Man in Love - Infinite

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Chapter 30: Grounded.

“Maybe I should just tell him that’s it’s all a misunderstanding,” Jaera muttered to herself, pressing the number ‘4’ button on the elevator walls. The few passengers inside looked at her weirdly, checking if she’s going insane for talking to herself. Nevertheless, they just pressed their own respective floor levels afterwards before minding off their own businesses. Jaera, on the other hand, didn’t notice them and continued to speak to herself. “But then again, he’d surely believe Lay-oppa since he is his friend after all and I’m just… well… me.”

In less than 2 minutes, after stopping by another floor below, the elevator eventually arrived by the 4th level as its doors opened slowly. With a very troubled look, Jaera made her way out from the cramped lift with small footsteps, trying to lengthen the time she’d use just to arrive by the last unit on the floor.

“Or maybe I should just tell him before Lay-oppa does, that way he wouldn’t get so mad.” Without even noticing it, Jaera had already reached the doorstep of the unit ‘420’. Heaving a heavy sigh, she reluctantly fished out her silver keys from her bag’s pocket as she slid it into the keyhole. “Actually, why would he get mad? I mean, it won’t really matter to him, would it? But I guess, I should just tell him beforehand just to be sure—“

“So you mean to say that she’s on the verge of failing her subjects?”

Sounds of keys dropping on the floor suddenly caught Lu Han’s attention, causing for him to turn to the direction only to see Jaera looking at him with a dumbfounded expression. Lu Han just gave her an intimidating smirk in return before gesturing for the girl to walk in and sit down by the couch in front of him. “So when is it?”

“On Friday after their classes.”

Hearing the faint voice of Lay resonating from Lu Han’s phone, Jaera swallowed hard as she picked up her keys from the ground. After keeping it back inside her bag’s pocket, she then closed the front door behind her. Slowly and carefully, she trotted over to the couch, all the while trying her best not to make any eye contact with Lu Han. Judging from his unamused expression, Jaera was sure she was about to be in another deep —very deep .

“Okay, thanks for informing me about it, Lay.” Lu Han said, turning his back on Jaera to prevent the girl from seeing the satisfied grin that was threatening to appear on his face. “Though I never knew you were a good friend of Suho.”

“We rarely meet nowadays, actually.” Lay said, chuckling. “I didn’t even know Jaera, Sehun and Tao were his students until he showed me his class records.”

“Well, you sure come in handy sometimes.” Lu Han whispered, peeking over from behind him to see Jaera patiently seated on the couch. “Just call me when there are more news, okay?”

With a very amused expression, Lay just nodded in response as if he was talking to Lu Han in person before ending the call. Now he has something to report later on when he and his friends get together in their usual meeting place.

As soon as the phone call ended, Jaera straightened her back and stared as Lu Han turned back to her with a displeased look on. As if preparing for the worst, she breathed heavily while waiting for the bomb that is Lu Han’s mouth to explode. “You’re grounded.”

With wide eyes and creased eyebrows, Jaera blinked a couple of times as she gave Lu Han a probing look as if she heard wrong. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Didn’t you hear me clearly?” Lu Han spat out, crossing his arms strictly while eyeing Jaera in scrutiny. “I said, you’re grounded, xiao tuzi.”

“Wait, I think there’s a misunderstanding here—“ Jaera said as she looked at Lu Han in disbelief, a soft laughter threatening to slip off from her lips. “—you’re joking, right?”

“Do I look like I’m joking to you?” Lu Han questioned, his voice getting lower as he raised a single eyebrow at Jaera.

Seeing the serious look on Lu Han’s face, Jaera couldn’t help but gulp as she tried to keep their tensed eye contact. “N-no…”

“Then like I said, you’re grounded.” Lu Han said, not taking his piercing gaze from Jaera as the latter’s face fell. “You’re not going anywhere except for school and here.”

“That’s impossible!” Jaera exclaimed, looking at Lu Han in aggravation as if the male was going mad. “What about my part-time job—“

Before Jaera can even finish speaking, Lu Han had already dialled Chanyeol’s number as his familiar voice resonated from the speaker phone afterwards. “Yes, hyung? Do you need something—“

“Nothing in particular, I just wanted to inform you that Jaera won’t be able to go to work for the next few days.” Lu Han immediately said, not wanting to beat around the bush any longer.

“Oh okay, but can I ask why?”

“Simple,” Lu Han said, turning his eyes back to Jaera with an authoritative look. “Jaera’s grounded.”

Without even waiting for Chanyeol’s response, Lu Han abruptly ended the call with no question whatsoever, causing for Jaera to continue giving him a look of disbelief. “As if you could actually stop me from going somewhere other than school—“

“Actually, I can.” Lu Han retorted, pulling off a smug look as Jaera raised an eyebrow.

“How?”

“From now on, I’ll be the one taking you to and from school so you don’t have to worry about having not enough money for bus fares.”

A mixture of incredulity and astonishment immediately spread across Jaera’s face upon hearing Lu Han’s words. There’s no possible way that he’ll actually do that, won’t he? “That’s absurd, ahjussi. I’m not a ten year old kid that you’ll have to look out for anymore and you have your work—“

“And I’m the boss at my work. Mind you, I can do anything that I want and no one has the rights to stop me.” Lu Han scoffed, looking at the helpless girl in front of him mockingly. He then reached out his open palm afterwards in front of Jaera, causing for her to look at it in confusion. “Oh and give me your phone.”

“What?!” Jaera exclaimed, jumping up from her seat as she looked at Lu Han in frustration. “Now you’re seriously joking.”

Instead of answering, Lu Han just took a step closer towards Jaera without averting his penetrating gaze. The action made Jaera back away a tad but stopped upon seeing Lu Han’s right hand reaching out in the air, still waiting for her phone.

Seeing as Lu Han won’t be backing down from his silly request anytime soon, Jaera made a face. “What do you even want with my phone? It’s old and cheap. It doesn’t work properly.”

“Just to make sure you won’t slack on your studies.”

“What if someone calls me?”

“You think someone would call you? You barely even have any numbers saved on your phone.”

Jaera mentally rolled her eyes, hating the fact that Lu Han was making a point. He was right, she hardly have any numbers of other people on her phone so it wouldn’t really be a problem if she surrendered it to the male.

Albeit, the thought of Lu Han possibly losing his sanity was seriously worrying her. Not only was he being bipolar again, but he’s also starting to think absurdly and unusual. Absurd since it wasn’t really necessary for him to take Jaera’s phone away and drive her to and from school. Unusual since before, he didn’t really give a damn about Jaera’s school life whereas now, he was making such a big deal out of a mere make-up exam.

It was really frustrating Jaera but what can she do? Lu Han was helping her big time by being her foster guardian and she could do nothing but just follow his wishes, be it ridiculously unreasonable or not.

With a very heavy sigh, Jaera rummaged through her bag and reluctantly fished out her phone. She then turned back to Lu Han and slowly dropped the tattered and almost broken phone on the palm of his right hand. Upon acquiring the old device, a satisfied look immediately flashed across the male’s face.

Seeing this, Jaera can’t help but ask. “Why do you even care about my studies? Don’t get me wrong, though. It’s not that you’re not allowed to be, but it’s really none of your concern.”

“It is my concern since I’m your guardian—foster guardian to be exact.” Lu Han responded, pulling back his arm before tucking both of his hands inside his jeans’ pockets. “Now go to sleep, you still have school tomorrow.”

Hearing Lu Han’s answer, Jaera just fell silent. Hypothetically, her grades were really the male’s concern but in reality, it surely wasn’t supposed to be. Although, she couldn’t argue with him now, and even if she could, she wouldn’t, for a part of her also thinks that he’s doing this for her sake and well-being.

And just the thought of him caring for her, it makes Jaera a bit happy.

Leaving Jaera all by herself in the living room, Lu Han slowly went back to his room. As soon as the door closed behind him, Lu Han sighed in a mixture of relief and aggravation. Upon hearing the door from Jaera’s room close, he carefully walked over to his desk and sat down on the leather chair beside it. Taking the simple black picture frame rested on his desk in his hands, Lu Han broke out into a smile.

“Mom, I grounded Jaera.” Lu Han chuckled, gazing at the photo of his mom and his younger self with a satisfied look. “So this is what it feels like to discipline your child. It… it feels good.”

Lu Han wiped the piling dust on the glass of the frame with a smile on his face. Although after gazing at the photo for a couple more seconds, the satisfied expression he wore vanished and was replaced with a troubled one.

“I don’t really know why I’m acting