Double

"Let's go on a double date." Koko's face lights up, her big teeth poking through her full, pink lips. We're walking together to Korean class.

"Huh?" I'm really not into this idea.

"You said they know each other, that means it won't be awkward."

"So...?"

"So, let's do the cute shit people do when they're in relationships."

I snort at Koko. "Doesn't mean we have to do what they do."

She hits my arm. "Come on loser, you said this is your first real relationship. You're going to regret it someday if you do skip out on the cliche shit.

I sigh, looking at her excited face. We take a seat inside the classroom. The teacher is writing out sentences on the board already.

"Fine," I mutter. She hugs me, pinching my cheeks after. "Can people please stop doing this to me?"

"Not our fault you're cute when you're mad." She pokes my cheeks and I glare at her.

"Can one person come up here and translate these sentences into English?" The whole class goes silent and eventually, everyone looks at me expectantly.

Man people are really pissing me off today.

I sigh and get up, quickly writing out the translations on the whiteboard. I guess the two years I lived in Korea as a baby are paying off because I am learning everything a lot quicker than the others—as if the language I was storing into my absorbent, infant brain was finally being dusted off and put to use. Either that or Taeyoung's an exceptional teacher. Or everyone just sucks.

"Can someone other than Sohee do this next time?" The professor says this and the class mumbles in response.

. . .

The next day I'm in Koko's room, sitting down on her bed as she runs an eyeshadow brush over my eyelids. Today is basically make Koko happy day. Not only was I going on a double date with her, but I agreed to let her do my makeup.

"Jesus, your eyelids are way too big and, like, saggy?"

I snort, "Thanks for calling my eyes fat."

"Sorry, I've just never done makeup on double eyelids. There's so much extra skin I don't know what to do with." She laughs in my face, her breath smelling of the strawberry candies she stocks up on.

She leans back, looking at my eyes and holding the brush as if she is painting a masterpiece. "Can you stop frowning for like one second?"

I put on a big fake smile for a second, then let it drop back down again.

"Why am I friends with you again?" She asks me, moving onto eyeliner.

"Because you love me," I respond in a monotonous voice.

"Eesh, I hope you're not like this around Taeyoung."

My heart beats faster at the mention of him. "Luckily Taeyoung doesn't force me to do things I don't want to do."

"You said yes to this."

"Whatever," I mutter. She almost pokes my eye out when doing my mascara, so I snatch the wand from her hand and do that part myself.

"Your eyelashes are way too long girl what the hell."

"Sorry?"

"Maybe I'm just jealous."

"Don't be." I love the cat-like shape of Koko's eyes. Even without makeup, the sharp shape forces you to look at her and give her your attention.

"Your eyes may be big, but damn, where are your lips?" She takes a lip brush to my bottom lip.

"Okay, that's a bit much." They're still there, just smaller than most people's.

She chuckles, "Sorry."

"Sorry I don't have voluptuous lips like you."

"Voluptuous?" She laughs at me.

"Is today pick on Summer day?"

"No, sorry, it's just too easy to tease you." She keeps laughing. When she's finally done with the makeup I get up and stretch my aching legs. When I look in the mirror I'm met with big, smokey eyes, my skin looks quite flawless, pale and dewy, with bronzer contouring the outsides of my oval face. Even my lips look bigger, plumper, with a bright red colour on them. I never wear red—it terrifies me and my small mouth—but Koko managed to make it all look so good.

"You look like a goddamn doll Summer," She pauses, staring at me, "You're welcome." She dramatically flips her short hair.

"Thanks oh mighty makeup artist," I say to her with a bow before looking away to work on lightly curling my hair.

Koko forces me to wear a red romper. "It's fall out Koko, this is too revealing."

"Revealing what? Your arms? Ooh how scandalous." She rolls her eyes at me. "It's not even cold out Summer."

I end up wearing it with a loose leather jacket. My lip colour matches the feminine flowy summer romper, but the leather jacket makes me feel more secure, giving me a bit more of a cool, sexy vibe. At least that's what I think, Koko says I still look like a "cute little girl throwing a tantrum."

"Why are we dressed up so much?" I ask her again, looking for a reminder.

"Enough with the sneakers and hoodies that you wear when you're with Taeyoung. Let's wow them and look ultra feminine today, yeah? We gotta keep them on their toes." She links her long arm with mine and we walk out of the building. Her enthusiasm greatly contrasts my own as we wait outside the dormitory.

Max arrives first.

"Hello!" His smile immediately causes Koko to smile back. His eyes take us both in for a bit. "Wow, you two really went all out didn't you?" He kisses Koko on the cheek.

"Much to her despair," Koko says, pointing sideways at me.

"Taeyoung's going to lose his mind," Max laughs while looking at me. I cower a bit behind Koko, tugging on the hem of the shorts.

"Oh I think he's coming, hide behind me Summer," Koko whispers.

"What why?" Koko pushes me behind her and I immediately disappear behind her height. Max chuckles at us before waving to Taeyoung. I hear Taeyoung's steps jogging towards us. My heartbeat fastens, my breath getting shallow.

"Hey!" His voice reaches us, he slaps hands with Max.

"Wait, where's Soh—"

"짜잔 [Surprise]!" Koko excitedly screams out. She pushes me in front of her. My cheeks are immensely red, making my blush even more prevalent. I can't even look at him, I just stare at his chest.

He's wearing nice clothes. A casual white dress shirt with pops of colour throughout. It hangs loosely on his body.

"Sohee?" I sheepishly look up at him. His ears are bright red, his lips parted, eyes wide. I hold back a nervous laugh, the other couple snickers at us.

I clear my throat, "Hey."

"I can't with these two," Koko turns away in mock annoyance.

"You look, uh—you look—" Taeyoung stumbles over his words.

"She looks goddamn cute as hell Taeyoung okay? We get it, you're welcome, now let's move on."

Koko spits this out, causing Max to break out into a booming laugh and us two to look at each other in even more embarrassment than before.

The other couple begins walking, their body language so relaxed and comfortable, casually conversing and teasing each other as if they're a married old couple. Meanwhile, Taeyoung and I pause before following behind, nervous and as stiff as sticks, like two elementary school kids with crushes on each other.

We walk side by side, the air between us tense and exciting. Why does this feel like our first date?

My eyes widen a bit when I feel his warm hand slowly touch mine, long fingers taking time to entangle through my small, cold fingers. He looks at me from the side. I can't hold the smile that covers my face, eyes focused on Koko's feet in front of me.

I swear I can hear Taeyoung smirk before his other hand comes around to stroke my hair. His face quickly comes towards my head and he kisses the top of it. Then he continues walking beside me, hand tightening over mine.

Someone help, I think I'm going into cardiac arrest.

We take a bus, heading to Lotte World amusement park. I'm not an amusement park fan. Other than the food, I see nothing there that is suited for me, but Koko insists that this is where all couples go.

Koko sits beside Max on the bus, naturally, and they casually talk about music I've never heard of, Koko's voice rising when she disagrees with him. Taeyoung and I sit behind them, listening.

Why does this feel so awkward? What do I say? Do I say anything?

I play with my nails, nerves restricting my body from doing anything. I am leaning against the window, not even touching him.

You child, stop being so stiff. My conscience attacks me, pushing me to do something, anything.

I take a breath and slowly adjust my body so that my hip lightly touches his. It's such a small move, but I feel him slightly stir. We're still watching the two in front of us, Koko hitting Max's arm as he laughs.

Now I move so that my arm lies beside his own. Again, I feel him move, so slight, but enough to make my heart go crazy.

I've slept in this guy's arms before, why is it so hard to touch him now?

It's called sexual tension you idiot, my conscience attacks me again, and a blush forms on my face.

Another breath and my hand moves to hold his own, lying on his thigh. Now there is no more space between us, I can feel the heat radiating off of his body, warming my cold one. He turns his head slightly to look at our hands. His large hand engulfs my tiny, pale one. They rest on his thigh and I gulp when I realize how dangerously close my hand is to his crotch.

Now his head turns to look at me. I'm still looking ahead, now frozen as I feel his eyes scan every detail of my face, starting from my lips. Slowly, agonizingly, his eyes crawl up my nose, then fall on my eyes. My breath is shaky, eyes zoned out on an old lady walking onto the bus.

I can feel him lean in, so slowly that no one would notice but myself. His warm breath tickles my neck, hair lightly brushing my own.

"You look so beautiful," he whispers in my ear. My breath stops in my throat for a moment before I release it shakily.

"I can't believe you're mine." His hot air that trickles against my ear, teasingly, drives me wild. My insides churn, every atom dancing in excitement, urging to move.

I finally turn to look at him. Why is it so hot on this bus? I can feel myself begin to sweat. His hand leaves mine and comes up to cup my jaw, his nose is touching mine, his lips coming closer to my own.

It's like slow motion, the sounds of the bus completely muted, everything around us disappearing.

His lips touch mine softly before he angles his head, taking more of my lips.

Oh my god. We're on a bus. We can't kiss on a bus? Can we? With these people here.

My nerves attack my body, but I can't pull away.

I can feel Koko and Max's eyes on us. I can almost see their smirks through the blackness of my eyelids. My face is burning with embarrassment, my knees clenching together, but I can't move away. His lips keep moving over mine, slowly but so deep.

When he finally pulls away it feels like a whole day went by. His hand still rests on my jaw, his eyes fixed on my lips, lightly panting.

"Ahem," Koko clears her throat and we part from each other, waking up from the dreamland we just escaped to. Sure enough, the two of them are looking at us with giant smirks.

"Are we disturbing you? Should we all get off the bus?" She motions to the few other passengers.

I'm as red as a tomato and Taeyoung just laughs nervously, his hand taking mine again. All I can do is look out the window, waiting for my heartbeat to return to a normal pace.

But I don't think I know what that feels like anymore.

. . .

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Love,

Sooaura