Chapter 8: Closer

Areum

Yeouido Park was quite crowded from the look of the presence of people lounging and loitering, spending their relaxing Sunday evening. I was standing among the crowds of families and friends while watching and studying the number of people when Sehun came right back to me with two bowls of ice creams.

“Yours truly, one scoop of cookies and cream with another scoop of strawberry shortcake.”

I hummed happily at the sound of the names, knowing how pleasantly it would feel once it melted on my tongue as I reached for it. The fact Sehun never failed to remember the flavours I wanted moved me. I sneaked a peek at his bowl and saw another two different flavours from mine so I made a knowing look that I’d like to have a taste.

Without a word, Sehun pushed it towards me to grab a spoon of each flavours. “This is why you are hyper all the time.”

“Shut up.” I retorted while the stains on the spoon.

We both sat down on one of the steps near the fountain as I scanned the kids playing and running around and some couples just chilling next to each other, talking while there were also who just enjoying listening to music and be in their own world and some who were just enjoying the little nature in the middle of metropolitan, so I unconsciously voiced out, “Isn’t that just sweet? Doing simple and laid back things on a date, I absolutely love the idea.”

I just heard a sound of light chuckle coming from Sehun who was listening to my daydreaming session as he tried to have a bite on my ice cream that had made me close to smack his hand in protective manner towards my ice cream as he was digging them with his spoon.

Instead, I ended up taking his hand in mine and turned it front and back as I paid a closer look at his big hand that could covered mine just beautifully. “This is how a man’s hand supposed to look like. Veiny, calloused and bony.”

“Are you judging my hand now?” Sehun pulled his hand away from my grasp, feigning offense.

I just laughed at him. “No. It just reminds me of Baekhyun sunbae.”

“Baekhyun sunbae?”

I hummed while nodding in response. “I was just playing with him by asking him to spread his hands out to see if he’d really play along and I felt offended in return when they were next to mine.” I grumbled.

“Are you that close to him now?”

“I wouldn’t call it close.” I replied while eating my ice cream bit by bit because it was too precious. “But he wasn’t as I expected at all.” I told Sehun with big eyes. “I’ve always known that he’s nice but I thought he was hard to approach. That’s not the case actually. If I insist, he’d actually response. Is it because he’s just nice? Or that he just had no choice because I talk too much?” I wondered on my own. “Whatever it is, I like talking to him.”

“It has been just once and you decided you like talking to him already.”

“Honestly, it was just like talking to you but, when it’s with you, I know that’s just how you’d react. But with Baekhyun somehow, I'm kind of expecting from him. And when he did, it made me flutters.” I told him, without realizing that Sehun had been wearing a tight look at me.

“That’s the first time, you talk about someone like that.” He deadpanned.

It brought my gaze to him when I was aware of how low his voice was, it made me thinking for a second if he was jealous then waved it off because that was too good to be true. Sehun sounded like that all the time, anyway.

I nudged his shoulder playfully. “What do you mean? I compliment other people a lot too. I’m just curious about him a lot so, it just becomes interesting.”

♦ ♦ ♦

From: Sehunnie

ur fav band going to perform in Hongdae tmr night.

To: Sehunnie

asdfghjkl! The Times?!

From: Sehunnie

yes.
they’re the main act.
I saw the list.

I was literally jumping on my couch and screaming in excitement when I found out about the news. Knowing that I’m all by myself in my apartment, I surely didn’t even bother how goofy and weird I was acting by dancing in joy in the house. They haven't performed in ages!

Tomorrow night? But tomorrow…,

As excited as I was, I was scanning through my brain to see if I’d have something important tomorrow before confirming that I’d want to go and then I suddenly remembered how I had a field research trip to go to for the project.

I knew I could make it on time back if I wanted to but it was a little risky because I might had to rush and I hate rushing so I was contemplating on my persistency to still attend the event or just give it up.

It would be really tiring.

From: Sehunnie

so?
coming?
Joohyun’s getting tickets.

My heart stopped for split second at the name. Joohyun? It wasn’t that I care much since Sehun was my friend and she was the girl he like so, I knew eventually I had to be cool with it – maybe I care a little, or maybe quite a lot than I thought – but I don’t think I was mentally prepared enough to see them together in closer look, showcasing their intimacy and mutual feelings towards each other.

Why do I like boys that don’t like me back?

And of course, from the sound of it I’m sure they’ll be going with a group of other friends from our campus, thus, that was just another reason I shouldn’t go because it’ll be so awkward for me. Since Joohyun would be there, Sehun would ditch me for sure.

I’d like to believe that’s the biggest factor I can’t make it, not because I was jealous – nope, I’m so not..damn, I’m jealous!  Thus, my reply told it all how I was completely bitter.

To: Sehunnie

No.

I am just not a good liar.

The next day I was running at 8, with one hand holding coffee and another securing my laptop, with my lips holding tight on the bag of muffins. With my bad sense of direction, I actually passed the room I was supposed to meet Baekhyun by few steps and had to turn back with the frustrations I held in.

Once I released the bag of muffins onto the table, I huffed loudly as I tried to catch my breath. It was pretty loud because that totally caught his attention.

When I saw his eyes on me, I spoke, “Rough morning? Yes, rough morning.” and leaned all of my weight against the table. “How many minutes am I late?”

“Around 10 minutes?”

“I’m sorry. I overslept. The sun rising woke me up today. Thank you, sun.” I joked, trying to cover up on my tardiness.

“Should we go now?”

“Of course, sure. But let me get some air, I’ve always at running.”

“I figured.”

“I supposed, yeah.”

I followed after him awkwardly until we reached his car since obviously, I didn’t know what type of car that he was actually driving. And the awkward air between us went on until we both get into the car and depart to the area we had agreed on.

As Baekhyun was driving, eyes focused on the road ahead, he briefly explained to me about the purpose of the project and the details. I intently watched how he had one arm steadied on the steering wheel, displaying his veiny forearms that I can’t take my eyes of, yet I was still listening to him intently.

I am so sure that I was.

“The focus is on the Earned Income Tax Credit, which had specially segregated each year to low income families. And the main part we involved is to create a way for these individuals to automatically split their tax refunds between a checking and savings account. And if they don’t have any account, we worked with the local banks on helping them to set one up.

Once we had the inputs from the surveys and analysed the data, that’s how we’ll come up with a system for people to electronically deposit their refund into a saving account.”

I nodded every once in a while because that was the longest he had ever converse without me interrupting, only to realize that he looked quite different than on the other days. His face seemed to lose its colours and his eyes looked droopy and tired, despite his attempt to look fine and get the work going.

“Sunbae,” my voice trailed, as I paid another look on his face, gathering his attention. “Are you okay? I think you look kind of pale. Are you feeling not well?”

“Are you even listen