Querencia

07

Hana slowly opened her eyes, adjusting them to the brightness of the lights above her in the library. Her arms felt so numb because she had been sleeping for quite a long time despite the coldness of the area that she usually could not stand.

She wondered how she could have slept so peacefully, however when she noticed a varsity draped on her back, she knew she had to thank it instead.

But it was not hers.

Sitting straight, she was then met with a figure across her who seemed too focused on reading a book but then stopped when he noticed Hana's sleepy eyes.

"How long have you been here?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

Juyeon checked his watch, calculating in his head, "About 30 minutes ago."

"You should've woken me up", she pulled the varsity from her back, intending to give it back to its owner but Juyeon seemed to refuse to accept though it was his.

"Wear it, you are sensitive to cold", Hana's eyes slightly widened, finally understood why it was on her body whilst she was sleeping. Juyeon must have purposely put it on her. "You slept so peacefully, how can I wake you up?"

Hana grinned, her stomach did a backflip upon hearing Juyeon's words. How could she stop falling for this boy if he was this sweet?

It was then her face scrunched up, and her stomach was singing too much asking for food.

"I'm hungry", she pouted in which Juyeon immediately checked his bag, searching for some sweets if available. It seemed like he had none as he shook his head whilst looking at her. "Let's get some food."

"Your treat", he rose, collecting his book whilst Hana scoffed copying him, before wearing his varsity properly around her body.

The two then walked out of the library, suggesting a place out of many to drop by before going home. From a restaurant to a cafe which later ended at street foods, at least they were good at listing out.

"But Juyeon, why were you in the library?" Hana asked to kill her curiosity as they walked to the nearby bus stop. "I thought you said you have a group discussion?"

"I did", he confirmed, running his hand through his hair. "Then Eric called me, saying that he couldn't reach you and he needed to go home early. So I looked for you. Where else would you be other than the library?"

Once again on the same day, Hana's stomach churned with excitement that she had never been sick of since 10 years ago.

Though she was ecstatic by the attention she received from him, a part of her was still yearning for more.

To have his attention not as a best friend but more.

Eventually, the two then dropped by a stall in their neighbourhood which was famous for their hotdogs.

Standing still with the oversized varsity which has the number 11 written at the back under Juyeon's name hugging her small body, Hana was struggling to contain her smile as the boy did the order.

The way he casually sparked up a conversation with the owner, his small giggle as he joked around and asked Hana to open her mouth so that he could feed her a piece of fishball, the girl was almost losing her sanity.

She has fallen deeper for him.

"One for you", the owner passed a wrapped hotdog to Juyeon and turned to Hana with the same thing but in extra quantity. "Two for you."

With the brightest smile on her face, Hana took the bag and paid for everything as promised before they left the stall towards her house.

It was like a routine for Juyeon to walk her home, not to mention how Hana's parents would only trust him rather than let her alone if she was not with Eric.

At this rate, Juyeon was an elder son of the family.

"Is that for Eric?" he pointed to the extra hotdog in the bag Hana hung around her wrist as her hands were holding the other one.

She nodded without hesitation, confirming the question but actually, she was unable to focus on whatever Juyeon asked, she was getting disturbed by the sleeves of the varsity that were too long, covering her hands. Since it was not hers, she was worried that the sauce from the hotdog would stain it.

"Stop moving and raise your arm", Juyeon instructed which she obeyed. Swiftly, he rolled up the sleeves to her elbows, watching her giggling as she finally could see her palms. "Such a shortie."

"What?!" her furrowed brows and faded smile did not even scare the boy, he could even laugh, nonstop teasing his best friend until they reached the entrance of Hana's apartment, and the hotdogs safely landed in their stomachs.

She then asked him to hold the hotdog for Eric whilst she took off the varsity to give it back to its owner. However, she was hesitant to do so when she sensed the smell of her perfume on it.

"Let me wash it first and return it to you tomorrow", she firmly suggested, holding tight to the fabric. "My perfume is too strong."

But Juyeon was scoffing as he rejected the idea, "Never mind, I've gotten used to your scent anyway."

"But-"

"I said, it's okay Hana", he smiled with eyes nearly closed, resembling a cat the girl found in that certain alley that day.

"Okay then, be careful on your way home", she shrugged, taking back the food she asked him to hold. "See you tomorrow".

He hummed, watching Hana walk backward before turning on her heels. However, he seemed unable to let her go just yet, something in his chest was urging him to stop her.

And so, he quickly reached for her wrist, softly yanking, "Why didn't you tell me that Kevin was confessing to you?"

At that, Hana's eyes slightly widened, she never expected to hear it from him. But it was not bizarre, the two were friends after all, of course, the news spread.

"Don't make him wait for too long", he added since the girl had remained in silence for quite some time.

"Should I accept him?" it was then she questioned, hoping that he would say no, that he would ask her to stay by his side or maybe put on a label that she wouldn't forget forever.

"You have been single for too long, so why not you try it out?"

But his answer has given nothing but pain to her.