“Fine, I admit it.” She sighed, as she was carried by Chanyeol in a piggyback manner. The heavy rain had left the trail home with flood and a lot of mud. “I’m heavy.”

The latter cleared his throat before giving the usual vague reply, “I didn’t say any—”

“Oh, but I know it.” Chanyeol really wanted to laugh, but he deemed it simply was not right for him to do so. Being a student counselor proved to have gained him the virtue of moderation.

So then, there was silence. Again.

She really hated the attention that she’s getting because of this boy. She hated the feeling of being intimidated of all things, and yet, it is everything that she’s getting at this moment. People have been staring as they walked (or Chanyeol, at least had been doing so for the both of them) home. The girls, especially, kept giving her either piercing stares or awed expressions as she seemed nothing special and on the other hand the guy she’s with—the guy, who was carrying her on his back—was simply perfect.

Soojung had always been this gloomy girl who needed someone who can walk through the room and light the place up; and Chanyeol always worked like her personal sun: the one she would always like to see when she wakes up, and still the one wants to see at the end of the day. The one that comes for her to part the rainy clouds and makes all things better, brighter…

“Fine, I admit it.” she sighs again, giving up on gathering proofs that she is the underdog between the two of them. “You’re perfect.”

Chanyeol finally allowed himself to laugh a little in order to not make this moment awkward. “Uh…will you be making bitter comments until we arrive at your house?”

“Fine, I admit it.” The girl he placed securely on his back replied. “I’m bitter.”

How many years has it been since she had known Chanyeol, and he never did this seemingly sweet gesture to her. Well, it just so happened that particularly today, he had a reason for doing so.

“Fine, I admit it.” she suddenly confessed, “I still love you even though you’re only doing this because you don’t want your girlfriend’s shoes (that she lent me) to get soiled.

“Tiffany and I are no—”

“I’m not stupid, Chanyeol.”

Soojung observed the boy in his silence and there is just nothing to see but his beauty which she swears is almost painful to watch sometimes. There he is, being everything that she wants. And right now, here he is, literally wrapped in her arms. She badly, badly wanted to tighten her grip until she feels close enough. If given the chance, she sure is not going to let go and let him get away. Soojung really wanted to rest her head against his shoulder so she could clearly feel that he’s there and she just knows this is the only thing that could calm her heart. If given the chance, she is sure not to hold back and hide like Tiffany did - but that’s the problem: there weren’t any chances at all.

Soojung hates being treated like such a kid the most. She’s not a child anymore, so why does everybody treat her like so? And yes—much to her dismay, the ‘everybody’ included Chanyeol.

He was eight, she was six. He told her about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Chanyeol taught her the virtue of waiting: of allowing things to just happen and fall into place.

You’re still too young, Soojung. In the meantime, let me wait for you.

But evidently, he didn’t wait until she was all grown up. She simply concluded that there was no pot of gold at all.

Soojung hates people who break their promises the most. Well, it hurts to get her hopes up over nothing. Even more so, that she has done her part—that she has done her best to grow up fast. What is worse is that, he fell for someone as childish as Tiffany Hwang. She can’t help but hate Chanyeol because of that. It was too unfair (even though evidently, Chanyeol is giving her a hard time) how come Tiffany gets every chance there is?

“Makes you feel awkward, doesn’t it? Hearing ‘I love you’ from the one you don’t love back?” she smiled a little bit sadly. “The one you couldn’t even imagine yourself with.”

“Soojung.”

“What advice can you give me, counselor Park?”

Chanyeol could only sigh. “Honestly, I don’t know.”

“You’re unreliable.” She says simply. Chanyeol hung his head low upon hearing that. Soojung imagined his face must have looked like a pouting puppy that moment.

She, then, brightened herself up and hit him playfully on the arm. “Oppa, hurry up! It might start pouring again soon and you know unnie’s gonna kill you if her shoes get wet!” she glanced at the pair of shoes that she’s wearing. “These are Jimmy Choos—really precious, I’m guessing.”

“Soojung.” He called with a hint of meaning pertaining particularly on her sudden change of face. Soojung has stopped calling him ‘oppa’ when she was twelve. “Don’t be like this…”

“Would you shut up for a bit as I start to try getting over you?” she rolled her eyes at him. “You gotta help me with this, alright?”

Chanyeol nodded, giving up. Not too long, he felt a few drops of water falling on his skin. 

However, it stopped raining a few hours ago.

Uhmm...I not sure if this turned out pretty nicely. It was kind of messy, I think? But anyway, here it is :) 

Thanks for reading! I'll probably write happier ChanStals next time :)))) Probably.

FOR REVIEWERS:

This is like an EP or extended play (if you know what I mean) to a story written by my friend JungHoney7413. The story’s main pairing is Chanyeol and Tiffany. Krystal is not even included in the story, I just made her up and included her as a “sidenote” character. She’s Chanyeol’s childhood friend as you could tell from the oneshot. I am anticipating that you would mark me down for not mentioning Tiffany’s significance in the story. The reason why I didn’t include the ChanFany backstory is because I want to mainly focus on Krystal’s emotion as someone in love with a boy who loves another. I didn’t want to elaborate on that for the risk of straying from the main point. And so, here is the backstory:   

Tiffany kind of made a fool out of Chanyeol by being his anonymous counseling client just so she could test him if he could and would put up with her. It came to a point that the only thing Chanyeol has yet to know about her is her true identity as the bratty Tiffany Hwang, as everyone knew her. Tiffany kind of insulted Chanyeol by calling him a pushover of some sort, always complying and being there at her beck and call even though she refuses to reveal herself. She apologized but he didn't accept, although he never stopped caring for her. And so, they're basically almost officially together, but not really. That sort of .