Chapter 19

Arriving back at the apartment building that evening felt different for a reason. I spent the rest of my time internalising over my dilemma, even writing up a pros and cons list to attempt to sort my feelings. Admittedly, I had deviated from the original idea and started listing everything I loved about Changsun instead. The list soon became quite long and out of control. I realised that I hadn’t limited my love sick notions with the Korean at all. If anything, judging by my excessively detailed points, I had gotten far worse since living with him. I was somewhat glad my Mum wasn’t around to be able to scold me for being so foolish.

Changsun had been quiet also. On the trip back home he had been fiddling with his mobile phone, writing furiously at one point. I couldn’t help but hope it wasn’t to Jihyun. Even though I was thankful we were back on track, I knew she would still be in the picture. As I had envisioned, her appearance at the house last night only proved she would use her injury to crawl her way back into Changsun’s heart. I scrunched my face up, knowing it was my fault for giving her that ability too.

“What’s with you?” Changsun wondered as the doors to the elevator opened and I instantly peered around him, thankful not to see the Korean woman standing outside of the door. I smiled and shook my head. He sighed. “I saw what you just did.”

“Please don’t go into that, I’ve had a really long day,” I replied and he laughed loudly.

“You’ve had a long day?!” Shaking his head, he entered the pin to the house and pressed his fingerprint onto the pad so it would unlock. The door beeped and we went inside, removing our shoes and stepping up into the apartment. Changsun headed straight to the kitchen and I followed, placing my bag on one of the bench stools. He pointed at me before gulping down half a bottle of water. “You are so dramatic you know.”

I rolled my eyes and went over to the couch. “Here we go again.”

“Today I don’t think I’ve heard anyone sigh so much in my life!” He had followed me over and slumped down beside me. I pulled a face. “Or seen you do that expression repeatedly!”

“You know, yesterday you sighed so much that I was amazed you did anything but that!”

“I wasn’t feeling well because things weren’t right here!” He looked at me with an incredulous expression. “Was I meant to throw a party? Wahey, no more Yoomi!”

“I’m sure you will when I go.”

Changsun grabbed my closest wrist and shook my arm repeatedly. “Stop bringing that up! That’s it; I’m banning you from talking about that topic from now on!”

“How can you?” I challenged, gazing at him curiously. “How can you possibly have any way of controlling me Changsun?”

“You normally do as I say,” he boasted and I rolled my eyes. “You do!”

“I feel like rebelling then!” I smiled wickedly. “No more cleaning, no more doing anything you say, being completely free sounds good!”

He shook his head. “You clean as your way of paying rent here.”

“Excuse me?!” I gaped at him. “I never asked to live here with you, nor was that a stipulation!”

“It was your bargaining method back at the dorm.” He smirked. “I just followed it through to here. Besides, you live here and eat my food, use my electricity and water. And you sleep in my bed!”

I rolled my eyes again; he was really getting a power trip from this. “Wow, the boys are so right. Even your Mother is aware of how particular you are about some things!”

“What did you just say?!” He put the bottle of water down on the floor and pointed at me accusingly. “Are you saying I’m controlling and, and uptight?!”

“Hm, I like the sound of that!” I smiled and nodded. He gasped.

“You are going to pay for that!” He cried and I squealed, leaping up from the couch and sprinting up the staircase. Changsun was right behind me, his fingers grazing along my back and I shrieked loudly. Darting over to the far side by the window, the bed was in between us and I anticipated his attack. He finally leapt towards me and with a giggle I shifted downstairs.

“You can’t possibly win this game Joonie-poo because I have a special element you can’t keep up with!”

“CHEATER!” he yelled from upstairs and I giggled again, running over to the couch and climbing on it. Childishly poking my tongue out at him and wagging my fingers by my head, it motivated him to come and try again, only to dive onto an empty cushion. The game continued for another ten minutes, though I was starting to tire. Just as I was about to shift out of the hallway, Changsun managed to trap me against the wall, giving me a sense of déjà vu from the first time we chased one another. I merely gazed back at him, his heavy breathing falling all over my face.

He stared at me for a moment and then smiled widely, leaning in closer. “You forgot that I have the ability to render you speechless.”

“H-how do you think you can do that?” I asked fruitlessly, knowing full well that I was now putty in his hand. He could instruct me to do anything at that moment and without questioning, I would have done it.

His face inched closer to mine, and his smile faded. I waited for the impact, knowing it would finally come this time round. His breath kept hitting my face and his arm slid down the wall closer to my shoulder. I shivered at the connection despite having clothing in between and finally closed my eyes.

And then the front door bell went off. I snapped my eyes open and saw the regret in Changsun’s expression. He hung his head and then pulled himself away from me. “Who the hell could that be?”

I watched as he scanned the camera screen and he groaned. I frowned. “Who is it Changsun?”

Shooting me a look, he opened the door and Jihyun was standing there. “Channie! You are home after all.”

“Noona I’m-”

“Have you been working out? Your hair is a bit damp,” she observed and stepped into the apartment with a big smile. “I won’t keep you long; I was in the neighbourhood and thought I would bring you over this.”

“Give me a break,” I muttered, and felt Changsun’s eyes on me for a moment. I scrunched my face up and walked back over to the couch. Annoyed, I even turned the television on.

“Omo!” she cried and scooted closer to Changsun. “Is that set on voice command or a timer or something?”

“It’s got an influence all of its own,” he mentioned with a tone directed at me, but I ignored him, hoping he realised how frustrated I was. I should have guessed she would ruin my first chance at being kissed by Changsun.

“That sounds like it might need checking Channie. It’s a little unhealthy for you to be exposed to faulty equipment. Radiation is in everything these days you know.”

I snorted.

“So uh, what is it that you brought over?” he asked distractedly and Jihyun gasped.

“Oh I almost forgot. My father was so thankful that you came to the hospital the other night to help me whilst he was in China that he wanted me to give you this.”

I became curious and shifted to Changsun’s side to see what it was. He glanced at me awkwardly and then opened the box. Inside was a diamond studded cross earring.

“What a fatherly gift!” I stated with a laugh and avoided Changsun’s subtle elbow to my side.

“Jihyun-ah, I can’t accept this.”

The girl nodded her head. “You have to! It’s one of a kind and my Father insisted I deliver this to you.”

“It’s too much, and I only came because you called me. Since it happened here, I felt obliga-”

“Oh shush, you have to accept this from me. It would mean a lot to me if you did.” She gazed at him helplessly and Changsun sighed. Jihyun then grinned. “Anyway, I best head home. Thank you again Channie, have a good night.”

He walked her to the door and once it was shut behind her, I counted down from three in my head. I didn’t even get to one before he started speaking. “Do I need to lock you up?!”

“Excuse me, but Channie, she simply had to give you that, and after all she’s so worried about your health!” I rolled my eyes as he approached me and folded my arms across my chest. “That is not a gift from her father and you know it. He probably wasn’t even in China either.”

“Good to see you had some self control and didn’t read her mind again,” he mentioned with a scowl and I shrugged. “But seriously, why turn on the TV?”

“I felt like watching it.”

“You’re impossible,” he announced and I pouted. “Your cuteness won’t work on me right now Yoomi!”

“Nothing clearly will!” I exclaimed and then covered my mouth. I hadn’t exactly meant to sound that jealous or desperate. Changsun gave me a look and then smirked.

“Sometimes you can be so obvious Park Yoomi.”

“And you can be so blind. At least I’m honest with how I feel!” I glared at him. “The longer you keep entertaining Jihyun around yourself, the longer she will remain. It’s clear you don’t want that, but you’re just too nice for your own good. Or perhaps I’m wrong and you actually want to go back out with her. If I remember correctly when you first saw her you stared at her like a dog in heat.”

“A, a what?!” he stuttered and gaped at me.

“It’s obvious you like your girls y and fashionable. Is it true you’ve dated Hyunah from 4minute too?” I continued, not really sure where I was going with this. But it was too late to retreat.

Changsun chuckled. “You are so easily jealous!”

“Stop giving me reason to be then! I’m dead but still human you know!” I shot back and he tilted his head to the side, blinking a couple of times. I nodded. “That’s right, you think about that comment all night. I’m going to bed.”

I then climbed onto the couch and switched off the television. I couldn’t see what Changsun was doing now that I had shifted into a comfortable position and closed my eyes. I waited to hear his feet retreat up to his own bed, but they didn’t.

“Are you sleeping down here?”

“Yes.”

“Why?” he wondered and I opened my eyes, glaring at his beloved television.

“Because!”

“Fine then.” He stomped upstairs and then came thumping back down them. I jumped as he flung something soft onto me. “Keep warm, goodnight.”

I leant over the back of the couch to see his retreating frame over by the stairs. “In case you’ve forgotten I don’t technically need this because I can’t really feel things anyway!”

I snuggled into the blanket all the same and smiled to myself, before drifting off to sleep.

__________

Author's Notes...
Thanks everyone for being incredibly understanding during this time. I've had some really tough days that I didn't expect to knock me back but have. So I'm only posting now.. but what a fun chapter to return with. Ahh, the essence of Changsun and Yoomi - always bickering. And what a shame Jihyun turned up... Yoomi must of jinxed herself after the phone curiosity :P 

Replies...
@Kate; thanks for the coding issue. And perhaps he does, yes :P

@Rirakuma; Haha I'm sure Changsun has his own little frustrations like Yoomi does with him. I'm glad you're enjoying this! There are many possibilities... but there are a lot of limitations too.. guess we'll discover their path soon enough!

@FlyingHigh; I am too :)

@Hafsa15; Yes I get you! Thank you, sorry for the wait!

@E_magine; Thank you, sorry again for another wait!

@themixedtape; thank you for taking the time to read this and welcome to the fiction! I'm so glad you're enjoying this and thank you for the compliment! Slowly getting back to normalcy, and posting just proves that haha!

@Maggie; No worries I'll get an email when it wishes to work, hehe! Thank youu, I'm proud of them marks. Yeah its been really hard. I needed to step away again... but I -think- things are back on track. Uni is certainly helping me get out of the depressing house. Hehe yay for affecting your heart! Exactly, bickering is like a form of affection for one another. Hehe I agree on the song bit... was good! Thank you lovely xxx