Toward the Walk of Shame

22 {Sehun}

And it was the exact place to find Suzy. I had almost missed her at first. She was half hidden behind the tree, facing toward the soccer field. She must have heard me coming, but she didn't move. Not even when I came up behind her.

"So you decided to stand me up to watch the players practice?" I leaned against the tree. My shadow fell over her small, curled-up form. "A little heads-up would've been nice."

"Sorry." Her face squished in her arms.

I squatted down next to her, but she turned her head and just snuggled deeper in her arm. I let out a deep breath and remembered Kai's words. Just talk. "Are you still mad about the Seulgi thing? I wasn't going to meet her, I swear."

"I know you weren't."

"Then what's the matter?" When she didn't answer, I poked her shoulder until she finally looked up at me.

There was a small smile on her face like she was trying to look happy and normal. But I could tell something was wrong. Her eyes were red and a bit swollen. And even now, her lashes were slightly damp with tears.

I sucked in a deep breath and my fists clenched together. "What's wrong? Did something happen? Did someone say anything or -"

Suzy grabbed my arm before I could jump up and beat up everyone in sight. "No, it just . . .it's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing." I wiped away a remaining tear clinging on her cheek. "So, do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

There goes Kai and his stupid plan. Try. Just keep trying. I sank down next to her, but she avoided my gaze. Her fingers just plucked at the grass next to us and placed them in a neat pile, crisscrossed in a pattern.

"Can I ask you something?"

She let out a sigh. "I thought you understood that I didn't want to talk?"

"Just one question, please." I coughed into a fist a few times. "You're not crying because of me, right?"

Her hand knocked against the grass pile, knocking it over. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm not crying. My allergies are just going crazy right now."

"Okay, allergies." I didn't believe her lie for a second, but if she didn't want to tell me, then I wasn't going to push her. And if she was going to blame it on her allergies, then I was going to let her. I climbed to my feet and nudged her elbow with the tip of my shoe. "I'll take you home."

"I don't really want to go home right now."

"But what about your dad?"

Suzy bit on her lower lip and looked down. "They're not expecting me home anytime soon. I'm supposed to be helping Minho with some newspaper stuff. But he - he doesn't need me today."

There was something weird about her voice. But I was just glad that we could spend more time together. I reached out and took her hand, lacing my fingers through hers. "I know the perfect place to go where your allergies won't bother you anymore."

__Toward the Walk of Shame__

"So where's this mysterious place you're taking me?" Suzy asked we got our tteoboki and potato swirls. She trailed a few steps behind me as we crossed the street, still biting the potato swirls she had left.

"Dang, are you still hungry? I should have let you eat mine, too."

"Like I would have a chance to. You inhaled yours before I even took a bite of the first tteoboki. Did you even chewed?"

"Nah, I have a pretty big mouth." I walked backward so I could watch her, hands in my pockets.

"I noticed."