Taekwoon, Ravi, and Ken sit opposite of me. My finger drums on the table anxiously. My roommate and I’s past conversation burns in the back of my mind along with what Hyuk said. I’ve acted fine, actually completely fine but the knot in my stomach grows heavier. This is the exact thing I didn’t want to happen, I was stupid enough to think that I wouldn’t like him, that there was no way I could like him. But here we are.

My eyes dart around the patio of the resturant, I’m impatient. Feeling myself practically wanting to jump out of my seat and hide away from everyone, I can’t escape from Taekwoon or the others, I’ve already been avoiding everyone enough. The waitress putting our food down in front of us jarrs me from my thoughts. I begin to pick at the food until Taekwoons voice grabs my attention.

“Oh ,” he says as his eyes lock on something past me.

“What?” I say in a hush tone across the table.

Ken stops chewing for a second and swallows the bit of food in his mouth before he speaks, “It’s Dokyeong and his other friends. They go to school about 30 minutes away from ours and they always make it extremely unenjoyable when we play against them.”

“Ken’s putting it nicely, Dokyeong is a huge wipe in the garbage can of life. He always gets kicked out for fighting or talking,” Taekwoon says in between bites.

“We play them on Saturday.” Ravi chimes in.

“Good to know,” I don’t even bother to look behind me and just continue to eat, “Should we get out of here?”

“Nah, we should be fine if we don’t make eye contact... or any sudden movements,” Taekwoon mocks. Laughter irrupts at our table as we finish our food, carefully I sneak a peek of the guy over my shoulder.

We continue with mindless conversation, my crutches rest at the side of the table. So when one of the boys from the group walking by trips over them. My head snaps towards the commotion but then I feel my heart sink into my stomach, It was Dokyeong. Well .

“What the ?” He shouts as he turns around to face our table. Taekwoon’s stone cold eyes just stare at the boy. A smug look crosses his face as he recognizes the guys sitting at the table.

“I’m really sorry,” I try to tell him but he cuts me off immediately.

“Wait, you’re the idiot who got benched for an injury after the first game” He begins to laugh, then turning the attention to Taekwoon he begins, “Wow Taekwoon, some team you got this year.”

“Can you off?” Taekwoon says in a monotone voice not bothering to look up from his food.

“Why are you so sensitive, take a ing joke.”

Ravi and Ken keep their heads down, obviously this was between Taekwoon and Dokyeong. I can feel my blood start to boil.

“Let’s just go Dokyeong,” His friend tries to chime in but is pushed away.

“You know our coach said that this game coming up was going to feel like practice for us, since your stain of a team hasn’t won championships in three years.”

Taekwoon just sat there drinking his soda, I’ve never seen him quiet like this and the more Dokyeong talks the more pissed off I become. “And you tried to save your team by recruiting this loser who is now benched for what? A quarter of the season.”

That is what finally set Taekwoon off, shooting up from his chair he goes to lunge for the boy but I beat him to it connecting my fist to his lower jaw, he stumbles back trying to catch his footing but he doesn’t get a chance too. I push him onto the ground and continue to punch him. I lose count on how many times I hit him.

My anger builds up even more as I continue, it’s not that Dokyeong is pissing me off that much but something inside me told me to keep going. Maybe it was the fact he was making Taekwoon mad, or the fact I’m mad at Taekwoon. I’m trying to make sense of my feelings. Others at the restaurant stare at the commotion going on and a waitress Is standing by horrified.

Before I could do any more damage I feel Taekwoon’s familiar hands wrap around me, pulling me off of the boy. Just as Taekwoon steadys me one of the friends he’s with punches me. “Guys lets go now!” Ken shouts.

Ravi throws the money on the table and we all book it, Taekwoon’s hands hold me firmly almost carrying me out of the resturant. Out of breath and sweating we rest against the wall of a building. Ravi is the first to stand up normal again, walking over to me he lifts my chin up examining me. A playful smile pulls at his lips, “You’re not bad kid”

It hurt to smile but I couldn’t stop.

“ing perfect timing too, Chuseok holiday starts in a couple days.” Ravi chimes in looking at both of us, a triumphant smile on his face.

Taekwoon and I sit on my bed, he holds a small Ice pack to my face with a goofy smile. His hand gently rests on my thigh. “That was really hot,” He teases.

“Shut up.”

His eyes glaze over with that lusty familiar look. My heart skips a beat as he leans in closer to me. Just as he is about to take me, a phone buzzes. Taekwoon stops and pulls the electronic from his pocket. I couldn’t quite read the look on his face, quickly pressing the answer button he puts the phone to his ear.

“Mom,” He begins. I can’t quite make out what she is saying but it seems to ease Taekwoon as his hard face softens. His lips purse together in a slight smile listening to his mother. I couldn’t help but smile back at him. “No I promise I will come home this year.” He lets a low laugh out. “Yeah tell noona to not eat the all the dakboki this year too.”

I let myself fall back onto the bed as Taekwoon continues on the phone with his mother. My mind starts to wonder, what it would be like to receive calls from my mom. To go home for the holidays. I push the thoughts down once again as I hear him say I love you and goodbye to his mother.

He lays down right next to me gently kissing me. “Was she calling you about chuseok?” He nodded his head gently.

“You’re going home right?” I feel a small lump grow in my throat at the question. “No, I’m not really close with my parents, they’re both working during the holidays.” I pull him close to me once again, trying to change the subject with a distraction. “So then what are you going to do?”

I feel myself growing annoyed, but I also know he can’t help but be curious. He doesn’t understand. “I’m just going to stay in the dorms, watch tv, maybe e. If i’m feeling frisky.”

Taekwoon laughs, “So you are going to spend Chuseok all alone?”

“That’s basically what I said.”

He sits still for a moment hovering over me, his face pensive and serious. It made me uneasy, hoping he wasn’t over thinking it too much. “Come home with me.”

Oh god he did overthink it, “No.”

My answer somehow shocked him, “Why not?!”

“Because I don’t know your family, I don’t want to intrude and this is not your problem.”

“C’ome on. It’s no big deal, I’ve brought Ravi over one time when he needed a place.”

“Well I’m not Ravi.”

He’s not satisfied with my answers, I can tell from his smug expression. He begins to push my shirt up, exposing my body. Leaning down he begins to kiss and my bare skin. My head relaxes back into the mattress as he moves down my body. His hands moves to my pants slowly begin to undo them. My breath hitches. “Say you’re gonna go or I’m going to stop.”

My eyes shoot open at his ultimatum, “No” I say standing my ground.

He leans down putting his warm mouth over my hardening member, gently rubbing his lips against the fabric sending shocks of electricity through me. Making me want him. “Please” I beg.

“Say it” He commands as he pulls back my briefs “I’m going to stop If you don’t say it.”

Pausing for a moment he waits for my response. I don’t say anything and he begins to pull further away. “Yes!” I shout quickly. “Yes I’ll go to your house for Chuseok.”

A goofy pleased smile crosses his face. He then continues further down on me.