✓ | starboy, nishimura riki

STARBOY | 24

THE COLD AIR CAUSED GOOSEBUMPS TO FORM ON CHOI MISO'S SKIN AND THE TEARS THAT SLID DOWN HER FACE TO DRY AS SHE WALKED DOWN THE DARK STREET.

There was close to nobody around, only the few homeless and drunk Greasers roaming, minding their own business.

A sob left the girls red lips as more salty tears slipped from her eyes. She felt stupid — stupid for trusting a Greaser like Niki, who was known for causing trouble. Why did she think he could possibly feel anything towards her?

"Miso!" She heard a familiar voice call out, causing her to furrow her eyebrows and wipe away the water from her face and halt in her steps. What could Yang Jungwon possibly want?

She turned to look at him, his face covered in bruises, and without another thought, she turned back around and continued her way home. He probably knew about Niki's plan and that pained her...

"Miso, wait." Jungwon ordered, eventually catching up to her and grabbing onto her wrist and spinning her back around to face him. "I wanted to make sure you got home alright. It's almost midnight and there's a bunch of looneys roaming at this time."

"Did you know?" Miso questioned, ignoring the Yang boys explanation. She was far too angry and broken to care about why he wanted to make sure she got home safely.

Jungwon stayed silent, his eyes looking at everything but Miso, which caused her to scoff and a tear accidental fall from her brown eye — to which she hurriedly wiped away, not allowing the boy before her to see.

"I understand your guys' hatred for my brother, but I don't understand why you had to go through me to get back at him..." Miso ranted. She knew it was to the wrong person, but Jungwon was still involved in the situation. He knew that Niki was playing her. "Couldn't you guys just of keyed his car? There was no need for Niki to make me fall in love with him."

"You love him?" Jungwon raised his brows, stunned at the girls confession.

Immediately, Miso's eyes widened as embarrassment and shock overtook her. She didn't mean to slip up like that... so, without another word, the girl turned back around and went to start walking again, however Jungwon quickly caught her wrist again and pulled her back.

"You don't have to speak to us again if that's what ya want, but just let me me get you home safely." The taller boy pleaded, his eyes sincere as he looked down at Miso. She was his friend and Niki's...girl, he didn't want anything bad to happen to her.

Sadly, Miso let out a sigh and nodded her head in agreement and the two began to walk to the North side in silence. She was still hurt and aggrieved, but she was far too tired to argue anymore. All she wanted to do was go home and be in the comfort of her bedroom.

Once arriving back at her house, Jungwon bid his goodbye to Miso and all she did was wave before heading inside.

Her parents were asleep and her brother, Beomgyu had yet to come home yet. As the Choi girl walked down the corridor to her bedroom, she couldn't help but feel a sense of panic form in her chest at the thought of Beomgyu telling her parents about today... however, once she entered her room and her eyes landed on her bed, the panic disappeared. She didn't care anymore. She was too unmotivated to do anything.

She hadn't know the Nishimura boy for long, yet he had such an impact on her life. He made her feel loved when nobody else could. He made her fall for him and she hated that. She hated that she fell for someone that didn't love her back.

That night, Choi Miso fell asleep on a damp pillow due to the tears that spilled uncontrollably from her eyes. Her cries were silent until they stopped completely when she fell into a deep slumber with the thought of Nishimura Niki in her mind.

★

The next day, Miso had nothing planned. She didn't want to go out. She didn't want to go downstairs and see her family. She didn't want to do anything, and so when she got changed into one of her many pink skirts and white cardigan, she sat herself at her desk, running a comb through her hair.

Her chest was still heavy as she looked back at herself. She didn't know when the next time she'd see Niki would be, however what she did know was that she didn't want it to be anytime soon... or did she?

Suddenly, the sound of small taps at the girls bedroom window was heard, instantly causing her heart to race and her eyes to widen.

Niki?

Hesitantly, Miso stood from her chair and slowly walked towards the window; a small part of her hoping it would be the Nishimura boy.

Opening her curtains and window, a sigh escaped her lips once she didn't see the oreo haired boys face — though, the sigh was quickly forgotten as soon as her eyes landed on Jungwon, who stood in her drive way, looking up at her bedroom window.

"I thought I wasn't going to see you again." Miso stated after opening the window, an uninterested expression on her face.

"Why don't ya answer the phone?" Jungwon questioned, dismissing her own question. "Niki's in the cooler."

As soon as the words hit Miso's ears, her eyes enlarged in panic and she quickly grabbed her handbag and slipped on her white heels, worry and curiosity filling up her chest. She shut her window and hurried out of her bedroom before leaving the house and making her way over to where the Yang boy stood beside his motorcycle.

"What for? What did he do?" Miso wondered, concern written all over her face.

"He assaulted the fuzz last night." Jungwon huffed out, stuffing his hands in jean pockets, still leaning against his vehicle.

"Why?"

"He got drunk." He shrugged, before picking up his helmet and handing it to Miso, who took it from him gratefully.

"What an idiot..." The girl mumbled beneath her breath and the Greaser and Soc got onto the motorcycle.

"Hold on tight." Jungwon ordered, roaring his engine before he then speeded off down the road of the North side and into the direction of the South side — Miso chewing on her bottom lip anxiously.

What had Niki gotten himself into?

★