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Heejin opened the door of the hall, knowing very well that she would find Sieun on his spot.
He was always the first to arrive.
Entering the classroom, just as she thought, she saw him sitting in his seat, looking to her left, a sigh of disappointment came from her lips when she saw Sooho sleeping on three tables and with a blanket on his head. Shaking her head, the brunette walked to her seat, leaving her purse carelessly to disturb her friend with the noise, she took the pack of pens out of her backpack, before walking to the other side of the room.
To Yeon Sieun.
Once in front of his desk, the girl placed the pack of pens on it, causing the boy to look up, serious as ever, but Heejin found that quite appealing. — Maybe you didn’t believe me yesterday, but I’m really sorry. — The girl said, leaving the package and putting her hands in her pockets when she saw the other take the package in his hands before extending it to her.
— I don’t need them.
— Too bad, I need to feel at peace with myself, so this is my way of asking for forgiveness. — Heejin pushed the package towards him, not even bothering to take it from his hands. — If you don’t need them, fine, give them to someone who does, but I’m not going to accept you giving them back to me.
With that, the girl smiled at him making a small bow and turned around, leaving Sieun with his eyes fixed on her, noticing how she reached her seat before starting to touch her friend’s stomach, pinching him to disturb him in his rest and watching him hit the girl’s hand in annoyance as he complained.
Sieun always wondered how they got along so well, at least, how they did after she sent him to the hospital when they met.
He had known Heejin since they were children, but he had never looked at her carefully, at least, he had never noticed how outgoing she seemed to be, she was like a complement to Sooho, yes, he had heard of Ahn Sooho, an outgoing boy, too loud for his liking and who seemed to have no bed because he always slept at school, he and Heejin had been friends for four years, and at this point, everyone would think they were dating, but they always made it clear that they were disgusted by each other if they thought of each other that way.
Besides, if it wasn’t like that, the term “Heejin’s boyfriend” would never have come up, Sieun didn’t hate it, in fact, he didn’t care, but he didn’t like to be told to his face, much less if it came with a touch of joke or malice, he had never seen the girl complain about it, it was as if she didn’t care either, and that’s why he never complained either.
If it doesn’t bother her, it’s because it’s not important, right?
…
— Do you have my t-shirt? — Heejin put the white t-shirt in front of her face, making the taller smile before taking it and leaning over to his friend, taking her head in his hands and leaving a kiss on the crown of her head. She pushed him away forcefully before hitting him with her own T-shirt as they left the room.
— Yah, I’m sorry, it’s my way of thank you you for washing it — The boy complained as he took his shirt and put it over his body.
— I have a better idea for you to pay me… — Sooho stared at her for a second, confused before smiling coquettishly and putting his arm around her shoulders.
— Well, when you broke my nose that day I never got to tell you that you looked hot wit–
—No! God, you’re a creep…— The girl shook her head, hitting his ribs with her elbow, the boy laughed gracefully as he touched his side. — Take me out me to eat, I want meat.
— Ah? You think I’m rich. — The boy shook his head while grimacing, as if her words hurt. — Okay, let’s go tomorrow, I have to do double shift today. — The girl nodded, feeling how Sohoo tensed, making her look at him.
—¿Something hap–
—Do you really like Sieun? — The boy said quickly, looking at his friend as they both arrived at the field. — I’m not judging, but did you give him anything today? Uh… sweets? A letter?
— I just gave him back his pens, sooho. — The girl said, walking towards the teacher. — You’re more excited than I am. Come on, I’ve got to beat your record today.
The boy watched his friend walk away, leaving him behind, until he remembered the question. — You didn’t answer me! You like him that way!?
…
— ¡Yah!
Heejin laughed as she heard Sohoo yelling behind her. The duo was running, competing against each other.
It was no secret to anyone that both were quite athletic and competitive with each other, which is why they had become so close from the moment Heejin accompanied the boy to the hospital when she broke his nose.
The girl raised her arms as she arrived in front of the teacher, causing him to stop his timer, so that seconds later, Sooho would appear and leave a blow on the smiling girl’s head before leaning on his knees.
— Heejin, six minutes and six seconds. Sooho, six minutes eight seconds. — Heejin smiled and patted her friend on the back. — Hey, why don’t you study sports in college? You’re amazing at it.
— It’s not like I’m going to be a star in this. — Heejin said, looking at the professor, closing her eyes a little because of the sun. — Also, they don’t give you scholarships in sports where I want to go. — She finished before walking to the bleachers in a corner to wait for the others to finish the laps the teacher had tell them to do.
A minute later Sooho joined her, one step below where she was, Heejin had taken off her shoes, her feet hurt, the girl smiled before putting these on her friend’s shoulders, he hiss of pain as he leaned on the stone of the steps before taking his friend’s feet, and start massaging them while watching the others run.
Heejin’s eyes were fixed on the last boy in the line of sweaty people running towards the teacher, the girl always considered it somewhat ironic to know that Sieun’s father was a professional athletes coach and yet, he was the one with the worse phisical condition among them.
Although well, maybe he just liked studying more than running through a field until he ended up stinking of pork or something else, in that aspect, Heejin understood it, even though she was really good at sports, she didn’t do it very often because she hated the feeling of sweating, the feeling of sweat dripping from uncomfortable parts, it made her feel disgusted, But she was pretty competitive, in any field, whether it was in school or sports, if someone came along and bragged that could do better than her, oh, there would be problems.
Most of the students had finished their respective laps of the field, and were now sitting in the stands, away from Heejin and Sooho. — Did you see how that idiot runs?
The duo of friends turned in that direction, noticing the group laughing as one of them made fun of Sieun’s way of running, Heejin sighed, feeling Sooho tighten his grip on her feet.
The brunette took one of her shoes before throwing it, with some force, at the group who were laughing at the jokes of the mocking boy, thanking for her aim, she smiled when she saw that the shoe had hit his head.
Everyone in the group immediately fell silent, turning their attention to both of them, Heejin, still with her feet on her friend’s shoulders, waved her hand, beckoning to the boy she had just hit. — Bring it to me.
The boy did, standing in front of Sooho, looking at him innocently, both scanned him from top to bottom, staring at him with selfless eyes.
Sooho, who was closest to the boy, took the shoe in his hand before looking into the other figure’s eyes, swallowing with a bitter taste in his throat, sighing before blurting out his words. —What’s your name?
— Lee Jeongchan.
The taller one looked to Heejin, noticing how she looked at Sieun with watchful eyes before turning her gaze to the scene in front of her. —Learn to shut your mouth, Jeongchan. — The girl smiled innocently, beckoning him to leave the place.
Sooho watched the boy leave, feeling proud to hear his friend’s words as he put the shoe on her foot. — How pretty you look defending your boyfriend, when will you defend me like that–Ah!
…
Heejin’s hands were full.
She had gone shopping, it had taken longer than usual and now it was night and she hadn’t had dinner, so she was a little upset, because the pain in her stomach wouldn’t let her concentrate on anything other than the cold ramen she had stored in the fridge.
Sighing with some annoyance when she heard her cell phone ring, the girl left the bags on the floor, she was about to get to her apartment but if it was her father she had to answer immediately, he didn’t like to be made to wait too long, besides, he was the one who was paying for her food and rent, so it didn’t suit her to make him angry.
Her eyes closed for a moment, wanting to throw away the phone, as she saw Sooho’s name on the screen. — Ah, this idiot, better be important. — The girl decided to answer with a hint of bitterness in her voice — What?
— Heejinni-ah! — Her friend’s sweet voice rang in her ears, making her squint her eyes, frowning as she heard like an echo, she looked to her sides. — Are you at home?
— A few meters away… Why? Where are you? — The girl asked, looking straight ahead, sighing when she saw how many steps she had left to get home and finally eat.
— At your boyfriend’s. — The girl raised her eyebrows, looking at her side, right where Sieun’s apartment was.
— What are you doing at S- just come here sooho, and help me with the bags, please? — The door opened immediately, a smiling Sooho with bags of food came out to hug her friend, squeezing her in his arms, she complained when she felt the force he applied to her body.
— Ah, Jinnie-yah, I’m sorry, I have a delivery to make, just tell me… Where’s building two? — The girl looked at him with disappointment, pointing to the building in front of them, pouting when she saw Sooho smiling and nodding. — Oh, thanks Jinnie, oh… — The boy saw the bags before turning to Sieun, who was standing in front of his door, looking at the duo seriously. — You, dude, help my Jinnie with this, thank you very much, you, goodbye, eat, don’t sleep late.
The boy left a kiss on her friend’s cheek before running out and down the stairs quickly, Heejin shook her head, complaining before putting away her cell phone and grabbing one of the bags before a hand grabbed the last two that were on the floor, looking up, the girl managed to see Sieun walking towards the door of her apartment, stopping in front of it before seeing her.
Heejin caught a second later what his gaze meant, walking quickly, she stood next to him to put the door password after the key, successfully opening the door of her home.
Inviting him in, Heejin walked towards the kitchen, feeling the boy walk behind her. — Leave them there… Thank you.
The girl pointed to the small dining room table, placing the ones she was holding in her hands next to the ones Sieun had left, sighing as she leaned back on the kitchen counter, feeling a glance on her, she looked up, raising an eyebrow at the sight of the serious boy’s eyes on her. — Is something wrong?
— Tell your friend not to come into my house again. — Heejin looked at the boy, she was too stressed to bear such an attitude.
— Dude, you tell him. — Heejin said before taking a glass and filling it with water. — Do you want one? — She offered, raising the glass.
— Also… Stop saying I’m your boyfriend.
The girl almost choked when she heard that, staring at the other with wide eyes before squinting them with some confusion, wiping her mouth with her hand before laughing. — Boyfriend? Have you ever heard me say you’re my boyfriend?
— Your friend says it often. — Sieun said seriously, blinking slowly, looking away suddenly at seeing the girl staring at him. — I don’t like it.
— Well, then again, you ask him. — Heejin said, walking, out of the kitchen, looking at him from the hallway she called out to him. – Good night, ah and… Next time, if you didn’t order food, don’t open the door, it might be a murderer or something. — The girl said, moving a little away from him when she noticed how close he had stood to her, clearing her throat, she pointed to the door, feeling the nervousness of being able to get his nice big eyes so close to her. — Close the door please and… Thanks for the help.
The boy looked at her for a second longer, seeing that mark that she had near her eye, it was a small scar, but it was so small that you could really only see if you were too close, swallowing with some force, he looked away, turning around without saying anything, his body suddenly stopped once he left the house. — Sieun. — When the girl’s voice was heard, he turned around, looking at her carefully. — Your shoes.
Sieun looked down, seeing how she had his shoes in her hand, blinking with some embarrassment, he just took them before turning around again, this time, walking faster, getting into his house immediately, leaning on the door, he closed his eyes. — What’s your problem, Moon Heejin?
…
Heejin clapped her hands after listening to the new guy’s introduction, sighing before leaning back in her chair, closing her eyes before feeling a hair pull. — Ah, Sooho, you idiot, just because I’m using that magic shampoo doesn’t mean my hair won’t fall out.
— Shampoo? Which shampoo?
— Your grandmother gave it to me, rosemary, pretty good, tell her I’ll go buy her another one soon. — This one said, touching her hair, Sooho looked at it too, grimacing before shaking his head, looking at his friend carefully.
— What did you say to your boyfriend last night? — The girl made a sound with her throat as she continue touching her hair. — This morning he woke me up and told me “Don’t come back into my house” then threw my blanket in my face and left. — Sooho pouted, trying to get the girl’s attention to look at him.
— Didn’t he tell you something else? — Sooho made a confused sound and shook his head, leaning in so he could see her face.
— No, I don’t think so… I don’t remember, I don’t even know how I understood what he said, he was half asleep…— The boy touched his head before leaning back in his chair. — Ah, what does it matter, wake me up when the class is over, today I ate pork belly and it made me sleepy.
Heejin nodded without looking at him, letting go of her hair, sighing, shaking her head, and deciding to close her eyes again, trying to get some sleep before her next few hours of study.
Her mother had spoken to her again, this time, on midnight and had kept her awake all night with her incoherences, Heejin was tired.
Sooho and Heejin’s eyes suddenly widened when they heard YeongBin’s voice, noticing how he stood menacingly in front of Sieun. — Can’t this guy stop messing with that idiot? — Sooho muttered, referring to Sieun, who seemed to only be looking at Yeongbin with some boredom.
Sooho sighed, frustrated by his interrupted sleep, before raising his voice, drawing the attention of everyone in the place. Heejin just closed her eyes again, tired and not in the mood to even hear what her friend was going to say, but still, as she sat across from him, he made her listen to every word that came out of his mouth. — Can you let us sleep in peace? Please?
And so, the room fell silent once more before the exit bell sounded, Heejin wanted to stay in place, sleeping and accompanying a sleepy Sooho, but she couldn’t do it, she had advanced classes, and the truth is, the monthly fee was too expensive for her to be absent whenever she wanted.
Moaning softly, the girl stretched a little, feeling how her bones were cracking low, perhaps because of the position she had been in, but still, it relaxed her, bending down afterwards, so that she could take her things somewhat quickly, the bus that left her right in front of the academy passed in twenty minutes, and every hour, so she couldn’t lose it. Looking at her friend almost drooling on the table, shaking her head, she came up to him, stroking his hair. — I’m leaving Sooho-ssi, don’t get into trouble and good luck in your work. — With a small whisper of “fighting” and a small kiss on his head, she moved away from him and left the room.
She knew that Sooho would wake up on his own, besides, he had an hour before his work, if he didn’t send her a message that he had made his first delivery in that span of time, she would call him.
Running to the bus stop, she sighed when she saw how the bus had not yet passed, deciding to sit down to wait for it, anyway, another eight hours of study awaited her.
…
Heejin’s footsteps to the bus stop were boring, the girl swore that she felt like she was going to fall asleep at any moment, however, she knew that Sieun was going after her, and it would be a shame to fall asleep in front of the boy, or in front of anyone you were attracted to.
For Heejin, it was always the same routine, she left her classes first and a few seconds later, the boy appeared walking behind her, it never bothered her, it actually gave her peace of mind to know that someone who knew her saw her up close.
She could be murdered on that street, at least there will be one witness. I doubt very much that Sieun will take the time to go and testify about your death, Heejin. But hey, you have to try not to think about the negative side of things too often, for Heejin, that was a motto, seeing the bad side of everything you do was like cursing yourself without realizing it.
It discouraged you, besides, it wasn’t always all bad, it had to have something good, right?
Once inside the bus, the girl put her headphones in her ears, sitting by a window in the seats near the back door of the vehicle, before closing her eyes, without falling asleep, of course, the girl just tried to rest a little while counting, mentally, the stops that the bus did, feeling how it stopped for a while at number three, Heejin’s eyes widened as she smelled a peculiar smell of alcohol.
A drunk had gotten on the bus. Trying to go unnoticed, Heejin looked at the window, a second later, when she felt a body sitting next to her, she raised an eyebrow, Heejin looked at her side not feeling that suffocating smell of alcohol, surprised to see Sieun next to her, saying nothing, more out of nerves than anything else, both turned their attention to the front, each in their own world.
Why did he sit here? Didn’t he want to let the drunkard sit next to me?
No Heejin, stop fantasizing, maybe he just can’t stand the smell of drunkenness like you do.
The girl sighed, feeling that smell of mint that the boy was flowing, it was strange, it felt like a rather masculine cologne, although she did not doubt that he was, she could feel that he did not match that aroma, she expected something less citrusy from him, but still, it was not something unpleasant.
Sieun on the other hand, swear he had never felt a smell like the one the girl emanated, it was sweet, but at the same time acidic, it was not suffocating, and even though he was quite fussy about strong smells, especially when it came to colognes or perfumes, he could understand that someone liked to smell good, it seemed right to him himself, but smelling good and overflowing with aroma was something very different.
Heejin smelled like cucumber, but not cucumber of his own, it was a sweet mixture of aromas that at the end you could feel a hint of cucumber that was refreshing, Sieun had never smelled that aroma, it was new to him, but what he did know immediately was that he didn’t dislike it, even, he could say that he liked it a little.
At the eighth stop, both got up, exiting through the double doors of the bus, the road was silent and that did not surprise Heejin, what did make her feel a strange sensation in her chest was seeing how the boy did not move away from her side, even, she had stopped to tie her shoes and Sieun walked a step and stopped, he waited as he looked straight ahead, until she was over, and so he walked with her again, again, without saying a word.
Well, none did.
Sieun didn’t feel the need to do it, strangely, he didn’t feel uncomfortable, it was like he was walking home with a friend, although he never really felt that before, so he didn’t really know how to express that feeling, he didn’t feel the need to speak anyway, he was calm and, deep down, he hoped that she was too.
The duo stopped in front of two men, who had blocked their way, the serious look of both of them had caused the two men to shudder a bit with a rather strange look.
They were so young and already scary.
Heejin looked over beside them, clashing glances with another man, maybe older than them, about two or three years old, quite tall, he looked muscular and she was sure that he could give Sooho a great fight.
It would be entertaining to watch.
— We don’t normally deliver this personally, you know, we made an exception, but this will be the last time. — Heejin’s eyes moved to see a white and blue box, with the name “Phentanol” on it, that the boy was holding towards them. That made the girl want to laugh at the foolishness both boys had committed.
The girl looked again at the one in front of her before seeing the man in a corner, smiling with some mockery because they had made a mistake and exposed themseo in a terrible way, nodding to him, she waited for him to understand that he had to stop them. — I told you I was a man.
The duo freaked out at that, both looking at each other for a second before the boy in the blue jacket quickly put the box behind his back, muttering curses.
— Move.
Heejin looked at Sieun when those words came out of his mouth, she was going to say something to him but decided to ignore it, determined to surround the two boys, and when she stepped aside she was stopped by a rather warm hand.
Sieun’s hand intertwined with hers, pulling her towards him as he looked seriously at the two men who were smiling at him in mockery. — Move, you’re standing on the way.
— This idiot, I don’t like your tone, kid, do you want me to hit you?
— Hey, idiot, it’s not that hard, three steps to the right and hide that box, there are a lot of cops in the neighborhood, surely they can hear me if I shout loud enough. — Heejin said, smiling innocently, before her head was overwhelmed, shaking her head in frustration, she was already too sleepy.
— Yah… Your tone is cuter than his, you know? Maybe we could fix this another way so I wouldn’t have to kill you to keep you from snitching on me.
Heejin shook her face in disgust when she saw the hand of one of the men approaching her face, Sieun pulled the girl, leaving her behind him, letting go of her hand before getting in front of her, looking seriously at the two figures in front of him, Heejin looked at his hand when she noticed it moving, noticing how he took out a pen from his sweatshirt pocket, as she listened as the other guy talked about something, which she didn’t really pay attention to, she just focused on that pen.
What is he going to do? ¿Maybe…
When a sound, like a whimper, was heard, Heejin looked up, looking at the scene, one of the boys was shoved out of the way by the man who was on the corner a few minutes earlier, he looked seriously at those who, according to her, were with him, before both teenagers passed their gaze to him. — Go.
Heejin looked at Sieun, noticing how he looked at the other boy with some fury and not moving, not wanting to have any more problems, and with enough sleepiness to get somewhat frustrated, the girl quickly took his waist and pulled him with her, walking away from the place quickly.
The duo arrived at the apartments, Heejin had let go of the older wrist just after they got far enough away from the men, however, they both walked side by side, as before, without saying a single word.
Heejin could feel the tense air surrounding the situation, so she didn’t want to make it even more awkward between them, so she simply walked towards her apartment, however, when she was about to enter her house, Sieun’s voice stopped her. —What days do you go to the intensive classes? — The girl looked at him, tilting her head in confusion at the question, and he didn’t seem to want to repeat it again, so Heejin just sighed, touching her head, as if she was remembering before answering.
— Every day except Fridays. — She informed simply, Sieun nodded, opening the door to his apartment before getting lost inside. — Oh yes, good night to you too, Sieun. — The girl muttered, shaking her head as she opened the door to her apartment.
When the door of Sieun’s apartment suddenly opened, the girl looked in that direction with some curiosity. — Wait five more minutes Monday through Thursday. — was all he said, locking himself back in his house.
It took a while for Heejin’s mind to process everything that had happened in such a short time, mostly in the words the boy had said to her.
Wait five…? Did he just indirectly ask me to wait for him after the classes?
Ending up smiling with some excitement, she jumped a few times before taking a step to enter her house, not remembering that the door, although it was open, was not fully open, so her forehead hit the wood of it, cursing, touched her temple before smiling again pushing her door quickly, she ran inside her house quickly.
She had to call Sooho.
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