Steps of love ✔

Chapter - 9

Nine

"Good morning P'" I read his text and smiled before repling back.

"Good morning"

Recently Joong and I had been talking a lot. He often asked me about some problems for homework as he was still at university. And most of the time we would talk about work or simply about our families and how much we missed them.

It actually felt nice talking with him. He was altogether different from Earth or Ben but still I felt an unusual comfort with him. And the thing I liked the most about him was that he was not lazy.

He would not give up on anything untill he completes it, be it a hometask or making someone do something. He literally made a customer buy the most expensive drink in the restaurant, where he worked part time to continue his studies. This was the other thing that I liked in him he could work hard.

And still he would put up the most pleasant smile when he meets, even though he is exhausted.

I shrugged away the thoughts concentrating on my work and before even realising it was time to go home. It was 9 already, I had worked extra time.

I checked my phone and saw a line chat.

"P' Nine can I ask you something?" He had sent me a text at 8.

"Definitely." I typed back quickly.

"P' am I really too annoying? " He replied instantly.

"No why? "

"..."

"What happened? Tell me."

My messages were seen but not replied back and I was suddenly worried about him. Obviously. Why wouldn't I be? He was my junior after all and he was a really nice guy.

"P' Can you come and take me home? I am at the city mall." He said

I glanced at my phone, it was 9:05. If I hurried to the city mall I would reach there in 15 mins. Then after dropping him at his dorm I could make at my dorm before 10 or even if a bit late I would still get a solid sleep. I planned everything and took off.

...

I ran to the mall quickly after parking my car. I stood infront of the transparent glass door and called him.

"Where are you?" I asked breathing heavily from all the running.

"Beside you." He said and I looked at my side to see him sitting on the bench. But something was off. The bright smile on his face was missing.

I walked slowly to him and sat beside him quietly. From the way everything was going on I could feel that something was serious.

"What happened?" I asked finally breaking the silence.

He didn't look up.

"My friends and I came to hang out here but they again dumped me. They said that I am not their friend. Am I that disgusting?" He said finally looking up at me with a slight pout forming in his full lips.

I pressed my lips tightly to not laugh. Well it was bad that his friends dumped him and said those things but the way he set everything I had already braced myself for something terribly bad, like some of his family member died or is highly injured, or his girlfriend broke up with him.

I even went that far to think that maybe he has a deadly disease. And also the way his lips pouted it felt like I was his mother and he was a ten year old kid complaining about his friends.

I patted his head and tried to console him.

"You are not at all annoying. On the contrary I think that you are a very nice boy"

"Then why don't I have any friend P'?" He asked with those puppy eyes.

"Who said you don't have any. Am I not your friend?" I said. His eyes suddenly glowed and he hugged me tightly nodding. 

I chuckled at that and hugged him back. He really was a baby.