Chapter 12 – Soft Giggles

After a long stretch of silence, Seol finally closes her book and plants a stern stare at the male in front of her.

“… Jongin,”

The said male looks up from his book to lock eyes with her. “Yeah?” he mumbles innocently.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m reading,” he glances at the book he’s holding.

She lifts a brow suspiciously at him. “You don’t read.”

Jongin shifts in his seat uncomfortably, jutting out his lips in a pout. The silent atmosphere of the library only added to the tension of Seol’s stare, her eyes demanding an answer from him.

“Well,” Jongin rests his chin on top of his folded arms on the table. “Answering your question is easier said than done,”

Seol stares at him for a second before heaving a soft sigh, eyes going back to her book. “If it’s about Sehun’s party, then forget about it,”

Jongin lets out a suppressed whine, softly stomping his feet. “That’s what I told Sehun!”

“But…?” she lifts a brow, encouraging him to continue.

“He insisted that I bring you to make his precious’ birthday perfect,” he mutters, rolling his eyes before planting his head flat on the table.

“So you’re here to persuade me?”

“No, I—“

“Don’t even bother trying,” she immediately shuts her book close before pushing her chair back to stand up, giving him a good stern look before saying, “It won’t work.”

“No, no, no, no!” Jongin splutters out no-s out of panic, grabbing her hand to pull her back down into her chair. “I’m not here to persuade you!” he tries to lower his voice, cautiously glancing around the area to make sure he’s not causing a fuss. “I’m here to… well, just find someone to talk to?”

If Kang Seol’s a normal person, she’d think that Jongin’s kinda cute; but since she’s not, she just stares at him with a frown.

“Okay, maybe you’re confused as to why I’d choose you—“

“Yes,” Seol cuts in with an affirmative nod, confused frown still on her face.

“Well,” Jongin titters dryly, “I thought you’d understand me—mostly because you’re the only one who’d support me on not forcing you into Sehun’s party, but, I mean, you’re not that cold,”

“Just get to the point,”

“Tell him to leave me alone,”

“… What?”

“You don’t understand, Sehun’s like a beast in his panicked state. He’s a closet perfectionist and if things don’t go his way, it’d be my head on his wall!”

Jongin thought she’d roll her eyes or kick him under the desk, maybe even leave him in his pathetic state, but no, she did none of those—Kang Seol laughed. She genuinely laughed.