The day after the night when Seohyun asked me to help him with Luhan, I started avoiding him at any cost though I really don’t know why but thankfully he’s oblivious at my plan. From that day too, Seohyun always visits the campus, not even forgetting to bring Luhan lunch and everything. Whenever Luhan sees me at the hallways and is about to approach me, I always walk the other direction and run away from him.

Sometimes, when we exchange conversations, they were short and simple because I always escape immediately, pulling out the alibis that I can always think of.

 

Today marks the first week of me avoiding him and I’m glad with my plan going smooth and fine.

 

I am peacefully eating my sushi on one of the kiosks at the Education Department, fingers flying here and there on the keyboard of my laptop. I am writing for my essay in Literature when a faint smell of familiar cologne invaded my nose. My fingers froze above the letters a and p and I saw Luhan taking the seat before me. He smiles at me and casually placed his tray of food at the table. Without being rude, I greeted him but my mind is already working to form an escape.

 

“I run away from the guys because they were so loud and I can’t eat my lunch peacefully so I am wishing that it’s okay if I accompany you here for a while?” He asked and I sneak a peek at the time on the right bottom corner of my laptop. Gee.. still an hour before my next class. Wait, where is Seohyun? She should already be here right now, I thought as Luhan started eating his lunch.

 

I resumed on my work while Luhan eats silently across me.

We spent the next minutes just like that, me typing while eating and him eating.

It’s when I felt that he’s looking at me that I stopped. I looked up and held an eye contact with him.

I awkwardly cleared my throat and he blinked at me.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked as I focused my eyes on the screen of my laptop, fiddling with the keyboard.

“I just missed you.” Then there goes the warmth spreading on my cheeks.

I looked at him but was taken aback at the look he’s giving me.

I felt the blood rushing on my cheeks and I laughed loudly to cut the awkward atmosphere I am feeling.

“Oh.. Just eat please” I scold him and instead of obeying, he propped his chin on his left arm and stared at me.

“Yah!” I reprimanded him as he smiled at me.

“I swear if you don’t stop I’ll suffocate you with this.” I made a ball with my fist and showed it on him.

He chuckled at that and muttered something that I didn’t quite catch.

“What did you just say, Mr. Luhan???” Instead of answering, he resumed eating.

 

“Luhan oppa!” We heard a faint shout from afar and we both looked and saw Seohyun waving on us.

Luhan waved her to come and I felt that churning again.

Seohyun skipped on her way on where we are and she was surprised to see me there but recovered soon. “Hey Farisha, I wasn’t expecting you here.” She said and I think that’s my cue to leave.

 

I tidy my place; put my laptop on sleep and put it inside my bag while standing up on my seat.

Luhan looked at me, a frown marring his face and I was a bit guilty at the sight.

“Actually, I’m on my way to my next class…” I said, dusting my pants from the invisible lint.

“But you’re class will not start until 30 minutes, right?” Luhan said.

“I-I I need to prepare for my report this afternoon and I have to go right at this very moment. See you two.” I hurriedly bid them goodbye and run immediately.

 

One fine morning, I and Naila are on our way to enter the campus when I saw Luhan walking towards the gates too. I halted my steps causing for Naila to stop too. She looked at me confusedly.

“W-wait, I need to tighten the lace of my shoe, I think it’s too loose.” I bent down and tied the non-existing loose shoelace.

Securing that Luhan has already entered the campus, I stood up from my bent position and we resumed on our way.

 

“Are you, by any chance, avoiding Luhan?” Naila asked the moment we entered the campus’s vicinity.

“What are you saying? Why will I avoid him?” I posed.

“Exactly, why will you avoid him?” She used my words on me and I acted nonchalant at that.

“I am not avoiding him.” I stated, more likely to myself but the look that Naila is giving me told me that she didn’t bought any of my words.

 

I entered the cafeteria and queued for the food.

I bought bibimbap, patbingsu and a can of soda for lunch.

I looked for a table to sat at and saw Luhan with his friends on one of the longest tables in the cafeteria. They were laughing by themselves when Baekhyun saw me. He called for me and invited me on their table. I shook my head and mouthed “No thanks” before looking for an empty seat.

Luhan looked at me questioningly as I sat on my seat.

 

I played on my phone for a while waiting for my friends to arrive and felt a pair of eyes boring on me.

I shrugged the feeling and played oblivious.

Not long after that when I received a message from Hanna saying that they will not make it on lunch because they have to work on their case study.

I forlornly stare at the message and ate my lunch silently.

 

Amidst my lunch, Lay and Suho came to sat with me, asking me how I was and accompanying me.

They only had to go back on their table when Sehun called for his hyung to buy him a cup of bubble tea.

When Lay and Suho left, Chanyeol replaced them.

 

“Annyeong~” He sing songs with his deep voice and I jump in surprise at the sound of it.

He played apologetic at that before taking the seat before me.

“Why are you here?” I asked him and he pouts at my tone.

“Why are you angry at me? Did I do something bad?” He faked a cry while clutching his heart.

I stuffed a spoonful of rice on my mouth and rolled my eyes at his terrible acting.

“You so bad. You’re hurting my poor heart.”

“Quit it Chanyeol, I’m getting goosebumps.” Chanyeol’s frown only deepened at that and I laughed.

 

“Say, why did you suddenly disappeared these past few days?”

Chanyeol rubbed on his nape shyly, “I had to sort some things and make up my mind about something.”

I stopped eating and asked him in concern. “Why? Are you in a dilemma?”

He thought for a while and nodded afterwards. “You can say so.” My mouth formed an o at that.

It’s so unlikely of him to be this serious right?

“About what?” I asked, putting down my spoon down.

“I will tell you on the right time.” He winked at me and I glared at him.

“Will you really tell it to me on the right time or it’s just an alibi?” I crossed my arms, unconvinced.

“Really. I will tell it to you. Promise.” He showed his open right palm and made a cross sign on his heart.

“Just make sure.” I said, narrowing my eyes on him.

 

He nodded eagerly and scooped on my cup of patbingsu uninvited.

“YAH! DON’T TOUCH MY PATBINGSU” I slapped his hand but he only stuck his tongue at me.

I frowned at him and he laughed obnoxiously after that.

 

Luhan’s POV

 

The moment Farisha entered the cafeteria; I kept my eyes on her and watched her as she falls in line to buy her food. When she was looking for a seat to sit on, I played oblivious of her presence and when Baekhyun called her, that’s when I looked at her. However, she shook her head and looked for a vacant table.

 

I watched her again as she sat by herself three tables away from where we are.

She played on her phone and I kept my eyes lingering on her lone figure.

She ate in silence.

 

The guys talked about different things but I can’t comprehend what they were discussing as I had my attention on her. When Suho and Lay finished their food, they excused themselves and I saw them made their way to Farisha. They happily chat with her and kept her in company for a while. When Sehun called Suho hyung, they excused themselves from her and I saw a chance to approach her. However, a more attentive figure took my chance away. It was Chanyeol.

 

Somehow, I felt something bubbling within me; something near from annoyance but very far from rage.

I stabbed on my beef cutlet as the chance slipped away from my fingertips.

“Don’t stab your food, Lu. It’s bad.” Minseok whispered but I ignored him.

 

I chewed on my food not so happily as Chanyeol and Farisha chit chat happily from their table.

They seem to be having a very very nice talk.

My eyes bulged out of their socket when Chanyeol took the spoon from her tray and scooped a spoon of patbingsu on her cup. She too was shocked at Chanyeol’s act and slapped his hands at that.

 

I was pulled out on my patrol when Kris kicked me from below the table and cocked his head towards the cafeteria’s door. “Seohyun” He mouthed, sipping from his can of soda.

 

“Hey guys~!” She chirped and took the empty seat beside me.

“I brought you some food.” She laid out the boxes on the table and the guys looked at the appetizing food but no one dared to touch them.

I took my chopsticks and took a Californian maki on the pink box.

I chewed on the food and nodded approvingly at the delicious taste.

“I made them especially for you guys so please enjoy them” Seohyun smiled and the guys took their own share. From my peripheral vision, I think I saw Farisha looking at me but I think it was only my feeling.

 

Later that afternoon, I am craving for a warm cup of Americano so I stopped by Lei’s café to buy myself an Americano. I ordered my coffee and looked for a seat afterwards.

 

While waiting for my cup of coffee, I saw Farisha approaching me with a tray of what seemed to be my order. I smiled at her and she reciprocated the act.

“Here’s your order, enjoy.” She says and was about to leave but I quickly caught her wrist.

“Wait” She looked back at me questioningly.

“Are you avoiding me?” She looked at everywhere but me.

She stuttered a response, “N-no, I am not.” She’s lying.

“Then, will you stay for a while and accompany me here?” My mind-to-mouth filter wasn’t working at this moment as I lose control of the words leaving my mouth.

“But I’m needed at the kitchen right now.”

“Not even for a minute?” I inquired and she shook her head.

“Okay.” I took off my hold on her wrist and let her go.

 

And she left just like that, not clear if we’re having some sort of fight.