Caught (Sangwoo x Reader)

41: In The Garden

You were more at ease in the garden, Sangwoo found. You would strictly keep to a polite, yet uptight persona while visiting him, but once away from everyone, just the two of them, you seemed calmer, more relaxed. So, Sangwoo mentally noted to find reasons to be in the garden more often.

Sangwoo was currently teaching you how to play chess. You were picking it up rather quickly, eyes flitting across the board and up to Sangwoo's face, then down again to decide the next move. He thought you enjoyed playing; but really you enjoyed beating him. It had already happened twice

"Shall we play again, Sangwoo?" you asked, a slight teasing tone in your voice that made Sangwoo smile.

Of course, you played again. You were getting better: Sangwoo had to pay attention to beat you now. When your piece made the last move and won the game, he grinned up at you cheekily.

"You've done it now, YN; you've outwitted your teacher!" Sangwoo grudgingly admitted with a smile.

"It was not too hard," You said, grinning slowly. "You are getting old, slow and frail in your thirties."

Sangwoo stared for a moment in fake shock, then reached to pat your hand affectionately. You quickly pushed away from the table, tauntingly staying just out of reach. Sangwoo levered himself to his feet, ready to walk again. He loved the time you were spending together. It put him in a space of ecstasy. Then a voice shattered it all.

"Sangwoo?"

Bum's voice was questioning and a bit worried. Sangwoo felt you go suddenly stiff beside him, and he stepped away from you. You jumped back, quickly putting the proper three paces between you and Sangwoo, pasting on the customary slack-faced look that acquaintances wore. Sangwoo felt his heart clench at the sight and moved to stand and move towards you, out of worry, when Bum's voice interrupted again.

"What... are... you doing?" he asked, pushing aside a curtain of hair that threatened to hide his face.

"Walking." Sangwoo said, glancing at you. You didn't move or meet his eyes.

Bum looked disturbed. "But that's... that last... the last girl..."

You briefly looked angered by the remembrance, but quickly schooled your expression back to indifference. So what if you walked with Sangwoo? It was your life.

"Yeah, we, uh, we have something of a truce." Sangwoo said soothingly, still torn between happiness of being with you and sadness at your current state of aloofness. It was if all the progress was being torn up and thrown away.

Bum scratched at the ground with his toes and sighed. Sangwoo wasn't sure if he was supposed to say something to that, so he began to turn around.