STRAWBERRIES AND CIGARETTES || PARK JIHOON

🍓 TWELVE 🚬

"Jihoon, stop staring. You're looking like a creep" Junkyu said after poking his shoulder for the seventh time.
Jihoon was so captivated by the new girl that entered the class that he found himself continuously staring at her, unable to shift his gaze. Her presence was so mesmerizing and attention-grabbing that he couldn't help but keep his eyes fixed on her every move.

Junkyu couldn't help but roll his eyes in annoyance at Jihoon as he noticed him staring at the new girl in such an overt and obvious manner. It seemed like Jihoon was trying to make a scene, and it was irritating Junkyu to no end.

Junkyu whispered to himself, "Can't he be more subtle?" as he watched Jihoon's unwavering gaze fixed on the new girl. It was as if he was practically drooling over her in front of everyone. Junkyu shook his head in disbelief at the lack of discretion.

As Yn was trying to focus on her class work, she suddenly felt a strange sensation, as if someone was watching her. She glanced around the room and eventually her gaze landed on Jihoon, who was staring at her intently.
Yn was taken aback by the intensity of his gaze and couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking.

Yn's cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink as Jihoon suddenly gave her a cheeky wink from across the room. She felt a flutter in her stomach as she realized that he had been staring at her this whole time.
Yn quickly turned away from him, trying to hide her blushing face, but her heart was racing with a mix of embarrassment and excitement.

As she tried to focus on her class, she could still feel Jihoon's eyes on her. Every time she glanced in his direction, he would give her a sly smile or a small wave, sending shivers down her spine.
She tried to ignore him and concentrate on the lesson, but her mind kept drifting back to the handsome boy who seemed to be shamelessly flirting with her in front of everyone.

As Yn packed up her belongings along with Seungmin, preparing for their next class together, she couldn't shake off the memory of Jihoon's intense gaze from earlier. Her mind kept rewinding to the moment he had winked at her, and she found herself feeling both flustered and intrigued.
Yn stole a glance across the room and noticed Jihoon was still gathering his things, his eyes darting between her and Seungmin.

Jihoon watched as Yn grabbed Seungmin's hand and hastily led him out of the classroom. He couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as he saw the two of them walking together.

Next to him, Junkyu let out a snort, noticing Jihoon's scowling expression. "Looks like someone's got a case of jealousy," he teased, unable to resist poking fun at his friend's obvious feelings.

Jihoon shot Junkyu a glare, silently telling him to shut up. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew that Junkyu was right and that he was indeed feeling a twinge of jealousy.
"Just shut up, will you?" Jihoon grumbled, trying to downplay his emotions, but the hint of irritation in his voice betrayed him.

Junkyu smirked at Jihoon's annoyance and couldn't resist teasing him further. "Oh, come on, don't deny it" he jibed. "You were practically drooling over her in class. Who are you trying to fool?"

Jihoon rolled his eyes, but couldn't disagree with Junkyu. "Fine, she's attractive, I'll give you that," he admitted reluctantly.
Junkyu chuckled, enjoying the fact that he had been right. "Yeah, and you clearly weren't subtle about it. You were staring at her like a lovesick puppy," he teased.

Jihoon bristled at being called a 'lovesick puppy' and retorted, "I was not staring like a lovesick puppy. I was just... observing" He tried to defend himself, but his argument sounded weak even to his own ears.

MEANWHILE

As Yn continued to drag Seungmin behind her, he couldn't help but groan in irritation, feeling like he was being treated like a dog on a leash. He tried to pull away, but her grip was surprisingly strong.
"You know, I can walk on my own, right?" he muttered in irritation.

Yn chuckled, ignoring his complaints and continued to drag him along. "I know you can, but it's more fun this way" she said teasingly, enjoying the fact that she was in control.

Seungmin rolled his eyes in frustration, resigning himself to being dragged along by his friend. "You're enjoying this a little too much" he muttered under his breath, feeling a twinge of annoyance at her childish behavior.

As they continued walking, Seungmin suddenly recalled a boy in their class who had been staring at Yn repeatedly. He turned to her and asked, "Hey, have you noticed that boy in our class who always seems to be staring at you?"

Upon hearing Seungmin's question, Yn's cheeks flushed slightly as she remembered Jihoon's intense gaze from earlier. She tried to maintain a composed expression, but her reaction was not lost on Seungmin who noticed the change in her demeanor.
Seungmin raised an eyebrow and smirked, catching onto the implication of her reaction. "Ah, now I see what's going on," he said, a hint of tease in his voice.

Yn tried to play it cool, but she could feel her cheeks burning even more. "What do you mean?" she asked, feigning ignorance, but knowing exactly what he was hinting at.
Seungmin chuckled and gave her a knowing look. "Oh come on, don't play coy. I saw the way that Jihoon guy was staring at you during class. It was pretty obvious that he fancies you," he teased.

Despite Seungmin's teasing and knowing that he was right, Yn chose to ignore his words and continue dragging him along. She didn't want to admit that she was flustered by Jihoon's attention, so she simply tried to act nonchalant.
Seungmin, however, was not fooled by her attempts to brush him off. He could tell that she was flustered and secretly reveling in her reaction. He chuckled to himself, amused by how she tried to hide her feelings.

As lunch time arrived, Yn and Seungmin found themselves sitting in the cafeteria, enjoying their lunch together. The room was buzzing with the noise of other students chatting and eating, creating a lively atmosphere.

While most students were inside the cafeteria, Jihoon and Junkyu had chosen to take their lunch break outside in the backyard. They stood at a secluded corner, each holding a cigarette between their fingers as they puffed on them and exhaled wisps of smoke into the air.

The air was filled with the bitter scent of tobacco as they stood in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Jihoon took a deep drag of his cigarette, his mind still fixated on Yn, the girl who had captured his attention.

Junkyu noticed Jihoon's pensive expression and smirked, knowing exactly what was on his friend's mind. "Still thinking about the new girl, huh?" he teased, exhaling a plume of smoke.
Jihoon scowled at Junkyu's remark, annoyed at how easily he could read him. "Shut up" he snapped, not wanting to admit that Junkyu was right and that he had indeed been thinking about her.

Junkyu chuckled, finding humor in Jihoon's denial. "Don't deny it, you're clearly smitten. I saw the way you are ogling her during class" he teased, taking another drag of his cigarette.
Jihoon's scowl deepened as he tried to maintain his composure. "I wasn't ogling her. I was just... observing," he defended, his voice lacking conviction.

Junkyu raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Right, 'observing' " he echoed, mimicking Jihoon's tone. "Is that what you call it? I swear, you were practically drooling over her like a love sick puppy" he laughed, enjoying taunting his friend.

Jihoon sighed, frustrated at Junkyu's teasing and knowing that his attraction to Yn might just be the beginning of a long, torturous journey. He took a final drag of his cigarette and tossed it aside, the ember smoldering out on the cemented floor.

As Jihoon extinguished his cigarette, he realized that he had gotten himself into a situation that had no easy exit. His attraction to Yn had a strong hold on him, and he was powerless against it.

Jihoon muttered under his breath, cursing at the situation he had found himself in. He knew that his attraction to Yn was only the beginning of a complicated and potentially messy journey. He felt as if he was hopelessly smitten and had no control over his feelings.