Behind the Curtain [Seo Changbin ff]

19

I was standing nervously in front of his door. I had been debating for the past twenty minutes on whether I should have rang the doorbell or simply walk away as if I had never been there.

I hadn't even showered, walking there directly as soon as my shift at work finished. I stared at the bright red wooden entrance door for the last time.

Fuck it.

I rang the doorbell, my leg bouncing nervously as I waited for the door to open.

A woman in her late 40s appeared on the other side, tilting her head in confusion as soon as he saw me.

- Uhm... Who are you? - She asked, eyeing me up and down.

- I'm sorry if I disturbed you so late. I'm Jiho, Changbin's friend. Can I please talk to him? - I pleaded, my uncomfortable state showing.

- He's not back yet. - She showcased a sorry smile while I mumbled and cursed under my breath for having walked such a long way only for him not to be home.

The woman probably pitied me, so she did what every mom would do with his child's friends.

- But please, come inside. - I thanked her throughly, bowing multiple times as I made my way inside his house.

The living room was neat, the floors shining, covered every once in a while by colorful carpets. The couch was colorful as well, of a bright teal, looking almost untouched.

I stood in the middle of the room awkwardly, before the woman talked again.

- Please, take a seat. - She gestured to the couch, and I shyly made my way towards it, sitting at the very edge, uncomfortably. - I'm gonna prepare a hot tea for you while we wait for Binnie, okay? -

I nodded, holding back a laugh as she said the nickname.

"Binnie": the scariest guy in school, all muscles, always wearing black and showcasing a dark glare.

Quite ironic, may I say.

Before the woman could even get out of the kitchen, the front door opened, revealing a tired Changbin.

- Binnie, you're home! - His mom chirped, walking out of the kitchen.

His eyes immediately went to me, his fists balling up in anger.

- Why is she here? - He growled.

- She came to visit you, Binnie. -

- She is not welcome. - He said, walking towards the stairs, barely even crossing my gaze.

- Seo Changbin, this is not how I taught you to treat guests! - His mother shouted, making him stop halfway through the wooden staircase.

That gave me the chance to speak.

- I want to see what's behind the curtain. - I stared at him for what it felt like an eternity, when he finally sighed, nodding in defeat.

- Alright, come to my room. I'm your tutor anyway, I guess we can do some homework together. -

I looked at his mother for approval, which she gave me with a nod and smile, before following him upstairs and down a long corridor.

He entered the second to last room, my nostrils being immediately met with the scent of strawberries and vanilla.

- God, I need to tell the cleaning lady to stop using this perfume. - He mumbled as he scrunched his nose in disgust.

Cleaning lady. So Changbin was rich?

I wasn't used to such tidiness, I felt like only my presence was dirtying the room. I didn't belong there, I was out of place.

- What are you standing in the middle of the room for? - Changbin stared at me with a raised eyebrow, thinking I was crazy. - Just sit on the bed or whatever. - He said, pointing at the king-sized bed as he took his sweater and threw it on the pillows.

I nervously complied, once again sitting at the very edge. He still eyed me up and down as if I was a weirdo, but didn't ask any questions.

- Alright, do you want to start from Math or History? - He asked, sitting at the desk and opening his notebooks.

I shrugged my shoulders, not really knowing what to answer.

- Whatever. I don't know what we've been doing at school for a month now anyway, so... - I noted.

He spun his chair to face me, a pencil in between his fingers. He used it to point at me as he spoke.

- That is not the right mood. - He stated, standing up and walking towards me.

Once again, we found ourselves in a very compromising position, my head trapped in between his arms as he hovered over me, inching closer by the second.

- C-Changbin, stop. - I pleaded him, closing my eyes shut and turning my head sideways.

- Will you pay attention to anything I say tonight? -

I nodded, whimpering as I tried to push him away but to no avail. I could feel his breath on my cheek, his nose almost grazing my skin from his close his face was. It all made me panic.

- And will you try your hardest next week at school? - Again, I was forced to nod, desperately wanting him to separate himself from me.

He finally retreated, a playful smirk on his face as he sat back on the desk chair.

I cleared my throat in embarrassment, fixing my hair and clothes as I sat back up on the bed, my cheeks flushed red.

- Now, before we start... - He said, making me tilt my head. - Who gave you my address? - He asked sternly, but he didn't seem mad.

In fact, he had a grin on his face, which he was trying to hide with his hand, elbow pointed on the armrest.

- Chan. - I responded, raising my eyebrows.

- I should have imagined. He hates seeing me mad like that. - He chuckled, spinning his chair back so he was facing the desk and his notes. - Now, let's start with history. - He announced, taking out a pencil to underline a few things on his notes.

I sighed, making my way closer to him, still sitting on the edge of the bed.

- I didn't come here to do history. - I said as sternly as possible, even though my tone was still insecure from the move he had pulled at me earlier.

- I didn't invite you. - He replied casually. - I need to study history, so you study history with me, since you're here. - He still did not avert his gaze from the books, underlining sentences and circling words and dates.

- I want to see what's behind the curtain. -