𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻 | lee minho x oc

ch 7

After the summer vacation, Minho started doing part time jobs to help his mother financially. His father's death had brought the family a hard time, so it was hard for Minho to focus on his studies well. Good thing was, after that day, Ahri got closer to Minho. Now he doesn't steal glances when they meet in corridor or only talks to her when necessary but try to have a conversation with her. In return, Ahri waits for Minho to finish his shift in the 24h convience store he works and then study there with him.

But one thing was bothering her from the last few days ; it was the girl who worked in the same store as Minho and seemingly had bonded with him as she caught them talking several times. She had no rights to get jealous but she did. And today she decided to ask him directly about her.

The pair sat down in the corner where they had been studying from almost a week now. It was past 11:30 pm already, when Ahri's stomach growled making the girl embarrassed. I mean, why did it have to make sound when she was with Minho? Nevertheless, Minho suggested to take a small ramen break and Ahri agreed as she had no other option after how her stomach made the girl regret coming to the store without having dinner. While Minho poured hot water in the cup from the machine and mixed the ingredients to blend them with the noodles, Ahri stood beside him, thinking how to ask him about his coworker.
" Minho.. the girl- " she started, didn't know what to ask him exactly. What is your relationship with that girl? No! Do you like that girl? fuck No. Do you think that girl is pretty? ugh! what kind of a question is that? She got puzzled up in her own thoughts.

" what girl? " Minho asked, handing the bowl to her.

" th- that girl you work with.." she mumbled but again lost in her own words. " I manted to mnow mhat do you.. think of mer " she said while chewing on the ramen, for him not to understand what she was saying.

" what? " He almost chuckled as he didn't understand anything she said yet he knew what she wanted to ask or what made her curious about that girl.

" She's the nephew of the store owner and is studying in a college. She doesn't work here everyday and only comes here when we have to load stuffs. " Minho looked at her face which was puffed with the food. He lifted his hand towards her face and softly wiped the corner of her lips which had marks of ramen sauce, before saying, " And, for your information, i'm not interested in her. " It made Ahri swallowed down the whole thing at once, leading her to choke as the food stucked on her throat. Thankfully, Minho was there to give her the water bottle at the right time and little pats on her back. And even after this, he found the girl laughing on her own. She's surely wierd.

After studying for a while, Ahri suddenly realised that Minho was no longer responding and when she looked up in his direction, she found the cutest sight where he was sleeping with his chin resting on one hand and holding a pen by his other one. Ah! that was adorable. She couldn't help but turn on her phone camera to capture this side of him. And she watched him silently, a strange knot tied up inside her chest. Maybe it was the fact that he still didn't look at her the way she looks at him, that made the girl a bit upset suddenly. She laid her head on the table too, in a position where she could still watch at him.

" what do i have to do for you to be interested in me? " she sighed at her own question before closing her eyes.

✦

The senior year was going faster than they imagined. It was almost the time for the students to have their school yearbook photoshoot.

" Guys! guys!  what if we all dress up as animals? I can be a quokka ." Jisung suggested with glittery eyes while his friends were having their lunch. They heard him but no one paid much attention, which made the boy annoyed. " aren't we too old for this? " Changbin said after sometime, making the boy think about his idea once more. " How about we all wear something simple? like casual? " Yunjin said, to which Ahri nodded slightly. " C'mon guys! it's for our yearbook photo. It has to be special " Jisung grunted again and forced everyone to think about the matter. Usually, he acts mature but guess he was still a kid afterall.

" Let's wear our father's suits and you two can wear any of your mother's. What do you say? " Changbin said pointing the girls. Ahri looked at Minho who notably got a bit uncomfortable with that idea. She knew it would be hard for him to wear something that belonged to his father and she also knew that Changbin didn't have any intention to hurt him. So she got an idea - " what if we...."

✦

Time skipped to the day of yearbook photoshoot. The school corridors got filled with students and their innocent laughs. Some were dressed uniquely while some sticked to their usual clothing ; in that case Ahri and her friends weren't lesser than anyone.

" I'm feeling super embarrassed " Changbin cried, hiding himself behind a piller although his huge body wasn't completely hidden." The five of them stood in a line as none of them wanted to enter the classroom with their pajamas on. Yes, they were wearing pajamas for their yearbook photoshoot. Well it was something unique yet effortless, so everyone agreed to Ahri's idea but now they were regretting because a lot of students were eyeing them throughout the hallway. " what's so embarrassing about it? i think we're looking cute " Jisung exclaimed and Yunjin nodded in agreement before stepping inside the classroom.

When they were done with photoshoot, they decided to go the school cafeteria while Ahri went to the rooftop by her own. She was having mixed feelings about everything and she wanted to clear her head. The girl who started her senior year with a mindset that she'd do her best this year, was done clicking her yearbook photos - all within just few months. She was happy that she made a lot of memories with her friends in those months yet was sad that she probably wouldn't be able to live those days again.
She'd have to think about her future now where she'd be responsible for everything she'd do, which kind of scared the girl honestly. She hadn't decided what she wanted to do in her life. Even so, she was excited and hopeful for her future.

As she was lost in her thoughts, the door of the rooftop dashed opened revealing the young boy with a soothing smile. Minho entered, without saying anything. But suddenly, the door got locked from behind and when he tried to pulled it, a voice caught him off guard. It was Sungcheol who locked the door - " Minho.. sorry but you annoy me " - he said. Ahri looked at Minho, who put a finger on his mouth to signal her not to say anything.
" aren't you satisfied yet? after putting the liquor in my bag? " Minho teased.

" So you knew about that? well no! i'm not satisfied. "

" why are you pulling these child's play with me huh? what have ever done to you? " Minho questioned with disappointment.

" You seriously don't know what you've done! you literally took away Ahri from me. The whole school knew that i have a crush on her ever since we entered highschool and you just came in between to steal my chance with her. " He spoke up, revealing his feelings that he kept in his heart from long.

Ahri was too stunned to speak. Minho looked at her and then asked Sungcheol to open the door politely because he personally didn't have any grudges against the class captain. When he refused to do that, Ahri finally stepped in. " Sungcheol.. i've heard what you said. See i -"

" Ahri?? what are you doing there? " Sungcheol cut her off and before she could respond to him, he ran away in embarrassment. She kept on screaming like ' hey we're here ' but she failed to reach his ear because he left the spot the next minute. Now it was only Minho and Ahri and the clear sky above them.