♡ | Stigma

9

♡ | Chapter 9

"nope, whether you're sane..."

After changing out of our wet clothes we gathered at the dining table for a small briefing of the future events on schedule.

"We'll be going back to Seoul day after tomorrow. You've got one day to pack and get ready. And-"

My phone pinged, indicating a text. The boys reflexively glanced at the phone that was sitting on the table and then turned their attention back to me.

"-we'll be leaving to Chile the following day. That's a-"

My phone pinged again, distracting them once again.

I picked it up with the intention of putting it on silent. But when my eyes landed on the message notification from an unsaved contact having oh-so-familiar digits, lying in an oh-so-familiar order, I did a double take.

Cursing myself for knowing who it was even though it had no contact name, I silenced my phone and plastered my eyes onto my events schedule.

For a couple of seconds I couldn't focus my eyes to read what was written on it because my mind was rushing with irrelevant thoughts that were sparked by that miniscule text.

Get a grip!

I shook myself and continued speaking with more than necessary vigour, "like I was saying..."

My moment of discomfort went unnoticed by everyone except the big brown-eyed maknae who kept starring at my face like he was trying to discern the true meaning of life.

~¤~

I need a new highlighter.

My schedule looked perfect with patches of neon pink, green and blue, neatly sorting out the events. Until my green highlighter decided to run out, soiling my attempts at drowning out the stupid word that kept reminding me of a damn prick I had managed to keep out of my thoughts for two years.

Training: Dance choreography
Time: 2:30 pm
Trainer: Mr. Kang

Obviously the chances of this Mr. Kang being the Kang I hated so much was next to nil. Right? Right.

The last smudge of barely there green was too annoying to look at. Closing the folder with a very unsatisfactory smack I hooked my foot onto the tables foot hold and leaned my chair as far back, on two legs, as I dared to.

"YAH!" I screamed at the little bunny wall hanger in front of me, "I need a goddamn green highlighter!"

Screaming at inanimate objects was not something I usually did, but it seemed like the heat was roasting my brain.

Are you sure it's the heat? A smug voice spoke in my mind.

Not you again, stupid conscious.

Of course it's the heat! I mentally barked at it.

Yeah, I bet you keep looking at your phone cuz it's too hot.

Feeling like I had been caught doing something socially unacceptable, I tossed my phone away immediately.

Not that it did any good. The text was already etched onto my mind.

Admit it. The she-devil continued.

Admit what?

That you want him.

I do not.

Yes you do.

Do not.

I'm your conscious, I would know.

Do not!

Lisa and Yeon Ji sitting on-

Stop it!

-a tree, K-I-S-S-

"AAARRRGGHH CHINCHAAA!!!" I grabbed fists full of my hair and tugged at them.

Why does the past keep haunting me like this?

"Ahem...knock, knock?" A voice startled me from my unhealthy internal debate, making me lose my grasp on the foot hold.

Losing my balance, I crashed backwards.

Jimin rushed towards me and helped me untangle myself from the chair. I was so out of it that I wasn't even feeling embarrassed.

"Are you alright?"

"Yup, feeling just peachy." I replied with a grimace.

He suddenly reached out to my face with both hands and pushed the locks of my hair behind my ears.

Weirded out by his unexpected move, I swatted his hands away from my face.

I raised an eyebrow at him and asked, "what are you doing?"

He raised his arms in surrender and said with a chuckle, "just checked if you were wearing a Bluetooth earpiece."

"Uh, why?"

"It's a well know fact that sane people don't usually talk to themselves...now I'm in doubt."

"Whether the fact is legit?"

"Nope. Whether you're sane." He teased.

"Join the club." I mumbled under my breath.

"Say what?" He cocked his head to the side looking like a parrot.

"I need a walk." With a sigh, I put on my flip flops and headed towards the beach.