Chapter 17

Is it ok?

“Are you feeling ok?”  Junhyung asked.

Hyuna nodded back but Junhyung looked down to see her hands crossed together tightly like she was squeezing all her worries together.  From visiting her grandma’s house, he could tell how much Hyuna’s grandma meant to Hyuna. 

“Hang on, I’ll be right back.”  He then said before he disappeared down a corridor.

Hyuna was too busy worrying about how her grandma was doing to think about where Junhyung had wandered off to.  She couldn’t even imagine how much pain her grandma would have been in.

Before she knew it, Hyuna found herself face to face with a mini can of tea, which Junhyung handed to her.  It was one of those heated cans of tea.

“To keep you warm,” he explained and then opened his own can to drink.  

“Thanks,” Hyuna replied not sure how to react to Junhyung’s kindness.  She was more used to him teasing her than acting like this.  She opened the can and took a sip of the warm drink.  Hyuna could feel a slow swell of warm spread through her body and she instantly felt more relaxed.  Junhyung noticed this too as he sat beside her on one of the waiting benches and was relieved he was able to help her de-stress, even if it was only a bit. 

Apart from them, there weren’t much people in the corridors, only the occasional nurse walking in out of the patient rooms.  Silence fell between them but this time Hyuna felt it was more comfortable.  Maybe this was the best time to clear things up.  Hyuna had thought to herself. 

His previous question during the library incident still bothered her. 

“Junhyung.” 

“Yes?” 

“Why did you say I’m always running away?”  There was no spite in her question, just genuine curiosity. 

Junhyung put down his drink and looked towards her with an apologetic expression.

“Sorry.”  He said.  “It was a selfish question to ask.”

Hyuna was confused.  What did he mean? How was his question selfish?

Junhyung could see that Hyuna didn’t understand his words so he continued to say, “Are you sure you want an answer from me?  It’s going to change everything.”

His vague answer only made Hyuna more curious, but Junhyung was serious, like the real answer would impact everything.  But she had to know, because his question had been constantly bothering her at the back of her mind.

“Please tell me.”

“I had asked you that out of frustration.  In actual fact, I wanted to ask you…”

He paused and turned his head so he was facing straight ahead instead towards Hyuna.  He scratched his forehead as if he didn’t know how to start.  He took a deep breath and breathed out slowly.  Hyuna was more used to the calm and confident Junhyung, this nervous boy in front of her was someone she had never seen before.

“Are you running away because you don’t like me?”

Junhyung hadn’t turned to the side to see Hyuna’s reaction yet.  But Hyuna didn’t reply, so he turned to look at her gradually, a bit hopeful and a bit apprehensive.  Was she going to run away again?

He waited quietly for a response.  Finally, Hyuna said softly, “No Junhyung, you’re mistaken.  It’s actually because—“

Before she could finish her sentence, Junhyung immediately interrupted her and said, “Then is it ok… if I like you?”

He turned to her now, those same determined eyes from before. 

Hyuna almost instinctively moved her head backwards because the last time Junhyung looked at her with such an intense expression was at the library… when he kissed her.  She knew why Junhyung had warned her before.   Even if she tried to deny it and tell herself that Junhyung was teasing her, she couldn’t.  He looked far too vulnerable and earnest to be lying to her.  As she was about to answer him, Junhyung suddenly laughed.

The atmosphere had grown tense but when Junhyung saw Hyuna move back in defence, he started laughing, so much that his voice echoed down the hallway.

“What’s so funny?”  She asked, confused at his random outburst.

“You are,” He said, patting her head affectionately.  It was at this moment, the sound of glass crashing onto the floor.  Junhyung had turned his head towards the sound and found himself looking at some