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CHAPTER THREE

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“Can’t I just back out?”

 

“No,” Kris and Eunna chorus from the front of the car. They look back at me through the rearview mirror, sharing the same devious sparkle in their playful eyes, just as Kris makes a right turn. We get to the street we need to be on before the traffic light blinks orange.

 

I sigh.

 

“Come on, you look awesome,” the blond man behind the wheel starts, “Sis.”

 

I roll my eyes at his flattery. But, looking at my outfit, I think it really isn’t that bad.  I wore plain black leggings and a gold sweater with black sleeves– that, obviously, belonged to Eunna– for a top. A black cross necklace (not mine either) hung from my neck, and leather cuffs and different bracelets adorned my wrists. My mahogany locks were kept back in a high ponytail. And of course, despite my protests, Eunna decided to put a ‘teensy’ bit of eyeliner on me. The only thing I have on me that’s, well, mine is probably my favourite pair of fake nerd glasses and a pair of bright red high cut chuck taylors.

 

“Perfect casual club attire,” Eunna comments. Of course, she would love it. She basically styled me.

 

I lean over to the front. “I don’t even know anyone-“

 

“Which is exactly the point,” Eunna says with a smile. “You might meet hot men here.”

 

Kris halts the car abruptly and without warning, causing Eunna and I to shoot forward off our seats. She clings onto the sides of the car seat, her nails making marks on the leather, and she glares at Kris.

 

“We’re here,” he declares, as if it wasn’t obvious, and he takes the key out of the ignition before grabbing the leather jacket lying on the headrest of his seat. Eunna growls, swearing to get revenge later, and Kris unbuckles his seatbelt before the both of them finally get off. I decide that I have no choice but to go with them for tonight. I don’t know my way back to the café from here, and I don’t think I wanna take a taxi alone this late. Plus all I have is my phone. I’m pretty much trapped. What’s the worst thing that could happen, after all?

 

* * *

I find myself standing in front of a building with the words Two Moons flashing in my face, the letters spelled in buzzing LED lights blinking on and off. The sign flashed red and black, red and black, which I liked because it made it seem less tacky than the usual loud pink and ever blinding neon green. I trace the shape of the letters with me eyes over and over, until someone grabs my hand.

 

Kris pulls me in and places his hand on my shoulder, Eunna on his other side. My roommate rolls her eyes playfully as I raise my eyebrows at him.

 

“Are you going for ladies man image or what?”

 

His reply is a wink.

 

* * *

I knew it would turn out like this.

 

I puff my cheeks as I lean on the counter near the bar with my phone out. I feel like such a loser. All I was doing there was sitting there  with my thoughts blank as I looked at my phone. You’d think I would at least buy a drink, but no. It’s “not my style”, quoting my older sort-of-brother. And it felt so embarrassing to reply “nothing” when the bartender asked me what he could get me. To top it all off, I am alone.

 

Somewhere along the way, Kris had gone off with his surprisingly nice jock friends and their girls after introducing me. Of course, there was this brief moment of surprise for everyone since everybody thought Kris was an only child. But that moment ended, and after their dance offers getting rejected one after the other by yours truly, Kris’s gang decided to go find some other chick. So he left with them. (Some older brother, right?) That left me with Eunna, but sometime in the middle of it all, she disappeared as well. I do not know how she did it. She just did. I thought I saw her on the dancefloor a few minutes ago, though, when they were playing Big Bang’s Fantastic Baby. I never knew she liked to dance. She was good at it too.

 

Then there was me.

 

Here I am at a mixer (well, that’s what Eunna said it would be for me) and I am not “mixing”. Kris is a VIP guest, Eunna is the life of the dancefloor, and here I am sitting alone by the mini-bar pretending to occupy myself with my phone. I think I did mention before that I hated social events. I didn’t? I’m pretty sure I did.

 

Eunna is better at socializing than me. And she hates men.

 

How is that possible?

 

I my lips, already growing impatient and kind of hungry. Maybe I should finally get myself a drink.

 

“How much longer…”

 

Someone takes a seat beside me. “It’s gonna take all night,” a familiar, deep voice says. “Hey,” he calls the bartender over. “Two of the usual.”

 

Well isn’t he trying hard to be cool.

 

The bartender looks at him suspiciously, then his mouth forms into a naughty smirk. I decide that it would be best to just pretend the guy doesn’t exist and mind my own business.

 

The bartender puts the two drinks in front of us.

 

I raise my eyebrows and look over at the dude beside me and take in his appearance. Cropped black hair with a hat, baby face, height of the Eiffel tower, and…Peter Pan ears?

 

My eyes widen when I realize I do know him. I know him all too well.

 

There sat my coffee thief, looking all too good in his tight-fitting leather pants and a navy blue polo with the sleeves rolled up until his elbows, the cuffs and collar accentuated with a black and white plaid design– complete with a matching silver bow tie, and the navy blue version of my chucks. He has a snapback on his head with the words BAD BOY (“Tch,” I scoff, thinking it was pretty accurate) in silver, reflecting the flashing colors all over the club, and a digital watch on his left wrist. I can’t help but feel a little overdressed because of the gold and the cuffs. And I’m not even here to party.

 

“You?!” I scream over the music, pointing an accusing finger at him. He waves his hand at me as he takes a sip of his drink and flashes me an entire set of perfect white teeth.

 

“I am so out of here,” I declare as I get up on my feet, but he stops me by pulling on the side of Eunna’s golden sweater.

 

“I’m making up for it,” he pouts. I send him a glare, ignoring all his non-existent cuteness and making sure it was burning through the glass of my black frames and into the back of his mind. Despite the look I gave him, however, he retains his pout and beckons me to stay with a small “Please?” and a tug on my sleeve.

 

I cross my arms and sit back down.

 

“What do you want?”

 

That came out a little sharp. I’m usually nice to people…who don’t thieving have hands.

 

He puts his glass down gently and pushes the other one in front of me. I ignore his actions and restate my point by giving him an expecting look that was a non-verbal version of the question “Well?”

 

He frowns when I step on his cool boy move. “What do you mean, What do I want?” His eyes–large, round eyes filled with question– meet my own cold ones, making me feel as if I’ve missed something really really obvious. My icy stare does not change even after he blinks twice, trying to act adorable.

 

“Wow, she’s hard,” I hear him whisper as he takes another sip, but I choose to forget it the moment it enters my mind. He is not important.

 

“It’s a mixer,” he turns to me “I’m mixing.” He air quotes ‘mixing’ for emphasis, then he winks at me.

 

“What the hell,” I bring my hand up to my mouth to stifle a giggle. He’s trying hard, but it does look kind of cute. Now, if only I can forget that he stole my coffee.

 

 “You’re a creep,” I tell him bluntly, and mean it, with a huge smile on my face.

 

I mock him and stand up, pretending I’m about to leave. He pulls on my sweater again.

 

“Hey, that’s no fun. I’m just trying to make friends,” the guy frowns jokingly and I puff my cheeks as I playfully search around (even though I looked like I was pretending, I was actually looking) for anyone– Eunna, Kris, hell even Luhan– not that I think I’m gonna find them, but hey, I’m done flirting with this guy. Well, If that is what I’ve been doing.

 

He half-smiles, the right side of his lips slightly pulling up, as he nods over to the seat I have been waiting to vacate. I hesitate for a moment, thinking whether or not I should go back. He notices my reluctance, and instead of letting Eunna’s sweater go, the boy grabs me by the wrist and gently but swiftly pulls me back to the place beside him.

 

“I’m Chanyeol, by the way,” he says as he releases me from his grip.  “Park Chanyeol.”

 

Sounds like someone I know.

 

I lean over to the counter, my head propped up on both my elbows, and he looks at me expectantly. I am taken aback by the silent statement his eyes seemed to convey. It was as if he genuinely wanted to take a peek inside of me, as if he truly wanted to know who I am.

 

“Forgive me for the coffee. I was in a hurry,” he says. “I’ll make it up to you.”

 

And after a few seconds I find myself telling him my name.

 

“Haneul,” I say it like the way I would usually say it. “Jung Haneul.”

 

“Ah!” Chanyeol points a finger in the air and then at me. “You’re hyung’s sister??”

 

I don’t see what he’s so surprised about. “Uhh…yeah? More like cousin. I mean, If you’re talking about-“

 

“Kris! Yeah! Our team captain!”

 

Wow. So my sort of brother really is popular around here. Well, if this guy is on his team, he must be quite known around the school as well. “Y- yeah.” One more thing, the dude is way too excited.

 

Considering, I wasn’t even using the fake Chinese name they told me to use.

 

“Hah!” He slams his fist on the counter, earning him a dirty look from the bartender and some other people at the other end. He bows as he mutters his apology and turns back to me. Finally, he notices the look on my face that says what-the-hell-am-i-doing-with-this-weirdo. Chanyeol scratches the back of his head.

 

“Ah, sorry,” he smiles. “It’s just that someone told me Kris’s sister came tonight, and I went to him. But wouldn’t tell me your first name.” Then he adds in a whisper, “He probably thinks I’m gonna bang you or something…”

 

I totally heard that, I think to myself, sighing.

 

 Why hasn’t this guy been warded off by my awkwardness yet?

 

“Sooooo,” Chanyeol fixes his cap. “What’s your major?”

 

. He’s asking me stuff. I look around. Still no familiar face in sight. Looks like this is going to be a long night.

 

“L- literature,” I reply reluctantly.

 

“Really?” he seems shocked. “So, you like reading books and stuff?”

 

I nod.

 

“Don’t you get bored by those kinds of things?” He says as his hand slithers over to the drink in front of me. He looks at me questioningly and I nod. He takes my glass and takes a sip.

 

Bored?

 

“Absolutely not!” I blurt out, sounding a little too defensive. Gasping at my uncharacteristic reaction, I clasp my hand over my mouth. Chanyeol only laughs at my response.

 

“I see.” 

 

I blink. For a second there, it seemed as though his mood dropped from sky high to I-think-I’ll-go-die-in-a-hole. But when he turns to me and flashes me that oh so familiarly blinding smile, I shrug it off. This guy is practically glowing right now. There is no way-

 

“Well, I’m gonna be a pilot. And I think books are boring.” He laughs really loud as if what he said was the funniest joke he’s told in the whole world.

 

“Books aren’t boring…” I whisper to myself.

 

“What?” He faces me and brings himself a little too close. I can smell the alcohol in his breath. It’s probably vodka, which makes me wonder why he isn’t knocked out yet.

 

“Books. Are. Not. Boring.” I practically spit word after word in his face.

 

“Eh?” he looks at me like I’m crazy. “But they’re a bunch of words and black and white and all that. How is that supposed to tell a story clearly?”

 

I cross my arms and spin my chair to face him. Does this guy use his brain? Has he ever heard of imagination?

 

“There’s such thing as imagination, you know.” I scoff. “And besides, books are the most amazing things in the world. They’re an escape because obviously, reality is the worst thing ever. I mean, oh my god! There are so many things to learn. And the places you can’t even see? I’m not talking about places that exist, I mean amazing places with all that magical stuff? You can be there through books. And a whole lot of people are there too. How can you not like books? Books are amazing. Literature is amazing. Writing is amazing. Reading is amazing! Like, it takes away everything you don’t wanna feel and see and replaces it with things- oh crap.”

 

I stop and clasp my hand over my mouth and my eyes widen when I realize I was rambling.

 

Chanyeol stares at me in awe. “N-no, it’s okay…HAHA.” He laughs. “I guess you love them a lot,” and there comes that two-second sad look. It wasn’t long before it faded into a huge smile.

 

“Sorry!” He laughs it off. “I wish I could be more like you…”

 

“Huh?” I blurt out, letting my thoughts escape through my mouth unconsciously. “Omg,” I snap my lips shut with my fingers. “Mmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm ph.”

 

“What?” He chuckles and he asks for one more drink.

 

I remove my hands. “You don’t have to answer that…I said.”

 

“Really?” He leans over on the counter and his head slowly drops on the cold, black marble.  A glass appears in front of him. “I was gonna answer it anyway,” he winks.

 

“O-oh…” There is no way anyone would be able to tell, in this darkness and with these flashing lights, that I am turning red. Right?

 

It’s Chanyeol’s turn to sigh, probably meaning that he couldn’t tell how flustered he’s making me with that stupid wink. Only erts do that!!

 

“I mean, I probably wouldn’t have failed Lit last sem if I was more passionate about books like you. Ugh.” The pulls his cap of and ruffles his hair, only to try and style it again before putting his bad boy hat back on. “Like I just don’t get it, right?”

 

“Suuure,” I smile and I try to be a normal human being for one minute. “It’s okay, you just have to do your best!”

 

Gross. Out of character.

 

“Yeah…but that’s not all there is to it,” he laughs. And for a minute, he stops to think and he looks at me.  “Hey,” he nudges me as he tries to suppress a smile. “I just thought of something really awesome.”

 

“W- what?”

 

As you can see, I am back to being me.

 

“How about~” he spins his barstool around, which looks very weird because he is indeed a grown man and his height and body build makes him look like a stick. Though, if you focused on the face, I guess he could pull it off. He does, after all, look probably seven years younger than he is.

 

Just then, Chanyeol stops spinning the chair and he hugs the counter for dear life, his long arms stretching all the way to the side of the bartender. He shuts his eyes and shakes his head.

 

Blink.

 

Blink.

 

Blink.

 

“Wow, my entrance was ruined,” he pouts, still trying to steady himself. I can’t help but giggle at how weird he’s acting. Maybe the drinks got to his head already? Who knows how many he had before I came along.

 

Chanyeol clears his throat. “Alriiight, drum roll please!” He starts drumming his hands on the countertop. “This would be so much more epic if I had real drums…well anyway~” And he drums away, making sounds with his mouth for the notes the counter can’t pull out for him. He is so childish, and normally I would roll my eyes at this, but I must admit it’s entertaining.

 

“BAM!” He claps his hands loudly in front of me. “The thing that will finally help me pass iiiiis-“ And the boy makes a “ta-da” sound while gesturing towards me with his funky jazz hands, as if to show me off. I start laughing like I normally would, because I think I’ve been too uptight for the night, and he flashes me that toothy smile again…

 

…which narrows into a grin one second later.

 

“You, Haneul.”

 

Me.

 

Hahahaha.

 

…

 

Wait, what?

 

* * *

 

“No,” I repeat myself for the millionth time, as Chanyeol tries to convince me to be his tutor for the entire semester, claiming he’ll get kicked off the team if he doesn’t pass a “stupid” minor subject. Sure, I do feel sorry for the guy, but why does it have to be me?

 

“Come on,” he pouts and he shakes my shoulder. We have now moved to a booth really far from the bar, because I have been trying to lose him for ten minutes. I guess his height makes him have this kind of watch tower ability. He can find me easily, just because he can see everyone from up there.

 

“It won’t take up your free time~” He scoots over closer to me and stares in my eyes. I push his face away gently.

 

“No,” I deadpan. “Now, cut it out before I-“

 

“I’ll buy you free lunch everyday!”

 

Lunch, you say?

 

“You think lunch is gonna sway me?” So shallow, I think, but I was actually halfway to considering it.

 

The knowing smile on Park Chanyeol’s face tells me that he has hit a jackpot.

 

But hey, who turns down free food?

 

“Please?”

 

“I- I’ll think about it,” I face the other way, thinking that one more look in those eyes of his would definitely push a yes out of me. He sighs loudly.

 

“Just say yes, Haneul-ssi.”

 

Goddamn it.

 

“Fine.”

 

He pumps his fist in the air. I scoff. “But…”

 

Chanyeol turns back to look at me, our gazes locked and his mouth agape. “I’m only doing this to prove you wrong.” I cross my arms to fully express that I am not doing this because I want to. The tall boy tilts his head to the side, his eyes still holding the same questioning gaze he’s painted on them a few seconds ago.

 

“About books,” I smirk. No one gets away with saying books are boring.

 

Chanyeol chuckles, then he sends a nod my way.

 

And after a few seconds of silence, he stands up and holds his hand in front of me while bending over.

 

“Shall we dance?”

 

I look at him kind of funny, because this is a club and the song playing at the moment Is “Clap Your Hands” by 2NE1 (which is nowhere, NOWHERE, near a slow song). Yet here he is, before me, formally asking me for a dance. I laugh at his silliness and give him a look.

 

But I take his hand anyway.

 

“Alright then, prince charming.”

 

* * *

 

The night seemed to fall fast as I was on the dancefloor with Chanyeol, who looked all too cute with the weird dance moves he displayed using with his long, stick-like limbs. He at freestyling. He was horrible at it, in fact. And his long limbs didn’t make the performance look any better. Yet, somehow I found the sight of him endearing, and adorable in an awkward way. It wasn’t just the way he danced. It was this vibrant aura that’s been pouring out of him the entire night. Despite him unconsciously embarrassing himself in front of most of the students at Seoul Uni., he was having fun.

 

He did not have a care in the world.

 

And in the moments I was just standing there, watching him closely, I couldn’t help but envy the boy. He looked so unrestricted– an adjective that has, and probably would, never in a million years be used to describe me. It’s like my entire, scripted life was so miserable when compared to his spontaneously candid one. He came across as a person who lived for the moment. The two of us were the perfect contrasting beings. While Park Chanyeol lived for today, I always dreaded tomorrow.

 

How I wish…

 

The tall boy seemed to notice my blank stare, because he waves his large hand in front of my face and feigns a confused expression.

 

“I said let’s dance. Not watch me dance,” he laughed.

 

Please, that is hardly dancing. I laugh to myself.

 

“You said ‘shall we dance ?’” I deadpan. “Not ‘let’s dance’.”

 

He rolls his eyes. “Ha-ha. You said yes, though. My question was ‘shall we dance?’,” and he moves a little closer. “We. Dance. Both of us.”

 

I raise my eyebrows. “I said ‘alright then, prince charming.’ Not ‘yes.’”

 

“I’m a prince now?” He laughs.

 

I’m not an idiot, I think to myself as I cross my arms.

 

Chanyeol sighs. “Come on, don’t be so uptight!” The giant gives me his toothy grin and he pulls me towards the center of dancefloor just as Girls’ Generation’s Galaxy Supernova starts playing. I look around at all the people waving their hands in the air and clapping to the beat. GG is pretty popular.  I swear I even heard someone shout, “This song is my style!” So weird.

 

 And someone grabs my hand.

 

“Hey!” I blurt out, and on impulse try to shake my hand off. “I can’t dance!”

 

“Neither can I,” he laughs. “Come on! Yeah! In the galaxy galaxy oh!” He starts waving his hands and dancing random moves. And in the midst of all the chaotic dancing, Chanyeol’s inviting gaze finds mine.

 

“You’re a hard one, you know…” he mutters. I recall him saying similar words to himself at the beginning of the night. I look at him with a questioning look, but he only replies my queries with a smile and grabs me by the wrist from behind, then he starts waving my arms left and right and twisting them in random directions. He laughs and spins me around to face him, the look in his eyes saying something like “not so bad right?” and I smile because I get it. I understand, so I nod my head.

 

And somewhere in the middle of it all, I feel good. I don’t know if It was before someone started passing around free liquor (and Chanyeol had successfully persuaded me to drink a little) or when they started throwing glitter all over the place. But all I know is sometime that night, even if it was just for a moment, I felt free.

 

* * *

 

I wake up the next morning, already on my bed in my room above the café. Blindly feeling for the phone on my side table as I open my eyes, I hear Eunna say, “Oh, you’re up,” and she giggles.

 

“What is up,” I mutter as I stop in the middle of what I’m doing.

 

Eunna laughs. “You look stupid. And your phone isn’t there. I’m pretty sure it’s in your purse,” I see her point to the studded clutch on my bedside through one open eye. I take my phone out and it tells me it’s 7:00. Perfect. Two more hours until English Lit.

 

“I’ll see you later.” Turning around, I bury my head in my pillow.

 

“Alright,” she says brightly. “You have to tell me about last night, okay?”

 

I wave my hand in dismissal.

 

“Awesome!” I hear her say. The door creaks open. “Oh, and you have something for you waiting on the desk.” This prompts me to open my eyes.

 

I pop out of the covers, only to throw a pillow back on my face as the bright fluorescent light flashed in my eyes. “What?”

 

“Check it out yourself!” Her bright smile greets me as I look in her direction. “Bye bye!”

 

And she’s gone.

 

It is so like her to not even give me a hint of what’s on there, I think to myself as I drop dead on my pillow.

 

I sigh because my curiosity overbears the desire to get back into bed, so I crawl out of the covers and head over to the desks. My eyes pop open when I see a large Machiatto on the desk, freshly made. There was also some writing on the tissues (that have obviously been folded into some sort of origami. Looks like it failed, though) next to it.

 

---

I said I’d make up for it, but you wouldn’t let me buy you a drink last night. Sad face.
So here you are!!
See you at lunch.

-PCY.

---

 

Dork, I think as I take the Machiatto.

 

He rewrote his number on the cup. Again. But this time there was a note at the bottom, for future references, it said. And I roll my eyes before picking my phone up from the side table. I punch in the numbers, and then his name, before pressing okay.

 

“For future references,” I repeat to myself.

 

I then take a few sips of the drink and let the morning air envelop me, waiting for the idea of class to sink in deep enough to make me move. It doesn’t come. So instead I decide to sit on my bed and wait for the feeling of wanting to go back to dreamland to come to me. Sadly, it doesn’t either. So I sigh, because his little letter woke me up. It looks like I have no choice.

 

I head to the bathroom and try to make myself look human.

 

---

a/n:hola bananas! update bcs. long weekend. did you like it c: if you think it or didn't , don't worry this is only the beginning. welcome to pap, new subbers! and thanks to you dorks who comment. much appreciated! 'till next toyyyym. hehe. okay no, stop. -bella. p.s. you guys might wanna reccomend me pcy fics. i'm deprived. okno. p.s.s. i might be starting a one shot collection o u o yes? no? k i'll stop now. cx ( pstd. 150612 | edtd. 150616. )