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When you cease to dream you cease to live
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"Heeseung!?" Ji-eun's head snapped in the direction of where multiple persons shouted the name.
Sunoo, Ryuza and Chaerin were all looking at him in disbelief. Ji-eun knew why the two girls were staring at him and also knew why Sunoo was shocked. He had been best friends with Heeseung when he was in Icheon.
"How- I-", Ryuza started off at a loss of words. Both Chaerin and Ryuza knew exactly what went down between Ji-eun and Heeseung and though they weren't really happy with the way the friendship with Heeseung and their best friend ended, they still couldn't find it in them to truly hate Heeseung. He was just a chill, cool boy after all.
"Sunoo??" Heeseung's voice cracked, knitting his brows together at the sight of Sana's boyfriend who looked happier than ever to see his long distance best friend.
"Jeez dude! How long has it been?" They made their way over to each other, sharing bear hugs with each other.
Whilst Sunoo and Heeseung were bonding in the back row of the auditorium, Ji-eun was now sitting in between Chaerin, Ryuza and Sana. Jay and Jake were busy with their attention elsewhere, sharing glances at Sunghoon and Heeseung.
"He's...here? How..?" Chae started off, holding Ji's hand tightly in hers.
"Ah...he's leaving soon so he wanted to clear things up and drop by, you know?" The girl answered bravely, stealing a glance at him from behind her shoulder. He was smiling while conversing with Sunoo and he didn't look so down anymore like how he was with Luna.
"You don't still like him do you...?" Sana questioned hesitantly, a look of uncertainty mixed with concern sealed in her eyes.
"What? Of course not! I've been through this already, maybe not with you Sana, but with them." The girl sighed, pointing at Ryuza and Chaerin, her eyes fixed on their unreadable expression.
"After we 'separated', I had explained to him what my true feeling were for him and how I saw him not as a lover but a good friend..." Ji tensed up a bit due to her talking about this out loud where anyone could hear, especially Jake or Jay who were next to her.
"Are you happy about where you are right now?" Ryuza leaned away, slightly turning her head in the direction of the end of the row.
"Yeah. Why?" Ji was filled with confusion but answered truthfully.
"Yeah well somebody else doesn't look really happy right now.." Ryuza trailed off, undeniably pointing over at Sunghoon in a subtle manner. Ji-eun's head snapped back in the direction where Sunghoon was, eyes coincidentally locking with his for a few moments before Sunghoon tore away.
"Awwww the poor boy is jealous." Sana pouted, looking over at him too. Chae's head followed behind Sana'a, creating a slanted line of heads which were all faced in the direction of Sunghoon.
"Princey boy looks really sad right now." Chaerin continued, her tone weak and in a forced whisper.
They weren't wrong. Sunghoon was indeed a bit saddened at the fact that he somehow felt like he would never be able to be anything more with Ji-eun after seeing her with Heeseung. He felt like he had been shown up, put down, deeper into a hole of insecurities, which meant he felt like wasn't worth the time for Ji-eun. Just by looking at Heeseung he could tell the dude was a very nice person and he was undeniably handsome too...but not as handsome as Sunghoon himself.
"I can't believe I'm getting jealous over this." Sunghoon whispered to himself, pressing his thumbs against his temples, covering his face with his hands.
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"See you guys later.."Ji-eun waved goodbye to most of her friends, watching Sana, Sunoo, Chae and Ryuza leave the school grounds. The inter school activity was finally over and it was a bit past 4 in the afternoon. The unbothered girl was sitting on a concrete bench, waiting for her father to come pick her up when she noticed Sunghoon. Something inside of her was telling her to get up and walk over to him, to explain her friendship with Heeseung. She didn't understand why she felt the need to do so, but after hearing her three best friends say he was 'jealous' she felt bad.
She sucked in a deep breath, hoisting herself from off the bench, casually striding over to the lone boy in silence but suddenly was halted in her tracks when she saw an unknown figure wrap its arm around Sunghoon, pulling him into a tight hug.
Surprised, Ji-eun stopped her feet from moving her forward, observing the pair in front of her with many questions running loose in her puzzled mind. Who's she? Why is she hugging him? Sunghoon never mentioned having a girlfriend to her so she was very confused.
"Hoonieee? What are you doing?" The girl spoke up, pulling away from Sunghoon but her arms were still wrapped around his waist. Ji couldn't exactly see the expression on his face due to that fact that his back was now facing her but she was close enough to hear what they both were saying.
"Hoonie?" Ji-eun muttered under her breath, furrowing her brows together. Her lips were formed into a thin line as she looked at the two. She didn't know if it was right for her to interrupt.
"Why are you here, Heeseol?" Ji-eun was surprised at how cold Sunghoon's tone was as he questioned the girl.
"Why? Can't I spend time with my lover?" The girl continued, intertwining her fingers with Sunghoon's.
"Look—" Sunghoon started off but wasn't given the chance to finish his sentence due to a loud excited yell erupting from behind him, which was in Ji-eun's direction.
"OI JI!" Was all that she heard, making her head slowly and maniacally snap back to face the person who called out to her.
The girl bit her bottom lip, slightly irritated over the fact that Jake had announced her presence to everyone including Sunghoon and Heeseol. "What?!" Ji mumbled in a low yell, glaring at Jake who was now looking at her with puppy eyes.
"I- I was going to ask you if you knew where Sunghoon was but I found him. By the way, why are you just standing there?" Jake spoke to the girl in a tranquil tone, pausing, he leaned forward, cupping his hands around the girl's ear. "Why stand there? Why not talk to him?" He whispered out to her, making her flinch by the sudden hotness of his breath that brushed against her ear.
"Can't you see he's currently with someone else." She retorts, whispering back to him, afraid to turn around and look at the pair.
"Oh-" was all he said, raising up from his leaning position, looking over Ji-eun's head at Sunghoon. Jake combed his hair back with his fingers, letting out a minor sigh. Unpredictably, Jake grabbed Ji-eun's wrist, gently pulling her to him as he made his way towards Sunghoon and Heeseol. Ji-eun was definitely surprised but his action but didn't resist. She wanted to see who the girl was and why she acted that way towards Sunghoon.
Ji had her eyes fixed on the floor, looking down at the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with Sunghoon but Sunghoon on the other hand was shocked. His eyes were slightly widened at the sight of the girl in Jake's hold. Catching himself, he untangled his fingers from Heeseol's hand, pulling away from the pushy girl.
"Ji-eun.." He whispered under his breath, easy enough so that only the girl would hear. She raised her head up by the sound of his voice, trailing her eyes over at him before letting it fall on the girl beside him.
"Heeseol." Jake exhaled dully, looking down at the girl with a frown. "Taehyun is looking for you."
"Oh...? Tell him I'm coming in a sec-"
"Now. You have to go now." Jake stated, releasing his hold from Ji-eun's wrist and putting it on Sunghoon's shoulder, pulling the boy away from Heeseol.
"Dude Tae's here. We gotta go but..." Jake started off, his eyes trailed down at Ji-eun before flickering back up at his best friend.
"Fix it." He mutters to Sunghoon before slinging his hand over Heeseol's shoulder, dragging the girl along with him. Ever since Sunghoon had broken up with Heeseol he knew something was wrong, very wrong between his best friend and Heeseol but never once questioned it because he was afraid it might cause problems.
Jake had left with Heeseol and now it was just Sunghoon and Ji-eun all alone together. Sunghoon's thoughts were plagued with both Ji-eun and Heeseung. He was overthinking about the fact that Heeseung had seemed so close with her and also because she saw him with Heeseol.
"Sunghoon.."
"Ji-eun..."
They both called out each other's name with define emotion laced in their words. Sunghoon's voice was low, soft and calming while Ji-eun's was gentle but serious. They were both standing there, immersed deeply in each other's gaze, unaware of the rest of people around them.
Ji chuckled out awkwardly, gesturing for him to speak first. "Did you see—?" He lowered his head down to the floor, rubbing the back of his neck. The girl knew exactly what he was talking about and simply answered with a small yes before questioning him more.
"Why? Is there something wrong?"
"Ji...I-" he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to clear his thoughts so he could freely speak to her.
"It's okay. You don't have to explain." She explained dryly, playing with the hem on her sleeve as she looked into the boy's eyes.
"You don't have to tell me who she is.." she forcefully chuckled out, drawing her hands closer to Sunghoon's but stopped herself from holding it to feel his warmth.
"But—" Sunghoon started off but Ji interrupted him once more. "Look here Princey boy, there's no need to feel bad. She's your friend, not mine, so you don't have to explain. Whatever you have with her is your business." Ji-eun concluded, stuffing her hands in her pocket, feeling for her phone.
"Also, I just wanted to let you know, Heeseung's leaving for Japan on Saturday and he won't come back. Sunoo and the three of us are going to see him off, you can come if you want."
Heeseung's leaving? So he's not going to get back together with Eun? And I'm jealous over this!? Aish, Park Sunghoon you really are an idiot! But now she thinks me and Heeseol has something going on... Sunghoon couldn't help but curse himself in his thoughts. Though one problem was now fixed, the remaining one was with him and Heeseol. How was he going to explain it to her that he wants nothing to do with that girl?
"Oh.." was all he managed to say to the girl in front of him. Now, truly having some clarity, he felt much more at ease. The feeling that was dwelling deep inside him whenever he was alone with Ji-eun ended its dormant reign and was now welling up more inside of him.
Deep down he knew what he was feeling but a part of him was still in denial and was also scared.
"Dad? Oh..okay I'm coming!" Ji-eun's excited voice chimed in the air as she ended the call she was on, now turning to face Sunghoon. "I gotta go, my dad's here. See you tomorrow hoonie." The girl teased, sticking out her tongue before running off.
Sunghoon felt his cheeks heat up due to the nickname she called him by. Whenever Heeseol called him that he was annoyed and disgusted but hearing that same word escape from Ji's lips made him happy. The boy buried his face in his hands, a broad smile forming on his lips. After the entire day of feeling down, he now felt like he was in the clouds.
He removed his hands from his face, his now cherry red cheeks visible to others. He ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling it in the process due to how happy hearing that word from her made him feel.
Whilst Sunghoon was going crazy over that, Heeseol was actually in a corner, spying on his every move.
"So she's the witch who took him away from me..." Heeseol scoffed, flicking her hair over her shoulders, walking away with a scowl on her face.
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A/n
Guys I'm really sorry it took me a while to post this chapter. School is just way too much for me right now and I hardly get extra time to relax but....I'll manage. I'll try keeping up my consistency with posting but hey, DAMN WE'RE AT 262 READS!
Thank you for reading. Commenting is appreciated <3
I'd like to hear your thoughts on the story so far.
But then again I really hope I'm not prolonging this too long...uk-
There will come a time when they confess. Lol sorry I like slowburn romance that's why it's taking them so long to confess cuz yk we need that build up 🤌✨
But I'll try not to make this boring.
Okay that's all for now. Goodnight/Good morning/ Good day?
Stay safe and healthy! <3