Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
#11 | exhausted "we thought you died or something"
espresso • sabrina carpenter "now he's thinkin' 'bout me every night, oh isn't that sweet? i guess so"
──────
Rina's eyes widened as she scrolled through her phone, stumbling upon Yang Jungwon's recent post. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she saw the image of Riki embracing her in the rain, captured in a candid moment. Groaning in annoyance, she glanced at the clock on her nightstand which read ─ 3:45 AM.
"You're having trouble sleeping, huh?" Her older sister Sakura's voice was soft, the warmth of the room enveloping them both. "It's about Riki, isn't it?" Sakura's chuckled, knowing her sister all too well. Rina's surprise was evident. "How did you─?". "I'm your sister, RinRin," Sakura teased, using the affectionate nickname Riki often called her, "Besides, you're seeing Riki day-after-tomorrow anyway."
Rina raised a brow, "That's a Saturday, Kkura. No school". Sakura sighed, "Sunghoon's party? Did you forget already?". "Oh...yeah", Rina muttered, momentarily forgetting that her senior ─ Park Sunghoon, who also happened to be one of Riki's closest friends had invited her to his party tomorrow.
"Now sleep while you can, RinRin", Sakura grinned with a hint of mischief, "We have school in a few hours". "Stop calling me that", Rina hissed, snuggling deeper into the covers to hide the blush forming on her cheeks.
──────
Rina's alarm pierced through the quiet of the room, shattering the peaceful morning. Frowning, she reached out to silence it, only to have her hand intercepted by Sakura, who was quick to snatch away her phone. "No more snoozing, sunshine," Her voice was cheery, deliberately annoying her younger sister. Rina groaned in frustration. "You're more annoying than Riki at this point", she mumbled, half-asleep. Yunjin chuckled from the doorway, observing the sibling banter with amusement, "Come on, Rina. We'll be late for school. Eunchae, Kazuha, and Chaewon are almost ready".
Rina glanced at the clock and couldn't help but pout, "I don't want to go to school today". Kazuha dramatically burst into the room, seemingly appearing out of thin air, "Oh gods, no! We can't have that!", she gasped dramatically, "Your absence would leave a gaping hole in the universe! Especially for your knight in shining armor, Your Majesty", She bowed extravagantly, a mischievous glint in her eye as laughter filled the room. Rina rolled her eyes and hurled a pillow at Kazuha before reluctantly pushing herself out of bed. "You guys are the worst," she declared before going to the bathroom to start getting ready.
After about forty-five minutes, Rina was ready ─ she looked more awake now but her eyes were still droopy from the scant one or two hours of sleep she managed, which ultimately resulted in her taking a few winks of sleep on the bus. Entering the classroom, Rina's exhaustion was palpable as she quietly sat beside Leeseo. "Morning", Leeseo smiled. "Hello to you too, Seo", Rina muttered before shutting her eyes, in an attempt to catch up on missed rest. However, her brief moment of peace didn't last long because of a gentle flick on the head from behind.
She didn't even have to ask who it was, "What do you want, Riki?", she sighed, turning to face the boy. "Won't you wish good morning to me, RinRin?", he tilted his head slightly, that flirtatious grin never leaving his face.
Jungwon's chuckle resonated from beside Riki, breaking the playful tension, "Oh, give her a break, Riki. She looks like she barely slept last night". "Ah, must be the Riki effect, right?", Leeseo chuckled and Rina let out a string of curses at all three of them, but even though she didn't want to admit it ─ Leeseo's words had a sliver of truth in them. Rina couldn't get her mind off Riki even if she wanted to. This feeling was perplexing, leaving her both intrigued and flustered.
Before Rina could dwell on her emotions even more, Mr. Seong walked in and the students stood up to greet him politely. "Good morning, class", he said before beginning to talk about today's lesson.
Rina could barely keep her eyes open as Mr. Seong kept yapping about a supposedly important essay worth a hefty 20% of their final grade by the end of the term. "It's so boring", Rina heard Riki mutter to Jungwon, who hummed in response. Those were the last words she could process before her head fell on top of her desk as she passed out cold, drifting away into the welcoming embrace of dreamland.
Rina's peaceful slumber must have lasted quite a while because when she woke up, she saw two pairs of eyes peering at her curiously. "RinRin?", Riki called out to her gently. "Hmm?", She responded, still enveloped in the haze of sleep, "Why...Why is no one in class? What's going on?...", Rina muttered, rubbing her eyes in a futile attempt to shake off the remnants of her slumber. "Well, it's about time you woke up", Leeseo sighed, "We thought you died or something". "What?", Rina muttered sleepily, confused.
Riki chuckled, a winsome grin spreading on his face, "You were out cold in the middle of class, angel. I kid you not, you were this close to drooling all over your notebook". Rina's cheeks flushed in embarrassment while Riki laughed, "Riki, if you don't zip it ─ I'll personally ensure you suffer eternal torture for the rest of your days", she threatened with a glare.
"Hey, I was just stating the facts", Riki chuckled, raising his hands lightly in surrender, "But if I'm being honest, your quiet little snores were quite adorable". Rina muttered a few unflattering words about the boy before frowning as he laughed. Leeseo chuckled, enjoying the banter between the two, "Well, I'll leave her to you then, Riki", she winked teasingly at the two before getting up and leaving the classroom.
Rina sighed as she rested her head on the table in exhaustion, "I'm still sleepy", she groaned, her voice slightly muffled by the surface beneath her lips. Riki's smile softened as his heart fluttered. It was taking all of his self-control to not grab the girl and sweep her in his arms. "Alright, you're not going to dance practice looking like a tired sloth", Riki said, a hint of seriousness in his tone, "I'm taking you straight home so that you can rest".
"But...Ms. Song's going to get mad at us for─", Rina began, only to get cut off by the boy's interjection. "You know the upcoming performance isn't as important as your mental and physical health, RinRin. I can't allow you to exhaust yourself even more", Riki said, his tone laced with a hint of concern. Rina's tired eyes met Riki's earnest gaze, and for a moment, she felt a surge of gratitude for his care.
She slowly stood up, the dark circles under her eyes becoming more prominent as the sunlight that filtered through the window flashed on her eyes, causing her to rub them in annoyance. Riki couldn't help but chuckle, "You're so adorable, RinRin", he muttered, the fondness evident in his soft, deep voice. Feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over her, Rina leaned into Riki's chest, seeking comfort in his embrace as she wrapped her arms around him mindlessly. Unbeknownst to them, they weren't the only ones witnessing this tender moment.
Yeseul, Jungwon and Leeseo exchanged silent glances of joy, the excitement evident in their bright eyes. Jungwon seized the opportunity to capture the heartwarming interaction on his phone, stifling a mischievous giggle. "Don't tell me you're going to post this too, WonWon?", Yeseul whispered, a playful grin tugging at her lips. "Ah no, I won't do that, sunshine", Jungwon smirked, "I'll just show it to him and watch his pretty little face heat up". "When will you two stop flirting?", Leeseo groaned, "I'm trying to enjoy the moment". Though, there was a hint of amusement in her tone. Yeseul and Jungwon chuckled, exchanging a somewhat comforting glance as their fingers were secretly intertwined, watching their friends get lost in each other's embrace.
──────
author's note ᯓ★
sorry for not updating for over a week mls :( to make up for not updating often, i made this chapter a bit longer 😋🤞 i promise i won't ever put this book on hold like i did on my other books 😭 🙏 (unless i go on an indefinite hiatus)
anyways, giving y'all some more seulwon crumbs since many of ygs seem to love them sm <3
have an amazing day/night bbys, i love you all saur much 🫶🥰😻💞‼️
