Purity // Zico

15

"When children travel far from home, mothers never stop worrying."

Chapter Fifteen

"Oh my gosh that was so much fun!!!" I squealed as my hand gripped onto the sweaty male besides me's hand. I felt a strange rush of an intense exciting feeling. The loud music still echoed in my ears, the chilly air made my skin stand on edge from the once hot atmosphere. Tonight had been new.

"I told you you'd have fun." Jiho smiled over at me. Looking at him now was different. Seeing him on stage, his passion, skill... it all made me fall for him even more.

"I've never been to anything like that!"

"You need to get out more." Jiho chuckled staring at me with an adorned smile on his lips. His hand squeezed mine lightly, "I'm really glad you came."

"It was so much fun!!!!" I bounced around in place, "I can't believe you always get to do stuff like that! You must love it! I mean I liked and I was just watching!"

"Someone's hopped up here. What happened to always getting tired past nine?" He joked playfully.

"Well I don't know how someone could get tired being at something like that!"

"True..." even if I wasn't close to wanting to sleep, I could see how tired Jiho was. The bags under his eyes, the held back smile. He definitely wanted to sleep... Getting into the passenger seat of his car he turned to me, "wanna come to my place?"

I froze. It was one thing being in a public place with Jiho, even being at my place where I was most comfortable... but this would mean I'd be treading into his territory, where he would feel the most confident, "I-I guess."

"I can take you home if you'd like..."

"N-no it's fine!"

He sheepishly smiled at me before starting to drive, "okay." The way to his apartment I could feel myself start to grow tired. My lack of sleep was finally catching up... the lights flew by, not many cars were out at this time. My eyes wandered over to Jiho's concentrated face; I smiled staring contently...

His place definitely represented the type of person he was. Things had their places, some areas muttered perfection, where some leaked mess. You could tell he tried hard to clean, just he wasn't having it, "I'm so sorry about the mess, it's honestly never this bad... just lately I'm never home and busy..." Jiho muttered looking at me apologetically,

"Don't worry." I smiled, "I always clean before people come over so you only see that side."

"I probably make you and your friend look like you have OCD or something."

We found ourselves side by side on the couch, no free room even for air. His arms encased me close to his body, I could comfortably feel soft breathes on the back of my neck. My eyes began to feel heavy, starting to sag, while my heart started to race. I was almost afraid to fall asleep here, with Jiho. I was scared of what could happen as my imagination took over, fear setting in... but there was nothing to do. I had really no will to open my eyes or even move. I felt- safe- almost amidst my own fears; with Jiho. It just all felt, okay.

-that morning-

"W-what?" The unfamiliar beeping of an alarm awoke me into a fazed state of confusion. The strange bed, dressers, scattered clothes, room... it all then lead back to one realization with hit me hard- I was still at Jiho's. I was in Jiho's bed. Except he was no where to be seen...

A panic began to rise in my chest as I fumbled out of the foreign, warm sheets. All of my clothes from last night were still stuck to my body, even my hair was in its practically same state, faint traces of makeup tarnishing my skin. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, and whoever looked back at me was a wreck. But of course I knew the irony of it being me. I looked pale, my lips awkwardly red standing out. The bags under my eyes were showing more since the cover up I desperately tried to use almost all came off. I seemed to look like death itself.

"Hey..." a soft, sympathetic voice caught my attention.

"J-Jiho..." I turned around to face him.

"Did you sleep well?" It was if he seemed concerned. His eyes wandered up my body from head to toe, finally landing on my face.

"Y-yeah..."

"You fell asleep while we were watching tv so I let you sleep in my bed. And before you ask I slept on the couch."

"Thank you..." a sigh of relief left my lips.

"You know," in a few strides Jiho easily took a stance in front of me. He carefully brought his hand up to my cheek, "you look awfully pale..."

"I kinda noticed..."

"You look- ill. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes I am." It was sudden but, he wrapped his arms around my smaller frame, pulling me to his chest. No words needed to be said, it was just a comfortable moment between the two of us. But they worried me nonstop...

Everyone knew there was something between us. I saw the way Jiho's friends winked at and nudged him whenever I was around. Even when I met some of his other artist friends at the show last night, they seemed to know something. But it's something that I'm not even sure I want.

What are Jiho and I?

***

"Seriously, we're doing something for your birthday whether you like it or not." Ming deadpanned at me from across the table.

"We really don't have to."

"It's in two fucking days."

"It's not even a big one this year."

"You're gonna be fucking twenty shut up Chan. And besides, you've never celebrated it before."

"Because we never got to in China and I always asked you guys not to."

She smirked at me, "all I gotta do is tell your boyfriend it's your birthday in two days-"

"Shut up! He's not even my boyfriend!"

"He practically is. Do you see the way he looks at you? It's all gross and lovey!" Ming scoffed rolling her eyes, "like please take that somewhere else! You don't gotta rub it in that one of the best rappers in Korea has the hots for you. I'm so jealous! How do you get a guy like him; your total opposite!?" She didn't let me answer before moving on, "or maybe he's just really into innocent virgins with depression."

With my 'friends' final statement I felt tears well into my eyes. Was that how she looked at me? How could she be so rude and out of line?

"Wait Chan-" Getting up hastily I made a dash for my room. I didn't want to deal with what Ming said, and that maybe, just maybe;

There could be some truth to that.