hyukafied - Tumblr blog

hyukafied · 1 year

Text

— valentine: k.th

— pairing: rival!taehyun x fem!reader — genre: fluff — word count: 3166 — disclaimers: university au, one-sided rivalry. mentions of food. — synopsis: all taehyun wanted was for you to give him a chance. — series masterlist

— author's note: for a tumblr that has taehyun as its muse, took me quite a while to get to him. >:( i hope you all like one, i really appreciate all the feedback and support on my last few fics ♥

You've always envied Kang Taehyun. Since middle school, he's been praised for doing well in school and community activities without trying while you had to work twice as hard to keep up. He was so naturally talented at everything that to say you were jealous would be an understatement; it made your blood boil.

Since middle school, you've considered him your rival, but he didn't care and let you continue your one-sided rivalry until the last semester of your senior year. You remember throwing a fit in the teacher's room when Taehyun was chosen instead of you to give the speech at your high school graduation.

Taehyun finally confronted you about your behavior after learning about it from your teachers.

"Why do you hate me that much? I can't change anything about myself." He continued, staring directly into your eyes, "It's senseless to be resentful and bitter about something I can't control." His bluntness caught you off guard, and you were at a loss for words. From then on, you stayed away from him.

Even after graduating and ending up in the same college, you avoided him at all costs. You were shocked to find out that you had a few classes with him, but you decided to act like you didn't know him.

One day, near the end of the semester, as you and Taehyun sit in your media arts class, Ms. Park gives out the last task of the semester. She explains to the class that the project is to make or remake a music video with a partner using the song of the pair's choice and that it would count toward your final grade.

Your heart is pounding as Ms. Park goes into further detail. She reminds everyone that she has covered all the necessary material for making a good video over the semester.

You called, raising your hand, "Um, Ms. Park?" "What if we can't think of anything to put in the video?"

"Y/N, this is when your imagination comes into play," Ms. Park replied, smiling comfortingly, "Use what you've learned and create something that symbolizes you and your partner.

Hey, Y/N, you're okay with Lily and I pairing up, right?" Jake, one of your friends, asked you. "But if you want to pair up with her, that's fine too!"

You shrug and say, "Don't worry about it." When Lily gave you that puppy-eyed expression, you knew she had a crush on Jake and naturally wanted to be paired with him.

When the bell rings to announce the end of class, Ms. Park dismisses the group, urging everyone to put their all into their projects and enjoy themselves. Knowing they barely had five minutes to get to their next class while you had more time to spare, Jake and Lily wave you off quickly.

Before you can step outside the classroom, someone grabs your arm from behind. You turn around and see Jay, one of the school jocks, in your way. You had a bad feeling about this because you heard from one of your classmates that Jay was known for getting others to do his work for him.

"Hey, Y/N," he says to you with a sly grin. "I heard you need a partner for the final project. Well, guess what? You're looking at him."

"Thanks, Jay, but no. I'll find someone else," you told him as you rolled your eyes and tried to pull your arm away from him.

"What, you don't think I'm good enough?" He scowled, his smirk becoming a sneer.

"It's not that," you try to say calmly. "I just don't think we'd get along."

"Listen, Y/N," Jay stepped closer, his face inches from yours. "You don't get to choose who your partner is. I'm telling you right now, you're going to be my partner, whether you like it or not."

As you take a step back, your heart rate quickens. "I said no, Jay. Now get out of my way, please."

Jay pushes you as his face darkens. You take a bad step backward and fly down the flight of steps. You close your eyes and prepare for impact when suddenly, a firm hand grabs your waist and pulls you back up.

When you open your eyes, you are met with the sight of Taehyun, who had been listening in on your talk with Jay. He glares at Jay and asks, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I didn't mean to-" Jay started, stepping back and looking a little scared.

"You didn't mean to do what?" Taehyun cuts him off. "Push her down the stairs? You moron, you could have seriously injured her.

Jay fumbles an apology and rushes away without pausing to look back at you two.

"Are you alright?" Taehyun asked as he turned to face you, and his gaze softened. You nod in answer, still shocked by what just happened.

"Kang Taehyun," you breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I owe you one.

"What do you mean? Owe me a favor?" he questioned. You turn to face him as you are startled by his question.

"Sure," you say. You pause for a second, unsure whether your hesitation was caused by the fact that you were still somewhat rattled up from the situation with Jay or by the fact that you and Taehyun were speaking normally for the first time in a long time.

"You can repay me by being my partner on the final project," Taehyun tells you. "What do you say?"

"Well, what did you say?!" Lily shrieked. You met up with your friends after class, updating them on your rather eventful day.

"I said yes," you sighed, closing your eyes and leaning back on the library chair. "Better Kang Taehyun than Jay."

"True," Jake muttered in agreement. "Why do you hate Kang Taehyun again? He's pretty nice. He helped me with my essay once."

You groaned, sinking deeper into your chair. You told Lily and Jake this story when you started college, but you couldn't say it now. Was it because he kinda saved your life? For the trouble and ruckus you've caused in his life, you never would've expected him to save you.

"I give up," you muttered, a scowl on your face. The next day, after you gave Mrs. Park your names, she gave the class the whole period to decide and discuss what each pair wanted to do for the project.

After barely talking to each other, you and Taehyun chose to make two different lists and find a match, only to find out that you both like completely different types of music.

"Kang Taehyun, how the hell are we going to make a music video for SHINEE's Ring Ding Dong?" you asked as you shoved his paper back at him.

"We could dance," he said, shrugging as if it was the most obvious answer.

"No."

Taehyun was about done with you after another fifteen minutes of you rejecting all of his ideas.

"Y/N, do you really dislike all of the songs I chose, or is it because I suggested them?" Taehyun asked, clearly tired of your tone.

"A bit of both," you agreed. Hey, there's no shame in being honest. He chose you to be his partner.

"If I choose a song I know you'll like, do you promise not to shut it down?" he asked. You sit up at his words, wondering what song he would mention. You nodded once but kept your fingers crossed in case he suggested something terrible.

"Some by Soyou and Junggio."

"So? What's the big deal?" Lily asked as she did your nails. On Thursdays, Jake has baseball practice which allows you and Lily to have your girl time at your dorm.

"I sang that song with a senior I had a crush on in high school," you explain to her, thinking back at the time you spent alone time practicing with Chenle to perform at the opening of the school fair. "Brings back memories, that's all."

"So you guys have all your filming schedules set?"

"Yeah, he said to shoot at five locations, but I said I'd only meet thrice. We're meeting this Sunday to do the first take," you answer her, checking out the hand she had just finished coating. "He suggested we feature in the video ourselves to save time and that he would do all the scene planning."

"Damn, Y/N," Lily grinned. "Taehyun is such a gentleman for giving in to your demands. Meanwhile, I have to sing and dance to Dynamite with Jake."

"Shut it, Morrow. I know you want to spend alone time with Jake."

On Sunday, you and Taehyun meet at the café he picked for the first scene. It was tucked away in a back alley near campus. You were impressed that Taehyun knew about a place like this, and you found yourself liking every aspect of it, from the cake display to the furnishings. He smiles and waves you to the chosen table when he sees you.

"Hey, Y/N! I'm glad you could make it," he says, standing up to meet you. Despite rolling your eyes in response, you can't help but be a little taken aback by his charming demeanor.

"Yeah, yeah, let's just get this over with," you mumble as you sit down.

Taehyun laughs. "Come on. It'll be fun. I promise."

"I doubt that," you snorted in response.

He orders two coffees, and you set up the camera and other things. As you work, you laugh and joke with Taehyun when he makes too many mistakes. His face turns red with embarrassment when he admits he doesn't know how to use a professional camera.

The next time you looked out the window, the sky was a shade of orange, which meant the sun was setting. You both quickly realized you had been in the cafe for more than three hours when you looked at the clock on your phone.

Taehyun looks at his watch and frowns. "Whoa, it's getting late. Do you want me to walk you home?"

You're unsure what to do for a moment, and you feel a strange flutter in your chest. "Uh, sure. That'd be great."

As you walk down quiet streets, Taehyun talks about his favorite bands and movies. You find yourself opening up to him and telling him about your own interests and hobbies. Halfway through the conversation, you quickly remind yourself that you hate him and stop saying so much.

When you finally reach your door, Taehyun turns to you with a smile. "Thanks for the day, Y/N. I really enjoyed it."

You have a strange mix of feelings. On the one hand, you had to admit that you liked the day more than you thought you would. But on the other hand, you still couldn't get rid of the irritation you felt toward him.

"Yeah, it was… fine," you reply, trying to keep your tone neutral.

Taehyun's smile fades a little, but he nods. "Well, I'll see you in class then."

"Sure," you say before opening the door to your dormitory building.

You can't help but think about the day's events as you walk up the stairs. You expected to be bothered by Taehyun the whole time, but he made you laugh and have fun. And when he offered to walk you home, it felt like a date.

But you quickly tell yourself that you can't let yourself get too comfortable with Taehyun. You've spent years building up a wall of hate for him, and you can't just let that go because you worked with him for one day on a music video.

A few days later, you and Taehyun meet up at the arcade for the next scene of your class project music video.

You can't help but feel a little nervous as you wait for him to arrive. Even though you've been trying to stay away from him since you met on Sunday, you can't help but think about why Taehyun wanted to work with you on the project.

When Taehyun shows up, he waves and smiles at you. You swear your heart missed a beat.

"Hey, Y/N, you ready to shoot?" He asked with a small grin on his face.

You nod, trying to control the butterflies in your stomach. "Yeah, let's get started."

While Taehyun set up the camera and equipment, he suggests you play some of the arcade games to collect some footage for the video. At first, you're not sure, but he talks you into playing a few games with him.

You find yourselves laughing and having a good time while playing together. Taehyun is pretty good at some games but is not afraid to act silly and mess around with you. At one point, he accidentally bumps into you, and you both fall to the ground laughing. You look up at him and realize you don't hate him as much as you thought. He might even be a little bit likable.

You two continue to have a great time together throughout the day. You're still a little cautious around him but beginning to see him in an entirely new light. He's not the perfect robot you once saw him as, but a real person with feelings and flaws. And he is nice to be around.

When you're done with the last scene of the video, Taehyun smiles and turns to you. "Thank you, Y/N, for today. I had a great time today, too."

You smile back, and your chest feels warm. "Yeah, me too. And I'm sorry I'm always so rude to you."

His smile gets bigger. "It's okay. I understand why you didn't like me before. But I'm glad we could learn more about each other."

You nod, feeling a bit awkward. "Yeah, me too."

You can't help but feel like you just went on another date with him as you left the arcade together.

Halfway down the street, Taehyun tells you he has to meet someone at the cafe you just walked by. As you walk back to campus, you say goodbye. For the first time, you're a little sad that you have to part ways, and you're not sure if you want to keep up the wall of dislike between you two.

"Taehyun! Over here!" Taehyun smiles and runs to the table where Huening Kai is sitting.

"Did I just see you walking by with L/N Y/N? " Kai asked, shock painted all over his face when Taehyun responded with a nod. "Did she get amnesia…? Doesn't she hate your guts?"

"Yeah, I'm working on that," Taehyun chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

"Dude, don't tell me you still have a crush on her?" Huening Kai asked, laughing when Taehyun's face turned pink. "Hilarious, you know she's hated you for as long as you've liked her. Crazy how you both ended up in the same college too. Maybe that's what they call fate."

"Fate, huh?"

You and Taehyun stood on the rooftop, overlooking the bustling campus below. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the two of you as you sat on a blanket laid out on the ground. Taehyun had prepared an afternoon picnic for your final scene, complete with sandwiches, fruit, and a bottle of sparkling wine.

He had suggested that for the last scene, you'd film a time-lapse of you two sitting side by side and the sun setting in the background.

You couldn't help but feel conflicted as you looked at Taehyun. You had always disliked him, but as you worked together on your project, you realized that maybe you had been too immature to try even to get to know him. Taehyun was kind, funny, and incredibly talented but never tried to rub it in or show off. You found yourself drawn to him, even though you weren't sure if you were ready to admit it yet.

As you chatted and ate, Taehyun suddenly said, "You know, Y/N, this is my dream date."

"What? A picnic on a rooftop? That's your dream date?" you looked at him incredulously.

"Yeah, it might sound simple, but it's the little things that matter, you know? Just spending time with someone you care about, enjoying good food and great company," Taehyun explained, leaning back with his arms supporting his weight, the sun giving him an orange glow as he looked at you. "That's all I've ever really wanted."

You felt a flutter in your chest as you listened to him. You had never considered Taehyun a romantic before. You clenched your fists as you realized how the last three meetings with Taehyun had made you feel.

"Taehyun, can you please stop leading me on?" you blurted out suddenly. "I don't know if you're just being friendly or if you actually like me because of all these places you've set up, but I can't keep pretending like I don't feel anything for you."

Taehyun's expression softened. "Y/N, I'm sorry if I've been unclear. I didn't want to push you or make you feel uncomfortable. But the truth is, I've had feelings for you for a long time now. I just didn't know how to tell you."

Your heart skipped a beat as you heard his words. Could it be that Taehyun felt the same way you did?

"I'm glad we got to work on this project together," Taehyun continued. "It gave me a chance to show you who I really am, and I'm grateful for that. But Y/N, I'm not just doing this to change your opinion of me. I genuinely care about you and want to be with you."

"You liked me?"

"Yeah," Taehyun shyly chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as he continued talking. "I think it was that time in middle school you helped Chani redo his homework that had fallen into the school fountain. I must sound creepy, huh?"

Your eyes welled up with tears as you looked at Taehyun. You had never expected this, but now that it was happening, you felt a huge weight on your shoulders. How could you have been so unkind to someone who felt this way about you for so long?

"Why are you crying?" Taehyun asked in a panic, sitting up to look for a napkin. Did he say something that upset you?

"I-I'm sorry for everything," you apologized as tears rolled down your cheeks. "I've been so unfair towards you, and you've been so patient and kind with me."

"There's no point dwelling in the past, Y/N," Taehyun comforted. "I don't hold anything against you."

"Taehyun, I promise to do better to make it up to you," you said softly. "I don't know where this will go, but I'm willing to find out. Thank you for being patient with me."

Taehyun's face lit up with a smile as he leaned in to kiss you. The sun had set completely, but for you and Taehyun, the world was beginning to light up.

#ayzie's reading queue

160 notes · View notes