By Your Side

Chapter 6

Sooyeon scanned her book shelf, trying to look for the reference book she needed to complete her homework. After several times scanning, she found the book at the very below of the shelf. She mentally cursed herself for not finding it earlier. She had wasted a lot of time just to look for the book. She pulled out the book, but a picture fell together. She crouched down to picked the picture. It was her family picture. She was just twelve in the picture, and all of them were smiling happily. The sorrow that she already managed to avoid with a lot of hardship suddenly crept up in her. Seeing her parent's smiling face pierced through her heart, making the almost healed wound bleed again. She really missed them, and she thinks about them almost all of the time, even when she was happy. She hoped she could share all the happy moment she went through with them. Sometimes, she wished she died in the incident. Living without the most meaningful person in her life really hurt. And her uncle's treatment made it worst. Tears that welled up in her eyes started to rolled down her cheeks like rivulets. She held the picture close to her chest and sobbed sorrowfully.

"Yah, Sooyeon, are you doing your.."

Jimin who just barged into her room didn't get to finish his question upon seeing her crying. Sooyeon realised his presence and wiped her tears away in vain, even though she knew he already saw her crying. She cried a lot, in front of him but it was still embarassing. Jimin sighed before closing the door after him. He approched and sat beside her, on the floor.

"Why?~"

Sooyeon hung her head low while biting her own lips. Jimin saw the picture she was holding and figure out the reason she cried.

"You missed them?"

Sooyeon didn't respond, but after a few seconds, she nodded and at the threshold of crying again. Jimin cupped both of her cheeks, making those beautiful pairs of round eyes looking straight into his. He smiled before parting his lips to speak.

"Want to go to somewhere special?"

Sooyeon who was about to cry earlier blinked repeatedly, puzzled.

"Where?"

Jimin couldn't hold in his giggle at her cute puppy eyes staring at him confusely.

"You'll know."

Jimin got up, pulling her together. Jimin went to her opened wardrobe and searched through it. Sooyeon was about to ask what he was looking for when he suudenly took out a thick black jacket at hung it at her shoulder blades. He then approached her dressing table ang grabbed the red beanie she usually wore. After putting it neatly on her head, he pulled her out, from the room, down the stairs and out from the house. She willingly followed, even without knowing their destination. She knew Jimin must be trying to make her feel better. Jimin always knew how, and he the only person who knew how.

***

Jungkook bit his lower lips as he held his phone tightly. His finger then made its way to the 'send' button. As soon as his finger about to touch the screen, he gave up, again. He didn't know it would be this hard just to ask for Sooyeon's phone number from Jimin. His stomach was twiched, nervous for some reason. He didn't what he was so embarassed about. It not that he was texting Sooyeon, he was just asking her numbers from Jimin and he was this nervous. He really couldn't understand himself. What the hell was happening with him? Finally, after an numerous amount of failed attempt, he closed his eyes tightly, and touched the 'send' button. He then threw his phone away on the bed and bit his thumb's nail while eyeing the thrown device. However after a few seconds, he laid down on his bed and grabbed his phone before staring at the screen, waiting for a reply.

A few minutes passed, and no reply from Jimin. He huffed in frustation and stomped his feet against the bed repeatedly.

***

The lake couldn't be seen clearly as it was really dark at the park and there were only a few sources of light. But it was breathtakingly beautiful with the reflection of the night ligts. Sooyeon and Jimin stood silently, side by side on the center of the bridge while inhaling the cool and fresh night air. Sooyeon finally turned to him who was still immeresed in absorbing the lake's beauty.

"Is this the special place?"

Jimin looked at her before his lips curved into a smile. He nodded lightly.

"Pretty, right?"

She made a face while looking away.

"It's not that special.."

Jimin's eyes widen in surprise at her words.

"Yah, how could you say that? This place is really beautiful!"

Sooyeon once again made a face before putting her arms around her body.

"For a nature lover like you. I'm not."

"Yah, you, really.."

Sooyeon chuckled at his remark. He seemed upset. But she didn't care. She knew he was not mad, actually.

"Anyway, thank you for bringing me here. I feel a lot better now."

Jimin smiled, sincerely pleased at her words. He relieved that she was finally feeling okay.

"I haven't done my homework,though."

Jimin laughed.

"Me neither."

Sooyeon suddenly grabbed his arm and leaned her head against his shoulder. He fliched, surprised at her sudden action. Sooyeon then peered into his eyes, with that puppy eyes of her. Jimin's heart almost burst looking at her extremely cute face.

"Jimin.. I'm hungry.."

Jimin swallowed hard on his saliva. Her aegyo got a lot better, and it was extremely unhealthy for him. His heart beat crazily as if it was coming out from his body.

"What.. What do you want to eat?"

Sooyeon tapped her finger against her chin, thinking. She didn't realised her action affected Jimin severely. His heartbeat was insanely fast that he thought he was having an anxiety attack.

"Hamburger. I hadn't eat it for a long time."

She stared Jimin with beamed eyes. And Jimin didn't think he had his heart in his body anymore.

He scratched the back of his head while looking away. This girl was too cute for him to handle.

"Fine. Let's go."

Sooyeon squealed in joy as she hoped away. For a while, Jimin just stared the backside of her. He let out a deep sigh. He knew he couldn't deny his feeling anymore. It became stonger by each day. And everytime he looked at her, it became stronger. He had been denying it for all this while, convincing himself it was not what he thought it was. But it was undeniable at that point, at all. His feeling was so strong, that he thought it was impossible to fade it away.But he knew, the girl was not feeling the same thing towards him. It was obvious. She appreciated him, but just as someone who always by her side when she was in need. He was scared, scared that his feeling would effect their relationship, and her feelings.

"Jimin ah, hurry up~"

Jimin snapped from his thought when she shouted his name. He then walked towards her.

'Since when did I loved you this much, Sooyeon?'