AT A DISTANCE, SPRING IS GREEN - BAE IN HYUK a.k.a NAM SOO HYUN

Part 3. Hearbeat

나랑 같이 갈을래요?

Would you like to go for a walk with me?

*Author POV

"Wae honja chiyuseyo, sunbae?" (Why did you clean it up alone,Sunbae?) Yoon Hae-I approached Soo-hyun who was cleaning up the remaining bottles of soju alone. "Why are you here alone? It's late at night." Soo-hyun answered in a calm voice while continuing to clean up the soju bottles without looking at Hae-I. "Ah, I was with Yeo Joon but suddenly Go Sang Tae asked him to drink, so I went for a walk alone." Hae-I smiled awkwardly. Soo-hyun sighed and stands up to Hae-I then holds out his hand.

"Ne?" (Yes?) A flustered Hae-I raises her eyebrows and hesitantly shakes Soo-hyun's hand. "Hand over the flashlight" Soo-hyun look at their hands and clears his throat after a moment. "I walk you to your tent." Hae-I realized and immediately let go of his hand.

She fiddles with the hem of her shirt awkwardly and smiles shyly at Soo-hyun. "Geurom sunbae, narang gatchi georeullaeyo?" (Then sunbae, would you like to go for a walk with me?). "Okay, let's go." Soo-hyun nods and takes the flashlight from Hae-I's hand.

"I'm Yoon Hae-I". Hae-I glances at Soo-hyun after chasing Soo-hyun who walked ahead of her. "I know. BA freshman. Yoon Hae-I." Soo-hyun smiled warmly at Hae-I. Hae-I grinned looking at the ground. The slightly cold night air and the quiet night atmosphere make a comfortable silence created between them.

"Sunbae." Hae-I called Soo-hyun while they started to walk side by side. "Hm?" Soo-hyun walks slowly to match his steps with Hae-I.

"How tall are you?" Hae-I suddenly stops in front of Soo-hyun, she presses her palms to the top of her head and looks up, compare their height with her hands, but her eyes widened as she realized how close they were. "180cm" Soo-hyun who was also surprised answered Hae-I in an almost whisper voice.

*Soo-hyun POV

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Hae-I kept staring at me. "Sunbae." My heart was beating fast when She suddenly stopped right in front of me. Her E/C eyes got sucked into it.

From the moment she offered me the handkerchief that day, until now, she was very close in front of me. I know this isn't the right time for this luxury. I have to hold it in, no, I have to stop this.

"180cm". I hurriedly walked ahead of Hae-I. Ireohmyeon andwaejanha Soo-hyun-ah. (You can't be like this, Soo-hyun). I took a deep breath cursing myself inside, trying to calm my beating heart.

"Mwo hae? An ga?" (What are you doing? Aren't you going?). I turned around to notice Hae-I was not following me. "Yoon Hae-I!" I called out to Hae-I who was still frozen in her place once again.

*Author POV

"Ah! Yes! Coming!" Hae-I shuttered and jogged towards Soo-hyun. "That day..." Hae-I said quietly after a moment. "Then at the convenience store, why are you suddenly giving me something to drink?" Hae-I said carefully while glancing at Soo-hyun.

"I'm like that a lot too, eat quickly because I don't have much time, even to eat." Soo-hyun stares at Hae-I for a moment and then looks back to the front. Hae-I raises her eyebrows, listening to Soo-hyun carefully. "Every second is valuable to me. Even the time I use for eating, I use it for work." Soo-hyun stares at Hae-I with a weak smile.

"But you can't do that". Hae-I's footsteps stopped for a immediately, She frowned and scolded Soo-hyun. "That time, I didn't do it on purpose, my stomach hurt because I was late for my meal and I only had 20 minutes before my next part time. But sunbae, you shouldn't intentionally skip meals just because you're busy! Your health is number one! You won't be able to work if you are sick! The people around you will also be worried, they will not be happy to see you sick from exhaustion working for them." Hae-I rambled on while continuing to frown.

Hae-I sighed, her face softened. "Sunbae, I know I have no right to say this, but sunbae, even if you're running, I hope you can rest and take a breath even if it's just for a moment. Because if you keep running forward, you might miss the important things around you. You can stop for a while. Catch your breath again, look around you. And don't run alone, run with the person beside you. Because in this world you are not alone." Hae-I said softly while looking into Soo-hyun's eyes.

Soo-hyun takes a step towards Hae-I, staring at Hae-I with an unreadable face. Soo-hyun called her with a trembling voice. "Hae-I-ya-" Before Soo-hyun could continue his sentence, a shout was heard.

"Watch out!" They rushed away towards the sound. "Joon-ah!" Hae-I crouches beside Yeo Joon who is panicking because his childhood trauma. "Eonni, did he get hit?" She asks So-bin with a worried face. So-bin noded with concerned face. Hae-I, who knew Yeo Joon's trauma, quickly held both sides of Yeo Joon's face. "Joon-ah! Look at me!" Hae-I's screams instantly made Yeo Joon come to his senses. Hae-I sighed and pulled Yeo Joon up.

So-bin suddenly stands in front of them. Spreading his hands to block Sang Tae who tried to hit Yeo Joon back, but Soo-hyun came twisting Sang Tae's hand.

"Eonni, take Yeo Joon out of here!" Hae-I tells So-bin to stay away to stop Sang Tae get back to Yeo Joon. "Get out of here." So-bin, who was still shocked, then turned to Yeo Joon. "You're bleeding."

"You know where the first aid kit is?" Soo-hyun said quickly as he continued to hold Sang Tae's hands that were lying on the ground. "It's okay." Yeo Joon swatted away So-bin's hand that was trying to take him away.

"No, it's not okay!" Soo-hyun eyes at Yeo Joon firmly. "The leader will be held responsible if freshmen cause trouble." Yeo Joon smiled bitterly. "I was touched for a second, thinking you were worried about me."

"Don't be stubborn! Go, hurry!" Looking at Hae-I who was worried Yeo Joon finally sighed. So-bin quickly tugged Yeo Joon's arm away.

****

Outside the tent after they escorted Sang Tae back to his tent. "Are you okay?" Soo-hyun holds both Hae-I's shoulders with a worried face. "Mwogayo?" (What for?) With a confused face, Hae-I holds Soo-Hyun's hand on her shoulder. "Neo akka majeulppeonhaessjanha." (You almost got bit back then).

"I'm okay, sunbae. You came just in time." Hae-I smiles as she strokes the back of Soo-hyun's hand. Soo Hyun sighed in relief. "Come on, I'll take you to your tent."

You drive me crazy Nam Soo-hyun. Hae-I grinned watching Soo-hyun who walked ahead of her. "Tto momchunda neo!" (You stopped again aren't you!) Soo-hyun turned around waiting for her with a smile. She chases after Soo-hyun with a stupid smile in her face.

That spring night, their feelings grew without they knowing. 

-TBC-