I didn't realise Soobin and I had came home on a Sunday night because now, I was sitting down on my seat in my Geography class with everyone around me either not paying attention or only daydreaming. I looked to my right to see Harin with a defeated look on her face as she raised her eyebrow and tried to figure out what the teacher was talking about whereas I was part of the daydreaming group.
I was forced to go back to school because I had a lot of work to catch up on even though I had tried to plaster on my best puppy dog eyes, my father was still able to resist it. I sighed, resting my chin on the palm of my hand as I watched my Geography teacher stand in front a chalk board and started writing down some notes.
"I would like you to copy these down," Mrs Jung announced with an innocent smile on her face but her eyes told us something different. "If you don't, you'll be staying in 'till it's all copied down and trust me, there's a lot of notes."
Everyone around me groaned in annoyance, including Harin as they all started opening their books up slowly, dreading every single minute. I looked around, quickly realising that I hadn't seen Soobin at all even though all of his friends were present. Maybe he was just resting at home after the long trip, I mean I wouldn't blame him since he dealt with so many things when he came with me to visit my mother but after what he had said about who his parents were, I couldn't help but question his presence in this school.
I mean he could've went to a better high school or even did some home schooling.
"Aera you better start copying these notes down or the demon over there is going to keep you in," Harin whispered as she tapped on my wrist, bringing me back to reality.
I quickly nodded and started doing what I was told to do.
**********
"Jun, where's Soobin?" Harin asked, capturing my attention as I quickly looked up and shifted closer to Harin who was busy resting in Yeonjun's arms.
Classes had gone by so fast as if it went by in a blink of an eye. We were now in the parking lot with kids swarming around, chatting loudly with their friends and couples, sucking each other's tongues as if thinking it was okay to do those type of things in public. I mean it was but not with a lot of people around.
"Apparently, he called in sick or something," Yeonjun answered, kissing Harin's forehead as she melted in his arms.
I couldn't help but smile at the two of them before moving away to give them some space. I sighed, crossing my arms as I leaned against Harin's car and looked up to the bright blue sky that was patched with plain white clouds that looked as soft as a white fluffy pillow. My mind wondered to the small memories of Soobin and I when we were little kids, a wide smile appearing on my face.
"Long time no see, Aera," a familiar voice said as I felt a presence beside me.
I looked to the left and saw Taehyun smile at me, showing off his pearl white teeth. I returned his smile. "How are you, Taehyun?"
Taehyun scoffed and removed his eyes from mine as he trained it on ahead of us where a group of girls were huddled together and busily taking photos of him. He sighed heavily, crossing his arms as a smile settled on his lips and gave me a sideway smile. "Well, without you and Soobin here, it's been astonishingly quiet."
I laughed. "Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?"
"Well, when it isn't loud, they," - Taehyun pointed to Yeonjun and Harin who were both making out, making me cringe - "get all up in each other's faces which is kind of disgusting."
I let out another laugh, relieved as I felt a heavy weight get lifted off my shoulders. "I'm sure it's very disturbing."
"The next day after you and Soobin had left, we were all at Kai's house to hangout," Taehyun paused with a smile on his face. "And Harin and Yeonjun were actually on the couch, about to do it."
"That's disgusting, Taehyun."
I looked at Harin who were laughing at one of Yeonjun's jokes as he looked at her with confusion on his face but I knew deep down that he loved and cared for her very deeply, his eyes softening significantly at Harin's bright smile.
I wondered if she was a virgin.
I must've said it aloud because Taehyun had given me a reply. "She is."
My mouth dropped open as I covered my mouth in embarrassment, nodding in response whilst looking away.
"Aera, let's go to Soobin's house to see what he's up to," Harin suggested before getting into her car, turning on the engine.
"We'll meet you there," Yeonjun announced, taking Taehyun by the wrist and dragging him to his motorcycle.
"I still don't trust you with these things," Taehyun replied with a sigh before taking a helmet that was offered by Yeonjun who only punched him in the arm lightly with a chuckle.
I quickly got into the passenger seat in Harin's car as she suddenly reversed out of the space she parked in and quickly drove out of the school parking lot at full speed as I prayed that Jiah didn't see this.
A comfortable silence settled in the atmosphere as I let my eyes wander outside, the trees passing the car in a blur then suddenly, my beautiful sight was interrupted by a motorcycle with two, leather jacket gentlemen. I rolled down my window and laughed as Yeonjun was concentrated on the road as if hoping to beat Harin who was now driving unbelievable fast, my hair getting caught up in my mouth. My eyes landed on Taehyun who's arms encircled Yeonjun's waist, eyes shut tightly as his lips moved as if saying a prayer.
After a few more minutes of driving, we finally reached Soobin's mansion, thanks to Harin's incredible speeding. I got out of the car to only find Kai and Soobin positioned in front of the big, black gates that caged Soobin's home. I raised an eyebrow, bemused as Kai was saying something using hand gestures whereas Soobin's face was blank. I arched an eyebrow as my eyes studied Soobin's figure, he looked okay, not sick or anything. I looked at Yeonjun who looked at me with a shrug as if he didn't know what was going on.
As the group got closer to the pair, Kai immediately shut his mouth as Soobin's eyes travelled along the group before landing on mine. I frowned, not liking the tense atmosphere as I took a step forward, expecting Soobin to take a step forward as well but instead, Soobin took a step back and gave me a cold look, not the look or stare that would send me six feet underground but a look that told me to not come any closer.
"What's going on?" I asked, turning to Kai who scratched his neck nervously.
Before anyone could answer me, someone grabbed my wrist and turned me around as I now stood facing a chest. I arched an eyebrow and looked up to see Taehyun, looking down at me with a blank facial expression, his hand behind my head to keep it secure from turning. I heard Harin gasp and Yeonjun who immediately stood beside Taehyun with a reassuring smile on his face that had confused me even more.
I sighed, hating the feeling of being left out as I stepped out of Taehyun's hold when the pressure on his hand that was positioned behind my head was weakened and quickly turned around, my jaw dropping to the ground as the air was slapped out of my lungs. I cleared my throat as I watched a dirty blonde haired girl, buttoning up her shirt as she casually made her way past Soobin and Kai, also past us as if we were invisible to her. Anger boiled in my veins but pain ached in my chest as I clenched my fists and plastered on my best blank facial expression, not wanting to show any emotion.
I looked behind to see Yoojin fixing up her skirt and making sure her hair was okay before turning around and giving Soobin a thumbs up then craning her head towards me, giving me a smirk. We watched her get into her black BMW before driving off without a word said to any of us. I turned my head back towards Soobin as he was staring back at me, still holding a blank expression yet his eyes told a different story. Regret. I looked around Harin, Yeonjun, Kai and Taehyun who were all staring at me, expecting me burst into tears or go ballistic but I didn't and that was because he wasn't my boyfriend.
I felt my cheeks heat up, my palms getting sweaty as the pain in my chest still existed. My stomach churned as I bit my lip before letting out a pained, fake smile, tears already threatening my eyes. "Well, I've got to go. Come on Harin, Appa and Jiah are probably expecting us to be home now."
Harin quickly nodded, taking out her car keys as she quickly pecked Yeonjun's lips before dragging me away from the heavy atmosphere, one that I couldn't breathe in. Just as I opened the passenger door, I turned around and gave the boys all a little wave before getting into the car, slamming the door shut and mentally thanking that Harin had tinted windows because a tear was already sliding down my cheek. I sighed in relief, taking in all the oxygen around me as I looked at Harin who was looking at me in concern.
I only gave her a fake, reassuring smile.
"Drive like you've never had."
Harin let out a light laugh and squeezed my shoulder lightly before turning on the engine as it roared alive then she pressed her feet onto the gas pedal, making everything around the car a blur once more.