inspiration         : GD - Who You (play this song when you read this chapter)

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“I’m home.”                                 

Finally, she made it home, safely and soundly. Well, not really.

Sehun caught her walking home with Peniel just now and that was nowhere near good. It was too much of a coincidence that he was with Kyungsoo, in a place around her way home, and witnessed that rare of sight. She let out a sigh as she realized that there would be a possibility Sehun would phone her later. And like an interrogation, Sehun obviously would demand clear answers to bunch of questions that he might have. He deserved an explanation, in which hearing it from Yookyung directly was what he preferred.

Sehun hated being curious after all.

She almost forgot that Peniel was in her house until she spotted his figure shifting uneasily around the living room, not knowing what to do.

“O-oh! Do take a seat, please!” Yookyung said eventually.

“– Huh? Ah, yeah, thanks,” answered him, sitting on the couch as she offered.

This was plain awkward.

After what happened yesterday, the two became more uncomfortable with each others. Sure they were awkward to begin with, but it got worse twice more. Childhood best friends, who did not even remember each others, met again like this.

Who saw that coming? Yookyung surely did not.

Last night, her mother told her everything about Peniel, how they met, and the other significant things. Born and raised in America, Yookyung was a foreigner who never once stayed in the country of her original roots, spending almost her entire life in the suburb area of Chicago. Her father was working for a company, sitting at one of the biggest position there. And accidental or not, Peniel’s father was too.

Yookyung and Peniel befriended after their fathers introduced themselves to each others and the fact that their age was not that apart caused them to get closer even more. During weekends, they often spent time playing together, though their homes were slightly distant.

She was confused, however, as to why she could not recall him at all. Her mother nonsensically blurted out that there was the odds Peniel’s sudden and shocking moving to Seoul caused her to have a loss memory. Silly, she told her mother. Her mother also thought that it might be because Yookyung, out of habit, always addressed him with his Korean name, which was Shin Donggeun, instead of Peniel. But I’m not even familiar with the Donggeun name, she murmured.

She herself had an idea that the friendship between them might not leave that much of impression to both of them, which was why the two remembered nothing. It seems my opinion is the most reasonable, she thought.

 “Uh, I’ll just call my mom now. Make yourself at home, okay?”

She hurriedly walked upstairs, very noticeable that she was avoiding the weird situation. Hopefully, the reason she uttered was convincing enough to Peniel.

 “Mom?” She knocked on the door for a while before entering her mother’s bedroom.

“Oh, baby!” Her mother exclaimed at the sight of her daughter and welcomed her with a quick hug. “Good afternoon! Where is Peniel?”

“He’s waiting downstairs.”

“Really? Great– I will just get the photo album and you go change first, alright?”

Leaning on the doorway with her arms folding across her chest, she watched her mom curiously. She was taking some photobooks from the shelf, humming a random tune, even. Raising one brow, Yookyung said, “You seem very excited?” It sounded like a question, instead of a statement.

“Why wouldn’t I?” There was a wide smile plastering on her face. “My baby is meeting Donggeun again!”

Her lips curved upwards at the sight of her happy-go-lucky mother. “You mean Peniel?” The older female only nodded. “– Alright. I’ll change my clothes and be right down for a minute. Don’t make him wait, Mom.”

“I should be the one who said that!”

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“Oh, you shouldn’t have to–”

Yookyung shook her head lightly at him as she put the silver tray on the small table, serving some cookies and a pot of lukewarm tea, entirely suitable menu for an overcast afternoon. She cocked her head slightly, motioning the seat across him, asking for approval. “Can I–?”

“Ah, of course!”

She claimed her seat, propping her arms on the armrest as her eyes travelled to the small garden. She just stayed quiet, variety of thoughts pooling inside her head as she tried to figure out how to break the silence between them. “I’m sure it was uncomfortable for you?” she said after a moment. It was supposed to be a statement but she ended up saying it like a question.

“What was?” asked him.

“Well, today?” There was a hint of hesitance in her voice. “Having to forcefully come here and… stuffs?”

He contemplated for a while. “Hmm… Did I look awkward?”

“No,” she admitted. “But I am sure I did – I thought it was awkward. Did you not feel it?”

“I managed to not look awkward, at least. But who wouldn’t?”

“True.”

She bit back a smile. At that moment, her eyes shifted to the treats on the table and she inwardly scolded herself for not taking care of guest appropriately. She then took the teapot and poured the drink into his cup first before her own. “Drink up,” offered her, in which Peniel complied almost immediately, leaving the cup empty. She watched him briefly before pouring the tea again.

“You don’t have to come if my mom asked you to,” she said to him. He stilled, looking at her questioningly. “… You know what I mean… Doesn’t this ‘long-lost friends’ thing affect you as much as it does to me?”

“Does that affect you in negative way?”

“I don’t know if it’s a negative way.”

He looked confused – the furrow between his eyebrows became visible.

“… It just feels strange. And very, very awkward,” she emphasized. “I don’t know how to act around you.”

“Act normal,” suggested him. Easy for you to say, she thought to herself.

“I feel more awkward with you now.”

“Oh, really?”

Peniel was equal to frustration indeed, and she couldn’t help but to roll her eyes. She thought he was just cold and quiet. His aura alone exuded how much of an outsider he was, and how much he wanted to be treated like one. That was his image in school and almost automatically, she got the impression that he was like that all the time. With what she saw from him today, perhaps she should consider adding new characteristics ‘persistent, thoughtless, and a potential nuisance’.

“… So, like what I told you. This situation may change things between us, but there is one thing that I hope won’t change.”

“And what is that?”

She raised her cup and took a sip of her tea. “You,” murmured her softly as she set back the cup on the table. “You don’t have to do what my mom told you. You don’t have to drop honorifics, talk more often or act friendly to me – no.”

He frowned again – she assumed she did not quite understand what she was trying to say.

“It is uncomfortable, right?”

“You mean for you?” corrected him, one eyebrow raised skeptically. He knew he was right.

She cleared . “For us.”

Her tone wavered, practically the way she sounded gave her away, but she managed – somehow managed to sound convincing. Or not.

“Really?” inquired him, amusement in his voice. “You’re lying.”

She blinked, flustered at the sudden accusation. She always considered herself a good liar – not that she told a lie often… well, perhaps some white lies – but, really. Peniel could look through her now?

“Um…” Her eyes flickered nervously as she bit her lips. “I’m not.”

“You sound doubtful.”

She shot him a look, sending a sharp glare at him. “You know what? Fine, you won. You’re right.”

The annoyed look on her face disappeared almost immediately when she heard him chuckling lowly, out of nowhere. She looked up at him and blinked again, startled upon seeing this side of him. Another face of him he never showed – well, in school, at least – before. She abruptly looked away when she realized she kept on staring at him.

“You know,” he started, getting her attention almost immediately. He sipped on the chamomile tea once again, before continuing, “You are rather different than I thought.”

She merely rolled her eyes. “I can say the same about you.”

“Alright, then.”

Peniel then stood up to his full height, throwing his bag over his shoulder. She glanced at him curiously. “I’m going.”

“I’ll go get my mom–”                                           

“It’s okay.” He shook his head lightly. “Just send my best regards to her, also an apology for going back so hurriedly.”

Yookyung rose from her seat too, walking to the gate leisurely, trailing behind him was Peniel who was catching up with her slow steps. She pushed the gateway and he immediately stepped out, ready to leave but hesitantly stopped in his track. He looked over his shoulders,

 “Francesca?”

She raised her head instinctively. “Yes– Huh, what?” Her forehead was creased when she realized what he just called her. 

“It’s really you, huh.” He nodded to himself. “No wonder your name sounds familiar.”

“Don’t call me– wait, I thought we agreed not to be friendly!”

“I never agreed on anything, though,” answered him with a shrug, before turning on his heel and casually strode his way home.

Her jaw dropped upon hearing it.

 “Hey, Shin Donggeun!”

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n/a:

so... hey! __ryura is back c:

you must be wondering why I change the title, description, and foreword -- well, almost everything.

i realized how the previous were so melancholy, gloomy, and dark.

and i guess for a high school setting fanfic,

the mood shouldn't be that dark.

so, yeah. i changed them. hope you don't mind? c:

the plotline will be the same, so don't worry!

i hope you like the new chapter, people!

do comment and please love this fanfic! 

participate in this poll too, please?

ah! do subscribe and comment my new oneshot and fanfic too! thank you c:

A Man's First Love

A Bad Friend

__ryura

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