Behind Those Eyes | Aonung (Enemies to Lovers)

36. hate me

Until it wasn't anymore.

Katiya felt a tug on her hair and immediately stopped when she couldn't lift her head.

"Oh no, Kati! I'm so sorry," Narini gasped. Her armband had caught on Katiya's hair, pulling her head downward.

"Fuck, stop moving," Katiya demanded, struggling to untangle her hair. But she couldn't see what she was doing.

As Narini tried to help with her other hand, Katiya slapped her hand away.

"Aonung," Narini gasped, looking up at the tall Metkayina boy.

Katiya froze, mentally cursing herself.

"Hold still," he demanded, his gaze fixed on her as he stood between them, untangling her hair from Narini's armband.

"Did you get it?" Katiya asked, panic in her voice. She wanted to get out of there as soon as he freed her.

"Not yet," he lied.

Narini's gaze trailed from his face to her armband and Katiya's hair in his hand, now free of tangles. After realizing what had happened, she held her breath. Was there something going on between them?

Meanwhile, Kiri was about to help them but stopped when she saw Aonung helping them instead. She watched as he successfully untangled Katiya's hair from Narini's armband, but he remained where he was, his hand still holding onto Katiya's hair strands.

Aonung closed his eyes momentarily, taking in Katiya's scent as she pulled her head away from him. She looked annoyed and angry as she glared at him and walked away.

He paid the Ta'unui girl no mind as he smiled and followed Katiya. As they weaved their way through the crowd, they headed toward a dim and less crowded area.

He reached out and grabbed her hand, spinning her around and pulling her close.

"Stop it," Katiya hissed, trying to escape him.

But Aonung tightened his grip on her hand. She trembled, as his fingers dug into her skin.

His gaze trailed down her body, landing on the broken seashell attached to her songchord at her hip. With quick reflexes, he reached for it and held it up, its shell shimmering.

"What are you doing? Let go." She tried to pull free, but he tugged her closer to him.

"You're so cold-hearted, Kati," he said, his gaze fixed on her. "You kiss me and then run from me. Are you taking advantage of me?"

There was a playful tone in his voice, despite the seriousness behind his eyes.

"It was only a kiss. We just happened to be caught in the moment, that's all," she murmured, swiping at her songchord but failing as he moved his hand away from her.

"Yeah, a lot of things just happened to happen to us," he scoffed, letting go of her hand to grab his songchord from the small pouch hanging on his waist.

In front of her, she watched the two shells merge into one as he brought them together.

"I guess this also happened to just land in your hand, huh?" Aonung teased, his voice barely audible as he stepped closer to her.

He let her songchord slip away from his hand as it hung on her hip again. He stuffed his back into his pouch, his eyes fixed on her.

"Your sister gave it to me. You can have it back," Katiya replied.

"It belongs to you now. It's yours, Kati."

"I don't want it," she lied, her lips moving on their own.