TIME SKIP~NEXT MORNING
~[HAEYOON]
I woke up as I felt the warm sun rays over my skin.
I wasn't in the mood to get up right now because even though my pillow was on the harder side, it somehow made me feel comfortable.
It made me feel warm and protected.
I smiled to myself with eyes still closed as I went on face the other side and that's when a weird odour hit my nostrils.
My eyebrows creased together as I sniffed to recognize the scent.
Men's cologne!?
How tf?
I shot open my eyes as I scanned the room to make sure it was MINE while I stayed rock stiff in my position.
It was indeed my room.
But why is my pillow so tough?
Wait a min.
WHY IS A GODDAMN MOTHERFUCKING HAND ON MY WAIST!!?
My eyes widened in horror as soon as I realized that I was sleeping with someone, a male figure to be precise.
Without a second thought, I punched the chest of the person thinking of him as the intruder.
His arm loosened my torso as he groaned in pain. I took the opportunity to spring up to reach for a pillow ready to attack him, only to realize then who it was.
All the incidents from last night flowed into my mind.
I instantly covered my mouth as I saw him groaning in pain.
"Ah Haeyoon-ah....why do you have that much strength?"
"Oops....I forgot.. hehe..um sorry."
"Ayy it's okay-"
"Hey did you sleep on this bed actually??? For real??????"
"Uh...yes? I did..? Why are you asking though? Wait, what's with that face huh?"
I didn't realise that I was looking like a ripened tomato right now.
"N-nothing. I-its just that uh..-"
"That what? That you're sleeping with a man?"
I briefly took a glance at him before looking down to my lap and chewing my lower lip.
"Yoonie-ah, you said you always considered me as your friend and now you're being shy in front of your friend? Really?" I didn't look up to him but the surprise and disappointment was quite evident in his voice.
"N-no Jeonghan... i-its not wh-"
"Then why are you suddenly being so awkward with me? You confidently vocalized your views about me and everything yesterday and now you're being shy because I hugged you for a few hours? This is not even the first time I'm sleeping on your bed. I know this place as much as I know mine. Tell me, what's wrong?"
For a few minutes I didn't say anything.
It's true that we had sleepovers at each other's place a number of times when we were kids.
But redoing that now, feels a bit awkward to me, to be honest.
We are in our teens and Jeonghan, not gonna lie, turned so much masculine and handsome over the years.
I failed to notice the drastic change in this dumb chick to a gentleman that would make girls drool over him.
Suddenly I heard him speaking as he caressed my head.
"Yoonie don't treat me like a stranger. It hurts a lot, you know? Yeah I know things might get awkward especially after my feelings got unfurled but hey, we're childhood friends on the first note. So now, give me a smile?"
I gently smiled at him.
He's right. We need not be awkward about sudden truth exposure moments.
"That's like a good girl. Now let's freshen up? We're gonna go somewhere."
"Huh? Where?"
"You'll see. I've got a lot to chat with you."
He got up and started walking towards the washroom.
"But we've school-"
"Skip it." He replied applying toothpaste on my brush.
Thank god, I always keep an extra brush with me.
"What! No way! We gotta have the points for attendance-"
"Fuck that. We've scored enough. Now no more excuses." He washed his face for the last time before dragging me to the washroom.
"What?! O-okay fine but tell me where Joshua is at least?"
He sighed.
"He went away after calling a cab and pushing me inside here....for talking...." he trailed off his words as he looked elsewhere.
"That brat-"
"Alright you can curse as much as you want later on, but for now please...get yourself done man!"
"I'M NOT A MAN!!" I yelled from inside the washroom.
"Tsk whatever asparagus." I heard him snicker outside.
...
"So what were you telling me about going somewhere?" I said as I placed a bowl of hangover soup before him.
"Hm about that..." he slurped on his soup "first of all, we're gonna head back to my home. I gotta change and then we can plan out something for the day."
"So it literally means you're asking me out what are you-"
"Hey chill, take it easy asparagus. Eat your breakfast and sort out your outfit first. My planning will be done by the time you choose your dress." He rolled his eyes, "also, mom has been missing you. It's been a while since you came..."
"She is?"
"Yeah..."
"Alright, seems like I have to tag along with you." I let out an anguished sigh.
"Hey why are you making it seem like I'm a bad company?" He started whining like a kid.
"Uh... because you are one...?" I chuckled evilly as I wanted to see more of his childish side.
I picked up the dishes to keep them in the sink.
"Nooo! I am not!" He pouted.
It's cute, not gonna lie.
"Alright, baby carrot will you atleast give me an idea to where we might be going?"
He pretended to think for a while before finally replying, "To somewhere fun, I guess?"
"I hope you stay true to your words, dumb chick." I heard myself say as I walked up to my bedroom once again to change.
...
I checked myself one last time before heading downstairs.
I choose a brown turtleneck sweater with light beige flares and white converse. I was confused as to whether to tie my hair into a bun or keep it loose and after much debate I chose to go with the latter option.
He was doing something on his phone when I reached downstairs.
"Let's go?" I drew his attention towards myself.
"Yup." He slid the phone in his pants' pocket as he grabbed my palm.
My mind glitched so did my body.
I was completely frozen by his action.
"What happened to you now?" He raised an eyebrow as he sensed my body being weirdly stiff all of a sudden.
But I can't tell him what had just happened.
"Ahh..." He realized as soon as he saw our entwined hands.
"Asparagus, I will hold this hand and drag it everywhere with me. Stop overreacting and come." He finally opened the door.
"I'm not an asparagus, you carrot!"
"You are. You are tiny like an asparagus. Bite the wall."
"And you look like a carrot without its leaf!" I ran off.
"Wait what did you say?? ASPARAGUS YOU'RE DONE TODAY WAIT UP!!!" I heard him yelling as I saw him running with an ear to ear grin towards me at full speed.
...
After much bickerings and racings, we finally made it to his house in one piece, luckily.
"Ah Haeyoon-ah! How are you doing dear?" Jeonghan's mom chirped as she opened the door.
"Doing fine so far, Mrs Yoon. How about you?"
"I'm doing great too darling. And aish, why do you still call me Mrs Yoon? Just call me mom, okay? Come in come in!"
I saw Jeonghan going into his room while I waited downstairs chatting with his mom.
Mrs Yoon, was indeed like my mom, caring, understanding, loving and overall talkative.
I remember those days when my mum was sick and I would cry to her and she would sing me a lullaby sometimes in order to make me fall asleep peacefully.
I was trying some of her homemade cookies when I suddenly noticed him coming downstairs. He was wearing a light beige coloured buttoned-down shirt tucked in brown pants paired with black newly polished shoes.
A colour combination pretty complimentary to mine.
I bowed to his mom as I exited the house with him.
I stopped when I saw him getting his car out.
"Uh... we're gonna take the car?" I asked him in disbelief.
"Yes...? What's the problem?"
"I mean, how far are we gonna go?"
"To Busan."
"What!?!!"
"Jeez Haeyoon, I swear I'll have nightmares about your screams from today-"
"I don't care even if you end up stolen. But Busan!!! Why-"
"Because it is our first fun place!! Now get in!"
"And when are we gonna return?" I folded my arms over my chest as I glared at him.
"By evening, if you kindly get in now. Otherwise I don't know when."
"Tsk. You always drag me into your dumb acts. I NEED A BIG TREAT FOR LUNCH!" I said as I got in and adjusted the seatbelt.
"Aight. Roger that madamé aspáragusé~" He smiled cheekily as he started the engine.
I smacked his head one more time before we set off to our "day-out".
Very fun.
...
Throughout the drive he kept on talking about various anime and series he has been watching.
Thanks to Joshua, I had some decent knowledge of anime by now.
Speaking of him, I texted him earlier that I was with Jeonghan so I'll be absent for the day. He left me seen-zoned though.
Weird of him but nevermind.
"Here we go." I heard him say as the car came to a halt.
We got out and walked towards the tiny wooden house that sat on the corner of the pond.
"Wah this house still exists.." I said as we walked inside.
We used to play hide-and-seek in this house and no one stopped us. Some say, the owners had gone abroad, some say, this house is cursed that's why no one lives here. But whatever the reason might be, it used to be the perfect hideout for us.
"Do you think the rumours about it might be true?" Jeonghan asked.
"Maybe, maybe not. Whatever it is but this place is indeed nostalgic-" I stopped midway as I felt something move in my peripheral vision, "wait, what was that?"
"What? What did you see Yoonie?"
"I-I saw something move-"
"Let's get out of here."
"No I need to see what was that!"
"Why! Just come out!" He tried to drag me with him but me being the stubborn, curious brat decided to move the jar to check it.
And that was one of the wrong decisions I took in life.
There sat a black widow, chilling and minding its own business while I screamed my lungs out as I literally climbed onto Jeonghan in fear.
Yes, I'm an arachnophobic.
"J-JEONGHAN HELP IT WILL EAT M-ME-"
"Okay come down now, it's gone."
I opened my eyes to find myself no longer inside that cabin.
I realized my grip and got down, still being embarrassed about it.
"Sorry about that..." I said without looking at him as we walked further.
"That's why kids should not be allowed in abandoned places." I could sense his evil chuckle behind his nonchalant words.
"I-its not my fault if that shit decides to guard that place...." I tried to clarify myself.
"It is your fault. Did you ask its permission before getting in?" He gave justification for that damn spider.
"No but- i-its living there illegally!"
"And you consider yourself to be a legal tenant, huh?"
Are we having a case over a spider now?
"Enough. Do you remember this?" He pointed over to a bridge.
"The water rides..."
"Let's go then?" He asked smilingly.
"No."
"Why?" His voice losing its excitement, "I thought it was your favourite?"
"It isn't the same without her..." I whispered out softly as I closed my eyes afraid that I might break down at any point in front of him.
I thought he would scratch it off after hearing thus but to my surprise he didn't.
Placing his hand on my shoulder he lifted my chin with his index finger as he said, "Yeah, it won't be the same but it won't be too bad. Try taking in new experiences with old ones. She won't be happy when she will know that you're sacrificing every enjoyable moment because of her. Come with me Haeyoon...please?"
I looked at him. Once again he is undeniably right.
Jiyeon won't be happy.
I took in a deep sigh before giving my answer.
"Okay."
Never had I seen him smiling so widely as he almost jumped his way to the ticket-counter.
Is this really you, Yoon Jeonghan?
I chuckled to myself seeing his cuteness.
...
TIME SKIP~6:37 p.m.
As they in his words, I really enjoyed myself today on our day-out.
I got known to his singing skills which kind of took me by surprise for I never imagined his annoying voice to turn so angelic and melodious while singing. He treated me tteokbbokki for lunch as well and right now I'm in his car, heading back home.
I swear, all of the tteokbbokki is gonna be digested while listening to his anime talk at this point.
"Alright, your destination came." He said as he halted the car in front of my house.
"Woah finally, home sweet home." I jumped out of the car.
"Aha now you're saying as if you didn't enjoy your day and the ride~" He said sarcastically.
"Tsk I had doubts on whether I could make it home today or not." I shot back.
"Bleh whatever. See you at school tomorrow then?"
"Yeah bye."
"Yeah bye. Don't be late tomorrow, asparagus!"
"You little-" But he already drove off.
I giggled like crazy as the sweet memories of today embraced me.
Unable to hold my excitement within, I called up that one person who will listen to me.
Joshua Hong.
But surprisingly, he didn't pick his phone up.
Eh?
I rang him two more times.
No response.
What's wrong?
I decided to text him.
Joshua :
Oye
What happened?
Why aren't you picking
up your calls?
Did something happen?
He replied a second later. Strange.
Everything's fine.
I'm busy so I didn't
pick your calls.
I'll talk later.
Bye.
I was kind of bewildered by his curt and short replies.
Did I do something wrong?
But I informed him about not being present.
Did I say something inappropriate last night?
I can't recall anything myself.
Should I ask him?
I was almost about to ask him when I realized he said he was busy so it's not the right time to ping him.
I sighed and just typed him an "Ok."
What's wrong with him now? Gosh, men are so complicated.