CHAPTER 4

(Double update)

“Class, please be reminded to hand in your reply slip to Jihoon by the end of the day. You're dismissed for lunch.”

 

Noeul took out the reply slip from her bag and handed it over to Jihoon, “So the Princess will be joining us for this trip?”

 

“Yup! I finally convinced my Mum and she's fine with it.”

 

“What about your Dad?”

 

“He'll find out when he comes home,” Noeul responded without much care, “Anyway, have you seen Wonwoo?”

 

Soonyoung joined in the conversation at the mention of Wonwoo, “Nope why?”

 

“I told him I'll buy him lunch today.”

 

This time round, Jihoon eyes doubled in size, “Lunch? Aren't you supposed to be on bad terms with him? Did spending a night together solve everything? Speaking of which, what happened to your leg?”

 

“You made it sound so scandalous and all but yeah, I fell down the stairs.”

 

The two boys could help but to burst out laughing. It was true when they say your best friends are usually the ones who would laugh first before actually helping you.

 

“Never knew such a day would come and I was not there to witness it.”

 

“Haha very funny Kwon Soonyoung.”

 

“Since you're treating Wonwoo to lunch, does that mean you'll be joining us?”

 

“Yeah, Chungha’s not in school today, Yoojung is practising for an upcoming dance competition and Doyeon already left for Paris this morning.”

 

“So you're just making use of us since your girlfriends are not around? That's so mean.”

 

Soonyoung faked a cry causing his to friends to laugh at him.

 

--

 

The cafeteria was bustling with noise as students were busy buying their food and looking for their friends. Jihoon, Soonyoung and Noeul were the last to arrive amongst their group of friends. Without Hansol and Chan around, the group seemed emptier than before.

 

“Wow you're joining us for lunch? What happened to ‘'I'll only have lunch with my girlfriends’ huh?” teased Seungcheol.

 

“Shut up,” replied Noeul, “Besides, I'm here for Wonwoo.”

 

Everyone turned to Wonwoo who remained unfazed by the sudden attention, “What? She owes me lunch.”

 

“And why would she?” asked Jeonghan.

 

“Secret!” both Noeul and Wonwoo replied at the same time.

 

“Oh wow, now you both are sharing secrets? What happened to the urge to kill one another?” Jisoo butted in.

 

Noeul shrugged as Wonwoo remained silent, “It's still there. Anyway, let's get our lunch, I'm famished!”

 

“Careful or you'll break your leg,” warned Wonwoo when he saw Noeul jumping on the spot.

 

The rest of the boys simply watch in dazed as Wonwoo and Noeul get their food. It was a rare sight for them - Noeul not hanging out with her usual cliques and Wonwoo interacting with someone he barely knew.

 

“When did they get close?” questioned Mingyu.

 

Everyone shrugged the shoulders. Nobody knew how and when they got close but themselves. Seungcheol observed them for afar. He did not know why but the image he was seeing didn't make him feel good at all.

 

“Ya Boo Seungkwan!” Wonwoo hit the younger male's hand with his chopsticks.

 

It was the third time Seungkwan had stolen his food and if he keeps up with it, Wonwoo would be left with nothing to eat.

 

“Can you please stop eating for five seconds?” begged Minghao. He swear that Seungkwan had been eating ever since he got up this morning.

 

Junhui, who was beside Seungkwan, consoled him and offered him his food. Seungkwan happily accepted it and quietly ate his food.

 

“So have you two made up your minds?” asked Jeonghan.

 

Wonwoo and Noeul nods their head in response, “Yeah, he says we'll start once term break starts.”

 

“And why?” questioned Jisoo.

 

“Beats me,” answered Noeul.

 

“I'm busy this week,” that was all Wonwoo said and the guys understood what he meant.

 

“Since exams are over, should we watch a movie after school?” suggested Seokmin.

 

Everyone agreed with the suggestion and they've decided to watch Suicide Squad.

 

“I can't,” said Wonwoo, “I have an appointment later this evening.”

 

“That's too bad then, maybe we could watch the movie some other time?” asked Mingyu.

 

Everyone was fine with the idea of waiting for Wonwoo but the said boy knew better than to spoil his friends’ plans, “No really, it's fine. Don't wait for me, I'll just watch it some other time.”

 

Noeul observed how his expression changed after the last sentence. She knew ‘some other time’ will never come.

---

 

The gang gathered in front of the school gate as they waited for Junhui and Noeul who just had their Accounting lesson. As planned earlier on, they were going to watch Suicide Squad and the two maknaes were already at the cinema waiting for them.

 

“What took you so long?” questioned Seungcheol.

 

“Patience is a virtue boy and it's clearly not one of yours,” replied Noeul.

 

Seungcheol grabbed Noeul and pulled her into a headlock, “I ought to teach you a lesson child.”

 

“Let go of me Choi Seungcheol!”

 

“Call me Oppa in front of them and I'll let go.”

 

“Not gonna happen!”

 

“Fine with me. I'll just tell your mum you've been speaking informally to me whenever she's not around.”

 

“I dare you.”

 

“Try me.”

 

“I'll just tell your brother you broke his camera last summer. We shall see who gets it worst.”

 

Seungcheol released Noeul causing her to fall into Wonwoo’s arm, “Hyung, careful of her legs. I paid for her treatment.”

 

“Hey! I paid it back just now didn't I?”

 

Wonwoo raised his brows at Noeul. He had no recollection of her paying him back.

 

“I did! Your lunch, I paid for it didn't I?”

 

“I thought that's for me walking you home.”

 

Before another round of quarreling can start, Jeonghan stepped in and pulled Noeul to his side, “Calm down children. Seungcheol, why are you so obsessed with Noeul calling you Oppa and you Wonwoo, why are you being calculating? You're rich enough to pay for all of our hospital bills. Can we please just make our move to the cinema? Hansol and Chan has been waiting for an hour now.”

---

 

The gang finally made their way to the cinema, which was a couple of blocks away from school. Noeul was starting to get used to seeing Wonwoo with them but with him not around, she felt a little weird.

 

With the three oldest leading the group, the 96-liners tagged along at the back, with the youngest bunch in the middle of them.

 

“Ya Kim Noeul! That was supposed to last me till tomorrow!” Soonyoung glared at the girl who at all of his oreos.

 

Noeul was about to say something when the guys in front came to an abrupt stop, “Why'd you people stop?”

 

Mingyu turned around and whispered something that made Noeul’s heart drop, “Seungcheol hyung bumped into his date from yesterday and she's tagging along.”

 

“Really? Who is she?” questioned Junhui.

 

“Jung Chaeyeon from Seoul Girls High School!” exclaimed Mingyu.

 

Jung Chaeyeon, she's famous for being the prettiest girl in her school and apparently all the guys in other schools are fighting for her, and Seungcheol is one of them.

 

“You boys must be excited to hang out with her. I mean, she is the Jung Chaeyeon right?” said Noeul.

 

She didn't have to wait for any of their replies. Their faces says it all. Yeah, all guys like pretty girls like her. Noeul stayed at the back while Seungcheol introduced his date to his friends. For once she didn't feel like hanging out with her friends.

 

Grabbing whoever that was closest to her, Noeul lied that her mother wants her home as her aunt is coming over to visit.

 

“Noona why? Can't you skip it? I mean, that's what you always do.”

 

“Sorry Haohao, but I haven't seen my aunt for a long time.”

 

Minghao was sad that his favourite Noona couldn't join them, “Alright, I'll let them know. Get home safely okay?”

 

Noeul parted from the group as quietly as she could. She didn't know why she did that. Even if she had announced loud and clear that she won't be joining them, the boys probably wouldn't care since they will be hanging out with THE JUNG CHAEYEON.

 

With a sigh, Noeul carefully made her way back home. Her feet was aching so badly and she felt stupid for ditching her friends. It took her fifteen minutes to reach the school which means she'll have to walk another ten minutes before she could reach home.

 

“Kim Noeul?” Noeul recognised that deep voice. Wonwoo.

 

Wonwoo ran towards the girl and questioned why she was back in school, “Wait so you ditched them because of Chaeyeon? So you do like Seungcheol hyung!”

 

“Shut up Jeon Wonwoo! I doubt they've realised I was missing. Except for Minghao that is.”

 

“So where are you going?”

 

“Home?”

 

Noeul only took one step forward before she felt a sharp pain coming from her injured ankle, “Hey, careful!”

 

Wonwoo steadied her, preventing the girl from falling, “I think that's enough walking for today.”

 

Wonwoo took off his bag and carried it in front before squatting down in front of Noeul, “Ya! What are you doing? People are staring at us!”

 

“Get on, I'll send you home. “

 

“No! I-I can walk, see?” Noeul took another step forward before grimacing in pain.

 

“I'm not getting up until you get on my back.”

 

With a sigh, Noeul shyly wrapped her arms around Wonwoo and the male carefully stood up, “Oh my god, you're so heavy!”

 

“Hey!”

 

“Kidding! You're as light as a feather.”

No words were exchanged as they made their way home. Noeul’s handphone was going crazy - probably because the boys had finally realised she was missing, but she couldn't do anything about it. She could feel her heart rate going faster with every step Wonwoo takes. The boy could feel it but choose to ignore. Little did Noeul know, his heart was beating just as fast as hers; if not faster.

---

See you in the next chapter (:

>>camel-coups