Chapter 12 - I like you? Or not?

“Do... you have a crush on Onew?” Taemin finally asked what was stuck in his throat. Miri looked at him stunned by the question.

“A-Anyo… I just said that because it was my last resort…”

“Oh…”

Taemin rubbed his neck looking at the floor. And then he rose his glance straight to her eyes.

“So... do you love me?”

She froze. Her heart froze. Her hands froze. Her mind froze.

He looked at her anxious for her answer. He didn’t know if he wanted to hear an “yes” or “No”, but anything that was going out of .

In Miri’s mind nothing was going on. She just didn’t knew what to say! To lie or not…

But she had to say something. Anything. Her interior was shivering and she felt uncomfortably distressed.

Then she finally took courage and with an inevitable trembling voice she finally spoke:

“No…” She turned her head from his face and looked forward. “At all.”

Something crashed in Taemin. He gulped feeling awkwardly disappointed…??

“I’m glad.” Taemin said.

Miri turned to him. *Glad*???

Now her heart ached as ever. She wanted to cry. She wanted to loose a cry right there in front of him and in the middle of the bus. But no. She couldn’t. He was happy because she doesn’t like him...? Oh god... Too late... She could no longer contain the tears and the heart sore.

“AJUSSHI!!!!” A woman yelled stressed. “Open the door ‘cause I want to get out!!!!!”

The woman started to kick the bus door. Taemin turned his attention, like everybody in the bus, to the woman.

Miri wasn’t interested at all at what was going on. Her eyes were still trembling because of tears that wanted to fall. She rolled her eyes away and cried a few drops. She cleaned the tears with the scarf and tried to put herself together before Taemin could turn back to her.

The bus stopped and the woman left muttering.

They stood in silence. Miri was looking at the window trying not to remember what Taemin just said. They didn’t want that silence, but it was unavoidable.

The rain started to slow down. And there weren’t thunders anymore.

“Oh… The rain it’s stoping…” Taemin commented trying to break the silence. Miri didn’t say anything in return.

“I’m sorry…” He said. Miri turned her attention to him startled. He sighed and continued to talk. “You know that day at the dressing room at the mall…”

*Oh…That…* she thought.

“I know it was been days since then but… still… I’m sorry… And at the after-party I didn’t mean that too…”

Miri looked at him confused.

“After-Party?” She asked with a confused face.

“Huh? You don’t remember?” He asked her confused too.

“Ah that! Don’t have apologize me…” She said.

“I don’t?” He looked at her even more confused. *How is that I don’t have to apologize?* he thought.

“It’s Eun Mi…”

“Eun Mi??” *Oh No! She TOLD Eun Mi?*

She nodded.

“Hum… She was waiting for you for a long time and you didn’t even went to her and say “Hi!” “

*That? … But she doesn’t remember our kiss? Or… she doesn’t know about it? WAIT! She May not know it??? It was dark so she didn’t see my face???*

“Oh yeah… I’ve already apologized that to her…”

“Oh… that’s good.” Miri said looking at the floor not feeling like talking. Specially with him… After that “Glad” she didn’t felt very well. But now she was thinking at another thing too. The guy and kiss at the after-party.

*There is someone up there playing with my feelings…* She thought.

When they arrived to their destination, the rain stopped completely.  He was walking her home and there was still that intense silence between them.

Ring Ding Dong Ring Ding Dong Ring Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding

“Yeoboseyo?” Taemin answered to his phone.

“Taemin! Why are you not picking the phone??? I’ve called you like 5 times!” Jonghyun’s voice shouted from the other line.

“I’m sorry hyung… I didn’t hear it…”

“Key is counting the exact minutes of when you have to arrive home or he’ll call the police! There is 20 minutes left!”

“It’s going to take more than 20 minutes…” He looked at Miri who was still walking with the sad expression. He realized that he doesn’t like seeing her that way but he didn’t know what he could do…

“Onew stop!” He heard Jonghyun struggling. “Yah! Give me the ph-ph-o-neee!”

“Yeoboseyo?” Onew was talking now...

“Onew hyung?”

“YAH! Taemin! DID YOU TAKE MIRI HOME???” He yelled what made Taemin back the phone off his hear.

“Yes. I’m with her right now!”

“Oh great… I’m more relieved…” He sigh. “Can I talk to her?”

Taemin didn’t want it.

“Yeah… sure. Miri.” He called her. “For you.”

Raised her eyes and confused she took the phone with both hands and put it on the ears.

“Y-Yeoboseyo?”

“It’s me!” Onew said with a happy voice.

“Oh Oppa!” She smoothly smiled.

While walking Miri talked to Onew and Taemin once in a while glared her. He didn’t know why but he was… jealous? How could he be jealous of Miri and Onew? That’s impossible isn’t it? Isn’t… it?

His fingers slowly reached his lips and touched then softly. Remembering about that kiss still made his heart shiver… He couldn’t forget about it! He just liked it so much… No! But he can’t! How can he like it??? He has Eun Mi! Beautiful, caring and wonderful Eun Mi… That he liked so much… He still liked her isn’t it? Yeah… he did… But is he starting to like… Miri… too?

*AISH!* he brutally shook his head with hands. Miri quickly turned at him stunned.

“Taemin-ah kwenchana?”

He turned to her he looked at her beautiful black eyes and he started to feel his whole body getting weak…

“N-Ne-e”

She turned her gaze away still feeling hurt.

“Miri?” Onew called.

“Y-yes?” She answered with a trembling voice. She was about to cry again.

“Miri Kwenchana???” Onew asked very worried.

“Hmmm…” she moaned positively.

“Miri! What happened????” Onew didn’t like her voice tone at all.

“hm hmm…” this time her moaned was desperately negative.

“Miri… Are you crying?”

“Hm Hmm”

“Miri-ah are you crying???” Onew asked getting even more worried he couldn’t bear hearing like that.

“Oppa… C-Can we t-talk another day?” She asked with watering eyes.

“But Miri…”

“Oppa please…” She insisted.

“Okay…”

She hung up the phone and wiped her tears.

“Here.” She handed Taemin his phone. He took it noticing her red eyes.

“W-were you crying?” He asked with a little fear.

“Why…?” she looked at him hurt. “Nothing!” She shook her head and bit her lips.

“Is it Onew?”

Onew? ONEW? How could he say Onew? Why is insisting on Onew?

She chuckled. He glared her puzzled.

“Ani… It’s nothing!” She smiled. “Let’s go?”

*This girl is like a puzzle. Difficult to solve.* Taemin thought to himself and smirked.

“I’m home unnie…” Miri said closing the door and taking the ankle boots heels off. She sat on the step and softly rubbed her hurt feet. Then flashes of that whole night with Taemin appeared in her mind. One by one and it finally came to the “I’m glad”.

What is about liking him that is so bad?

“Finally Miri… I was worried that you’d never come!” Eun Mi appeared behind her.

“I’m here!” She tried to smile.

“Oh, Onew just called! He looked very worried.”

“Jeongmal? I didn’t want worry oppa…”

Eun Mi smirked and sat beside her.

“It looks like he likes you!”

“What?? That’s not true…”

“Hm… No guy would be that worried for a “just friend” girl!” She insisted.

“Maybe he is just a caring person…”

“He cares too much then.”

“Unnie…”

“Ok…Ok…” She got up and left. Miri stood up too and went straight to her room.

She grabbed her towel and went to the bathroom for a warm shower.

She opened the shower and the water started pouring on her like the rain did before.

Miri’s POV

Tears are falling again… This time they are free to fall. So they fall harder and more. My heart is hurting so much. This love I have for him is painful so painful inside. My heart and my mind are squeezing right now. I want to scream so bad. Why can’t I just get over him? If he keeps doing the things at his own way, smiling like that, being himself… how does he want me to stop loving him? It’s just impossible…

My hands are trembling, I’m feeling weak. This love makes me strong but sometimes weak. Happy but most of the times sad. But shouldn’t I be happy? He is happy… with Eun Mi… So shouldn’t I find some else and be happy? I Ha-have t-t-that right isn’t it…?

Just like that I broke into tears.

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Anneyong!

phew... just bcuz the other chapter i felt this huge responsability with this one... i hope i didn't let you down....

keep on commenting :) and reading this story! Because if liked the last chapter there is going to be a tons other that are as excited and more excited! you'll see!

meanwhile... check! check! check! the story of my co-author!!! Haerin!

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And remember to eat fruits! they are delicious and healthy! (I'm eating one right now :P )

take care bye :)