Oppa, I'm Scared
Let Me In
A few more days passed and ever since that conversation with Mrs Byun that night, Chen has been trying to start conversations with you even more than before. You actually did notice it and you would always try to end it but it never worked.
Baekhyun noticed it as well and he grew a little wary. If Chen was trying to be your friend because he sincerely wanted to, then that would be perfectly fine. But he didn’t want to risk it.
It has been 7 days since you came to your parents’ home and it was time to go. Although you didn’t want to leave, you had holiday homework waiting for you to finish back at your apartment.
“Goodbye mom and dad,” You hugged your parents and reluctantly let go.
“Aw, don’t cry, my princess.” Mr Byun wiped the tear from the corner of your eye away. “We’ll see each other again soon.”
“That’s right honey, the next school term will be over soon and before you know it, we’ll be all together again.”
“I’ll miss you a lot,” You smiled.
“We’ll miss you too, honey.”
“Bye mom, bye dad.” Baekhyun gave them a hug and let go. “I’ll call you every week like I always do.”
“Goodbye, son.” Mrs Byun smiled. “Take care of your sister, okay?”
Baekhyun took a quick glance at you before turning his gaze back to his parents. “Of course I will.”
“Thank you for letting us stay with you for the past few days, Mr and Mrs Byun.” Xiumin smiled. “We really had a lot of fun.”
“You’re welcome, boys.” Mr Byun said. “Come back again if you want too, okay?”
The boys smiled and nodded at the offer.
“Remember what I told you, okay?” Mrs Byun softly whispered to Chen. He smiled in response and nodded.
“Thank you for everything, Mrs Byun.” Chen said. “See you again!”
With that, the six of you left the place and took the bus to the train station.
*
Three hours later, the six of you reached Seoul Station. All of you walked out of the station and went to the bus stop that was located near it.
“Well, I guess we separate here.” Xiumin said.
“We still have about a month till the next term starts so let’s go and hang out once in a while,” Chanyeol suggested.
“Yeah, that sounds like a great idea.” Baekhyun smiled. “Or like always, we can all just chill at our apartment.”
“You guys can bring your stuff over and do your work there too, I guess,” You said. “But then we wouldn’t be able to get much work done…”
“Only you wouldn’t,” Baekhyun flicked your forehead. You shot him a look and the rest laughed at your reaction.
“We’ll see how things goes,” Kai said. “For now, let’s just get to our own respective homes and do whatever.”
You yawned. “I’m going to sleep.”
“Of course you are.” Chanyeol teased and everyone laughed again.
Before you could respond with a witty reply, your bus came so you didn’t even bother.
“Oh! Our bus is here.” You nudged Baekhyun and he looked up. “Goodbye oppas! See you when we see you,” You quickly gave all four of them a hug before hopping onto the bus with your brother.
Chen’s heart fluttered when you hugged him and he watched you as you went on the bus. Take care, Haerin-ah.
*
“Home sweet home!” You opened the door and crashed onto the couch.
“Stop being a pig and go wash up and change.” Baekhyun nudged you.
“Mmfph,” Your voice came out muffled behind the pillow.
“What did you say?” Baekhyun asked.
You looked up, “I said: I’m lazy.”
Baekhyun sighed. “Whatever. Do what you want. I’m going to change and sleep.”
You watched as your brother went into his room and closed the door.
As much as you wanted to sleep right there and then, you wanted the comfort of your bed. You pulled yourself off the couch and dragged yourself to your room where you changed into comfortable clothes.
The moment you finished changing, you dumped your used clothes in one corner and buried yourself in your blankets.
Three hours later, you woke up to the sound of someone cooking. You could hear the sizzling from inside your room.
Immediately, you felt extremely hungry. You took your phone from your night stand and took a look at the time on your lockscreen. It was already 8 at night and you decided to get up and see what your brother had cooked for dinner.
“Hey, Oppa.” You sleepily said as you walked towards your brother. “What are you cooking?”
“Just some fried rice.” Baekhyun said with his back turned to you. “Are you hungry? Do you want to eat now?”
“Yes, please.” You said. “But I’m gonna go wash up first.”
“Mmkay.”
When you came out of the bathroom, Baekhyun passed you your plate of rice and the two of you sat down on the couch while eating.
“Thanks, Oppa," You smiled and began eating.
The two of you ate in comfortable silence while watching a drama that was playing on the television.
The drama was about this boy who was in love with this girl and kept chasing her because the girl would always be so cold to him. She intrigued him and he wanted to get to know her better, but she wouldn't allow it.
As you watched, you felt that you could relate a little to the characters and then you realised why.
You realised that Chen was the boy who kept chasing you while you were the girl who would keep pushing him away but he would be so stubborn and continue to pursue you. You didn't know if it was true but you thought maybe it was a possibility.
"Hey oppa," You suddenly said.
"Hmm?"
"What do you think about Chen?"
Your sudden question caught him off guard. Why on earth is she asking about him?
Although Baekhyun thought it was a weird question, he answered anyway. "Well, I think Chen's a nice guy. He's fun to be with and all. But then again, I don't know him much. We only met that night before the Midnight Jam started. And that isn't really long ago."
"He seems like a nice guy to me too." You said.
"Why are you asking me this, Haerin?"
You shrugged. "Just curious."
Then there was silence again.
"Oppa," You said.
"What is it?"
"I'm scared."
Baekhyun grew a little concerned at your sentence.
"Scared?" He asked. "Scared of what?"
"Of falling in love." You said. "Is that weird? That I'm scared of falling in love?"
Baekhyun softened. "No, I don't think it's weird. You've been through a lot and I think it's just normal."
"Normal, huh?" You said. "I don't think it's normal that I've fallen into the traps of three boys in a row."
"That's why you have that wall built up now, don't you?" Baekhyun said.
You turned to him with wide eyes. "You noticed?"
"Of course I noticed." Baekhyun said with a smile. "I'm your brother. I think I know you better than you know yourself."
"I hope you don't misunderstand though," You continued. "I really think Chen's a nice guy and sometimes when I see all of you talking and laughing with inside jokes, I want to join in too."
Baekhyun opened his mouth to say something but you continued to talk.
"But, somehow, I can't bring myself to." You said. "As much as I want to be friends with Chen as well, I don't want to get close to him. I don't want him to get close to me either."
"You shouldn't judge him like that, though." Baekhyun said. "Remember? You told me that you should get to know someone first before judging them."
"I know. But let's say I do open up to him. I open up to him and we become friends. And then maybe he becomes my boyfriend. What if...what if he gets bored of me?" You said. "When he gets bored of me, won't he leave me like the rest of them did?"
"They all got bored of me and left. Or maybe they were just done with what they wanted to do and left." You continued. "Maybe Chen has a hidden motive in trying to get to know me? I wouldn't know, Oppa."
"You know that he's trying to get to know you better?" Baekhyun asked.
"Of course, Oppa." You laughed a little. "Why else would he keep trying to start a conversation no matter how many times I try to end it quickly?" You turned to look at him. "Just because I'm distancing myself from guys I've just met doesn't mean I don't notice things."
Baekhyun chuckled, "I guess you're right."
There was another round of silence before Baekhyun spoke again.
"Are you sure you don't want to give Chen a chance?" He asked. "I mean, to be friends with him."
"I don't know. Maybe I will? Maybe I won't." You said. "After all my past relationships, I realised that I fall for boys who says the sweetest words they never really mean."
"So that's what you're afraid of?" He asked. "That you might fall for Chen's words?"
"Yeah, that's right." You said. "I figure that he'll get bored of me soon anyways. No body ever really liked me in that way for who I am."
"So I'm guessing he'll stick around for a while but when he realises that I'm actually really obnoxious and despicable, he'll leave." You shrugged. "Isn't that why they all left? Other than my talent and looks, there's nothing in me that a guy looks for in a girl."
Baekhyun frowned at how you were putting yourself down. "Are you sure, Haerin? If I wasn't your brother, I think I'd definitely date you. For real."
You laughed. "You're just biased, Oppa."
I don't think so, Haerin. This Chen seems like he'll stick around till the end. Baekhyun thought and deep inside, he hoped that it was true.
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