𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 ━━━ 엔하이픈

17. gross

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Aera's POV

"They both like me." I said out doing my homework as Jay shockingly walked back and forth in front of the counter. My mind was too occupied with stuffs that I couldn't really focus on my studies so decided to take a break and grabbed a milk bottle drinking. "See I told you they both had something for you." Honestly, right now I would have been blushing crazy if it was a singular person who liked and not two best friends.

I was worried it'd cause issues between both of them. Sighing I kept my head down whining before Jay came closer and knocked on my head. "Don't even think of ignoring them." He said out as I tilted my head. Was i going to ignore them? Now that I think of it, it doesn't sound like a bad idea so maybe. "Huh?" The guy sighed sitting on the edge of the counter as a customer came in the store. "Ignoring would worsen stuffs. They would feel rejected before you even reject them. So don't do it." It was weird how he made so much sense.

But what do I do then?

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Sunghoon's POV

I skated around the rink all alone as the door opened revealing Jake with his backpack on his back. The guy kept his bag away and sat on the floor leaning against the wall. "Damn you're sweating bad." I said out as he nodded catching his breathe. "Practice was tough today." Jake panted before running his hand through his wet hair. I stopped at the edge of the rink and stared at him for a while.

"It's your turn to pay today, don't look at me." Jake drank his water shaking his head as I sighed looking away. The guy stopped drinking and looked down at his water bottle thinking about something as I watched him be deep in his thoughts. "Let's go." Taking off my skating shoes, I grabbed my bag as my friend followed me outside the school.

-

"The same order?" The old woman asked us as I looked at Jake while he did the same. We both nodded our head at the same time as a smile appeared on the owner's face. "Gosh these two best friends." She whispered walking to her kitchen. "By the way." Tapping on the table, I grabbed Jake's attention as he looked at me. "What?" The curious boy raised one of his eyebrows. "Hiding something?" I asked him as I felt him simply blinking.

Jake shook his head and leaned towards the table narrowing his eyes at me. "What about you?" He asked catching me off guard as I scoffed. "You wish." Saying out, we both let out an awkward laugh as the food came exactly at the right time. My smile disappeared while I took a second to see the awkward guy in front.

We both were hiding something from each other.

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Jake's POV

Me and Sunghoon lazily took small steps as the cars passed by us. Sunghoon pointed to the park close by as we walked there to just sit around or walk. I grabbed the basketball as I tried scoring a point while Sunghoon kept his bag away and walked towards me to play along. Scoring a point, the ball passed itself to Sunghoon as he played silently. We both were silent, not talking much. What are you hiding Hoon?

My friend scored a point as the ball came to me. I prepared to throw the heavy basketball on the hoop when Sunghoon's sudden words stopped me for a moment. "I told Aera that I like her." I could tell that he was staring at me. Blinking, I threw the ball inside the hoop getting it back as I dribbled it on the ground slowly. "Is that good or bad?" I didn't know what exactly he was hoping for me to say so I just asked him the question I had on my mind.

"Don't know. She didn't say anything." Sunghoon now played with the ball as I watched him. None of us stared at each other at the same time so it was less awkward. I breathed in relief knowing nothing had happened between them. Sunghoon stopped and threw the ball at me making me catch it immediately. "Your turn. Say it." He suspiciously looked at me as I bit my lips and sighed.

"She asked me if I liked her or not." I said out. Sunghoon wasn't really shocked by what I said. I didn't expect him to be shocked either. I had a thought that maybe it was Sunghoon himself who told Aera that I might like her. "What did you say?" He asked me as I tilted my head pouting. Isn't it obvious? "What else dumbass? I told her I do cause I do." Replying to him, I sat on the bench after giving the ball to him as he stayed there thinking for a while.

I wonder what he's thinking.

"I'm worried." He said out after a while making me confused as well as raising both my eyebrows at him. "Why?" I leisurely said as he walked around the playground. "What if it causes issues between the two of us?" I almost aww-ed at the guy who was pouting in worry. Trying to hold in my smile, I nodded pretending to be worried and looked at him after thinking for a while.

"You know what Sunghoon?" The guy got hopeful looking up to me as I continued. "Forget Aera, you should date me instead." And the guy's immediate reaction made me burst into laughter. He threw the ball at me as I caught it wheezing while he glared at me. "Gross." He said out walking outside the park as I followed him. "Yah! What's gross about this?" I shouted behind, running after him while laughing.

I stopped as the guy in front of me stopped. Looking ahead I noticed a familiar figure who stopped as well. "Sunghoon hyung!" The young boy who was accompanied by his sister ran towards Sunghoon without noticing me. "Aheon-ahh." Sunghoon ruffled the guy's hair as I walked towards them as well. "Jake hyung! You're here too." He immediately hugged me with a force as I let out a laugh patting his back. "Hey good looking kid." The 11 year old boy laughed as he pulled away. "Noona, your friends!" He looked back at Aera and pointed at both of us as the girl stared at us for a while.

After a while, she smiled softly at the both of us walking quickly towards us. "What are you guys doing here?" The girl acted exactly normal and okay. As if she never knew we both liked her. "We were just hanging out." Sunghoon pointed at the playground as she nodded understanding it. "What about you?" I asked them as Aera looked at her brother. "Aheon wants to have ice cream." She said out smiling as I looked at Sunghoon who was probably thinking the same.

"Mind if we join?" I asked out as Aheon jumped around nodding in excitement. Aera just laughed at her brother as I felt my heart drop a beat seeing her happy face. "Sure." She said out as we all walked to the store. I smiled looking at the girl's side profile while walking beside her as I realized it was all fine. Everything was alright between us and Choi Aera wasn't going to ignore any of us.

But was it a good thing?

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