Chapter 33

Sehun could feel himself drained of energy when he walked out of the meeting. But once his eyes were set on Yeojin even from a distance, it was as if a breeze of fresh air had knocked away the tiredness. A corner of his lips curled up when he saw her struggling with her bag that she tried to pull out of her locker. A couple of her books fell as she took out her bag. He shook his head as he approached her.

Yeojin sighed in exasperation while stooping down to pick her fallen books. She then felt a presence and turned to the side, finding Sehun crouching down to help her pick up the books. She immediately looked away biting down her lip. She still felt it awkward to be around him. In fact, she was still feeling a little awkward around Kris too. It didn't help that she was shorter than both. She automatically would look at their lips first when they stood in front of her. She wondered if it had always been like that before the kiss.

The weird thing was when she was with Kris, she would feel like she had cheated on Kris because of the accidental kiss with Sehun. But when she was with Sehun, she would also feel like she had cheated on him because she had shared a kiss with Kris. Not to mention she actually kissed Kris back.

"I thought you have gone home." Sehun handed her the books and noticed she was shifting her gaze away from him.

"I had track & field club." Yeojin took her books and put them back inside her locker before closing it.

Sehun just realized she was wearing the school's sportswear instead of the usual uniform. "So, you're back in the club." He smiled and Yeojin only nodded. He looked down at her shoes and saw that she was wearing the pair he bought for her. He couldn't hide the growing smile breaking out on his face. "Looks good on you," he commented.

Yeojin then cleared , noticing him looking down at her shoes. "How's the preparation for the camp going?" She diverted the topic.

"Good." He shrugged. "Sorry I haven't given you a ride home this week."

"I-I-It's okay." Yeojin mentally cursed herself for stuttering and feeling nervous around Sehun. I shouldn't be acting this way!

"I can give you a ride home now though."

PING.
Her phone chimed.

Areum Eonni [5.36]: I'm on the way. See you soon ^^

"It's okay." Yeojin gave him a smile though her eyes quickly looked elsewhere again. "I'll just walk home. You've had a long day. You better go home right away. I'll see you tomorrow for the camp then."

Sehun sighed and nodded. As Yeojin turned around to walk away, he quickly grabbed her arm. "Be careful though. It's getting dark already."

Yeojin stared at him for a moment, unblinking. It surprised her to see how concerned he was. Her gaze slowly lowered down as she smirked. "This isn't the first time I walked home alone, you know. I'll be fine."

His hand around her arm loosened and he nodded. "Alright. See you tomorrow them. Remember, the bus will leave at 7."

Yeojin rolled her eyes. "Alright, Mr. President. I gotta go now." She gave him a small smile and a little wave of her hand.

Sehun only heaved out a breath as he watched her leave.

Kris gulped the nervous feeling down before he put a hand on the door knob. For days he had tried to push back the thought of that kiss. Though he had pretended that it was nothing, he noticed that awkwardness was present between them. But why did it have to be awkward if it was only carried-by-the-moment kind of thing? He tried to think of it as a spur of the moment, but he couldn't forget how it felt like when he felt his lips on hers. And when she kissed him back. Now, every time he looked at her, her presence made him feel constantly nervous.

He opened the door to the house and went inside, taking off his shoes afterwards. He was going to call for Yeojin when he suddenly heard giggles. He stopped and knitted his brows before walking to the kitchen where the sound of giggles were coming from.

"Jin?" He called when he entered the kitchen and saw two girls in front of the stove with their backs on him. His eyes rounded in surprise when both whipped their heads toward him. "Areum?"

"Oh, hey! You're back!" Yeojin beamed at him.

"Hi." Areum gave him a smile as Yeojin approached him.

"Go change first!" Yeojin turned him around and ushered him out of the kitchen. "The jjampong and jajjangmyeon aren't ready yet."

"Wait." Kris stopped himself from being pushed by Yeojin and turned around to face her. "Why is she here?"

"She's my guest. Now go change first." She shooed him away and returned to the kitchen.

Yeojin wanted to learn how to make few of Kris' favorite dishes. The noodles were one of them and she thought it would be best to learn how to make them from Areum. This was her way of sealing her recovered friendship with Kris.

She thought of doing this just this morning when she found out he was wearing the dark blue tie she bought for him for their second anniversary. She remembered he threw it away in front of her then, but with a lot of stuttering and clearing of the throat he told her he took it back and he had read her message. Kris wanted her to know that he was serious about mending their relationship. So now it was her turn to seal the deal.

 

At first, it was awkward for Kris to be sitting in one room with both Yeojin and Areum. However, as minutes passed by and he saw how amazingly close the two were, he smiled along with them. Although, he had to constantly stopped either of the two from spilling out embarrassing moments of him. He made a mental note to never be in the same room with the two ever again. They knew too much about him.

The night went on and it was finally time for Areum to go home. Yeojin insisted for Kris to walk her to the bus stop and accompany her until the bus came because it was already late. Areum declined politely, but Yeojin insisted. Both older ones hesitantly agreed to her request.

Kris didn't really like how Yeojin was pushing him to Areum. But when they both were silently walking side by side, he couldn't help but to feel at ease, remembering how they used to do this then. He wondered whether he felt what he felt for Yeojin when he first kissed Areum.

"Something bothering you?" Areum suddenly asked when they arrived at the bus stop.

"Huh?" Kris blinked.

"You two seemed to have made up." Kris just nodded at her words. "But did something happen between you two?" Areum knitted her brows.

"Huh? What? No!" He quickly answered, clearing his throat afterwards. "Why do you ask?"

She shrugged, looking ahead. "Just that you two seemed a bit... off around each other. You couldn't look at each other in the eyes for too long." She suddenly chuckled to herself. "The last time I saw you like that was after the first time we kissed."

Kris' eyebrows shot up at what she said. I was like this too? So this wasn't something 'special' then. Right This wasn't what I thought it was.

Areum belatedly noticed Kris staying silent with deeply furrowed brows. "Oh no!" She gasped a little. "I just made it awkward, didn't I? Sorry. I didn't mean to bring up the past just that- you know- yeah. Just forget I said that." She nervously chuckled.

"It's okay." Kris looked away.

They fell silent after that as they waited for Areum's bus to arrive. A thought still weighed Kris down. He glanced at Areum, thinking she might be able to help him figure things out. Yet, he was unsure of the outcome later.

"You know..." Areum turned to look at him again with a smile and Kris flinched as if he was caught doing a crime. "You don't have to wait here. I can wait alone. You better go back to Yeojin."

"Yeah. I should, huh?" He rubbed his nape. 

"Go on!" She nodded for him to go. "Send my thanks to her again."

"R-right. Got it!" He nodded and turned to walk away, but then he stopped and turned back around to face her.

Areum was surprised and she looked up at him with raised eyebrows.

He bit down his lip, feeling unsure. Yet, he wanted to know. He wanted to be sure. "Actually, can you do me a favor?"

"What favor?" She furrowed her brows.

"I need to test something."

"Ow..kay? Test what?" Kris only gulped and didn't answer, so Areum asked again, "I'll help you. But test what, Yifan?"

Her eyes rounded in surprise when he suddenly cupped her face and crashed his lips against hers.
 

Yeojin cleaned up the table as soon as Kris and Areum left. She let out a content sigh when she had finished washing the dishes and glasses. 

"That went well!" She smiled to herself, remembering the dinner.

She knew her friendship with Kris wasn't the only relationship that needed to be saved. His friendship with Areum needed a little patch up too. Kris needed to learn to accept that Areum had found someone else. And he needed to learn not to run away from the friendship just because of that.

Just as she was going to exit the kitchen, Yeojin heard a vibrating sound. She looked around and found Areum's phone on the kitchen counter. The phone vibrated with incoming messages.

"Oh no!" She grabbed the phone and quickly exited the kitchen. "I better bring this to her. She might still be at the bus stop."

She grabbed a coat before running out of the house. She mentally crossed her fingers, hoping they were still at the bus stop. After passing several houses, she turned at a corner and almost grinned, knowing the bus stop would be just in sight. Just as she turned, she stopped and quickly pulled herself back, hiding at the corner.

Her eyes were widened and her pupils were shaking. I must've seen wrongly. She peeked again from the corner and covered when she realized that what she saw was indeed real. Kris was kissing Areum.

She hid again, almost stumbling back. She felt a jab to her stomach that almost knocked the air out of her lungs. Her chest tightened and she pushed herself away from the wall she was leaning on before walking away with quick steps.

She hated how it felt like her heart was wrenched. Yeojin knew that Kris had a hard time moving on from Areum, but she thought he had. He must've had moved on. Or else he wouldn't kiss her. But then again, they agreed that the kiss was just an accident. It happened because they were caught in the moment, they agreed.

But why does it hurt? Yeojin hit her chest with her clenched fist as she walked aimlessly. She wasn't supposed to feel this way. To feel... betrayed. Angered. Jealous?

She mindlessly buried Areum's phone inside the pocket of her pants. Tears were stinging the back of her eyes, but she held it in because she didn't feel like she should be crying over this. No, she shouldn't. No matter how twisted and hurt her heart was feeling right now.

I shouldn't be feeling this. She took a moment to stop and take a deep breath. He loves her. She closed her eyes as she let out a breath.

The hot chocolate burned his tongue when he sipped it just as he walked out of the convenience store. Sehun winced and almost lost his grip on the cup, thus almost spilling the hot chocolate on his shirt. He cussed at the burnt feeling left of the tip of his tongue. When he lift his gaze up ahead again, his steps came to a stop.

Isn't that her? He raised a brow upon spotting Yeojin standing in front of the store with closed eyes.

His lips curled into playful smirk as he quietly approached her. She was still closing her eyes when he sneakily laid his free hand on her shoulder. "Hey," he whispered close to her ear.

Yeojin's eyes flew open as she jumped in surprise. She almost hit whoever it was that laid a hand on her, but she stopped herself when she heard a familiar chuckle.

"Sehun?" Her wyes widened before she looked around to check where she was. She had been wandering aimlessly, she didn't realize where she had been walking to. "What are you doing here?" She turned to him again once she realized she was in front of the usual convenience store she went to.

"For a hot chocolate." He shrugged showing her the cup of hot chocolate.

"Oh." Yeojin gazed down with a sigh.

Sehun noticed how her eyes quickly turned from surprised to empty in just a few seconds. He frowned, but decided to lighten up the mood. "What, you thought I was following you?" He teased.

Yeojin looked up and frowned. "Were you?"

Sehun chuckled. "Did you want me to?" He smirked proudly.

"Do you want me to want it?" She retorted again.

Another chuckle escaped his lips. "Well then, I was."

Yeojin was taken aback by his answer. She could only stare at him with rounded eyes and gaping mouth. Sehun suddenly laughed, throwing his head back.

"You actually believed me, huh?" He pointed a finger at her in amusement. "Hey. Just because this store is near your neighborhood, doesn't mean I'm here for you." He laughed again and Yeojin pouted. "You should've seen the look on your face just now. You looked excited knowing I followed you."

"Oh, shut it!" She hit his arm with a pout before rolling her eyes.

When his laughter gradually died down, his lips turned into a smile. "Want some?" He offered his hot chocolate.

Yeojin blinked at the offered cup before bringing her gaze up to his eyes. "No, thanks!" She gently pushed it away with a lopsided smile.

"Why? Afraid of indirect kiss?" Sehun teased, but soon regretted it when her smile fell and her eyes looked empty again before they gaze down at the ground. He just remembered the accidental kiss they shared. Idiot! Why did I have to bring that up? He cleared his throat. "I didn't mean to make it awkward."

Yeojin lightly shook her head. "It's okay." Her eyes still stared at the ground.

It wasn't the accidental kiss with Sehun that crossed her mind. Instead, it was the kiss she just witnessed a moment ago. She felt her heart being stabbed and breathing suddenly felt hard.

Noticing how lifeless she looked, Sehun tilted his head to the side and tried to make an eye contact with her.

"Hey," he softly called.

Yeojin lifted her gaze and knitted her brows when she saw Sehun rolling his eyes to the back and poking out his tongue. "What are you doing?"

He looked at her and a grin broke out across his face, knowing he was successful in gaining her attention. "Trying to make you smile like you did to me."

"What?!"

Sehun ignored her question whilst trying to make another funny face. 

Yeojin pursed her lips trying to hide a growing smile. She couldn't believe Sehun- the Sehun- would ever make funny faces. "Stop it!" He didn't listen and continued. "Ya stop it!" She slapped his arm, but a chuckle escaped her lips. "Oh my gosh! You're embarrassing!" She covered her face with both hands.

Sehun finally stopped and smiled. She was still covering her face, but he could hear her muffled laughter.

"I make you laugh," he softly stated before he sipped his hot chocolate.

He smiled seeing her still laughing. Yet, his smile didn't last long. His forehead wrinkled and his brows were knitted when he saw her shoulder shaking differently. Then, he heard a muffled sob and his heart started to pick its pace.

"Yeojin?" He put a hand on her shoulder.

She uncovered her face with a sniff and quickly wiped the tears off the corner of her eyes. "You're such a clown!" She forced a chuckle. "I'm even tearing up now! Haha."

Sehun knew it wasn't genuine smile she put across her face. And those weren't joyful tears. She was crying because her heart was in pain. Yeojin, though, was determined not to show her weak side to anybody else. Sehun included. Kris was the only guy, beside her father, to whom she had ever shown her weakest side. Yet somehow, the tears wouldn't stop coming out of her eyes right now.

Yeojin couldn't understand it. Seeing Kris with the woman he loved shouldn't pain her. He had been with numerous girls before and it never bothered her. Or so she thought she remembered. 

"Ha!" She wiped the tears again. "Look at what you've done to me! Haha! You were very funny!" She didn't dare to look at his eyes.

Sehun just silently stared at her as she continued to wipe the unending tears, telling him the obvious lie. She tried to keep the fake smile, but as the tears kept on falling down her cheeks, it became harder to do so. Sehun couldn't take her failed acting anymore because he felt himself breaking little by little at the sight.

With a sigh, Sehun put his cup of hot chocolate on top of a trash can nearby. He then cupped her cheeks and lifted her head up. Surprised by his action, Yeojin stared at him with glistening widened eyes. His thumbs brushed under her eyes to wipe the tears away.

"What a-"

Sehun cut her off by wrapping his arms around her. One of his hands went up to gently her head. "I'm sorry for being such a lousy clown."

Though her heart was in pain, Yeojin still managed to let out a mocking snicker. "You bet you are!"

"Well then, it's okay if you want to cry because of my failed attempt of making funny faces." He chuckled dryly.

Yeojin fell silent and gulped down the lump in . She wanted to push Sehun away, but his hug oddly comforted her. She hated the idea of crying on his shoulder, yet she felt her heart getting weaker. She couldn't hold the pain any longer. She hated this feeling. She hated showing her weakness to someone else other than Kris. Nonetheless, she hated Kris.

Sehun could feel her hesitating. He didn't exactly know why she looked so heart broken, but he sure wanted to be the one to comfort her. He her head again while his other hand her back. "I know I'm horrible."

Yeojin chuckled dryly as a drop of tear escaped her eye again. "Yeah." She gulped when more tears fell down on her cheeks. She let the tears fell with every of Sehun's hand on her back. "Such a jerk! Horrible jerk!" She choked a sob. "Heartless jerk!" Her tears were uncontrollable now, but she didn't care anymore.

At least she had someone to hold her up now if her legs decided to give up on her. At least now, she had Sehun whom she could show her weak side to.

So, happy belated Suho Day! And I also want to give a birthday shoutout to my unnie bul225 who has the same birthday as Suho! Happy birthday again, Unnie! I wanted to post this as a birthday present for you, but flu knocked me down. Anyone else catching flu here? The weather is wickedly extreme! Stay healthy, everyone! :*