Park Jihoon || Slowmotion

38. Avoidance

Minji POV

The bell rang and it was time for lunch. Haneul and I made our way to the cafeteria. We were just talking about how hard the project that has been given to us when Jihoon caught up on us.

"Yah!" Jihoon announced as he put his arm on my shoulder.

"Oh, H-Hi." I greeted as I tried to ignore that he was here.

"Are you going to eat? I heard there's a tonkatsu today." He mentioned.

"Really?! Yah, Minji. It's your favourite." Haneul exclaimed as she shook my arm out of excitement.

I looked at Jihoon beside me and he smiled. I was supposed to look in front of me when I noticed Jimin was walking behind us and looking at me.

"Y-Yah, Haneul. I need your help in the bathroom." I said as I grabbed Haneul's wrist.

"Why? Did you eat sweets again earlier?" She asked.

"Y-Yeah. Come on, hurry up." I replied.

Jihoon was about to say something but I did my best to get away from him. I just don't want to be with Jihoon while Jimin is beside her, I don't feel comfortable about it so I'll just avoid them as much as possible.

~~~~~
"Yah, this is refreshing." I said as I sat on the bench after I sip on my strawberry milk.

"Right? It's not too cold and the sun is out too." Haneul agreed while she was leaning on the bench. "But, do you think this is too quiet?" She asked as she sat up.

"What do you mean?" I asked for clarification while I'm leaning on the bench and my eyes were close.

"I think I'm just used to being with Bomin and the others every lunch." She explained.

She's right. We're like a circle of friends already and hanging out with just two of us is not the same as before ever since we've met them.

I tilted my head to the right and saw Jihoon with the two boys walking in our way while talking.

"Oh, guys!" Haneul saw them already.

They looked at us and they waved back. Jihoon looked at me and smiled. I panicked and tried my best to think of an escape plan.

"Yah, Haneul. My dad is calling me, see you in the classroom okay?" I said very fast that Haneul didn't even manage to say anything.

I took my phone out and put it on my ear, pretending I'm on the phone. I walk fast to the other side as I murmured things.

~~~~~
I'm both stressed about school and avoiding Jihoon. It's been hard since we studied at the same school; our classrooms are just a few rooms apart. I sighed heavily.

"Yah, are you okay? You've sighing a lot today." Haneul asked while we were walking towards the exit because school is already over.

"Yeah, I'm just stressed about school. It needs a lot of time to finish it." I answered pertaining about the project we have.

"Right? They know that most of us are trainees. They should probably know that we're busy, how could they gave us a project that hard?" Haneul ranted.

We were already out of the building and Haneul is still ranting.

"Yah, do you want bubble tea. I need sweets to comfort myself." I suggested.

"Sure." She answered.

"Guys!" I heard a familiar voice from behind.

"Oh. Guys! I thought you were already gone." Haneul stated.

"We just go out. Where are you guys going? Do you want some bubble tea?" Jihoon continously asked.

"We were planning to go there already." Haneul answered.

"Y-You know what? I think I had enough sweets today. I think I should go to the company already." I lied to escape from Jihoon.

"Why? You said you need sweets to comfort yourself too." Haneul asked for clarification.

"Because.." damn, I ran out of excuses.

"Minji!" Someone called my name.

I looked around and saw Heekyung at the gate while waving at me.

"Because Heekyung and I need to do something fast in the company." I said as I ran towards Heekyung.

"Oh, Is that Haneul? Haneul!" Heekyung shouted as she waved to her.

I grabbed Heekyung's hand and dragged her away.

"Yah, What's the rush?" Heekyung asked.

"You're my saviour, Heekyung!" I said as hugged her right arm. "Why are you here anyway?" I asked as I broke the hug.

"My classmates and I went to the bookstore nearby because we need some books for our ethics. Since I'm already here, I thought I should go and get you so we can go together." She explained.

We've arrive at the bus stop, we waited for the bus to arrive while Heekyung talked about why do they need books for Ethics. The bus arrived and we got in, then we sat near the back.

"Right, I remembered. Park Jihoon went to the dorm this morning." Heekyung mentioned.

"What? W-Why was he there?" I asked out of confusion.

"I don't know either but Park Jihoon said he came because he wanted to talk to Jimin Eonnie, alone." She answered and Oh is the only thing I can say.

"Do you think I can let them be? Knowing that you like Park Jihoon?" She responded which made me dumbfounded.

"Yah, stop it. Anyway, what do you mean?" I asked.

"I followed them but I didn't hear their conversation but I saw something shockingly." She explained.

"What?" I asked as if I'm watching a suspense movie.

"They were drinking milks, right? So, Jimin poured it onto Jihoon." She answered.

"What?!" I yelled which made the people on the bus looked at us.

"Why? What happened?" I fired.

"I don't know but all I know is that they fought." She replied.

I calmed down in my seat and realized that I'm being too mean to Jihoon. He's trying to hang out with me maybe because he needed someone to talk about it and then; here I am, avoiding him. I felt bad.

~~~~~
We collapsed as we finished learning the whole choreography for the first time. It was getting harder, I really need to work on my proper breathing. I was about to get some water and Jimin blocked my way.

"Yah, throw the garbage." Jimin ordered.

"I'll take it out, Eonnie." Our maknae, Nayun offered.

"No, let Minji do it. It's okay right?" She asked me and I just slowly nodded.

What was that? Did I do something wrong? Oh right, she and Jihoon fought. She's in a bad mood, I hope she didn't decide to bully me again.

We were leaving the company and I threw the garbage first. Then, my phone rang.

My group in school for the project created a group chat, the project. By just thinking of it, I'm already stressed. I was about to walk again when I saw Jihoon posted a picture in sns. Where is this? Han River? What is he doing there?

I stopped at my thought and slapped my cheeks to make myself think straight.

"You are not going there at this hour, Minji. You can just talk to him at school tomorrow. Calm your guilt for now." I scolded myself. I inhaled and exhaled deeply to calm myself.

I put my phone on my jacket and started walking.