The Piano and The Past. /Johnny/

Chapter 6

After dinner was finally done, Youngho prepared the mattresses and blankets for the boys to sleep. They insisted not to sleepover that night as they saw Nara. Thinking his hyung might need extra space, they tried to go home.

"Didn't you guys want this? I mean, we promised to watch Lion King together, right?" Youngho said as he unfolded the blankets.

"Yea, for the umpteenth times." Jeno rolled his eyes. "We're highschoolers, hyung. Not a five-grader."

"But you look like one." Youngho messed Jeno's hair. Nara watched everything from the sink. She was doing few of the dishes.

She turned off the water tap and wiped dry her hands. "Is it because of me? It seems like you guys want to have a boys night." She smiled to the boys. "I'm going home right now. Let's not make ridiculous situations where I'm staying the night as part of the situation. Hm?"

"See? She's going home. Then it's normal again. Six of us." Youngho pointed. The boys seemed disappointed and sighed.

"Okay. But promise to come again, will you? Your cooking is great, noona." Jisung said to Nara with puppy eyes. She just chuckled.

"I will make some and give to your Youngho hyung so he can give it to you, okay? What do you like the most?"

"Anything without vegetables, noona." Three of them mentioned. The other two agreed. "We eat almost everything."

"You're highschoolers, you have to eat green foods." Nara took her bag and waved her hands toward the boys. "I'll see what I can do, okay? I'm going now."

Youngho just froze in his stance watching Nara walked out of his house. Jaemin and Jeno slapped their foreheads seeing their hyung, while Chenle just rolled his eyes. Renjun snapped his fingers in front of Youngho's face.

"Aren't you going to drive her home?"

"I, uh, well, she just went out the door and-"

The boys sighed in frustration. "She must be waiting for you." Jisung said. "Now I wonder when hyung will ever get a girlfriend. Just go."

"B-but the sleepover-" Youngho stuttered as he was pushed by boys who clearly were shorter than him. As he got closer to the door, he stopped them. "Fine. Okay, okay. I'm going. Happy?"

He walked outside and the boys were right. Nara stood by his motorbike while scrolling her phone screen. In darkness, the light from her phone reflected on her face making her looked like a ghost.

"Jesus!" Youngho held his chest. She noticed him and chuckled.

"I thought you're not coming out." Nara put her phone away. "You can walk me to the nearest subway station. I can go home on my own from there."

"I can drive you home."

She smiled softly. "That will be nice, but that kind of action is the least I want to accept right now. I need my time alone."

Youngho just stared at her. 'It's the second time she turned down my offer to drive her home.'

"I'm not familiar with this neighbourhood so I was hoping you could tell me the way-"

"Let's go. It's a ten minute walk. You will make it for the next subway." He led the way and she followed him.

From inside the house, five pairs of eyes were peeping from the window as they hud under the curtain. "Poor hyung, I don't think she likes him." Jisung said.

--

"So you're not going to ask me anything?" Nara broke the silence after three minutes. Youngho side-eyed her.

"What for?"

"I don't know. Friendliness?"

"You don't even want me to drive you home."

Nara saw a drink she liked inside a mini mart they walked past. She tapped Youngho's arm rapidly. "I want that drink. Wait a minute, okay?"

He shove his hands into his pocket and waited for her. She then came outside with two carts of juice drinks. She gave one to him.

"It tastes weird for a beginner but once you get the hang of it, it tastes like heaven." She poked the straw and immediately drank it.

"Pineapple-peach-mango-melon juice? What a strange combination..." He carefully drank the juice and the liquid felt strange to him. He furrowed his eyebrows wondering what this drink was about.

She laughed seeing his face. "See? You're a beginner. Mine's done."

"Take this back, I don't want to drink it anymore." He gave the juice back to Nara. She finished the remaining juice. "You're just plain strange girl."

"A plain strange girl that you claimed to be your blind date earlier." Nara tossed the box into the trash can and they continued their walk. "You're even more strange."

"Who was he anyway?" He meant it rhetorically but she scoffed, thinking he was really asking the question.

"Finally. A question." She joked. "He's my ex-boyfriend. Of eight years."

"You- what? Did he cheat or something?"

"I mean, well, if such girl existed, I would be more relieved. I'm his only girl. Ever."

"So?"

"He got greedy with his job and wondered if he moved to Japan for three years, he could be the next young anchor." Nara kicked free air and curved her lips. "What young anchor, he doesn't even look that good to be on tv."

Youngho tried to comprehend the whole story. 'So that guy is her ex, and he was being nice to her. She didn't want- wait how did they meet? She said he went to Japan- what?' All thoughts gathered in his head.

"Is this the right direction, Youngho-ssi?" She asked.

"What? Uh, yes...." He looked around. "I think." But rather than the right direction to the station, he found an answer. 'I know now! She didn't want me to walk her home because she-'

"Yes? Do you think so?" Nara suddenly asked him making him taken aback, thinking she was reading his mind.

"T-that way. That way. You can see the train line number, right?" He pointed to a pole with a number and station name on it in a far left of their direction.

"Ah, okay." She continued walking toward the pole.

"Nara ssi..."

"Hm?"

"You said I have to ask questions..."

"Sure, go ahead."

Youngho thought hard whether to say it or not. But instead of what he really wanted to ask, he blurted out different question.

"Do you want to see my friends' band's secret gig this weekend?"

Nara didn't see that coming. "Youngho ssi, that's not a question- well, technically it is, but not that kind of question. It's more like an offer."

"You said it yourself. For friendliness."

"And I thought I have said it that I don't want these kinds of action right now."

"I know. I have figured that out."

"And? We just met. Why are you inviting me?"

"We had drinks together. Twice. And I saved you from your ex." Youngho softly chuckled with half smirk on his face. "And I still have your gachapon."

Nara was in disbelief.

'You are not yourself, Seo Youngho. I don't even know why I'm doing this.'

"Is it any good? Your friends' band?" She folded her arms while walking.

"The best. Both sounds and their looks." He tried hard to promote his friends' band.

"Okay, then. You know where to find me." She waved goodbye as she entered the station. "Thanks for walking me."

Youngho watched her as she disappeared in the staircase. 'You're traumatised on dating, aren't you, Nara ssi?'