Secretly Yours, (Enhypen Jay X Female OC)

Ch. 24: The Second Place

We're almost there already, aren't we?

The scenery outside is still grey, but it's starting to look very familiar now. Somehow, I can feel a few negative emotions beginning to form in my chest as I come to the realization that I'm almost at my destination, and it probably showed on my face, since Dohyon is suddenly asking me a random question out of nowhere.

"Hey... so why exactly are you coming back to Deagu again? I just find it strange that you're going alone when it sounds like you have friends from the same place, too."

"You sure are good at picking up details quickly," I comment in return as I turn to Dohyon, and he rolls his eyes in response.

"And you're still being very avoidant even though you've already shared way too much with me."

"Hmm... point."

"So answer my question," Dohyon demands, now frowning, and making me laugh at his expression.

"To see Sawol, of course! I still have a lot of things to settle, after all. And I wanna do it now rather than later." I smile as I finish talking, but something might have been off about it...

Because why is Dohyon suddenly looking at me suspiciously?

"... Anything else?"

"None?" I reply, though my smile becomes nervous now, making Dohyon even more suspicious. "Oh, come on, it's true! I'm really going back to Daegu to see Sawol... and come home to my house, too, since it's been a while since I've come back to Daegu... I mean, there's that, too."

"You sure are horrible at keeping secrets," Dohyon then tells me, and I let out a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, I've been told."

And then the silence returns, just as I turn my gaze towards the window yet again. And I feel my heart begin pounding with a strong nervousness for something.

"Well, I hope you eventually get to settle things with Miss Sawol," Dohyon then suddenly speaks, distracting me from my nervousness and making me turn back to him. "And I hope that means you get to tell her what you feel, too!"

Ha... This kid...

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," I reply with a smile, as I feel my nervousness slowly go away. "Thanks."

.

.

.

"Ugh... Dad's not gonna like this," Sawol complained as soon as I got to her room just in time as she was checking the list of toppers in their class.

I raised my brows at what she said, and then I figured she must have gotten a not so good grade this time. I quietly approached her with the intent of comforting her, but then my eyes landed on the list, and my eyes widened at where I saw her name.

"W-wait a minute... Second place?! Sawol, that's amazing! And with an average of 93, too?!" I started jumping as I turned to her in excitement, only for my excitement to quickly fade when I see her looking like she's about to cry.

Oh... right.

"Sorry... I got way too carried away," I mumble in a guilty tone as I stop, suddenly becoming awkward as I glance towards the list of toppers yet again.

It still is amazing, though... It just sucks that Sawol can't celebrate it mainly because... her being second place still won't be enough for her dad.

"Well, I think it's amazing you achieved that! And hey, you're getting a silver medal this time! You were third last year, hey, what if you get top one next year?" I try my best to make Sawol feel better.

But I'm not really sure if it's working, especially when she only smiles faintly in response to what I just said.

I furrow my brows as I look at her, before I eventually place my arm around her shoulders and pat her gently. "Hey... it's okay. You did great. You did really, really great."

"If you're really trying to make me feel better, how about you buy me something instead?" Sawol suddenly asked, and my brows immediately rose before I turned to her.

"Like... what exactly?"

Sawol turned to me, and the rose hairpin above her ear caught my eye. "Have ice cream with me before we go home." And then I turned back to her, and met her eyes as she spoke. "They do say ice cream makes you feel better, and... I'd like to spend a bit more time away from home. And I think my Dad can trust me if I come home with you."

"... Hmm?" That was all I could say in response. And then I realized how close we were. My eyes widened a bit more, and I felt heat rising up to my cheeks again. This time, however, I quickly covered it up as I pulled my arm away and placed my hand on Sawol's head instead, ruffling her hair. "What are you heartbroken? Why ice cream out of all things?"

"Ah! What like you got better ideas?" Sawol then asked after pulling away, and she frowned as she looked at me, making me chuckle.

"Actually, yeah... Ever heard of the night market at Daesin-dong?"

"That's too far."

"We can take a taxi."

"And you got the money for one?"

I just kept quiet and smiled, knowing Sawol knew the answer to that. And then her eyes widened in response.

"No?!"

"Oh, come on! Like you're not used to me buying you stuff!"

"Am I? Who said I'm used to it?"

"Your actions do? Your words do? I mean, you literally just asked me to buy you ice cream a while ago."

"Exactly! And if we did that, we wouldn't need a taxi!"

"But you do want to go to the night market, don't you?"

Sawol didn't get to say anything in response this time. She looked at me for a moment, and then she furrowed her brows before she spoke. "Since when were you the impulsive one between us?"

I shrugged and smiled in return. "Don't I spend enough time with you to be influenced?"

"Oh, shut up!" she replied, pushing my shoulder, and making me laugh again.

And then another voice spoke up from the entrance of the classroom: "About time you two started flirting with each other!"

And to that, I immediately froze, and I turned to see Sunghoon and Yunjin watching us from the doorway with mischievous smiles on their faces. I felt my face heating up again when I realized what he just said, and then a frown formed on my face before I suddenly heard Sawol shouting behind me.

"W-what are you- Hey!" she yelled at Sunghoon, and then she spoke to Yunjin in an accusing tone. "Hey, Yunjin! How could you just let him say something like that?!"

"It's true, though, isn't it?" Yunjin replied enthusiastically.

And Sawol shouted back in return. "No?! Hey, why are you taking his side?!"

"And why shouldn't she when it's the truth?!" Sunghoon yelled back.

I just smiled awkwardly as they continued exchanging sentences rather aggressively while I stood in the middle.

Well... I sure do have a bunch of energetic friends...

Pretty supportive ones, too. I guess it's pretty obvious why I'm still friends with Sunghoon and Yunjin even until now.

But anyway, that night, the four of us went on an outing again. One that would be one of the most memorable ones, especially since it was one of the last times all four of us hung out together.

Because a few days after that, Sunghoon, Yunjin, and I were all graduating from high school.

And Sawol was bound to be left behind for one year once again.