𝙁𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙚 || 𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙣𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙣

16. Coward

A/N:
It's a bit short
but I'm early, right?😶

Jihoon

"Soon-young?"

My words come out as a whisper, but I know he has heard me as I see his lips curving upwards in a beautiful smile as he looks back. But he doesn't reply, still making me run. We both pant breathlessly, clutching our knees until he burst out laughing so do I.

"What are you doing here?"

I ask, after brushing away the tears in the corner of my eyes because of the laughter, but deep down I know it is because of my relief, relief that it wasn't the last time. He looks at me with a smile before letting his hand rest on my shoulder. I instinctively brush (slap) it away with my hand, maybe a bit harshly.

"Sorry," I quickly apologize as I reach for his hand which he let me touch but not until pulling the most hurtful face as his eyes look shiny with tears in them and his lower lip poking out in a cute way that makes me wanna coo. But I don't wanna show my feelings cause I know it'll hurt me in the end.

I settle at rolling my eyes. "I didn't hurt you that badly," I retort, shoving his hand to him. He laughs, like a child as if he has just given the most beautiful compliment ever. I wanna see him laugh like that everyday, heck every second because of me.

'Is it too much to ask!'

"You're so cute, Jihoon-ah"

He cooes, pinching my cheeks with both of hands, squishing them a bit along the way. I huff at him, slapping his hands away as I try to hide away the blush creeping up to my cheeks. He again laughs, his eyes disappearing as his cheeks are puffing out in the process, making me want to squish them.

"What are you doing here?"

My words come out like a bullet. I regret opening my potty mouth. Can't I be nice for once? I wanna dig my own grave and bury myself down. But Soonyoung doesn't mind which I'm grateful for. He dances his eyes mischievously before pushing his empty palm to me. I look up to see his face and feel like his beauty stuck me completely.

I can't move as if every thing has come to a halt, everything is circling around him, his beautiful figure. I can see his mouth move but I can't hear the words as if I have become deaf. But my body is moving on its own as I put my hand on his. He chuckles at me, taking my hand to his lips, kissing it lightly before chuckling again. I blush furiously at the action.

"Jihoonie, I would so much like to do this for my whole life," he says, taking my other hand too, dangling them lightly. I try to understand what he meant by that & if I'm the only one who is taking it the way I want. "But right now I asked for your phone," he continues, taking both of my hands in his one hand, before fishing out his own phone to show me.

'Shit! This is embarrassing!'

My blush increases at my own dumbness. I hurriedly take my hand away, and fish out my phone before handing it to him, not even asking why he wants it. He quickly typed something before handing it to me, later showing me a missed call in his phone. It takes me a second to realize what he has done, but the question is why. I might have looked like an confused cat when I looked up to him as I see him chuckling at me for the nth time as he ruffles my slightly damp hair.

"We gotta have the phone numbers for going on dates," he winks, making my face flush even though I know he meant 'Fake Date'. "Wait here till the rain stops, okay?" he asks, coming near me. His perfume lingers in the air, soothing my nerves, making me want to cuddle up against him as I brush my nose against his beautiful collar bone.

'Jihoon, tone down your nasty thoughts, will ya?'

"I'll get going then," he continues, brushing my face with his tender hand. I subconsciously lean against his hand, it's warm unlike mine that makes me feel something inside my stomach is fluttering in a crashing speed. I'm afraid. I'm afraid that it soon will vanish if I don't cling to it, I'm afraid.

He turns on his heal to leave before pecking my messy hair for the last time. But before he can take a step I tugged on his shirt, make him look at me. Jihoon, What are you doing? I see him looking at me in confusion as well as in amusement as I see a little curve in the corner of his pink, plump lips. But what do I say?

'Say something, say anything!!'

"Y-you should wait for the rain to stop," I finally croak out and it is embarrassing as hell. I blush, but blush more when he chuckles pinching my cheek and takes the hand in his with which I was holding him back, intertwining them together. I can feel the warmth of his hand passing through mine and surprisingly I don't ever wanna let it go even though I never liked skin ships. Weird, ain't I?

'I think, I'm going crazy!'

"Says the person who was just soaking himself up in the rain," he chuckles. 'Bt that was because I thought I won't see you again,' I want to say it to him so badly but I can't. It is like the invisible boundary I've built over the years is keeping me away from telling him the truth, my feelings. Because no matter how much I put on a facade and tell the world that I'm strong, I'm bold but in the end I'm just a coward.