Chapter FOURTEEN

Mark was wandering along the beach’s shore, letting the cool seawater wash over his toes. His shoes were dangling off his fingers, as he stared ahead.

Why was he feeling that way?

He groaned and kicked the wet sand.

                “You are not giving up already, are you? I’m only just beginning.”

Mark turned around and his expression fell when he saw Chanyeol standing behind him, his arms folded across his chest.

                “I don’t understand what you are driving at, Chanyeol-ssi.”

Chanyeol chuckled, shaking his head. He walked towards Mark and towered over him.

                “Don’t pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about. I know Soojung isn’t your girlfriend.”

Mark froze.

                “She is my girlfriend. Who are you to say that she isn’t?”

Chanyeol felt his heart jump for a second. He was hoping that Mark could give him some form of clue to their relationship.

Mark knew where Chanyeol was driving at, he knew what answer he wanted but he wasn’t just going to give Chanyeol that benefit.

                “I’m telling you, I’m not going to give Soojung up. I don’t care if you really love her, you better watch her tight.”

Chanyeol his heels and stalked off, leaving Mark standing dumbfounded. Mark frowned and ruffled his hair using his free hand.

                “Who do you think Soojung is? A toy?” He mumbled under his breath.

Soojung was in her room packing up. She did everything slowly since she had her own car and she had work to do. She had just closed her luggage when she heard her doorbell ring. She thought it was Mark, since she couldn’t have breakfast with him.

                “Mark, you- Chanyeol? What are you doing here?”

                “The project your father asked us to do? We have to compile our reports.”

Soojung sighed and invited him into her room. Just as she closed the door, her mobile pinged.

Dad

I told Chanyeol to compile his findings with you. Patch your friendship with him.

Soojung shook her head and went towards Chanyeol, who was setting up his laptop and his files were on his laps.

                “Let’s begin.”

Mark was in his room packing up when he heard laughter from next door. He frowned and continue packing his stuff.

But he was constantly affected by his assumptions of what was happening next door.

                “Oh stop it!” Soojung laughed and slapped Chanyeol’s shoulder.

He was sporting a smile and bent over the laptop. He typed as Soojung made herself comfortable on the sofa. She curled her legs below her as she snuggled to his coat.

                “So you do remember that, huh?” He teased. “You used to be so scared of dogs that you cling onto me like a koala bear when you see one.”

                “And Yongguk hyung has to pry you off me.”

Soojung leaned forward and bit Chanyeol’s shoulder. She then propped her face on her fist as she took her seat beside him.

                “You pig! Can you stop talking about that?” She smiled.

Chanyeol nodded and ruffled her hair.

                “Arraso,” he chuckled and opened up a tool on his laptop to help with their report compilation when Soojung pointed at the screen.

                “Ah, can you teach me that?”

Chanyeol nodded and knocked her head gently with his knuckle.

                “Aigoo, little pig needs my help.”

Soojung rolled her eyes playfully at him and he lifted his right arm. She scooted closer to him and he caged her between his arms as he taught her how to use the tool.

He could feel the heat emitting from her body and he could feel how much he missed having her in his arms like this. She was fully concentrated on the tool that she didn’t mind Chanyeol resting his chin on the top of her head.

Soojung realised that she was in Chanyeol’s arms a while later and pushed herself away from him.

                “I, uh- forgot. Sorry.” She apologised.

But he yanked her back into his arms and back-hugged her. He snuggled his face into her neck as he wrapped his arms around her protectively.

                “What are you doing?”

                “Shh, just stay still. Let me stay like that, even for just a short while.” Chanyeol murmured and Soojung stopped moving.

She took a deep breath and nodded.

                “Just this once.”

Mark was done packing his stuff and he couldn’t help but strain his ears to look out for sounds from next door. He slapped himself when he realised that he kept leaning towards the balcony, just wanting to catch a glimpse of Soojung.

                “I must be going mad.” He thought himself. “He’s her ex-boyfriend. So what? They’re aren’t getting back together right?”

He shook his head and left his room, wanting to get downstairs to the convenience store to buy something to drink.

                “The problems this place needs to solve are listed here right?” Soojung tapped her pen against her bottom lip as she poured over the papers laid strewn in front of her.

Chanyeol nodded and reached for another paper. He held the paper with one hand and reached for Soojung’s pen.

She handed it to him and got up to grab some wine for them. Chanyeol scooted closer to the table and scribbled something on the piece of paper he was holding.

Soojung came back with a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses. She popped the bottle and poured the wine into the two glasses. She held both of them and offered one to Chanyeol.

He smiled at her and took the glass. They clinked glasses and took a sip.

                “Hmm,