Rivals | Jaemin

chapter 29

Yeona stood tall in front of the 9.

"Although this apology is very long overdue, we want to formally apologize." Suho began.

"We are sorry for injuring your members, and for attacking and putting your mafia in danger in order to take Yeona. And Yeona, we're sorry, for everything. Ayeong deserved better, she deserved to live and we could've stopped that, we're sorry."
Suho apologized sorrowfully.

Yeona felt like breaking at her name but she kept herself together.

"We want to make a truce, to be ally's, not rivals."
He stepped forward.

"We'll swear to never put your members in any danger, and we will stay loyal to this promise. We will leave your group in peace, and go on our own journeys."

He held out his hand to Yeona, Yeona looked down, she raised her own to complete the handshake.
She felt safe to finally smile, she smiled down at their hands, she was finally able to live.

"Thank you." She said with a soft smile.

"Thank you for forgiving us." He replied back.

Being that it was finally the end of all the chaos, the two groups split, to their own doings.

Yeona sat in the car still reminiscing about what had just happened, it felt really like a dream.
She felt a pressure on her the back of her hand, turning to head to Jaemin realizing him resting his hand on her own. He was looking out the window, ignoring her but she could see the sly smile on his face.

She suddenly flipped both of their hands so that his were laced on hers, catching him by surprise his eyes darted down looking at their hands. He proudly let out a large grin as he turned back to the window.

They all safely returned back to the base.

"Oh my god, Yeona." Karina exclaimed as Yeona walked through the door, she brought Yeona in for a large hug, Yeona stumbled slightly before hugging her back.

"Everyone is ok right? Are they dead?" Karina asked as she pulled from the hug.

"No actually, they're not dead. We made a truce to continue in peace." Yeona answered, Karina exhaled out of relief.

"Oh thank goodness." As she held her hand to her chest.

Out of the corner of her eye, Yeona noticed Jaemin suddenly walking off alone, concerned, she followed.

"I'll be right back." She says before following behind him, he walked into his room shutting his door. Yeona cautiously approached it knocking.

"Jaemin, are you ok?" She asks. Then the door opens revealing Jaemin with a large grin plastered on his face, grabbing her arm as he pulled her inside.

He then blocked the door with his body, Yeona backed away worried.

"What're you doing?" She asked.

Jaemin then joyously hopped towards her.

"Nooo what are you doing?" He asked happily extending the "you" in his sentence.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you follow me to my room? To check on me?" He asked while teasingly swirling his finger in front of her face.

"Shut up..."

"Oh oh and why did you willingly hold my hand in the car, hm?" He asked playfully. Yeona didn't reply as she was too flustered to even say anything, she just crossed her arm turning away to hide her flushed cheeks.

"Nam Yeona~~" Jaemin teasingly sang her name extending the "a" sound in her name.

"It didn't mean anything..." Yeona muttered quietly.

"Doesn't mean anything? I'm hurt.." Jaemin jokingly held his heart in "pain" at Yeonas rejection.
With his tongue poking at his cheek, he maneuvered his head to keep eye contact with her, whenever she tried to look away.

"Yeona."
"Hm?"
"Do you like me?"

Her heart rate increased at the sudden question, she looked at him with wide eyes.

"I don't know..." She replied quietly. She had never thought of it that way, but now that he brung it up, she considered. Maybe she really did like him but tried to deny it all along.

"Oh, sorry then, for asking.." Jaemins face dropped, he looked away in defeat, worried he made her uncomfortable.

"But... I don't know, yes? I just never thought of it like that but, I mean, yea sure, I like you?" Yeona said, more questioned. Jaemins mood lifted tremendously as he widely smiled.

"You like me?" He rephrased.

"I-I don't know, sure? I mean yea, I gues-"

"OH MY GOD REALLY?!" Jaemin shouted in excitement making Yeona look at him weirdly.

"Yea, really-" In a burst of happiness Jaemin pulled Yeona into a tight hug, catching her off guard her hands awkwardly patted his sides.

Jaemin pulled from the hug as both his hands rested in her shoulders.

"Can I kiss you?"

Yeonas eyes widen as her mouth went slightly agape.

"KISS, what, kiss?! You want to k-kiss me? Like actually kiss?" Yeona stumbled through her words as she tried to clarify what Jaemin just asked.

"Ah ah, sorry, sorry, too soon? Yea i'm sorry about that, haha. Um." Jaemins face filled with regret realizing he must've made Yeona uncomfortable with his sudden question, he was just too happy finding out his crush liked him back.

"I'll go now, sorry."

Jaemin then left the room somewhat sad and disappointed and annoyed at himself for speaking out his stupid inner thoughts.