♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ :Chapter fourteen: :;
"I looked. He was already staring"
Engrossed in the creative process, Binna skillfully applied paint to the canvas before her, manipulating the brush over its rough yet durable surface. Momentarily, she gathered her long hair into a ponytail to prevent it from interrupting her work. Upon stretching, she noticed that the room was now empty, with everyone else having departed, leaving her in solitude. Releasing a tired sigh, she rose from her seat and untied the apron secured around her slender waist. Grasping her book, she exited the room to partake in her midday meal.
She frequented a preferred location for her midday meals, situated at the corner of a local store where she sought solace and tranquility while engaging in reading or drawing activities. Being a loyal patron of the establishment, it was customary for the small shop's owner to recognize her, thus ensuring that her special area was consistently set aside for her exclusive use.
As she gazed into the book, her eyes landed on an image that evoked memories of the first time she experienced true happiness in the company of another individual, a person who held a special place in her heart - Yi-chan. Unexpectedly, her attention was diverted as a young man approached her and placed a juice on the table before her; though a stranger to her, he offered a warm smile before taking a seat opposite her.
"Drink it" He smiled "You must be thirsty without a drink. You don't have to be so alarmed. I didn't put poison in it. Just relax and..." Binna, without letting him finish, grabbed her book and quickly exited the store, feeling uncomfortable and stalked "Wait, hold on" He hurriedly reached out to grab her arm to stop her, causing her to flinch in surprise "You go to that art academy there. Right? I see you often because I go to an academy nearby, too"
She placed an earphone in her ear in an attempt to continue walking, however, the boy continued to obstruct her path, causing annoyance and frustration. Nevertheless, it also sparked a sense of unease within her regarding the potential consequences of the boy's persistent efforts to elicit a reaction from her, despite Binna's desire for him to cease all contact.
"I'm an 11th grader at Dongwon High. And you're an art student at Seowon Arts High— Hold on, hold on" He quickly moved in front of Binna to prevent her from walking away "Would you like to talk at a quiet cafe if you're free? I'll get you a parfait. To be honest, you're exactly my type"
Binna made another attempt to bypass, but the young boy swiftly seized her arm and firmly propelled her back to her initial location. In that instance, a myriad of emotions swept over her, leaving her in a state of uncertainty regarding his next course of action. She had undeniably succeeded in provoking the boy, and there appeared to be no possibility of retracting from the impending repercussions.
"Hey! Hey. Do you think I'm a joke? Why do you keep ignoring me?" He forcefully pushed her shoulder, causing her to flinch in surprise and horror "Just tell me if you don't want to. Why do you keep ignoring me like that?" He cornered her against the wall with frustration, indifferent to the pain he was causing her
"Fuck you" Binna retaliated with venomous words, defiantly displaying her middle finger in a fearless manner. Her voice hid the fear and concern that overwhelmed her
"Are you serious—" The young man gazed at her with intense fervor, prompting him to raise his hand in the air. Binna shut her eyes tightly, bracing for impact, but it never came. She cautiously lifted her gaze to witness the sequence of events taking place, attempting to discern the reason behind the boy ceasing his assault on her. Nevertheless, to her dismay, she only witnessed a second boy who seemed to be signaling to him about her hearing disability
With trepidation, Bina averted her eyes, her fear escalating as the boy unexpectedly snatched her earphone and shouted unintelligibly into her ear. Incapable of hearing his words, she found herself pushed back against the wall as she attempted to flee. Her astonishment peaked when Yi-chan suddenly materialized, firmly grasping the boys by their ears and forcefully pulling them away from the scene.
There was a sense of routine in his constant arrival to come to her aid once more. Nevertheless, she found herself pondering the reason behind her overwhelming joy upon seeing him.
With discretion, she had been discreetly shadowing the group of boys from a distance, observing their every move with precision. Clutching the book firmly in her hands, Binna watched as Yi-chan reprimanded the boys, disciplining them by hitting their heads with his shoe. She remained still as their eyes locked, feeling a brief moment of bewilderment before seeing Yi-chan pivot and deliver a powerful punch to one of the boys, causing him to fall to the ground.
Binna quickly exclaimed "Ha Yi-chan!" without hesitation, releasing the book from her hands and immediately rushing towards him with the intent of taking him off the boy
- -
Binna found herself facing an officer, feeling uncertain about how she had landed herself in such a predicament. Her only desire was to return home, yet it appeared that departure would not be permitted until she had made contact with her father - a notion she firmly rejected. She was steadfast in her refusal to succumb to the possibility of suffering at the hands of Ji-mi, and was determined to evade it by any means necessary.
"Aren't you done writing yet?" The police officer in front of her exclaimed sternly, tapping the table to get her attention "Hey, you can't be like this. You don't want to contact your parents and don't want to write about what happened. You can't be so uncooperative"
Beneath his scrutiny, she experienced profound embarrassment, however, she remained steadfast in her decision not to collaborate if it required implicating her father in the situation.
Shortly thereafter, the police officer seating in front of her rose abruptly, prompting her to pivot and observe the unfolding events. It turned out to be Yi-chan's grandmother, who had adeptly deceived their way out of the challenging predicament.
Binna expressed profound gratitude for the assistance she received in extricating herself from a difficult situation. However, despite this help, the dynamic between Binna and Yi-chan remained strained, evident in their avoidance of eye contact. This tension did not escape the notice of the elder, who observed their behavior with keen interest.
"Come and eat at my house since we got to meet like this" urged the woman as she gently grasped the hands of Binna and gestured with her own hands
"Thank you for rescuing me from this predicament, but I must leave before my father gets angry," Binna declined with courtesy before bowing and proceeding to get into the passing taxi without looking back
On the contrary, Yi-chan struggled to divert his eyes from Binna; she exuded an enchanting charm that completely enthralled him. She sparked a range of feelings in him, making him long for her acknowledgement once more.
In what manner was it possible for her to elicit such a strong emotional response from him, only to follow it with hurtful words that appeared to hold no significance? Her behavior displayed a level of rudeness, cruelty, and lack of empathy that was difficult to comprehend. The impact of her words on him was akin to a sharp piercing of the heart.
Could it be that he liked her?
Yes...
I like, Binna
No...
I'm in love with Binna
Author's note;
This story is nearing its conclusion, and though I am not quite ready for it, I am eagerly anticipating its end 💀 I hope you are all prepared for the upcoming chapter that awaits!💕