ROOM OF MIRRORS° h.sj

007

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THE NEIGHBORHOOD
NIGHTTIME
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✧──────✦ sumin was pleasantly surprised to see that the dinner had gone by quicker than she'd expected. sujin was picked apart like every other time while sumin was avoided like the plague.

although it sounded like sumin had it easy, not even a single look was thrown in her direction. they spoke not of her father's daughters, but instead his daughter. singular. but she supposed both are difficult in their own ways.

as a celebration, the twins grabbed an umbrella and made their way out of the house in the pouring rain.

the two giggled and stomped in small puddles, making it a challenge to create a larger splash. sumin held the winning streak of ten and counting. since neither had been able to eat as much as they wanted, they opted for cheap food at the convenience store a few blocks down.

they arrived a few minutes later and picked out an array of foods from ramen to a slice of cake for dessert.

"where's the packet?"

"i already put it in."

"we were supposed to microwave it first."

"it's too late for that."

inevitable bickering sounded through their designated corner of the empty store. eventually they took the last bite of cake and cleaned up the area.

sumin held onto sujin as the rain poured down just a little harder.

"quit leaning on me," sujin complained.

"it's too cold,"

"i told you to bring a thicker jacket!"

sumin was just about to bite back with a rebuttal, she saw a silhouette in the neighborhood park that looked an awful lot like suho. a drenched girl ran up to him and almost immediately started yelling at him. the boy placed his jacket around the girl's shoulders and ran off.

sujin caught her staring, but didn't seem to put two and two together. "they should have their lover's quarrel elsewhere. they took the cliche argument in the rain a little too far and it's absolutely nothing like the movies."

"agreed," their pace sped up and they were home in no time. their father probably asleep in his office chair, and their mother probably passed out in the cellar that held her favorite aged pinot noir.

the sky cleared up and the umbrella was of no use anymore. "i think i'll walk around a little, i'll see you at home." sumin unraveled her arm from sujin's and walked down the road opposite from their house.

her curiosity got the best of her and sumin found herself near the park again. she was just about to turn the corner when she heard the purr of a familiar motorbike.

seojun pulled up directly parallel to her and disembarked his bike. his helmet now laid on the back of the seat and he walked to the park entrance. before he could enter, sumin's hands grabbed his wrist to pull him back and cover his mouth to prevent any screaming.

"what are you doing here?" she whispered.

"i could ask you the same," he bit back as she dropped her hand from his mouth.

the two peeked around the corner and sumin confirmed that it was in fact suho with a girl. a few seconds of spying went by and she silently shivered. it hadn't gotten any warmer, the rain had just stopped. she felt the sensation of something heavy on her shoulders and looked down. sure enough, sumin saw his school blazer hanging loose on her arms.

"let's go," seojun whispered and walked towards his bike. she followed him over and took the helmet from his hands.

"where are you taking me?"

he didn't answer and only waited for her to sit. sumin tugged the helmet on and pulled her arms through the jacket sleeves as she swung a leg over his bike.

"hold tight,"

"hang on, i have to—" the burst of speed from the bike had her arms automatically locked around his waist. she had to be home ten minutes ago.

seojun steered the bike past the seemingly slow moving cars and buses on the highway. lucky for them, it was a friday night, so they weren't obligated to be anywhere tomorrow. sumin looked ahead and saw his tight grip on the handles. she'd forgotten just how much he really hated suho.

she readjusted and now gripped his shirt instead of hugging his waist as they entered the tunnel. usually rain wasn't her favorite, it was too dark for her. but in this context, it wasn't all that horrible.

the joyride lasted a couple of hours after a few stops at corner stores and arcades, and ended at the front gate of her house. sumin felt her heart speed up as seojun reached down to push her hair behind her ear.

"thanks," sumin managed to choke out. she handed the helmet back to him and pulled the jacket off her shoulders.

sumin hated that her feet wouldn't move.

her father stood on the doorstep. arms were crossed with the hand on top tapping his arm. just her luck.

"you should go," she pushed him toward his bike.

"shouldn't i say hi to your dad since he's right there?"

"uh, it's fine. get home safe and tell everyone i said hi. bye!"

she turned and walked down the stoned path to her door. the well trimmed lawn laid plush along with the green bushes lining the porch. on the porch had a row of potted petunias and orange lilies. but she'd rather replace them with the freesias and daisies that had been taken out years ago. sumin wished they'd never died.

she was an idiot to be caught like this. she knew she had to be home. she knew, yet she still went.

her father all but slammed the door behind them and led her upstairs, passing by sujin in the process.

with the quick unlock of the door, he shoved her in and locked it behind her.

"repent."

while sumin sat in the windowless room and waited for morning, seojun rode home wondering why she seemed so off.