Mirage

13

"Wake up Kim Haeun".

Sunwoo scooted closer to the girl by the gate before he lifted his hand just to flicker her forehead. A small yelp escaping Haeun's lips as she rubbed the sore spot, huffing sulkily.

"What was that for?" she complained though she knew that the reason everytime she was flickered had never changed. He just hate her no matter what she did.

"Just to wake you up. Don't be delusional", it was then he unstrapped his backpack, taking it to the front before he rummaged inside. He did make Haeun anticipate but soon die down, when a stack of papers were visible. "Here. Don't make me work for you".

He rolled his eyes just to make sure that Haeun saw it clearly in order to prove her - he was here out of his willingness.

Nonetheless, Haeun had always been optimistic. Just how many times Sunwoo was complaining, she always kept her eyes on the positive side.

Though he was pressed to run errands for her, he obviously won't do it if he really was unwilling - she had planted it inside her head.

She was grateful that he still did it despite unwillingness as per he claimed. And somehow she wanted to pay his kindness - that was how she ended up invited the boy inside her house.

Maybe serving him a drink would do.

Strange enough, Sunwoo had agreed to step inside. He thought maybe it would be rude to walk away from the small offer she made. Some more, it was only a drink.

However, as soon as they both went through the front door, Sunwoo could not even move from his last position upon seeing the interior of the house.

It was not like it was too fancy, it was too minimalist for a luxurious house. They got the basic needs but it was too far from his expectation. It was as if they were just moving in, considering the plain wall that was still clear without decorations hung on it.

"It's too boring right?" Haeun asked, noticing the questionable eyes of him. "We were just moving in. Not much things yet".

Sunwoo was seen flinching. He had never thought that his guess would turn out right. Or did Haeun just read his mind?

It was then, Haeun motioned him to wait in the living room, whilst she fled inside the kitchen.

She looked like as if she was being possessed though she was just making a drink because she desperately wanted to impress her crush. Who know if Sunwoo would fall for her from a glass of a drink?

Much to her luck, the boy ain't notice anything from the couch he was sitting at in the living room. If he ever did, he probably had ran away.

Instead, Sunwoo carefully skimming the area. Though it was too minimal, something about it was intriguing him - he liked the concept.

However, his attention was then glued on the coffee table across the couch he occupied. There was a pill container placed on it, two compartments from it were emptied which Sunwoo assumed that the contents had been finished in yesterday and today.

"That's explained why you were absent", he mumbled to himself. It was not like he care, but he loved to make a conclusion - though it was pretty unnecessary.

"Here is your drink", Haeun came a while later, placing a glass of juice on the table. She was seen a bit stunned as she finally noticing the medicines she had been consumed - Sunwoo probably had noticed it too. "Why is it here?"

She harshly and awkwardly took it, but then it slipped away from her grasp due to her own clumsiness. She was expecting to see the contents spill everywhere but her expectation had never come when the container fell perfectly in Sunwoo's hand before it could hit the floor.

She was taken aback - no doubt.

Never once did Kim Haeun ever expect that Sunwoo had a very good reflex. That fast catch of him for a moment made her forgot how to breath. He just made her impressed when it was supposed to be the opposite.

And he seemed to notice the astonishment inside her eyes. It made him unknowingly smirk, proud to himself - again. She just made him wanted to show off more of what he was capable to do.

But then, why would he do that?

"You're almost drooling", he snapped her back to the reality, passing the pill container back to its owner. "Getting sick is normal, you don't have to be triggered if I see your medicine".

Somehow, that was true. But for Haeun, she had a different mindset about letting people know that she was sick. She just hate the pity look on their faces.

However, it seemed like Sunwoo had changed her mindset. Specifically when he asked why she was alone at home when she had not fully recovered yet?

The way he voiced out the question and the curiosity inside his eyes, Kim Haeun seemed had fallen in love more with the boy.

"My mom just left for the nearby supermarket", she laid her cheek on her palm that was planted on the arm rest whilst watching the boy downing the juice she made. Why did he look so hot? He was just drinking not exercising. "Sunwoo, why don't you stay here until my mom comes back?"

At that, Sunwoo nearly spat the liquid out and got himself choke. He eyed the girl weirdly - brows furrowed together, trying to find a sign of joking but none, he could not find any.

"Why would I stay here with you?!" he enraged, placing back the nearly emptied glass on the table. She definitely had killed his appetite. "I'm leaving now".

Disappointment clouding over Haeun, she did wish that Sunwoo would stay but she also know that she could not force him to do so. Beyond the desire, she willingly let him up from the couch, taking his backpack and lazily trailing the path to the front door.

"Thank you Sunwoo, for coming all the way here", she smiled ever so sweetly whilst he fixed his shoes. She did not expect to hear any reply from him, because that was what he always did.

But, today he was indeed different.

"When will you come back?"

Haeun could not believe her own ears, it almost feel like a dream. Kim Sunwoo was asking her a question, sincerely.

How could she go to sleep tonight? The ecstasy was too much for her to be fine.

"You did worry about me", she shyly hit the air, fiddling with the hem of her cardigan.

"Don't get your hope up", within a second, Sunwoo had killed the feeling. "I just don't want to come here again. It's troublesome".

Huffing, she confirmed that she would be back by the next day, and so the boy did not have to worry to do much work for her again.

Sunwoo then turned on his heels after getting the answer, twisting the knob of the hard wooden door to leave. However, right after the door was open, the world had prepared such a great misery for him.

"Jihoon?"

The existence of the said boy in front of Haeun's doorstep with a bag of packed foods did make Sunwoo glanced over his shoulder, finding the girl's eyes as if he wanted an explanation. But, the girl herself was too stunned to say anything, she could only purse her lips, sending Sunwoo a sorry look.

A naughty idea suddenly erupted in Sunwoo's little mind when he noticed a glimpse of furiousness in Jihoon's eyes, questioning his existence in the girl's house.

It made him turn back on his heels facing Haeun lovingly, blurting, "see you tomorrow Kim Haeun. Make sure you take a lot of rest".

With that, he left the house, bumping his shoulder against Jihoon's - hard, victoriously. He knew Jihoon well, he knew the latter was now clenching on his fist tight, or maybe spatting some curses.

And he definitely won't care. Someone needed to pay for messing up with him.