water lily - ni-ki x y/n

chapter 17

Y/N sat on the bench twiddling her thumbs for a while, trying to figure out how to do her math homework.

The lesson she was learning confused her very much and it was difficult for her to listen when she had so many other things on her mind.

She thought being at the park, away from distractions at the Park's apartment, would help her write something down.

Yet here she is, an empty paper on the table. Y/N lowered her head in defeat. Math wasn't her strongsuit at all, she didn't know how it came so well to Kazuha. The other Japanese had always been bookworms ever since they met.

Y/N lifted her head, trying to focus again. This time she managed to write a couple things before giving up again.

She looked around the park. A couple of kids had shown up and began playing on the swings.

'Oh God.. Why does everything remind me of him?' Y/N thought as she covered her face.

She couldn't help but overhear the two messing around. Y/N looked at the kids again, watching them as they ran around the playground. The little girl was trying to tag the little boy but she couldn't catch up with him.

At one point, he stopped and let the little girl tag him.

"Hey! I wanted to tag you fair and square!" The little girl frowned. The boy walked to the sand and sat down, the girl followed him and did the same.

The boy was messing around with the sand, drawing a curved line. He then proceeded to make two dots and a heart around all of it.

"Y/N? Why are you staring at those children?" A familiar voice said, snapping Y/N out of her own world.

"What?" She said, turning to see a short-haired girl leaning on the table. She decided to sit down, then flipped through the notebook that was wide open on the table.

"Damn, you haven't written anything," Ryujin said, slightly laughing at the sight, "Too busy staring at children I see. Pervert." The older muttered the last words, just enough for Y/N to hear.

"What? I'm not a pervert!" Y/N said in defense.

"Yeahhh, looking at little kids for a very long time doesn't defend your purpose." Ryujin said, taking Y/N's pencil and drawing on it.

"Whatever," Y/N continued, "What're you doing here anyway?"

"Felt like going on a morning walk, but I didn't expect you to be here."

"Yeah well, my apartment isn't the best place to focus." Y/N said, taking the pencil out of Ryujin's hand and putting it in her bag.

"I guess the park isn't either," Ryujin said, getting up, "Have fun staring at those kids again, Y/N." The older girl teased, waving goodbye.

Y/N looked back at the playground, only to find out the little kids were gone.

'Young love..' Y/N pondered.

~~~

"Ni-ki, you're so annoying!" Kazuha said in an annoyed tone, grabbing her phone.

"What? Seems like you've been crushing on him for quite a while now." The younger teased.

"You're one to talk, you have the fattest crush on Y/N," Kazuha retaliated, smirking once she had successfully flustered him. "Why don't you ask her out already?"

Shyly rubbing his arm, Ni-ki replied, "It's.. A little complicated."

"What do you mean complicated? She's been loving you since you left Japan, Riki!" Kazuha huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "What's stopping you?"

"It's Sunghoon-hyung," Ni-ki muttered sadly. "He's starting to treat Y/N like his little sister. I'm worried that he'll stop me, considering that Y/N may have not explained our situation to him.."

Kazuha sighed, shaking her head. "Riki, Sunghoon's your best friend, I'm sure he would want his best friend and 'little sister' to be happy."

Ni-ki let out a half-hearted chuckle, slumping his shoulders, "I don't know, Kazuha. Sunghoon-hyung's kind of scary when he's angry."

"I guess you're right," Kazuha frowned. "I don't think Sunghoon knows that we sorted the situation out."

"Well, he'll have to know at some point, right?" Ni-ki sighed, continuing, "If I'm going to ask her out he has to know."

"Tell me what?" Sunghoon approached the two, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, hyung!" Ni-ki exclaimed in surprise, turning towards the other male, stuttering out of nervousness. "Nothing, it's nothing."

"Riki, I can tell when you're lying to me. What is it that you want to tell me?" Sunghoon frowned, placing a hand on his hip.

Sighing in defeat, Ni-ki mumbled, "I want to ask Y/N out."

"What? I didn't hear you." Sunghoon said, looking innocently at Ni-ki.

"Um.. Just that I would like to have a bro night!" Ni-ki continued, "You know, like old times!" The younger one said, patting Sunghoon's back a couple times. Kazuha elbowed Ni-ki in the side, giving him a sharp glare.

"That'd be great, Ni-ki-yah! I can ask Yeji-noona to drive us to the arcade later today." Sunghoon said with happiness written all over his face. The two haven't really interacted with each other in a while.

"Um.. Can Y/N come too..?" Ni-ki asked nervously.

"Y/N? I thought you two were still arguing about your past." Sunghoon's happy facade faltered, as he gave Ni-ki a serious look.

"Yeah.. Well some stuff happened-"

"What stuff, Chulsoo?" Sunghoon asked with a sudden change in his voice.

"Nothing like that hyung, I swear!" Ni-ki stuttered trying to defend himself.

"Chulsoo. Did you do something to Y/N?" Sunghoon grabbed Ni-ki by his shoulders, leveling himself to Ni-ki's height, his jaw clenched.

"No!?" Ni-ki shouted with a questioning tone in his voice.

"So then what is it? Why do you want her to come with us?" Sunghoon stepped back from the younger, glowering at him.

"Well, I.. I um.." Ni-ki said, trying to muster all of his courage.

"He likes her!" Kazuha shouted impatiently, looking up at Sunghoon.

"What?" Sunghoon muttered, confused. "I thought Y/N disliked you."

"Yeah, well-"

"It was all just an act to get his parents off of his back," Kazuha continued, "Do I have to speak for you all the time, Ni-ki?" She asked with a displeased look in her eyes as her attention averted to Ni-ki.

"Hmm," Sunghoon hummed in understanding. "Alright, I guess I could invite her. You have one more chance, Chulsoo. Mess this up and you're done for." Sunghoon gave one last serious look to Ni-ki.

"Thank you, thank you!" Ni-ki breathed a sigh of relief, thanking Sunghoon repeatedly.

"Sure," Sunghoon cracked a small smile. "Meet up with us around five, 'kay?"

"Yeah, sure!" Ni-ki stuttered, still nervous.

Sunghoon chuckled, patting his shoulder, "Loosen up will you? I won't kill you. See you around, Chulsoo!" The older boy waved, turning around to leave to go to his class.

"Thank goodness.." Ni-ki said, still very stiff as he let out a deep breath.

"I have no idea why that was so hard for you," Kazuha said, grabbing her things and leaving the practice room.

As the door had closed, Ni-ki jumped in the air out of excitement, making a fist, "Yes!"