Stigma ✔

|10|

Kim SeokJin

We probably stayed in that cafe for an hour or two more before we had to leave. Irene had received a call that Joy was sick and the Unnie side of her surfaced. She had sent her manager home so I offered to drop her to her dorms. She continuously apologized for wanting to leave in rush but I could understand her. I too have six kids to look after at home. Being the eldest is not an easy job.

I take my eyes of the red traffic signal and look at Irene sitting next me wringing her hands together. Her body language screamed that she was really worried and wanted to reach home faster. We are almost near her dorms now.

"Irene-ssi. I am sure Joy is fine. Your members must have called a doctor so please release some of the anxiety. You will drive yourself crazy." I say in attempt to sooth her nerves. Seeing her on edge really made my chest feel an uncomfortable ache.

"Yes, they must be taking care of her. But that's not what I am worried about. Joy hardly falls sick. Only when something or someone really hurts her does she get sick.", she replied, her voice wavering. The light turns green and I start driving.

"Joy-ssi must be a really strong person, is she?" I ask her, trying to distract her. 

"Yes, Joy is very strong. Whenever we share our problems she never lets out completely. Her personality is very unique. Usually she is really bubbly and cute but when she gets serious about something, she literally scares away people. Last time it was the poor trainees." She said, letting out a small chuckle. Bingo. 

Who knew making a person smile feels so great?

"Ah really? That's good." I say smiling as I park the parking of her dorm. "Cha! Here we are. Now you can go and make sure if your member is good."

Relief on arriving at her dorms is crystal clear on her face. "Jin-ssi. Thank you for dropping me home and trying to distract me from worrying too much. Yes, I did realize it! Also, thank you for being so understanding, not only for this situation but for everything" She turns in her seat and bows to me in gratitude.

"No! Irene-ssi, no need to thank me for so many things. It's fine. I did whatever I could. I had fun today too. Please take care of yourself." I told her.

"No wonder people call you 'Manner-man', Jin. You certainly live up to that name." Irene probably wanted to say that in my mind but she blurted it out. She realised she said it out loud and her face turned red.

Aishh...she is too cute.

Wait what?

"But there is one thing I do not like about you." I say suddenly with a straight face.

"What- What is it?" She stutters in shock. I stiffle a laugh on seeing her expression.

I lean foward towards her till her face is almost a plam-length away from me. This move seriously backfires on me because she doesn't move back like I expected her to, instead she froze in her place.

Whatever words that were going to come out of my mouth died the moment her face filled up my entire vision. Her eyes wide, lips pursed, skin glowing even in minimum lighting and the tip of her ears are slowly getting red.

For a moment my mind became blank. People were right...her visuals are no joke. She is beautiful, in fact more than me. World Wide Beautiful title should belong to her...

Suddenly I snapped out of it and in an attempt to salvage what I could of the situation, I said. "We agreed to be friends, din't we? Then lets drop all the formal speech okay?"

At that she snapped out too and her cheeks became even more red. 

"Ahhh..Ye-yes. Ofcourse. Let's do that." She said before quickly saying, "Okay now I will get going. Please drive back safely. Bye!" She opens the door and is out of the car before I can even say 'Christmas'. 

My 'bye' dries up in my mouth seeing her run towards the elevators and getting in it.

Only then do I realise two things.

Firstly, weirdly my heart is beating too fast. So that fast that it almost feels like its gonna burst.

Secondly...I couldn't even get her number.

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Daily update up right here as promised!

If there are any grammatical error then please don't mind them. I will be editing the chapters soon.

Thank you for reading!