STRAWBERRIES AND CIGARETTES || PARK JIHOON

🍓 THIRTEEN 🚬

As Jihoon and Junkyu strolled back to class after their smoking break, the lunch break was nearing its end. They observed Yn and Seungmin walking a short distance ahead of them, their pace just slightly quicker than the duo's own unhurried stroll.

Jihoon's heart suddenly missed a beat as his gaze fell on Yn, his eyes drinking in the sight of her. Meanwhile, Junkyu stood beside him, a sly smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he keenly observed Jihoon's reaction.

Junkyu knew the significance of Jihoon's quickened heartbeat and the way his eyes remained fixed on Yn, and he could not help but tease him, a sly smirk playing on his lips.
"Looks like someone's caught your eye," he drawled, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Jihoon snapped out of his momentary daze, quickly averting his gaze from Yn and shooting Junkyu a glare. He grumbled, "Shut up."
Junkyu couldn't resist the opportunity to taunt Jihoon, and he began subtly shoving his shoulder against his friend's. A sly grin spread across his face as he teased, "You're so obvious, man. You can't keep your eyes off her."

With a frustrated sigh, Jihoon pushed Junkyu aside, trying to ignore his friend's continued attempts to get under his skin. "Can you just cut it out, please?" he muttered irritably, his cheeks now stained with a hint of pink.
But Junkyu was relentless, and he chuckled at the obvious blush on Jihoon's cheeks. He continued to tease him, "You're so easy to read, man. You're practically drooling over her."

Jihoon and Junkyu immediately halted in their tracks as they noticed Yn and Seungmin turning around, having overheard their hushed conversation. Jihoon's heart skipped a beat as their gazes briefly met. He suddenly felt a mixture of embarrassment and nervousness, his mind racing with thoughts of what they might have overheard.

Meanwhile, Junkyu tried to feign nonchalance, plastering a casual smile on his face, but he couldn't deny the slight flush that crept up his cheeks. He silently wished he could sink into the ground and disappear rather than face Yn and Seungmin's curious gazes.

Yn and Seungmin exchanged a puzzled glance at the two boys' sudden freeze, their brows furrowing in curiosity, wondering what could have been discussed between them. The air suddenly became thick with tension as they all stood there facing each other

As the awkward silence persisted, Seungmin cleared his throat and spoke up, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked back and forth between Jihoon and Junkyu. "What were you two talking about?"

Jihoon's mind raced, desperately trying to think of a convincing response. He quickly blurted out, trying to sound casual, "Uh, nothing. Just, you know, guy stuff."
Junkyu nodded vigorously, backing Jihoon up, "Yeah, yeah. Definitely just guy stuff. Nothing interesting. Just... guy... stuff..." His words trailed off awkwardly, realizing how unconvincing he sounded.

Seungmin's suspicious expression grew even more pronounced as he observed their nervous demeanor and flimsy explanations. "Guy stuff?" He echoed, his tone skeptical. "Sounds like you're hiding something."
Jihoon forced a chuckle, trying to play it off as a joke. "Hiding something? Us? Pfft. Why would you think that?"
His palms grew clammy, and he could feel a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead, despite his best efforts to appear calm.

As that familiar odour of smoke wafted through the air, Seungmin and Yn wrinkled their noses in distaste. The scent of tobacco clung to Jihoon and Junkyu, a clear indication of their recent smoking break.

Junkyu seemed unfazed by the reaction, but Jihoon self-consciously patted his shirt, knowing full well the lingering scent. He chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry about that. We just had a... uhm... smoke break before class."