𝕃𝕖𝕥'𝕤 𝕨𝕒𝕚𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕤𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 | Sunoo x Reader

Chapter 4- Lies on top of Lies

You opened your window. It was Summer, but this Saturday day seemed colder. Sniffing, you closed the window and splashed your face with cold water to wake yourself up. It was time to get ready.

***

The iPhone rang, and suddenly your room was filled with the gentle music of your ringtone. You picked up your phone.

"Hello?" A bright voice sang out to you from the other line.

"Sunoo!" You replied.

"Do you wanna go grab a snack?"

"Yes," You nearly shouted through the phone.

You loved food. Your favorite motto was: We eat to live, but mostly, we live to eat.

"What about Gamja Hot Dogs? Does that sound appetizing?"

"We literally had that last week..."

"Fried chicken?"

"That sounds good. Should we order take out or walk?"

"Take out."

"Lazy pig," You teased.

"You were going to say the same. I just beat you to it."

You ignored his comment.

"Where do we meet?" Sunoo asked.

"Your place," You answered automatically, "My mom is fighting with my father again."

You could hear the shouting of your parents from the floor below and you hoped Sunoo couldn't hear them... it didn't really matter anyway. Sunoo already knew what went on in this house.

"Ah... I see. Why don't you just come right on over now?"

He was worried about you and you could tell.

You responded brightly as if to reassure him, "Sure. Let me get dressed. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"Bring Pickles too!" He said right before you hung up.

***

You dressed in an oversized shirt and a pair of biker shorts. Hurriedly, you grabbed two bags of chips, pajamas, and a cloth bag full of cosmetics, desperate to escape your loud environment.

"I'm going to Sunoo's place," you called loudly, but you doubt your parents could hear you.

Right as you were going to step out the front door, you quickly went back to grab something. Pickles. You quickly opened the lid of the hamster cage and grabbed Pickles and transferred him into your carrier. Pickles was a little white hamster you got over the summer break. Sunoo loved Pickles and they got along well with each other. You often thought about just giving Pickles to him, since your little furry friend seemed to hate you. Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass pierced the air and the screams of your parents grew, causing your ears to ring. You launched yourself straight out of the front door, kicking on your shoes and nearly tripping over your own feet.

***

"Pickles~" Sunoo picked up the little hamster and kissed it's little head.

You could literally see the hearts sparkle in Pickle's black beady eyes and the tip of his nose quivered with adoration. You scoffed. That furry ball was two-faced. Every time you went to pick it up, he would chew at your fingers and try to escape your hold. While Sunoo was busy playing with your hamster, you gorged yourself on chicken.

"Were your parents fighting again?" Sunoo put Pickles back into his carrier. 

"Yes."

"How bad?"

"Something shattered on my way out of the house. They probably overturned something."

"So you're staying overnight?"

"If you don't mind."

"Sounds good to me. We used to have so many sleepovers in the past."

You went to wash your hands at the kitchen sink and you felt arms pull you into a back hug. Surprised, you nearly jumped. Sunoo stood there, hugging you like a big teddy bear. Chuckling you waved your sudsy hands around.

"Come on. Let go! My hands are all bubbly. See?"

"Are you okay?" Sunoo murmured, still not letting you go.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

You could see the pout he wore on his face even though you weren't facing him.

"I'm okay." A lie.

"Are you really fine?"

"Yes." A lie.

"I know you're lying... I can tell you know."

As those words were uttered from Sunoo's lips, you felt something in your heart crack. That steely shell you've been keeping around your heart shattered, revealing your vulnerability. A broken sob escaped from your throat. You felt fragile and you hated people seeing you in this state, especially your best friend, but at the same time, you felt that you were breaking away from the lie you were living in. A lie that said that everything was going to be okay. A lie that reassured you with honey-sweet comfort but held you in its unforgiving bonds. This lie was beautiful, a broken perfection to cover heavy scars of deformity. A lie on top of another lie. A masked serpent.

The arms around you tightened it's hold, enveloping you in the warm scent of wood laced by the faint mint. You bawled like a child. Sunoo turned you around and tucked your head in the crook of his neck. He rubbed your back as you cried and you stayed there with him, slumped on the floor, until your sobs quieted into sniffles. Pushing yourself away, you covered your face. You felt humiliated. Sunoo ruffled your hair and you pulled your hands away from your face. He smiled at you. It was one of those understanding, genuine smiles you could only find in the rarest of people. You knocked him down with another hug and buried your face into his sweater.

"What can I do without you?" You whispered.

"Well, it's not like I'm going to leave. I'll stay by your side forever if you want me to." Sunoo blushed, and drew you into another hug, pressing your face into the folds of his sweater to make sure you wouldn't see the flushed expression he was making.

You said something, but your voice was muffled. He immediately let go of your head.

"Sorry. What were you saying?"

"Promise me."

"Promise you what?"

"Promise me we can stay friends forever."

You couldn't see his face, but the unseen dazzling smile on Sunoo's face froze. Silence filled the air as he paused for a second.

"I promise," He replied. 

You felt silent tears slide down your face again. 

"Tears..." Sunoo murmured, wiping the wetness away from your cheeks with the gentle pad of his finger, "They really don't suit you." 

"Let's go play some video games," Sunoo said, changing the subject.

He got up and pulled you up onto your feet, his beautiful coal eyes never leaving you.