Close to You
by abbyeepinkish11 | shabbypinkish13

 

 

 

Chapter Four

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                “Mwo!?” Yuri and Sooyoung simultaneously reacted over the phone, making me move my cellphone away from my ear after hearing them scream.

 

                “Lee Donghae said that to you?” I can sense Yuri's disbelief through her tone.

 

                “Yeah. I even find it hard to believe for myself, but you know, I'm just lucky to have him see me as a friend now.” I told them as I leaned forward, propping my arm and elbow on the desk while looking outside the window. I took a deep breath, “But even though, I think I'm more comfortable with just watching him from behind. It's nerve-wrecking to just see him walk up to you and start a conversation.”

 

                “I couldn't even explain how lucky you are!” Yuri giggled.

 

                “By the way, why didn't you guys tell me that he was the one who brought me to the clinic?” I asked them.

 

                “Well, you didn't ask.” Sooyoung answered. “But Yoong, be careful, okay?”

 

                I was slightly taken aback with Sooyoung's words. Somehow, it made me feel alarmed all of the sudden.

 

                “Yah, Choi Sooyoung! What the hell are you trying to imply?” Yuri asked angrily over the other line.

 

                “Well...” Sooyoung muttered, sounding like she's hesitating whether to speak or not.

 

                “Why?” I asked her in a soft-spoken manner, trying not to get on anyone's bad side at that moment.

 

                I hear Sooyoung clearing before she was able to speak. “Yoona, you know that the whole school knows that Donghae and Jessica broke up. The guy's sad over it, but that doesn't mean that his feelings for Jessica have completely disappeared.”

 

                “What are you trying to say?” I asked her once more, puzzled with where this was going.

 

                “Don't get your expectations up too high. Maybe you're not the only girl that he'll be talking to. He'll try to find someone who could help him forget the pain and make life easier for him. Although it doesn't sound as bad as it looks, that skeptical feeling wherein you don't know whether he wants you to stay because he loves you or he loves you because he wants you to stay will remain deep inside you. Who knows that he's just looking for other girls to flirt with? Yoong, I don't want you to get hurt—.”

 

                “Oh Sooyoung, enough with the drama. Lee Donghae isn't the kind of guy who'd do something like that. Can't you see that he's humble at school?” I heard Yuri contradicting Sooyoung's words.

 

                “You can't be too sure, Yuri. And besides, weren't you the same person who said that all guys are the same, you playgirl?”

 

                “But—. Well, you do have a point there.”

 

                I shook my head and laughed at the two upon hearing their remarks towards each other.

 

                “But Yoona, as much as it sounds so pessimistic, I think I have to agree with Sooyoung here.” Yuri concluded. “I'm pretty sure you're not the only one crazy for Lee Donghae. We don't know what's going through his mind anyway...”

 

                As much as I tried hiding the sad feeling that was starting inside of me, I couldn't help but sigh over the phone. “Yeah, I guess you're right.”

 

                “But on the bright side, you can still have a chance. Yet, there's always that feeling when you'll be thinking that you're just one of those girls whom he talked to—nothing more special than that.” Sooyoung added.

 

                “Yoong, are you alright?” Yuri asked in a concerned manner.

 

                “Yeah, I think.” I replied, leaning back onto my chair while hugging my legs with one arm.

 

                “Yoong, don't think that we're bringing you down when in fact, we're just being realistic here. It's not our first time falling in love and being fooled by jerks.” Sooyoung retorted.

 

                “We just don't want you to get hurt the same way we were. It hurt a lot.” Yuri added once more.

 

                “Yeah. Thanks, guys.” I told them. “I better go back to studying. At least it will get my mind off things.”

 

                “Alright.” Yuri said.

 

                “Night, dear.” Sooyoung uttered.

 

                “Bye.” was all I could say before ending the phone call. Though I thought I had the chance to get to his heart, I'm guessing that in the end, his decision is the only thing that would matter. To add to it, who am I that he may grow to like? I feel like I'm getting more and more stupid each day because I'm hoping for something that's hardly ever to come true.

 

                I'll just stick with Yuri and Sooyoung's advice. Besides, I'm just a girl within those hundreds of girls and it was only out of luck that he even talked to me.

 

                Laying my cellphone at my desk, I took a book lying on the left side of the table and opened it. I grabbed the pencil that was lying next to my cellphone as I began studying.

 

                Sometimes, in the midst of my intense studying, I would see a few wet spots on the page of my book that may have fallen from my cheeks.

 

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                Morning arrived sooner than expected, and as always, my breakfast would never be complete without my mother nagging at me. Although I tend to deal with her in a positive manner, Yoonhye would sometimes make it into a debate.

 

                Ever since that night, I've kept Yuri and Sooyoung's words deep inside my heart. I recalled what my original goal was—and it was only to watch him from afar—nothing else. I'm just another girl and I'm not special as what people usually comment about how people are unique in their own way. I'm just Im Yoona, and I'm not aspiring something more than that.

 

                Once again, I reach the pathway where there were rows of trees on both my left and right. And there he was, standing under the tree with a haversack on his shoulder. He was staring at the leaves, in particular, as he appears to observe the leaves turn to red, orange and yellow.

 

                At first, I forgot how to breathe. But Yuri and Sooyoung's words echoed through my ears and I mustered up the courage to walk past him, to ignore him and pretend that he wasn't there even if he knows very well about how I'd stalk him almost everyday of my high school life.

 

                Clenching my hands into fists, I tried to avert my gaze from him as much as possible. Hopefully, he won't be able to notice me. But when I thought that I could go through it as peaceful as I imagined, he called out my name.

 

                “Yoona!” I heard him cry out behind me as I heard footsteps coming at me.

 

                I didn't know that I stopped walking when I heard him call me, and when I realized that I stopped, I quickened my pace, trying to avoid him as much as possible but he just appeared in front of me with his hands spread out.

 

                “Whoa there.” he smiled. Damn.

 

                Instead of acting as how I timidly would, I faced him with much confidence as I can.

 

                He then held onto the strap of his haversack, and smilingly, he says, “Let's go to school together.”

 

                I bit my lower lip, uncertain of what I have to tell him coming from the back of my head. I balled my fists so tight like I wanted to bury my nails in my palms. “What do you want from me, Donghae-sshi?” I questioned him.

 

                He seemed to have fazed upon seeing me react this way. It's not like I wanted to, yet Donghae responds with a bothered smile. “What's wrong? I told you to call me oppa already.”

 

                “What do you want from me, Donghae-sshi?” I repeated my question.

 

                His smile faded and a confused expression was replaced. “Is there something wrong, Yoona?”

 

                “How many girl contacts do you have in your cellphone?” I sarcastically asked him, which made him even more puzzled. “I bet you have a lot. So why bother with me?”

 

                After having told him what I had to say, I walked past by him until he holds me by the wrist, making me pause for a moment.

 

                Donghae turned to me, “I don't understand. Did I do something wrong? I was just asking you if you would like me to accompany you to school.”

 

                “Moreover like asking me to accompany you to school.” I raised my voice, shock evident on his face. “I know that you recently broke up with Jessica and I'm fine with that. I sympathize you. But I didn't come to school just to flirt with someone who just broke up with this girl. I'm not like that, Lee Donghae.”

 

                “Who said anything about flirting? And why would I flirt with you? I'm merely treating you as a friend!”

 

                “Saying that it's the first time you've ever opened up to someone with regards to your problems? Come on! I bet you're using the same old story to please the girls. And carrying me to the clinic was just some kind of coincidence? And accompanying me home? We just met and you're acting like this. I know you're the most popular guy in school and you can make any girl go head over heels for you, but if that's what you're only trying to prove, then point taken.”

 

                He ended up staring at me in disbelief. I removed my hand from his grip before continuing, “In the end, I'm nothing more special than those girls you meet. And besides, why would you even hang out with a nobody like me?”

 

                I walked past by him, and this time, he didn't motion to stop me. While on my way to school, tears were running down my eyes as I bit my lower lip, trying to hold them in. Before going to class, I washed my face in order to lessen the weariness evident in my eyes. I don't want Yuri and Sooyoung to see me like this and call me a crybaby.

 

                As I head to my classroom with my hands gripped onto the straps of my backpack, I collided with one of the popular girls in school. Tiffany Hwang, the head cheerleader of our school along with her friend Taeyeon glared at me.

 

                Although Tiffany and Taeyeon looked really pretty, there hasn't been a day wherein I never hear an insult coming from her. Tiffany was rather tall with fair white complexion. She had jet black hair that reached her shoulders and she had a pink backpack behind her. Beside her was Taeyeon, a brunette whose hair is tied in a bun. A few inches shorter than Tiffany but she had these big eyes and rosy cheeks. She was as white as Tiffany; unfortunately, bearing the same attitude as hers.

 

                “You already have four eyes and you can't even see us.” Tiffany laughed along with Taeyeon. “Maybe you need to see a doctor, Im Yoona.” Tiffany then flicked a finger on my forehead, making me groan in pain. She laughed harder upon seeing my reaction as I laid my hand on my forehead.

 

                “Yo, !” I turned my head towards the direction of where the voice was coming from, and it was Yuri and Sooyoung coming from Tiffany and Taeyeon's backs. “Stay away from my baby.” Sooyoung said.

 

                Tiffany and Taeyeon turned around. “Oh. It's Kwon Tiger and Choi Piggy.” Taeyeon laid her hand on her waist, unsurprised upon seeing my friends.

 

                “You're definitely not scared of what would happen to you. Didn't I tell you that if you dare touch Yoona again that I'll throw you inside the garbage truck instead of the garbage bin?” Yuri threatened.

 

                Tiffany sarcastically laughed. “Yeah, but you can't do that to me this time. The national cheerleading competition is coming up and if you break my bones again, the whole school's going to hate you because I'm the key to winning this competition.”

 

                Sooyoung mocked Tiffany's laugh just now. “Haha, we don't care. One of these days, I'll make sure I'll cut your tongue so I won't hear that annoying voice of yours.” she said, making Tiffany cross her arms and glare at her. Sooyoung then shifted her gaze to Taeyeon. “And as for you, I'll drop a bowling ball on your head so you won't grow.”

 

                “Whatever, losers.” Taeyeon lifted a finger and thumb in a shape of an L on her forehead at both of them.

 

                “Taeng, let's go. We don't have time for the zoo.” Tiffany glared at Sooyoung and Yuri before me and walked away along with Taeyeon.

 

                Yuri and Sooyoung approached me afterward. “Yoong, are you okay?”

 

                With my head lowered at them, I nodded. “Yeah, I'm fine.”

 

                Yuri laid her arm around my shoulders. “Come on, let's go back to class.”

 

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                It was lunch time and I forgot to do my Physics homework. Instead of going with Yuri and Sooyoung, I decided to go to the library and research on my homework.

 

                Upon sitting down by a certain cubicle, I logged into the school's chat room online since there were a lot of students at that moment. Before researching on the internet, I gave them a group message.

 

 

 

            User09: Annyeonghaseyo! Any of you guys finished with the Physics research   thing?

 

 

 

            No one has replied, so I decided to look on Naver. A few minutes have passed and I hear a beep.

 

 

 

            User15: Can we talk?

 

 

 

            Curious to whoever this person was, I discreetly stood up from my seat, looking for cubicle 15 where User15 is seated. I widened my eyes upon seeing who it was.

 

 

 

      User09: What are you doing here?

      User15: Can we talk?

      User15: I'm sorry for yelling at you a while ago.

      User15: I want to prove you wrong when you said those things.

      User15: I'm not befriending you because of what you're thinking.

      User15: Please.

 

 

 

            I felt my heart literally melting inside me like melting marshmallows in a puddle of hot chocolate. I decided to peek at him once more and I only see him looking intently on his computer. Then, I typed.

 

 

 

      User09: What do you want to talk about?

      User15: :)

      User15: Come to the History section of the library. I'll meet you there.

      User15 has signed off.

 

 

 

            After reading his message, I signed off from the school chat room and went to the History section of the library. There, I find him sitting down on the marble floor in the midst of slight darkness with an opened sketchbook in his hand. Upon hearing my footsteps, he faced his head at me with an unexplainable smile. I walked towards him and sat down beside him even though the thought of walking up to him would make me forget how to breathe.

 

                Tugging my hair behind my ears, I glanced at his sketchbook and was astonished upon seeing what's inside—stick figures in clothes of different styles. I couldn't help but react in awe. Peeking at him through the corner of my eye, I see him chuckle next to me.

 

                “Donghae-oppa likes to design clothes?” I said

 

                He flipped it to the next page, where I see sketched clothes for males and females. There was also a cut-out from a magazine taped next to a sketched dress. “Yup. It's what I aspire to be when I grow up.”

 

                As he flipped it to the next page, and the next page, and the next page, I became more and more amazed with how he could make these things with such passion.

 

                “I never told this to my parents nor my friends. Jessica knows about it, but this is only to prove to you that I'm not here because I want to flirt with you or anything. I just want to be your friend. That's all there is to it.”

 

                Even though I tried holding it in, I end up curving my lip anyway upon facing him. “Thank you for entrusting me with such a secret.”

 

                “Don't tell this to anyone. It's going to affect the way people think of me. I know that I'm Lee Donghae, that soccer player and dancer, but I don't know how they'd see me if they know about this.” he said, his tone accompanied with sadness.

 

                “Hey,” I called him in a hushed manner. “Don't worry. I won't tell this to anyone. I'm even thankful that you're doing this. At least, it gives me an idea of what your true intentions are.” I smiled.

 

                Donghae then smiled as he closed the book before handing it to me with both hands. “Take it.”

 

                “What?”

 

                “Take it. I trust you.”

 

                “But Donghae-oppa, I think it's a bit too much. I'm a bit clumsy with stuff.”

 

                “Take it. I'm telling you this once more because I trust you.”

 

                Silence surrounded both of us while I was thinking whether to take it or not. In the end, I received the sketchbook with two hands.

 

                “I'll protect this.” I told him, earning a reassuring smile from him.

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A/N: Aigoo! I was able to finish Chapter 4! Thank goodness! :)) Anyway, I'd like to especially thank @sushisoju for encouraging me to write the fourth chapter as soon as possible so that I won't keep you all waiting. Gamsahamnida~ :))

 

Replies:

@arvz_rmc18: Thanks for the comment. :) I love YoonHae too. :-bd
@sushisoju: Ikr? I'm sorry for the late update. Well at least you didn't wait for eight months for this update. LOL ^^;; Thank you for commenting! :)
@melodyoona7: lol so sorry for the late update once again. ^^;; thanks for commenting. ^^;;
@imchoding7: you're welcome and thank you for the comment. :) 
@msdadvocate_yoong: lol thank you. I'm flattered. :)

 

Teaser for the next chapter:

 

            “But Donghae-oppa, I didn't reveal your secret! Please, believe me.”

 

            “I thought that I could trust you.”

 

            “So you were the one who did this.”

 

            “Why would you even do something like that for her!? She's a nobody!”

 

 

 

That's all there is to know. :)) Anyway, thank you for those who subscribed! I hope you'd comment too since I want to know what all of you think of this story, whether it be good or bad. I get inspired because of you guys. ^^;; Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I ♥ you guys.

 

With love,

Abbyee. ^__^