Reputation

Chapter 16 - Unspoken tension

The next week back at school was normal, to say the least. Jeonghan and I had this unspoken tension between us. He wasn't saying anything, so I decided not to bring it up either. It was just easier that way.

In class, our teacher assigned us a history project. As Jiyeon was about to ask me to partner up, Scoups swooped in and asked her first. I stood there, unsure of who to ask when suddenly, Jeonghan appeared beside me.

"Hey, wanna be my partner in crime?" he asked with a sly grin.

I raised an eyebrow. "Sure, but what about Shua?"

"He's already found a partner," Jeonghan said, pointing behind him at Joshua, who was grinning widely with his new partner.

"Fine, Yoon. I guess I have no choice," I said, playfully crossing my arms and pretending to be annoyed.

Jeonghan chuckled, leaning in closer. "You know you want to work with me. Admit it."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," I teased back, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach.

We spent the rest of the class discussing our project ideas. Jeonghan had a knack for making even the most mundane topics sound interesting. By the end of the class, we had a solid plan in place.

As we packed up our things, Jeonghan turned to me with a mischievous smile. "So, my place or yours to work on this?"

I rolled my eyes, smirking. "Let's go to the library first. We need to actually do some research, you know."

"Fine, but I'm holding you to that," he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

The unspoken tension between us lingered, but it was overshadowed by the easy camaraderie we shared.

At the library, Jeonghan and I split up to find books for our project. As I wandered down one of the aisles, I spotted the perfect book—just out of reach. I stretched up on my tiptoes, trying to grab it, but it was no use.

Suddenly, a hand reached up and effortlessly grabbed the book for me. I turned around to see Jeonghan standing behind me, way too close. Our faces were inches apart, and I could feel my heart racing. We locked eyes, and it felt like time stood still. His gaze was intense, and I felt a flutter in my chest that I couldn't ignore.

"Cough." Someone nearby cleared their throat, breaking the spell.

"Erm, here," Jeonghan said, handing me the book, his voice a bit softer than usual.

"Thanks," I replied, trying to keep my composure despite the lingering effect of our stare.

We sat down at one of the tables and started reading, sifting through the information to see what we could use for our project.

Jeonghan pov:

As Ara sat beside me, explaining some of the things she found, I couldn't help but get lost in her features. The way she spoke with such enthusiasm and focus was captivating, and I found myself just staring at her.

Just then, some guy walked past and blatantly checked her out. A surge of irritation shot through me, and I shot him a glare until he noticed and quickly looked away.

"Yoon? Are you even listening?" Ara's voice pulled me back to the moment. She was looking right at me, her eyes full of curiosity and a hint of amusement.

"Yeah, of course, Let's get back to it," I said, giving her a reassuring smile as I refocused on her.

As we delved deeper into the project, I couldn't resist teasing her a bit. "You know," I began, "for someone who's so smart, you sure do struggle with reaching high places."

Ara rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "Oh, shut up. Not everyone is blessed with giraffe height, Jeonghan."

I chuckled. "Giraffe height? Come on, I'm not that tall. But if you need any more books from the top shelf, I'm your guy."

She nudged me playfully. "Well, lucky for me, I have a tall, helpful partner then."

We continued working, occasionally brushing hands as we reached for the same book or turned pages. Each touch sent a small jolt through me, making it hard to concentrate. At one point, Ara looked up from her notes, her face close to mine again.

"What's up, Yoon?" she asked, a teasing glint in her eyes. "You're staring again."

I smirked. "Can't help it. You're just too distracting."

She laughed softly, the sound like music to my ears. "Flattery won't get you out of doing your share of the work, you know."

"Who says I'm trying to get out of it? I'm just appreciating the view while I work," I replied, winking at her.

We continued this playful back-and-forth, making the hours fly by. At one point, Ara looked at her watch and sighed. "We should probably wrap up soon. It's getting late."

As we packed up, I glanced outside and noticed how dark it had gotten. "Come, let's walk home together."

Ara nodded appreciatively. "Sure, Jeonghan."

We left the library together, the cool evening air wrapping around us. As we walked, our conversation flowed effortlessly, filled with laughter and light teasing.

When we reached her doorstep, I paused, not quite ready for the night to end. "Well, this is you," I said, a bit reluctantly.

"Yeah," she replied softly. "Thanks for walking me home, Jeonghan."

"Anytime," I said, giving her a warm smile. "Good night, Ara."

"Good night," she replied, and with one last smile, she went inside.

As I walked the short distance back to my house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for what was to come.