✓the three words • kim seungmin

f o r t y s e v e n

edited 28aug21

• chapter 47: come to me

"Are you guys still not talking?"

Hyunjin's question rang in her mind. Hyemi stared at the ceiling blankly while her hand gripped her phone tightly. The screen showed the chat room of her with Seungmin.

She didn't dare to talk to him.

"Both of you are so stubborn."

i know...

She let out a sigh of frustration. How would she do this?

Since the incident that night she grew afraid towards men. Her father slapped her, Seungmin's words hurt her and the things that Jeonghoon had done...

The girl closed her eyes to calm herself from the thoughts. All of this was eating her alive. She pushed away all her friends except Mia, Heejin and Hyunjin. To say she's fine with it was a total lie.

After a few minutes she put away her phone and went to her mother's room. Knocking on the door, the woman hummed from inside.

Hyemi peeked in. Ever since she's discharged from the hospital she was quieter than before. Her brothers tried to play with her but she'd reject it and locked herself in her room. She didn't even talk to her father. In short, the whole family missed the old her.

So when she didn't say anything her mother asked, "Is there something you want, honey?"

She hesitantly nodded.

"Can you... cut my hair short?"

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"Woah."

Jeongin's mouth was agape when the girl sat beside him. He kept staring, and the whole class were whispering, making her feel uncomfortable.

"Can you tell them to not look at me?" she asked while her hands fumbled with her pencil case and books. Her cheeks grew hot and her heart beat rapidly.

The younger blinked his eyes once before realising she was talking to him. With a glare, everyone started to mind their own business. He smiled smugly before returning to her.

"You look.. cute."

Hyemi blushed and she lowered her head more, hiding her face. "Don't say that."

"It's true! You look different but cute! I've always had thing for short haired girl." this made her bang her face on the desk, surprising him. "I- I mean, not you of course! I just thought it is cute. Like you're seeing a child-"

"Stop it." her voice muffled.

"Hehe okay." he giggled. They went silent for a few seconds before she could feel a hand playing with her hair. Hyemi flinched. She immediately raised her head and stood up, scooting away from Jeongin.

Her reaction made him retracted his hand quickly in confusion. Hyemi stared at him with shaky eyes and took a step back before bumping on someone.

Seungmin, who was trying to get out from his chair was a bit surprised when she acted like that. He held the girl's shoulder to stop and and realised she was trembling. Before Hyemi could yank his hand away he dragged her outside.

After making sure they were far enough from the class he stopped and turned to her with a small and worried sigh. Hyemi's eyes looked everywhere but his and her lips were quivering. She wanted to pull her arm away but the guy had slowly pushed her on the wall and rested his head on her shoulder.

The girl tensed up. Seungmin's hand left her arm and held her cheek gently, caressing it.

And slowly, her breathing became normal.

They stayed like that for a few more seconds before be spoke up, "Are you okay now?"

To say she didn't miss his voice was a lie. It was calming, she loved it. Instead of answering with words she nodded. Seungmin smiled even she couldn't see it. Then he faced her, examining her new look. Her long hair was now cut short to a shoulder length hair, making it straight. Her previous was used to be a bit wavy.

He liked it. But he didn't like it when he thought she did it because of him, out of frustration.

"People usually make changes when they are frustrated..." he said as he clipped a few strands of hair with his pointer finger and middle finger before tracing it down. When he reached the end of it he stopped.

A sad smile appeared on his face.

He let go of her and pat her hair lightly, "If you feel better please come to me."

Her chest tightened watching him. She was near to crying when the bell suddenly rang, indicating the first lesson had started. Instead of going to the class, Seungmin went to the other way, leaving her.

That morning he skipped classes.

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"You found out about it."

Seungmin nodded slightly with his hands still hugging his legs to the chest. He looked down to the cement, letting the soft wind blows his hair. "It's obvious."

The taller guy sat beside him. "She told me to check on you."

"I wonder why she only talks to you." Seungmin muttered, making Hyunjin chuckled. "Is it because you were there to save her?"

He sounded so heartbroken and Hyunjin felt bad. "She was afraid of me too actually but I confronted her."

"Lucky."

"Stop acting like you don't own her heart."

The atmosphere became a bit lighter when Seungmin giggled. Hyunjin handed him a strawberry popsicle he got from the café. "Don't stress yourself over this too much, Seungs. She's not Minha. You know she likes you."

"I haven't apologised to her yet. She might hates me now."

"Do you think it's easy to unlike someone? Hyemi's been liking you for almost two years now. You know arguments are normal."

Seungmin remained silent. Hyunjin had talked to him about this many times and probably he's tired of it. Both him and Hyemi were just too stubborn.

"Ask her for a simple hangout tomorrow. That will do."

"What if she doesn't want it?"

"She will," he said instantly. "If she knows how to get rid of her fear, she will."

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