Sorry, I'm an Anti-romantic • Choi Yeonjun

don't catch a cold

"Are you trying to catch a cold?" Yeonjun questioned, gripping her backpack as his skin paled at the tight grip. "Will you please try to take care of yourself?"

She stood there for a moment, almost intimidated and startled by his action before hustling out of his hold. "I'm taking care of myself just fine."

"By running in this weather?" He looked at her with a dubious expression, reaching his hand into the rain. He sighed, his shoulders raising and falling as a sign of disappointment at the lack of her response. He grabbed the umbrella from his bag, unfastening it, "Get in."

"No, thanks." She crossed her arms. "I said I can take care of myself."

"Doesn't seem so." He held his cold expression, "Besides, you don't like the rain." She just stood there as her eyes skimmed his face, wondering why he was behaving as such.

All at once he gripped her wrist, pulling her under the umbrella. "Don't argue, I'll drop you home."

• • •

Her gaze followed her shoes as they walked in silence. The pouring rain had died down to a light drizzle as the rumbling sky darkened further. The streetlights flickered before turning on. She looked ahead from the puddle reflections on the concrete path, realising her house was just a few blocks away.

"I meant what I said earlier." He broke the lofty silence. She was listening but didn't reply as she waited, hoping for him to continue.

"If there's something bothering you," he toyed with the ring on his finger. "We can fix it together." Her breath staggered as she halted in front of her gate, humming in response. At least she acknowledged his offer.

He bit his lower lip, slightly smiling to himself. "Take some rest and don't catch a cold."

Taking that as her cue, she left him near the metal gate, making her way into the house. Once she was in, she leaned against the closed door, her heart beginning to sink. She shut her eyes tight, fighting back the stinging pain in her chest.

She kicked her shoes off, blindly strolling towards her bedroom in the moonlit darkness. She was about to enter when she heard her parents arguing from within the opposite room. She involuntarily advanced towards them, trying to listen. It was all hushed, but clear enough to break her heart.

"You willingly spend your money on us!" She cried out, "And then you blame us when things don't go your way."

"I gave you both this house and everything that you need!" His voice was deep with anger, "And you talk back to me like this?"

"You can't shut us up as you wish! You think we'll fall for everything you say just because you give us money?" Her voice held disgust, "But you know what? I can afford her wellbeing with my pay check!" She scoffed loudly, "After all, who funds her education and my hospital bills!"

"You won't be able to survive a day without me!" He yelled back.

It was silent. So silent Seoyul could her hear her heartbeat throbbing in her ears as blood rushed to her head.

"I agree, we won't." Her mom began again, a little calm, "If you were a better husband and a father."

"Don't pull that on me..."

"Of course, I will!" She cut him off, her voice raising slightly. "You were never there for us the way we needed you. Do you know the countless nights she has slept crying because all we ever do is fight?"

Those words stung the most. They knew if was affecting her in the worst way possible but instead of resolving it, they chose to ignore.

Her breath got heavier as she slowly stepped away from the door. She repeatedly played their words in her head, ingraining them into the depths of her mind as her hands began to tremble.

She started to feel nauseous, her headache getting worse by the moment as tears welled up in her burning eyes. She stumbled down the stairs, struggling to see through the blur.

As she roughly slipped her feet into a pair of sandals, she headed back onto the road, desperately searching for him. It started pouring again as lightning struck, tinting the sky shades of electric blue with the thunder rumbling a few seconds later.

She yelled out his name, wishing he would still be around. She ran down the street as quick as her feet could carry her. He's my only safe place.

She abruptly stopped at a corner, gasping for air and swallowing the pain in her throat. She pulled out her phone in an attempt to contact him but the rain droplets made it harder to see the screen. She constantly kept wiping it, frustrated at the fact that she was so helpless... when someone gripped her wrist.

"I heard my name." His voice was stern with worry as his grip tightened, "And realised it was you."

Her gaze travelled from his hold on her wrist to his face. His eyes widened with concern upon seeing her appearance. Her reddened eyes and the strands of wet hair sticking to her face with the vein popping out of her neck.

"Yeonjun." She barely voiced out his name before hugging him tightly, leaving him speechless by her sudden action. The hot tears began flowing again as she tried to hold back her sobs.

"What happened?" He managed to breath out as he crinkled his eyebrows.

"I didn't..." She hiccuped, finding it difficult to speak as she pressed her cheek against his chest, shutting her eyes. "I didn't know where else to go."

"First, I need you to calm down." He stroked her wet hair, patting her back as a gesture of comfort.

"I'm sorry." She sniffed, shutting her eyes tighter. "I'll tell you everything. Just... please help me out of this hell."