***

Some people are liars, some people are cowards. And the worst kind of people are cowardly liars and lying cowards, and that’s what we were.

The night spent together was surreal, the day after even more, and that made us fear that if we tempt the Universe, if we try to test the boundaries and push beyond them, the magic will perish.

So, we didn’t exchange numbers, we didn’t ask each other what we study, or which school do we go to. No intimacies, except for one - the complete bareness of our bodies.

While I was rushing through evening Seoul, dressed in clothes that weren’t mine, smelling like a and cologne, cheeks flushed and hair messy, I've noticed how tired I was. Which was kinda strange, considering that all we did was sleep, and play games.

On the top of that, it was during noon when I’ve realized it was actually Monday and I was supposed to be in school; thankfully, the university is quite forgiving when it comes to attendance, and no one really cares if you’re in the classroom or if you’re not.

I received some worried text messages from my friends (as I still had a few, surprising, truly) and (what might be even a bigger surprise) my attendance was usually perfect. As ridiculous as it sounds, I was quite punctual and precise person who enjoyed her study course a lot. The love for my studies was steadily a hot topic of my friends’ conversations and the object of their jokes as they couldn’t grasp how someone so “wild and carefree” could be so immersed in school.

Jokes on them; my wild nights out and seemingly careless personality were the reason I could be so focused when I needed to be. My lifestyle was in a perfect balance, I had it utterly figured out and held it firmly in my hands.

Another one of my little tricks to help me function as a proper young adult were my hobbies. Particularly, dancing. Dancing was as natural as breathing; moving my body to the rhythm, sweating to the lyrics of a song and letting go of all the unwanted, burdensome emotions was a form of therapy.

That’s why I rushed from Baekhyun’s apartment so hastily; I had a lesson and not even ten Baekhyuns with magical could make me miss it.

Summers in the city are hot and wet and that’s exactly what I became when I finally got to the gym. Sadly, it was the wrong kind of hot and wet, the disgusting kind, and I ended up taking a completely counterproductive shower before we even started.

As I was wrapping myself in a towel that I kept in my locker for cases like these, I heard the door open and shortly after, a familiar face peeked from behind the corner.

My expression immediately brightened up: “Nini! I’m so glad to see you!”

I would have run to him, hug him tightly (and preferably never let go of him), however, Nini, acting like the well-behaved man he was, automatically averted his gaze from my semi-ness.

“Sora! Why are you ?” he was covering his eyes and waving his hand in my direction, trying to emphasize that I was, in fact, very not dressed.

That’s Jongin, ladies and gentlemen. Kind and precious; way too precious for this world, and that gullible innocence made me want to protect him from all the hideousness lurking in this universe.

“I am wearing a towel, you know,” I pointed out the obvious, teasing him a little.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter