chapter 43
"Wait, take this."
Yoon-ah glanced back over her shoulder. Seojun had to jog a few paces to catch up to her. Then, he pressed a balled mass of black leather into her hands. His fingers, calloused as they were, brushed against hers as tender as the first leaves of spring. "You look cold," the boy said softly. An underlying sense of worry overshadowed the usual brightness in his feline eyes.
Yoon-ah shook her head. "I'm not."
"You're shivering, angel," Seojun said without missing a beat, almost as though he had expected her response. Wrapping his arms around her, he placed the jacket gingerly on her shoulders. His fingers were feathery against Yoon-ah's body, and she held her breath the entire time. "Better?"
"Much. Thank you." She exhaled the moment he stepped away from her. The leather jacket caught faint rays of light, reflecting them into waves of iridescent glint. Somewhere within her, Yoon-ah was glad to have it back. Wearing the jacket held an odd sense of comfort- something she couldn't quite describe in words.
"You lost your chance. I won't let you have it back," she said, with a teasing smile on her lips.
Seojun did not take the bait. His eyes were fixed on the floor again, hands buried in his pockets- an obvious sign his thoughts were troubled. She could tell from his expression that his brain had switched to a different mode, shifting from empathy to emotional indifference in a matter of minutes. "It's late," the boy said, his voice so low that Yoon-ah barely heard him.
"I know."
He finally looked up at her, brows scrunched in a slight frown. "Are you sure you want to see him at this time?" he asked. Just a touch of concern and sadness permeated his voice. He had never explicitly directed his animosity towards her, but she believed it was triggered when he perceived danger, so, if anything, this was a tough extension of his softer self. "You can't be sure what the bastard wants."
Yoon-ah shrugged. "I wouldn't know," she said. "I haven't had a chance to talk to him since your fight."
His thoughts were revealed by a sigh, signaling the turn from reaction to reflection, to pondering over his next words. The sigh that escaped Seojun's dry lips was slow, as if his brain needed that time to process her words.
"Lee Suho. He wasn't- isn't the person troubling you, is he?" he asked tentatively.
"No." Yoon-ah shook her head. "No, it wasn't Suho."
Seojun nodded slowly. His eyes remained fixed on the road, on the exact path Yoon-ah was set to go down. "That's great."
He sounded relieved.
In his own twisted way, Yoon-ah realized that, even though Seojun pretended to hate him, he knew Suho well, and even now, he didn't wish the worst on him. It made her happy. Maybe there was hope their friendship could be rekindled after all.
"So you're just going to talk it out?"
Yoon-ah considered her words for a moment. "I believe so."
Seojun nodded again, his expression becoming more set with each passing moment. "Do you want me to come with you?" he asked all of a sudden. Hope was but a faint glimmer in his eyes. He knew, just as well as she did, that she wouldn't allow another fight between the boys on her accord. Whether it was because he was distrustful of Suho or simply concerned for her as a friend, Seojun was willing to overlook his own contempt for the other boy and accompany her anyway.
And for a moment, she almost changed her mind.
"It's not fair to leave your mother here alone, Jun," she said softly. "She was just released from the hospital."
"I know. I knew that," Seojun said, although the sudden furrowing of his brows told her that he had only just remembered that minor detail. "I could drop her off at home and then take you to the park myself. Perhaps we could stop for snacks en route. What about ice cream?"
Seojun was looking for an excuse to let her stay, and Yoon-ah was tempted to agree. It would be nice if they could forget the past few minutes and she could slip back into her cozy bubble with them. Jukyung and Seojun often made that easier for her. Perhaps that was why she enjoyed spending time with them.
Yoon-ah let out a soft laugh. "It's cold outside," she answered, without much rebuke. "And I've been ignoring his messages for...a while now. He deserves a chance."
Seojun's brows shot up in surprise. Yoon-ah frowned, trying not to dwell on his reaction for too long. There was no use trying to figure out what he was thinking. She would only exacerbate what was already overwhelming. That was the last thing she needed right now.
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow," the boy said slowly. His expression reflected a reluctance to accept that he had to respond to her as a friend would, rather than a ferocious protector. "I'm one call away if he causes you any trouble."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Yoon-ah gave him a wry smile before turning away.
________________________
The breeze carried a faint scent of rain, and the streets were becoming darker by the minute. Yoon-ah released a soft breath. The silhouettes of the trees would soon disappear into the blackness and their shadows would blend into the sky. The view would vanish, and the sounds of the night would emerge. She glanced upward, catching a glimpse of the moon before a dark cloud erased its silver rays. Even the best artists could not capture the majesty of the city at night.
Yoon-ah turned the corner. Across the street was the park. She could only hear the soft chirping of a cricket, along with her own footsteps. It was at moments like these that she regretted not allowing Seojun to accompany her.
Even in the dark of night, the park was still lovely. In fact, if it weren't for her reason for coming here, they could simply wander through the tranquil forest, among the elaborate silhouettes of the trees. There would have been no need for words to be exchanged between them, as usual. They could just enjoy their time together in each others' company. She usually would have liked to have Jukyung join them, but it felt wrong. She wasn't sure why. Yoon-ah wasn't sure of so many things these days, she wondered if maybe she should stop asking questions at all.
Her worn shoes helped her navigate the wet, rain-washed path with ease. Across from her were the double iron gates, small droplets clinging to them as a reminder of the weather that day. She paused for a moment when she reached them, her fingers brushing against the cool metal bars. Her movements were obscured under the darkening sky, only the sound of quiet shifting hinting at her actions. Then, she drew a deep breath and opened the gate, casting a cautious look inside.
There was a dramatic difference between this park and the one she first ran into him in; this one was lush, aesthetically pleasing, and well-maintained. The park was empty except for an odd figure sitting on a bench. She couldn't tell for certain if it was Suho, but who else could it be?
The trees were rapidly turning charcoal and the gray path was disappearing into the night. There was a distinct difference between that day and now, but the atmosphere felt strangely familiar. That night's memory inevitably cut through her mind's eye, sending a chill up her spine. Suddenly, the jacket Seojun had managed to force on her didn't seem like such a terrible idea.
For a brief moment, Yoon-ah considered standing Suho up. Her trip home was about ten minutes across the park, maybe less if she avoided engaging with the boy at all. Yet the manly figure sat motionless under the lamp light, staring at the ground in silence. She wondered how he was able to stay that way for so long.
Yoon-ah finally resolved to leave and pretend she hadn't shown up at all. It was unlikely Suho expected her to. Her high-end black runners would glide over the tarmac quietly and she could easily pass for a university student on their way home after a night out. She would not call his attention unless she stepped on a twig or dried leaf leftover from fall.
So she did. Yoon-ah made a few quick steps in the direction of her house. She didn't mean to stare, but her eyes kept flitting back to the boy. He was so eerily still, so peculiar. When she got closer, she could finally make out his attire in the dim light. His clothes looked prim and proper even from a distance, evidently expensive enough to compensate for their ill-fitting nature. It was Lee Suho, without a doubt. She had known from the moment she first laid eyes on him. There was no one else who could sit alone so comfortably at night quite as he did.
Yoon-ah cursed fervently as she stepped back and turned toward the boy, taking long steps in his direction. The sooner she ended this, the better.
"It's been a while." Suho's head snapped up at the sound of her voice. Yoon-ah leaned back against the lamp post near the bench, which was still a little damp from the pour earlier. "It's a pity. If it weren't for your infamous lovers' spat with Seojun, I would have teased you about secretly dating Jukyung."
"You're here," the boy said breathily, a soft exhale leaving his lips. "I didn't see you come."
However subtle Yoon-ah liked to think she was, it was surprising Suho hadn't noticed her take hesitant steps away, and then before long, toward the bench.
He clearly had a lot on his mind.
Suho twisted in his seat to face her, his arm draped over the metal bench. Lingering mist coated his jacket. Although she hated to think of it, Suho's tone of surprise reminded her of the older boy when she had picked up his phone call. There was almost a sense that he tried to reach out to her, but had not quite expected her to reciprocate.
Yoon-ah grimaced.
For better or for worse, she was full of surprises that day.
Suho stared at her for a long time, then lowered his gaze to the ground. His brows were scrunched together, as though he were contemplating something important. He didn't look back up at her. Yoon-ah considered taking a seat beside him briefly but then decided against it.
There was a moment of tense silence before he spoke again. "I just didn't think you would. Not after-" He trailed off uncertainly.
Yoon-ah pursed her lips, sighing in exasperation. "I'm here, am I not?" she asked. "That should say enough."
Suho turned, his skeptical gaze searching her face. It was almost as if he expected her to add something.
Yoon-ah rolled her eyes. "I'm being nice, Lee Suho. Don't let it get to your head."
"I wouldn't dare," Suho responded. He sounded almost amused. "I am just not sure if I should enjoy it or ask you if you are okay."
"Wow," Yoon-ah retorted mockingly. "It makes jokes too."
Suho looked at her for a moment, then leaned back on the bench, tipping his head to the side. He didn't release his grip on the backrest but his expression seemed to soften tenfold, brows relaxing and shoulders dropping.
Yoon-ah had never seen Suho like that before. He was not...frowning. There was, surprisingly, a slight uptilt to his lips. She blinked. It almost seemed like too much happiness for his normally stoic face to handle. Her disdainful thoughts, however, did not prevent a flicker of joy from burning within her. It was a little strange to see Suho this way, but it felt nice in more ways than one.The brunette cleared her throat, mildly horrified at her own thoughts. She then took a few short steps and sat next to him quietly.
There was a sense that an apology had been made and accepted, though neither had spoken the words out loud. Given their apparent disinterest in uncomfortable conversations, she didn't expect that to happen either. It was nice to finally have someone understand her aversion to certain situations.
"I'm nice, Suho, but I have other things to do," she said out loud. "Don't tell me you just called me to waste my time."
Suho shook his head. "No, of course not. I hate to say it." He paused. "But I think-"
"I didn't know you could."
Suho shot her a sharp look, then sighed in resignation. "Unfortunately, it seems I have a favor to ask of you." He bit his lip as soon as those words left his mouth, almost as if he wished he could take them back, but he continued speaking regardless. "And it might sound a bit outlandish, but it will benefit both us and our peace of mind in the long run."
Yoon-ah arched her brows warily as yet another chirp from her phone alerted her to an incoming text. And a glance at Suho's gleaming eyes confirmed the message was from him. "You're not trying to recruit me for a cult, are you?"
Suho didn't seem to know how to respond to that. That was somewhat reassuring. She held the phone up to her face, peering into the gleaming screen. It hurt her eyes after so much time spent under the dim streetlamp light. She squinted slightly and opened the notification. Two tickets were attached. For the movies. Tomorrow.
Where Jukyung had a date.
That didn't seem good. At all.
She raised her finger in the air stupidly. "Is that why you called me?" the girl asked, staring back at him in disbelief. "To accompany you on this suicide mission?"
Suho nodded, a part of him even looking smug. "It's not a big deal."
"I don't understand."
As strange as it was receiving tickets themselves, the words that followed were stranger still.
"Is it not obvious? I want you to go as my date."
Hearing that stirred up a multitude of emotions in her. At first, she was confused, almost sure he was being funny. She had heard before that Lee Suho wasn't well known for his sense of humor. She understood that now. Perhaps because it involved following his crushes to their dates.
"Yeah, right." Yoon-ah scoffed, trying to remain playful. Suho did not reply, however. He got up from the seat and walked a few paces away from her, hands in his pockets. Her eyes grew wide. "You must be kidding."
"Aren't you worried?" he asked coolly, his dark hair falling into his eyes. "She doesn't even know the boy."
The brunette lift her shoulders in a light shrug. "Of course I am," she replied. "But don't you think following them is going a bit far?"
Suho shook his head, his jaw set. "No. He might try something funny. I want to be close by just in case."
"Sua knows him."
The boy twisted around to look at her in the eyes, his unkempt hair sticking up on his head. Yoon-ah now understood why he had looked so perturbed when she first saw him. "That doesn't help," he said. "You know it doesn't. Otherwise, you would have agreed to it without any hesitation."
His words brought about a strange feeling of disbelief. "You were listening in on us," Yoon-ah accused.
Suho averted his gaze to the ground. "I happened to be nearby while you were conversing. It's not the same," he shot back.
"That's not creepy at all."
"It doesn't matter. That is not even the problem," he replied quickly. Suho still looked agitated, shifting in place as he spoke. "What do you think?"
"What do I think?" Yoon-ah let out a short laugh. "I think you're insane."
Shuho sat beside her once more. He bent forward on his elbows, his eyebrows drawing together in a frown. "I'm serious."
"Suho-" She shot him a look. "You can't mean this."
"What makes you think so?"
"For starters, you are you and I am me. And we are us. You can't possibly be serious," she repeated. "Come on, we can't skip the math olympiad tomorrow."
"I am perfectly serious, Song Yoon-ah."
Yoon-ah blinked. Again. Like she couldn't believe her ears. Song Yoon-ah and Lee Suho at the movie theater. The two of them watching a romance movie together, albeit as a cover. The thought itself was otherwordly. There was no way he was serious. Because he couldn't be.
Another chuckle escaped her lips. "I know you have trouble with this sometimes, Suho, but you shouldn't just make jokes blindly without knowing what's funny and what's not. I'll help you here." She looked at him dead in the eye. "This does not fit into the category of funny at all, Lee Suho."
The said boy frowned. "I already said I'm not joking."
Yoon-ah looked defeated. "I don't understand why you would do this," she said with a sigh. "I get that you like her, but-"
"It's not that," he retorted almost instantly.
"Oh?"
"I'm just worried about her. About Lim Jukyung"
"Right," Yoon-ah drawled, directing a disbelieving look in his direction. Suho continued to gaze at her, deliberately ignoring the sarcasm dripping off her words.
"I don't know why it's so hard for you to believe I would."
Yoon-ah shook her head. "I don't know. Never thought I would be here."
"Here?"
"Yes, here. Spending my evening planning a felony with you, of all people."
Suho did not seem amused.
Yoon-ah sighed, sobering up instantly. If jokes did not break down his resolve, she would have to turn solely to logic, however dull that was. "And if Jukyung sees you?" she asked, sounding as exasperated as she felt. "That would ruin everything between you two."
"Will you accompany me or not?"
"I believe the technical term is 'stalking'." She raised a finger to silence him before he had a chance to speak. "And no, as fun as it sounds, I have other things to do. Things that don't include stalking my best friend on her date."
"Yeah, I'm sure," Suho muttered. He rubbed his hands together almost in frustration. Then he sighed and rose from the bench. "You're right," he responded, adorning the same blank expression as before. "It's a ridiculous idea."
"I'm glad you see things my way."
Suro looked away from her, unimpressed. "You live in this part of the city, right?" he asked. "A few blocks down from here?"
"Roughly two blocks." Yoon-ah tipped her head in confusion. "How did you know?"
"You've mentioned it before."
"What? When?"
Suho pretended not to hear her. "Should I walk you to your place?" he asked instead. "I live close too."
"Oh yeah. I know," Yoon-ah replied without thinking. An awkward silence followed. She knew that both of them were thinking about that night. He had told her his address, wheezy and half-concious the first time they met outside of school. She chose to pretend she had never said anything strange at all. "It's not necessary. I can go by myself."
Suho ignored her again. "Come on, it's late," the boy said as he started down the pathway. Yoon-ah sprang up from the bench and jogged after him. She fell into a step behind him within seconds, the glow of the streetlights falling into her eyes.
She peered at him curiously. "What do you mean?" she mumbled.
Suho shook his head as he spoke, never looking at her. His eyes remained fixed on the road, though his lips twitched up at the corners. "You told me that you don't ride the bus on a daily basis because there is a long walk to the stop, and that your car was giving you trouble that morning, so you had to. Then, I think that was followed by complaints about the public transport system." He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "I only wish I could remember the specifics of what you said."
Yoon-ah felt her cheeks flush red.
She probably had this conversation with him a few weeks earlier, when she was late for first period. There was a problem with her car, so she had to take the bus, which had inevitably added to the delay. Unfortunately for him, Suho sat next to her in class and had been the one to whom she had aired her grievances.
It hadn't occurred to her that he had bothered to listen to her though, much less remember anything she said. As a matter of fact, Yoon-ah had not expected him to be interested in her musings unless they were strictly about schoolwork. Or perhaps his feelings for Jukyung. In fact, she did not think he was concerned about her at all.
This realization was new to her, she wasn't sure how to react to it.