† 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟬𝟳 †

╭─━─━─━─━─━─╮𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟬𝟳†❝𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪❞╰─━─━─━─━─━─╯

༺ ☠︎ †  𝖁 𝖎 𝖘 𝖎 𝖔 𝖓  𝖎 𝖓  𝕯 𝖆 𝖗 𝖐  † ☠︎ ༻

The library was quiet, except for the occasional soft murmurs of students flipping through pages or whispering to each other. The atmosphere was calm, almost comforting, filled with the faint scent of old books and polished wooden shelves.

Evie sat at one of the long wooden tables, completely absorbed in her work. It was technically free time for students, a break where most of them had gone outside to relax, chat, or grab a snack. But for Evie, there was no such luxury.

She had too much pending work to finish.

Assignments, notes, research–there was an overwhelming amount of it, and as a new student who had joined in the middle of the semester , she had a lot of catching up to do. Even though she would have loved to take a break, she simply couldn't afford to.

Her hand ached from all the writing, her fingers slightly stiff from holding the pen for too long. But she had no choice. If she didn't complete everything on time, she would fall behind even more.

She let out a small sigh, rolling her aching wrist before continuing.

The library was massive, filled with endless rows of bookshelves stretching toward the ceiling. But despite its size, Evie hadn't bothered to explore much. Right now, all she cared about was finishing her work.

There were a few other students scattered around– some genuinely studying, others just sitting there, probably enjoying the silence. But Evie barely noticed them. Her focus was entirely on her notes, flipping through pages, writing furiously, trying to make sense of everything.

At that moment, Taehyung walked into the library.

Unlike most students, he actually enjoyed being here.

While others spent their free time joking around, gossiping, or wasting time on meaningless conversations, Taehyung preferred the company of books. It wasn't just about studying –he genuinely loved reading.

Today, he wasn't looking for textbooks. He was in the mood for something different –a romcom novel, maybe. It was his guilty pleasure, though he never let his friends find out. They'd never let him hear the end of it.

As he walked past the shelves, his eyes instinctively scanned the room and that's when he noticed her.

The new girl.

She was seated at a table near the window, her head bent low, completely focused on her work. She looked exhausted. The way she was gripping her pen tightly, the way she kept rubbing her wrist–it was obvious she had been writing for a long time.

For a moment, Taehyung hesitated.

Should he approach her?

He wasn't sure why he even considered it. It wasn't like they were friends.

But something about the way she was sitting there, completely absorbed in her work, made him curious. It wasn't often that he saw someone as dedicated as himself in the library during free time.

Before he could overthink it, he stepped forward.

Walking up to her table, he hesitated for a brief second - then reached out and gently tapped her shoulder.

As soon as she felt a light tap on her shoulder, Evie turned around, slightly startled.

Her eyes landed on a familiar face—Taehyung.

Evie recognized him immediately. He was the guy who had helped her find her classroom on her first day. Though they hadn't talked much, she still remembered his kindness. It wasn't often that people went out of their way to help a stranger, especially in a new place.

For a moment, Taehyung looked hesitant, like he wasn't sure whether he had made the right decision by approaching her. He scratched the back of his neck–a small nervous habit and then gave her a small, polite smile.

"Uh… I just saw you sitting here alone, so I thought I'd come over," he said, his voice soft but clear. "Are you working on something?"

Evie nodded, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I just have a lot of assignments to catch up on," she replied, letting out a small sigh.

Taehyung glanced at her table, it was covered with open books, stacks of notes and a half-written assignment.

She really did look like she had a lot to do.

Evie looked back at him and tilted her head slightly. "It's kind of surprising to see you here," she said. "I mean, I'm only here because I have to finish all this work… but what about you?"

Taehyung gave a small shrug. "I just like being here. It's quiet… peaceful. And I enjoy reading," he admitted. "It's better than wasting time outside."

There was a short pause between them. It wasn't uncomfortable, just a little awkward.

Then, after a moment, Taehyung hesitated before speaking again. "Do you… need help?"

Evie blinked, caught off guard by his offer.

Did she need help?

Absolutely.

She had so much work that she wasn't even sure if she could finish it all in time. But at the same time… she didn't felt about accepting help from someone she barely knew. She didn't want to burden him.

So, out of politeness, she shook her head. "Oh, no, it's okay. I can manage," she said quickly.

But Taehyung didn't seem convinced. Instead of leaving, he gave her an amused look and gently insisted, "I'm free, you know. I can always read later."

Before Evie could protest, he pulled out the chair beside her and sat down.

Now, sitting next to her, Taehyung leaned slightly toward her table, scanning her notes. His eyes moved over the pages, and he let out a small chuckle. "You have a lot to do," he pointed out, shaking his head. "Are you sure you don't need help?"

Evie hesitated again. She appreciated his kindness, but something about accepting help from someone she barely knew made her feel a little unsure.

"I just don't want to trouble you," she admitted honestly.

Taehyung smiled slightly. "It's not trouble. It's good to help each other out, right?" he said. "Besides, you're new here. You probably need some guidance, and I have nothing else to do. So why not?"

Evie looked at him for a moment, considering his words.

He had a point.

And honestly? She could really use the help.

"...If you're really sure," she said hesitantly, glancing at him.

Taehyung nodded. "I wouldn't offer if I wasn’t."

Evie let out a small sigh and finally gave in.

"Alright," she said. "Thank you."

Taehyung simply smiled and picked up one of her books. "No problem. Now, let's get started."

Taehyung picked up one of her books and flipped through the pages, scanning the contents. After a moment , he glanced at her and asked, "Which one should I do?"

Evie, who was already overwhelmed with the sheer amount of work, sighed and gestured to the pile in front of her. "Honestly, anything. We're in the same science batch, so you probably know better than me. Just pick whatever you think is manageable."

Taehyung chuckled at her exhausted tone. "Alright, let's see," he murmured, flipping through her assignments. He carefully went through the topics, assessing which ones were essential and which ones could be skipped or prioritized later.

After a moment, he tapped his finger on one of the notebooks. "This one should be done first," he said, pushing it toward her. "It's more important. The others can wait for now."

Evie glanced at the notebook and nodded, trusting his judgment. "Okay. And the rest?"

Taehyung leaned back slightly, thinking. "Some of these aren't as urgent, so you can take your time with them. But this one—" he pointed to another assignment, "—you might want to finish by tomorrow. The rest can wait a little longer."

Evie sighed in relief. "That actually helps a lot. I wasn't sure what to prioritize. "

Taehyung simply smiled and grabbed one of the notebooks. He took a pen, twirled it between his fingers for a moment, and then got to work.

Taehyung started writing in her notebook, his brows furrowed in concentration. After a moment, he let out a small laugh and said, "Just a warning my handwriting isn't that great, so you'll have to deal with it."

Evie glanced at the notebook and smiled. "What are you talking about? Your handwriting is actually really neat," she chuckled, shaking her head.

Taehyung chuckled. "You're just being nice. But I'll take the compliment."

They both focused on their work, writing quietly for a while. The library remained peaceful, with only the occasional rustling of pages and the soft scribbling of pens filling the silence.

As he continued writing, Taehyung suddenly asked, "So, where are you from? I mean, since you're new here. Where did you live before moving here?"

Evie didn't pause from her writing as she answered, "Honestly, I don't even know what to call my hometown anymore. My dad's job gets transferred a lot, so we've moved around so much. I think… maybe seven times?"

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "Seven times?" he repeated, surprised.

Evie nodded. "Yeah. Changing houses, schools, making new friends –it was exhausting. The last place we lived before moving here was Stamford. But originally, I guess you could say I'm from Albany. That's where I was born."

Taehyung listened attentively. "That sounds… tough. Must've been hard settling in new places all the time."

Evie shrugged. "It was. But after a while, I got used to it. It's normal for me now."

She paused for a moment before adding, "Also, my parents are divorced, so I live with my dad. My mom stays in Albany. I visit her during vacations, but I mostly stay with him."

Taehyung nodded, understanding. "That must be hard too," he said softly.

Evie simply gave a small smile, then glanced up at him. "What about you? Are you from New York?"

Taehyung leaned back slightly, resting his pen on the notebook. "Yeah, I've been living in New York since I was a kid. It's my hometown. But my parents travel a lot because of my dad's company. He's the chairman, and they have branches in different states, so they move around frequently."

Evie tilted her head. "So, do you live with them?"

Taehyung shook his head. "Not really. I usually live alone. They visit sometimes, but I'm used to having the house to myself."

Evie looked at him curiously. "And you don't mind that? Living alone?"

Taehyung smiled slightly. "I actually like it. It gives me peace. No distractions, no noise –just me and my own space."

Evie hummed in response, nodding in understanding. "I guess I can see the appeal."

Taehyung chuckled. "Yeah, but sometimes it does get a little too quiet."

They continued working, occasionally exchanging small comments. The conversation felt natural– effortless, even. For the first time in a while, Taehyung found himself enjoying someone's company without feeling like he had to force anything. And as for Evie, talking to him felt surprisingly easy, as if they had known each other longer than just a few days.

As Taehyung continued writing, his pen gliding smoothly over the pages, he casually asked, "So, what company does your dad work for? You mentioned he gets transferred a lot."

Evie, still focused on her notes, answered without much thought, "Westbridge. He's been working there for years. We move whenever there's a transfer to a different branch."

At the mention of the company name, Taehyung's pen froze mid -stroke. His gaze slowly lifted from the notebook to Evie. "Westbridge?" he repeated, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

Evie nodded, still writing. "Yeah."

Taehyung leaned back slightly, now fully focused on her. "And… who's the chairman of Westbridge?" he asked, his voice casual, but there was a slight shift in his expression.

Evie blinked, pausing her writing as she tried to recall. "Hmm… I never really thought about it much. Let me think…" She furrowed her brows for a moment before it finally clicked. "Oh! Kim Jisung, I think. Yeah, that's his name."

Taehyung let out a small chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief. "Well… that's interesting."

Evie looked up at him, confused. "Why? Do you know him?"

Taehyung look at her with amusement. "You could say that. He's my father."

Evie's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, what?!"

Taehyung nodded, amused by her reaction. "Yeah. Kim Jisung –he's my dad. Which means…" He leaned in slightly, tilting his head, "your dad works for my dad."

Evie stared at him, processing this unexpected revelation. And then, she suddenly remembered something–her father had mentioned that the chairman's son studied at this college. She just never thought it would be Taehyung.

"Oh my god," she muttered, still surprised. "My dad actually told me about you. He said his boss's son goes to this college, but I never really paid attention to it."

Taehyung chuckled. "Well, now you know."

Evie shook her head, still in disbelief. "That's crazy. I never would've guessed."

Taehyung shrugged. "Small world, huh?"

Evie nodded, laughing a little. "Yeah… definitely a small world."

The atmosphere between them felt lighter now, as if this revelation had somehow made their conversation even more interesting.

Taehyung smile unknowingly as he went back to writing, and Evie, still amused, continued with her notes, occasionally glancing at him with newfound curiosity.

After working together for quite some time, Evie and Taehyung had made significant progress. With Taehyung's help, she had even managed to complete an entire assignment, something she hadn't expected to finish so quickly.

"Wow, I can't believe we got through all of this," Evie said, stretching her fingers as she closed her notebook.

Taehyung leaned back slightly, rolling his wrist. "Told you it wouldn't be that bad with a little help," he said with a smile.

She chuckled softly. "A little? You practically did one whole assignment for me."

Taehyung shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant, but deep down, he felt good–almost too good. There was a strange warmth spreading in his chest, a feeling he hadn’t expected.

"It's no big deal," he said casually. "If you ever need help again, just ask. You can even give me some of your assignments–I have a lot of free time anyway."

Evie looked at him, surprised by his offer. "Really? You'd do that?"

He nodded. "Yeah. And if you need notes, you can borrow mine too. I keep them pretty organized."

Evie smiled, genuinely grateful. "Thanks, Taehyung. That means a lot."

She packed up her books and slipped them into her bag while Taehyung waited for her. When she was ready, they left the library together, walking side by side through the long hallways.

As they walked, Evie glanced at him. "You really didn't have to help me this much, but I appreciate it."

Taehyung shrugged, his hands tucked into his pockets. "It's fine. Like I said, I had time."

But what he didn't say was how strangely good he felt about it. He wasn't the type to go out of his way for people, especially someone he barely knew. Yet, here he was, walking with her long after he could have left, feeling an odd sense of satisfaction.

By now, the hallways were crowded with students heading toward the exit, signaling that the school day was officially over. Groups of friends chatted and laughed as they moved, some of them glancing at Taehyung and Evie walking together.

Taehyung knew he should go to his own group. His friends were probably waiting for him outside, standing in their usual spot near the entrance. That's where he always went after classes– no exceptions.

But for some reason, his feet didn't turn in that direction.

Instead, he kept walking beside Evie, continuing their conversation as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

It wasn't until they reached the main entrance that Taehyung finally spotted his friends. They were gathered in a group, chatting loudly, waiting for more people to join them. Among them was Jungkook, leaning against the wall with his usual confident smirk, scanning the crowd like a predator waiting for prey.

Taehyung immediately hesitated.

He knew his friends too well. If they saw him walking with a girl, even if it was nothing, they would assume things. And once they assumed, they wouldn't let it go.

Not wanting to deal with their teasing or unwanted attention, Taehyung quickly turned to Evie.

"Oh, I just remembered–I forgot something back in the library," he lied smoothly. "You go ahead, I'll catch up later."

Evie stopped, looking at him with a slight tilt of her head. "Are you sure? I mean, we're already at the exit."

"Yeah, yeah, it's fine," he reassured her. "Nothing important, just something I need to grab."

She didn't question him further. Instead, she smiled. "Alright then. Thanks again for all the help today, Taehyung. I really appreciate it."

He nodded, keeping his expression neutral. "Anytime."

With that, Evie turned and walked out of the school gates, disappearing into the crowd of students heading home.

Taehyung let out a quiet sigh of relief before turning back toward the library. He wasn't actually going back, of course. He just needed to wait a few minutes–long enough for his friends to stop paying attention–before heading outside.

The last thing he needed was Jungkook or the others getting the wrong idea.

As Taehyung stood in the hallway, waiting for enough time to pass so he could leave unnoticed, he found himself lost in thought.

Something felt different.

He had told Evie he had free time, but that wasn't true. He actually had pending work–things he needed to get done. Yet, he had willingly spent his time helping her, even going as far as writing an entire assignment for her.

And that wasn't like him.

Sure, he didn't mind helping people, but writing someone's entire assignment? That was something he never did. His fingers were aching from holding the pen for so long, and yet, he had done it anyway without a second thought.

Why?

Because she was a new student? That could be a reason, but deep down, he knew that wasn't it.

Maybe it was because she was different.

She wasn't like the high–class students who filled this school–those who carried themselves with arrogance, flaunting their status like it meant something. She was normal. Simple. And maybe that was why he didn't mind spending time with her.

She reminded him of himself.

Soft-spoken, gentle, and not caught up in the unnecessary drama that surrounded most people here.

Something similar to himself.

He knew it was too soon to assume anything about her–they had only met a few times but he had a strange feeling about her.

Maybe she could actually be a friend.

Friendship wouldn't hurt, would it?

Letting out a sigh, Taehyung shook his head at his own thoughts. He was probably overthinking. Pushing his hands into his pockets, he turned and headed toward the school exit.

Outside, his friends were gathered in their usual spot near the entrance, laughing loudly as if they owned the place. They were the kind of guys who had no concept of personal space or basic civic sense,always talking over one another, cracking inappropriate jokes, and generally being clowns.

Jungkook, standing at the center of the group, was laughing the loudest. The moment he spotted Taehyung, he threw an arm around his shoulder in an overly familiar way.

"Where the hell were you?" Jungkook asked, still grinning. "Don't tell me you were actually studying?"

Taehyung clenched his jaw slightly, resisting the urge to shove Jungkook's arm off him. He wasn't in the mood for their usual nonsense.

"Something like that," he muttered.

Jungkook snorted. "Damn, man. You're really turning into a nerd."

The others laughed, already moving on to their next joke, talking about some party they planned to crash over the weekend. Taehyung, however, wasn't interested.

He never really was.

Moments like these reminded him why he often distanced himself from them. While they were busy being reckless and stupid, he preferred to keep to himself. He had nothing against them, but he didn't belong in their world.

With a tired sigh, he shrugged Jungkook’s arm off and stepped away. "I'm heading home."

His friends groaned in protest. "Come on, man, you always do this!"

"Yeah, at least stay for a bit—where's the fun in being so serious?"

Taehyung barely acknowledged their complaints as he walked past them. He had better things to do than waste time here.

As he made his way home, he found himself thinking about Evie again.

Maybe, just maybe, he didn't mind having one real friend for once.

A friend–someone who truly understood him, someone with similar interests and a similar outlook on life. That's what he wanted.

All his current friends were nothing like him. They thrived in chaos, in recklessness, in things that never really interested him. He had always felt like an outsider among them, never quite fitting in.

Maybe that's why, for the first time, he found himself hoping to have a friend who was more like him–someone he could actually relate to.

★ ★ ★

—𝖽𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗏𝗈𝗍𝖾          𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝗋𝗈𝗉 𝖺 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍···୨ৎ