*chapter thirty eight;

“Wait!” She yelled and he turned around with an inquiring look on his face. “Just.. one more?”

A smile spread across Luhan’s face and he bit his lip, looking down before he walked back to her. He never thought that kissing someone could be that electrifying. Heavenly. Enchantingly. How would he even know? He never kissed someone before and truth to be told, he never wanted to kiss anyone beside Soah. Ever. He hungered for her lips. It was a long sweet kiss, a kiss only he could give her.

She tasted of bliss and hope. She tasted of home. She tasted of everything that made him happy.

Luhan cupped her face as they parted, leaning his forehead against hers. For a long moment, they were looking in each other’s eyes, smiling the innocent, shy and sweet smile they always shared after kisses. They loved the comfortable silence which was enveloping them. The air was filled with happiness which couldn’t even be described by themselves. It was like the world around them was shut down.

“As much as I love being with you.. you’re going to be late,” Soah grinned, fumbling on his tie to adjust it.

She loved that she could be weak when she was with Luhan. That he loved her for her weakness as well. Everybody loved strength, but Luhan, he also loved weakness.  

She could cry and he would hold her. She could yell at him and he would receive everything. She could run away and he would chase after her. Even if she felt like kissing and touching him, in the moments she was the weakest, craving for him, she could give in and he would always gladly fulfill her wishes.

“I know,” he muttered and sighed. Taking each of her hands, he intertwined their fingers and stepped back. “What am I supposed to tell our friends?”

Soah looked down. She knew that the day would come where she had to tell everyone who was close to her what exactly happened. Maybe not that detailed. Maybe not everything she told Luhan, because there still were things too private and too humiliating to speak about again, but she had to tell.

“I’m going to tell them. Soon.” She knew that ‘soon’ was supposed to be in a few days. She let her friends suffer enough by ignoring their calls and texts and if she would continue being like this, losing them was considerable. “Tell them I’m fine, that I will contact them in the next few days. And tell them I am very sorry. I will explain everything they need to know.”

Luhan nodded understandingly and let go of her hands, because if he wouldn’t be on his way to school now, he would never make it in time. Leaning in, he softly brushed over Soah’s lips one more time, before planting a quick kiss on the corner of . She sighed in desperation of letting him go when they just made up, but she was looking forward to the future. There were many, many more kisses to come.

It was simple, really, she loved Luhan – the entire him. Throughout the months they had been together, she fell in love with all his parts, with all the little things. She loved everything he had been and done for her.

She felt lovestrucked. She felt wonderful.

***

“Luhan! Straight to the point! I can’t bear this feeling anymore! What’s with Soah? And don’t you dare to try saying some excuses, because I'm sure you know something!

Jinhie had her hands rested on either side of her waist, looking furiously down on Luhan who just took his seat. The boy was taken by surprise and didn’t even get the chance to respond something before Yohee linked her arms with her friends and nodded in his direction.

“Exactly. Soah is our friend too and if something is up with her, we want to be informed. We love and care about her and don’t want to see her sad. Having her ignore us is quite painful, but not knowing what’s going on in her life, what makes her behave like this, is more hurtful. And the biggest pain is the one that she decides that we can’t help her. I have the feeling that there are so many things we don’t know about..”

In comparison to her other friend, Yohee was more disappointed and hurt than angry. He knew that Jinhie didn’t mean it like she said. It was just her way to show that she cared about her friend as well and Luhan pitied them for not knowing what was going on. Yohee was right. There were so many things they weren’t aware about. And he knew that Soah needed them as much as they needed her, but for now, the time wasn’t right.

“Look,” he responded calmly, remenbering his girlfriend’s words, “You’re right. There are things going on in Soah’s life that she decided she couldn’t share with you now. Things, she is afraid of telling you, afraid of being judged. She’s so, so scared and we know her well enough that she loves keeping things to herself.”

“But we’re her friends!” Jinhie exclaimed. “How come she can’t trust us? We were always by her side and we will always be.” She sounded sad, hurt, disappointed.

“I know. I know exactly how you feel, because I felt the same way. But I talked to her yesterday.”

“You did?” Yohee asked astonished, yet glad. “How is she? Is she doing well? Did she say something about us?”

“She’s fine. I should also tell that she’s sorry and that she’s going to contact you the next few days to explain everything. That she didn’t tell you what had happened to her because she doesn’t trust you. She’s just scared and I hope you will be patient until she will tell you everything by herself.”

While Yohee sighed in relief, Jinhie wasn’t very pleased with Luhan’s answers.

“But why can’t you tell us? Hell, we’re just worried about our best friend! Everything could have happened to her and you think we’re going to be pleased with these vague answers? I’m going to her house later.”

“No.” This time, it was Yohee who spoke up and looked at her friend with a serious expression on her face. It was the first time Luhan saw her behaving like this and he really appreciated he