Niki and I had wandered around the mall for a while longer before my legs finally decided it was time to stop. The day had slipped into evening, and everyone else had already returned hours ago.
"Dude, let’s get ice cream," I said, shaking his arm and pointing at a nearby truck. When he didn’t respond immediately, I glanced over at him, only to catch him letting out a dramatic gasp.
"Did you just 'dude-zone' me?" he asked, his voice full of mock disbelief.
I shrugged, not bothering to explain. It’s just my way of talking. "I can't help it," I said, unable to resist a smirk.
"Well then, call me 'oppa'—I’m older than you," he teased, but I recoiled in mock disgust.
"Ugh, no way," I replied with a gagging sound, shaking my head at the suggestion.
He placed a hand dramatically over his chest, feigning shock. "What?!"
"Yeah, no way. I’m not calling you that."
He raised his hands in defeat. "Fine. But that means you’re not getting me anything."
I shot him a look. "I’m not buying you anything either."
"I can buy my own ice cream, 'dude,'" he chuckled, obviously amused by my irritation. Without waiting for me to say another word, he ran after me as I made my way to the truck.
I turned around with a mischievous grin, raising an eyebrow. "What do you want, oppa?" I teased again, savoring his reaction.
His ears turned bright red, and he tried to hide it, pointing at a random flavor on the menu. "Uh… salted caramel for me, and strawberry sorbet for ‘oppa,’" I said, laughing at his flustered expression.
His face turned an even deeper shade of crimson as he faked a dramatic sigh. "I’m never calling you that again."
"Agreed," I replied, and we both burst into laughter. It felt good to just enjoy the moment, joking around like we didn’t have a care in the world.
Niki’s POV
I waved Chaewon off as she shut the door behind her, and then I stood there for a while, lost in thought. It was strange—suddenly, I found myself thinking about what would happen if my father found out that I liked a girl. Would he kick me out? Would he disown me?
In some ways, I wouldn’t mind if that happened. I was used to being on my own, and honestly, if it meant I could avoid the drama and tension that always seemed to follow whenever he was around, it might not be such a bad thing.
Realistically, though, I knew it wasn’t going to be that simple. I’d need to figure things out. I could crash with Jake for a while. He lived in a dorm with five other people, but he said it was meant for seven, so there was room for one more. The only catch was I’d need to start working part-time to afford rent, food, and all the other expenses that came with living on my own. I’d have to start applying for jobs tomorrow—no excuses.
I thought about how it might be easier to just avoid my father until I had everything in place. Chaewon had mentioned that her brother Chaemin lived in a dorm, too. Maybe he could offer some advice or guidance. I’d have to prepare myself, set everything up, and then I could take the leap. It felt like the only way forward, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it might not be the best choice.
I hated that I was in this situation. I hated that I felt like I couldn’t talk to my dad about any of it, but the reality was I wasn’t sure how to confront him. I had so much fear and doubt in me, and I wasn’t ready to face it all just yet.
I stared at the door, my heart heavy with conflicting emotions. Maybe, just maybe, everything would work out in the end. I typed in the password to my phone and went straight to my room, determined to get things done tomorrow.
Things had to change. I had to take control of my life, even if I didn’t have all the answers yet. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I’d find a way. I had to. It was the only option.
I hoped things would get better. I just had to trust that they would.
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