JUVENILE | kim sunwoo ✔︎

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

Y/N POV

Driving back to the cabin site, it felt like we'd been on the bus for hours by the time sunset had fell. Leaning my head on Sunwoo's shoulder he patted my head sweetly. We were all hungry - Haknyeon made that extremely apparent through his numerous complaints and childish tantrums he was throwing in the back.

"Finally, why did that feel like 3 hours?" Ashley sighed out from across the row as we caught sight of the woodlands we were in. Dusk was slipping upon us and we still had to withstand a campfire to at last eat food. Offloading the bus, the stars shone brightly above - it was strange being able to see such a detailed night sky. The trip organizers were quick to light the fire, food began simmering above the heat noisily, all of us sitting wooden logs around the blaze.

Sitting contently beside Sunwoo, on the other side Hyunjae sat to my surprise. Initially I shifted, however the half smile he gave me brought me slight comfort to the idea - Juyeon sitting the other side of him reassured me also.
"I can switch if you want?" He asked making me feel slightly guilty, one more chance Hyunjae Lee.
"Nah, don't worry about it." I shook my head, as he stayed where he was, leaning over his knees - his damp hair drying slightly from the fire.

"Are you okay? Are you cold?" Sunwoo snapped me out of the interaction with Hyunjae, slipping his arm around my shoulder and taking the damp hair from my shoulder, placing it on my back.
"I'm fine, don't worry." I smiled, shivering loosely as we were all soaked from the rain earlier. I grabbed his hand vaguely in a small pull of his interlocked fingers. Handing out blankets clumsily, Sunwoo took a singular blanket from Professor Smith's arms and placed it around us both.
"I could of got my own, if it was easier." I chuckled as he scooted closer into the warmth, making sure I was completely covered.
"I'd prefer it this way, where everyone can see us." He smiled cockily despite him being extremely caring about what he was doing - encaging me delicately and stroking through wet strands of my hair, like a boyfriend would, except he wasn't my boyfriend. He's either looking for the right time to ask, something was holding him back or Sunwoo Kim was playing with my feelings. How I hope it wasn't option D.

Passing food out swiftly, the simmered attempt at barbecue was the only reminder we were on a field trip - the blackened burnt edges of the bacon falling apart clumsily. Grimacing at the paper plate in front of me, I carefully picked apart the food I could salvage. These people could not cook. Setting the plate down, everyone merely did the same - giggling as Hyunjae beside me fed a piece of bacon to a small sparrow perched beside us.
"Are they allowed meat?" He asked me in concern.
"Well you've gave them it now." I laughed as the bird flew away blissfully into the woodland.

"Okay campers, get plenty rest tonight as we'll be leaving tomorrow! You can go back to your cabins when you want to." Professor Smith yelled from where all the organizers were sat, Sunwoo glared at her with a seeming unintentional gaze.
"Did she do something to you?" I chuckled pathetically, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Kinda yeah, she started saying how you're too good for me basically, pretty much called me a total college burnout." He scoffed in annoyance, glaring back over to her before looking at me fondly.
"How many times do I have to tell you that is not true?"I laughed once again grabbing his hand and squeezing gently. He smiled at me, nuzzling his head into my shoulder.
"It's true." He spoke softly, just above a whisper playing with our interlocked fingers quietly.
"I wouldn't be close to you if it was." I matched the volume of his voice, watching as the campfire flickered and spat out blades of orange crystal.

A thud of a car door caused us all to whip our heads around rapidly as a police siren drew into a close. Two officers, toiling towards us in their chunky navy uniforms made their way across the scrambling gravel beneath them. Sunwoo tightened his grip on my hand, his anxiety kicking in as I watched him gulp heavily. I held on to both of his hands as the officers appeared at the fire, please don't be anything to do with him, he hasn't done anything for it. Reassuring myself firmly, the officers scanned the campfire - everyone sitting in silence. taken aback by their unexpected appearance.

"Have you got a Sunwoo Kim?" The slender one of the two asked, holding on to the buckle of his leather belt in an authoritative stance - his reflective sunglasses flickering in an iridescent orange. Everyone turned to Sunwoo, taking one of his hands away from mine he raised it cooly.
"Here officer." He answered, the officers closer and inspecting his attire.
"We've been required to search your belongings as a result of a report filed for suspicious and drug related behavior." The larger officer commented, Sunwoo's eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Suspicious behavior? A report? He's been with me the entire time, what suspicious behavior?

"Sure, I don't have anything." Sunwoo replied glancing at me for reassurance as he stood up swiftly. Guiding the officers to our cabin, everyone around the campfire pretty much followed. The college staff trying to deter the crowd away, ultimately failing as we watched in anticipation. Standing beside Eric, I watched as the officers began raiding his bags beneath his bed. Looking up to Eric with a worried glance he shook his head and wrapped a reassuring arm around me.

Both officers jolted, they'd found something. A fluorescent orange bottle of pills, yanking them out of the side of his case with a chaotic rattle. The shocking silence around us sank in, Sunwoo had his hands took behind his back and cuffed with a metallic click.
"That's not mine-" Sunwoo quickly defended himself before the officer cut him off.
"Sunwoo Kim, you're under arrest for surplus possession of codeine and narcotics. You have the right to remain silent anything you do say may be used against you in court or could affect the course of your arrest." The officer announced his rights before escorting him out, catching eyes with Sunwoo he looked back down to ground blankly. Tears pricked the bottom of my eyelids, finally falling as I watched him get dragged to the police car at the bottom of the campsite.

Everyone gossiped amongst each other, whispers lingering across every student apart from the ones on our friend group. Eric continued to try his best to comfort me in a sweet way.

"They're not his." Hyunjae said quite loudly, "Sunwoo's never touched codeine, he doesn't fuck with narcotics."
The group around him knew this, however the other students seemingly didn't believe it.
"Yeah right he's been arrested on drug charges already, it was only a matter of time before it happened again." Cameron chuckled from his own friend group, laughing to themselves despite the magnitude of the situation.
"You're suddenly loud." Hyunjae replied with a spit, I've got my fucking eye on you, keep your mouth shut or I'll make sure you can't use it."
Cameron just scoffed, as I cried into Eric who had now taken me into a comforting hug.
"They're not his are they?" I asked him looking up as he searched for the right answer.
"What Hyunjae said is right, Sunwoo doesn't touch narcotics. He wanted to quit smoking all of a sudden too, I don't think he'd touch drugs if he wouldn't touch a cigarette." Eric replied, looking around at the others before back at me with reassuring smile.

"He's been framed." Juyeon added, scanning around the groups in the area.
"There's no way he hasn't been." Hyunjae replied, looking at me with slight sympathy before adding,"I've got a plan to find out who."

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AUTHORS NOTE

just when you think things are settling down.. ♡︎

i hope you're all well ! per usual as i always check in.. these past few weeks have been incredibly slow.. but that could just be me.. not that i'm complaining bc i'm on break.. tehe ♡︎

sending my love always..

clover <3