The Boy Next Door

the nights of nostalgia

"House tour!" I said when Sunwoo opened the front door.

I had been stalling the past five minutes saying random shit to delay going inside. It's not that I didn't trust him or anything, I was just thinking about how scary it was to actually hook up with someone. I mean there was so much to think about! Like--

"You coming inside?" Sunwoo asked when I was just standing there.

"Y-yeah," I said. "It's--I was just looking at your door. It's nice."

Sunwoo glanced at it like he'd never even given it a second look before he moved here. "Thanks. it's wood."

I stepped inside and a floorboard creaked beneath my feet. No one walked these halls in a while since it was vacant for so long.

"Sorry it's kinda dark. My dad is paying for half the electrical bill, so only half the house has light." Sunwoo said and flipped a switch on and the kitchen lit up.

"It's fine!" I squeaked.

There were so many cases of beer hidden in the corner of every room. There were empty bottles and cans on the tables and stairs.

"Oh watch your step." Sunwoo grabbed my shoulders and guided me out of the way of a pile of broken glass.

"Have you guys unpacked?" I asked as he finished sweeping up the glass and throwing it away.

"Nope. I still gotta set up my room." Sunwoo said and tossed me a bottle of water which I didn't catch because my arm was holding my crutch up.

He let out a laugh and I glared at him. "It's not funny."

"It's not." He said, biting his lower lip as he picked up the water and set it on the counter.

He was in close proximity to me now, I had to look up to meet his eyes.

"You wanna help set up my room?" He asked.

"...up there?" my eyes darted towards the stairs. The room where his bed probably was??

"Yeah, that's where my room is," sunwoo tilted his head at me. "Are you okay? you sound a little shaky."

"I'm fine," I said through a clenched jaw.

"Did you get winded walking over here?" He teased.

I shook my head. I was running out of words to stall him.

Sunwoo reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "You can tell me. It's just us."

That was exactly the problem.

"I don't want to have sex with you!" I blurted out.

His eyes went wide for a second at how loud I was, and then turned to amusement. A smile crept on his face.

"That isn't why I brought you here," He said, stifling a laugh.

My face turned red with embarrassment. Of course.

I covered my eyes so I didn't have to look at him, and I leaned forward so my head rested on his chest. His arms wrapped around me--it was weird how natural this all felt.

"Oh my god," I said.

"It's okay." He laughed.

"No, it's not."

"No, it is, trust me." Sunwoo said with confidence. "Hey I mean if you want to I'm not objecting-"

I stepped away from him to slap his arm.

"I thought--I just thought--"

"That I was the kind of guy to ask a girl to sleep with me on the first pre-date?" Sunwoo tilted his head at me.