Dead Leaves

XIV

«Is everything alright?» Hajun asked, approaching Elaine, who was still examining him.

«Mm?» She rubbed her neck, suddenly flustered. «Yes, yes, I'm just a little tipsy.»

Hajun continued to approach slowly until he faced her. Elaine said nothing and stepped aside, thinking he needed to use the sink. But he stood before her. If he wasn't there to use the toilets or sink, then why was he there?

His eyes were fixed on hers, his lips parted, about to speak. Elaine waited silently for him to say something. «Last night...» His voice was hesitant. «When you read my tarots... What I'm trying to say...»

Elaine thought back to the words Junseo had said a few hours earlier. Could it be true? She couldn't believe it and she didn't want to delude herself.

«Do you want me to read them again?»

Hajun took another step towards her, they were not far from each other. «No,» he said confidently. Elaine couldn't move from his gaze.

Maybe Junseo was right. Jump whispered a voice in her head. You'll never see him again. Those words, given the situation she was in at that moment (alcohol clouding her thoughts), were enough to give her courage. Elaine reached over to Hajun and brushed her lips against his.

It lasted a moment. As soon as she walked away from him, she regretted what she had done. She took a few steps backward until she collided with the sink.

«Sorry,» she said, suddenly feeling guilty.

Hajun looked at her in surprise and stood still for a few seconds. And in the time that passed before he did anything, Elaine's thoughts became clearer. She had misunderstood everything. She had just screwed it up. Perhaps he had come to ask her advice as she was the only girl in the place. That was why now he was looking at her with wide eyes. How could she, as someone who had always valued consent, have misunderstood everything and kissed him?

She wanted to cry. If Daeshim and Yohan found out... what would they say about her? She shouldn't have listened to Junseo. She closed her eyes and cursed herself.

But before she could open them again, Hajun placed a hand on her face and their lips joined again.

She opened her eyes and saw that it was really happening.

Hajun pulled away from her lips for a moment and the two looked into each other's eyes, their faces still an inch apart.

«I like you,» he told her, this time in a more confident voice.

Elaine was stunned for a moment, unable to immediately process that information. She wanted to answer him, but she couldn't find her words nor did she seem to have a voice. She got on her toes and moved closer to him again, closing all the space between them.

For neither of them, it was the first time. Even if a tfirst there was a little embarrassment in their movement, they both knew what to do. Hajun was taller than her, and Elaine had to reach up to kiss him. When he grabbed her thighs and pulled her over to sit on the sink, she let him do it. Hajun's muscles were strong and tight against hers and she enjoyed the shivers that ran through her body when he touched her.

As they kissed, Elaine realized that she had missed doing it. She knew it was dangerous to kiss someone she hardly knew, but in the moment she felt like she could trust him.

His lips were soft, gentle. She wanted more. The kisses were long and intense, both of them were out of breath, but they couldn't stop.

«Elaine?» for a moment she thought Hajun was the one calling her. «Hajun? Are you two still alive?» Yohan knocked on the door a few times.