REFLECTIONS; TMM & OMU

High School graduation ended with many tears, not from her, but good God there was a lot of tears. And snot. And drool. Ugh.

Tea had taken Lucy to the side, alone together at the back of the school. They held hands, and knew what was going to happen. It was nagging at the back of both their minds, they never spoke of it though. It almost felt taboo, despite the fact that the both of them understood that, from the start, this was how it was going to end.

With a hug, kiss and one last ass slap, they parted ways with a grin, and a promise to ‘keep in touch’ that they both knew neither would hold up to.

Tap

University came with the same routine. She went around the first day high off her ass, relaxing her nerves to casually talk to people. Once all that was done with, she went to her new lodging and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

But when she awoke, she was met with the sight of a scrawny guy poorly attempting to sneak into the dorm room, a suitcase in tow. His awkward, hunched over gait did little to hide his stature, standing at a good 5’10. His poorly fitted ‘Graduation’ T-Shirt hung loose against his gangly limbs, slightly slipping from his pale, bony shoulder. Paired with his awkwardly long pair of sweatpants, he looked as if he had been walking around naked his whole life, and had decided on a whim to finally buy himself some clothes.

Well, regardless. he at least had good music taste.

She rose from the bed and greeted him with Kanye as the opener, ‘Taehyung’ left her lips, and he responded with, ‘Mikhail’, and the rest was history.

Second year of university came, and Mika had invited some of his friends over to the dorm for a, by his words, little ‘get-together-party-thing’.

Tea didn’t mind at all. In fact, she was ecstatic. She didn’t even know Mika had friends to be completely honest. The guy was always holed up in the dorm, hunched over his guitar or laptop. That wouldn’t be much of a problem, if it wasn’t like, every damn day. Seriously, when he wasn’t in class, he was inside with the blinds closed and papers strewn about the floor.

‘Sorry, I’ll clean up in a little bit- Um, have fun, yeah, I’ll be fine, thanks.’

Yeah, he never did clean up. But, it’s alright, she didn’t either.

Besides that— Mika never really said her name during their friendship at that point. Whenever he had to say her name, he would skirt around it like the plague; all ‘You’s’, ‘Him’s’ with his awkward ass laugh. The guy was too fucking observant, it almost made Tea recoil, though she couldn’t lie and say that it didn’t make Mika’s company even more enjoyable than it already was, not having to cringe after every few sentences.

... Either way, get-together-party-thing!

Like hell she was going to miss such a thing. The moment Mika had come up to her with his plans, she had immediately texted her friends that she had to cancel club hopping; important family health crisis, very horrible.

Mika had said that it was ‘A bit overkill...’, but it’s always better safe than sorry, after all.

Besides, pretending that her dad was having a heart attack for a moment felt so fucking good. That little roleplay was more for her mental than letting her friends down easy, but no one needed to know.

So, Tea had become an impromptu guest; and thankfully Mika’s friends didn’t seem to be too put off by the fact that a rando they don’t know decided to crash their hangout session. By the time night came, Tea had already baked nearly five trays of cupcakes. Again, Mika had gone on blabbing,

All,

‘Dude, seriously, there’s only like 4 people coming!’

’Please, I don’t want the cupcakes to go to waste, it’s a really small gathering, we’re not even doing anything that interesting, please stop baking!’

The dude was truly clueless. It was a get together of university freshmen and sophomores with weed in the immediate vicinity. Two trays will be gone by the hour, if even that.

And voila, who knew that the social chameleon knew better than the local loner sad pretty boy?

The five trays had been emptied by the second hour.

Mika wasn’t lying, though. It really was a small gathering, and they really didn’t do much. The group consisted of, really, only three people, excluding Mika and Tea. There was one other person, but they ran off after just fifteen minutes; something about an assignment. Either way, it was quiet and an amusing time. Some idle music playing, socialization, snacking… It really wasn’t much of a party, besides the music maybe. It was fun, though. Far calmer than the fun Tea usually has, but fun nonetheless.

And then, the final guest arrived.

Dear guest number four (technically five, but it didn’t matter,). A literal walking bombshell . Her brunette hair reached her actual, extremely beautiful ass. She was tall and lean, basically the perfect high fashion model. And her style , God, her style was insane. Bold, sexy yet modest, epitome of grace . Her heels were dainty and perfectly fitted, paired with a flowy yellow sun dress and a shawl . How the hell did she even make that mix of pieces work? And that makeup— a masterwork. Clean, sleek, dewy. By the Gods , her freckles. It was insanity .

Tea had never been so struck by a person before, truly. She almost felt too beautiful to lust after. It felt like getting horny over a rainbow, it was beyond attraction. It was just beholding the concept of beauty.

‘Huh? Oh, Stacey? We met in one of my gigs… Um, yeah, she’s not a student or anything, that’s why you haven’t seen her around.’

Stacey. Fucking Stacey. Goddamn.

Tea had never felt more like a man than she was in front of Stacey. Like a mad cartoon horn dog, frothing at the mouth, heart eyes going ‘Awooga!’ with her feet running so fast that she stays in place and makes a hazy blur where her legs are.

Awkwardly sitting herself next to the most beautiful woman she has ever met, Tea attempted to strike up a conversation by commenting on her dress. ‘Pretty dress’ was the smart line she came up with.

Thankfully, Stacey responded with a gentle giggle, saying a quiet thank you as she fixes her hair.

It might’ve been rude, but to be frank, after that point, Tea hadn’t bothered talking to any one else not even Mika. They chatted quietly to the side about fashion, gemology, fucking fragrances?

Yeah, Tea had no idea she cared about any of those until then. But it seems she did. Because she enjoyed it so much that after the hangout was over, Tea had sucked up her anxiety, put on her best laugh and offered Stacey her number.

The group had trickled out at thatpoint, Stacey and Tea being the only two who had lingered at the doorway.

Quiet.

And then, a smile, and Stacey took out her phone with all its delicate glittery purple glory, and Tea’s brain imploded within her head.

Tap

The days passed in a hazy bliss. They weren’t dating, no, but they were basically inseparable. If they weren’t hanging out together in a cafe, they were in Tea’s dorm room doing absolute jack shit together, but laughing their asses off anyway.

Mika had made a passing comment about how Tea only met Stacey *through* him, yet he’s not even as close to Stacey as Tea was with her.

Tea had responded with a guffaw and grin; ‘Well, sorry the ladies find me more interesting. Get your game on, dude.’

Mika only smiled.

Tap

One day, nearing the end of sophomore year, Tea had begun posting her sculpting hobby process onto YouTube. A quiet ambient video of her process in sculpting a cat cuddling the sun, cut down to around 30 minutes for each part.

Her first video got 5 views and 1 like, all of which came from Mika.

The next video got 20 views, and 2 likes, excluding Mika.

The third, she was about to reach 100 in the span of four days.

Huh…

Alright.

Back to biology.

The next week she awoke having broken 50 subscribers from her previous 3, with her third video having reached 1k views overnight.

Tea wasn’t sure if she should be cheering or just… Move on. She didn’t feel particularly happy about it, but… Well, this was a big deal wasn’t it? Still—

Hm…

Well, back to reviewing for exams.

The night before her first round of exams, Tea was quietly hanging out with Stacey. This time, instead of Tea’ and Mika’s shared dorm, they were hanging out at Stacey’s apartment.

Turns out, Tea was right. Stacey was a model. Not a famous one or anything (for some reason) but she made decent money, and could support herself. Enough that she has her own place at their age, with no external monetary help from family.

And there they were, quietly hanging out, and Stacey had moved to lie behind Tea, slim, carefully maintained hands gently carding through Tea’s hair.

It had grown out a bit in the past months, having gone beyond Tea’s usual nape-length, falling loosely to her shoulders.

‘Are you growing out your hair?’

‘Huh? Oh, no, not really. I guess I just haven’t had the time to get it cut and stuff. Probably gonna chop em’ off after exams are done…’

‘Hm, really…?’

’What was that?’

‘What?’

’That ‘hm’ was weighed , don’t try to fool me, miss y.’

‘Well- I don’t know, it’s pretty! A shame that you’re gonna cut it…’

‘Ugh, stop riding my cock, Stace. Pretty? Come on-’

’I’m serious! You think I would joke about fashion? What do you take me for, Tae? Seriously…’

‘… Okay, like, what do you mean?’

’I mean what I said . It looks pretty! It’s a shame to cut it off like that. I could only dream of having your hair; it’s always just perfect even when you’re a greasy mess.’

‘… Is it?’

‘Yeah! Honestly, if you styled it a bit, you could look even better.’

‘… It’s kind of girly, though, isn’t it…?’

’What? Taehyung Jang Dalgaard, seriously, are you my grandpa or something? Long hair hasn’t been feminine since the 90s… Okay, maybe I’m low balling it a little, but my point still stands.’

’No, I just— I don’t know… Like, I know long hair isn’t only for girls or whatever, but it— It’s just… Different with me, you know?’

’I really don’t.’

‘…’

‘… Let me style your hair.’

‘What?’

‘Let me style your hair, I’ll show you.’

‘… Um, okay…’

Tap

All throughout the exam season, Tea woul walk around with a new hairstyle every day. Loosey Goosey, Neat buns, French braids, pinned half-up—

All the varities which hair could be contorted to, it was likely that Tea was seen in them. At first with an awkward smile, but progressively becoming a pep to her step and lingering glances into reflections.

One morning, with the morning dew washe away by a light rain, Tea had just one exam left to finish until the promised end of term. She awoke from her bed, despite her good mood, with a puff of cold breath and a sore nose, Mika quietly sitting at his desk, head buried in a pile of books.

‘… Hey.’

‘Oh- Hey, good morning.’

‘You still studying…?’

’ Haaa , yup… Physics, man. I live it every day, and I still can’t wrap my head around it…’

‘Hah, tell me about it… Hey…’

‘Hm?’

‘Why do you never say my name?’

‘… Um… I uh… I don’t know, I guess I just… Feels weird…’

‘Oh, c’mon Mika, we both know you’re lying.’

’No, seriously! It— Okay, well, it’s partly because of that… But I mean… You always look so… Ugh, I don’t know, grossed out? No- Um, awkward…? No… I don’t know, but point is— I don’t know, I always felt like you didn’t like it, and it made me feel awkward so I just… Yeah…’

’… Mika, how the fuck are you the smartest person I know, yet simultaniously the stupidest? Like, seriously. You catch shit like this, but when a girl literally kisses you, tongue and all, you have the audacity to say, ’But does she like like me!?’’

’Shut up, man… So… You do feel uh- weird …? About your name…?’

’… I don’t know. I guess? I mean, it’s my name, you know? I’ve always been… Uh, but yeah, it feels… I don’t know…’

‘… Well, I always thought the name didn’t really suit you…’

‘What?’

’Like– ‘Taehyung’. It’s so… Not you? I don’t know how to describe it, but- um… It’s so pervasive…”

’Pervasive ? Dude, what?’

’Don’t laugh! I’m not crazy, it is! Like, the ‘Tae’... It sounds so aggresive to me, I don’t know... I feel like, um... I don’t know, you feel more like a ‘Tea’ to me. The ‘T’ sound is still strong but it ends a little brighter; with the ‘E’, and stuff... Something like that.’

‘… Tea?’

‘Yeah, Tea, like the drink.’

‘…’

‘Um, sorry, that was stupid, sorry for being so weird after you just woke-’

‘No. I like it.’

‘… You like it?’

’Yeah… ‘Tea’. You can call me that, if you want…’

‘Seriously?’

’Yeah, I like it. No, I really like it.’

‘. ` Crack .’ ′