Sigh - Nishimura Riki / Ni-ki

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓻𝓽𝓮𝓮𝓷

Narrator's POV

The boy stared at her, realizing that she was lying. He thought about asking, but he pushed the thought away, deciding that it was not his business. Either way, if she didn't want her parents to know, that was her problem, not his.

He got up from the bed, taking Juyeon's hand and pulling her up with him. She stumbled a little, dizzy. Realizing that it was probably a side effect from her injury, he stared at her worryingly. Seeing that she was about to fall, he caught her tightly in his arms and made sure she was safely on her feet.

Ba-bump, ba-bump. Ba-bump, ba-bump.

The sound of both their hearts beating out of their chests.

Juyeon had never been this close to a guy, apart from her brother or her cousins. Her crush on Huening Kai had never gone past the eraser, and she had never experienced this much contact with him. Now, she was certain : Nishimura Riki was her crush. Her second crush. The only crush that felt real, that felt close, that felt possible. A crush that wasn't lived from afar, by observing, but from close-up.

By feeling. Feeling his arms around her body. Feeling his breath on her forehead. Feeling a strand of hair mixing with hers. Feeling their height difference.

By smelling. Smelling his comforting cinnamon scent. Smelling the fresh odor of laundry detergent on his shirt. Smelling the shampoo that he used, a brand she had never smelled before, but that she was going to hunt down until she could smell it again.

By hearing. Hearing their heartbeats intertwine in a symphonic rhythm. Hearing his uneven breathing. Hearing the friction of their shirts rubbing together.

And finally, by seeing. Not just looking from afar, like she had done with Huening Kai. It was much more than that. It was examining from up-close. Examining his features. His moles, scattered around his face, that made him even more attractive. His beautiful monolids that made his gaze so enchanting. His full lips that carved into a warm smile when he was happy.

Juyeon was not experiencing a second crush. She was experiencing her first love.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Riki cleared his throat. Juyeon looked at him and quickly looked away, realizing how close they were. She tried to get out of his hold, only to stumble again. He caught her a second time and chuckled, "Woah there, take your time. You just had a head injury." He held her hand and helped her settle back down on the bed, sitting on the edge.

"So...", the boy started, "Would you mind telling me why you were wearing your thick hoodie during a heat wave????"

The girl went silent, startled by his question. She gathered her words, hoping she wouldn't sound like a complete idiot while talking to him.

"I, umm..." she stuttered, "I never leave the house without it. It's my comfort hoodie."

But the boy saw through her lies. He had been there himself, long ago. He knew how it felt to want to disappear into your oversized clothes, to not be seen by the public eye.

But he just nodded, not pressing any further. He didn't want to scare her off. Indeed, this girl was seriously starting to pique his interest. And this time, he wasn't letting go.

words : 568