‘You know how much I hate being told what to do, don’t you?’ Howon said and smirked.

There it was again.. The hostile atmosphere.

He had been your friend for so long and you didn’t mind it when he was being like that to other people, but now..

Howon had stopped talking to you a while ago and with both of you away, it was hard to keep in touch, but this- this was going too far. He was acting so weird- he was an entirely different person. Was he really doing that to you? You couldn’t believe it.

If you were calmer, you would have let this attitude slide and get on his nerves by not paying attention to him at all.  You were really worked up though. You wanted to wipe the smirk off his face more than anything in the world.

Your ears were bright red. He had noticed too. So much for trying to act cool now, he would know you were lying. He was obviously enjoying the state you were in. He snorted and turned to leave.

‘So you’ll do the opposite of whatever I tell you then?’ you asked. He stopped and turned around. He pretended to be thinking ‘Ummm… Yes.’’ he said.

You exhaled. That was the last straw. ‘Ok then’ you said and breathed deeply. ‘Go’ you said and folded your arms in front of you. You were gonna play his game and you would make sure he regretted it. …At least you hoped so.

He looked back at you, aware of your plan. He knew he was caught like a mouse in a trap. His eyes narrowed and he flicked his glasses up his nose. ‘Are you really doing this right now?’ he asked. ‘I have nothing to lose’ you said not taking your eyes off him.

‘So..’ he said as he mirrored your moves, folding his arms and staring back at you. ‘What’s next?’

You took a step back and sat on your desk. ‘Don’t tell me what’s wrong. Don’t tell me why you’re acting like that.’ Your arms weren’t folded as tight as before. You were calm because you really wanted to know what had happened. Your face relaxed a bit. His didn’t. He became more tense and his lips. You swallowed and mentally slapped yourself for that. ‘What are you even thinking idiot?’  you told yourself off.

Those thoughts in your head, were exactly what you were trying to get rid of. The thoughts that you had started having feelings for Howon. Your childhood friend Howon.

‘I have nothing to tell you’ he said. It was his turn to swallow now. You furrowed your eyebrows and bit on your bottom lip. ‘Stop doing that’ he said, avoiding to look at you. ‘It’s a bad habit.’

You looked at him. ‘Like somebody else I know, I hate being told what to do as well’ you snapped back. This was going nowhere.

You gripped your desk and looked at him again. If he didn’t tell you this time, you would really give up on him. Forever. You were tired of this. You couldn’t stand the pressure and the spite anymore. You closed your eyes, tilted your head back and breathed out.

‘I can’t stand this’ you told him. You were trying to keep calm and act cool but you just didn’t care anymore. You bit your lips again, to prevent them from trembling. Your eyes were starting to water too. He saw it and his expression faltered. He unfolded his hands and put them in his pockets.

‘If I did something wrong, I’m sincerely sorry. If I said anything out of line too. I’m sorry..’ you said giving up.

You got up and started packing your stuff. He was in the same position as before.

‘What?’ you said. ‘You won. You must be happy. I really don’t care anymore’ You smiled at him bitterly.

You went back to your things. ‘I didn’t.’ he said. His expression had changed.

‘You didn’t what?’ you asked. You were trying to read his expression but he was confusing you- so much.

‘Wi-’

‘You know what?’ you interrupted him. ‘No need to explain. You don’t have to. Seriously! Just.. I don’t know. Don’t talk to me, or pretend I don’t exist or something. I don’t mind because I have seriously reached my limit here.’

You turned your back at him, feeling the lump in your throat getting bigger and bigger. ‘Don’t you dare cry, idiot’ you told yourself. 

‘I can’t do that’ he said quietly.

You stopped what you were doing. ‘JUST GO!’ you shouted without looking back. ‘PLEASE!’

There was no sign of movement behind you. You threw your things on the floor angrily, rushed at where he was standing and tried to push him out. He was too strong for you. He just moved an inch. Next thing you knew, you were pinned against your door and Howon’s arms were on either side of you.

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