nothing near clarity

chapter 40

I don't get the hate though. She's smart, pretty and kind and yet everybody seems to ruin her image in our school. Maybe it's the fact that she's a 2000 liner so they're intimidated by her, or maybe because she's just unique. They hate it when someone's different from them. 

Aera didn't grow up here in Korea, she's born in Australia but moved to Canada. That's why we grew close to each other since we kept on talking in English so that the casual listeners who wants to find out more about Aera to hurt her, wouldn't understand us. 

And everybody kept on saying that her parents who are both in Canada don't support her that's why she's selling her body to be able to attend in SOPA. That's the rumors going around about her, but I don't believe them one bit. Aera has once mentioned that she has jobs like checking if the video game is good enough to sell and participates in music producing too.  She also told me one time when she kept on pestering me during lunch time that her parents love and support her in becoming a producer in Korea. 

"Noona, I'm done. Should we go?" Junghwan asked me, so we said our goodbyes to the two from Music Department who have a 2 hour break unlike us from the Dance Department who only had an hour break. 

"I don't want to dance today," I admitted as Junghwan and I were walking side by side in the hallway, stares from other students didn't escape from my peripheral vision, but I'm slowly getting used to it since I'm always with this famous boy. 

Hours passed by, and we are all already tired from practicing the steps. And here's the catch, I was asked to dance a certain part with Junghwan in their performance. Who made the suggestion? Our dance teacher, she said it would make us have many people to tune in on our performance if they find out that two of the most famous students in SOPA right now would perform together. 

At first, I didn't like it. Even if Junghwan is from YG entertainment too, I still don't know if our company is fine with me dancing with a guy in front of other people. 

Well, I did dance with Haruto in front of their fans though... I let out a sigh before shaking my head. I keep on worrying over nothing. The company can't say anything else since I'm now out in the world. 

"Let's practice later back at the company. Is it alright with you?" Junghwan asked me, so I gave him a nod before picking up a clean towel and giving it  to him since he's sweating pretty hard, but despite all that sweat, he still smells like a baby! I'm so close to ask him what his perfume is. 

"Let's practice some more!" our teacher said, and we all let out tired grunts before going back to our positions.

* * *

"I missed a beat!" I yelled out in frustration, making Junghwan laugh out loud since I kept on repeating the same mistake, and despite the effort of trying to correct them, I still couldn't get the hang of it. 

We are now inside their dance practice room since we couldn't use ours for my members are using them, so glad that Junghwan's members aren't here today. 

"You don't have to stress so much about your footing, noona. All you have to worry about is how to fall in my arms when the final line in the chorus comes up," Junghwan explained, before he stopped the music and positioned himself again. 

But I was shocked when he started singing the chorus of Replay. 

"noona neomu yeppeo..."

He sings, his voice was so soft and gentle, it was so good to listen to. Also add the fact that he was looking at me as he sang that part, it made me laugh a little since I find it very adorable. This boy really knows how to make a noona's heart go crazy. 

"micheo... Replay Replay replay..."

Junghwan was just singing while I dance my part in the song, and when finally comes the time for me to do that crazy footwork again, I just did my own version of it, and luckily, I was finally in his arms now. 

"Noona, you really are so pretty," Junghwan whispered and after saying that, I even asked how can I be pretty when I was covered in sweat, but he just flashed me that adorable smile of his, as I was still in his arms, and we were so close to each other, and at first I didn't mind, this was normal when you're dancing. But then the door to their dance practice room opened, and even before I can get away from Junghwan, it was already too late.

"Hi hyung!" Junghwan greeted them with a smile, the others were now asking why we were in that position, especially Jihoon who's always nosy when it comes to their maknae, but I couldn't even care about his questions right now since my eyes were focused on a certain guy who I wanted to see. 

"Junghwan is such a flirt whenever he's with his crush. I always thought he would be the shy type," Asahi joked, and I couldn't help but laugh because I only thought of it as a joke, and why on earth would Junghwan would even have a crush on me, right? I'm his noona. 

"The other one could never," Jaehyuk said in a teasing manner, and what happened next shocked us all. Haruto dropped the mic and it created a sound. Damn him and his clumsy ass. 

"I'm gonna go buy coke first," Haruto said, and Junghwan immediately went to him.

"Can you buy me one too, hyung?" Junghwan was acting cute in front of Ruto, but Ruto just stared, not Ruto wasn't only staring, he was glaring at Junghwan for a moment, his tongue poking the side of his cheek as if he was pissed.

It was as if they were doing a reenactment of their scene from their web drama.

"Haruto Watanabe," Yoshi suddenly said in a serious tone, as if telling him to behave himself. 

The atmosphere became a bit tensed. Jeongwoo and Junkyu who were playing, stopped, and Hyunsuk who was casually talking to Jihoon earlier was now walking to where Haruto and Junghwan is. What the hell is suddenly happening? 

"Sure, I'll buy one for you too. How about the others?" Haruto blurted out, when Hyunsuk touched his shoulder. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Haruto petting Junghwan's hair after all that.

I didn't know but it was obvious that the two looked like they were about to fight earlier, especially Haruto. The way he was looking at Junghwan was scary. 

"And you," And this time he was looking at me. "Come with me. I'll treat you strawberry milk. You must've been tired from practicing too hard that you were on Junghwan's arms earlier," Haruto said but he only whispered the last part but I still heard it. This guy! I rolled my eyes, but still decided to go with him. I waved goodbye to the others, and thanked Junghwan for today. 

"Why do you even care if I was in Junghwan's arms earlier. It was part of the choreo, okay? As if I didn't just dance with you a few months ago, right? Our dance was even worse than what you saw earlier," I told him as we were inside the store. Instead of responding, I just heard Haruto mocking me, but saw him blushing after I mentioned our dance from their concert. I scoffed and hit him in his shoulder. This guy, really! I'm so close to kicking him!

"That hurt!" he dramatically said, but when I was about to show concern, he immediately stuck his tongue at me, making me close my eyes in frustration. 

"You know what? If you're jealous just freaking say it instead of acting so petty!" I yelled, but when I was about to say something more, Haruto stick the straw of the strawberry milk to my mouth, making me shut up. 

"Now, that's how you shut up a Hanbyul Kim," Haruto proudly said, before picking up my hand so I'll be the one to hold the strawberry milk. I was furiously drinking, I was also glaring at him. He's just lucky today since he treated me strawberry milk. 

"And to answer your question. Yes! I am!" Haruto explained, but paused for a moment to calm down before looking at me and, after, he flashed that smirk of his again, before continuing what he was saying, but this time in a calmer tone.  

"Yes, I'm jealous. What are you gonna do about it?"

to be continued. . .

im actually thinking of partnering aera with yedam or if not, with asahi wdyt? 👀