Hate You, Love You. | Jenlisa

95

The doorbell rings and that pulls our focus to the door.

Shit, he's here.

"Are you expecting someone, Jen?" Ella asks.

"Yep."

"Who?" She asks again.

"You'll see."

I get up from the couch and slowly approach the door. Unlocking it, I give him a small smile. "Hey."

"Hey to you too," Hyejun answers smoothly. He is dressed in dark jeans, a grey turtleneck sweater and dark boots, his jacket slung on his arm. He has a warm smile on his face. "Can I come in?"

"Yes," he proceeds to remove his shoes. "But behave." He notices Lisa's shoes and rolls his eyes. "I thought you would have sent her away or something."

"Behave," I warn. "I mean it."

"Fine," he answers belligerently. "I'm just glad to see you though. It feels like forever." I really do feel like ever since Hyejun got here, we've been joined to the hip; we attend the same school, attend the same classes, we go to work together and he accompanies me home.

I couldn't have asked for a better fake step brother/bodyguard because he does all these things without complaints. Let's not forget that he's also working on helping me solve the mystery behind what happened at Lakedale.

He walks in and Lisa stands abruptly, looking between the both of us. "Manoban," Hyejun says tightly and stretches out his hand. "It's been a while."

"Hyejun," Lisa uses the same tone and accepts his hand. "I didn't notice you were gone."

Their hands are locked in a tight embrace, both staring at each other like how a predator does a prey, but in this situation, I don't know who's what. I knew things were going to be tense by the time he got here, and I did try to warn Hyejun but this tension and awkward silence is something I did not anticipate.

They might as well be in a boxing ring, only they aren't actually pummelling each other physically but are doing so with their eyes shooting lasers at each other.

I clear my throat, trying to get their attention but they pay me no mind. Ella gets up and whispers in my ear. "What's going on?"

"A match," I simply answer.

"Guys," I say, this time loud enough for them to hear me. They snap out of their staring match and slowly release their hands from each other's death grip.

Lisa turns to me in annoyance. "Why is he here?"

Hyejun smirks. "She called me."

"Ella, can you excuse us for a bit?" I plead with my sister. "I have some things I need to discuss with these two."

She looks between the three of us. "So important that I can't be a part of it?"

"It's big people problems."

"You're not even a full adult."

"Yet," I counter. "I'm not a full adult yet and I'd be 18 this year." She crosses her arms over her chest. "Please."

"Fine," she sighs. "But you owe me."

"Of course."

It'll probably cost me money and another trip to the grocery store to get Cocoa Pops. She walks up the stairs and I hear footsteps until they can't be heard again. Once she closes the door, I turn to Lisa. "He's my brother so cut the jealousy shit. I had to call him!"

"And you," I sharply turn my gaze to Hyejun. "What was that?" Minutes ago we talked about him behaving himself. "We literally talked about this."

"She started it," Hyejun grumbles.