Chapter TWENTY-FIVE

Mark sat in his car and grabbed the steering wheel tightly, so tight his knuckles were turning white. He felt his heart twist in pain and he let out the breath he held. Dropping his head, he rested his forehead on the steering wheel.

He sighed and lifted his head. He turned the ignition on and floored the accelerator, zooming off towards school.

“Soooo,” Jackson dragged his word as he settled down beside Mark.

He slung his arm over her cousin’s shoulder and grinned eerily at the side of his head. Mark shot him a look and shrugged his arm off.

“What is it?”

“I saw you enter Soojung’s room and within 5 minutes, you rushed out and left the house. What did she say to you?” Jackson poked Mark’s cheek.

“S-She… She didn’t say anything.”

“Judging from your expression, she did say something to you right?”

Mark stepped away from Jackson and shook his head.

“She didn’t!”

Jackson put his hands up in surrender.

“Okay, okay she didn’t.” He pouted. “You don’t have to get so defensive.”

Mark rolled his eyes and walked away. Jackson watched his retreating back and sighed.

“You’re feeling vexed that she confessed to you, aren’t you?” He whispered under his breath.

Mark had shrugged off his jacket and was jogging around the track. He took a deep breath and sprinted his worries away. He suddenly stopped in his run and yelled in frustration before sitting down on the grass.

He laid on the green ground and shielded his eyes from the sunlight. His thoughts went back to what happened earlier and he let out a heavy sigh.

“I just like you Mark Tuan!” She blurted.

She stepped towards him, not giving him any time to react and planted her lips on his.

Mark’s eyes widened in shock and he stayed very still. Soojung pressed her lips harder on his, trying to get a reaction out of him.

He could feel himself softening up and was going to kiss her back when he realised that it was Soojung kissing him.

He grabbed her arms and pushed her away. He took a step back and his lips. God, how sweet her lips tasted, the taste of her still lingering on his lips.

“No. We can’t do this.” He dropped his voice.

Soojung was surprised at how he acted and immediately lowered her head.

“No.” He repeated.

She sighed and looked up.

“Why not? I really like you.”

Mark ruffled his hair in exasperation.

“But… But I don’t like you that way!”

Soojung dropped her shoulders.

“Oh… I-I see… I’m sorry…”

Mark saw her shuffle her feet towards her bed and sit down. He heard her sniffle and knew that he had to leave the room. He knew that if he saw her cry, he would soften up and would just tell her the whole reason why he rejected her.

So he left.

He quickly got out of the room, leaving the girl and immediately went out of the house, ignoring Jackson when he was calling out to Mark.

Mark sat up and rubbed his face.

“I’m sorry.” He muttered. “I can’t let this happen. I’m sorry, Soo.”

Soojung pulled herself out of bed. She glanced at the time and sighed. She dragged her feet over to her closet and pulled out the laziest outfit she could find.

She shook her head when she couldn’t see straight for a second. Knocking the ball of her palm on her temple twice before stepping into the bathroom to wash up.

“Soo! Soo, are you finished?” Yongguk called from downstairs.

“Shower!” She yelled.

He padded upstairs and entered her room. He saw the outfit she had chosen thrown on the bed and shook his head. He picked up the Adidas sweat pants and large oversized pullover.

“Are you that lazy to wear something nicer?” He leaned against the door frame to the washroom, looking into the toilet.

“Thank goodness for smoked glass.”

“Come on,” Yongguk rolled his eyes. “It’s not like I’ve never seen you before.”

Soojung peered from behind the glass and reached her hand out. Instinctively, he handed her, her towel and she wrapped herself before stepping out.

“About that… We can’t do that anymore.” Soojung said.

“We stopped having for quite some time already right?” Yongguk voiced, sitting on the bed. “But why do you suddenly say something like that?”

She pulled her on, before dropping her towel and then she faced away from Yongguk, before putting her bra on.

“Because…” She trailed.

“Because?”

She pulled her pullover over her head and sat down beside Yongguk, the pullover long enough to cover her .

“Because I just found out I like Mark.”

Yongguk sat up.

“Wait what?”

She rubbed her makeup-free face and pressed her face into her palms.

“I know I shouldn’t be feeling this way. After Chanyeol, I was sure that I wouldn’t be able to fall for anyone else. I know it wouldn’t happen. I know I won’t let my heart open again for other people, but everything I thought I knew, wasn’t real.”

Yongguk placed h