BE MYSELF(C1K) - MUSIQ SERIES PART 1

16. A DARKER SIDE

SONG RECOMMENDATION: BLOODY VALENTINE (ACOUSTIC VERSION) BY MACHINE GUN KELLY

Since everywhere was full of staff or trainees, Axel stole one set of keys from a cleaning cart he saw on one corridor and took Heejin to one of the boy's changing rooms, locking it after they were both in so no one would come in.

"Are you okay? She didn't touch you, right?" he quickly asked her and checked on her.

"Yes, yes, don't worry," she answered but still he ignored her and checked if she was hurt anywhere. "Axel!"

"What?" he said stopping and looking at her in the eyes.

"I'm really okay, don't worry." She grabbed his hands and squeezed them. "She didn't touch me. She just yelled."

"You don't need to tell me what happened right now if you don't want to," he told her sensing she was still tense from their encounter. "Just focus on calming down so you can play the next game properly. We can talk about it later."

Without saying anything back, Heejin wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly, listening to his quickly accelerating heartbeat. He was not expecting it and he was so taken aback that he did not hug her back, but she suddenly grabbed his hands and forced him to wrap them around her.

"Please, just for a second," she pleaded as she still hugged him. "I really need it right now."

He could not understand what she meant by that, but he pushed his thoughts aside and properly hugged her, even rubbing small circles on her back soothingly. Although it was uncomfortable at first, he soon melted into the hug and even rest his chin on the top of her head, which she did not seem to mind.

"Sorry, I bet this was uncomfortable for you..." Heejin apologised as she pulled away from the hug.

"Don't be an idiot!" he said with a smile. "I won't deny that it was unexpected, but why would it be uncomfortable? I was raised abroad where hugging others isn't as uncommon as here."

"Oh, you are right. I forgot," she said and giggled. "Anyway... I should get ready for the next game. See you later?"

"Wait! I wanted to talk to you about this morning," he said but her phone rang, interrupting them.

"It's Juiyu, I bet they are searching for me. Let's talk about it later, okay?"

"Okay..." he sighed before leaving.

Heejin directly went to the baseball field, but Axel had to go back to where the cleaning cart was so he could put the keys back where they were. He was glad Heejin did not hate him after the misunderstanding of that morning, but he was mad about not being able to talk to her about it and explain everything.

As he pondered about it, he reached the corridor where the cart was but instead of seeing that there, he was met with a completely different sight: Shin Dara and Joontae were kissing.

Axel quickly went back to the other corridor pretending he did not see anything, but his steps must have been too loud as he heard Joontae speak up:

"I think I heard something."

"Please, tell me you are joking," Dara asked him worriedly.

"I'll check. Wait here," he said and ran towards the corridor where Axel was.

There was no way he could hide and seeing Axel there and not someone else would comfort him even in the slightest, so he just waited for him to arrive and raised his arms in defeat showing him the keys.

"Was it you?!" Joontae asked him shocked. "Please, tell me it was you."

"It was me," Axel admitted. "Don't worry, I saw nothing at all. That is none of my business."