Chubby cheeks to the rescue!
Hotel Friendships {HIATUS}
Henry POV
For a few moments after Claire had left, I just sit on the end of the bed, staring at my feet. I knew I should’ve just left her how she was, she could have gotten her own things after she woke up, or just left them there...
I could be thinking of ‘What have I done?!’ and all that but... I’m not in the mood for sadness. I don’t know what I feel, I just feel this... hole in my torso. It feels like disappoint, a lot. I’m not even sure though, am I disappointed in myself for violating her trust or am I upset that she woke up and interpreted my actions wrong?
Also, how did she know my name..? She called me Henry Lau, not just Henry, and I don’t recall having told her my last name. Is she an E.L.F? Maybe a String even.... What to do?
If I ask for the advice from the other members of Super Junior, Heechul would tell me to go get drunk and find a girl, some of the others might agree, but Leeteuk would tell me to go clear my head with a walk or something. I decide to follow the advice of in-my-head Leeteuk, grab my coat and head down to the lobby.
As I step out of the lift and head towards the doors to the leading outside, I glance towards the neon-lit bar where Heechul would have gone to if he were in my place and for a moment I think he’s actually there, but it was just my imagination tricking me.
I do see someone with long hair, even though it’s not Heechul... But wait... That’s Claire! And...there’s someone else with her, his arm is around her. I stand there for a few moments, not quite believing what I’m seeing.
I feel a shot in my heart when I realise... They’re kissing. But... But how? That can’t be true! It just can’t, okay!? I must be seeing it wrong, that must be it. But there’s no one else with the perfect curls that Claire has..
I feel a sudden anger towards the guy who’s violating her. That guy, whoever it is, is not worthy of touching her like that! He must have tricked her into doing this, that’s all that I can come up with. Cause Claire wouldn’t just kiss a random guy!
I walk into the bar, straight to Claire. Well, ‘run’ is a better word... I can’t help it, I just feel furious! Towards that boy-, that is, not my curly haired European. As soon as I reach them, they’re still kissing, and I again can’t help but overreacting.
“Get your hands off her!” I yell in Korean while pulling that dude off Claire.
“Hey man, what is your problem?! Jeez..” The guy arrogantly hisses.
“Henry?! What the hell are you doing?” I turn to Claire, her voice sounding very different from the sobs I heard earlier today...
“Don’t get all cocky with me, little boy. Leave my girl alone!” I snap at the guy.
“Wow, dude, knock it off! She’s all yours.” He leaves.
I turn to Claire. “Good. Now you’re safe, Claire!” I continue in English.
“What do you mean, ‘safe’?!” She looks genuinely angry, breaking my heart with her harsh words.
“That... That guy was attacking you! C’mon, let’s go back to my room...” I notice people staring at us.
“No! I’m not going anywhere with you!” She storms outside of the bar, to the lobby, but seems unsure about her next step. This time I follow her though, I don’t care where she wants to go, I’ll follow her! As she stands still, she wobbles a bit. Is she that tired, still?
“Claire, please...” I start, but she cuts me off.
“No, Henry! I don’t know what you think you’re doing, why you pulled that guy away from me, but I don’t want to talk to you any more....” More of those hurtful words.
“What do you mean, ‘that guy’? You don’t know his name?!” I scold her. “You kissed a stranger?!”
She turns away from me and heads for the front door. “That’s none of your business, Henry Lau!”
And there she does it again! How does she know my full name?!
“He did nothing bad, unlike you!” She continues. “He only kissed me, he wasn’t touching me or anything!”
“Please let me explain, please...” I follow her outside, where she suddenly stays still, well, wobbly.
“What do you mean, explain?” She says with that look on her face as if she thinks I’m disgusting.. Which she probably does, let’s be honest. “Is there anything to explain? And don’t tell me you were ‘ually frustrated’ or something, cause that’s no excuse!”
“No Claire... It’s just that I was looking for your keys, and--”
She interrupts me again: “Why do you need my keys?! Were you going to break in or something?”
“No! Please... Can you please let me speak..?” I beg her. She crosses her arms in front of her chest and looks at the ground. Shrugging she mutters some kind of consent.
“You were sound asleep, and I just wanted to help you by getting your stuff down to my room... Like, tooth brush, clothes and such cause I thought you were going to need them when you woke up in the morning. But I didn’t want to wake you, you looked so cute when you were asleep...”
Her expression gradually changes as I’m talking, and I think I might have seen a slight smile on her face as well... I’m not sure.
“So... Will you please forgive me? I’m really sorry that you got scared, I really didn’t mean to do that to you I just... I was trying to help.” I say softly, almost whispering.
She turns back to look at me again, her eyes moving over my face thoughtfully. I see her jaw tighten slightly as she seems to slowly come to a decision, which I hope is the right one. The right one for me at least.
Her features soften again, and she walks over to me and wraps her arms round me. I feel my eyes start to water up as the stress inside me is released by her embrace. Damn I’m manly.
“You only get one more chance, okay Henry?” She threatens me., but with a playful expression. “But that’s it! And I don’t owe you anything, so stay away from me when I’m with boys okay?”
I reluctantly give in, on one condition! “But what if a boy attacks you? Can I come to the rescue then?”
“Well... If ‘rescue’ is the same thing you did just now, then no. Plus, how would you know if I were in danger if you’re not allowed to interfere?” Damn, she got me there!
“Umm....” I think for a while as I’m still holding her to me. She’s almost as tall as I am, which is very convenient for hugging and... Anyway. “Well.. I am Henry Chubby Cheeks, I am Super Man! I know everything.”
She giggles. “Yes, yes you are...” She lets me go and looks me in the eyes again. Her cute expression and mild shyness have returned, making me very happy. “We do make drama, don’t we? We were in a super small fight and I immediately felt as if my world was going to collapse.” She admits.
“Yeah...” I agree. “I felt the same, really. The ‘What have I done?!’ kind of feeling...”
“Aw Henry, don’t be sad! We’re friends again, right?” She gently squeezes my cheek. I think she’s throwing her charm in the battle here!
“I’m not, not really. I have one question though....” I feign bad feelings, while she looks up to me with asking eyes. “How did you know my full name?”
“Oh!” Claire’s expression lights up, and there are the twinkly eyes again. “How could I not know?”
“You mean you’re an E.L.F?” I ask. Of course, this is the only explanation, but still!
“Yes! And not just an ordinary one...” She adds mysteriously. “I am also... Qin Xian. I’m a String!”
I’m her bias?
“You-you’re just saying that...” I shyly say. My cheeks feel flustered and hot.
“Of course not! You’re my bias, together with Donghae.” She says with a cute demeanor.
“Thanks so much... But... Why didn’t you say something?” I confusedly ask.
“Cause then I’d be just an annoying fangirl! Plus, I only knew by the time you said your name anyway, I wasn’t very sure until then. When you said you were Henry, I first asked myself whether it’s really you, cause I didn’t want to look weird, you see! But yeah, I didn’t really want to bother you, I wanted to make you feel like a normal guy..”
Ah, this girl...
For a few moments after Claire had left, I just sit on the end of the bed, staring at my feet. I knew I should’ve just left her how she was, she could have gotten her own things after she woke up, or just left them there...
I could be thinking of ‘What have I done?!’ and all that but... I’m not in the mood for sadness. I don’t know what I feel, I just feel this... hole in my torso. It feels like disappoint, a lot. I’m not even sure though, am I disappointed in myself for violating her trust or am I upset that she woke up and interpreted my actions wrong?
Also, how did she know my name..? She called me Henry Lau, not just Henry, and I don’t recall having told her my last name. Is she an E.L.F? Maybe a String even.... What to do?
If I ask for the advice from the other members of Super Junior, Heechul would tell me to go get drunk and find a girl, some of the others might agree, but Leeteuk would tell me to go clear my head with a walk or something. I decide to follow the advice of in-my-head Leeteuk, grab my coat and head down to the lobby.
As I step out of the lift and head towards the doors to the leading outside, I glance towards the neon-lit bar where Heechul would have gone to if he were in my place and for a moment I think he’s actually there, but it was just my imagination tricking me.
I do see someone with long hair, even though it’s not Heechul... But wait... That’s Claire! And...there’s someone else with her, his arm is around her. I stand there for a few moments, not quite believing what I’m seeing.
I feel a shot in my heart when I realise... They’re kissing. But... But how? That can’t be true! It just can’t, okay!? I must be seeing it wrong, that must be it. But there’s no one else with the perfect curls that Claire has..
I feel a sudden anger towards the guy who’s violating her. That guy, whoever it is, is not worthy of touching her like that! He must have tricked her into doing this, that’s all that I can come up with. Cause Claire wouldn’t just kiss a random guy!
I walk into the bar, straight to Claire. Well, ‘run’ is a better word... I can’t help it, I just feel furious! Towards that boy-, that is, not my curly haired European. As soon as I reach them, they’re still kissing, and I again can’t help but overreacting.
“Get your hands off her!” I yell in Korean while pulling that dude off Claire.
“Hey man, what is your problem?! Jeez..” The guy arrogantly hisses.
“Henry?! What the hell are you doing?” I turn to Claire, her voice sounding very different from the sobs I heard earlier today...
“Don’t get all cocky with me, little boy. Leave my girl alone!” I snap at the guy.
“Wow, dude, knock it off! She’s all yours.” He leaves.
I turn to Claire. “Good. Now you’re safe, Claire!” I continue in English.
“What do you mean, ‘safe’?!” She looks genuinely angry, breaking my heart with her harsh words.
“That... That guy was attacking you! C’mon, let’s go back to my room...” I notice people staring at us.
“No! I’m not going anywhere with you!” She storms outside of the bar, to the lobby, but seems unsure about her next step. This time I follow her though, I don’t care where she wants to go, I’ll follow her! As she stands still, she wobbles a bit. Is she that tired, still?
“Claire, please...” I start, but she cuts me off.
“No, Henry! I don’t know what you think you’re doing, why you pulled that guy away from me, but I don’t want to talk to you any more....” More of those hurtful words.
“What do you mean, ‘that guy’? You don’t know his name?!” I scold her. “You kissed a stranger?!”
She turns away from me and heads for the front door. “That’s none of your business, Henry Lau!”
And there she does it again! How does she know my full name?!
“He did nothing bad, unlike you!” She continues. “He only kissed me, he wasn’t touching me or anything!”
“Please let me explain, please...” I follow her outside, where she suddenly stays still, well, wobbly.
“What do you mean, explain?” She says with that look on her face as if she thinks I’m disgusting.. Which she probably does, let’s be honest. “Is there anything to explain? And don’t tell me you were ‘ually frustrated’ or something, cause that’s no excuse!”
“No Claire... It’s just that I was looking for your keys, and--”
She interrupts me again: “Why do you need my keys?! Were you going to break in or something?”
“No! Please... Can you please let me speak..?” I beg her. She crosses her arms in front of her chest and looks at the ground. Shrugging she mutters some kind of consent.
“You were sound asleep, and I just wanted to help you by getting your stuff down to my room... Like, tooth brush, clothes and such cause I thought you were going to need them when you woke up in the morning. But I didn’t want to wake you, you looked so cute when you were asleep...”
Her expression gradually changes as I’m talking, and I think I might have seen a slight smile on her face as well... I’m not sure.
“So... Will you please forgive me? I’m really sorry that you got scared, I really didn’t mean to do that to you I just... I was trying to help.” I say softly, almost whispering.
She turns back to look at me again, her eyes moving over my face thoughtfully. I see her jaw tighten slightly as she seems to slowly come to a decision, which I hope is the right one. The right one for me at least.
Her features soften again, and she walks over to me and wraps her arms round me. I feel my eyes start to water up as the stress inside me is released by her embrace. Damn I’m manly.
“You only get one more chance, okay Henry?” She threatens me., but with a playful expression. “But that’s it! And I don’t owe you anything, so stay away from me when I’m with boys okay?”
I reluctantly give in, on one condition! “But what if a boy attacks you? Can I come to the rescue then?”
“Well... If ‘rescue’ is the same thing you did just now, then no. Plus, how would you know if I were in danger if you’re not allowed to interfere?” Damn, she got me there!
“Umm....” I think for a while as I’m still holding her to me. She’s almost as tall as I am, which is very convenient for hugging and... Anyway. “Well.. I am Henry Chubby Cheeks, I am Super Man! I know everything.”
She giggles. “Yes, yes you are...” She lets me go and looks me in the eyes again. Her cute expression and mild shyness have returned, making me very happy. “We do make drama, don’t we? We were in a super small fight and I immediately felt as if my world was going to collapse.” She admits.
“Yeah...” I agree. “I felt the same, really. The ‘What have I done?!’ kind of feeling...”
“Aw Henry, don’t be sad! We’re friends again, right?” She gently squeezes my cheek. I think she’s throwing her charm in the battle here!
“I’m not, not really. I have one question though....” I feign bad feelings, while she looks up to me with asking eyes. “How did you know my full name?”
“Oh!” Claire’s expression lights up, and there are the twinkly eyes again. “How could I not know?”
“You mean you’re an E.L.F?” I ask. Of course, this is the only explanation, but still!
“Yes! And not just an ordinary one...” She adds mysteriously. “I am also... Qin Xian. I’m a String!”
I’m her bias?
“You-you’re just saying that...” I shyly say. My cheeks feel flustered and hot.
“Of course not! You’re my bias, together with Donghae.” She says with a cute demeanor.
“Thanks so much... But... Why didn’t you say something?” I confusedly ask.
“Cause then I’d be just an annoying fangirl! Plus, I only knew by the time you said your name anyway, I wasn’t very sure until then. When you said you were Henry, I first asked myself whether it’s really you, cause I didn’t want to look weird, you see! But yeah, I didn’t really want to bother you, I wanted to make you feel like a normal guy..”
Ah, this girl...
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