CHAPTER XXX

**YERIN**

I made a low grunting sound as soon as I woke up from my sleep and almost in an instant, I felt the muscles in my body aching. I couldn’t even move, and my neck hurts like hell. I tried to wriggle my body but oddly enough, I can’t seem to feel my legs.

That’s weird.

I tried once more to make a move, but my cramped body won’t seem to permit me from doing such a thing so despite my reluctance to fully wake up, I was forced to open my eyes and what came to view immediately was not what I was expecting. My glow-in-the-dark stickers weren’t there. The ceiling looked nothing like the one in my room. It wasn’t in the shade of the same cosmic latte white. Then, it hit me.

“Yah!” I exclaimed. I looked down on my lap. Of course, it’s no wonder why I can’t move my legs and my body feels so sore. I have fallen asleep on the couch with Taehyung using my lap as his makeshift pillow.

“What the heck?! Get off!” I shouted. The jerk’s been awake way before me and he didn’t even bother to get up. My day just started but I’m already annoyed. I have to give it to Taehyung for ruining my day so early.

“Get off me!”

I tried to push his head off of my lap, but this stupid brat is really trying to get on my nerve. He didn’t even respond. Instead, he rolled on his side and settled himself comfortably.

“Yah! Kim Taehyung! Get up this instance or else you’ll really regret it.”

“You’re so noisy,” he mumbled before he decided to shut his eyes and cover his ears with his hands. I swear if punching the living days out of him won’t make me sin, I would have done it by now. He’s really asking for it with his bratty attitude.

I internally sighed. I guess being aggressive isn’t going to work. I have to resort to a much better approach.

Here goes…

“Taehyung-oppa,” I began, trying my hardest to appear cute and might be wrong, but I think I just felt Taehyung flinch right after my attempt. “My body is cramped all over. Please get up,” I continued.

Even I wanted to puke at how silly I sounded how much more Taehyung who probably loathe a girl’s aegyo.

“Taehyung-oppa…” I playfully gave a light punch to the alien’s shoulder like what cute girls on television would do to catch a boy’s attention. I have no idea why this option came to mind and why I even went along with it, but it definitely is working. Taehyung is now lying on his back and looking up at me with a look that screams out ‘WHAT THE .’ It’s even in all caps for added intensity.

“The hell are you doing?” he asked with his face scrunched in disgust. If only I have my phone with me right now, I would have taken a picture of this Taehyung already. He looks hilarious, but I suppressed my laughter and decided to continue my act. It’s already getting too good to put an end to.

“Oppa, I can’t move my legs. They hurt.”

Taehyung reached out with his hand and snapped a finger near my face before saying, “Oy, woman! Are you going crazy? What’s with all these crappy aegyo?”

“Oppa! My legs hurt!”

I must have really looked and sounded sickening because within seconds after my last aegyo-filled statement, Taehyung sat straight up and looked at me with the same extremely amusing expression. It really is too bad I can’t take a photo of him right now.

“You’re crazy,” he muttered, shaking his head a little, before he stood up from the couch and went to the direction of the kitchen, probably to get some water.

I threw a fist in the air and grinned from ear to ear at my victory. Who knew Taehyung is susceptible to aegyo? I mean that blush he tried to hide from that grossed out look is everything. He may not admit it but I’m too cute for my own sake. No one could resist my charms when I turn my aegyo mode on.

I sat there, overflowing with my pride until Taehyung came back, holding two glasses of water. One was halfway full while the other was almost filled to the brim. He slowly approached me while I stared blankly, my little moment of triumph slowly diminishing with his every step toward me.

“Here,” he said, his voice not showing any emotion at all, but his face was tinted a bit of red. He immediately looked away once his hand, holding the glass full of water, was reaching out toward me. It’s not hard to tell that he’s embarrassed. Honestly though, he has no reason to feel all shy with being kind. I think that’s one of the things I have to fix in him as well.

I carefully accepted the glass from his hand and muttered a cheery ‘thank you’ before I took sips of the cold water while eyeing Taehyung behind the glass. He still had his eyes fixed somewhere else other than on me but the blush adorning on his cheeks remained and it made me want to puke for thinking how cute he is looking like that but it’s not a wonder anymore for me why I think this way though. This is how it feels like when having a crush on someone, right? Don’t get me wrong. I don’t exactly like Taehyung. I just admire him a little and it’s mostly because of his looks with a little bit because of his rare gentlemanly ways. There’s nothing more serious to it. At least that’s what I’m telling myself for now.

I eyed Taehyung as I lowered the glass and as I did so, our eyes met. He was staring at me in a way I couldn’t tell what it is that’s going on his mind, but I could feel the warmth in his eyes and it made me ask myself how long he’s been looking at me like that and why he’s looking at me like that.

 Neither of us uttered a single word up until we both broke the eye contact at the same time, blushing right after comprehending what just happened.

“We should get ready. We still have classes,” Taehyung mumbled in a sort of panicky voice. I smiled in my head. I just realized that an embarrassed Taehyung is such an adorable Taehyung.

I nodded despite my thoughts being clouded by nothing but the image of Taehyung’s cute expression. Okay, I know I’ve already admitted having a crush on this alien, but I really should not be making it obvious for myself and for others, especially Taehyung himself.

Alright! You can do it, Jung Yerin. You can live through this childish infatuation without anyone else knowing about it.

Oh, how I hope I can stick to what I’m telling myself.

~~~~~

“Unnie!”

The moment I walked in through the door for first class for the day, I was greeted by SinB’s tight embrace. She threw herself at me so suddenly that it caught me off guard and it caused us to stumble backwards. We would have fallen to the floor had there not been a table behind us. It’s a good thing I have good reflexes as well.

A hearty laugh escaped my mouth. We only met not more than a month ago, but this girl already seems so attached to me. I’m not complaining. I’m just amazed at myself for befriending someone so easily.

I returned her hug and we both let go a few seconds after, smiling widely at each other.

“That was one hell of a greeting,” I joked.

SinB gave me a thumb up and replied, “I haven’t seen you for a day. Plus, Umji had a club activity yesterday so I was basically all alone. The other unnies were also busy with whatever it is they said they were doing.”

I mentally chuckled seeing SinB grumble. She is seen to have this tsundere type of personality so, her trying hard not to make a pout, is something that is definitely a sight.

I tried not to stifle a laugh by clearing my throat before speaking up. “You must have missed me a lot then.”

“Tell me about it. Yesterday was so boring.”

For the second time around, I laughed to myself. SinB is acting like we’ve known each other for years. I mean if she was so bored the day before without me, then what about the days before we’ve known each other. Who was she hanging out with?

I decided to let my thoughts slip and gave a light chuckle before I linked my arms with hers and guided us toward our seats. This girl is too adorable to neglect anyway.

**YUNA**

“That’s trouble.”

I nodded, sipping from my cup of hot chocolate right after I told her everything, beginning with Irene-unnie’s return until the part where I told Yerin-unnie the entire story and how we’re preparing for a big news this coming weekend. I don’t have a class at this time of the day and so does Sowon-unnie so I decided to meet up with her. Luckily, she didn’t have anything important to do as well and she was all too willing to join me after I mentioned Irene-unnie’s name in my text. It didn’t even take her a second to agree.

Sowon-unnie has always been one of my confidant alongside Jungkook and Eunha. She always knows how to hear me out and I know from past experiences that I can put a hundred percent of my trust in her and she won’t let me down. She never spills to anyone all the secrets I’ve told her. In fact, I was actually considering telling Eunha and her about these doubts I often have regarding my relationship with Jungkook. I know unnie isn’t some sort of psychologist but for the past years that we’ve known each other, not once has she given me an advice that wasn’t useful. She’s even better at giving them than Eunha who, most of the time, gives off childish, if not stupid, ideas. There’s no offense meant in that. I’m just stating the truth.

“What I’m afraid though is that she’ll definitely be in the news at the day of her arrival. You know her mom. She likes it when the spotlight is on their family.”

“Of course. That little witch loves attention just as much as she loves money.”

I chortled. It’s not everyday I get to see unnie insult someone. It’s refreshing to see her do such a thing so casually when talking about Irene-unnie’s parents. Don’t take us the wrong way. We don’t hate Irene-unnie. We just hate her parents but that doesn’t mean we like her either. She still hurt Taehyung-oppa and we still can’t forgive her for that especially when she didn’t even bother reaching out to him or, as a matter of fact, to any of us when she got to the States, not even a single message.

“That’s why I tried to think of something to distract Taehyung-oppa but nothing would come out of my mind. I guess I’m just too stressed to think properly.”

Unnie’s eyes softened at my statement. She reached out to cover my hands with hers.

“Yuna-ah,” she said to make me look at her and when I did, she continued, “Relax. Everything will be fine. You’re not responsible for making Taehyung’s life better just because we made that one thing that hurt him. I know it’s hard to take that he changed but he didn’t shut himself only to you. He did it to us all. You’re not alone in this one. We are all to blame.”

If I hadn’t cried so much last night, tears would have streamed down my face right now, but I think my eyes have been dried out. Not a single tear would show up even if I force it. I think that’s a good thing though. I’m tired of crying. Unnie has a point after all. I shouldn’t carry all the burden when someone else is willing to share it with me.

Amidst my heavy heart, I managed to give off a weak smile. “Thank you,” I mouthed and unnie simply nodded while smiling sincerely in return.

“You know you can always tell me everything, Yuna. I’ll always be here, ready to lend an ear. All you need to do is to call me.”

“If only I can be so open with myself, I’d do just that,” I wanted to tell her, but my mind is still too much of a mess right now to even utter a singles word in reply, so I just settled with widening my smile, forcing it to seem cheery enough to the point that I felt myself faking it all.

**YERIN**

“You go home first!”

“She’s my fiancée. I have every right to accompany her home!”

“I’m her best friend. She loves me more than you!”

“You’re not-”

“What is going on here?” I interrupted. My last class for today just ended, five minutes later than when it should be and as soon as I made my way out the door, I was greeted by the sight of SinB and Taehyung quarreling about who knows what.

“This idiot is being annoying!” they both yelled at the same time, pointing at each other. I would have laughed at how in sync they were, but I think it was inappropriate to do that. I heaved a sigh instead and walked over to them.

“Both of you aren’t babies. Act like your age.”

“See? Act like the old man you’re supposed to be and not like a ten-year-old boy!” SinB said before she stuck a tongue out toward Taehyung.

“I’m only three years older than you. Besides, a little courtesy wouldn’t hurt,” Taehyung was more composed now, but I saw the way he had his lips thinned right after his comeback which tells me he’s just trying not to be immature despite wanting so badly to stick his tongue out as well.

“Maybe he’s trying to impress me,” I told myself but erased it as soon as I realized that Taehyung has always been cold to others. It’s only in rare moments that he’s seen warming up to any of us although he has been doing it more often these days.

“Right, I forgot about that. I’m so sorry, ahjussi.”

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