Right Behind You | Park Gunwook ZB1

Chapter NINE

"Stop staring at the new bartender." Hanbin sat down next to Gunwook on one of the teal sofas in ZeroBase.

"Hanbin hyung!" Gunwook greeted his sister's boyfriend. The two of them finally found time to have some quality 'brothers-in-law' time.

"You look very troubled."

"Aii I don't even know where to start."

"You've got a whole night to tell me about everything." Hanbin put his arm around Gunwook's shoulder.

"What an honour to have Sung Hanbin listen to my rants for the whole night." Gunwook teased.

"You're making me sound like a very unaffectionate hyung." Hanbin whined. "Sehyuk-ah," Hanbin then called out to the boy who was walking past them, "can you get us each two bottles of beer please."

"Of course." The boy quickly went to get them the drinks from the fridge.

"So what happened between you and Arin?" Hanbin carried on their conversation.

"I want to say nothing, because nothing actually happened between me and her. But basically, she found out that I like her."

"That's why she's taking a long leave? To hide away from you?"

"That I do not know, I don't think I'm that influential to her. She probably just needs some time to properly get over Gyuvin hyung. She was shattered that night after the wedding. She puts on an emotionless expression most of the time, but deep down, what she feels is so intense and overwhelming."

"So are you just going to sit and wait for her to come back?"

"What else can I do?"

"I don't know. Go find her and talk to her?"

"If she's actually trying to hide away from me, wouldn't that make her feel even more uncomfortable? She didn't look like she wanted to have anything to do with me after she realised I like her."

"If she doesn't want anything to do with you for the rest of her life, are you just going to let her be? Imagine how perplexed she must be, managing all the emotions after the wedding and then finding out that you like her. Arin is such a sensitive girl, she probably just doesn't know how to face you. Have you tried communicating your feelings and let her know how you truly feel?"

Gunwook shook his head.

"How did she even find out you like her?"

"Yoonhee kind of implied it when talking to her."

"Yoonhee?"

"Yeah, I brought her to Yoonhee's place that night after she got drunk."

"Why Yoonhee's place out of all places?"

"I couldn't really think of anywhere else. Noona was with you, and I didn't want to bring her home."

"You treat Arin wholeheartedly, yet you're an ass to Yoonhee." Hanbin gave Gunwook a look of disapproval.

"I didn't think much that night. I needed to find a place for Arin to stay, and Yoonhee's my only close female friend."

"That's why you're an ass. You know so well that Yoonhee likes you, yet you do nothing and keep her by your side as your friend for all these years. That was the last place you should have brought Arin to."

"Yoonhee said she'll be leaving Korea to study abroad soon." Gunwook sighed.

"All of a sudden?"

"She said that she has wanted to do that for quite a while, but..." Gunwook paused, finding it hard to restate Yoonhee's words.