"I broke up with my girlfriend." I hear him lift his body from his bed as he walks toward me.
Despite it, I keep my back turned.
"And, if I'm honest, I think I'm in love with you."
in a world where you're shielded by your older brothers, who knows...
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chapter twenty-three: i want to kiss you
I DON'T LIKE this. I don't like it at all. I can't believe it's driven me to the point of sulking in the back of this idiot's car, but it is what it is, I guess.
Just five hours ago, I was happily recovering from my sick day with Taeyong, and this fool showed up and ruined everything, just like how he ruined my life when he showed up six months ago.
I've got my things chucked into a suitcase in a rush, my phone fully charged but with no desire to use it. I already sent Johnny a message in secret to let him know where I'm being taken to, and all I got as a response was the text bubble appearing briefly and disappearing just as quickly as it had appeared.
My knees are tucked up to my chin and I hug them tightly to my body to comfort myself. The ride to the airport is long and we're only an hour into it. It's so awkward because each time I'd make eye contact with me in the mirror, he'd be the one to look away, sheepishly, despite being the one who was staring first.
After this occurrence repeating itself for the sixth time, I decide to break the silence.
"How long have you known my dad?" I ask.
He glances at me as if asking for permission to even speak to me. Despite this basic kidnapping, I still appreciate the little respect he holds for me.
"Is that the first thing you're gonna say to me?"
"What more do you want me to say?" I ask, throwing my arms up in frustration. "I was living in peace before y-"
"I wasn't! I wasn't, okay?" He says the last bit quietly, almost as if he's too ashamed to admit it aloud. "I really, really miss you."
With his grip on the steering wheel tightening with each word, my heart warms up more and more. Still, the memory of everything going downhill thanks to him breaks through and I recompose myself.
"I don't care." I shrug mindlessly, looking out the window. It's tinted and is therefore not a useful distraction. But he doesn't need to know that.
He chuckles an empty sound that still holds broken emotion. "I thought you might not."
"Whatever," I mumble.
"It doesn't stop the way I feel about you, though." He sighs, closing his eyes briefly and resting his head back. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was thrown into your life against my will and I was trying to make up for it but I messed it up, big time."
"Wait, what- What are you saying? I don't understand you."
"It's really hard to explain right now, and I might as well die trying. I'll tell you all of this when the time comes, but for now, all I need for you to do is trust me."
