Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it. 

Chorong had barely moved from the couch in an entire week. 

Overdramatic? Possibly, but she honestly didn’t want to do anything but sulk in her own thoughts. And, most of those thoughts seemed to include the events from the previous week. Sadly, they weren’t the best thoughts. 

It was definitely not how she wanted things to do. All she had to do was give in and not lose it. She just had to keep her cool and just be there, with Jongsuk, for just that one moment. Did she? Of course she didn’t. What are you supposed to do when you’re kissing this amazing guy who you could possibly really like? Well, you definitely don’t pull away right when it’s getting good and run out of there as fast as you can. 

Unfortunately, Chorong must not have gotten that memo. 

Because if she would have gotten it she wouldn’t have done exactly what she didn’t want to do. It wasn’t like kissing Jongsuk was bad; of course it was absolutely amazing. He was so gentle with her, as if he were to put any more pressure into the kiss she might actually shatter to pieces right in her arms. He was so strong at the same time, though. The way he held onto her like if he were to let go she might float away or disappear at any minute. 

And the way his lips felt against hers? God, don’t even get her started. He kissed exactly how he was in real life. With so much passion and effectiveness that it could honestly take your breath away. Not only that, but he tasted even better; possibly like honey. It was sweet, but comforting. Like she felt at home with him. And it was so perfect. More than perfect, really. 

She honestly wanted it to last forever so that she would never have to experience another moment in her life without kissing Lee Jongsuk. And she would have been completely fine with that. There she was, in the arms of this guy that she really liked, and for just that one moment it wasn’t like anything else mattered. Joonmyun didn’t matter and Nayoung didn’t matter. This summer not going exactly how she wanted it? It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered other than him. 

So, of course, she had to ruin it. 

It was like this mass crowd of anxieties and fears came swarming over her and she had no time to react or stop them. She wanted to, she definitely did. She wanted to push them away and just enjoy this moment without thinking too much into things … Yeah, well, that just wasn’t going to happen this time. So as she was filled with all these worries she had pulled away and ran off, ignoring everyone calling her name as she left. 

This wouldn’t be a problem, is what she thought. She figured that she would talk to Jongsuk about it another time; after she calmed down at least. They would get past thing and she would explain herself and maybe something would even happen between them. Well, that was the plan. But that was also a week ago and she had been hiding out from him in her hotel room the entire time. 

This brings her back to the current situation: laying on the couch and deciding not to move until the trip was over. That would go over well, right? She could continue to hide out and avoid Jongsuk for that long … right? 

She pushed herself off the couch and wandered aimlessly around the apartment. What was she going to do? She knew that if she went to go face Jongsuk then she might possibly embarrass herself way more that she already has. And, to top it all off, she wasn’t exactly sure he wanted to see her now. 

“Please tell me you’ve decided to finally leave the hotel.” Chorong turned around and watches as Nayoung came out of her room looking just as good as she did every day. A part of her was a little envious at how she could look that great every morning while she, herself was sporting some sweatpants and a old t-shirt. How were they related again? 

“Sorry, no.” Chorong flopped back down onto the couch and pulled her blanket over her lap. She grabbed her copy of The Great Gatsby and opened it up, going back to where she was previously, even though she’d read it at least a hundred times. 

“That’s it, you’re not doing this all summer,” Nayoung stormed over to her and snatched the book right out of her hands before tossing it away. “Get up and get dressed. You’re not staying her all day again.” 

“Hey!” Chorong glared as her sister reached down and yanked the blanket right off her lap. “Unnie, stop! I just want to relax and read my book! Is that a crime?” 

Nayoung huffed out a small laugh and rolled her eyes while balling up the blanket. “For you, it is a crime. I’m not going to let you ruin my summer.” 

“Why the hell would me sitting in a hotel room ruin your summer?” 

“Because you’re depressing me,” Nayoung threw the blanket in the same direction as the book and carried on her way to finish getting ready. “So go outside! Do something! And please take a shower. You stink and you look like crap.” 

“Wow, thank you so much.” 

Chorong stayed put though as her thoughts moved from her pestering sister back to the centre of all her problems; Jongsuk. What was she going to do? This was supposed to such a simple thing. She meets a guy, starts to feel things for said guy, and when things are actually progressing between the two … she freaks. Sounds like some awful teen drama, right? Unfortunately, that was the life of Park Chorong at the moment. 

The truth was, she was completely scared and she wasn’t exactly sure what to do at this point. She had this guy who had been nothing but kind and sincere and open with her since they met. A guy who seemed to like her too. Jongsuk was definitely someone she could see herself with if they gave it a chance. 

But, just because she could possibly see herself with him, that didn’t stop those fears and anxieties from being a constant visitor in her life at the moment. It had been over a year she was last in a relationship, or with a boy at all really, and the thought of putting herself out there again? Absolutely terrifying. When everything fell apart last time she never thought she would be able to do this again. And, if she was being honest right now, she wasn’t exactly sure she’d ever be ready. 

“I know something that will cheer you up. Joonmyun told me this story about this girl he knew that handcuffed him to a bed and left him there for hours! Can you believe that?” Chorong practically choked on her own breath as she glanced at Nayoung with widened eyes. 

Damn it, Joonmyun. 

“You don’t say?” She bit her lip to hide the smile that wanted to form on her face. It was one of her proudest moments, she’d have to say. She got the upper hand on the bastard and she wouldn’t mind letting that moment replay so that she could just piss him off a bit more. 

“I have a date with him tonight so I’m going to go get my hair done. Do you need anything while I’m out?” Chorong made a face after hearing her sister’s plans. Why couldn't Nayoung just break up with the idiot already? Sure, they had pushed their problems away last week so that Luhan could have a good time at his welcome home party, but their truce was now over as far as she was concerned. And she wanted nothing more than to get him to leave her, and her sister, alone once and for all. 

An idea popped into her mind right at that moment and she pulled him phone from her pocket and looked it over. She hadn’t done anything to mess with him since the last text she sent out and she knew that it was time to stop this ‘relationship’ from advancing. 

TO NAYOUNG: 

Hey Nayoung-ah, it’s Joonmyun. Sorry, but I need to cancel our date. Hope you don’t mind, but I have better people to hang out with. 

She swallowed hard as she stared down at the message. Was she taking it too far now? She looked up at her sister and watched the giddy girl get ready for this ‘date.’ She hated the face that Nayoung was actually liking this guy and she wished more than anything that she hadn’t been pulled into this. But she couldn’t let her sister be with this sleaze. 

Chorong was prepared to hit the send button and hopefully ruin this relationship, but of course Nayoung had to come and make her feel guilty. 

“You know, Joonmyun is really wonderful, Ronnie. I have so much fun with him. More fun than I’ve ever had with anyone.” 

Damn. She erased the message quickly and stuck the phone away with a sigh. She couldn’t do this to Nayoung. She would have to figure out some other way to ruin Joonmyun, but she knew hurting her sister wasn’t it. 

“Unnie, are you sure? This guy seems really off to me. I mean, you sleep with him one night and he disappears for a week without contacting you at all … and then out the blue he just wants to get together?” The more Chorong thought over the situation, the more she thought less of the guy, and her sister at that. How could Nayoung be so oblivious to this? She was usually so smart when it came to guys, but flash that stupid Joonmyun grin and she’s under his spell. 

“You don’t know him like I do, Rongie,” Nayoung gushed as she looked like she was caught up in her own thoughts of Joonmyun. Chorong rolled her eyes. I wish I didn’t know him at all, she thought as Nayoung continued on. “He’s really sweet, trust me. He always says nice things about you, okay? So start being nice to my boyfriend.” 

Boyfriend. Chorong groaned lowly just at the thought of her sister using that term about Joonmyun. She was too hooked and Chorong had to break them up somehow without hurting Nayoung too much. But how? 

“Alright, I’m going out now.” 

“Wait, can I ask you something?” Chorong pushed any and all thoughts of Joonmyun out of her mind and stared at her sister, a little bewildered. 

“Quickly,” she cautioned as she straightened out her shirt and slipped into her shoes. 

How do you say this. Chorong took in a huge breath, trying to prepare herself for what she had to say. “I know it’s totally out of my character, because you know me and I’m not really into that many people and all that … but I’m having boy troubles and I don’t know what to do and I just really need my sister’s advice because you’re good at all this stuff and what do I do?!” Her words slurred together as she spoke hurriedly and Nayoung just turned and stared at her like she was insane. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. How about you slow down, dongsengie? I can barely understand a damn word you’re saying when you talk like that.” 

Another groan fell from her lips loudly. She had no idea why she was even talking to Nayoung about things like this, because it really wasn’t like her at ll. She didn't ever need help or advice or anything like that. But if she didn’t talk to her sister about this then who was she going to talk to? 

“I might be into this guy, okay? And,” she fiddled with her fingers nervously, “and I don’t know what to do. He seems like he likes me too? We have this connection and we had this really amazing kiss last week. But I got freaked out in the middle of it and ran off so I haven’t talked to him since.” Her cheeks flushed bright pink and she looked away, completely embarrassed in herself. 

Nayoung, on the other hand, was staring at her like she was looking at a completely different person. “Aw, little Rongie has a crush. I think I might cry.” 

“Does this look like a joke to you?” She snapped and crossed her arms, sinking back against the couch. Of course Nayoung had to go and try and make her own jokes about all of this. Why couldn’t she just have a sister who would give advice and move along? “I’m being serious, okay? I knew I shouldn’t have said anything to you.” 

“Don’t be like that. Look, I think it’s really sweet that you like someone–” 

“Might like someone,” Chorong corrected. 

“If you didn’t already like him then you wouldn’t be asking for my help. Now shut up and listen to me, okay?” Nayoung grinned and joined Chorong on the couch. “You don’t have to be so embarrassed about being into someone, Rongie. To be honest, I’m feeling a little better now that there is someone out there for you. You’re always brooding and being alone so it’s nice to see this side of you again.” 

She sighed, knowing that Nayoung was right. “I’m just scared, you know? Jongsuk is a really good guy and a part of me feels like he wouldn’t hurt me … but that doesn’t’ stop me from freaking out. I don’t want to go to that place again, Unnie. He hurt me really bad last year and I don’t want that to happen again.” 

Nayoung shifted uncomfortably in her seat and frowned, placing her hand on Chorong’s knee. “Rongie, I know that Minseok really hurt you and I am so sorry for that. I really wish I could take that day back.” She squeezed her knee, trying to comfort her a little bit. “But not every guy is him and you can’t go your entire life hiding from everyone. I don’t know Jongsuk, but I saw the way he looked at you when we met last week and he is crazy about you. I just know it.” 

She slapped her knee playfully and pushed herself off the couch, grabbing her bag and heading to the door, leaving Chorong to think about what she had said. She knew that she couldn’t hide her entire life. One day there would be the one for her and she definitely couldn’t miss out on that. And what if Jongsuk was that one? 

“Unnie?” Chorong stared at her as she turned around. “Thank you.”

“Good luck, goof. Don’t run from him, okay? He’s super­ hot.” 

Her heart sank as she flopped back against the couch and was left alone to wallow in her own self­ pity. What now? She tried to think about what Nayoung had said and whether or not she was right. Was running and hiding from Jongsuk wrong? Could she really be missing out on something great? 

She didn’t even know what snapped inside, but suddenly she was rushing around the hotel, showering and getting ready to go find him. Jongsuk was a great guy, that she was sure of. And she knew what she had to do. Her stomach did flips as she finished getting ready and pulled her shoes on, trying to figure out what exactly she would say to him. Maybe something along the lines of, “I’m an idiot and I’m sorry I ruined our kiss so please don’t hate me because I think you’re really great.” Well, she could at least spruce up her wording before facing him. 

The only thing that mattered right then was finding him and talking to him. She couldn’t hide from him any longer and she knew, deep down, that no matter what she ended up wanting they had to talk about what happened and what they were going to do. 

She grabbed her room key from the table and headed out the door, pulling it close behind her and turning to head back down the hallway. Well, she didn’t make it too far as she bumped right into someone, causing her to stumble backwards and catch herself quickly. She glanced up and met those stupid eyes that she definitely didn’t want to see today and silently cursed to herself about how crappy her luck was. 

“Well, if it isn’t the new pal.” Chorong made a face before looking around him and giving Luhan a smile. “Luhan oppa, hi.” 

“Hey.” He pulled his hand up and gave a small wave in return. 

“Is your sister here? We have a date or something.” Joonmyun grumbled as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall with little patience. 

Chorong couldn’t help but notice that something was off about him today, and she honestly wasn’t sure if she wanted to hear about his troubles. Actually, scratch that, she definitely didn’t want to hear about his troubles ever. 

“Oh, you’re still dating my sister? I’m sorry, I thought all of that ended after you called her a , Joonmyun.” She already had her own problems to deal with and she was definitely not up to dealing with his bull today. 

“Jealous because I’m not dating you? Just say the word, baby, and you and I can go do some things. I’ll be up to anything you want.” 

“Oh, really? Can we go throw you in front of a bus then?” He was definitely not helping his case in trying to impress her, if that’s what he was trying to do. Every time this guy opened his mouth she wanted to throw a fist in his direction. Actually, that didn’t sound too bad at the moment. It might get him to shut up. “If you’ll excuse me, I have things to do.” 

“Where are you going?” Joonmyun grabbed her wrist as she started to walk around him and stopped her. 

“You’re not going to meet up with that guy, are you?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business, Joonmyun. Maybe I am.” 

She watched his facial expression change and he was suddenly turning red and pushing her arm away. “What do you even see in that guy? He’s not worth your time.” Chorong had no idea where any of this was coming. 

One moment Joonmyun is standing there smirking and pushing her buttons and the next he’s completely furious. “But you know what? Go ahead and run to your little boyfriend! You two seem so crazy about each other!” He didn’t even give her the chance to respond as he stormed the opposite direction, leaving Chorong and Luhan standing there with dumbfounded expressions crossing their faces. 

Chorong glanced at Luhan, her face mixed with confusion and a little humo