bedsheets (neighbor's son)

🗒 ❛ ninth ༉‧₊˚✧

Nineteen, so close to twenty. In less than a month, all people born in 2000 would be unofficially twenty. Their soulmates would then be revealed on the first day of the new year. After that, they would have to get the Aphrodite stamp. The stamp that will make you loyal to your soulmate and make you only love your soulmate.

Why did the world have to follow this system? Were the gods and goddesses against the natural process of falling in love? What had caused this system to take place?

Many questions were left unanswered in Yun's head. Her train of thoughts was going wild. Although she didn't want to worry about the future, she couldn't help it. All she could do is remind herself to focus on the present. Focus on what she had, even if she might not even be his soulmate.

Letting her restless mind take a rest, she laid down on Haechan's bed. Staring at the ceiling, her eyes were soulless. Her mood swings were over the roof, probably due to her hormones. It could also be the risk that she's taking for her happiness.

"Lee Haechan, you're so confusing. I can't afford to leave you but I also can't have you, most probably. I'll make the best out of the time we have left, I promise."

Yun muttered those honest words before passing out from exhaustion that piled up from the outing. It seemed like she was getting braver every second that she was with him. However, she became more light on herself when making decisions. She was growing every second, minute, and hour.

Little did she know that Haechan was standing outside of the door, quietly listening to the words that she had said out loud. With mixed feelings, he let out a deep sigh. Everything was complicated but they decided to ignore it and only see each other, not others.

"I promise that I'll cherish you, Yun."

His soft voice had a tough time saying that promise out loud. Knowing that one day that his heart would no longer be controlled by him, frightened him. If fate was on his side, maybe he would be soulmates with Yun. Maybe it won't be Jeno, what if it was actually him?

He had sent his groupmates, Renjun, Jaemin and Jeno, home for the day after seeing the look on Yun's face. She wasn't a particularly hard person to read, but maybe that was just his opinion. He had to pick up his brother after the group work, so it was good that Yun could get some rest while he was out.

🔑

It was near evening when Yun had awoken from her slumber. The small nap that she intended turned into a lengthy five-hour slumber. The pair of arms that were wrapped around her was the first thing that she had noticed. Turning her head carefully to the other side, she saw a sleeping Haechan behind her.

He was sleeping peacefully with his face buried into her left shoulder. Resembling a kid hugging its stuffed toy, Yun couldn't help but bitterly smile at him.

"So cute."

"Can you say that to my face properly next time?"

The words that came out of Haechan's mouth had startled Yun, leaving her frozen at her spot. She didn't expect him to be awake when he was clearly at peace. After a couple of seconds, Yun got the courage to turn around to face Haechan who still had his arms around her waist.

"You took a longer nap than I expected," casually changing the topic, Haechan smiled at Yun. Putting her at ease, he decided to tease her a bit. "You're even more tired than I expected."

"Whatever, Chan," Yun, who knew the teasing session would last long, decided to cut her response short. She had just woken up, so she wasn't in the mood yet.

"I'm teasing you, but I'll stop now since you're not in the mood," Haechan put a stop to his endless teasing. That's when he smiled at Yun again when he saw her face lighten up. "What did you buy? I'm curious."

That's when it hit Yun. The scarf that she had bought Haechan, she didn't give it yet. Getting excited, she hopped out of bed, which surprised the boy. Taking the paper bag, she placed it in front of Haechan.

"It's for you," Yun couldn't hide her excitement for the reaction of Haechan. It was the first time she would be giving a guy a gift. "Open it."

With high hopes, Haechan slowly opened the paper bag to reveal the red and black scarf. The key pin was attached at the end of the scarf, giving it a touch of uniqueness. A sincere smile appeared on Haechan's face when he examined the gift.

"You bought it for me because of the incident earlier?" Haechan chuckled and tried the scarf on. It suited him nicely. "I'm not taking it off."

"You don't need it now though," Yun laughed at the childish boy in front of her. Haechan still didn't take off the scarf even after she had said that.

"This is the first gift you've given to me, I should cherish it like how I cherish you," the words of Haechan made Yun's heart beat faster by the second.

'Was this how it felt to be in love with someone?' Yun thought.

"I'm glad to know that you'll cherish it."

There was a moment of silence between the two before it being broken by Haechan.

"By the way, my brother is back here. We can't exercise because he's going to be here until Christmas."

Yun could feel her cheeks heating up when Haechan had nonchalantly brought up that topic again. Unable to face him, she turned her back on him.

"I'll sleep with your brother today!" Yun said in a panic, then heading out of the room without saying another. Her heart was beating uncontrollably. She wondered whether Haechan was feeling the same.

Haechan, on the other hand, had let go of his unaffected look and buried his head into a pillow. He couldn't contain the embarrassment that he had when saying that to her. He had just wanted to tease her, but he ended up being a victim of his own words.

Cooling down, his eyes roamed to the calendar. Christmas was coming next week and it was going to be their first time spending the holiday together.

[a/n: schoolwork < writing ]