After what had happened, neither did my father or Jiah tried to force anything out of me which I was grateful for because I had already informed them that I wanted to go back to my mother's house just for a few days. After I blurted out my plan, my father was a bit hesitant on letting me go and Jiah had only said that my father was worried about me and so he wouldn't let me go that easily. I nodded, giving him time to think about my decision. It was a few days now since I had told them my decision yet I still have not received an answer. It was really making me anxious.
It's a Tuesday now as I was sitting with Harin in Geography at the back of the classroom as I watched her put both of her arms on top of each other and slapped her forehead on it, knowing that she was going to fall asleep any second now. I only sighed and waited for the teacher to prepare herself but the moment the boys walked in which consisted of Soobin, Yeonjun, Taehyun and Kai, the class stifled into silence, holding a breath in. The boys decided to settle down in their usual seats which were also at the back of the classroom next to Harin and I.
My heart started to increase its beat at the sight of Soobin, remembering how he and Harin had found me at a nearby park. I was absolutely horrified at the thought of no one being able to find me but they did. He did. And I was thankful. My cheeks began to heat up when Soobin took a seat next to me, immediately lifting his legs up and placed it on the poor, small table.
The class began to chatter again after letting out the breath that they had been holding onto, some shifting their eyes in our direction and some whispering too loud that everyone could hear. In the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Soobin's eyes, observing me as I sighed and focused my attention on the plain chalkboard, trying to ignore his stares because I knew that if I made eye contact with him then I'd probably melt.
Not much happened in Geography except for the boys playing around and interrupting the teacher's lesson which had earned many annoyed glances from other students who were eager to learn, including Harin who had woke up way too early this morning and did not want any loud noises while she slept. I, on the other hand, was distracted, wondering whether my father will allow me go to my mother's or not. Soobin was busy staring straight at the world map that was stuck on the board by the teacher, his eyes were distant as if something was on his mind.
Morning classes went by pretty quick and by the time I knew it, it was lunch. My favourite part of the weekdays. Most students headed towards the cafeteria to grab something to bite but the group and I went to the football field and sat ourselves down comfortably since we packed our own lunches. My eyes glazed around the green field, quickly spotting cheerleaders not far from us, practicing their routine as my eyes quickly landed on a pale girl just standing in front of the cheer squad, shouting out steps with her red hair bouncing on her shoulders.
I smiled at the memory of me in my old school, before I moved here obviously, as I remembered how I was part of the cheer squad but was always placed at the back for my mother couldn't really afford anything. And apparently, to be part of the cheer squad over there, you had to be filthy rich and have brunette hair but I was just one of the few lucky ones. I was recognised by the coach because apparently, I was really flexible.
"Is Beomgyu on your mind?" Harin asked, bringing me back to reality as she nudged me on the shoulder whilst wiggling her eyebrows.
I gulped and felt a blush appearing on my cheeks as my eyes darted around to see Soobin looking at me with a blank facial expression, obviously hearing in on our conversation whilst Yeonjun and the others were busy talking about some other things that seemed really important to them.
I shook my head and smiled. "I was just thinking of my old school."
Harin's eyes widened as she crossed her legs and turned her body towards me, seeing the curiosity consume her. "You never talked about your old school. How was it like there?"
Being part of the cheer squad wasn't so nice, for me. Typically, being part of the cheer squad would only raise your popularity but for me, being known as the girl who really couldn't afford anything and with a 'broken' family, I was just a normal school girl. Of course, rumours were spread everywhere but it didn't seem to faze me because I had already been through so much worse at home with my step father that I'd rather be at school than at home.
"It was a good school," I half answered truthfully with a small smile. "I was actually part of the cheer squad."
Harin's mouth dropped open as her eyebrows formed together, her eyes staring into mine as if searching for any lies whereas Yeonjun and the boys stopped talking and turned their bodies around and faced me. In the corner of my eye, I could see Soobin raise his eyebrows a bit, his eyes burning with curiosity. I gulped at the awkwardness and bit into my sandwich as Harin used her hand to tell me to go on.
"It isn't like the cheer squad over here and I don't really want to talk about the past," I said quietly, shrugging since I didn't bad memories to flow into my mind.
Harin and everyone else must've understood because they continued talking and eating whereas Soobin folded his arms across his chest and stared at me. But this time, I gathered up my courage and turned to face him, looking straight into his eyes as his lips started to form into that smirk of his which had a smile tickle my lips.
"I can't believe that," Soobin said, the four words that I did not expect.
"Believe it Binnie," I replied with a wink which had him get caught off guard.
I did not know what I had just said until everyone looked my way as I replayed the words in my head. Binnie? A blush of embarrassment crept onto my cheeks as I tried laughing it off as Harin only smiled and shook her head in amusement, continuing on her conversation with Yeonjun.
Not only did Soobin's smirk form into an adorable smile, but how his eyes softened and a flicker of recognition sparked in his eyes before disappearing a second later, the zoo erupting in my stomach. I arched an eyebrow and he only shrugged before he leaned forward and ruffled my hair as I punched his arm for messing it up.
Soobin's smile dissolved as he rubbed his arm, "violent woman."
I flipped my hair and placed my nose in the air as I heard him chuckle, making my heart pound really quickly.
**********
"Aera!" my father shouted from downstairs as I groaned, placing my pen down and looking at the time just above the right-hand side of the screen of my Macbook. 9:30pm.
I made my way downstairs, wrapping my Adidas black and white jacket around me tightly to keep me warm. I walked into the kitchen to see Jiah standing behind my father, both of her hands placed on his shoulder lightly as wrinkles were visible on my father's face. I leaned against the kitchen counter, bemused, waiting for him to say something. In the corner of eye, I could see Harin in her pink pyjamas with a glass of milk heading upstairs, oblivious to the heavy tension between my father and I because I didn't tell her about my plan yet.
"Aera," my father started sighing heavily. "I've thought about this and I decided that I would let you go for a few days."
I bit my lip from smiling as my heart increased from excitement but the hesitant in his eyes told me that there was a but.
"But..." my father paused, looking up at Jiah who squeezed his shoulders tightly and nodded. "Someone is going to have to go with you. Someone who I trust and someone who I have known for a long time."
I arched an eyebrow. "Appa, I'm not going with a friend of yours."
My father shook his head. "No honey, I mean Soobin."
I choked on my spit as my eyes widened at what he had just said. My mind started whirling with questions like; how and why can my father trust Soobin? Long time? Does he mean the times he caught Soobin doing something bad? I bit my lip and looked straight into my father's eyes, bags visible under his eyes as I could see the seriousness in his facial expression. I looked around the kitchen for a few minutes or so, sighing heavily before nodding in approval. "Fine."
A smile lit up on my father's face as he sighed in relief, Jiah clapping and whooping before shutting herself up just in case Harin was asleep upstairs which I highly doubted. I kissed both of my father's and Jiah's cheeks goodnight before heading back upstairs and into my dark room, laying on the bed as I stared up at the dark ceiling before I started to feel a familiar pair of eyes on me.
I lifted my upper body part up and looked at the window sill to see a figure making their way towards the lamp just on my desk and turned it on, revealing Soobin in an all black outfit. He has a smirk spread across his face before making his way back towards the window sill, preparing to jump off. But before he did so, he turned his head to the side so that he could see me.
"Get ready for a road trip baby cakes, it's going to be fun," he said with amusement laced in his voice before jumping into the darkness as I sighed.
I mean, it's going to be okay right?
He won't be that bad right?
Soobin won't be annoying at all.
Jokes, who am I kidding? This is Soobin we're talking about.
I am so not prepared.