Chapter 5: Officially meet

Areum

“Do you think you’d be okay?”

“With what?”

If there was one thing that made me think that everything had never changed from that time when I was 15, it was when I was with Junmyeon. Listening to him talking about his mother’s antics was like seeing my mother’s doing it as well. I had never once felt bitter listening to it because I enjoyed it just as same as he was talking about it.

So, when he started directing our conversation to another topic suddenly, taking me out of my own unicorns and rainbows, I looked up to him questioningly.

“With, you know, the assistantship thing.”

My eyebrows almost met at his statement. “That’s really random, Myeon. Why shouldn’t I be okay?” My thoughts trailed at his question until it hits me, making me going big eyed. “Did you texted him and he said he can’t do the favour for you because he doesn’t know me?”

“No, nothing like that. I haven’t, actually.”

I snickered and waved off for being overreacting. We were strolling down the way towards campus since I had to drop by the library, with a bunch of take away pretzels that I took an advantage of making him buy them for me – Yerim would be ecstatic when she sees this – that was tempting me to take a bite but I held it in.

“I just thought maybe it could be really uncomfortable for you.”

“Come on, what do you take me for? I can make anyone comfortable around me, they just have to know me better. You’ll see, we might become friends before you know it.” Pushing my chin out to show the confidence I had in me, I bragged to him shamelessly.

“Probably. I think you two might have a lot of things in common.”

“See? Then, that’s a great start.” I spoke cheerfully. “What is his name again? Baekhyun, right? Baekhyun seems like… a nice person’s name.” I stated hesitatingly, making him chuckled at my continuous incredulity. “He’s your friend. I’m sure I would be okay. Besides, you have totally saved my from a hard – “

I stopped midsentence when someone familiar caught my sight. The campus honestly was almost empty as the bachelor degree’s students were having their break at the moment so it wasn’t so hard to recognize Sehun from far. “What is he doing with Joohyun?”

“What are you looking at?” Junmyeon followed my gaze, curious at what had distracted me. “Isn’t that Sehun? What is he doing in campus? Training for upcoming season?”

“I don’t think he’ll participate for next semester.”

“Oh yeah, you guys will be busy with the final year project anyway later on. People usually give up on side activities during final year. Besides, it’s not like it’ll help much, right?”

I faintly heard Junmyeon’s reply, as my whole mind was more focusing on watching the sight of Sehun and Joohyun sitting on the bench under the big oak tree communicating, not only chatting but I realized that unconscious small touches here and there and that bashful gazes which irked me, as if another soul had took over me.

“What is he doing with Joohyun?”

♦ ♦ ♦ 

Am I jealous? Maybe.

Am I salty at how Sehun never mention to me that he has interest on someone? Kind of.

Searching for the handbooks I needed wouldn’t take so much time if I didn’t get distracted by the thoughts that clouding my mind from what I saw, that I didn’t realize I ended up not paying attention to any titles of the books that I’m scanning on the shelf.

Are they seeing each other? I’d hate to say yes to that question.

Joohyun was not really a friend but she was sure someone I knew for quite a long time. As long I know Sehun, actually. We came from the same high school and she was always the nice, pretty girl that people talked about and she still was, even in the university.

It wasn’t a surprised when an attractive guy in school, like Sehun had mentioned her name once when our classmates make him answer about one girl he found pretty among the girls in our batch during the true or dare session at our school retreat. But they were never friends, and after years they suddenly look like more than just friends.

Sehun has always known me like the back of his hand, see through any emotions I’m in without he even has to ask. Despite that, how weird, the only thing he never noticed was my feelings. I didn’t really given any thoughts of what he may feel for me but now I am, who knew maybe he has known but acting oblivion through all this time?

Leaning against the bookshelf, I’ve given up completely on my useless effort to find the book I need. Instead, I fished out my phone from my pocket and scrolled over my contact list.

To: Sehunnie

I’m at the library now. Do you want to grab lunch together later?

A minute after that, I received a reply.

From: Sehunnie

Sorry.
I got plans
Wait, how do you know I’m in campus?

With a roll of my eyes, I pushed the lock button on the phone and placed my phone back into the back pocket, not intending to reply.

What am I expecting, actually?

Pat. Pat. “It’s okay.”

I fluttered my eyes open immediately and snapped out of my trance when I felt the faint soft voice trying to ease me near my ear.

Just when I turned to make my way out of the aisle, my tracks came to an abrupt stop as at the opposite aisle was when I saw that figure I accidentally reminded of, leaning on one leg, scrolling through a book with pursing lips that shows full concentration.

How can he suddenly show up in front of me right after I accidentally thought of him out of nowhere?

I rubbed my eyes, seeing if it was an illusion but he was still standing there even when I blinked a few times. Then, suddenly he flinched and searched something in his pocket before I see a phone and he made a dash out of the aisle while tending to the call.

“What are the odds anyway, right? Seoul is huge!”

“Why would he be here?” I murmured under my breath, not too loud until people would realize how I was talking to myself. “Am I imagining things? But why would I imagine him?” My eyes widened at the realization and shook my head furiously. “No, no, is it really him anyway? I barely even remember how he looks.”

I thought I must have been so upset with Sehun until my mind went haywire so, I ended up spending my whole afternoon at the library and studied to get those unnecessary thoughts out. Yerim would passed out at the sight of me at the moment, like who would be spending time in library with books scattered around on a break that every student has been waiting to finally get these burdens lifted off even for a moment.

“What are you still doing here?”

Me, who was scratching my head while highlighting the important lines on my notes with a pen mummed in between my lips looked up when I realized someone towering over me from the opposite and I recognized the voice so well. “I should be the one asking you that. What are you doing here?”

Sehun pulled the chair out and sat himself opposite of me, and only then I stopped what I was doing by taking off my glasses. I plopped my head down on the opened book and finally taking a breathing to get a short rest.

“Are you upset about something?” He asked, genuinely concern.

“No.”

“You’re lying.” He stated. “You are the only person I know who turns into a complete geek when you’re upset.” I could sense the light tone as if he’s trying to make a joke out of it but that wasn’t going to work.

“That was only one time and that was the only time you saw.” I retorted, then looked at him from my awkward position but with the amount of knowledge I just fit into my brain, I felt like I can’t even lift my head up. “That time, I was so upset because I keep missing my mom. Isn’t that how we became friends? Because you found me to be a really sad person. You probably wouldn’t if I wasn’t.” I murmured the last line sulkily, reminded at the old times.

I can’t believe I’m actually moping right now.

When I realized how the sky outside has started to get darker through the windows, I straightened myself up and stretched my sore body – nothing that Sehun had never seen before as inappropriate as it is.

“Did you