whenever you’re free, I’ll make time.” He assured quickly. You nodded a bit, turning back to Kai and Jungkook, who you saw had moved across the path to admire a huge sculpture. Kai’s eyes were wide as he stared at it.

“Daddy, daddy! Look!” He said. Namjoon walked over to his son, kneeling to his level and scooping him up and over his shoulders. “It’s so big.” As the father and son continued to admire the artwork, you approached Taehyung, who was still resting against the stall. He glanced at you.

“I see you have a date now.” He said. You raised an eyebrow.

“Why do you care?” you asked curiously.

“I don’t,” Taehyung assured. You watched Taehyung purse his lips together, in a moment of thought. “…He’s not being forceful or anything, is he? You always seem like you don’t want to go out with him.” You frowned a bit, glaring at him. “What?”

“If I didn’t want to go out with him, I wouldn’t.” You said simply. “Don’t involve yourself where you shouldn’t.” Taehyung shrugged, deciding to end the conversation there. As both of you stood there, watching Namjoon and Jungkook continue to occupy Kai, you glanced at Taehyung. He was watching them as well, silent after your comment. A slight awkward air covered Taehyung’s vendor stall, and you knew that you were not the only one who could sense it. A soft sigh escaped your lips, and you looked at Taehyung.

“Uhm…hey.” You began. Taehyung glanced in your direction. The close distance between the two of you meant that for the first time, you could get a really good look at his face. He had dark eyes, and an almost mysterious aura around him when he wasn’t smiling. That matched with his fluffy hair was…well, you could always understand why he was so popular with girls on social media. You found yourself taking a step back, widening the space between you. “I wanted to say that I’m sorry for my behavior at work.”

“…You did that already.” He said simply. You shook your head.

“I said it to shut Seokjin up. But I’ve been thinking about it these past few weeks and I am sorry. I have my stuff to deal with and I shouldn’t take that out on you.” Taehyung chuckled a bit, watching as you fumbled with one of your fingernails. “Besides, the kids like you, so even if I didn’t really like you, it would be selfish of me to act this way.” You glanced back at his paintings and sighed. Just as you finished scanning them, you noticed a little hint of blue and yellow on a canvas in the back You leaned forward. “What’s that?” Taehyung looked over, lifting the canvas with the dolphin on it. As he lifted it, he saw your eyes sparkle a bit.

“It’s a dolphin,” Taehyung said. You nodded.

“I knew it.” You pointed out. Taehyung raised an eyebrow. “I saw that painting at some fancy art festival about a month ago.” Taehyung’s eyes widened. Immediately his mind went back to a beautiful woman he had bumped into upon exiting, and the tall, dark, and handsome man standing beside her asking if she was alright.

As Jungkook said, it truly was a small world.

“I couldn’t recognize where I saw it from. I tried to look for any artist information but it was all taken down by then and they said the artist had left.”

He left my paintings up the entire time but he took down all my handles? What a scumbag. Taehyung thought to himself, though he had to make sure he kept his now boiling anger at bay as to not cause a scene. “…Oh. Yeah, this is mine.”

“That makes sense. That’s probably why Namjoon recognized you too.” You clapped your hands. “I can’t believe I didn’t put 2 and 2 together.” You laughed a bit. “I kept staring at the painting all night, I thought it was so cute.”

“Thank you,” Taehyung said, his mind currently spinning.

“I wanted to buy it, but I couldn’t afford it. You’re an incredible artist.” Taehyung blinked. “I know I’ve been giving you a really hard time about everything, but I do admire your talents, that’s why I follow you in the first place. So, just in case I haven’t told you that yet, it’s true.”

“…Thank you.” He said softly. “That means a lot to me. I hope we can work together and get along in the future.” He said. You nodded. “You can start by that deep bow I’m waiting for.” He grinned his boxy grin, and you couldn’t help but let out a loud laugh, covering your mouth to stifle it. Taehyung chuckled as well.

Almost immediately, Namjoon turned around to see what had caused you to laugh so loud. When he saw you talking to Taehyung, he pursed his lips, before walking over towards the both of you. Taehyung saw him from the corner of his eye and glanced up. As Namjoon approached, Taehyung stood straight, his hands in his pockets.

“Can I help you?” Taehyung asked.

“Nothing. I just wanted to see what she was raving about.” Namjoon glanced down at the picture of the dolphin. “Aaaah, that’s right, you did find that picture nice, didn’t you?” You nodded. “Want me to buy it for you?” Taehyung watched as Namjoon pulled out his wallet. “Maybe you can put it in your living room or something.”

“What? Oh, you don’t have to do that.” You gasped. “Please, I don’t have any room for it, I just think it’s nice.”

“Well if you think it’s nice, you should have it.” Taehyung watched as Namjoon pulled out his checkbook. “How much for it?” Taehyung glanced down at the painting and then back up to Namjoon. When he did, he could’ve sworn he saw a smug look behind those sharp eyes. Taehyung frowned.

“I don’t know if I want to sell it anymore.” He admitted. You blinked, glancing at Namjoon as he set down the checkbook.

“Name your price. I can afford it.”

“I said I don’t know.”

“Why? Didn’t you come here to sell your artwork?” Namjoon asked curiously. “It’s lovely to work, it should be shared with the world.” Taehyung glared at Namjoon, who was only offering a smile.

“I don’t want to sell it to you if I’m being honest.” Namjoon pursed his lips, closing his checkbook.

“…Did I do something wrong?” he asked.

“No, I just don’t want to sell it to you. You’re buying it to make her like you more, not because you want it. How about you just leave her alone?”

“Taehyung, stop-.” You gasped. Namjoon chuckled a bit.

“I’m buying it for her.”

“My point still stands,” Taehyung said.

“Hey, guys, come on now.” You began, trying to end this tension sooner rather than later. “It’s not that big of a deal, Namjoon. He can sell it to whoever he wants. I just think it’s cute.” Despite your words, Namjoon and Taehyung were staring at each other with enough fire in their eyes to burn down the entire festival if let loose. You sighed. “Okay, I’m not gonna stand around and watch this.” You said, walking away. Namjoon watched you head towards Jungkook and Kai, who were standing nearby, yet out of earshot. With you gone, Namjoon looked back at Taehyung, who had set the picture down.

“Do you have a crush on her or something?” Namjoon asked curiously. Taehyung blinked, glancing back towards you for a second. You had scooped Kai up, glancing around at all of the art and creations as Kai pointed out things that he liked. Despite how nervous you had just been when leaving the conversation, having Kai in your arms made your eyes light up with glee.

“Why would you care? Do you?” Taehyung asked.

“…Is it that obvious?” Namjoon asked, his cheeks turning pink as he chuckled nervously. Taehyung once again had to roll his eyes. “I’m just asking so I know if how hard I need to fight for her.” Taehyung frowned.

“You make her sound like a prize.”

“That’s not my intention,” Namjoon assured. “I just care about her a lot, that’s all. And I like to see her happy.” Taehyung nodded.

“I like it when she’s happy too. She’s nice when she’s not giving me a hard time.”

“Then sell me the painting so she can have it and be happy.”

“No.”

“You’re very prideful.”

“And you seem to think having a lot of money is the key to winning her over. She doesn’t seem like that kind of girl.” Namjoon sighed.

“Okay, fine. Don’t sell it to me.” He said. Namjoon put his checkbook away, instead of pulling out his business card and tossing it onto the table. Taehyung picked it up. “If you change your mind, I would love a chance to look at your work again. You’re very talented.”

“Thanks,” Taehyung said, lifting the business card. Namjoon turned on his heel and headed back over towards you, Kai, and Jungkook. He scooped Kai into his arms, though the boy was reluctant to leave you. Taehyung glanced down at his painting, resting against the back of the stall and out of view. As he did, regret started to wash over him.

I shouldn’t have let my pride get the better of me, I could’ve sold this for a lot of money. He thought to himself. …No way. I don’t want to be a part of his money scheme to get her to like him. I’ll sell it to someone who will appreciate it, that’s the end of it! Taehyung sat back in his seat, running his hand through his hair and letting out a little groan. His mind also began racing it Namjoon’s question.

Do you have a crush on her or something?

No, I don’t have a crush on her. She spent the past month giving me such a hard time, why would I have a crush on her? Taehyung thought to himself. However, just as he was thinking that his mind was flashing back to images of you since he had met you. Images of your smiling face, your laugh, the glow that emanated from your eyes, and lit up the entire room every time you were with those students. Every time, even when he felt like he wanted to scream at you for how you treated him, he couldn’t help but feel his heart swell just at the sight of your stunning grin.

As Taehyung’s mind continued to plague him, he heard Namjoon, Jungkook, and Kai walk away from the stall. He leaned his head back in his seat and took a nice long sip of water from the cooler of beverages that Jimin insisted that they bring. It sent a nice, cool wave throughout his body and helped quench his thirst. However, just as he was preparing to stand back up and get to work, he heard a deep, older voice that made his entire body heat up immediately, and his heart begins to pound deep within his chest.

“My, my. Never thought I would see you again, Mr. Kim Taehyung.”

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animeniacss · 4 years

Text

A Palette of Emotions - Artist!Taehyung x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 26 - The Chance of a Lifetime

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 4.5k words

Chapter 26 - The Chance of a Lifetime

Taehyung stared at the broad shoulders Namjoon had as they walked over to the front entrance of the school. He had no idea what Namjoon had meant by wanting to talk to him, or where the conversation would go. He didn’t want to, but if he had to throw hands with the tall businessman in front of a preschool, he would! And he would win too.

Namjoon rested against the gate, fixing his glasses and glancing over to the painter, who put a hand in his hair. “I didn’t want to risk the kids hearing anything,” Namjoon said simply. “But you, Sir, need to pay more attention to your files.” Taehyung let out a soft sigh.

“I know, I know…” he said. “But I really wasn’t trying to stir the pot or anything, I-.” Namjoon lifted his hand up, nodding his head in understanding.

“I know. But I figured someone should have sat down and told you all of the important stuff early on. Might as well be me now, while we are here.” Taehyung nodded. Namjoon’s chest expanded and shrank again as he thought about what he was going to say. “I don’t know where Kai’s mother is.” Taehyung bit the inside of his lip. He figured as much, the woman had not once been mentioned, nor was she in any paperwork. But Taehyung thought it was a legal ordeal, not a missing person kind of ordeal. “She and I met and dated right when I got out of college. She was interning at a nearby business firm. It wasn’t anything major, but it was nice. She had gotten transferred to a placed in Gwangju, so she broke it off after that. I didn’t hear from her for a whole year.”

“I think I kind of know where this is going,” Taehyung said softly, and then waited for Namjoon to continue. He nodded and did so.

“She dropped him off about two weeks after he was born. I tried to contact her, but I haven’t found her. She left her job in Gwangju, and apparently went to another firm. I have no idea if she changed her name, or left the country.” Namjoon shrugged. “So, when Kai says he doesn’t have a mom…he doesn’t.” Taehyung nodded.

“Yikes…” he said softly. “I’m sorry to hear that. Does he-?”

“Not yet. He just knows he doesn’t have one. I’ll tell him when he’s older.” Just as Namjoon finished explaining himself and his past, he heard a voice coming out from the building. He turned over and saw you walking out with Kai, who was holding your hand and obviously chewing your ear off. When you caught his glance, Namjoon quickly lifted a hand up, signaling you to wait just a moment, as he was in the middle of a conversation. As Taehyung watched him, he could see Namjoon’s eyes sparkling as he stared in your direction, the small and amused smile sitting comfortably on his face. It made Taehyung’s heartbeat just a little bit faster than normal. Is that what he looked like when he looked at you too? Or did he have another look on his face? Were you able to notice these looks shot in your direction?

“You really love her, don’t you?” Taehyung asked curiously, tilting his head. Namjoon glanced over at Taehyung as he spoke, the smile still stuck to his face. He only nodded at first.

“I do.” He admitted. “I have since the day I met her.” Taehyung nodded. “Seokjin suggested I put Kai into preschool here when he was old enough. So, I went to the little orientation with all of the parents. She said she had barely been here a handful of years, but Kai fell in love with her immediately, all the kids did. She was kind and patient, and funny. I was in that room for about 35 minutes, and I knew at that moment I needed to at least try and win her over.” Taehyung watched you smooth out your skirt, sitting Kai down on a nearby bench. He held his bag tight, kicking his feet as he waited for his father to call his name. You, on the other hand, walked over to the swings, where Yeonjun and Beomgyu were happily pushing Chaeryeong and Taehyun on the swings. He couldn’t help but smile too as you leaned forward to watch the kids squeal and cheer in delight. The smile on your face had Taehyung feel butterflies in his chest.

“I know what you mean. You’d never think she was the same girl who hated me six months ago.” Namjoon nodded a bit.

“I know I might be coming off as tough or a bit douchebagy to you like I did at your art festival in Ilsan. But I mean no ill-will, Kim Taehyung.” Taehyung cocked an eyebrow, nodding his head.

“I know. I don’t either…” he confessed quickly.

“And I know she has gained feelings for you too,” Namjoon confessed. Taehyung’s eyes widened a bit, and it made Namjoon laughed at how shocked he looked. “Don’t look so surprised. If she didn’t, she would have either turned you down outright or stopped seeing me. She never would have put everything on hold as she has.” Taehyung knew that was true, and it excited him; comforted him in a way he hadn’t yet felt since all of this began. Namjoon might have sensed the air of confidence surging through Taehyung’s veins because he immediately included: “With that in mind, I have no intention of backing down.”

“Hm?” Taehyung hummed.

“I said I have no ill-will towards you, and at the end of the day, I want her to be happy. However, I still plan to shoot my shot, and try to get her.” Taehyung chuckled. “You’re at a bit of an advantage. You see her in the school building, which is a lot more than I get to.”

“Well, even if I wasn’t, I intend to be just as committed to her, until she tells me not to.” Namjoon nodded. “But you are my Hyung, and definitely have been with her longer than I have. Yet, you’ve always taken this so calmly. If I were in your shoes, I think I would be a lot more aggravated with the guy I was competing with.”

Namjoon laughed a bit at Taehyung’s teasing tone. “I love her more than anything, and I would do anything to make her mine. But if her happiness is found in the arms of someone else, who am I to pull her away from that just for my own happiness? If I did that, could I ever say I really loved her?”

“Ooo, that’s deep. Do you use those lines on her on dates?” Namjoon cocked an eyebrow, glancing at the younger boy with a grin. “I need to know exactly what I’m up against.” Namjoon nodded, putting his hands in the pockets of his work pants. He walked past Taehyung, before quickly taking a hand out of the pocket and patting him on the shoulder.

“If you already want to know what you’re up against, then I guess I can tell you she and I have already kissed.” Taehyung laughed a bit. “What? You wanted to know.”

“You sound like you’re in middle school.” He teased. Namjoon was now the one to laugh, and with another pat to the shoulder, Namjoon walked to the front gate. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I had to move a very important meeting with the CEO of the Korea’s National University of Arts for this…” Taehyung’s ears perked up at the mentioning of the word Arts. His eyes darted towards Namjoon once again, watching as the father’s amused and smiling face immediately dropped to one of frustration.

“Kai!” He shouted. It wasn’t a loud shout, but it was definitely attention-grabbing. The little boy’s head looked up. “Get in the car. We need to talk.”

Without a word of defiance, Kai grabbed his bag and headed towards his father. Namjoon looked over at Taehyung, nodding him off before leading his son into the car. Taehyung didn’t move from his spot until Namjoon got into the car, started it up, and drove down the street, away from the preschool. When he looked over, he saw only a handful of children were left to be picked up, and knowing the time, it would not be too much longer for that.

As Taehyung stepped back onto the playground, he immediately headed to you. He knew you would try and nose your way into his business. It was charming to him, in ways others would find annoying.

“What happened?” you asked.

“Nothing. Just needed to share something with him, that’s all.” Taehyung said simply. He watched as you snickered, amused by his vague response, before quickly returning your attention to the children. Taehyung watched silently, and he could only think about one thing. He hadn’t told Namjoon, but he had also managed to get a kiss from you. So, he didn’t consider that an advantage. But Namjoon didn’t need to know that.

What he did need to know what how he was going to make connections with the CEO of the Korean University of Arts.

----------------------------------------

Jimin headed home that night after a long of working at the office. With Namjoon sprinting out to pick-up Kai early, Jimin offered to stay behind and watch over the office, finishing up any important paperwork for the meeting that they had to reschedule. He was tired, and he was hungry, so the idea of getting to go home and eat something delicious excited him very much. That, along with a hot shower and some sleep, Jimin couldn’t stop thinking about it. As Jimin ascended the elevator to his Seoul loft, fumbling with his keys as he pressed them into the lock, turning it and pushing his door in, entering the main room.

Jimin slid off his shoes at the front door, immediately embracing the warm feeling inside his house. However, just as he closed the door, he heard a noise coming from deeper into the apartment.

“It’s about fucking time you got home!”

“Wait, is that the pizza or the owner of this house?” Another voice asked.

“It applies to both…” The sound of two cackling male voices made Jimin’s shoulders slump, the realization that sleep and that hot shower would have to wait a little longer. However, he dragged himself into his living room to see Taehyung and Taeyong, lounging against the couch. Both of them had beers in hand. “We were going to wait for you to eat dinner, but you took too long! Jisoo ran out to pick it up!”

“…Why are you here?” Jimin asked curiously. He watched both boys hold up some shiny keys in their hands, jingling them in a way that only a toddler or a child could find funny. After hours of the phones in his office ringing, this sound was not anywhere near pleasing. “Yes, I know that. But I didn’t ask how, I asked why.”

“Oooh, Jimin’s mad.’ Taeyong grinned, nudging Taehyung, who only grinned along with him.

“And you’re both drunk. Nice. If I wanted to babysit toddlers, I’d be doing Tae’s job.” Both boys on the floor by the couch began snickering, having to hold onto each other in hopes not to lose balance. Jimin rolled his eyes. “May I ask why you’re here?”

“I came after work because I wanted to ask you a question about your job.” Taehyung began, Jimin having to stop himself from walking and instead focusing all of his attention on what the slurred drunken words were that were coming out of Taehyung’s mouth. “I got lonely after a while, and you weren’t answering your texts-.”

“I was working,” Jimin interjected quickly.

“Yeaaaa, so I called Taeyong. He said he’d bring beer, but I figured we shouldn’t be drunk and by ourselves, so we called Jisoo over to join too.” Jimin nodded.

“Well, thanks for not invited me to your party.” Jimin began. “But what did you need to ask me about my job?”

“Are you meeting with the CEO of the Korean National University of Arts?” Taehyung asked. Jimin watched him stand up, running a hand through his hair. Immediately, Jimin frowned.

“Yes, but I can’t just walk in there and talk to him like I normally would for you.” He admitted. Taehyung frowned. “This is an important meeting; I can’t do something like that this time.”

“Not even after?”

“Mr. Kim will kill me if I do this time.” Taehyung pouted.

“But Mr. Kim and I are bestiiiies now, it’ll be okay-.” Jimin huffed.

“Taehyung, trust me. When I found out the guy was coming, I was thinking the same thing. Namjoon is the one who approached me and told me not to do it this time because of how important it is.” He could see the frustration in Taehyung’s eyes as the realization came over him that he wouldn’t get what he wanted. “Sorry.”

“Aaaaa, whatever.” With a sigh of defeat, Taehyung plopped down onto the couch. “Where’s Jisoo with the pizza, I’m starving.”

It was only moments later that Jisoo came back, pizzas in her hands that Jimin quickly assisted with setting on the table. As the boys headed to the table to snag a few slices, Jimin excused himself into his room, hoping to at least change into comfy clothes rather than the tight business casual. As he changed, he could hear the sound of Taehyung, explaining to Jisoo what she had missed while she was out, in only the way a drunk man can: face stuffed with pizza and frustrated grumbling. He walked back out, closing the door behind him to alert the attention of his friends.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Jimin said. “But don’t get your hopes up…”

-------------------------------------------

The next day, Jimin was walking through the halls of his job, chatting with one of his co-workers about some after-work plans to get some drinks. He was thinking about “Mr. Kim-.” Jimin called, hurrying up towards his boss as they headed down the hallway. “Do you have everything you need for this meeting?” Namjoon looked over at the younger man, nodding.

“Yep. I stayed up all night last night preparing everything for it. If it goes well, getting a business agreement with the Korean National University of Arts will be a really good gig for us.”

“Well, you’ll do great, just like you always do,” Jimin assured, smiling up at his boss. “I’m sure it’ll go even better than you think it will.” Namjoon couldn’t help but laugh, immediately fixing his glasses.

“You want to talk to the CEO of the school’s directive board, don’t you?” Namjoon asked curiously, side-eyeing Jimin as they continued to walk. When he saw the cheeky grin slip onto Jimin’s face in the way only Jimin knew how to do, Namjoon sighed. “Jimin-.”

“Just for a minute, after the meeting. Taehyung just asked me to-.”

“I know he did, and I know you consider yourself his manager. But this meeting is about important alliances and business relationships for the company. If you just approach him out of nowhere, he might see it as inappropriate.” Jimin sighed, frowning. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Jimin said. “I understand. I’m sorry for pushing it again.” Namjoon nodded.

“You’re a good friend. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help to you or Taehyung, he and I are starting to find common ground.” Jimin chuckled a bit, nodding.

“I heard,” Jimin admitted. “I’m glad to hear that, Mr. Kim.” As the duo continued down the hallway, Namjoon continued to chat about the meeting, and Jimin listened idly, letting out a soft sigh of frustration at the thought. He knew this would be the reaction he would get, hence why he mentioned it to Taehyung the night before. However, for some reason, hearing it this time frustrated him just a little bit more.

-----------------------------------------

Jimin sat in the back of the meeting that day, listening silently as Namjoon spoke with the CEO of the Korea National University of Arts, as well as all of his right-hand men, who were assisting him in making the right decision. Jimin could barely listen, his gaze darting constantly over to the CEO. Oh Jihoon, a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair and a tightly pressed suit, who had been sitting in his chair with a subtle, yet the consistent smile on his face. Jimin, despite being told no by his boss, tried his hardest to think about when, if at all, he would be able to get a chance to speak to the man. The last time he did that, he got Taehyung a spot at the Ilsan Art Festival. But the time before that…well, Jimin likes to pretend Oh Min-Jae never really happened. His eyes flickered back to Namjoon as he changed the slide on his PowerPoint.

“I believe a business alliance between our company and the school will not only benefit those working on our ends in a legal matter but eventually will start trickling down into the lives of those enrolled in your university. Our CEO and I have already been in discussion about possible events and programs that could help interest these students in a way that better connects to their daily school lives.” Jimin crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat. Namjoon was such a well-spoken individual; anything that he said sounds so well-versed and prepared, even if in reality, he wasn’t saying too much. It was the way he spoke, the way he looked one in the eye when he shared. That’s what truly made him the main topic of these office hallways.

When Jihoon spoke up, almost everyone turned to listen. “I love the idea of boosting student morale through your company. I try to hold as many art shows and events on campus as I can because I know how much it interests the students. As a matter of fact, at the end of the month, I plan to hold a big art show for the celebration of the end of the semester, where the students showcase all they have done.” Jimin immediately snapped his head in the direction of the CEO once again. “In fact, if you’d like to send someone there as a spokesper-.”

“I know just the thing!” Jimin shouted without thinking. When he saw eyes fall on him, he felt his ears heat up, and he crossed his arms. Quickly, he looked towards Namjoon, hoping for a silent sense of reassurance to continue. When he saw Namjoon nod his head gently, he turned to Jihoon again, who was still smiling sweetly. It was almost intimidating given the new context he was in. “My name is Park Jimin, Sir. I have a friend who is a self-made artist and I work as his manager. He’s relatively popular on Instagram too.” Jimin nodded. “I’m more than happy to go as a spokesperson to the event. But maybe having my friend there could generate some more buzz, especially if he brings it to social media.”

The room was silent for a moment, and Jimin was wondering if he should clean his desk out now or later. He’s never been one to speak out at one of these meetings, he knows in terms of the office ranking, he is still rather low on the totem pole. However, for some reason, he wanted to speak up before he lost his chance. Jihoon was silent, lifting a hand to his chin and rubbing it. Jimin could only wait silently, waiting for the moment Jihoon spoke up. Would he amuse the idea, turn it down? That smile was terrifying Jimin now.

Finally, Jihoon spoke up. “…Can you show me some of his work?” Jihoon asked. Jimin had to take a moment to process what the man had said, before fumbling into his pocket for his phone. “No, no,” Jihoon said quickly. “Go get me a good slide show of his work.” Jimin watched him point to the door. “Don’t take offense. I just have poor eyesight, so bigger pictures help me see all of the details.”

“Uhm…yes. I’ll do that.” Jimin turned to Namjoon, nodding his head before excusing himself from the meeting. He hurried down the hall, lifting his phone to his ear as the phone ringing. “Pick up, pick up, pick up…” He mumbled to himself. After a moment of ringing, Jimin overheard the sound of distant screaming, lots of distant screaming. For a moment, he heard Taehyung try to silence several names, before stepping out into the hall.

“Jimin, don’t we have this backward? I’m the one who calls you at work.” Taehyung said, amusement in his voice.

“Do you have five minutes?”

“Uh…the kids finish with me in about 5 minutes. What’s wrong?”

“As soon as they leave, get on the computer and send me the best pictures you have of your best paintings.” Jimin plopped down on his office chair, waving to one of the girls in the next cubicle as he turned on his laptop. Taehyung was silent for a moment, so Jimin didn’t even give him room to speak. “I managed to get the CEO of the university interested in your work so I need to show him your best work.”

“You managed to do it?!” Taehyung gasped. “What about-?”

“I wasn’t supposed to, but he said he’s having a huge school art show. Mr. Kim mentioned sending a spokesperson to the show, and so I offered myself, and you to promote online and go yourself. So, I need some of your best work as soon as possible, okay?”

“Y-yeah. Yeah, yeah! Jimin you’re a god damn mad man and I owe you, my first-born child.” Jimin smiled a bit. “Okay, I see her coming to pick the kids up. Start the presentation and I’ll send them over in 10 minutes tops!”

“Deal.” Jimin quickly got up, and, with his eyes glued to the screen, began creating the skeleton of a PowerPoint that could just so happen to give Taehyung’s art career the boost it truly needed. He grinned to himself as he typed titles, wrote brief descriptions, and formatting them so that once Taehyung sent the photos, he could slip them in and be done.

If he worked fast, he could be done before Namjoon even finished his own presentation.

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“…Why did you want to help me clean up today?” Yoongi asked curiously, looking over at Taehyung as he scooped up a few basketballs laying around the outside basketball court. Taehyung looked over and rubbed his hand into his curly hair.

“Jimin is currently presenting my work to the CEO of the Korean National University of Arts at work. If I stay by myself in my office, I think I might just go insane.” Yoongi couldn’t help it, he had to snicker at the younger man’s nervousness. “It was so last minute; I shuffled the class out of the room and sent him pictures as fast as I could.”

“I’m sure it’ll be just fine then,” Yoongi assured smiling, strengthening his assurance with a kind smile.

“I hope so. Jimin said he’d call me as soon as it ended and he got an answer, and I can’t stop thinking about it.” Taehyung looked at one of the basketballs in his hands, then to the little basketball hoops set up beside the adult-sided ones. “Do you think I can make it?” Yoongi shrugged.

“Probably.” He said simply. “If you make the big one, take it as I sign that you’ll hear good news from Jimin?”

“And if I don’t make it?”

“Then you didn’t get the idea to test your fate on one basketball shot from me.” Both men snickered, but Taehyung did end up turning towards the basketball. Yoongi set the remainder of the balls into a cart, then turned to the male as well. “Remember to aim for the square behind the basket.” Taehyung chuckled at the coach’s comment, shuffling his feet to make sure he had a good stance. Taehyung stared at the hoop for what felt like an eternity, but finally, he extended his arms and sent the ball flying in the air. He and Yoongi watched with bated breath as the ball hit the back of the rim, spinning around for a moment before plopping into the net and onto the floor, gravity forcing it to hit the floor and bounce several times until it rolled off the court. The sound of Yoongi clapping behind him made Taehyung’s shoulders slump as if a new weight had been lifted off his shoulders. As trivial as it was, it made Taehyung feel much better.

Just then, however, his shoulders spiked back up once again as a familiar cellphone ring tone came singing into the court. He turned to it, watching as Yoongi scooped it up, and quickly handed it to him. “It’s Jimin.” He stated.

Taehyung took the phone into his hand, staring at Jimin’s name as he hit the green answer button, and pressed the phone to his ear. Before he could speak, he could already hear a faint sound of Jimin talking to another person on the other side of the line. It made Taehyung’s mind race: was it Namjoon? Was it a coworker? Or was it the CEO? “Jimin?” Taehyung finally called out.

“Oh, thank god you answered.” Jimin gasped, his voice becoming clear once again as he put his phone speaker close to his mouth. “I just finished with the CEO.”

“How did it go?”

When Jimin let out an exhale, it made Taehyung want to kneel on the floor and shove his head into the pavement, like an ostrich that wasn’t looking for food, but instead for the promise of eternal sleep. “There’s good news and bad news….”

“…Which do I want first?” He asked curiously.

“Well let me ask you this question first. Will your boss be able to give you the last Friday of the month off?”

“…I mean, yeah probably…why?”

“Well, sometimes work can be difficult with letting people take time off without notice early in advance,” Jimin stated simply. “But maybe your boss will be generous if you tell him you just got a spot at the biggest art show this side of South Korea.”

Taehyung wasn’t sure how he ended up on the floor of the basketball court, his knees stinging slightly as he collided with the pavement. He saw Yoongi walk closer to him, offering a hand of support, but he was too busy focusing every sense in his body to this phone call.

“Is…is that the good news?” Taehyung asked, but he had to force it out of his mouth. Jimin had to laugh at the other line.

“Yep! I’ll be over tonight, we have a lot of planning to do, Kim Taehyung.”

Taehyung couldn’t even be overjoyed at this moment, instead, he felt like he wanted to cry. “…Jesus, Jimin, you’re insane…” Jimin laughed a bit once again, pride washing over him. “…May I ask what the bad news was, even though it doesn’t matter to me literally at all now…”

Jimin huffed. “Well, the bad news is, because of my interruption of the entire meeting, Namjoon has made me not only be the spokesperson but has given me paperwork to last me until you have that first-born you promised me this afternoon…”

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animeniacss · 4 years

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A Palette of Emotions - Artist!Taehyng x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 12 - Friday Night Approaches

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 4.6k words

Chapter 12 - Friday Night Approaches

“Hyung?”

“And he just asks her out, practically in front of the whole class! That was so inappropriate, don’t you think, Jungkook?”

“Uh-huh…” The poor boy had been sitting on Taehyung’s couch for about an hour. He arrived as soon as Taehyung got off of work that day, excited for his first meeting with his new mentor. He wasn’t sure what he was going to expect, but he did not expect it to be this. Jungkook held a manila folder in his grasp, lips pursed together as he watched the black-haired teacher storm back and forth before him.

“I knew it. God, maybe I should call his boss about how inappropriate he was, maybe that’ll teach them.”

“Didn’t she say not to get involved in her business? You think that will solve it?”

“How will she know it was me who called? I won’t give them my name.” Taehyung seemed a little too proud of his logic, putting his hands on his hips. Jungkook blinked, staring up at his Hyung, confusion etched all over his features. “…What?”

“Hyung…you’re the only one who seems bothered about this. Why would Mr. Kim call his boss on himself, and why wouldn’t she do it if she’s upset that it happened? Why would she have even said yes if she didn’t want to go? Her friend, Hoseok-Hyung doesn’t seem to be this passionate about it.” Taehyung crossed his arms, brows furrowed together in annoyance.

“Yes, he is. I saw it in his eyes, he’s just too nice to say anything.”

“Uh…uh-huh.” Jungkook leaned back on the couch. “Wasn’t she mean to you just a few weeks ago? Why do you suddenly care?”

“Well yeah, but…well, we’re not fighting anymore. At least I don’t think…” Taehyung ran a hand through his hair, and Jungkook felt his shoulders slump when Taehyung continued his frantic pacing back and forth in front of the couch. “Besides, whether she hated me or not, Namjoon is creepy. I’m just trying to protect her.”

“…Mr. Kim is my boss.” Jungkook hummed. Taehyung groaned.

“So, you’re biased.”

“I think you’re overreacting,” Jungkook said. “Mr. Kim is really nice and probably too awkward for his good. He has a good son and is a good father. He has a good job and is well respected. I think you should just let her go on the dates and figure it out for herself.” Jungkook watched Taehyung cross his arms and hum. “…Unless you-.”

“What? Unless I what, Jungkook?” Taehyung asked, eyes darting in the younger boy’s direction. When he saw the boy jump just slightly, he blinked. “…Sorry.” A playful smirk formed across the younger boy’s face, and that made Taehyung feel a world of uneasy. Why was he smirking?

“Nothing. Now-.” Taehyung saw Jungkook push a manila envelope in his direction. “Will you finally look at my work?” Taehyung sighed, nodding as he took the folder from him. Taehyung plopped on the couch beside him, and Jungkook shimmed over just slightly to offer him some room.

“Alright, alright. I’m sorry, you’re right. I appreciate you letting me vent about your boss for an hour.” He hummed, and Jungkook only chuckled a bit. “Let’s see what we got here…” When Taehyung flipped open the manila envelope, he was expecting some decent, yet still pretty amateur works. He was expecting colors to be mixed adequately, maybe some smudging or poor color choices. Something he could work on. Just ….

…something…

When Taehyung opened the folder and looked at the first picture inside, it felt as if Taehyung had been transported to a beautiful serene lake in the middle of spring, somewhere secluded, like the countryside or a foreign land. The colors were muted, but still noticeable. The peaks of the mountains in the distance were beautifully pointy, not a drop of paint was out of place. The lake was so crystal clear, Taehyung had to double-take that he didn’t see his reflection. This painting was…stunning.

Taehyung lifted his head, expression still of shock and confusion, as he stared at the kid before him. Jungkook blinked, seemingly nervous – why the fuck was he nervous – about what Taehyung had to say. Taehyung sighed, flipping to the second picture in his portfolio. This one looked as if it has been drawn with only colored pens, but it was once again a vision. A shadowy man stared back at him, only a few features heavily decorated with color to bring out his eyes, nose contour, or the scar the dragged red pen eerily down his left eye. Taehyung had to keep his jaw from hitting the floor.

“What do you think?” he heard Jungkook asked. Taehyung looked in his direction.

“What do I think? I think you’re fucking with me.” Taehyung handed Jungkook back the folder. Almost immediately, he took it, the younger-looking confused, more so than he had all evening. “You think I’m a joke or something?”

“What? N-no, of course not!” He gasped.

“Your art is leagues better than mine and you want me to mentor you? I don’t buy it.” Jungkook flipped open the folder once again, and Taehyung heard a frantic whimper emit from the boy’s mouth. Finally, he held up the mountain painting again.

“Like I said at the art festival, Hyung. I just paint it. You paint.”

“I still have no fucking idea what that means.” Taehyung huffed.

“Everything I’ve ever seen you do, from your big canvases to your tiny sketches, you do with passion. I don’t…I don’t have that. I just paint, I just put things together. It looks nice, I guess, but if someone looked at this, what would they think? ‘It’s pretty?’, ‘He’s talented?’ I got into your artwork because it tells a story, that’s what inspired me to do my paintings. But when I did….” Taehyung watched Jungkook plopped the picture down onto the folder again. “I didn’t feel anything. I didn’t feel pride or passion, and that’ll convey in my work. You say so yourself all over social media that your emotions tell a story.”

“…I do, don’t I?” Taehyung leaned back in his seat and groaned. “So, you…want me to teach you how to be passionate?”

“Mhm.” Jungkook nodded, as eager as ever. Taehyung had to admit, Jungkook was too hard to resist with that little doe-eyed stare. He couldn’t believe this was happening, he had no idea how to teach someone how to find their passion, he just had no idea!

“Okay, I guess I don’t have much else to lose.” He huffed. He could see Jungkook beam a little smile in excitement. “I have no idea when I’m going to be free, though. Maybe weekends?”

“Sure. I usually know far in advance when Mr. Kim needs me to babysit Kai, so I can work around that.” Taehyung nodded. “I look forward to working with you.” He said happily. Taehyung couldn’t help but smile a bit at his little friend.

“Yeah, yeah, alright.” Jungkook watched Taehyung get off the couch and make his way towards the kitchen. “Let me grab us something to drink.” He hummed, before disappearing behind the entranceway. Jungkook scanned the room, the sound of distant water running on the sink the only real noise he could hear. Jungkook stood up, walking towards the walls that were decorated with all of Taehyung’s finished canvases. They added so much clutter to the room, yet so much color and personality. Jungkook couldn’t help but admire each one that his eyes fell upon.

“He is something, isn’t he?” Jungkook mumbled to himself. As his eyes continued to scan, they landed on his desk, as dirty as ever. Multiple paintbrushes poked out from a white mug, which held down a stack of scattered papers. “Wow…” Jungkook walked over, sticking his hands in his pockets as he leaned in to get a closer look. When he did, he noticed a smaller piece of paper resting on the top of his most current stack of progress. When he got a closer look, he noticed a familiar face doodled on one of the pictures. He noticed two space buns, wrapped in uncolored ribbon. He noticed a smile spreading ear to ear and eyes dotted with excitement and wonder.

He noticed you, and quite frankly, he didn’t expect to.

“Aw…” He pursed his lips. Just as he lifted his hand to pick up the paper, he heard a voice.

“Sorry, did I catch you at a bad time?” When Jungkook looked up, he saw Taehyung walking in his direction, two cups of water in his hands. Jungkook could see he wasn’t pleased with how he caught Jungkook.

“Sorry, I just got distracted looking around,” Jungkook muttered sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. Taehyung sighed, simply passing Jungkook the cup, which he took quickly. “…I saw your drawing of-.”

“Why are you snooping?” Taehyung asked again.

Jungkook avoided the question with a smile. “It looks nice. Just like her too. Is it a present for her?”

“What? No way.” An annoyed Taehyung lifted the cup of water to his mouth, sipping the contents down eagerly. Jungkook pursed his lips. “It’s just something I made.”

“I think she would like it.”

“No, she wouldn’t. She would probably think I was weird.”

“Why would she?” Jungkook paused after his initial question. Then, a grin formed on his face, one Taehyung was starting to realize he wasn’t too big of a fan of the more he saw it.

“You’re making that face again.” Taehyung hissed, eyes narrowing.

“I knew it. You like her, don’t you?” He asked. Taehyung, at that moment, wanted to die. He wanted to curl up in a ball and hide away from the rest of the world. He never wanted to come back out into the world. Just as Jungkook said that another deep voice hit the back of his mind like a vicious drum.

Do you have a crush on her or something?

“Like her? Jungkook, come on? I know I didn’t know you a few months ago, but she wasn’t the nicest to me for the longest time.”

“And you return the favor of constant verbal abuse through drawing a stunning picture that identifies all of her best features?” Jungkook snorted. “You don’t hold a grudge long, do you?”

As Jungkook finally took a sip of his drink, Taehyung felt his eyebrow twitch. “You damn brat.”

“I’m just saying. If you like her, it’s very obvious.”

“I don’t like her. Not in the way you think, anyway. Stop minding other people’s business, and that’s the last time I’m going to tell you.” Jungkook’s devilish smile diminished into a pout, and he nodded.

“Right…sorry, Hyung.” He said. Taehyung sighed, trying to hide his blush behind the glass cup he pressed between his lips. It didn’t work.

“It’s fine, just forget it.” He huffed. “So, do you plan to stay for dinner? Because I’m ordering pizza.”

“Oh no. My mom wants me home tonight. I’m behind on my homework and she doesn’t want me out of the house until it’s done.”

Taehyung blinked, raising an eyebrow. “So…how did you end up here?” Once again, that devilish grin formed on the younger boy’s face.

“I snuck out.” He said. Taehyung stood up, slapping the boy on the shoulder as he began to laugh. “I know, I know. I don’t do it often, but I wanted to come and see you as soon as I could to make sure you’d take me on.”

“I’m not taking you on anything until you catch up on your studies, you little punk!” Taehyung snapped, nudging Jungkook once again as he grinned. “Get home and catch up on your studies, they’re important, you know.”

“I know, I know. Okay, I’m going.” Jungkook couldn’t help but laugh as he was shoved towards the door by Taehyung. “Bye, Hyung.” He grinned.

“Yeah, get home safe,” Taehyung said, waving the boy off as he headed down the hallway. Taehyung closed the door, locking it before walking towards his kitchen and tossing himself into one of the chairs. Slowly, he lowered his head onto the table and let out a frustrated groan. “I’m turning into my mother…” he mumbled silently to himself, dread washing over him at the thought. As that thought came and went into his mind, yet another was sure to follow right behind it.

Jungkook was probably right, and that thought was beginning to piss him off.

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“What are you going to wear?” Hoseok asked, poking his head up from the yellow table in the room that he was currently scrubbing violently with soap and water. You glanced over at him, tugging your hair back so it did not cover your eyes.

“Wear? I have no idea.” You said simply.

“Well, where is he taking you?”

“He said to dinner. He made reservations at a nice place.”

“Oooh? Where?” You could hear that Hoseok sounded like he was forcing the conversation just slightly. It annoyed you whenever he would do this.

“He said it’s a surprise.” He had told you over the phone last night, but with Hoseok being this pushy, you had no intention of sharing that information with him. A childish whine emanated from his lips, but he knew you stood your ground, and thus, stopped pestering. “Why do you care anyway? You have your own life, Hobi.”

“I know, I just like being in the know about things, I guess.”

“I know. You always have.” You huffed, earning a giggle from your friend. “If you are so curious, then I’ll tell you Monday morning.”

“What?! Not even Friday night? I have to wait for the entire weekend?” The disbelief in his voice made you have to cover your mouth for a laugh, especially when he whined your name. “Oh come on, now, I don’t have to deal with children in this room for another 20 minutes, so don’t go all actor Hoseok on me.” Hoseok huffed, putting his hands on his hips.

“Okay, fine, you win.” He said. You watched as he walked towards the cabinet in the far-left corner of the room, storing away the cleaning supplies for later.

“Can you do me a favor? Maybe it’ll speed time up for you.” You hummed. Hoseok turned to you as you collected a stack of hastily put together works, handing it to him. “Can you hang up these crafts? Taehyung made them earlier this week and the kids wanted them up on the bulletin board outside. I thought we could surprise them with it.”

“Sure. But only for a price.” Hoseok said. Your eyebrow cocked in confusion as to what he meant by price. “I get to take you on a date too~.” He grinned.

“A date? Hmmm…how about we do dinner, wine, and movies on Friday night soon? Like old times?” You asked. Hoseok’s lips tugged together in a tight line as he thought about it, before finally nodding.

“Deal.” You passed him the crafts, and Hoseok spun on his heel, heading out the door towards the bulletin board outside of the room. He quickly got to work making room to hang up their glued together rainbows and cotton-ball clouds, which they made in anticipation of the middle of the week thunderstorms. Hoseok began stapling projects up, humming a little tune as he worked.

He was so in his world, that he began thinking about Friday. He did have a plan, he normally did if they were not with you, but that wasn’t the point. You never knew how much your date nights killed him on the inside, how much more alone he felt, knowing you were with another guy, laughing and smiling arm and arm. It killed him just to think about, which is why he busied his schedules those nights as much as he could. Your nights with him were fun, and meant the world to him, but were few and far between due to your heavy workloads. Anytime you spent together outside of the building was usually to plan lessons, create manipulatives and handouts, or plan exciting events. Anytime with you with good for him, though, he had no room to complain when you were by his side.

Hoseok was so in his world, that he didn’t hear the sound of a deep voice approaching until the word “HYUNG?!” right in his ear made him jump six feet in the air. When he looked over his shoulder, Taehyung was standing there, a concerned look on his face. “You okay? You were spacing out.”

“Oh yeah, just in my world.” Hoseok chuckled a bit. “Did you need something?”

“What are you doing Friday night?” Taehyung asked curiously. Hoseok blinked.

Is this kid reading my mind?

“Oh uh, well I have dinner plans with my older sister,” Hoseok said. He saw Taehyung’s shoulders slump. “Sorry, why? Something up?”

“No. I just wanted to make plans with someone.”

“Aww, I’m sorry. Next time, okay?” Hoseok grinned, turning to pat Taehyung on the shoulder. Taehyung nodded. “Good, I’ll clear my schedule.” Hoseok immediately turned back to the bulletin board. “They look cute hung up, don’t you think?”

“Oh yeah.” Taehyung scanned the entire bulletin board as it began to get filled up with colorful rainbows and puffy clouds. “It looks really cute. I’m glad she agreed to hang them up over here.” Hoseok nodded in agreement. Then, he watched Taehyung squeeze by him, making his way into your classroom.

You were busy cleaning up the final parts of the room when Taehyung walked in. You smiled, tucking hair behind your ear. “Morning.” You said happily.

“Hey.” Taehyung hummed, smiling a bit. “I uh…just wanted to apologize about getting in your business yesterday. Not sure what’s come over me, heh…” You chuckled.

“It’s whatever. I appreciate the apology though, and I’m sure your intentions are only good.” Taehyung nodded, and you chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. Just…mind your business, okay?” You teased, and Taehyung had to chuckle. There was a moment of silence that fell over you two until you clapped your hands against your dress. “Okay! Well, I need to finish setting up, so-.”

“Oh, okay. Sorry. I’ll go.” Taehyung nodded, waving his hand before leaving you alone in the room. When he stepped out, he waved to Hoseok before heading into his room and closing the door behind him. When he was alone in his room, he let out a soft sigh.

He wasn’t sorry about getting into her business, but he would be damned if he let their relationship sour once again because of his idiocy.

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Taehyung sat lazily on his couch, his limbs sprawled out as far as they would allow, one draped over the back of the couch while the other rested down the side and onto the floor. His feet were propped up on the other end, swaying back and forth as if they had a mind of their own. Taehyung knew tonight was the night Namjoon had finally succeeded in landed a date with you, and ever since he knew about it, he was dreading the day. The day finally arrived, and all he felt was an immense sense of jealousy and annoyance. He didn’t care about Namjoon, no matter what Jimin said about him or how kind and well-raised his son seemed to be. He was pushy and clingy and it wasn’t cute, at least not to him. But you didn’t seem to want to hear it, brushing off Taehyung’s concerns as nothing but a fit of ridiculous jealousy. That’s what all his friends said it was, but it still hurt! The lonely single held a beer tightly in his hand that rested on the floor, only raising it to bring the opening of the can to his lips and take a sip. Everyone was busy tonight, everyone except for Taehyung. He didn’t even have the inspiration to throw himself into his work, his works in progress remaining in progress, and most likely will for the rest of the night.

I should probably do something to get my mind off of it. He thought to himself. Groaning, Taehyung ripped himself off of the couch, running his hand through his hair as he walked to his desk. He plopped himself down on the chair and scanned the piles of various doodles. His hand landed on top of them gently, spreading them out so that he could get a better view. As he scanned his work, the multiple doodles he had done of you over the past few weeks had felt as if he was staring back. They were nothing amazing, nothing groundbreaking, but every time he saw them, he felt a bit happier. As he rested back in his seat, he heard a faint vibrating noise coming from his coffee table. Spinning around, he saw his phone, glowing and shaking as it desperately called for Taehyung to come to pick it up. He was quick to oblige, leaning forward and grabbing ahold of his phone. As he did, a familiar face showed up on the caller ID. Hoseok-Hyung, squished between two sun emojis, flashed on top of a picture of Hoseok and Taehyung that Jimin had taken at the art show. Hoseok and Taehyung had found some paper mâché masks at one of the vendor spots and had put them on with childlike excitement. Taehyung quickly answered the call.

“Hello?” He hummed.

“Want to go get dinner?” Hoseok’s voice hummed on the other end.

“Dinner? I thought you had plans tonight with your sister.”

“I did. She had to reschedule last minute. She was called into work to fix something with her fashion line.” Hoseok explained. “She already made the reservation for two at a restaurant near me, so she said I could still use it. So, I thought I would invite you. I don’t want to eat alone, hehe.”

“Uhm….” Taehyung looked over at the clock on the wall. It was already close to 9 p.m. It was just now that Taehyung realized he was starving. Alcohol didn’t seem to count as dinner for him, did it? “Can you give me fifteen minutes?”

“Yeah! I’ll send the address and wait outside for you. See you soon~.”

“Bye, Hyung,” Taehyung said before he heard his friend hang up. Taehyung spun back around to his sea of pictures and pencil stacks just staring at him in the face. He wasn’t sure how long he had done that, but he felt his stomach grumble again, and he finally got up and went into his room to make himself look somewhat presentable.

Hopefully, this would be enough to take his mind off of everything else.

--------------------------

“Taehyung! Over here!” Hoseok shouted, his high-pitched voice piercing through the crowd of people lingering in and around the restaurant’s entrance. Taehyung fixed his jacket just slightly as he approached his friend.

“Hope I’m not late.” He said. “The train was a few minutes behind schedule.” Hoseok shrugged.

“Not a problem. Hope you’re hungry.” With a friendly, yet firm pat on the shoulder, Taehyung was led into the restaurant with his Hyung. The restaurant was stunning, brightly lit by tons of massive chandeliers that covered the entirety of the tall ceilings. Archways led guests into different areas of the establishment, each one even more than the last. As Taehyung looked around, he saw beautiful women adorning stunning dresses and jewels, while the men wore freshly pressed suits and shoes. Taehyung felt as if he was back at Mr. Oh’s art show, just by looking at the people there. This was most likely where people like that got together, and honestly, it was extremely intimidating. He watched as Hoseok followed the hostess, both of them chatting. Taehyung kept his hands in his pockets as he followed silently, his teeth chewing on the inside of his bottom lip a bit.

“Here you are.” The hostess said, motioning to their elegant booth. Taehyung and Hoseok thanked the man before they slid into the booth. Taehyung continued to look around, and Hoseok smiled.

“You look overwhelmed.” He said.

“I didn’t think we’d be going somewhere this elaborate. How can you afford this on your teacher’s salary?”

“My sister made the reservation, I said. She’s made a pretty big name for herself on Instagram with her fashion line.”

“Oh wow,” Taehyung said. “I never knew that.”

“She doesn’t like me talking about it too much,” Hoseok admitted.

“I feel like you’re trying to ask me out with this.” Taehyung joked, and Hoseok laughed.

“Noooooo.” Hoseok hummed. “I didn’t offer to pay for your half after all.” When he saw Taehyung’s eyes go extremely wide, he began to laugh. “I’m kidding.”

“Thank God. I doubt I could’ve ever afforded anything. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much money in my life.” Hoseok chuckled as the waiter approached once again, filling both of their glasses with some sparkling water before offering them menus. He greeted himself, shared off the specials, and then left them alone to make their decisions for a few moments. Taehyung skimmed the page of options with wide eyes, unsure what he should pick. There weren’t many options, but everyone left his mouth-watering from the description below. By the time he finally made a decision and set his menu down, Hoseok had already leaned back in his seat, fiddling with his glass of water.

“Know what you want?” He asked curiously. Taehyung nodded. “Awesome.” He grinned. The waiter approached their table a few moments later, a smile on his face as Hoseok and Taehyung prepared to share their orders. As Hoseok was sharing him, Taehyung looked around, still wanting to take in the breathtaking scenery before him. It felt as if he had stepped into a painting, and he couldn’t stop staring. He wasn’t staring at anything specific, just staring. However, as his eyes scanned the massive archway leading into their section of the restaurant, he caught a familiar sight. Behind the same hostess that had seated them, the six-foot-tall Kim Namjoon was strolling in. His hair was slicked back, and he was wearing yet another pressed suit, much like all of the other men in the room, however, he was all black. The undershirt, the tuxedo jacket, even the tie. It was all black. Taehyung had to admit, even if it was only to himself, he looked pretty dashing. Kim Taehyung felt his ears boil a stinging red at the sight of the smug bastard, wanting to peel his eyes away the moment he laid his eyes on him.

However, as soon as he saw the lady on Kim Namjoon’s arm, his eyes refused to pull away even for a mere second to blink.

You were strolling beside Kim Namjoon, wearing a stunning white party dress. It fell to your knees, where it flared out into beautifully laid creases and folds. The top of the dress exposed the lovely necklace adorning your neck, as the dress’s sleeves were off the shoulder, wrapping around your arms. Your hair was out of its usual school bun or ponytail. It was the first time he had to seem your full head of hair, how lovely it flowed down your back, and framed your face. He could see traces of light makeup on your face, which was pretty good since he was looking from a distance. As he took one final look over you, he saw your feet adorning white heels. That final look was enough to catch his entire breath in his throat.

You were an absolute vision, and he would be lying if he knew he wanted so badly to be the man on your arm.

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animeniacss · 4 years

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A Palette of Emotions - Artist!Taehyung x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 6 - Art Class

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 5.2k words

Chapter 6 - Art Class

Taehyung had to admit, he was excited for the first day. Decorating the welcome banner with the kids through painting was something that everyone seemed to get behind, especially the kids. Taehyung looked around, holding a clipboard in his hands as he headed towards the paint. He still had a few things left to set up, but he wanted to learn their names so he could get started. As he was fumbling about, Hoseok tapped his shoulder.

“I’ll set up the rest of the paint, go meet the kids.” He said happily, grinning. Taehyung nodded, hurrying back towards the group of children anxiously waiting for their instructions.

“Okay,” Taehyung said, plopping himself right beside Yuna, who was grinning ear to ear. “I’ll take attendance so I can learn everyone’s name.”

“You already know my name,” Yuna interjected, and Taehyung smiled.

“I know I do.”

“Well, my name is Kai!” Kai said quickly, lifting his hand.

“I’m Yeonjun!” Before Taehyung knew it, the kids were eagerly shouting out their names in hopes that Taehyung could remember them. As he looked around as the shouting children, he laughed a bit, somewhat out of amusement, but mostly out of nervousness. He had no idea how to settle these kids, and he didn’t want to mess up day one. However, a loud clap rang through the room and it all went silent almost immediately. You could almost hear a pin drop. The kids looked towards the sound of the clap, as did Taehyung, and saw none other than Hoseok. This was the first time Taehyung saw Hoseok with anything other than a grin on his face, as a stern frown stood in its usual spot.

“Boys and girls, you’re being very rude shouting at Mr. Kim! He can’t learn all your names if you all yell them at once! I don’t know if Teacher will be happy if she comes back and finds out you’re already being rude, huh?”

“…Yes, Mr. Hobi…” The kids mumbled, shifting back to their sitting positions. Hoseok nodded.

“Good. Now listen, or there’s not going to be any painting.” Taehyung saw Hoseok look at him, and almost as quickly as the clap, Hoseok’s grin returned on his face. “There you go.”

“Uh, thank you…” Taehyung nodded. “Okay…” Lifting his clipboard, he began to read off the names. Students such as Yeji, Soobin, Taehyun, and Yuna, provided polite little greetings and hellos, while rambunctious students such as Beomgyu, Kai, and Ryujin were throwing their hands up with a great big cheer and an even greater big hello. It made Taehyung smile. “Alright, so today I just want to learn about who you all are. We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other. So, what’s a better way than finger painting?” The kids gasped, a few having to cover their mouths to avoid whispering about how excited they were. “Mr. Hobi is putting all of the paint into plates that we’ll have on the floor for you to use, but we need to make sure we’re keeping the paint on this paper okay?” Taehyung pointed to the paper. “Everyone put your hands on it.” The kids immediately leaned forward, their hands slapping onto the paper. “Say ‘I’m going to keep the paint on the paper!’”

“I’M GOING TO KEEP THE PAINT ON THE PAPER!” The sea of children screamed in unison, grinning. Taehyung chuckled as he got up.

“Perfect.” Taehyung stood up, walking over to Hoseok, who was beginning to set paper plates full of different colored paints on the floor, giving the children easy access to a wide variety of colors. “I want you to decorate the entire banner, then when it dries, we can hang it back up!” The kids wasted no time, sticking their hands in the colorful goo before smearing it across the white banner before them. Taehyung stood above the children, watching as they scribbled and drew whatever came to mind as far as their arms could reach. As he walked past Chaeryeong, he plopped down beside her, making her lookup. “What are you making?”

“I’m making a princess.” She said, pointing to the crudely drawn figure, whose head was slightly too big for the dainty dress, yet whose twig arms and legs shot out of the dress like arrows being fired from their bow.

“Oh, a princess. She just needs her crown.” Taehyung pointed to the little spot above her head, and Chaeryeong nodded, pointing to the yellow paint that was currently being used by Yeonjun and Jisu, who made sure to include that she preferred to go by her nickname Lia.

“I’m waiting.” She said happily. Taehyung smiled a bit as he got up, continuing to watch the rest of the kids as they painted. With every step he took, every enjoyable squeal and giggle coming from the mouths of these children, the color was spreading all over the page, personality and imagination pouring out of the hands of preschoolers. As he passed by Seokjin, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“You’re doing a great job.” He said. “This project is a great introduction for everyone and it’s going to look cute when it dries.” Taehyung felt as if a huge weight fell off of his shoulders, and he grinned.

“Thank you.” He said. “I’m just glad that the children like this.”

“These kids never finger paint,” Hoseok said. “It’s too messy.” Taehyung raised an eyebrow curiously.

“Yeah, that’s the point.” He said. “I’ll never understand why she’s such a stickler for that stuff.” Suddenly, it happened.

“Oops.”

“Uh-oh.”

“Mr. Kim!”

“You’re in so much trouble, Yeonjunie…” These scattered mutters of stunned children were suddenly overshadowed by a sound of light sniffling. When the three teachers looked in the direction of the noise, their eyes widened. Chaeryeong was sitting in front of her picture of the princess, and Taehyung immediately noticed the problem. On top of her adorable pink princess was a splatter of yellow paint. Not only that, but her little preschool uniform was covered in the yellow goo as well, some of it tangled in the tips of her hair. Yeonjun sat beside her, eyes widened. His hands were covered with yellow paint, lifted in Chaeryeong’s direction. He immediately looked towards the teachers, watching as Taehyung walked over.

“I didn’t mean to…” he said softly. “I just turned to fast. I promise…” Taehyung could hear the trembling in his voice as he knelt beside the whimpering and sniffling Chaeryeong.

“Are you okay?” he asked gently. She looked up at him, sniffling.

“He flicked me with my paint and ruined my picture!” She hiccupped, unable to control her tears.

“No!” Yeonjun said quickly. “It was an accident!” Taehyung scanned the rest of the children, who were staring intensely at the scene before them, wanting to know what the outcome would be. Taehyung leaned over to one of the tables, grabbing a little box of tissues. He pulled a few out and handed them to the sniffling little girl.

“Wipe yourself up, okay?” He said gently. “I’ll tell your teacher and we can get you cleaned up…” Chaeryeong, finding herself calmed by Taehyung’s deep and gentle voice, took the tissues and attempted to clean herself up. Taehyung used a tissue to get some of the paint out of her hair before it began to dry. “There we go.” The two of them looked down at her pink princess, the adorable drawing now given a slash of yellow paint across the dress, strawberry lemonade instead of just an adorable little strawberry. “Do you want to remake your princess on another part of the banner?” Chaeryeong nodded, wiping her eyes.

“Mhm…” she said softly. Taehyung nodded, offering his hand to her. The little girl put her hand in his and got up, following him to a different part of the banner, where there was still an ample amount of room for her to redo her picture. When she sank back down onto the floor, she leaned towards a plate of red paint, dipping her fingers inside as she got right back to work. Taehyung still noticed her glossy eyes and could see she was still upset and embarrassed about what happened. His eyes immediately lifted to Yeonjun, who was turned to Hoseok, trying to explain himself. He too had glossy eyes and a quivering lip.

“It was an accident, Mr. Hobi, promise.” He choked out. Hoseok nodded.

“I know but we need to be careful,” Hoseok said gently, motioning to the abandoned picture. “See what happens when we don’t listen to the rules?” Yeonjun nodded.

“…What should you say?” Taehyung asked, making both Hoseok and Yeonjun look at him. When he noticed the slight confusion on the child’s face, he offered a slight smile. “What do you say when you do something wrong?”

“…Sorry, Chaeryeong,” Yeonjun called. The little girl looked up.

“It’s okay…” she said. “I made her dress even bigger now…” Yeonjun leaned forward slightly from the other side of the banner to try and take a look. “I’m not sad no more.” She assured, grinning a bit. Taehyung sighed, running a hand through his hair as the children finally got back to work.

“That’s just one of the millions of issues you’ll come across, I’m sure,” Seokjin said, patting Taehyung on the shoulder with a supportive grip. “They’re a handful, but they’re good.”

“I guess she did teach them well, huh?” Taehyung chuckled a bit. As he continued to walk around, his eyes continued to check the time. He still needed to gauge how much time it would take for the kids to get cleaned up and ready to be sent back to you before you returned from down the hall.

He had no idea what kind of process he was in for.

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When you walked into the room after a good forty minutes of silent lesson planning, you had no idea what to expect. How would Taehyung’s first day go, providing children who still could barely count past their ten fingers paint to dip those fingers in? You wanted to sneak a peek many a time as you typed days of lessons away, however, you didn’t want to seem pushy. So, as soon as your alarm went off, you shut down your computer and hopped out of your seat and practically rushed out of the classroom, having to slow your pace just slightly the closer you got to the next room. As you got closer and closer, the sound of children giggling and squealing could be heard.

“Yeonjun did you wash your hands?”

“Yes, Sir!”

“Ryujin!”

“Oh, I forgot!”

“I said it three times, you’re the only one who is in line with dirty hands.”

“Mr. Kim, look! I’m helping Mr. Hobi! Does that mean I get to put another thumbprint by my name?”

“Don’t do that, Kai! Now you need to wash your hands again, just look at them!”

“Oh yeah…”

The sound of Taehyung’s voice frantically scrambling to clean the kids up was amusing. It even made a cocky grin form on your face. You had to see this chaos with your own eyes, you just couldn’t help it. Finally, you pushed open the door and stepped inside. Upon entering, you saw a line of children standing in front of the sink. Taehyung was helping them scrub their hands with soap and water, while those who were done were told to line up by the door and wait. The keyword here was told. You could see a few kids ready to go, such as Yeji and Taehyun, however, Yeonjun and Kai were standing by the table where Hoseok was cleaning up some of the paint plates, tossing them into the garbage while he put the closed bottles into a cabinet.

“Can we help?” Yeonjun asked curiously.

“No. What were you told to do?”

“But I wanna help.”

“Yeonjun.”

“….Okay…” He pouted, finally sulking with his friend off to the line. When he saw you standing at the door, his eyes lit up. “Teacher!” He shouted. Just hearing that turned your cocky grin into a beaming on, as you knelt to see five students surround you.

“How was the art class?” You asked curiously.

“We painted that whole banner! Look what I made!” Kai took your hand, leading you along with the other children to the banner that was moved to the corner of the room to dry. “I write my name, and that parts me!”

“That’s so good.” You said happily, kneeling. “You’ve gotten better at writing your name, haven’t you?” Kai nodded, grinning proudly. He nestled himself into your arms and continued to show you things he made before you gently reminded him that it was time to let someone else have a turn. Kai nodded, remaining in your embrace as more kids approached. A few other children took your hand into theirs, wide eyes eagerly pointing to the stuff that they created. You tried to listen to one at a time, but they were all so excited to share with you that you ended up having to listen to 14 conversations at once. As you were doing so, you looked over to see Chaeryeong take your hand. When you got a good look, you immediately noticed the faded yellow paint on her uniform and the drying water that was washed over it. “W-what on earth happened to your uniform?”

“Yeonjunie spilled yellow paint all over Chaeryeong’s dress, Teacher.” Yuna quickly cut in, her head poking into your view as she took your hand. You blinked, immediately turning towards Taehyung, who was just now finally turning off the water at the sink. The faint voice of little Yeonjun once again trying to defend himself was heard, but you chose to ignore him, instead of heading towards Taehyung as he wiped down the sink with a paper towel.

“I told you this would happen if you used to paint.” You hissed under your breath. Taehyung didn’t look up at you, simply continuing to clean as if you were not there.

“I don’t plan for the negatives, unlike you. It was the only thing that happened and they had fun. What’s the big deal?”

“Now her uniform is cover in yellow paint. I have extra changes of clothes; I could’ve gotten that stain out if you sent her back earlier.”

“She wanted to keep painting. Besides, all the paint comes out in the wash. I handled it; she’ll be fine until she goes home.” You scoffed. Before you could continue to release your anger at Taehyung, Hoseok quickly approached you.

“Hey, don’t worry. It wasn’t that big of a deal.” He assured, offering you a hopeful smile. “If you want, I’ll explain to her mom later. It was an accident.” You sighed, running a hand through your hair.

“I just don’t want her spending the day in dirty clothes. It can be uncomfortable.”

“She hasn’t complained,” Taehyung assured. Your eyebrow twitched, and Taehyung was quick to notice. “But I understand where you’re coming from.” He said quickly.

“Let’s just get them back.” You said simply, turning your attention once again back to Taehyung. “Thank you.” You walked back to the front of the line, gently offering your hand to Chaeryeong. “What do we say to Mr. Kim, everyone?” The group of kids turned to Taehyung, who was still holding that wet paper towel in his hand. They bowed in his direction, before standing up.

“Thank you, Mr. Kim!” They cheered, beaming. Taehyung blinked, feeling an overwhelming feeling overtake his chest, a feeling of overwhelming happiness and…honor? He wasn’t too sure what that other feeling was, all he knew was that he felt so happy to have spent the past 40 minutes finger painting. You took a moment to study his face, before letting out a soft sigh.

“You should come out to the playground at the end of the day. I’m sure the kids would love to play with you and see them off.” You offered. Taehyung blinked, the sound of scattered gasps of excitement filling the room for a moment before Hoseok quickly encouraged them to stay silent.

“Uh. Yeah, sure. That sounds fun.” He smiled. You nodded.

“See you then.” You said, “Let’s go, everyone.” As you headed out, a few kids offered quick and scattered goodbyes to Taehyung once again, grinning.

“Bye~.” Hoseok waved, following the kids out. Taehyung watched them go.

“Teacher, Mr. Kim said we all got good day thumbprints. If we get 10, we get a prize!” Yuna said as she followed behind you in line.

“Wow, I can’t wait to hear all about it back in the classroom.” You said, before disappearing around the corner, each kind following behind with every step that was taken. Once they were gone, Seokjin closed the door, leaving him and Taehyung as the only two in the room.

“Day one is complete.” He cheered, clapping his hands. “Congratulations.”

“Was she upset that I used the paint?” He asked.

“I don’t think so. She’s more upset that you used paint and fewer kids got messy.” Seokjin grinned. “She’ll come around. You keep doing what you’re doing and the kids are going to have a great time.” Taehyung nodded. “I need to get back to my office, but let me know if you need anything okay?”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you.” Taehyung said. Seokjin nodded.

“Awesome. Go take your lunch and rest. You’ve earned it. Mr. Kim.” Seokjin chuckled to himself, before finally excusing himself and walking out of the room. Taehyung walked to his desk, sinking back in his chair. Finally, he got to take in the past forty minutes that he had just experienced, from the hectic attendance to the even more hectic clean up. A chuckle escaped his lips as he lifted his phone, turning it on to see multiple texts for Jimin from the past forty minutes. 4 texts to be exacted.

Have a good day! Fighting! (12:25 p.m.)

Call me when you can! (12:45 p.m.)

Let me know if you find Namjoon-Hyung’s son! He’s super cute. His name is Kai! (12:59 p.m.)

You dead yet? (1:15 p.m.)

Taehyung snickered, finally opening up his messages and being sure to reply with a simple thumbs-up emoji. After that, he tossed his phone onto his desk and reached into his bag for his lunch. He hadn’t realized until the kids left that he was starving, his attention was 100% dedicated to them.

And he didn’t care in the least.

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The rest of the day went smoothly, the children had gotten their art out of their systems and were ready to move onto the rest of the afternoon lessons. The kids gathered around and spoke to you about the art class. They told you about the paint incident, the behavior chart, the prizes, anything they could think of. Kids even repeated things that their friends said, that was how excited they were about the new class. It made you happy to see them buzzing with all of this excitement, but that happiness came with a feeling of incompetence. No matter what you did with them they never once left arts and crafts that excited. At least, it had been awhile.

Fortunately, you had absolutely no time to dwell on that, instead of moving to a math lesson. Hoseok and you gathered the children up to play a basic counting game. Teams were created and given a pile of blocks. You would call out a number between one and ten and the teams would have to count out those exact number of blocks to get a point. The slight competitive edge kept the kids engaged, and it was enjoyable watching as they cheered and worked together as best as they could to make sure they could get the point. However, having a slight competitive edge almost always guaranteed one thing: tears. Lots of tears.

“But I wanted to win a prize, Teacher.” A sniffling Soobin sniffled. “I tried my hardest; I did.” You smiled as the little boy curled himself into your embrace. Hoseok was giving the winning team, consisting of Yeji, Yeonjun, and Beomgyu, pieces of candy that you stored away for moments like this.

“I know you did. There’s always next time, right?” Soobin, normally a bit more sensitive boy despite his high levels of independence, was just overcome with sadness about his defeat. He sniffling, hugging you tightly as he continued to whimper. “Awww, Soobin, don’t cry. Nobody else is sad.”

“Yes, they are. Kai tolded me so.” He huffed, crossing his arms. You smiled, your eyes wandering up to Hoseok. You both offered each other a slightly amused glance.

“Soobin, how about we move onto the next thing okay? No need to be upset. Tomorrow, we can play again if you want too.”

“Promise?” he asked. You nodded, patting his head. Soobin nodded, wiping his eyes before finally returning to his seat. With that situated, you stood up and dusted off your skirt.

“Okay. Are we ready to move on everyone?” The class nodded their heads, looking up at you as they waited for their next set of instructions. You could see Soobin continue to wipe his eyes, before Hoseok walked past and handed him a tissue, kneeling to help him wipe his face. “I need everyone to stand up next to their seats.” You said. “We’re going to dance.”

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The sound of rustling backpacks was heard as children finally began gathering their belongings. You were cleaning up, while Hoseok was beginning to get what he needed to wipe down tables and chairs. The kids were lined up, the straps of their bags locked tightly in their grips. You were just glad today was coming to a close, the mental exhaustion you were putting yourself through today was just hitting you differently than normal.

“Are we ready to go outside?” You asked.

“Is Mr. Kim going to come to play with us?” Yuna asked curiously.

“I’m not sure.” You admitted.

“Can I go ask him?”

“Me too!” Kai said. You sighed, leaning out the door to see the art room door was closed. You looked down at the two little kids, who stood at the door with their hands interlocked together. If you didn’t let them, you didn’t think you would hear the end of it. You couldn’t handle that today.

“Okay, fine.” You said, motioning to the room. Immediately, the duo began to run down the hall. “Walk in the hallways!” You shouted before they finally slowed down. You watched the duo knock on the door. It took a moment, but when it opened Taehyung poked his head out.

“Mr. Kim, can you come to play with us?” Kai asked curiously. Taehyung chuckled, looking over at you, however, you were now kneeling and helping Yeji fix the straps on her bag.

“Sure. I’ll be right out, okay?” He said to the little ones. They beamed in excitement. “Now, hurry back to your teacher and get ready, okay?”

“Okay!” They said together as they hurried back to your line.

“He said he’ll come.” Yuna hummed happily before she got into the line. You chuckled to yourself, watching as Taehyung closed the door to his room again. By now, the children were ready to go, and you lead them out to the playground to wait for their parents. The sound of children discarding their bags as they hurried to the equipment overtook the area, and you rested against the wall, crossing your arms. Hoseok followed behind shortly after. Shortly after that, you saw Taehyung walk out onto the field.

“So, is this when they leave?” Taehyung asked you curiously.

“Yeah.” You said. “Hoseok usually plays with them and I usually watch everyone. Sometimes Mr. Kim comes out too, but most of the kids get picked up pretty quickly.” Taehyung nodded. Before he could say anything else, his name was called by Yuna and Chaeryeong, standing at the top of the playground.

“Look!” Yuna shouted eagerly. Taehyung smiled, putting his hands in his pockets as he walked over to the playground.

“The kids seem to like him,” Hoseok said, looking over at you. You sighed.

“I know they do. I’m glad they do, I guess. I want them to like going to art class.” Hoseok chuckled.

“You don’t seem convinced.” He said. “Just relax. You’re going to get stress wrinkles.” You had to admit, that made you chuckle. “See? Smile more. He’s not doing anything bad, is he?”

“No. I guess not.”

“Exactly.”

“I’m just-.” Before you could begin to vent, a car pulled up to the front of the school. It parked and you knew exactly who it was. Kim Namjoon. When he stepped out of the car, Hoseok went to find Kai, who was with his friends sitting beside the swing set looking at whatever bugs they could find in the grass. Kim Namjoon pulled his glasses off his face and he set them in his jacket pocket, locking his car as he walked up to you. You stood straight and smiled a bit.

“Hey.” He said happily. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” You said. Namjoon smiled, unable to hold up an awkward chuckle. “How are you after that little stumble on your car this morning?” Namjoon groaned, scratching his head as he thought back to it.

“Aaah, come on now.” He muttered. “Don’t remind me, that was so embarrassing.”

“I thought it was kinda funny.” You admitted, smiling a bit. Namjoon put his hands in his pockets and let out another playful, yet still frustrated sigh, which made you laugh.

“Changing the subject, Jimin told me that you guys got your new art teacher today.” He said, looking around. He took a moment to scan the playground. Finally, his eyes landed on Taehyung, who was still watching the girls go down the slide, a small smile on his face. “Is that him?” he asked.

“The one and only.” You hummed. Namjoon nodded.

“He looks familiar.”

“He’s pretty popular on Instagram.” Namjoon looked over at you.

“Instagram? N-no, no that’s not where I recognize him from, come on.” You both chuckle a bit. “But he looks familiar.” You were silent for a moment, watching as Namjoon scanned Taehyung from a distance. After a moment, he snickered and ran a hand through his brown hair. “Aaaah, it’ll come to me.” He said. “Anyway, we need to get going. I have a meeting with a client tonight and I need to get Kai ready, Jungkook is coming over tonight.” You nodded. “But I’ll be free these next few weekends. I’d like to take you out to dinner.” He said. You smiled a bit.

“Well that’s nice but I-.”

“She would love to!” A high-pitched voice shouted form behind you, startling both you and Namjoon. It even caught Taehyung’s attention for a moment. A pair of large hands hit your shoulders, and you looked over to see Seokjin, standing behind you with a grin. “Hello, Namjoonie~.” Seokjin grinned. Namjoon blushed, smiling a bit.

“Mr. Kim, stop getting involved with my life.” You begged.

“I will when you finally settle down and get married. Now, that won’t happen unless you go on dates. So, Namjoon, she would love to. Just pick a date and I’ll make sure she’s there.”

“Mr. Kim-.” You groaned, watching as Seokjin approached Namjoon, greeting him with a tough handshake. “I’ll call you later. Good luck with your meeting.”

“Thanks,” Namjoon said. He turned his head. “Kai!” He shouted. “Get your stuff and get in the car. Jungkook is coming over tonight.”

“YAY!” Kai shouted, hopping up. He quickly said goodbye to his friends as he hurried to the pile of bags by the door. Namjoon finally turned back to you, seeing your cheeks tinted pink as you ran a hand through your hair.

“I’ll call you.” He assured. You nodded.

“I look forward to it.” You said, forcing a small smile onto your face. Namjoon nodded, saying goodbye to his friend before leading his son to the car. As you watched them get in, Seokjin turned to you, grinning. However, you were in no way planning to grin back. “I hate you.”

“Awww, you’ll thank me on your wedding day.” He scoffed, before quickly fleeing the scene and hurrying back into his office.

“Wha-. You’re leaving already?!” You shouted, turning back to him. “Then why did you come out?!”

“I saw Namjoonie’s car pull up from my window!” Seokjin called back. “You’re welcome!” You groaned, covering your face in hopes that the scream you wanted to rip from your throat would just stay there for a little bit longer. As you finally returned your attention to the children, Taehyung walked over to you.

“Is that your boyfriend?” He asked. Just the sound of that word made your face beam a red that not even the children’s paint could rival.

“What?! NO! Mind your business.” You quickly looked away, crossing your arms in an annoyed huff. Taehyung chuckled a bit.

“Alright, alright sorry. He had such puppy love in his eyes I just had to assume.” You looked at Taehyung. “It was cute. I thought I was looking at a painting or something.”

“Oh, shut up.” You scoffed, and once again. Taehyung let out a deep and amused laugh. You waked towards the front gate of the building, and Taehyung watched you silently, his hands in his pockets. More parents were beginning to pull up for their children. Good, you needed to get your mind off all of this crap.

You changed your mind. Kim Taehyung was doing something bad. He was being just as nosy as your kids, and that was the last thing that you needed. That nosy punk.

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“Kook!” Kai shouted eagerly as the tall young adult walked into the living room of Kim’s luxury apartment. Namjoon was quick to follow, watching as Kai jumped into Jungkook’s arms.

“Hello there, little monster. Ready to have some fun tonight and stay up at midnight eating ice cream and cookies?”

“Yeaaa!” Kai giggled. Namjoon sighed, patting Jungkook on the back. When Jungkook looked over, he grinned sheepishly.

“I’m only kidding, Mr. Kim.”

“I know you are.” He admitted. “But maybe save the ice cream and cookie night for the next time you come over, okay?” Jungkook blinked as he watched Namjoon lift his son from his arms, as his tiny arms wrapped around him to give his father a great big hug.

“Another meeting?” Jungkook asked curiously. Namjoon shook his head, rubbing his son’s back.

“Not this time.” He said with a grin. He thought back to the way your eyes closed into little half-moons when you laughed at his slip up this morning. He thought back to the high-pitched laughter you had as you both spoke about it, and how hard Namjoon tried to keep that laughter going as long as he possibly could. Seeing you smile like that made all of his clumsy moment worth it, and he would be willing to do a million more just to see you laugh again. Knowing what this afternoon’s event has now begun to lead up to only got him even more excited. “I have another date coming up.”

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animeniacss · 4 years

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A Palette of Emotions - Artist!Taehyung x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 14 - A Unique Idea

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 5.7k words

Chapter 14 - A Unique Idea

“Hey, Taehyung.” You hummed. Taehyung glanced up in your direction, as he closed the dress-up box behind him. The day had come to an end, and the kids left in stitches at the sight of their teachers dressed up as characters from their favorite story. Dropping the final item of his costume into the box, he closed it up, before turning to you fully. Hoseok, who was washing up the tables for the day, glanced up as well when he heard you begin to start a conversation.

“What’s up?” he asked curiously. For a moment, you didn’t say anything, pulling your braid over your shoulder. Taehyung glanced over at Hoseok for a moment, wondering if he, in any way, could telepathically tell Taehyung what you were about to say. Hoseok simply shrugged. That didn’t help ease Taehyung’s nerves at all. You glanced at him as you turned to the board lifting an eraser from the holder at the bottom.

“How was your dinner Friday night? What did you order?” Taehyung blinked, having to take a moment to think back to the previous Friday night. Almost as quickly as he began to think about it, a vision of your two eyes staring directly back at him as he exited the restaurant, eyes that he was surprised he had even forgotten about over the weekend.

“Huh? Oh yeah! Uhm well…I got steak and-.”

“Were you following me after I told you to mind your business?” Taehyung’s eyes widened as he watched you finish wiping down the board, turning in his direction. You looked at Hoseok too, who was also staring directly at him. “I saw you too. I thought you had dinner with your sister.”

“I did,” Hoseok said. “She made the reservations, then had to cancel. So, she told me to invite someone out in her place. I chose Taehyung.” You glanced at Taehyung, who nodded in agreement, still looking a bit frantic. “We weren’t stalking you.”

“Well…it felt that way.” You admitted. “Looking at Taehyung stare right at me as he left was a bit unsettling.” Taehyung sighed.

“Sorry…I didn’t know,” Taehyung assured, running his hand through his hair. You nodded, smiling a bit.

“I see that now. I’m sorry. When Namjoon noticed that you were there, he got a bit uneasy, and I guess it made me a bit uneasy too, but I didn’t want to bring it up over text or something childish like that.” You admitted. Taehyung nodded, feeling a weight lift off of his shoulders at that moment. “And this morning we were so busy so…figured I would wait to say something.”

“Right, right…” Taehyung nodded his head, eyes scanning the room as he thought of what to say. He wanted to say something before his eyes fell back to you. “So, uh…how did it go?” Curious eyes cast in Taehyung’s direction from both you and Hoseok, and he coughed a bit into a balled-up fist. “The date…I mean.”

“I told you guys this morning, it went fine. Dinner was nice and we…took a walk, and talked, and that’s it. Nothing amazing happened.” When your eyes darted away from him, Taehyung knew that he shouldn’t bring it up anymore. An awkward silence covered the trio after that, nobody knowing what to say, that is until Hoseok let out a frustrated sigh and knew he had to speak up.

“Okay, so Taehyung.” Hoseok hummed, making the boy look over. “Remember, when she goes out on dates, we have to tie ourselves to our couches and do nothing until she’s home. Because if we go to the same places, we’re technically stalking her.” Taehyung let out a chuckle, nodding.

“Right, I’ll remember that for next time.” He said.

You scoffed, tugging the tie that held your braid out of your hair. “Yeah, you better.” You said simply, and Hoseok laughed. Taehyung watched as you pulled the braid out of your head, allowing the tips to begin to unravel. He watched as you ran your fingers through the braid, untangling it all out. As it came fully undone, you have was still just as wavy as it was when he saw you Friday evening. It flowed down your shoulders and curled at your collarbone. It was starting to get a bit longer than it was when he first met you, and it suited you wonderfully. Taehyung had to immediately avert his eyes away when you glanced back in his direction. Your hands raised, taking the tie and pulling your curls up behind your head, securing them in place in a looser and more relaxed ponytail. As you swished it side to side, Taehyung confirmed to himself why Hoseok was so attached to you for almost 15 years.

“Alright, now that everything is almost done, I have to get going.” Taehyung blinked.

“Leaving so early? Maybe I should stalk you and figure out what’s caused this rare occurrence.” His teasing made you roll your eyes, and Hoseok’s amused chuckle didn’t help.

“Oh, haha, Kim Taehyung. My mother said she was coming to Seoul for a few days on business and wants me to take her out to lunch.” As you grabbed your purse and keys, you scanned the room. “Hoseok, do you mind finishing up for me?”

“I don’t have much to do. Leave it to me~!” He grinned. You nodded, before waving to Taehyung.

“See you tomorrow.” You said, passing by him quickly as you hurried out the door. Taehyung waved you off, watching as the door closed behind you and you scurried off, curly ponytail bouncing behind you. Hoseok simply returned to cleaning the rest of the tables, while Taehyung slowly sank to the floor, sprawling himself out on the colorful preschool carpet. He glanced over at the younger boy, blinking.

“You can’t nap there; I need to vacuum.” He huffed simply. “Go nap at your desk, or go home. You worked hard today, you should-.”

“I wanna ask her out on a date.” Taehyung hummed. Hoseok felt his hand immediately stop moving on the table, the damp cloth clutched tightly in his fist. He looked over his shoulder at Taehyung, who was staring up at the ceiling. “I do.”

“…Then do it,” Hoseok said simply.

“I can’t. She’s going on dates with Namjoon….” Hoseok had to take another deep breath, forcing himself to continue wiping down the table.

I hope he knows how much this is killing me. Is he doing this on purpose? The little punk. When Hoseok turned over his shoulder again to look at Taehyung, he noticed something in Taehyung’s eyes that hit him with a feeling of déjà vu. Taehyung’s eyes, dark and mysterious, stared up at the ceiling with such desire in them. Hoseok saw in Taehyung the same boy that was sprawled out on the floor of his bedroom every night, thinking endlessly about how much he loved you. It made Hoseok feel a bit bad for his thoughts, despite how true they were to him. God damn it, Kim Taehyung. Don’t make me regret this.

“She isn’t dating Namjoon, you know that, right?” He asked, and Taehyung’s head lolled in Hyung’s direction. “You can ask her out on a date if you want to.”

“Yeah but….” Taehyung sighed. “I don’t know if she’d want to. I know she’s being nice to me now, but like, I don’t know how she feels about me.” When Taehyung heard Hoseok sigh again, he immediately sat up. All the memories of Friday’s dinner came flowing back into his mind. “Fuck. Hyung, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be-.”

“Don’t apologize.” Hoseok quickly turned to face him. He was smiling, but just like from across the table, Taehyung could immediately notice the pain in his eyes. “I told you, I tried to win her over and she didn’t go for it. I don’t think it’ll change. If you and Namjoon want to try for her, I have no place stopping you.” He continued to smile. “No matter how much it hurts.”

Taehyung looked at Hoseok for what felt like an eternity. Hoseok shouldn’t be the one he is venting to about you; it just wasn’t fair. As Taehyung slowly stood up from the floor, he stuck his hands in his pockets.

“I’ll get going, then. Sorry.” He said. Hoseok couldn’t help but offer an amused chuckle as Taehyung looked around nervously.

“Taehyung, I told you that you have nothing to be sorry for.” He assured. Taehyung, knowing Hoseok was lying, simply nodded and smiled.

“Have a good night.” Taehyung hummed, nodding his head before he headed out the door. Hoseok waved him off, watching as the door closed behind him. When Hoseok found himself alone in the classroom, he set the cloth down onto the table, before plopping himself down in one of the chairs and running a hand through his hair. His body felt as if it had been carrying 15 tons of bricks, and he had finally allowed them to drop once Taehyung left the room. He felt his chest clench up, and he quickly swallowed, scratching his hair. He didn’t want to be seen crying in the classroom. While you and Taehyung had left, he knew at any moment, Seokjin could pop his head in, just for the hell of it. That’s just the kind of man he was. As Hoseok, quickly rubbed at his eyes, he looked around the room and stood up.

“…I’ll come in early and finish tomorrow.” He said to himself, before grabbing his bag from its spot behind the desk and heading out the door.

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Taehyung felt so guilty about mentioning his desire to date you in front of Hoseok. After he had just laid his heart out on the table for him, too, it was as if Taehyung didn’t even pay attention! Pacing his living room, something he found himself doing more and more with each passing day, he thought about texting an apology to Hoseok. However, if he knew Hoseok well, and he would like to think he had gotten to know him over the past few months, Hoseok wouldn’t want him to apologize. At least, he wouldn’t want to admit it out loud. In the middle of Taehyung’s many rantings, there was a knock at his door, which finally stopped his feet from pacing and forced him to look up at the door.

As he walked over, he clicked the lock and flung it open. Before him stood Jungkook. He was in an old white shirt, baggy pants, and had his growing hair in a pulled-up bun. A few blank canvases lay under his arm, a big, beige satchel across his chest, and on his face was that ever-so endearing grin.

“Hi Hyung.” He said. Taehyung crossed his arms.

“What are you doing?” he asked curiously. “I told you that you couldn’t come and start until you caught up on your work.” Jungkook nodded.

“I know. I did.” He assured. When Taehyung didn’t look convinced, Jungkook dug into his pocket, pulling out his phone. After taking a moment to skim through it, before turning the screen to Taehyung. Taehyung leaned forward to get a better look.

Mom! I finished all my work during lunchtime! Please tell me I can go out and see Taehyung-sunbae so I can practice my art!

…Alright, Jungkook. Just be home by dinner.

Thank you! ^^

“See?” Jungkook hummed after giving Taehyung a few seconds to skim the messages.

“Hm. Alright, then.” He said softly, motioning Jungkook into the apartment. “I wasn’t expecting you, though. I haven’t planned anything.”

“I know,” Jungkook said. “But once I finished my work, I wanted to see you as soon as possible. It’s okay if there’s nothing planned this time. I just couldn’t wait.” Taehyung couldn’t help but smile as he watched Jungkook head towards the couch, plopping himself down on the floor. He set a canvas on his lap, and Taehyung blinked.

“What on earth are you doing?” he asked, and two wide eyes turned over to look at him.

“…Getting ready to paint?” he asked, not too sure why that question was asked in the first place. Taehyung shook his head, motioning for the boy to stand up and follow him. Jungkook obeyed and followed Taehyung to the other side of the couch. He stood there while Taehyung went to the hall closet. When Jungkook walked over, Taehyung motioned to a bunch of easels. They were of varying sizes and thickness, for various sized canvases.

“Pick one,” Taehyung said simply. “Maybe one of the reasons you don’t paint with any passion is because you hunch yourself over your painting like a gremlin who just found a pile of gold.” When he heard Jungkook snort at that, he gave him a supportive tap on the shoulder. “I’ll go make us something to drink while you pick one out and find a spot.” He said and left to do just that.

When Taehyung returned, Jungkook had settled himself up against the couch with one of his tinier canvases. “Alright,” Taehyung said, setting water beside Jungkook, before taking his seat on the couch. “Let’s start simple, I guess…What inspires you?”

Jungkook pressed a finger to his chin and took a moment of silence to think. Taehyung simply sipped his drink, waiting for the younger boy to answer. “Well…” Jungkook began. “A lot of things, I guess.” He said. “But at the same time, nothing…” Taehyung couldn’t help but snicker.

“Nothing?” Taehyung was in slight disbelief. “There has to be something. A color? A scent? A feeling? Certain people, or certain experiences.” Jungkook sighed softly, crossing his arms as if that would help him think harder. “Any of those things can make you feel inspired to put it into a painting.”

“Yeah, I know, but I can’t think of anything. It’s like one of the moments when someone asks you for your favorite movie, and suddenly you forget every movie you had ever seen up until then.” Both boys chuckled at the comparison. “What inspires you, Hyung?” Taehyung pursed his lips as he racked his brain for something motivational and slightly inspiring to say.

“My inspiration is weird. I fluctuate. Sometimes, I get inspired by the smell of something familiar and nostalgic. Other times, I get inspired by the idea of a dolphin.” He saw Jungkook smile a bit at the mention of the painting. “Certain people inspire me, I guess. One of my first works is a small picture of my friend and me that he keeps in his little work cubby. And-.” When Taehyung went silent, the pictures of his ever-developing sketches of you flashed in his head one by one. He had done a few of them, some more simple than others, and they lay hidden under his work station, in a spot only he now knew of. “Well, yeah…that’s about it.”

Jungkook was more inquisitive than Taehyung gave him credit for, that much he had to admit. Jungkook studied his Hyung for a few moments, lips drew together. Taehyung raised an eyebrow.

“Does Kai’s teacher give you inspiration?” He asked curiously. Taehyung felt his cheeks tint a light pink, and he sighed.

“Uh…yeah, I guess so.” He muttered softly. “She has really good expressions, they help me practice with my proportions for when I draw people.” Jungkook nodded, though he wasn’t at all convinced. To be honest, Taehyung wasn’t either. Jungkook turned back to his picture.

“Mr. Kim said their date was nice.”

Taehyung responded with a simple “Yeah, I heard that too.”

“It seems they both had a great time.”

“Uh-huh…” Taehyung took another sip of his water. He had wished he grabbed himself a beer at this moment.

“Forgive me for being nosey, but it seems you also want to ask her out on a date. You seem very fond of her, from what I’ve seen.”

“…And just what exactly have you seen?” Taehyung asked curiously. Jungkook snorted.

“Well, you wouldn’t have noticed I was staring at the Ilsan Art Festival because she had all of your attention the entire time. Also, the last time I came here, you gave me an hour lecture on why my boss shouldn’t be asking her out on dates. Not to mention those pictures I found of her that you were drawing, and-.”

“Okay, okay, okay. You’ve made your point.” Taehyung scoffed. “I thought you came over here to paint, not interrogate my life.”

“Well, I asked what inspired you.”

“I feel you already knew the answer.” Taehyung huffed. Jungkook flashed a playfully devilish grin.

“I did~.” Taehyung scoffed, and Jungkook looked back to his still blank canvas. “I wish I had someone special like that. Someone that inspired me.” Jungkook paused. “Well, you inspired me to start painting.” Taehyung offered Jungkook a now warmer smile.

“Heh, thanks, kid.” He said, patting Jungkook’s back. He took another sip of his water as Jungkook dug into his bag, pulling out some paint. Taehyung watched him set it up on the coffee table.

“I’m going to just start making something and see where it takes me.”

“That’s a foolproof way to get some ideas. I do that all the time.” Taehyung watched as Jungkook set himself up, and began to paint.

The living room was silent for a little while, just the sound of Jungkook humming, and the sound of the brush rubbing against the canvas, spreading its color wherever it fell. Taehyung, eventually, put some music on, music that he usually listened to when he wanted some inspiration. As Jungkook sat there and painted, Taehyung simply watched him. He had no idea what he was supposed to teach an incredibly talented kid. Passion was so abstract, so different and unique, there were only so many things he could say, and he said almost half of them already!

Hate to disappoint the kid, but this whole student-mentor thing may not last as long as he thinks. He thought. Taehyung was so lost in thought, that he was startled when Jungkook hummed his name. He glanced over, seeing half the canvas was decorated in a deep-sea blue. Specs of lighter hues of blue decorated the area, while the rest of the canvas remained untouched for now.

“Hyung?” Jungkook asked. “I hate to be a burden, but-.” He lifted his empty water glass. “Would I be able to get a refill?”

“Huh? Oh sure.” Taehyung took the glass and headed into the kitchen, leaving Jungkook to continue working. As the water of the sink ran, filling up the contents of the glass, Taehyung sighed. His mind was racing, and he wanted to try to focus, but he couldn’t. Especially after Jungkook’s little stunt of interrogation just now, Taehyung’s mind felt as if it could explode at any given moment. He needed to get this off of his chest, and right now, Jungkook seemed to be the only person who was interested enough to offer some advice. “Never thought I would ask a damn senior in high school about dating advice.” He mumbled.

When he headed back into the room, he saw Jungkook still painting intensely. He only stopped to accept the water when Taehyung offered it, smiling up at him as Taehyung simply plopped back down on his spot on the couch. He stared at Jungkook for a moment, watching as his paintbrush moved along the canvas once again. He had nothing to lose at this point.

“What do you propose I do?” Taehyung asked. When Jungkook looked up, he watched Taehyung lay flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling from the couch. “About Kai’s teacher, I mean…How should I go about asking her out? I’m worried about being too straightforward by just asking.” Jungkook hummed, looking down at his picture.

“Maybe she’ll be more interested if you ask her out in a unique way,” Jungkook suggested. “I know Mr. Kim just simply asked her each time. That’s fine, you know, but you don’t seem like the kind of guy who would do that.” Taehyung couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at that comment, choosing to take it as a compliment.

“I can’t live up to Namjoon’s expensive parties or events, either. I don’t have that kind of money or even those kinds of connections.” He thought about Jimin for a moment, however, he had no intention of working that angle. Jimin had already sacrificed a lot for him over the years.

“She doesn’t seem like she’s swayed by that.” Jungkook pointed out. “Mr. Kim told me that you said so yourself when he tried to buy that painting from you.” Taehyung thought back for a moment to that day in the hot Korean sun, standing up against the tall Kim Namjoon, who was waving his checkbook in the air like it was some sort of gold prize he had won. When Namjoon thought simply buying you an expensive gift was the key to your heart.

You seem to think having a lot of money is the key to winning her over. She doesn’t seem like that kind of girl.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Taehyung hummed, running a hand through his hair. He heard Jungkook sigh, and a familiar, more high-pitched sigh rang through his ears. Fuck, I’m doing it again. “Sorry, Jungkook.” He said softly, and from the corner of his eye, he saw the younger boy lookup. “I didn’t mean to talk against your boss so much. I realize a lot of people I tend to vent to now, are somehow tied into this whole thing.”

“It’s okay, Hyung,” Jungkook said. “Mr. Kim is my boss, and treats me well, but I don’t mind hearing you out. You both seem to want the same thing, and that’s to make her happy. After you offered to help me out, I don’t mind listening to you vent a bit.” He then looked over to Taehyung fully, offering a grin. “But we can just keep it our little secret anyway~.” Taehyung now allowed a little laugh to erupt from his belly, his boxy grin flashing on his face. “Just ask her out in a way that’s unique to you. A way Mr. Kim could never think of doing.” Taehyung watched as Jungkook finally turned back to his painting and got back to work. As Taehyung watched him, his brain finally sparked an idea that then sparkled in his eyes. He quickly sat up, before heading off the couch and towards his desk. Jungkook glanced up. “What are you doing?”

“I have an idea,” Taehyung said, plopping down. “Keep painting. Let me know if you need anything.” Jungkook watched as Taehyung searched his drawers, lips pulled together in a tight and focused line. Taehyung grabbed a set of colored pencils, and a piece of paper, before quickly hunching over his table and getting to work. Jungkook couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched.

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Though Taehyung ended up finishing his little idea in a few days, he wasn’t as eager to utilize it to its full potential just yet. He was nervous. He felt like he was in high school all over again, pining over the pretty upperclassman that he would see pass through the halls with her friends, as he desperately clutched a love note in his hands that he hoped that he could, with enough courage, give to her one day. The idea of being in a similar position, only now much older, was kind of terrifying. That was why an entire week passed by, his little canvas, about the size of an 8 x 5 picture frame, was tucked away safely in one of his drawers in his classroom, waiting patiently for its time to shine.

As Taehyung sat in the classroom, looking up some ideas for interesting and innovative projects involving the method of the month, clay, Taehyung heard the sounds of the children down the hall. They were just coming back from lunch, which meant that it would be Taehyung’s time to shine soon. Everything for the day was prepared for the students, and he had his examples completed and sitting on his desk for him. They were going to learn the basics of pottery, in a way only preschoolers could understand. Which, in his time working here, meant they have 45 minutes to fuck around with their ball of clay and see what their imagination has them create. This was how it always ended up working out at the beginning of each new lesson, but the children never minded.

Taehyung was busy scrolling when he heard a voice call his attention towards the door. “Taehyung, am I catching you slacking off?” When he looked up, he saw you, standing at the doorway with your hands on your hips. Your ponytail was high up, but as his eyes trailed from the top of the ponytail to the bottom, he saw it wrap around and rest on your shoulder.

“You gonna tattle?” Taehyung asked, only half-kidding, though he did offer a smile. You laughed a bit.

“The one time I have hard evidence of you slacking off and I can’t use it.”

“Oh, and why not?” Taehyung hummed, standing up.

“…I thought we were friends.” You said simply. Taehyung put his hands in his pockets. “I wouldn’t do that to a friend.”

“…Right…” Taehyung hummed softly, feeling his heart began to beat at the gentleness in your voice. However, a playful smile formed on your face.

“Guess we’re not, so all bets are off. Mr. Kim-!” You shouted playfully, turning your head to lean out into the hallway. Taehyung only got nervous for a second, because you quickly turned back to face him, laughing. “Kidding~.”

“I know.” He scoffed. “Go back to work before I tell Mr. Kim you’re the one who is slacking off.” You laughed again.

“I’m going, I’m going. Can’t a teacher ever go to the bathroom in peace?” You hummed. Taehyung was just about to wave you off when you looked back at him. “Hey.” Taehyung once again turned towards you. “I’m pretty caught up on work for now. Mind if I stay in here and help out?”

“You sure you don’t need the time to rest?” he asked.

A smile graced your lips once again, and Taehyung almost melted. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead. I heard we’re using clay today.” Taehyung only nodded in response. “I need to see it. Do you mind?”

“Uh…no. No, not at all.” He said. “See you later then.” You smiled, waving him off before heading back down the hallway. Taehyung sighed, walking back to his desk and lifting the little canvas in his drawer. Today had to be the day that he made his move. It just felt right.

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The day ended without much fuss, well, as much as a preschool can offer, and the children were outside playing on the playground. It was pretty cold, with winter beginning to roll in, so a lot of kids decided to simply sit on the benches with their coats and bags on. This only made them colder, and Hoseok tried to encourage them to run around, using their body heat to warm up, but they refused, choosing to sit and freeze on the bench instead of running with the rowdy boys. Taehyung had not come outside just yet, saying he had extra cleaning to do now that his room was full of clay. You didn’t pay the notion of any mind, knowing what it was like to have a messy classroom. However, what you did not know what that Taehyung had cleaned the room long before the day was close to ending, wanting to make sure that he psyched himself up enough to give you his little gift.

Well, not give. More like a place on your desk while you weren’t in the room, then hide until you found him. You know, like back in high school. As Taehyung walked towards your empty classroom, he heard the distant sound of parents coming to the front gate to pick up their children. He knew you would be done soon, the cold normally encouraging parents to come by faster, so he didn’t have too much time. Scanning the area, he slipped into your room, canvas in hand. The room was a bit messy, most likely because Hoseok had yet to clean up after the kids left. As he walked to your desk, he set the canvas down right by the computer, where he knew you would see it. “All I have to do now is wait…” Taehyung whispered to himself. “I hope I don’t look like an idiot for this.” When he heard the sound of another muffled car engine stopping in the distance, the sounds of children shouting growing fainter and fainter, Taehyung returned to his classroom.

“Bye Teacher! Bye, Mr. Hobi!” The last child, Kai, shouted eagerly as he took Jungkook’s hand. The high schooler, still dressed in his uniform, waved you both off as well.

“Bye~.” You cheered happily, continuing to wave the boy off as he followed Jungkook down the street. You could hear him eagerly shouting about his day to his babysitter, who happily laughed and listened along until they were out of sight. “Aaaah.” You sighed, watching as Hoseok approached you. “Another day is done.”

“Yep!” He grinned. The two of you headed back into the classroom, and Hoseok looked at you. “So Uhm, when do you think we’re going to make that little dinner and wine date you promise?” When you looked at him, he grinned. “I’ve been waiting for years.”

“It’s been like a week.” You scoffed, nudging him. “But soon. How about next Friday night? I can do that.” Hoseok nodded.

“Deal!” When he extended his hand, you wasted no time taking it, shaking a confirmation. “Yay, now I’m excited.”

“I know you are.” You hummed, lifting your hands to fix your loosening ponytail. As you both headed back into the classroom, you offered a peek at Taehyung’s room. The door was closed, and there was no sign of life. “He must be still cleaning.”

“The kids did kind of go crazy with the clay.” Hoseok sighed. “Want me to go in and help him?”

“Nah, I’m sure he’s almost done.” You said. “When we finish, we can go check on him.” Both of you headed inside, and you made a beeline straight for your desk. “Why don’t we start with-?” before you could finish your sentence, a colorful canvas that was not there before caught your eye. Looking over, you saw a beautifully painted canvas, resembling that of a peaceful and serene hilltop. Flowers of all colors bloomed to contrast the vibrant green grass, and a beautiful yellow sun greeted the top of the hill like an old friend. On the hilltop, a picture of a lovely picnic blanket, and brown picnic basket sat, alone, as if it was waiting for people to gather around and enjoy the scenery. At the top of the picture, right along with the rays of the sun, a sentence was written in beautiful pastel colors:

Want to go on a picnic with me?

“What’s that?” Hoseok asked, walking over to the table. He got a glance at the picture before his eyes immediately went up to your face. Your cheeks were tinted a bit pink, and a soft smile graced your lips. Hoseok felt his heart was close to breaking in two, but he simply let out a gentle sigh, masking it as a simple exhale of breath. “That’s nice. Is it from Taehyung?”

“I think so.” You hummed, flipping the canvas over to examine the back. You could see at the bottom, clear as day, his signature written in the top corner of the back of the frame. “I’m going to go talk to him. I’ll be right back.” Hoseok nodded, watching as you headed out the door of the classroom, the painting in your hands. When Hoseok was alone, he crossed his arms.

“Alright, Taehyung, you win. I can’t beat that.” He hummed to himself, before walking to the supply closet and beginning to clean.

Taehyung was talking to Jimin on his phone, hoping his friend could use logic to offset the irrational anxiousness that was coursing through his body.

“The worst she can say is no, Taehyung,” Jimin said simply.

“I don’t want her to think I’m weird.”

“She won’t,” Jimin assured. “I think what you did is romantic. I’d agree to go on a picnic if you did that for me.” Taehyung laughed a bit.

“I’ll remember that for next time.” He assured. Just then, a knock was heard at his door. “Crap.” He gasped his heart rate speeding up. “I’ll call you back, Jimin.” He assured, before quickly hanging up and spinning his chair around. “Come in.”

You opened the door and stepped inside. Taehyung immediately saw the canvas in your hands. “Hi.” He said.

“This is cute.” You said, holding it up. “Are you trying to ask me something?”

“Uhm…yes?” Taehyung said sheepishly, coughing into his hands. He rose from his seat and walked over to you. “I know you’re like…doing whatever with Namjoon and that’s fine. I just…I don’t know. I wanted to like…invite you out.” You glanced down at the picture. “I can’t take you to fancy parties or big events, or nice restaurants like he can. But still, I just…I don’t know.”

The idea of Taehyung asking you out on a date was…something you didn’t expect to happen. However, you were highly flattered. That flattery was mixed with a feeling of uneasiness, though. The idea of potentially being the center of a love triangle was…different, unfamiliar, and it made your chest tighten. This was the last thing you wanted to happen, with both Namjoon and Taehyung. However, denying Taehyung’s request when…you didn’t want too, seemed unfair, especially if you were accepting all of Namjoon’s requests.

“…You could have just asked me.” You said simply.

“Yeah, I know. But I thought I should be…creative about it.” He chuckled a bit. You smiled along with him. “So is that a yes? You can pick the time and day, but I have the place and the picnic all planned out.”

“…I’ll look at my calendar when I get home, okay?” you smiled. Taehyung nodded, and you went to hand him back his painting.

“Hm? What are you doing? Keep it. I made it for you.” Taehyung said simply, pushing it gently back into your grasp. As you held it close to your chest, you felt a little set of butterflies bubble up in your chest.

It felt like you were back in high school.

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animeniacss · 4 years

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A Palette of Emotions - Artist!Taehyung x Teacher!Reader - Chapter 22 - Easily Distracted

Feat. BTS, TXT, ITZY, Jisoo (BlackPink), Taeyong (NCT)

Genre: Romance, Slow Burn, Love Triangle, Drama, School Setting, Working!AU

Length: approx. 4.9k words

Chapter 22 - Easily Distracted

“Wait, really?” Disbelief washed over Jungkook as he looked up at his mentor. Taehyung had been venting about his most recent experience with you as the both of them sat around Taehyung’s kitchen table. Jungkook was finally preparing to enter his first art show, so he brought pictures of every work he had made thus far, and the duo spread them around the table to try and choose which would be the main focus, and which would be set aside. It was a difficult task, one Taehyung always dreaded because to him, all of his work deserved to be seen in the foreground. Taehyung set one of the pictures down and let out a frustrated sigh.

“Yeah…” he said softly. “I knew I should have waited before I told her how I felt and now I think I screwed everything up with her.” Jungkook leaned forward on the table a bit, grabbing his bottled water and taking a sip.

“Don’t think that way, Hyung. Did she immediately say she didn’t like you?”

“Well, no. She needed time to think.” He said simply.

“Then maybe she’s thinking about how she’ll say yes. Women are complex creatures, you know…” Taehyung cocked an eyebrow at the young high school boy as a playful grin formed on Jungkook’s face.

“You’ve had a girlfriend for like a month and a half, relax.” He said, and Jungkook began to laugh. “You’re not a wise, old guru of love when you’ve barely held her hand.”

“We have!” Jungkook’s eyes went wide, and now Taehyung was the one to burst out laughing. “You’ll see. She’s coming to see me at my art show with her friends. She’s nice, so you’ll definitely like her.”

“Looking forward to it.” Taehyung smiled. “Anyway, let’s get back to this, okay?” Jungkook nodded, and Taehyung passed him a few photos. “I think if we align these right in front of your spot, it’ll really pop. Nobody makes works like this that I’ve seen, so they’ll pop out even if we’re farther back in the venue spot.” Jungkook nodded.

“I agree.” He said, setting those aside. The duo continued working for a little while longer until Jungkook’s mother called him telling him to head home in time for dinner. Collecting his pictures, Jungkook headed to the door. On his way out, he turned to Taehyung.

“I really don’t think you should worry,” Jungkook said simply. “If she wants time to think, she probably won’t take dates from Mr. Kim either. So, all you can do is wait for the results.” Taehyung offered him a small smile and patted his shoulder.

“Get home safe, Jungkook.” He said simply. The boy nodded, heading out the door and down towards the elevator. Taehyung watched him for a moment, before closing the door. He hummed, heading straight into the kitchen to grab himself a beer. Maybe two.

He didn’t need to be getting love advice from the high schooler.

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“Mr. Kim!” An anxious Yuna shouted as she hurried onto the front playground of the school. Taehyung looked over from the swing set, where he was pushing Yeji and Soobin at the same time. “I wanna be pushed too.”

“Okay, you can go next.” He smiled at her, and she squealed in excitement, watching her two friends practically fly away, higher and higher with every push on the swing set. He watched as Yuna’s mother left with a wave, and he nodded his head, turning his attention back to the kids. He had been trying to do that each morning and each afternoon, to keep his eyes on the children rather than in your direction. However, he found himself slipping up every now and again. His eyes darted from the swing set for a moment and caught a glimpse of you by the slide. You were watching as Chaeryeong and Lia slid down the slide together, squealing in delight as they held onto one another on the journey. You had not noticed him staring, because he looked back over at the swings just as they flew back towards him. Grabbing them, he quickly slowed them to a stop. “Okay, guys. Time to give someone else a turn.” Both children, compliant and mature, nodded and quickly hopped off, allowing Yuna to grab her spot on the plastic swing. As he began pushing her, he smiled as he saw Soobin and Yeji hurry to the other side of the playground.

“I know how to jump from the swing when it’s super high!” Yuna shouted. Taehyung chuckled.

“Oh really?” he asked curiously. “Let’s maybe not do that, though. It won’t be safe.” He offered one big push forward again, and Yuna shrieked in delight. He chuckled a bit until he heard a familiar voice.

“Have a good day, Kai.” Taehyung felt his shoulders go rigid and he looked over towards the entrance of the preschool. There, he saw Namjoon, knelt as he offered his son a big hug, much to the boy’s delight. Taehyung immediately looked away, deciding it best to focus on the child he was pushing rather than the man who just walked into the premises. However, he could only do so much when out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Namjoon walked across the playground and in your direction. You met his gaze as you greeted Kai, before sending him off with his friends to play. Taehyung’s eyes now couldn’t focus on anything else, and they sat glued to you.

“I was just wondering…” Namjoon began, and you knew quickly you would have to turn him down. You already knew what his request would be. “I was hoping I would be able to take you out again soon. I’m free this upcoming weekend and I was tempted to try this new place that opened up by my house.” You smiled at Namjoon as he shyly chuckled, his dimples poking through once again. “Only if you want to, of course.”

“That sounds fun, Namjoon…” you said softly. “But I uhm…I’m not going to be accepting dates for a while.” Namjoon blinked, his shy smile curling up into a slight frown, an eyebrow cocked in curiosity. “Not that I don’t necessarily want to, it’s just a lot is going on right now.” You didn’t want to admit that your mind was taken up with thoughts of both him and Namjoon, both men who have been very upfront with their feelings for you and have sent you into the confinements of a three-sided love triangle with no means of escape currently in view. All you could do was sit in the middle and wait until one showed its face, even if it meant Namjoon and Taehyung were forced to sit and do the same. “I have my evaluations coming up and they’re always really stressful and…there’s just a lot of stuff, you know?”

“Right,” Namjoon said quickly. “I understand. No worries, focus on all that first.” He smiled sweetly at you, and it made you feel a bit relieved, you had to admit. “But if you need anyone to talk to about anything, just give me a call, okay?”

“Got it.” You said happily. Namjoon waved, before quickly calling out to Kai, who was dangling upside down from the monkey bars.

“Kai, be careful!” He chuckled. Kai waved.

“Teacher! Look at me!” You quickly hurried over, lifting your arms to get him down from his dangling spot, much to the dismay of him and his friends that were watching from the ground.

“Kai, that’s dangerous…” you said softly, but Kai only offered a playful grin and giggled in amusement. Setting him back onto the floor, you sent him and the other boys off to play, Kai quickly taking your hand to lead you along with him. Namjoon smiled, before slowly making his way out of the daycare. He waved to Hoseok, who was sitting in the sandbox watching two little girls make a sandcastle. Then, he turned to Taehyung, whose eyes had yet to leave the tall, dark, and handsome man in thin-rimmed glasses.

“Have a good day,” Namjoon said simply. Taehyung nodded.

“Don’t try anything funny. I’m watching you. She made herself perfectly clear and-.”

“I know, I heard her.” Namjoon interrupted quickly. Namjoon saw irritation written all over the younger boy’s face, and he couldn’t help but be amused. “I’m assuming she told you the same thing.”

Taehyung was quiet for a moment but eventually nodded. “Yes.” He said softly. “Something along those lines.” Namjoon nodded.

“Then for now I guess we can offer a temporary truce?” Namjoon grinned, hoping his playful joke would land. However, when Taehyung simply turned back to the swing set, Namjoon let out a sigh. “I was kidding.” He admitted.

“Funny.” He said simply. He looked over at Namjoon once again. “Just don’t try anything funny until she’s ready.”

“You make me out to sound like some kind of criminal,” Namjoon said simply. “I don’t feel that way towards you.”

“Not as straightforwardly as I am, maybe.” He said simply. Namjoon frowned a bit.

“You know, she’ll never go for you if you keep acting like an immature child.”

“Imma-.” Taehyung glared at Namjoon now, feeling his anger rise. “And what makes you say that?” When he caught the swing again, his hands balled into fists as he pushed it once again.

“I have a four-year-old son. I can see it from a mile away. You even pout like him.”

“Mr. Kim. Watch this!” Yuna shouted from the swing, her voice slightly distorted from the wind hitting her face as she flew through it. Taehyung didn’t hear it though, the blood pumping in his ears as he turned to Namjoon.

“I’m not acting like anything,” Taehyung said simply. “I’m just making sure you don’t keep overwhelming her with dates.”

“I don’t intend to,” Namjoon said simply. “Why are you acting like I am? I literally told her I won’t bother her about it.”

“I heard that little comment about being there if she needs you to talk, it’s such an obvious trick to get her to call you anyway.”

“Mr. Kim, look!” Yuna shouted again, but it fell on deaf ears.

“Is it really? Or are you just mad you were too selfish to offer her the same thing when she turned you down too?!” Taehyung’s eyes widened for a moment and he frowned. “And now you’re blaming it on me.” It made Namjoon chuckle a bit. “I guess she might find it cute, but if you ask me, it’s horribly unprofessional to act this way!”

That was the word, the word that made Taehyung’s heart fall into his chest. It took him a moment to regain his composure, as much of it as he could, but he was finding it increasingly difficult. His hands balled into fists, and he glared at the taller man.

“Tch…That’s not-!”

Before Taehyung could say anything else, a high-pitched and childlike “Weeee!” alerted Taehyung’s attention to the right of him. He turned slightly, and for a moment, it felt as if everything was going in slow motion. Yuna’s little body was suspended in the air, arms and legs spread out in absolute glee as she flew. From the corner of his eye, he could see a group of kids at the sandbox watching their friend in glee, their mouths dropped open in shock. Hoseok was getting out of his spot at the sandbox and hurrying over. Just as Taehyung blinked, he heard someone shout:

“Watch out, Taehyung!” However, before he could react, a hard piece of plastic slammed him in the face. Grunting, Taehyung flew backward and fell onto the ground, his head smacking onto the pavement. For a moment, he heard nothing but a loud buzzing in his ears, and he thought that he had died and gone to heaven. Good, maybe that’s where I should go… he thought to himself. However, slowly but surely, Taehyung could feel his arms and fingers twitch, he could feel the light of the sun poking at his eyes in an attempt to get them to open. He could hear children screaming, and the faint out of Seokjin’s voice. Another groan escaped his lips. He had to try to sit up and quickly lifted his head. However, a sharp pain flew across his head, from one ear to another, and his head simply slumped down to the floor again.

“You might have a concussion, don’t move.” He heard a deep voice say. Taehyung tried to put a face to the voice, unable to for a moment. Finally, however, it became clear as crystal who was talking to him.

Or are you just mad you were too selfish to offer her the same thing when she turned you down too?!

“Ghhh, don’t touch me, Kim Namjoon…” Taehyung groaned, his eyes still tightly held shut despite the pounding it caused in his head. He heard a snicker.

“Well, he isn’t dead.” The voice hummed again. Taehyung was tempted to swing blindly above him, hoping that sheer luck to help him ‘accidentally’ knock this guy in his jaw. However, his body froze when a calmer, gentler voice flew through his ears like the perfect melody of a beautiful lullaby.

“Taehyung? Are you okay?” She cooed. Taehyung groaned, feeling his eye muscles twitch a bit. “Hey, don’t open your eyes. Namjoon is right, you might have a concussion…just take it easy.” Taehyung could feel his head be lifted up gently, and a hand cupped behind him. “I don’t feel a bump. Let’s get you inside and give you some ice, just in case.”

“Yeah…” Finally, Taehyung forced himself to sit up, and his eyes cracked open just a bit. He could see a dark skirt and colorful apron beside him, and when his eyes perked up just as a bit, as much as they could really, you were sitting beside him. Despite your calm voice, the worry was poking through your eyes and onto your entire face. “I’m fine.” He assured. “I just need some time to rest and-.”

“Oh no.” Another voice chimed in, and when everyone looked up, Seokjin was standing there as well. “I’m not risking a lawsuit on a simple ‘I just need some time to rest’. I’m calling a medic to check on you, understand?”

“Uh…” Before Taehyung could respond, he felt Seokjin take his arm.

“Namjoon, take his other side and help me get him inside.” Taehyung groaned again but didn’t protest as Namjoon took his other arm and scooped him to his feet. “You guys get the kids inside,” Seokjin said simply.

“Is Mr. Kim okay?” Soobin asked curiously as he stood by the sandbox.

“Mr. Kim is going to be just fine,” Seokjin assured. “Now everyone, get in line and head in for the day, alright?” The kids silently did what they were told, following Hoseok and you inside with Namjoon and Seokjin dragging a barely functioning Taehyung behind. “Let’s go to my office. I have some supplies there.” Seokjin spoke. Taehyung groaned, letting his neck go limp and his head roll forward as he used what little strength, he had in his legs to follow the men.

Taehyung was set on a comfortable chair, and his body finally got another moment to relax. He heard Namjoon and Seokjin speak before Namjoon left in fear of being late to work. Taehyung’s head was continuing to pound, and not until Seokjin turned the lights off and closed the curtains did he feel comfortable enough to open his eyes a crack. He watched as Seokjin walked over, slipping some ice behind Taehyung’s head. The cold chill of the ice course from his head to his neck and shoulder and Taehyung felt a sense of comfort and release.

“Are you alright?” Seokjin asked. Taehyung nodded, draping his arm over his eyes. “I’m glad I was watching from the office window just at the right time. You looked very distracted.”

“Yuna was calling at me to watch her and I didn’t hear her. Did she get hurt from jumping?”

“No,” Seokjin assured. “She, unlike you, landed on the soft mulch around the swing set, so she just got a bit dirty. I think she was more worried about you anyway.” Taehyung sighed softly, biting his lip. “What were you two fighting about that you got so distracted?”

“It’s nothing,” Taehyung said simply. “We weren’t even fighting.”

Now, Seokjin had to laugh. “Oh really? Don’t try to fool me. Your eyebrows were furrowed from a mile away. The fire was basically coming up behind you, I’m amazed you also didn’t suffer third-degree burns.” Taehyung chuckled a bit. “You don’t have to tell me. I already have an idea. But I guess it’s none of my business. The man who saved your life and whisked you away to be medically treated.”

“…Yeah, speaking of, where’s the nurse?”

“We actually have one contracted at the urgent care right down the street. The person who owns the urgent care and the investor of the preschool are good friends, so they came to the agreement a few years back to try and save some money on both sides. So, for serious injuries, we call and they send a nurse over. We ended up closing the nurse’s office. With only one class, it was too much money to have an in-house nurse, so our investor saves lots of money this way.” Taehyung nodded, though he barely took in anything Seokjin said. “I think we should go back to having a nurse there all the time though.” He admitted. When he didn’t hear anything, he smiled. “You rest. Hoseok called the urgent care and they should be here soon.” Taehyung could hear Seokjin walk to the door, careful to close it as he exited. Taehyung was alone in Seokjin’s office, his head pounding as he sat silently in the darkened room with only the sensation of the ice pack on his head to keep him from falling asleep.

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Taehyung was not sure how long he sat in the dark office resting in the chair before the medic arrived at the school, but before he knew it, he was propped up with lights shining in his eyes, vitals being checked, and multiple questions of what happened being showered on him at once. He answered to the best of his ability, but his head was pounding so hard it felt like someone was attending a rock concert in there.

“Well, it’s a very minor concussion.” The doctor said. Taehyung nodded, expecting as much. “I advise going home, taking the next day or two off, and resting up. If you force yourself to do anything, then you’ll only make it worse.”

“Right. Thank you.” The doctor handed Taehyung a piece of paper.

“Here’s a prescription. Get it filled and go home.” She smiled sweetly at him, before excusing herself and getting ready to leave. Taehyung watched her exit, opening the door as she stepped out. However, he also saw you there, chatting with the doctor for a moment before making your way into the office, closing the door behind you. Taehyung sighed, looking away. This was not something he was in the mood to deal with.

“Are you okay?” you asked softly as you pulled up a chair beside him.

“I’m fine. A few days of rest and I’ll be back.”

“Okay, if you’re so sure.” You hummed. “That swing hit you hard, and the pavement. I’m glad the concussion was the only minor.” Taehyung nodded. “I saw you and Namjoon fighting….I was about to come over and say something, but the next thing I know is-.”

“-Is I’m getting slammed onto the floor and Yuna turns into a rocket and goes flying.” Taehyung huffed. You could sense how angry he was with himself. “I can’t believe that happened, right in front of him. I think that’s what he wanted, for me to lose my cool.” You sighed softly.

“Don’t think that way.” You said softly. “Do you need a ride home? You shouldn’t take the subways like this….” Taehyung thought for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, I’ll talk to President Kim.”

“Yeah…” Taehyung said. He finally rolled his head in your direction, looking at you with half-lidded, semi-glossy eyes. “Sorry. Looks like you’ll have to do art again for the next few days.” You smiled a bit.

“I think I can manage now that you’ve taught me everything you know. I’m practically a natural.” Taehyung smiled as he closed his eyes again. You bit your lip, before gently placing a hand on his arm. Not too sure how to offer comfort, you rubbed it gently. The sensation made Taehyung feel all tingly inside, and he hummed softly. It was a relaxing feeling, one that took his mind away from the war raging in his brain. After a moment, you slowly pulled your hand away. Taehyung’s eye cracked open to see you turn your head, most likely preparing to get up. Without thinking, he quickly took your hand, stopping you in your tracks. You turned to him, cheeks flushed and eyes wide in shock. He didn’t do anything, he just held it; squeezed it for a moment, as if he was pushing through the stinging sensation of a shot only to release your hand once again. When he looked up at you, he quickly retracted his hand.

“Sorry…” he mumbled.

“Don’t worry.” You assured, finally standing up. “I’ll go find President Kim, okay? Is there someone you can call to get you?”

Taehyung thought for a moment. There was only one person.

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“ARE YOU OKAY?!” A frantic Park Jimin burst through the doors of Seokjin’s office. Seokjin looked up from his computer, and Taehyung groaned at the noise, his head lifting up as well. “Namjoon-Hyung told me as soon as he got into work. What happened, Tae?”

“Nothing serious. Just got hit with a swing set, standard pre-school procedure.” He heard Seokjin snort a little from behind his desk. “Just take me home, I’m exhausted.”

“Tae you can’t sleep with a concussion. You could die!”

“Watch me.” He hissed. Jimin picked him up, swinging an arm over his shoulder.

“Feel better, Taehyung.” Seokjin waved, watching as Jimin led him out of the office and to the exit of the preschool. Seokjin spun around in his chair, watching out the window as Taehyung was helped into Jimin’s car, the latter slipping into the driver’s side and pulling out of the parking lot. Seokjin hummed, exhaling a long breath before turning back to the computer and typing away. He now had an extensive amount of paperwork to fill out because of this injury, so he needed to get to work.

As Jimin drove, he looked over to Taehyung, who was resting his head against the window. His eyes were closed, but it didn’t seem like he was sleeping. Still, Jimin didn’t want to be too careless.

“Tae?” he hummed. His friend offered a groan in response, his eyes fluttering open. “I have glasses in the glove box. Put them on to help with the light sensitivity.” As Taehyung’s hand reached forward, grabbing the glasses, Taehyung looked back at the road. “So, what happened?”

“I just got hit with a swing set because I wasn’t paying attention, that’s all…”

“No, no. I know that. Namjoon-Hyung told me.” Despite the dark glasses on Taehyung’s face, he could still feel the daggers poking through them and into Jimin’s skin. “What happened that you weren’t paying attention?”

“Oh, of course, he keeps that part out of the story, hm?” Taehyung scoffed. “I told him not to try anything funny because he asked her out on a date and we started arguing and he was just being annoying and-.” As he continued to ramble, Namjoon’s words hit his mind once again.

You’re just mad that you were too selfish to offer a hand yourself, aren’t you? And you’re taking it out on me.

“And yeah…” Taehyung finished. “That’s all…” Jimin glanced over at his friend once again, sighing softly. It wasn’t long after that, they pulled into the parking lot of Taehyung’s apartment. The duo got out and made their way inside. “God, I’m exhausted.”

“I already said you can’t sleep with a concussion.” Jimin scoffed as they went up the elevator. “Sit up with some ice, I’ll dim the lights, but you can’t sleep.”

“All of those things make me want to sleep,” Taehyung said. Jimin unlocked Taehyung’s apartment, leading him inside the bedroom and helping him onto the bed. He quickly turned the lights off.

“Stay there, I’ll grab ice.” With Jimin gone, Taehyung stared up at the ceiling, waiting until his eyes adjusted in the dark before he was able to start making out outlines of various things in his room. When that simple act began causing his eyes to tense, he quickly shut them again, groaning to himself. When Jimin returned, he set the ice on his forehead. “Hyung gave me the rest of the day off, so I’ll stay here with you, okay?”

“You don’t have to do that…Go back to work,” Taehyung begged.

“Too late. I already punched out for the day.” Jimin giggled. “I’ll be in the living room. Holler if you need me.”

“I seriously don’t need-.” Jimin immediately shut him up with a simple ‘shhhhhh’.

“Stop arguing. You don’t have a girlfriend to take care of you, so until that happens, I need to make sure my spot as doting house husband is secured.” Taehyung grinned a bit, a grin Jimin could easily make out in the dark. He reached forward, propping up Taehyung’s head just slightly. “There. Now if you do fall asleep, you won’t die.” He said, before finally exiting the room.

“You’re overreacting,” Taehyung called, but was not giving a response. Once he was left alone in the room again, Taehyung looked down at his hand. It lifted above his head, and he took a moment to make out its outline by continuously squeezing it into a fist. As he did so, he thought of all the things he was about to do today with that fist, things he is now forced to put on hold.

Ball up clay with the kids.

Grip the sides of the swing set for a child,

Punch Namjoon in the jaw.

Hold your hand.

That last one sat in his mind for a moment, jumping back to the office when he quickly grabbed and squeezed your hand. The look of shock on your face made him feel immensely guilty. Only one thing sat in his mind: Here I am, telling him not to overstep his boundaries, and I’m being a total hypocrite. Maybe I deserved to get slammed onto the floor… The thought pissed him off to no end, and he slammed his fist on the bed in frustration, before forcing his eyes closed.

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Namjoon sat in his office that morning, resting against the back of his chair as he spun it around to stare ahead at the vast amount of Seoul scenery before him. He rested his chin on top of a balled-up fist and remained silent. He had sent Jimin to pick up and stay with Taehyung because he knew he shouldn’t be home alone after such a serious injury. He had no intention of letting the man suffer, despite how childish he seemed to be in regards to you. As he sat, he thought back to the moment the incident happened.

Ghhhh…don’t touch me, Kim Namjoon…. he remembered Taehyung growling, which actually amused him. As he knelt beside the man, he watched as you hurried over, kneeling down and gently lifting his head into your lap. He watched as your brows furrowed together in intense worry, and how calmly you spoke to him in hopes to keep him calm as well. Namjoon had to admit that at that moment, he was a bit jealous. If he could get the same treatment, excluding the head injury, he would feel as if he was on cloud nine! However, that was not the case.

No matter how much Namjoon wanted to admit it to himself, he had begun to notice it. Every time he had seen you and Taehyung together, whether it be at the museum, or at the daycare, the looks on your face were always much more genuine than Namjoon could ever hope to have when you were with him instead.

“Mr. Kim?” a voice called, and Namjoon’s chair spun back around. His secretary stepped in, a petite girl fresh out of college, with long brown hair and dark brown eyes. “Your first meeting of the day is here. Mr. Im Heeseok.” Namjoon nodded, smiling.

“Let him in, thank you.” He responded When his secretary left with only a polite nod of her head, Namjoon rose from his seat and walked towards the window, putting his hands in his pockets. Namjoon knew exactly why you had told him you had no intention of dating for a while, and it had little to do with upcoming evaluations. The more he thought about it, he slowly pulled a fist out of his pockets, hitting it against the glass just a bit in frustration.

You were trying to find the right words to say that Kim Namjoon was still fighting in what seemed to be a losing battle.

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