Chapter 5
It's Okay, It's Love
They said, if you believe something hard enough, it'll come true. And as a fan of inspiring quotes, this would be my first time resenting one. Because what I believed was slowly becoming reality. The rumour about me being Jongin's or Kai's (or however you want to call him) new target was becoming the talk of the school. And that wasn't very pleasant.
I realised it as soon as I stepped on the school ground. All the girls' eyes were on me, whispering a little too loudly as if I had grown a tail or something. Ugh, I had never been good with attention and, especially, not this kind of attention. Wait, why did I sign up as a Student Councillor again?
I quickly went for my locker but was immediately met with a new female student. She looked rather timid so I wasn't very alarmed, but how did she know my locker? Okay, stop overthinking, brain!
"Are you Jung Haneul?"
"Ah yes. Who are you?" I smiled awkwardly, trying my best not to be a threat to her. She looked so cute and tiny. Ah, the perks of being a freshman — young and free. Senior year was all about grades and drama, lots of drama.
"Are you dating Kai?" She asked straightforwardly.
The look I gave must have shocked her because I, too, was surprised by her question.
I quickly regained my composure and answered her.
"Whoever you heard that from, don't believe them because it's not true. Jo- I mean, Kai and I aren't even friends, I think. I just know him, that's all."
"O-okay then." She threw me a smile before joining her group of friends who had been waiting for her at the back.
"Ugh, seriously." I banged my head on my locker door, clearly unamused by how my day had started.
At least, today was Friday. Weekends usually helped to clear the rumours off these people's heads. Yup, Monday is gonna be better, I said to myself.
— ✿ —
Other than random group of girls trying to take a peek into my classroom, nothing major happened today. But, I guess, I spoke too soon because the next thing I knew Jongin was already in front of me. Like seriously, as soon as the lunch bell rang, he popped in out of nowhere as if he could teleport or something. Ugh, this guy.
"Omg, what are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!" I tried to speak as softly as possible so that only he could hear me because the attention we were getting was uncanny. This isn't good, I thought to myself.
"Why are you whispering?" Jongin mocked me, lowering his head to my level. His eyes stared into mine, making everything inside me turned a little chaotic. Warning!
"I'm hungry. Where's my lunch?" He broke our eye contact and went to search for something in my bag. I bet I was too shocked to even register what was happening.
"Ah, here it is. What's the menu for today? Oh, fried chicken! My favourite!" He unintentionally squealed like a child.
He must have liked chicken so much that he completely ignored my judging glare and sat down on the chair next to me, opening my lunchbox as if it was his.
A few seconds later he realised that I didn't comply to his demand and that was when he looked up to me.
"Why are you still standing? Eat up!"
He was offering a piece of chicken to me when I gave him a signal through my eyes that people (and a lot of them) were watching. He looked to his right where my classmates and a bunch of students from other classes stood frozen where they were, trying to register what in the world was happening.
"If you don't mind, would you please excuse us? Lunch time isn't gonna take forever, you know." He shrugged and just like that the crowd disappeared.
Jongin didn't have a hard time adjusting to the sudden eeriness as he went back to his fried chicken. Meanwhile, a lot of things were going through my mind but I didn't want to talk to Jongin just yet. No, actually I gave up talking sense into Jongin. That guy's head was made of stone, I tell you.
"Why aren't you eating?" He finally asked, noticing that the room was getting too silent.
I didn't reply.
"What? You're not talking to me now?" He glanced at me for a split second before continuing devouring his fried chicken.
"Wait, I have a feeling that you don't want me here." He said, finally putting aside his fried chicken which was technically my lunch.
"Feeling's confirmed." I replied flatly.
"But why?" He raised his eyebrow, still keeping his cool. Ugh, this guy was born to steal girls' hearts.
"Those people are gonna look for me and my once peaceful life will be nothing but a memory now!" I accidentally raised my voice because I was this close to pulling my hair. Thankfully, it was tied in a ponytail.
"Okay. Do you have a tissue?"
"What?" I was a little taken aback by his random question but I proceeded to take out my wet wipes from my bag's front pocket.
"Thank you." Jongin took it and cleaned his fingers. He then went to pack my lunchbox. I thought he was going to put it back and leave the classroom just like that, but nobody knew what went through his beautiful mind.
He took my lunchbox on one hand and used his other one to grab my wrist.
"Let's go!"
My brain was actually screaming at me to stop and to go back to my class, but my heart got the better of me — as always. So I followed him. I didn't even know where he was taking me. He might be taking me to the other end of the city and I wouldn't even mind. That was how bad the Jongin's effect was.
After a moment, we arrived in front of his lounge room.
"Wait, why did you bring me here?" I asked a little alarmed.
"You just said that you mind all those people watching you, so I brought you here where no one can see us."
Us? I liked hearing that word coming out of his lips. It sounded comforting and warm, like we really were together. Okay, wait, I did not just think of that.
"But this room is just for you and your friends." I tried to reason out to him.
"Exactly."
I didn't quite comprehend what he was saying so I remained where I was.
"You're a little slow, aren't you?" He sighed and dragged me inside the room with him.
"So am I your friend now?" I accidentally blurted my thought out.
He was about to push the door open but he stopped halfway, hesitating. Clearly, I wasn't one of his friends. What in the world was I thinking to ask such obvious question? I didn't want to push my luck so I brushed it off as if nothing happened.
"It's okay. You don't have to answer that. I was talking nonsense." I laughed awkwardly.
Before the situation got even weirder, I was saved by a random guy. A very handsome one, actually.
"Oh, you're here?" My saviour asked Jongin.
Jongin shrugged and went to ask his friends, "Why? Is something wrong?"
"Nothing. Let's go for lunch. I'm starving."
Jongin remained where he was for a moment. The silence enveloping us was uncomfortable but I didn't know what to do. Even I knew, I wouldn't dare to do anything. And just like that Jongin was gone, as always, leaving me hanging — full of doubts, full of hope.
As I watched Jongin and his friend disappeared out of my line of sight, I didn't know why, but my heart ached a little. He had dragged me all the way here just to leave me like a dumb person. I know his friend was starving but he could've said something, anything. What got me even more annoyed was this feeling I felt inside my chest. It was something I had never felt before. It felt so strange; it made me giddy. I didn't know how to put it into words. And whatever it was that I was feeling, I knew it wouldn't be good.
Comments