Ride Home || l.haechan

94

Donghyuck was too drawn to all the wrong things. That's what he thinks.

When he sat back to the Jung's front porch, he wanders back to the time when he tries so hard to find someone. He forced himself into a mold that doesn't fit him, go on dates with people he barely even knew when all he wanted was just right beside him, all along. Heck, he maybe grew up feeling the same thing; prolly the reason why he failed to acknowledge it sooner.

He just hopes he's not too late.

Or maybe he should stop wasting anymore time, right?

He wanted to finally do something for his feelings so with so much determination, Haechan pulls his phone out of the pocket of his cargo shorts, he looks up for the closest flight he could get. He just hopes his parents would agree upon his spontaneous vacation because if they didn't then he had no other choice but to go alone.

One thing you'd either like or dislike about Haechan is his stubbornness, sometimes it equates to his determination. Ria believes. He's endearingly stubborn, just like now.

Aria had been poking his shoulders for a while now but he kept on shrugging it off.

Dejected to find flights sooner than the next few weeks, Haechan stood up annoyed, it surprises Aria.

"Jeno ano ba—" Haechan couldn't believe his eyes when he saw his bestfriend standing and smiling in front of him.

He immediately hugged her tightly, scared that she might suddenly disappear from his sight if he let's her go.

"Teka chan, ano bang nangyayari?" She chuckled. "Hinatid lang namin si kuya miss na miss mo na agad ako."

"Oo miss na miss." Aria was only teasing him but his answer was not something she did expect to hear. It made her flustered. Her heart starts to pound harder when she felt his heartbeat mirroring hers.

And as if being awaken from a sweet dream, the two pulled out immediately from their hug when Aria's father coughs.

There, she saw her younger brother, Sungchan holding back his laughter. On his hands were his older brother, kuya Jaehyun on video call whom cannot seem to comprehend what he just saw through the screen. He looks like he wanted to ask the pilot to turn the plane around so he could witness his only sister's moment real time.

Her parents on the other hands were equally surprised as her brother. Aria fiddles the hem of her shirt, nervously when Donghyuck intertwines her right hand with his.

She glances over Hyuck with her orbs twice as wide.

"Tita, tito pwede ko po bang makausap si Aria sandali?" He formally asked for their permission.

Ria's parents gave each other knowing looks before nodding. Her father gave their intertwined hands a glimpse before officially walking towards their front door.

Ria looks over her father, relieved and when their eyes met he smiles. "Just be back before dinner."

Aria nodded gracefully and so as Donghyuck upon seeing Ria's father eyes on him. "Dito lang po kami sa compound, Tito."

"That's good to hear, Donghyuck."

Donghyuck? Ria's father never called him that. He always calls him Hyuck or Chan or sometimes Haechan. He never called him with his full real name but for sure after what he just witnessed with him and his daughter— he, the bestfriend Aria's father had entrusted to scare away her suitors, has become on of them now... he may have to gain his trust again as someone who loves his daughter and intentionally to be someone who looks after her.

"Dito ka narin magdinner, Donghyuck."

—

Ria noticed Haechan dragging her towards the car park. "Teka akala ko dito lang tayo sa compound? Saglit bubuksan ko lang yung gate—"

But Haechan quickly stop Aria's attempt to remove her hands from his hold and answered, "Dito lang tayo sa compound yun ang sabi ko kay, Tito."

"Pero bakit tayo sasakay sa kotse mo?" She asked, baffled when Haechan opens the car door for the passenger seat.

"Para may privacy kapag nagusap tayo."

Aria watched as Haechan run towards the driver seat.

They were silent for a moment, allowing each other to settle themselves, when Aria decides to let go of the weight she's been carrying on chest for a long time.

"Gusto kita, chan hindi bilang bestfriend lang. I like you a little more than a bestfriend should." She blurted out, catching Haechan by surprise. "There, I finally said it."

Aria let out a huge smile of relief and glances over Haechan who was already staring at her.

"Ano aren't you going to say—" But she wasn't able to finish her sentence when Haechan pulled her closer to kiss the side of her lips.

She closed her eyes, indulging herself in the moment, when Haechan moves away.

"Hanggang dyan muna tayo, kailangan ko muna ulit makuha ang tiwala ni tito."

"He trusts you already!" Aria whines like a little kid. He chuckles when he saw her flustered and annoyed face.

He cups her cheeks and looks right through her eyes before confessing, "Gusto rin kita, Ri. Gustong gusto. Gusto kita hindi bilang kaibigan lang. I want you for the rest of my life."

"Mababaliw nako, Ri. Ang dami ko ng nasayang na oras at ayoko ng magsayang pa ng maraming oras. Sobrang daming pagkakataon na pwede kong sabihin sayo yung nararamdaman ko pero ipinagsawalang bahala ko lang kasi natatakot ako."

Ria nods her head, "I know, I understand don't worry. I feel the same way too. When the person I always tell about my feelings was now the person who made me feel those things. It is hard because you're the only person I want to talk to about anything yet I couldn't even bring myself to tell you about what I'm feeling."

Haechan pulled her into a tight hug, "Sorry sorry Ri sa pagiging insensitive. I wasted so much time asking questions— kailan kaya darating yung para sakin? You know I've spent a good amount of time trying to find love into people and places that aren't really for me.

When all it took for me to completely realize that my prayers have long been answered was a talked with my Dad."

"Wait you talked to your dad?" Haechan smiles and nods. He already can't wait to tell her everything good that happened.

She tightens her hug, "I'm so so proud of you."

"Dahil yun sayo, Ri."

Aria pulled herself from the hug and hold Haechan's hands, still facing each other. "No, that's on you."

"You make me brave." He spoke. "Walang kahit anong takot, kapag kasama ka."