This Day | Gyuhao (Threequel to Youth & The Aged)

- 27

| Chapter Twenty - Seven — ??? |

"You want me to cook tonight?" Wonbin asks, scrolling through his phone mindlessly. He was in Chaewon's room along with Shotaro, the older boy just lying on the girl's bed in boredom while she sits at her vanity, touching up whatever makeup she had on.

"Is Yuqi sunbaenim trying to make tteokbokki again?" Shotaro snorts, rolling around so he's perched on his elbows, "It's just rice cakes. How does she mess it up so bad?"

Wonbin just grins in amusement, shaking his head. He looks at Chaewon, eyes meeting her's in the mirror, "What do you want?"

"Non-burnt tteokbokki." Shotaro replies instead, humming.

"Not you, hyung."

Shotaro scoffs, rolling back over.

"Won-ah?" Wonbin asks again.

Chaewon tears her eyes away with a clear of her throat, tossing her mascara down on the vanity, beginning to mess with her hair, coming her fingers through it mindlessly, "I don't care. Whatever's fine."

There's a momentary silence before Wonbin finally snaps.

"Okay, what the hell is up with you?" The question makes Chaewon freeze and Shotaro side eye them awkwardly, the air suddenly feeling way thicker than before.

Chaewon whips around in her chair, eyes wide, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Wonbin stands up, crossing his arms, "You've been avoiding me forever. Did I do something to upset you? Or are you just trying to prove something?"

"What would I have to prove?" Chaewon rises to her feet as well, keeping her guard.

"Uh—" Shotaro blinks, feeling out of place. He just scratches at the back of his head.

"I don't know. You've treated me like shit ever since you've met me, and as soon as things finally seem to get better, you ignore me. What the fuck is up? What did I do?"

"I'm not ignoring you."

"Say that again and maybe you'll catch your lie." Wonbin clenches his jaw, "I'm just sick of you acting like I'm not here. Like do the least of looking me in the eye when I'm talking to you for fucks sake."

"I look at you."

"This is the first time in a month since you've done so." Wonbin sighs deeply, looking at her sincerely, "Just tell me what I've done, okay? Even if it's the smallest thing, let me apologize for it."

"You haven't done anything."

"Then why are you treating me this way?"

"What way?"

"Chaewon."

"I'm not treating you any bad way, Wonbin." Chaewon tells him, the lie tasting weird on her tongue, "I don't treat you any differently than Shotaro, for example. Or Riki and Eunchae. I'm equal with you all." 

"That's bullshit."

"Sorry?" Chaewon scoffs, taking a step forward, "Fucking snap at me again."

"Um." Shotaro clears his throat, sliding off the bed with an awkward laugh, "I'm gonna.... I'm just gonna...." He fumbles for the doorknob, "Yeah." And then he's exiting the room, leaving them alone.

They pay him no mind.

Wonbin's hair falls in front of his eyes as he runs a hand through the strands in frustration, "I just don't understand why you're acting like this all of a sudden. You just started to seem to like me. I just... I don't get it."