Sentience

42

It was something Ji Changmin asked himself; why should he feel uneasy? Whatever the connection Belle and Sunwoo had in the past, or how they wanted to reconnect now totally had nothing to do with him. He had no right to interfere either.

However, seeing the sparkles in the other boy's eyes when he looked into Belle's beautiful orbs and how he was unable to break his gaze from her, it somehow screamed madly in love. Which, Ji Changmin couldn't help thinking that maybe there was an untold episode between them.

Perhaps, the two were dating back then. Or maybe Sunwoo had feelings for Belle. Or maybe, he was about to confess but Belle suddenly left.

The last assumption seemed possible. Otherwise, Sunwoo wouldn't comment that he didn't get to bid farewell because Belle transferred school so abruptly. But, if those were the possibilities, why Belle didn't seem to remember anything from it?

And right now, as he glanced outside through the window in the living room of the medium-sized apartment where the sight of the playground could be accessed, he found himself biting his lower lip every so often. Mother's house was on the 4th floor, making the view very clear. Therefore, Changmin had been spying on Belle and Sunwoo at the swings talking to each other.

Belle had agreed to wait for Sunwoo; the boy said he only required an hour to finish his deal before he could come back. Thus, after an hour of spending her time with Changmin at her mother's house, Belle stepped out for a while, to see Sunwoo at the playground.

From this spying, Changmin could never easily tell what they were talking about. From the first minute, Sunwoo came running to her, they were laughing, teasing and sometimes being very serious. All emotions came alive which only made his curiosity jerk up at the content of the conversation.

"You like Arabelle, don't you?"

The sudden query from the demeanour next to him broke his trance, Mother was teasingly smiling at him.

"We are friends. You know that too, Mother," he immediately wrote off the idea.

But, Mother didn't seem to believe. She chuckled as she peeked outside at the sight of her daughter and the boy next door at the swing. "Arabelle and Sunwoo used to be friends. They were so close back then. So, you don't have to worry, I'm sure Arabelle has no feelings for him."

"Huh... Why are you telling me this? I told you that me and Belle are only friends."

"You keep denying... Every time you told me stories about her, I saw how your eyes changed," the woman explained, recalling many days before when they sat at the playground together. "If only I knew back then that you were telling me about my daughter..."

Silence then fell upon them, Ji Changmin pondered in confusion.

My eyes changed? He raided his brain to understand the meaning.

"I'm pretty sure that, both of us are thinking the same," he subconsciously said, watching Mother smile lovingly. "That we are nothing but friends."

The woman then patted his shoulder, "If so, then both of you must be too fool when it comes to feelings."

Again, the confusion crashed over him, suddenly Ji Changmin felt like someone was banging his head against the hard wall. But, the situation he was in immediately ended when the sound of the front door which was aligned with his current position being opened was heard; Belle swiftly entering.

Her brows furrowed, trying to understand what was happening while she was gone. Why her best friend and her mother were standing by the window and why did the two seem to be taken aback seeing her?

"Did you two badmouth me?" She questioned, raising a brow.

"Why should we?" Changmin said it sarcastically, intending it to be playful. Then he unwillingly returned a question to her, just to be polite."Where is Sunwoo?"

"In his house," Belle pointed to the unit next door. "He bought us a cake."

She raised a hand that was holding a cake box, the smile on her face was quite disturbing for Changmin to see. Perhaps, because the smile seemed to be granted to the boy next door; someone Changmin couldn't fully accept the presence yet.

However, despite that, Ji Changmin coaxed himself to take the box from her hand; no matter how much hatred he planted, before they trailed into the kitchen together.

"The utensils are still in the same place," Mother informed, throwing it to Belle.

Stepping into the area, Changmin placed the box on the 4-seater dining table while Belle lingered around the cabinet to find the needed supplies. The boy was slightly amazed while watching the girl move here and there. Although many years had passed since she left the house, she still managed to remember every crook of this place.

Her heart never left this place, Changmin thought.

It was when Belle crouched down the cabinet, looking for extra plates that her head bumped against the hard concrete. Changmin rushed towards her who was holding her forehead and yelping at the pain; the two ended up sitting on the floor, facing each other.

"Be careful, can't you?" Changmin softly rubbed the sore spot, as if he was the cause of the pain. "Hmm... It will leave a mark."

"I miscalculated," she said, surrendering her head to be rubbed against her best friend's small palm. "I thought it was home..."

"This is also your home."

"Oh... right..."

Changmin unknowingly let out a giggle; the soft one. For, he was attracted to Belle's purity. But, of course, the feelings were casual and not related to any assumption made by Mother.

However, within this proximity to her, he couldn't help but feel something foreign. Something he never felt before if Belle was with another male creature other than him. He wondered what kind of power Sunwoo had to control him like this. He seemed unable to let Belle be near Sunwoo anymore in the future.

He felt uneasy. So much uneasy.

"What did you talk about with Sunwoo earlier?" He let go of her sore forehead, diving straight into her orbs.

"Nothing," Belle answered, didn't look hesitant even a little. She was certain of her answer.

And it made Changmin flinched, growing gaps between them as he leaned out.

"Nothing?" He pondered with scrunched brows. "You've been sitting with him for so long and yet you guys didn't talk about anything? Then, what was the laughter for?"

It was Belle's turn to flinch, "How do you know?"

"I saw you two from the window."

"You were spying on us?

"I-"

Dang, Changmin internally cursed.

He wasn't supposed to let himself be caught. Especially about the spying things. But, he didn't spy. He was just being on alert if anything would happen. Danger could happen to anyone and it could be caused by anyone; including a close friend.

"C'mon, Belle... We never have secrets with each other," he glared into her eyes, hoping to see her shiver. Nonetheless, Arabelle was a kind of creature who was fearless.

Nothing about him could scare her either.

"That's what I mean. I don't have secrets," she shrugged, jolting up next as she rubbed the sore spot on her forehead. "I think I need an ice pack."

"Go sit at the table," Changmin then mirrored her, dusting off his pants. "I'll bring you the ice shortly."

As Arabelle dragged herself to the said table while Ji Changmin strode to the fridge to find the ice, the current conversation concluded there though the curiousity kept lingering inside the boy's head.

He won't press her for more. Because she did not want to tell. And it had been Changmin's trait; not to do something she didn't like.