𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞!𝐚𝐮) 𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐙

CH. 38 ~ Jealousy

"Hm."

"What?"

"I think you're catching feelings for Seonghwa," Mingi concludes confidently. I look at him with a deadpan expression and he shrugs. "I mean all the signs are pointing towards it. You're awfully clingy with him and he's the only one you spend all your time with."

"Well, you're wrong. We're only friends." Mingi and I fall silent, listening to the melodic chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves as they dance in the wind outside the window. We stay in this comfortable silence a little while longer before we hear two voices speak up from the room a couple of doors down from us. I turn to Mingi who looks at me with just as much suspicion in his eyes. He stands up quickly, tippy-toeing to the set of doors adjacent to us.

"Mingi, what are you—," I'm cut off by his large hand on my mouth in an attempt to shush me. He presses himself against the door, eavesdropping on the people inside that are chatting.

Mingi peeks through the slight opening between the doors, forcing me to squeeze beneath him to have to see. After struggling for a second with crouching under the tall red-head, I finally get a good look at what's going on inside. Through the small opening, I see the large room that I'm guessing is the drawing-room based on the style and size. I can see large pieces of furniture, other smaller trinkets, and flowers decorating the room but what catches my attention the most is the two people sitting on the couch closest to the door.

"My goodness, Seonghwa, you've changed so much since I've last seen you. You've gotten so handsome," Mina gushes flirtatiously. Both Seonghwa and Mina sit with their back facing us, oblivious to the people spying on them. I feel a pang of jealousy seeing them so casually close together, but I'm not sure why. I think I might be overreacting. They're just really close friends. Like him and I are. She's not going to just steal him from me, is she? She can't do that... Can she?

"Oh, um, thank you. I think you look amazing as well," he responds to her, backing away as she scoots closer. I don't know if I'm making it up but I think I can see a slight discomfort from him at the advances she's making. He's even making that awkward, painful smile he does when he feels out of place.

"Ew, are you seeing this?" Mingi whispers to me, a grimace evident on his face as he watches the scene unfold along with me. "That should be me."

"In Mina's place or Seonghwa's?" I ask rhetorically but he actually answers.

"Both." I look up at him, raising an eyebrow, but he ignores me. "We have to help him," he tells me, already trying to think of a plan to save his friend.

"Okay, but how?" I can see the invisible light bulb illuminate at the top of his head as he looks down to smirk at me.

"How good are your acting skills?"

"They're alright, but what are you planning?" Mingi grows quiet.

"Nothing complicated, just improvise with me." He orders, not even giving me time to prepare because at that same instant Mina decides to go in for a kiss. Before she even gets another centimeter closer to Seonghwa, Mingi barges into the room, pulling me along with him. He walks in laughing, faking it so well it almost tricks me. I follow along with him, remembering his order to improvise and slip my arm in his to make it seem like we were walking through the halls arm in arm.

As soon as Mina heard us, she jumps off of Seonghwa fixing the lavender ruffles of her dress and clearing her throat. Seonghwa also jumps a bit as well, turning around instantly to face Mingi and I as we walk in.

"You're so funny," I compliment Mingi, pretending to not have noticed the pair that's sitting side by side on the couch.

"Of course I am," the red-head responds nonchalantly. "Oh, Seonghwa, what are you doing here?" The cook quickly stands up to answer our question but Mina cuts him off before he can utter a word.