deceit • Han Seojun x Kang Soojin

21. true chingu

21. true chingu

The cake melted the moment Seojun placed it in his mouth. It was soft buttercream mocha frosting on a very spongy vanilla cake and it was from the cafe he worked on the weekends. He had repeatedly gushed over how tasty this cake was to Jugyeong who was working with him then and it surprised him when Jugyeong thanked him for the suggestion.

She remembered.

Seojun felt his heart flutter, and very soon, it turned stone cold, especially when he saw Suho and Jugyeong giggling in the corner, more so he was feeding her the piece of cake, wiping off the cream from her face with a tissue. Seojun sighed, lowering his gaze and held the plate in his hand. The rest of the gang were all seated around the room, soft music playing in the background while Mr. Han their homeroom teacher sat rather uncomfortable with the elder Lim sibling, because her parents were asking him questions poor guy had no answers for. Taehoon and Su-ah were feeding each other, Go-woon was eating the cake with sour expression on her face thanks to the younger Lim sibling who wouldn't stop bothering her.

And there was Kang Soojin, who stood frozen right where Han Seojun had left her.

Seojun noticed how she was also eyeing the couple in the corner, her grip on the plate tighter and the piece of cake untouched. Han Seojun tried to recall why he had brought Soojin with him, even when he knew he was to meet Jugyeong but the earlier incident refreshed his memories.

The girl was broken, inside out.

He didn't gather a lot from the conversation with her mom, but surely, he noted few things.

1. Kang Soojin didn't share a good bond with her parents, and her father especially.

2. There's a Kang Jae-un who is presumably dead.

3. Soojin also wants to die like him.

The last thought brought a slight shiver down Seojun's spine. What in the world was he to do with this information? Clearly, this was serious, because Soojin wouldn't have cried the way she did, plus, she also reminded him of Seyeon and that triggered his PTSD.

Should he go speak to Suho? Would he know what was to be done here? Maybe he'd know how to talk to Soojin best considering they were friends.

But the scandal.

Maybe Jugyeong? She was one of Soojin's favourite girls and they shared their secrets too.

But the bullying.

Or Su-ah? Weren't the duo friends from middle school? He remembered seeing Soojin with the always ecstatic girl and her boyfriend.

But the fallout.

Aish

Why? Why him?

He walked towards the girl, and she averted her gaze from the couple to the boy. "Ya, the cake is too good to be ignored." He pointed, as he finished his in one bite. Soojin looked at the ill-mannered Seojun whose mouth was now stuffed with cake, the frosting smudged over his lips.

"Here," she gave him the dish, "you can finish mine too."

Han Seojun's eyes widened in delight, "jinjja?" He said mouthful, and Soojin found it more cute than infuriating. "True chingu," He said that in English as he ate that piece too, Soojin fought the urge to smile.

"Chingu?" Soojin asked, hands folded across her chest. "We're friends now?"

Han Seojun paused mid eating his cake, the frosting now all over his mouth, a little kid in disguise. "Ya, why are you hurting my feelings?" He said, louder and muffled, "we're friends." He gulped the cake as Soojin sighed.