❝chapter10;
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                                   "you can't be falling for her, right?"

Chewing on her lower lip anxiously, Ji Hyun followed suit behind Kai with heavy footsteps as the duo made their way back home.

Kai had yet to say anything after they have left the school after the whole commotion, and Ji Hyun was getting nervous as each second passed between the both of them. He was walking infront with Ji Hyun following at the back with slow but careful steps. It was getting awkward as silence filled their atmosphere. She would occasionally peep infront at Kai to try and scan for any emotions on his face.

Good try, Lee Ji Hyun. He must be mad, mad and very mad. Kim Jongin, please say something at least would you.. Ji Hyun thought wearily at the back of her head as she frowned in uneasiness.

Kai continued walking without turning around to speak to Ji Hyun, and it was killing her. Was this guy really not intending to speak to her about it? Ji Hyun let out a soft sigh, as her eyes never left his back.

She groaned inwardly and kicked at the pebbles on the floor, this is all my fault, Jongin is definitely pissed! I mean why wouldn’t he be? He had to clear up my mess, and he even got himself into a fight. And now, great, the whole school will think that the handsome and cold kingka stood up for the weakling Lee Ji Hyun! And he got hit because of me! What if people start rumors about him getting involved with a random girl’s business and-

“Are you really just going to keep silent?” Kai finally said as he stopped short in his tracks, turning to face the girl.

Looking up immediately upon hearing him, Ji Hyun blinked at Kai and then lowered her head almost immediately. “I..I-I’m sorry, Jongin.” She looked up at him with hopeful eyes. Saying sorry to Kai was as though throwing away her pride, but she couldn’t care more about that after what Kai did for her earlier on. She did not know exactly why, but she was feeling extremely guilty over the incident, and kept on chiding herself at the back of her head for causing him trouble.

Her eyes travelled to where there was a cut at the side of his jaw where Jong Soo had punched. , , , Ji Hyun felt all the guilt coming back again.

Letting out a sigh, Kai threw a carton of milk at Ji Hyun that he had just bought from the vending machine nearby for the both of them. He tore his own carton open and Ji Hyun watched as Kai gulped down mouthfuls of his drink.  

“T-Thank you.” Ji Hyun avoided his gaze as she fiddled with the carton around her fingers.

Kai looked sideways at the girl, and continued slurping on his own drink, “For the drink? It’s 50 cents, no big deal.”

Rolling her eyes, Ji Hyun turned to look at Kai, was he acting oblivious or really oblivious? But one thing Ji Hyun couldn’t understand was why he had helped her out. Didn’t Kai not want anyone to know that he had a relationship with her? Then why did he choose to stand up for her, when he could just walk away, because that’s what typical cold Kim Jongin would do.  

She let out a sigh, “Jongin.. You know what I’m referring to. Thank you for helping me just now, in school. If it wasn’t for y-you, I’d-”

“You would have been in hot soup thanks to that ertic .” Kai completed her sentence with a tinge of annoyance in his tone. “You’re very welcome.”

Ji Hyun shuddered at the thought of it, and after much contemplation, she reached out to him, her hands brushing his arm lightly, stopping the both of them from walking further. Glancing up to speak to him, Ji Hyun inhaled a deep breath before continuing, “W-Wait. Can we talk about this properly, without any bickering, for once? But yeah, you have every right to be angry with me. So you should be pissed off at me.”

She looked to the floor with a guilty pout, “I-If you want to scold me, then do it. I’m really sorry for causing you trouble, really! And I’m sorry for putting you on the spot just now. I shouldn’t have tried to go against Jong Soo.. But I..I just wanted to do what was right just now and-”

Kai looked at Ji Hyun and saw how she was desperate and helpless as she spilled out her true feelings. He felt bitter as she heart clenched at the sight, and he couldn’t help but sigh.

Yes, Kai was angry, but for two reasons which he doesn’t even clearly understand why. Firstly, at how courageous Ji Hyun was to try to save the situation. Sure, he learnt that she was a compassionate girl who loved helping others, but he was mad at how she did not care for own safety! What if he had not happened to walk past, and Jong Soo had done something even more outrageous to her? Secondly, he was pissed at how Jong Soo humiliated Ji Hyun in public just like that.

Aish, this girl seriously, Kai sighed. He had no idea himself why he had bothered to save Ji Hyun either. Kai shrugged off impossible thoughts and came up with a better excuse, “Forget it. I just didn’t want you to make a scene at school. What if he hits on you and you get injured or anything and starts crying? It’s going to be annoying and I’m gonna get blamed for it again at home.”

“Yah!” Ji Hyun frowned and shot him a look, “After all, that’s why you actually saved me? Wow.” She nodded as if she finally understood the meaning behind his sudden ‘heroic’ and kind act.

Kai couldn’t help but snicker inwardly, continuing to play on, “Of course. Why else do you think I’d save you for? You were really dumb, weren’t you? Letting him take an advantage of you so easily? He was clearly running his eyes down you, Lee Ji Hyun.” He turned bitter at the words which left his own mouth.

“Aish, could you stop reminding me about that?” Ji Hyun hissed and played with her fingers, “T-That’s why! Thank you for saving me in time. And sorry for putting you in the spot, you must be hating my guts right now..” She mumbled and avoided Kai’s piercing gaze.

Kai felt the side of his lips tugged into a smile. Although Ji Hyun thought that he was put in a difficult spot earlier on, he didn’t really care of what people think of him. It was the first time he was seeing Lee Ji Hyun thanking him for good. He liked that feeling, the feeling of being able to do something he considered small for her. And he didn’t know why.

Continuing to walk down the road, Kai looked straight ahead and replied shortly with a small shrug, “I don’t really hate your guts, anymore.”

“You don’t?” Ji Hyun’s ears perked up as she immediately leaned closer to him, starring at him with curious and big eyes, “You forgive me?”

Kai jerked away in shock, and then knocked her forehead away with his hand, “Yah, I’m just saying that I don’t hate you, but I don’t like you very much either. We can at least be classmates now.”

She wondered if this was also how he treated other girl too. The only thing she didn’t know was, Kai doesn’t even speak to other girls, nonetheless even treat them like schoolmates. He thought that Ji Hyun should already be happy with the terms of ‘classmate’ he’s setting for them now.

“Hm,” Ji Hyun gave him a look and mumbled under her breath, “I myself don’t even like you that much either.. And classmates? That is like low of the very low in a friendship! We’re even seeing each other 24/7 in the same house..”

“I heard that.” Kai’s voice grew louder, as he turned to look at her, “And are you still a child, fancy still having milk at the corner of your mouth. Aigoo.” He shook his head at her and walked at a faster pace ahead of her.

Ji Hyun hissed and the corner of her lips, her cheeks turning red, “A-Aish Kim Jongin! He’s always acting so calm, making people embarrassed.. Mwo ya? Am I blushing right now? Because of Kim Jongin? Impossible! Get a grip of yourself, Lee Ji Hyun!” She muttered to herself before walking behind him, sipping on her milk slowly.

Little did she know that Kai heard that last few sentences, as he grinned in amusement at her silly self, “You pabo, Lee Ji Hyun.”

The moment they reached home, Ji Hyun instructed Kai not to move and to sit at the sofa while she get the medicine box. She had made sure that she was going to tend to his wound on his jaw that Jong Soo had punched on just now. Kai was thanking the Gods that his parents were not in as him mum was sure to kick a big fuss over the small wound he had.

“It’s no big deal, Lee Ji Hyun.” Kai rolled his eyes as he watched the girl scurry around the room looking for the medication kit, “I’m fine. Really.”

“Just stay there.” Ji Hyun nagged again, “What if it gets infected? You’ll never know what will happen! You have no idea how much germs and bacteria will get into them and what if the wound turns worse?

Kai raised his brows as he watched Ji Hyun dig around the cupboards frantically, he let out a small chuckle as he thought she looked cute, “Yah, are you trying to wreck my whole house down? Do you even know where the kit is?”

“I do! Mrs Kim showed me where it was placed once that time when Jongkook fell and- Ah! Found it.” She grinned before making her way to sit beside Kai.

Kai groaned and gave her a look, “I swear, I’m fine. It’s just a small cut, it’ll heal soon. Stop being like my mum, Lee Ji Hyun. Guys won’t like girls who worry too much over the smallest things you know. You’re being an ahjumma right now.” He casually stated as he watched how she prepared the plaster.

“Do I look l care? Ahjumma or whatever, I don’t really care what others think.” Ji Hyun focused on her work as she dripped the medication oil onto the plaster, “And quit being so stubborn at a time like this, Kim Jongin. Or are you just scared of the pain?”

Kai rolled his eyes, “Yah, it wasn’t my fault that I landed myself in a situation like that! Who caused this, huh? Who exactly?” He strained his eyes at the girl.

“Shh,” Ji Hyun shushed him with a guilty look again, “It’s gonna be slightly painful, bear with it alright? I told you to stop fighting with him.. Does it hurt really bad? Aish..” Leaning closer to him, Ji Hyun slowly examined and cleaned his wound carefully. She pressed an ice pack gently on his wound and focused her eyes on nothing else but his wound.

At that moment, Kai couldn’t help but feel a weird feeling. A feeling he had never felt before.

Their faces were just inches away from one another and as Kai watched Ji Hyun tend to his wounds tenderly, as if she was afraid to make any small mistake.

He couldn’t help but keep his fixed gaze on her, even though he tried to look away. He was shocked to see the usual Lee Ji Hyun who was always bickering with him, sit down and tend to his wounds with such care. He didn’t know she had a side like this.

Honestly, he didn’t think about his wound at the moment, but instead, he was only focusing on her. Kai could feel his heartbeat get faster, as he convinced himself that it was just because of the close distance between the two of them. Ji Hyun didn’t seem to realize as Kai continued to stare at her, who was so close to him.

Unconciously, his lips curled into a small smile. Kai noticed how Ji Hyun would frown and chew on her lip whenever he winced slightly, and he found her cute. Immediately chiding himself inwardly, Kim Jongin, what the heck are you thinking about? This can’t be.. This is Lee Ji Hyun, the annoying Lee Ji Hyun! You can’t be falling for her, right..?

The moment Ji Hyun secured the plaster on his wound, Kai suddenly let out a loud yelp and Ji Hyun jumped back in shock, “Oh my god Kim Jongin I’m so sorry are you okay? Where is painful? I’m so so so so so sorry!” She mumbled a string of words frantically as she quickly hold onto his jaw softly and examined it.

Another strange gush of feeling rushed through Kai upon Ji Hyun’s touch and he quickly ignored it.

“Kidding.” Kai let out a loud laugh as his painful expression suddenly disappeared, “Quit being so serious.”

“Yah!” Ji Hyun turned to him, with a jaw-dropping expression, “Kim Jongin! I almost suffered a heart attack! Are you crazy? Fancy joking about things like this? I thought that I had really hurt you and you were in great pain I-”

Kai watched Ji Hyun go on and he couldn’t stop smiling. He was seeing how much this girl cared for him, which she has never showed.

Ji Hyun snapped her fingers in his face, seeing that he was thinking about other thoughts, “Yah, are you listening to me? Don’t you ever dare joke about these things again!” Ji Hyun slapped his arm and shot him a death glare.

Kai let out a chuckle and watched as Ji Hyun kept the medication kit, before making her way up to her room, shouting, “Take care of that wound! Remember not to let it touch water or it will burn!”

And Kai’s lips curled into another smile. 

a/n ; how are you liking the story so far? so happy i got this chapter out really quick :> could you guess what is going on between kai and ji hyun huehue :) i love reading all of your comments hahaha please keep them coming in!! :") please do subscribe, comment and upvote for more chapters~  x

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