THE TRACE OF LOVE // 양정원

제 4 과

I can't remember details about the last party I went to in last year but I do remember parties are always plain and loud, alcohol scents showering above and puppy-lovers making out in the seconds.

Passing the neighborhood laid in clover, Jake's place is one of those residence with generous yard and dreamy chandelier in the living room, which is now, full of unknown coveys from our school enjoying their youth. Though Luna's friend, Indiana, somewhat expected the crowd to turn their heads at us when we enter the door as a group, no one does really care.

Indiana takes us to find Sim Jake whom she claims to be one of her fairly close classmates and we finally stop in the backyard. Daisy clutches to my arm as soon as we are out in the open air. A bit startled, I look at where she is primly gawking at just to find the 'gang' chilling next to the swimming pool that people are yet to jump in and make fools of themselves. The wind is brushing through the pool to keep it cool and rippling, but I feel like Daisy's hands are much colder than the water as we get closer to the group enjoying themselves with one of them showing off his dance moves in the center, the rest cheering for him. Hordes of their other friends remain nowhere else but around them.

Jake sees Indiana at once and he greets with a smile, giving her a carefree hug after heading to us.

"I brought a bit of my friends. I hope you don't mind." The girl gestures us but in the process, I slowly turn myself around so that the guy I am meant to see, the one with unlocked dimples, the one who's focused in his friend's dance moves, wouldn't know I am here.

But I manage to catch a sight of his eyes switching to our way right before I can completely turn myself around as if admiring Jake's house.

I don't think he saw me.

"Of course not," hearing behind my back, I deduce Jake's voice is delicate, friendly as they say.
"Enjoy yourself here. Honestly, there are also lots of people from other schools that I don't know a thing about. So, don't worry."

Maybe he's actually easygoing like how he's described.

Unlike him. Pff.

Six of us scatter around right after Indiana's greetings to all of the members of Jake's group, but Daisy and I stand at the furthest from the sitting place where the guys are.

Daisy picks up a cup of orange juice rather than the free beer.

Neither do I. I hate beer, being a wine person.

"We had an eye-contact while Luna's friend was talking to Jake." Daisy says with a smile uncontrollable.
She's like this everytime she talks about Jay.

"Indiana, her name."

"Who cares?" She dismisses my words as she keeps glancing at our left.
"Oh, he's looking this way again."

Daisy yanks her head forward as she says but I snap at her, "then, look at that way. He'll notice you if you guys have many eye-contacts tonight."
She's also such a coward when it comes to Jay, isn't she?

"I can't." She says, biting her inner lips out of nervousness.

I admit. I get slightly annoyed at her withdrawn behavior when she's the one who wants to get closer to him.

"Dan, is he still looking at our way?" She speaks timidly, barely moving her lips.

I heave a bit, "you are so unnatural, Daisy."

But I lead my eyes next to the pool anyway.
Jay's eyes are no longer in our way but a new incoming pair of eyes turn at us in a trice.

It is Jungwon's.
We make an eye-contact right away.

The things he told me at our last encounter with his sudden eyes combined make me a bit startled at this moment but I form a smile at him nevertheless.

His initial smile by his friends vanishes when he sees me. Despite my friendly smile, Jungwon looks away naturally after seconds as if he doesn't even see me.

As if he doesn't even care.

So I'm affronted again. Getting annoyed at constantly being treated like this from him, I continue to keep my stare at him lean back in his chair, his legs recklessly parting wide but he straightens up several seconds after our incident, leaning himself upon his thighs. The beer bottle is hanging down his slender fingers.

A few seconds later that I find myself unaware between my own staring toward him, he swiftly pushes his hair back.

And his eyes dart up to mine again.

| The way he looked up |

| 🤍 |