After School With You

Episode 8: Melt

Hello~ ૮ ・ﻌ・ა
Thanks for reading my story! ૮ ˶′ﻌ ‵˶ ა
Sorry if this chapter seems short
I've been busy, but I have a lot planned for this
Story so stay tuned ૮ฅ・ﻌ・აฅ

Thank you for your comments I enjoy reading them!

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-MoonkApple

Cheol had lost the rock-paper-scissors game for who was going to get snacks from the convenience store. As he walked away from his friends, the cool evening air brushed against his skin, a stark contrast to the warmth of exertion from their earlier soccer game. He had left his hat behind, and the breeze felt satisfying as it swept through his jet black hair. Despite the physical relaxation, his mind buzzed with thoughts of Miae.

As he approached the convenience store, the familiar hum of the refrigerators and the soft buzz of the fluorescent lights greeted him. The store's bright glow spilled out onto the pavement, casting long shadows. The air was filled with the faint scent of fried food and the sweet aroma of ice cream. Cheol noticed a familiar figure exiting the store. It was Miae. She walked out, an ice cream in her hand, the sweet scent wafting towards him. She was giggling and talking to someone next to her. 'Miae?!' 'What is she doin-' His thought was cut off as the figure standing beside Miae came into view. It was Jisu.

Cheol's breath caught in his throat. His muscles tensed, the realization hit Cheol like a physical blow, a heaviness settling in his stomach.

He watched, rooted to the spot, as they spoke to each other outside the store. Jisu leaning against the store wall nonchalantly as miae faced him enjoying her ice cream. She said something cheol couldn't hear, and then the next moment happened all to quickly. Jisu had leaned forward, and took a lick of her ice cream. Cheol watched closely as Miae's face turned to one of surprise as he did this, but then quickly turned to one of annoyance as she scolded him for it. Jisu only licked his lips in satisfaction, unfazed by her scolding. Cheol's jaw clenched involuntarily, a muscle twitching in his cheek. The sweet aroma of ice cream now seemed sickening.

"MIAE!" The name burst from his lips before he could stop it, loud and sharp in the quiet street.

Miae's head snapped towards him, her eyes widening in shock. The smile dropped from her face. Her fingers tightened around the ice cream cone, knuckles turning white. Despite her panic, she couldn't help but notice how the harsh convenience store lights accentuated Cheol's features - his sharp jawline, the intensity in his violet eyes, and the way his dark hair fell across his forehead. Even in his anger, he was breathtakingly handsome, and Miae felt her heart skip a beat.

"Maie, what are you doing here?"Cheol approached the pair, his tone unnervingly calm.

Miae stood frozen in place, her heart beating fast. She struggled to speak."Cheol? Uh... well, I'm here with Jisu. We studied together today." The words tumbled out of Miae's mouth, her voice higher than usual. Her free hand fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, a nervous habit Cheol knew well.

Cheol's frustration mounted, a hot sensation spreading through his chest. He ran a hand through his hair, tugging slightly at the roots. The gesture, so characteristically Cheol, made Miae's stomach flutter despite the tense situation.

"What are you saying?! You're fine with your mom finding out you aren't going to cram school?" His voice came out harsher than he intended, the words feeling rough in his throat.

Miae flinched at his tone, her shoulders hunching slightly as if to make herself smaller. A memory of her mother's disappointed face flashed through her mind, adding to her inner turmoil. Her eyes darted between Cheol and Jisu, wide and uncertain. The ice cream in her hand was starting to melt, sticky droplets sliding down her fingers unnoticed.

Cheol wasn't having it. He sighed heavily, placing his fingers to his temples in frustration.

Miae winced at this. 'Why was he here?' She thought to herself. 'If he's going to make that face... He doesn't have to look out for me,' Miae bit her lip, her eyes stuck to the floor. She found herself wishing she could disappear, hating that Cheol was seeing her like this - caught in a lie, looking messy and childish with her melting ice cream. She felt an anger mixed with embarrassment growing in her.

"Let's go, it's late. I'll take you home."

Cheol reached out and grabbed the sleeve of Miae's jacket, ready to head back to their neighborhood together. "Ah wait!" Miae pleaded, desperately trying not to drop her ice cream while trying to figure out what was happening. Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. Part of her wanted to go with Cheol, but to go with him meant to fall back into the familiar pattern of him looking out for her. But another part, a growing part, rebelled against it. The coolness of the ice cream contrasted sharply with the warmth of Cheol's grip.

"Stop." Jisu had placed his hand on Cheol's arm, stopping him. Miae was shocked at Jisu's sudden interference; everyone at school was afraid of Cheol, but she realized in this moment, Jisu had never shown any type of fear when it came to Cheol. A small part of her admired his bravery, even as she worried about the confrontation brewing.

Cheol let go of Miae's arm, brushing off Jisu's hand in the process. Jisu stood in between Cheol and Miae.
"She's fine," Jisu said, his voice stern and clear. Jisu's eyes were low and his glare was steady on Cheol.

Cheol refused to look at Jisu, his eyes hidden by his hair. An air of tension surrounded the both of them.

"You stay out of it," Cheol spat under his breath at Jisu.

Jisu didn't move. He slowly inched closer to Cheol,

"Or what?" Jisu asked, as he glared up at Cheol.

Cheol's violet eyes turned cold as he glared down at Jisu, his jaw clenching. The air seemed to thicken with tension, making it hard to breathe. Cheol's fists clenched at his sides.

"Stop! Both of you!" Miae's voice cracked as she shouted, pushing Cheol back and getting in between him and Jisu.

"I'm fine!" she pleaded.

"I'm not your daughter! I'll go home when I want to!" she yelled, her voice piercing through the quiet street. The words burst out of her, fueled by weeks of pent-up frustration and confusion.

The words hung in the air, heavy and final. Miae's head was down, her hair hiding her eyes. She was shocked by her words and how sharp they sounded to her own ears. She had finally said what she had been feeling this whole time. She was upset with him. Upset for how he treated her. Treated her like she was some child that needed constant protection. She didn't want to be seen that way, especially not by him. She couldn't look up at his face, she just couldn't. A mix of relief and regret washed over her.

Cheol felt as if all the air had been knocked out of him. His eyes flickered to Miae, standing between him and Jisu, her back to Jisu as if she were taking his side. A pang of betrayal shot through him, mingling with the anger and confusion already churning inside. He quickly turned away, hiding the hurt that flashed across his face.

"Fine. Do what you want." Cheol's voice came out low and cold, a stark contrast to the turmoil he felt inside.

Miae's eyes widened as she watched Cheol walk away, his words still echoing in her head. The sharpness in his tone cut through her heart like a knife. With each step he took, Miae felt a growing emptiness inside her. She wanted to call out to him, to explain, but her voice failed her. She watched as he slowly disappeared out of sight.

Miae collapsed, holding her knees as she hid her face in her arms. The ice cream in her hand melted into a sticky puddle on the street. Jisu knelt down next to her, placing his arm around her. She hated how everything got so messed up. She didn't know how to fix it, how to come back from all of this. Her chest felt tight, each breath a struggle as she fought back tears.The night air, once cool and refreshing, now felt oppressive. The distant hum of the convenience store's refrigerators seemed to grow louder in the silence.