-Chapter 27-

Deception

The chilly early winter air blew past Jongin, nipping at his cheeks and sending shudders down his body. I should have worn a thicker jacket… This cold weather is killing me! He thought with a shiver. It was at this point where he also regretted not bringing along a pair of gloves since his hands were a bit too preoccupied at the moment to get the privilege of warming up in his coat pockets. With hands practically frozen around the push handles of your wheelchair, Jongin was pushing you down the empty streets of his neighborhood thanks to that sudden request of yours to go for a small stroll outside.

At this rate, I’ll catch a cold any second now. Jongin thought, fighting back a runny nose with a loud sniff. I still don’t understand why she wanted to go for a walk instead of accepting my mom’s offer to drive us around... Reeling his eyes down to steal a glance at you, he saw that you were just silently sitting in your wheelchair. It seemed like you were more interested on your own lap than the passing by scenery around you. Jongin looked back up at the sky in exasperation. If you’re not even gonna try to enjoy the sights outside, why propose going out then??

Turning a corner, Jongin glanced back down at you. It seemed like you were swallowed up in your own thoughts; the pure concentration on your face making Jongin feel like a third wheel for no reason—if that made any sense…

In general, this current predicament you two were in was just plain awkward and uncomfortable, at least that’s what Jongin felt to his very bone. The lack of talking, the loud squeaks from your wheelchair that was probably louder than both of your voices combined, the fact that one person practically ‘wasn’t even there’ completely and of course the fact that Jongin would probably have to chug 3 bottles of cough syrup when he got home—it was slowly eating away at the adolescent boy.

Deciding to finally try to lighten up the mood Jongin cleared his throat, making sure to be extra loud to get your attention. “You know, I usually don’t accept offers from girls who ask to go for walks with me this easily.” He casually started. But after a few minutes of absolutely no response from you, Jongin heaved out a giant audible sigh. Oh god, this is agonizing… Sehun, how do you do this on a daily basis??

Unbeknownst to Jongin however, you did hear what he had said. Though, you just weren’t in your right mindset to reply back. For some reason… you didn’t feel like yourself. In a word, you felt numb. Everything around you just felt like a complete daze—like you were in a dream or something. You heard the wind pass your ears and Jongin’s footsteps behind you; you could see the dull cement pavement roll by underneath your feet just fine but none of it was processing in your head. You were just completely blank right now. However, there was something that was filling your mind right now; something that was just itching to burst out of you. You didn’t know what it was but you knew you couldn’t fight it back any longer. Until finally, it just came out.

“Jongin, can you bring me to my house?”

You jolted up in your seat when you were suddenly jerked to a sudden stop. Realizing that you were now at a complete standstill, you looked over your shoulder at Jongin. The older boy blinked at you, appearing to be completely dumbfounded. “…Wait, what? You… want me to take you to your house?” he slowly and carefully reiterated, hopeful that maybe he just heard you wrong. You yourself didn’t even know where the question popped out of or why you randomly blurted it out but in a matter of seconds after hearing the question you nodded your head.

Puffing out his cheeks to blow out a long sigh, Jongin looked around as if he was searching for some type of response hidden away somewhere. Itching at his head he uneasily started, “Well… Sehun doesn’t want you to go back to your house right? I remember him saying that so… I think it wouldn’t be a good idea to take the chance, and besides it’s better if you went back with him instead of me don’t you think?”

“But, he told me to go back home.” You paused for a moment, a bit startled. Wait… what am I saying…??

“What…? Who told you?” Sehun definitely didn’t tell me that, in fact I don’t remember anyone telling me that… unless, without me knowing, it was…

“Sehun. Sehun told me.” You abruptly said, without even finishing your own thoughts. “He told me I can go home if I wanted to. That’s what he was talking to me about earlier today.” You were lying. You were lying and you weren’t sure why it was happening so easily. You weren’t the type to lie after all…

Jongin stared down at you confused and completely thrown off. That can’t be right… He thought. But then again, I can’t be sure because Sehun left so abruptly today that I didn’t even get a chance to ask him what he actually did talk to her about… Feeling torn because of the chaotic inner debate in his head and practically harassing his conscience for an answer, he nodded.

“Ok… I’ll bring you to your house.” It should be okay because Sehun will be there after all… right…?

Sehun switched the television off and tossed the remote onto the nearby coffee table with a loud thud, finding himself unable to focus on TV right now. Leaning back into his living room couch, he vacantly gazed up at the ceiling above him. A million and one things were rushing and bumping around in his head all at once, faster than he can even process. His house, these entities, and most importantly you… His eyes drifted shut in an attempt to soothe his racing mind.

What do I do…? Someone, anyone, just tell me right now what I should be doing to stop all of this. No matter what I’ve done, nothing seems to be working… Maybe I should face the truth, that I can’t protect—

“Sehun?” Sehun’s eyes shot open and he peered over only to see his parents at the doorway, both bundled up in coats. “We’re going to stop by the supermarket for a bit.” His mother announced. “Take care of the house while we’re gone, ok?”

“Yeah, I know.” Sehun indifferently waved off, leaning his head back onto the sofa.

“That boy is always so wrapped up in his thoughts nowadays, I swear.” His father said with a shake of the head. With eyes shut once again, Sehun halfheartedly listened to his parents’ ascending footsteps and the sound of the front door opening. Waiting for the door to slam shut, he was a bit puzzled when the usual sound of the door closing was absent in the air. Instead, he heard his mother’s distant voice.

“Oh hello, can I help you?” Sehun decided to ignore her, figuring it was just a random anxious salesperson at the door as usual. “You’re friends with Sehun? I’ll go get him for you then.” Sehun’s eyes flew opened, letting out an annoyed groan.

“It’s gotta be Chanyeol and the others. I’m definitely not in the mood to entertain guests right now…” he sighed, lazily pushing (more like straining) himself up off of the couch. But before he could take even think about taking one step forward, he heard his father’s voice as well.

“Hm? Jaeyun?” came his far voice. Instantly, Sehun froze up at the utterance of your name. Jaeyun? Wait… is she here? Without any hesitation, Sehun dashed out the doorway only to bump into his mother along the way.

“Oh, Sehun you startled me!” she exclaimed, holding onto him.

“Mom, who’s at the door?” Sehun restlessly asked.

“Ah, you must have heard us talking to them am I right? I’ll bring you over to them.” Holding onto his arm, she gently led him to the door. I heard Jaeyun’s name. Could she really have come over here after I specifically told her not to? At last, Sehun made it to the front door only to have all his nerves and anxiety immediately deflate to absolutely nothing.

“Looks like you have company Sehun.” His father smiled to him. “I’m sorry but what were your names again?”

“Jongdae and Yifan, sir.”

Sehun’s eye twitched slightly seeing that cheesy smile plastered onto Jongdae’s face as he spoke. Jongdae then met eyes with Sehun, much to his displeasure, and waved cheerfully at him. “Aaaactually, it’s Jongdae and Kris Mr. Oh.” Kris intervened with a firm nod. Jongdae rolled his eyes and Sehun felt his face now contorting in disgust seeing that giant walking tree again after their last uncalled for meeting at the library…

“They were also asking for your little sister.” His mother whispered to him behind her hand. “One of them wouldn’t happen to be her boyfrie—“

“ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!” Sehun bellowed, startling pretty much everyone. Sehun immediately clamped his mouth shut.   

“These two are your friends Sehun?” Sehun’s father curiously questioned. “I’ve never seen you with these two before. I’m used to seeing you with Jongin and the others in your class.”

Before Sehun could give his dad a big fat ‘NO’, Jongdae beat him to the punch. “We hang out more at school, so it’s understandable.” He politely replied with yet another friendly grin. Oh, this guy thinks he’s SO sly doesn’t he… Sehun thought with a disapproving shake of the head.

“Ah yes, I see.” He nodded. “Well, we’d better head off now. Please, make yourselves at home.” And with that, Sehun’s parents continued out, hopped into their car and drove off, leaving Sehun alone with these two uninvited strangers… Right off the bat, Sehun spoke up.

“What are you guys doing here anyways?” Sehun interrogated, mostly focusing his scowl at Kris who was glaring at him with just as much irritation.

“Sehun,” Jongdae called out. Sehun ripped his glower away from Kris to look at Jongdae and was a bit taken a back by how serious he now looked; a complete 180 from how he had looked just a second ago. “Kris told me everything.”

“Everything? What do you mean?” Sehun cautiously asked, his suspicion suddenly roused. Sehun’s eyes darted between the two guys, none of them saying a word.

“Look…” Kris finally piped up. “I don’t care if you don’t like me or not; you need to know the truth, and after hearing everything Jongdae’s told me that has been happening in this house, you need to know as soon as possible.”

“Wait, what? Jongdae, what did you tell him?? I trusted you!!!”

“Does it really matter? Like I said we need to talk. Right now.” Kris resolutely ordered, gripping onto Sehun’s arm. Before Sehun knew it, Kris was now dragging him out of his house and down his front porch.

“H-hey, what the hell are you doing?!!” Sehun protested.

“We need to talk somewhere else. Anywhere but here.” Kris simply replied, his grip still remaining too strong for Sehun to break away from.

“Let go of me!!! I don’t even have my keys for the house—you’re going to lock me out!!!!” Watching on from the distance, Jongdae sighed with a shake of the head. Stepping inside the house and grabbing what he guessed was Sehun’s shoes, Jongdae locked the door and quietly pulled it shut. Taking one last uneasy look at the house behind him, he quickly walked out the front gate and trailed after Kris and Sehun.