Parted | Song Mingi

Chapter Six

Areum looked at him with confusion in her eyes. "What do you mean why do I do that? What did I do?" she asked stopping in the middle of the stairs. Truthfully, she didn't get most of the stuff she said that seemed like something weird.

He continued walking when she slowed down but stopped and turned around when he couldn't hear her footsteps anymore. He stood a few steps further down than her which made their heights match. "why would you ask for others' insight? Isn't your opinion the most important?" He asked stuffing his hands inside his pockets.

Areum giggled at his question and nodded. She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall,looking at him. "I guess you're right, there is no right or wrong opinion, it's just that I like to ask people— nothing bad about that," she said and patted his arm walking down the stairs.

He tilted his head and nodded shortly before turning around to follow her.

They got to the end of the stairs and heard some footsteps in the hallway. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back behind him. "If anyone sees us now we're going to detention." He said keeping her behind him.

He opened the door next to them and pushed her inside closing it right away as the teacher passed by. "Mingi?" The male said. "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing... I was passing by and saw that someone had forgotten to lock the door here" he said suddenly locking Areum inside.

"Oh.. okay. Well the bell is ringing in a few minutes. Let's go back to class." The male said placing an arm on Mingi's shoulder as he pulled him along.

"I- huh.." He mumbled but couldn't finish.

"You've always been so thoughtful." The teacher said, smiling widely.

Areum was just about to walk off and then got pulled into a dark room. She was going to turn the door knob but realized it was locked. Hearing him speak to what sounded like an adult, she just kept her mouth shut. The voices were fading away and she slammed on the door. "Mingi..SONG Mingi!" she yelled but no one answered her. She was in the dark room and there weren't any lights for her to turn on. 'Song Mingi, I'm going to kill you later' she thought to herself. She was definitely scared to be alone, she kept thinking something would jump out of nowhere and kill her.

Mingi went into the classroom with the teacher who was going to have their class after the break. Minutes passed maybe and hour. Mingi sat on his chair and bit his nails nervously as he thought of how Areum was feeling in that warm room with no conditioning. His legs bounced up and down. He couldn't stop thinking. The teacher hadn't allowed him to leave the classroom. Not even when he asked for toilet visits. The bell rang. Finally. He grabbed his bag and ran immediately passing by Hana whom he didn't even see. He grabbed his keys and shakily began unlocking the door. "Areum!" He yelled as he finally got the door opened. Fortunately the kids hadn't heard anything as everyone was heading in the other direction. He grabbed his phone and turned the flashlight on as he looked around the room. "Areum!" He said once again

Areum groaned and sat on the floor as time passed. "Hot....it's so hot in here," she said to herself and fanned herself with her phone case. The bell rang and she jumped up immediately. Hearing someone unlock the door, she quickly hid in case it was a teacher. She heard her name get called out and knew it was Mingi. 'This is payback..' she said to herself in her head and jumped out in front of him. "SONG Mingi" she yelled and pulled him in, losing her balance she fell onto the ground and had ended up under him.

It was dark. He wasn't able to see anything, but he heard something. He let out a small scream as he gasped. He held onto her arms as she tripped but wasn't able to hold Himself up. He placed his hand behind her head to prevent it from hitting the floor and groaned feeling the pain in his knuckles. He looked into her eyes and gulped. "What were you thinking?" He whispered looking at her lips for a quick second. He looked back into her eyes and raised his eyebrows. "Aren't you getting up?" He asked pulling his hand from beneath her head keeping it straight. He let his arm slide down his legs and helped her up with his good hand. "We have to stay here for some time." He said then closed the door and locked it.

Areum shook her head. "I want out! It's way too hot in here Mingi" she said hitting his chest. She heard the door close and she whined. "Why did you lock me in here in the first place, I would've taken the detention" she said slowly sitting down on her knees, leaning against the wall. "I was in here fearing for my life because it's dark and hot and some old nasty homeless guy could've been lurking in the corner waiting to murder me" she said while tying up her hair.

He looked at her as she spoke and sighed. "I'm sorry. There was a teacher and I wasn't allowed to leave class." He paused suddenly chuckling at her last comment. "Are you thirsty?" He asked kneeling down in front of her. He grabbed his bag from his shoulder and opened it up, picking a water bottle up. "Here." He said quietly reaching his hand out with the bottle.

Areum sighed out of relief and grabbed the bottle. She took a sip and put it down. "Once I'm out of here, you will end up in a hospital bed" she said punching his arm. Areum stood up and stretched, she wasn't worried about being in the dark anymore knowing he was there with her.

"ouch.." he said holding onto his arm suddenly hearing footsteps outside. He placed his index finger on his lips and looked at her. Seeing them pass by, he sat down next to her leaning his back and head in the wall behind him. "It's hot...." He sighed. "Are you okay?" He asked turning to her seeing her sweaty forehead. He sighed and grabbed his bag again. He grabbed some tissues and a book. "Here." He said giving her the tissues. He held a book in each hand and waved them at her making some air blow onto her face.

"If I...pass out here— you are so going to get sued" she said with a chuckle and felt the air getting blown onto her face. She unbuttoned two of the buttons on her shirt and sighed out of relief. "Holy shit, I'd expect two hundred thousand dollars a year for this school would give you air conditioning, but no that isn't the case," she said wiping some of the sweat off.

"it has. Just not in this unnecessary room." He said sighing deeply. He saw her unbutton her shirt and gulped. "would you mind it if I took my shirt off? I'm really hot." He said as he waved.

Areum shook her head. "Do whatever just don't die here or else I'll get framed" she said taking a sip of some more water. "What was this room even for? Like there's nothing in it, no windows either!" she said looking up at him.

"if I die grab the keys in my pocket." He joked as he put the books down and unbuttoned his shirt. He pulled it off and placed it aside. Grabbing the books again he answered her while waving them. "This room was meant to be the props room, but then... " He Paused and leaned closer to her ear. "Someone died in here." He whispered. "Murdered." He smirked pulling away. His smirk formed into a smile then he suddenly began laughing quietly. "I'm just messing with you."

Areum looked at his upper body and clapped, "Not too shabby Song Mingi" she said looking at him like he's eye candy. When he told her about what happened in the room she froze and turned to him. Hearing his laughter, she took the books and smacked him with it. "You're so annoying, if anyone finds us like this then...it's going to look very weird" she said with a giggle.

"ouch." He said looking at her as she hit him. "I'm trying to keep you alive and you hit me?" He sighed.

"we'll both get expelled. Or... I am... Because this will look like the perfect rape scene." He chuckled. "I've got a few snacks in the bag. Grab some if you're hungry." He said quietly as he stood up and went to the door peeking through the small glass part on it. "It seems like they have left." He said looking at her. He went towards her and reached his hand out to help her up as he grabbed his shirt

Areum stood up holding his hand and was ready to leave without buttoning up her shirt. "What if someone is somewhere out there and sees us leaving together, we're still all sweaty too, come on Mingi look at us. We look like we fucked" she said while cracking up.

He looked at her and tilted his head. "Well... That makes sense." He mumbled putting his shirt back on. "Alright here is the plan." He said pulling her to the door by her hand. "You're leaving first... I'll follow you in ten minutes. I survived this long. I should be able to survive ten more minutes." He smiled. "And if you stay here any longer you're going to collapse." He sighed. "come on." He said unlocking the door after making sure no one was outside. He opened the door for her and smiled. "Go."

Areum gasped and shook her head. "No...Mingi, I will wait for you, don't die I love you" she said in a sarcastic dramatic way, she walked backwards and reached her arm out while calling for him. She then shut the door on him and waved goodbye through the glass and ran to the ladies restroom to clean herself up. She took off her shirt and got cooler then put her shirt on again.