Chapter XIII: Relief

After eating two bowls of ramyeon Hoya and Sari made their way to their part-time jobs. 

"Sari!! Wazzup!" Amber greeted American-like.

"Hi Amber." Sari greeted back then Yoseob came out of nowhere.

"Sari, hello!" 

Sari sweatdropped, "Ahaha, hi." Then Gikwang approached her and gave her a pinch on the cheeks.

"You've changed Sari." He let go and gave her an eye smile.

"I changed? What do you mean?" She asked curiously as she is now perplexed to what he said.

"Well..." He rubbed his chin, "You seem friendlier than last time and you're blooming."

"I really love it." He added and ruffled her hair.

"Uh, thanks. I guess." She laughed sheepsihly as she fixed her hair.

"Well, let's get to work, pretty lady." He teased.

"Ok and I'm not." She replied and zoomed to her lockers.

"Well, whatever you say." He started making coffee for the next customer.

Hoya, on the other side, can't seem to concentrate on his work. His mind is elsewhere and deep in thought when his old co-worker nudge him on the side, breaking it.

"You're thinking pretty deep." Seo Inguk said. "Are you trying to make an endless pit?"

He joked and Hoya laughed a little.

"So what are you thinking?" He asked Hoya who seems to be in daze again.

"Something." He replied and Inguk scratched his forehead.

"About what?" He asked again and Hoya sighed.

"About this... girl." He replied carefully without spilling everything.

"Ahhh, girl problems? Sorry, I can't help you with that one."

"Seems like it." Hoya retorted jokingly.

"Hey hey kiddo, what's that supposed to mean?" He ranted.

"I'm just joking, sorry." Hoya apologized.

"But whatever your problem is, I know that you can triumph."

"Why is that?" Hoya asked thinking as he put his hands on the counter.

"It's written all over your face." He replied confidently.

After finishing their work, Hoya came into the cafe', where Sari is working, and sat near to the door.

"Hey Sari, your cousin is here." Amber called out.

"Ok!" Sari replied as she walked out from the locker room.

Then Amber pulled Sari near to her and questioned, "Are you sure he is not your boyfriend?"

"No, he is my cousin. Don't be ridiculous." She replied in a normal manner.

"Well, I don't know." She let go of Sari and pushed her out. "We will just see about that."

Then Yoseob bid goodbye to Sari like a kid then Gikwang approached her and gave something.

"Here, it's a leftover and it is still fresh. Don't worry." He handed out a plastic of bread in it.

"Thanks Gikwang." She smiled gratefully and waved goodbye.

As she went away, Yoseob went beside to Gikwang.

"Do you still like her?" He asked Gikwang.

"Not anymore." He replied with a hint of sadness but with relief as he realized. "He is just like a little sister to me and nothing else."

"Woah man, that was fast. You gave up?" He stumbled back from Gikwang's response.

"I don't want to but it seems I lost the fight even though I did nothing."

Gikwang left Yoseob in thinking.

Hoya stood up from his seat and saw Sari holding a plastic.

"What are those?" He asked and took a peek from it when Sari hold it up to him.

"Ppang!! We now have desserts to eat or midnight snack." She said in glee.

"Is it still good?" He took one and ate it in place. "It's still good. Now, let's go."

"Ok." Sari said as she walked with Hoya out of the cafe'.

It was a sunny noon on the school rooftop where Infinite and the cousins ate their lunch in peace. But peace lasted only for a second.

"Hey! Give me back my sausage! Hyung!" Sungjong shouted to Sungyeol as he was waving the sausage in the air between his chopsticks.

But Myungsoo took it as the two argued and Sungyeol looked at him in disbelief, "My sausage." He sobbed.

"You snooze, you lose." Myungsoo ate the sausage in delight.

"That's not your sausage, it was mine." Sungjong complained to Sungyeol then glared to Myungsoo.

"Guys, some peace and quiet here, please?" Sunggyu pleaded as pinched the bridge of his nose. Woohyun just sighed from the craziness.

Meanwhile, Hoya and Sari doesn't seem to matter as they sat away from them. Then Dongwoo joined with them.

"I like here better." He sighed in relief. "I don't know why I'm friends with them."

"I question why." Hoya muttered and Sari ate in peace as she took a big bite of kimbap.

"Did you make those? They look delicious." Dongwoo drooled at Sari's lunchbox.

"I did. Do you want some?" She offered at the hungry looking dino.

"Sure! Don't mind if I do." He took one piece of kimbap and ate it slowly, melting it into his mouth.

"This is amazing! You're such a great cook, Sari." He praised and Sari seems flushed at it.

Hoya feels proud of her as he took a bite of kimbap from his lunch. Dongwoo glanced at it and said,

"I'm so jealous of you, bro."

"Why is that?" Hoya asked as he continued chewing. Then Sari butted in and pointed something out,

"Don't talk while you're mouth is full, couz." She scolded and smirked.

"Haha, jinjja." Hoya chuckled and Sari spotted a rice grain on the side of his lips.

"Wait, don't move." Sari said to him and removed the rice grain from the side of his lips.

"There, done." She smiled and Hoya thanked her. Unknowingly, a blush crept up to his face as he slowly looked away from her.

Dongwoo saw the whole thing and nearly squealed at the sight but he quickly covered his mouth.

The other guys curiously turned around on what is happening but it's gone too soon and so kept on what they're doing.

"Oh the feels man." Dongwoo fanned himself.

"What did you say?" Hoya asked and Dongwoo shook his head, "Oh, it's nothing."

"You can get some more if you like." Sari offered half of her share of kimbap to Dongwoo.

"You're such an angel, Sari." Dongwoo complimented again and Sari sweatdropped, she doesn't think so.

"Can I be your boyfriend, Sari?" Dongwoo asked out of the blue and Hoya nearly choked on his food.

Dongwoo saw Hoya's reaction and seems pleased by it.

"No." She answered frankly which struck a blow to Dongwoo, even though it is a joke.

"Ouch, you hurt me, princess." Dongwoo faked hurting by clutching onto his blazer.

"Ha ha, very funny." Hoya sarcastically said and seems annoyed by it.

Then the other two came up to Dongwoo, "Did I just hear something?"

"You did." Hoya replied instead. "He said if he wants Sari to be his girlfriend." Deep inside, Hoya laughed evilly.

"N-noo, it was a joke." Dongwoo shook his head frantically to Woohyun and Myungsoo.

Then Myungsoo dragged Dongwoo onto the other side, "Hyung, you have some explaining to do."

Woohyun followed and now they left Hoya and Sari alone but that only lasted for a few minutes.

"Hey noona, can I have some?" Sungjong pointed at her lunchbox.

"Sure, go ahead." He took one and ate a whole bite. He smiled in delight.

"Waaah, this is delicious. Did you make it?" Sungjong took another one.

Sari nodded and then Sunggyu came along, "Can I have some too?"

"Sure. Go ahead." She offered generously. Sunggyu took one and ate it in delight.

"You're going to be a great mother some day." Sunggyu commented and Sari seems taken aback by his words.

"You're not just a samurai but also a great cook." Sungjong added. "And I bet you're smart and can do sports. Almost everything!!" He waved his hands in the air.

"You're way too much guys." She sighed and she glanced at Hoya with a smile on her face.

He smiled back, " I agree on what they said."

"Not you too, couz." She pouted cutely without knowing. Hoya saw it and had the urge to pinch his cheeks. And ki-

Wait, what am I thinking? Hoya snapped himself out and continued eating.

Sari talked to Sungjong and Sunggyu happily while Myungsoo and Woohyun tried to beat up Dongwoo.

As Hoya heard him, "How could you do this to your hyung?"

"Hoya, curse you!" Dongwoo added and Hoya sweatdropped.

"Did I hear someone calling you, couz?" She looked around and Hoya shook his head.

"It's just your imagination." He grinned awkwardly.

After a long day, the cousins decided to visit the doctor/nurse, Kwon Boa, in the infirmary. As you recall, the best friend of Master Yunho.

"Hoya! Sari-ya, I miss you! How come you never visited me?" Boa came up to them and gave them a big hug.

"Sorry unnie, a lot of things happened." Sari said as she sat down on an empty bed.

"Oh no worries, just don't forget me. I feel lonely sometimes." She went beside Sari. Hoya just leaned on the wall, near the door.

"We'll visit as much as possible." Sari comfortingly said that made Boa softened.

"You know that I missed Yunho so much." Boa gazed longingly and started to tell the truth,

"Actually, I know I told you he is my best friend but I truly love him and will be. But now he's gone, there's nothing I can do."

Suddenly, Sari felt a pricked in her heart. She knew it's partly her fault. Hoya glanced at her way and saw grief and guilt in her eyes. Don't be like that, Sari.

"I'm sorry, unnie." She apologized as she clenched both of her fists tightly.

"Don't be. I don't know the whole story but it's not your fault. Besides, I'm already happy with you two here." Boa hugged Sari.

"I'm really relieved that both of you are still alive and that's fine with me. I know Yunho's in peace right now and must be smiling down from the heavens." She finished and cheered the two who seems began to be gloomy all of a sudden.

"Cheer up kiddos, Now's not the time to be sad. We gotta keep moving on."

Hoya looked up and agreed, "You're right noona."

"Yeah, you're right, unnie." Sari smiled and felt even more determined with a strong resolve.

Author's note: Haha, wait no more cause mental block has begone. Double update just to make your cravings be satisfied. Please do comment and subscribe. Thank you! Oh and I would like someone to please make me a cover image. Thank you again!! Congrats to Infinite H! Hoya and Dongwoo are the best. I can't wait for them to cross dress. The feels, man.