Array
(
[text] =>
Sooho’s hurried steps caused him to leave behind the group that was with him —Sorry, I’m late! — He apologized with several bows to Ms. Shin.
It was the part-time job that generated the most for him, but also the most exhausting, that was why he really wasn’t very happy to miss a day of work, he knew it wouldn’t matter because he wouldn’t get fired, but he would lose money for that missed day.
Heejin smiled when she heard Sooho say that, bowing as well when she fully entered the restaurant, when she saw Sooho exchanging a couple of words with the owner of the restaurant, the girl waved at the woman, smiling at her, earning a smile from her as well.
Heejin used to go to the restaurant often, mostly when her mother came to disturb her house, when she was knocking on her door or ringing the doorbell, the girl only decided to take her coat, phone, some money and her keys before leaving the apartment, practically fleeing from what would be a family altercation. — I was late for work because of you, so if you want to eat, you’re going to have to earn it.
— Ah, and he still wants me to pay. — Heejin muttered when Sooho said that, grimacing at the same time, moving her helmet in her hand, remembering that it had some wounds in it. — Hey, but Sieun and I are incapable. — The girl showed her hand, looking at Sieun so that he could raise his hand as well and play along, which he didn’t, he just looked at her with a serious expression, as always.
The girl smiled, it was funny to see his expression, it was as if he was sleepy all the time, even his eyes looked bored, or tired.
Sooho looked at them, complaining before nodding, pointing behind him. — Ah, well, just yesterday I put together a new first aid kit, go to the bathroom and bring it, heal the kitten’s hand too, it looks like he’s about to scratch me. — He finished, making a sign with his hands, as if he had claws and was showing them.
Sieun was just looking at the scene with a serious, bored expression, actually, he was annoyed, because he didn’t like to skip his classes, much less for things like going to eat somewhere with noisy people, and boy, that couple of friends was noisy, even when they were on motorcycles, they were shouting things at each other. —Ah, you’re a disgusting boss, come on kitten, before he force us to work wounded.
Sieun felt how his hand was taken gently, he would have pulled away and refused her help even left the place, but the girl’s soft touch made him feel a little dizzy, it didn’t bother him, he didn’t feel uncomfortable having physical contact, and he didn’t know the reason, that was one more thing he didn’t know why he felt so good, so he just avoided saying a word when she touched him that way, anyway, he didn’t know what to say, or what to do, he would just let it be until he could find the reason for his sudden change.
Heejin took Sieun to a table once she found the aid kit, they were near the bathroom, she didn’t want to disturb the other customers, she was afraid that Ms. Shin would be upset if she did.
Settling into her seat, Heejin picked up a small cotton ball, trying to put some hydrogen peroxide without throwing the entire jar on the table. She was nervous. — Okay, give me your hand, it’s going to hurt a little, but I’ll do it quickly. — Sieun nodded, putting his hand on the table, almost jumping as she placed the cotton on the wound on the back of his hand. — sorry. — She murmured, however, her attention was focused on cleaning the boy’s wound, which was somewhat altered, making a lot, she decided to look for something to cover the wound and thus prevent it from becoming infected with something.
When she found a bandage, the girl looked at it, causing Sieun to stop looking at her hands to see her eyes, which were looking at the bandage in her hand, starting to unroll it and cut it a little. — Do you know how to put them on?
The girl looked at him, nodding. — I used to spend a lot of time tending to wounds. — She muttered, moving so she could take his hand again. — Believe me, there’s nothing I know how to do better than heal wounds. — She smiled, ready to start wrapping his hand gently. — Tell me if it’s too tight.
Sieun nodded, however, his attention was not on the tightness of the bandage, more on the girl’s long eyelashes, and how she stuck out the tip of her tongue, is it a habit she has when she concentrates or does she just do it without thinking? He didn’t know it, but there was something about that act that made the boy feel a warmth in his ears, which is why he decided to avert his gaze before the heat spread across his face.
Nerves? Was that what I felt? Why did I get nervous? Just to see her face?
Sieun blinked hard, trying to push the thought away in his head before the girl muttered that she was done.
Looking at the bandage in his hand, the boy moved it shortly, noticing that it was not at all uncomfortable. That just meant that the girl had done a good job. —You can go help Sooho now. — She smiled, looking at him.
He wasn’t convinced, not when he noticed the scrape on her hand too, it was bigger than the one he had, but the girl didn’t seem to care about it. — You need help too.
The girl blinked at his hand, moving it a little, nodded, and then saw the boy in front of her. — Oh yes, I’ll do it, don’t worry. — Sieun didn’t say anything, just looked at her silently. Heejin didn’t know the reason for that, but her nervousness didn’t let her think much, so, taking the bandage in front of her, she stretched it out to the boy. — Oh, do you want to do it?
Sieun raised his eyebrows slightly, he wasn’t really expecting that suggestion, and maybe, deep down, he wanted to do it, maybe that’s why didn’t got up from his seat when the girl told him he could leave. — I don’t know how…
The girl smiled, for the first time, she had heard that word from him, “I don’t know” wasn’t something Yeon Sieun would say, at least, not in his day-to-day life at school, and Heejin had liked that, someone else might have tried and failed in the process, and it wasn’t bad, of course, you try, you fail and you learn, it was the motto of life.
But for someone like him to accept that he couldn’t do something, made Heejin feel her heart beating harder than it was already beating. — Do you want me to teach you? — The girl waited for an answer, seeing that indecisive look in his eyes, smiling, she came closer to him a little more. — Come, come closer. — The boy hesitated a little, but accepted, bringing his chair closer to the girl’s, who put a hand on the table. — I’ll do this hand and show you, so you can do the other, okay?
Sieun nodded, listening attentively and watching as she cleaned and bandaged her own hand and when she finished, she showed it to him, like someone showing a trophy, with a proud smile. — Understand?
Sieun looked at the bandage in her hand before seeing the girl, nodding, smiling, Heejin put her other hand on the table, facing him, somewhat excited by the interaction she was having with the boy.
Sieun on the other hand, was nervous, he didn’t know the reason either, it was as if he was going to take an exam on a subject he had never studied before, he didn’t want to make mistakes, but deep down he knew he would. So, with somewhat trembling hands, he took the bottle of dioxide, beginning to clean the wound just as she did with him.
Come on Yeon, it’s not that hard, it’s like wrapping a delicate gift, right? Yes, think that.
Sooho looked at both of them, hoping they hadn’t run away, he knew that they were both very capable of doing so, more than anything Heejin, she was able to leave and call him when she was at her house with some excuse. But when his eyes stopped on the table at the back of the place, the boy swore that if he could hear Heejin’s thoughts right now, he would be hearing screams of excitement.
He could see how the girl looked at Sieun, every move he made, which Sooho thought looked absurd, the girl looked at him almost with admiration, she, in fact, was not seeing the boy, she was admiring him, the small nervous smile on her face gave her away, besides, it was Sieun, for Heejin, maybe every gesture he managed to show would be like the best view.
Teens. Sooho said to himself, smiling after seeing his friend that way, mostly because the boy didn’t seem to be pushing her aside. Fucking lucky. The boy narrowed his eyes as Sieun seemed to be trying not to hurt her, no more.
Although deep inside, Sooho wondered if Sieun had ever noticed how Heejin looked at him, the girl had had a weird crush on the boy for a while now and everyone knew it, but Sooho really didn’t like him, not because he was jealous that she liked him, nothin to do with it, he always saw Heejin simply as a friend, but he saw her too fixated on the boy who barely spoke to the world, when she was the complete opposite.
She was like a little puppy, cheerful, with quite a lot of energy, who would always be doing something stupid, and you would easily like her, Siuen on the other hand, looked like a black cat, surly, he was always calm, he stayed at his desk all day and easily scared those around him, they were totally different.
Like good and evil, but in this case, Heejin would be evil, that idiot…
Sooho knew that if the guy really opened up to the girl, they would both make a nice couple, they were different and that was a good combination in his opinion. Maybe that was the reason why the girl never caught his attention in the romantic aspect, although he admitted that she was cute and if it were in other situations, maybe he would ask her out. But Heejin was like a mirror to him, they were so alike that he was even afraid of how annoying he could be to others.
He didn’t even know at what point the two became friends, but he really appreciated it, Heejin was the best friend he could have asked for, and he knew that she appreciated him just as much, and if not, then go to hell.
The couple at the table were still busy in their worlds, Sieun in the girl’s hand and Heejin in Sieun’s concentrated face, to say that she didn’t like him was lying, she did it, oh yes, but just thinking about taking a step terrifies her, at least, before she saw that there was really nothing to fear with him.
It’s just a boy, Heejin. Yes, a handsome guy who looks embarrassed by everything you says and does and with an intellect superior to yours.
— I think I did it wrong…— The boy’s murmur made her come out of her reverie, noticing the bandage that Sieun had finished making, which, although it was not badly done, was not the right one for that kind of wound.
Intellectual, Heejin.
She smiled, raising her hand, waving it before she saw him. — I think… You should stay with your studies…— Heejin smiled at him, looking into the boy’s eyes to notice that he was already staring at her, Heejin had noticed that, more than anything that day in the cafeteria, how he would suddenly look at her and stay like that for a long time before sighing and looking at his food without saying anything.
This time, the girl did it too, finding courage in her nervous system, she stared into his eyes for a few seconds before they went down to his cheek, noticing that there was a small scratch near his right eye.
Heejin’s hand went up by inertia, touching his warm skin with her cold hand, which, without lying, made Sieun feel chills all over his face, more than anything, seeing that look shining in concern in her eyes.
He hadn’t seen that view in a long time.
His eyes only widened a little wider than usual, but it didn’t let go of the girl’s brown eyes, which went down from his pupils to his wound and so on a few times. — How did you do this to yourself? Hm…— Heejin muttered, looking away from Sieun’s eyes and looking for some ointment that might be useful to him. Reading the one she found in the box, she nodded. —Come, it says it will help it not leave you with a scar.
Sieun just felt the girl approach him, instinctively, he put his hand near her hip as he saw how she sat on the edge of the chair, the hand was there, however, he didn’t touch anything because he wasn’t sure if he should or not, it was like insurance, he didn’t want her to slip and fall, and if she did, he might be able to avoid it.
Heejin could feel the warmth of Sieun’s hand even though he wasn’t really touching her, she smiled a little as she felt nervous about it, much more so because he didn’t take his eyes off her.
Those big, pretty brown eyes were making her more nervous than she should have. And it wasn’t because she was totally crazy about the boy, but Sieun’s eyes were extremely charming. Just like those of a kitten who wants affection.
— Done. — The girl whispered to him, realizing how close they were, the girl’s hand was still on his cheek, his hand was even closer to her hip, brushing against her clothes, Sieun could swear that his hand felt even hotter at the touch of the fabric of the girl’s shirt at that moment, and he didn’t know what would have happened if a yell hadn’t made them separate.
— Hey, birds in love, get to work, kiss at home!
Heejin jumped at her friend’s shout, cursing him a little, immediately Moving away from Sieun, when the girl’s eyes collided with Sooho’s, she could see him smile wickedly to make a sign, that he needed help in the kitchen. — It’s so annoying.
Heejin heard Sieun, who had gotten up to start walking towards the tallest, say as she walked to the bathroom to leave the aid kit where she had found it.
Annoying? Sooho or the situation they had found themselves in?
…
— Now, let me sit down, I want to eat.
— You’re not done.
— It’s your job, why do I have to do it? Besides, I’m going to pay for your dinner. — Heejin kept arguing with Sooho, they were both in the back, sorting out some things, however, they were already upset because they were hungry, and when they were hungry, there was no one to make them say nice things.
— You just want to go sit with your surly kitten. — Sooho laughed, making a duck’s mouth as he teased his friend, watching the girl run her tongue inside her cheek.
She decided not to say anything, throwing the rag she had in her hands, hitting him in the face before walking towards the exit of the place. — Ah, Hee, don’t be angry, fine, I’ll take you home tomorrow, okay?
— I don’t want you to take me home, what’s more, don’t even get close, you’re banned. — Sooho let out a big gasp, dramatizing the situation, which the girl found amusing, which didn’t last when Sooho sat down in the chair next to Sieun, she looked at him with narrowed eyes, grasping the reason why he had done it, before snorting and looking for another chair.
Sieun saw how the girl was going to sit on the chair on the other side of Bumseok, taking one that was next to him, the boy caught Sooho’s attention. — Can you step aside? — He asked, making the taller one, confused, but obeyed, seeing how he put the chair between them. — That side is hot from the grill. — Sieun said, touching the chair before returning to his meal.
Sooho and Heejin shared glances, she smiled proudly at him before walking and sitting next to the boy, she took her chopsticks, before a ball of lettuce was placed in front of her, she knew who was responsible for that. Sooho was the only person she knew who made that mess with food. — Open up, say “Ah”
Heejin looked at him with some displeasure, but that was something she wasn’t going to deny him, not when she was so hungry, so the girl opened her mouth, she’s smiling with an idea, when the boy’s hand was close enough to her mouth, she bite, making Sooho push his hand away quickly. —Oh shit. — The boy complained, hitting his knee with Heejin’s, who laughed, trying not to choke on all the food she had in her mouth.
The remaining duo looked at the friends with some amazement, seeing how they both easily chewed the large piece of food in their mouths, who after prompting Bumseok to do the same, Sooho goaded Sieun, who refused, still with that aura of an annoyed cat and annoyed by the environment he was in. — Hey, no one has ever regretted listening to me.
Heejin shook her head with a smile, deciding to make a small lettuce bun for the boy, she looked at him before seeing Sieun. — Open your mouth, taste it. — The girl brought the food to his mouth, Sieun, without much question, opened his mouth, letting Heejin put the food in it, when the boy’s lips closed, she left a touch with her finger on them before returning to her food.
Sooho looked at that, squinting at the shorter one before smiling, feeling how comfortable the atmosphere was becoming. — I know, I’m an astronomy expert. — Sooho said proudly, everyone turned to look at him, making him confused.
-Gastronomy.
— What?
— It’s gastronomy, astronomy studies the stars. — Sieun and Heejin explained to the tallest, who only stared at them with his mouth open for a second before shrugging his shoulders.
— I’m not interested, it’s not like I’m going to study something related to that anyway, I’ll just enjoy it. Food and stars, good combination… Oh, when will I have a girlfriend to dinner under the stars?
Sieun could hear Heejin answering her, prompting Bumseok to make fun of the boy as well, he just laughed, which made Heejin laugh more heartily seeing how awkward he looked, Sooho complained as he continued eating, and for a moment, Sieun didn’t feel uncomfortable, he didn’t know if it was because of Heejin’s presence that made his stay in that hot place not so strange and that he didn’t feel like leaving, or if it was because he didn’t want to look like a killjoy and leave without explaining.
Or maybe not wanting her to go home alone after that made him stay in place, but what he didn’t understand was why it didn’t bother him to have so many people around him, all talking at the same time, creating a rather noisy environment around him.
Maybe he was just putting up with it. Maybe he just wanted to get out of the rut, but he never could, not when he knew he’d have to do it alone, but now he didn’t seem to be, and if he was honest, he liked it.
The table vibrated, Heejin felt that movement, looking next to her to see Sieun taking her cell phone, she could notice how his expression changed drastically, although there was not much change in his features, she could tell that something did not please what he had read. — Everything is fine?
Sieun looked at the girl, who had a small stain of sauce on her nose, he looked at her for a second before nodding, returning to his food, Heejin smiled, eating eagerly, she was going to pay, she had to enjoy it, her eyes went down to Sieun’s hand, which moved to her side, seeing how he left a napkin next to her plate, her eyes were still fixed on his food, as if it didn’t even care about it.
Heejin looked at the napkin again before going back to the boy, not understanding, she just saw how Sieun put his arm close to his own nose, just like that, as if he was getting rid of the itch from it before eating again.
Heejin thought for a second before taking the napkin in her hands.
Do I have something in my nose?
[text_hash] => 8f45b213
)