𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 | 정원

☆ | 02

✰

Ellie silently walked beside Kyujin as she rambled about the crazy experiences she endured the night before. Ellie glanced down at the ground for a short moment but by the time she looked back up, Kyujin had already ran off to Sunoo - her arms immediately wrapping around his neck while he held gently onto her waist.

She let out a soft sigh before slowly approaching them, only now noticing Jungwon awkwardly standing beside the pair. "Good morning." The brunette smiled while looking down at the shorter girl.

Ellie returned the smile and softly muttered back a 'morning'. "Let's go to lesson." Kyujin suggested and glanced around at the other three, who all nodded and began walking towards the direction of the school doors.

Ellie's eyes once again dropped to her feet as she walked - her only now noticing the loose lace on her left shoe. She let out a tut before bending down to tie it back up, "it's fine. You can go." She quietly spoke to Jungwon, who had halted and was now waiting for the girl to finish.

His eyes traveled down to her skirt before looking around at the other students making their way into school. He then nonchalantly made his way to stand behind the girl as she stayed crouched over - blocking anyone from behind able to see up her skirt, bending down to pick to pick her bag up from the ground in the process, not wanting to dirty it.

Once Ellie had finished, she stood back up and brushed herself down before taking her bag back and swinging it over her shoulder. "Thank you." She mumbled shyly and carried on walking towards the school, Jungwon closely following behind.

✰

The rain splattered heavily down on the concrete floor making Ellie slightly pout as she stared up at the newly forming puddles. "Your mum is going to give me a lift, right?" She questioned, remember the promise Kyujin had made a few days before.

The black haired girl awkwardly looked away and scratched her nape. "I told my mum not to come because I want to hang out with Sunoo.." she revealed causing Ellie's eyes to subtly widen.

"But you told me that we'd go back to your house and hang out." Ellie stated, tugging on her friend's arm with disappointment. But the girl only avoided her eyes and just simply looked around for her lover.

Kyujin slowly detached the younger girls hand from her arm and casually waved to her. "Sunoo's over there. I don't want him to wait too long in the rain." She said before hurrying over to her boyfriend holding an umbrella.

Ellie let out a huff and mentally prepared herself to be soaking wet by the time she makes it home. Just as the girl finished gathering herself, she put her foot out and stepping into the rain - only for a clear umbrella to be placed over her head rather than rain drops.

Who was holding the umbrella? Had Kyujin come back for her? She questioned in her mind before turning to see a familiar tall brunette male with a popping dimple.

"Jungwon?" She spoke out loud with a confused tone. Instead of answering the boy continued to smile and stepped out into the rain with her, the two stared at each other for a moment before beginning to walk - a spark of awkwardness in the air.

After a little while of walking, the air around the two soon became more comfortable and less awkward. In all honeslty Ellie was thankful that Jungwon 'rescued' her with his umbrella, unlike her supposedly best friend who ditched her last minute.

The sound of a loud bang followed by a crackle in the sky caused Ellie to stop in her tracks and unknowingly stare up at the sky, the flash of the lightening reflecting in her almond eyes.

Jungwon took notice of her reaction to the thunder and lightening, him also stopping and watching her closely. "Let's go into the convenience store and get out of the rain for a bit." Jungwon suggested, figuring that she could be slightly afraid of the thunder.

Ellie nodded and followed the boy inside, keeping close under one umbrella. The convenience store was small yet always had the best things inside, for example the hot chocolate machine that now made Ellie's eyes light up.

She excitedly hurried over to it and checked out the price for a single drink. "Do you know how to work this?" She asked while glancing back at the brunette boy, checking out the Haribow.

Jungwon looked over at her and formed his lips into a tight smile as he approached the girl. "Here." He gently spoke and placed one of the paper cups under the hot spout before pushing a few buttons. Ellie thanked him and waited for her hot chocolate to finish, a slight smile plastered over her face. "Be careful. It's hot." Jungwon warned and picked the cup up for her, casually blowing the steam away.

Without another thought or second to spare, he reached into his pocket and pulled out changed before handing it to the cashier. "Jungwon, you didn't have to." Ellie spoke while taking her hot chocolate from him. The boy shrugged and dug his receipt into his pocket.

"It's no problem." He insured and began making his way out it of the store, putting his umbrella back up. "I think we should become friends. After all, we will probably have to spend a lot of time together from now on." He proposed.

Ellie nodded and sipped her hot drink, "sure, why not." She responded and looked down at her watch, her eyes widening. "All of the buses that go from school to the neighbourhoods would have gone by now. How are you getting home?" She slightly worried.

Jungwon brushed his hair out of his face and sent her a reassuring smile. "I'll just catch one of the regular buses, but for now I'll just walk you home." He insisted despite Ellie reassuring him that it's okay for him to make a move and head home himself.

"Thank you for walking me home in the rain.. and for buying me this hot chocolate." She spoke without looking at him, though he was staring down at her.

"Anytime."