CHAPTER TWELVE

It was when the sun shone on his face when Jongin finally woke up from his good night sleep. As he opened his eyes, the face of Soojung welcomes him, and suddenly his day has been made when it has just literally started. He couldn’t help but to plant a kiss on her forehead, which has become his favourite part to kiss her on. Carefully and slowly, he also tried to lift her head as she had it on his arms the whole night.

Much to his annoyance, he fails. Soojung opens her eyes, also annoyed.

“Ah, I’m dreaming of him again.” She mumbles as she looked up to see his face, not knowing that she wasn’t dreaming. She then scoops closer to him to wrap her arms around his waist. “Good night, Jongin.”

“Uh, it’s actually… morning now.”

Once again, she looks up after feeling his chest vibrate and hearing his voice only to see an awkward smile from Jongin. She blinks a few times.

“Good morning, darling-”

Soojung utters the longest ‘’ that he has ever heard. “No... This is a dream, right?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Oh yeah? Prove it. Kiss me.”

Jongin shows an impressed look by how bold she’s getting. “Somebody hasn’t had enough of last night, hasn’t she?”

A sudden confusion struck Soojung’s face after what he just said, in which he had remembered that she might have not known about last night. Jongin completely regrets it. He was unable to explain himself for a minute, until she cracks into a small smile. “Bloody hell, don’t tell me…”

This time, it was his turn to get confused. “Don’t tell you what?”

“That my dream last night wasn’t really a dream…”

“Uh, I can’t really say anything since I don’t know what your dream was about-”

“My ‘skin touching, lip-locking, almost having ’ dream that I had…” She explains, waiting for a confirmation from him but to no avail. She then continues, “…of us.”

She didn’t even need an answer to know that it was indeed true and not just a silly dream of hers. The boys’ cheeks turn cherry red and it was enough of an answer for her. “Man, I’m sorry Jongin.” She laughs nervously. “I really do stupid when I’m drunk.”

“Sorry? There’s no need to be sorry.” He assures her. She really didn’t need to, especially since last night’s occurrence didn’t bring him any harm and it was a mutual decision. “I’m just… surprised that you remember it?”

“Well, I mean… Not all of it. I just remember some of it.” And by that she means that she couldn’t seem to forget that feeling of him caressing her back.

“Hmm, I see.”

A sudden silence surrounded them, with the two staring at each other’s eyes and Jongin casually playing with her hair as if he does it every morning.

“Will you tell me everything that happened last night?” She asks him with a hint of tease and pleasure in her voice.

“I cannot tell, but I can show you.” The latter replies as calm as possible, but behind that poker face hides a cheeky little smile, Soojung was sure. She, herself, was trying not to show any emotions. But it was hard for her, when he’s tapping his fingers on her hips.

Normally she wasn’t ticklish, not in that part of her body at least. Still, she couldn’t help but to giggle even though she tried her best not to. Maybe it’s the excitement of what they’re about to do, or maybe she was just plain happy that she was in his arms. Either way, it seemed like Jongin gets caught in the laughing fit as he started to giggle as well. When he does, she takes this as a chance to get on top of him.

“You really like to be on top, huh?” He teased, trying to sit up but was pushed down by her. “Baby, how can I show you when I’m stuck here?”

Jongin had thought that him calling her baby blatantly would make her weak somehow, but it just made her raise an eyebrow. “What if I want to do my own thing, hmm?” She then teases him, running her finger in his well defined jaw.

“Jesus Christ, this is exactly how we started last night.” He thought to himself, biting his lower lip. “Soojung, can I ask you something?”

Soojung would have replied yes, even though she was 99% not paying attention. She had just realized the kiss marks the she had given all over him – his shirt, his cheeks, his neck, there was even a shade of her lipstick on his lips – and was trying her best to remove them by rubbing her fingers into them. She was suddenly distracted when her phone rings. Intrigued by whoever’s calling her early in the morning, she gets off Jongin to look for her phone in her purse, only to see Chanyeol’s name in the screen.

“Yo, are you in Jongin’s place?” was the first thing he says to her, not even a good morning.

“What would make you think that I am?” She laughs nervously, glancing at the confused Jongin who was still on the couch where they slept at.

“Nothing. It’s just we thought you two are together since you both disappeared at the same from last night.” As soon as he said we, Sehun shouts a quick but loud hello to her followed by a curse from Chanyeol, telling him to shut up. “Anyways, we’re on way to Jongin’s to pick him for breakfast and if you want, we could pick you up wherever you are so you could come-”

“Wait, what do you mean you’re on your way?” She asks in confusion. “Like, are you in your way in your way? Or are you just going out of your place-in your way?”

“Uhm, the ‘I’m literally already on the building’ type of on my way…?” Chanyeol replies as equally confused as her. “So are you coming with us-”

Chanyeol was unable to continue his sentence. Soojung’s phone has run out of battery, and she couldn’t be happier. It’s not like she didn’t like to talk to her friend or anything. It’s just she thought it was best to tend Jongin, who still had her lip stains all over him. Clueless, Jongin could only watch as she aggressively wipe something off his face and it wasn’t until he asked when she finally explained about the phone call.

“I don’t want them to think that we had , because frankly we did not, but knowing those two, they’ll think of that as soon as they see your face, or me.” She explains in one breathe. It was obvious that she’s stressed about that, much especially when the doorbell suddenly rings. She immediately grabs her pouch and her dress from yesterday, which she had not realized was there until now, to run off to the second floor. “Don’t tell them I’m here!”

As soon as she drops her things to the floor, Soojung lets out a tired sigh. Chanyeol could have called her earlier to ask her and not freak her out in the last five minutes. But then she realizes that he might have called when they were still sleeping. Looking around, she contemplates in which of the closed doors was the bathroom as she hasn’t been there in four years.

There’s a room that was slightly open though. She didn’t want to just snoop around his apartment, but she was wondering where she could change so she took a quick sneak in. Realizing that she was in his room, she couldn’t help but to smile to see how clean he is still. That was until she realized a familiar painting just on top of his bed.

“Oh Sehun!” She could help but to shout.

Meanwhile downstairs, Chanyeol and Sehun gets startled by the noise, but later turns to their friend Jongin to shoot him a judging and teasing looking. The latter had just denied that Soojung has spent the night there with him to her wishes, but now they know that she has slept in the same roof, unless she woke early to go there, which is unlikely of her knowing that she values sleep than anything, or in this case, anyone else.

“It’s not what you think. Don’t give me that look, you idiots-”

“Get your over here!” Soojung appears suddenly on the top of the stairs, her arms folded, brow furrowed. She wasn’t mad just a while ago, Jongin thought. Well, at least she didn’t look mad when they were together. He wonders what she saw that angered her, though he did have an idea.

“Oh, good morning Soojung!” Sehun greets her with an amused smirk, still believing that she and his best friend have lost their V cards.

“It ain’t a good morning, you idiot! Hurry up before I drag you here!”

“Ah, it must have been a bad first time huh?” The idiot mumbles quietly to his friend, patting his shoulder, before following Soojung to God knows where she’s leading. Chanyeol also follows in suit, which leaves him no choice but to do the same.

“I know what you mean, Soojung. I told him not to put it in his room but he insisted!”

He was right. Jongin had a feeling she saw the painting she made of him.

Soojung looks at Sehun in disbelief after what he says before telling, “And I told you never to tell him about this bloody painting and yet here it is in his room!”

“What were you even doing here?”

“Shut up Chanyeol!” She glares, immediately shutting him up.

“Soojung, mate, look... I moved out of father’s mansion and I had no space to hide the painting on my apartment. I don’t want to just give it out to a random stranger on the streets. And besides, Jongin took the painting willingly. It’s not like I forced him to take it.” Sehun himself had to think about what he said, before exchanging glances with Jongin who thought of the same thing: he did kind of force him to take the painting.

Sighing, she turns to the painting once again. “It’s just… It’s just so ugly.”

“I disagree.” Jongin says, causing her to look at him. “I think it’s astonishing.”

“You’re just saying that to sound nice.”

“When was I ever nice though?” He chuckles. “I’m dead serious. I think you should paint more often.”

Turning her back to him, Soojung hides that little smile on her face. She really didn’t like how the painting turned out, but she may have started to like it now after what he said.

“Hold up… Soojung, are you wearing Jongin’s shirt?”

Now, everybody looks at her and the shirt that she had slept with. She doesn’t even know why but all this time she thought it was her own sleeping wear, probably because she felt very comfortable in it. But now that she looks at it, it was not familiar to her, which leaves her to one answer: it really isn’t hers but Jongin’s.

A diamond choker seemed a little too much for a breakfast meal. Soojung swore that she wouldn’t have worn hers, if she had not realized that she had a hickey on her neck. Just like most of what happened last night, she doesn’t remember him giving her one, but the thought of them getting too close and Jongin on her neck was enough to make blush and smile.

“What are you smiling at?” His face suddenly popped in her sight when he took a peak of her. Currently, they were having breakfast at this tiny but posh café. She did end up going with the boys in the end, but they had no time to go back to their houses to take a bath so they all went with what they wore last night, much to Soojung’s dismay. “I bet it’s me you’re thinking of.”

“Ha. As if.”

“You even think of me when you’re dreaming.”

“Says who?”

“You said it yourself, darling.” He shoots her a wink and she could only sigh by annoyingly stupid he is because what he was saying is true.

“By the way, what was the question you wanted to ask? You know, before those two idiots came?” She glances at both Chanyeol and Sehun who were about to return from the counter, but he was looking at her.

“Uh, I’d rather ask you when we’re alone.” He answers, a hint of nervousness was obvious in his tone. “So, uhm, would you like to hang out after this?”

“I would really, really love to take a shower first. I feel like if I didn’t spray my perfume all around my body, I’d be reeking of champagne now.”

“Alright then. Shall I pick you after lunch then?”

“If you dare to see my sister, then yes.”

Chanyeol and Sehun sat just across from where Soojung and Jongin were, and though they didn’t open their mouths, their little cheeky smiles were annoying the of her. It did the same thing to Jongin, but unlike her who were telling them to quit it, he had only the guts to glare at him.

“We’re sorry, we’re just… so happy for you guys.” Chanyeol dramatically wipes his fake tears from his eyes.

“No, but seriously you guys… Just admit it. There’s nothing wrong with it.” Sehun winks at a tired Soojung, expecting her to go ballistic once again, but the girl just sighs.

“Fine, we did it.”

Even though they’ve been teasing the two for a while, the boys got quiet suddenly before cheering loudly, earning gazes from the rest of the customers in the café. Jongin, who had been cursing his friends in silence, was also taken aback as he looked at her with wide eyes. Though he wanted to speak, he was unable to utter a single word.

“They’ll never believe us anyways.” She tells him, before glancing back at her two idiotic friends who seemed like they’ve won a competition.

“Man, Jinri’s really missing out.” Sehun laughs, though he regretted it after remembering that Chanyeol was literally sitting next to him.

“Where is she by the way?” She asks to no one in usual, but looks at Chanyeol as he noticed him looking stiff by the mention of her name. Soojung doesn’t even remember her best friend bidding goodbye to her, nor did she remember seeing her before she went to the dance floor. Sehun’s laughter was slowly dying down for whatever reason and Soojung just had to ask her question again, “Where the is Jinri?”

“Uhm,” Sehun loos at Chanyeol nervously, hoping that he’d help her but he was avoiding his eyes. “She… She was vomiting and eventually kind of fainted last night so-”

And in a matter of a second, Soojung’s expression changes. Jongin, equally surprised, utters a loud ‘what’ in the café and even though she wasn’t facing him, Jongin knows that she was frowing by the tone of her voice, “Kind of? What the is that supposed to mean? Did she faint or what?”

“Okay, okay… She did, but don’t worry. She’s in the hospital-”

“Don’t worry?! My bestfriend’s in the damn hospital and you guys didn’t even tell me?!” She exclaims in outrage. Maybe it is somewhat her fault for not attending to Jinri and just running away on midnight to be with a guy, but then Jinri wasn’t usually the type to faint on parties as she knows how to party well. Either way, Soojung knows that she couldn’t stay there. Standing up, she starts to pack up her things until Chanyeol speaks up.

“Soojung, you don’t have to go there. The doctor said she’ll be released today so there’s no point on-”

“The doctor?” Her eyebrows naturally arch in curiosity. “You spoke to her doctor?”

Chanyeol shrugs, avoiding her gaze.

“Oh, speaking of Jinri…” Sehun shows her his phone which flashed an incoming call from Jinri herself. Wasting no time, she quickly snatches it from his grip.

“Jinri! I’m so sorry darling I had no idea you were feeling unwell last night!” She utters almost immediately after accepting the call. However, she didn’t hear anything from the other line that she had thought that she might have pressed the decline button instead.

“Park Chanyeol is with you,