troublemaker // hoseok

nineteen

Jae Hwa amusingly looked up at Hoseok that was already half done with his third cup of ramen. He ate like he never had seen food. He dropped his chopsticks into the last plastic cup and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his sweater.

He looked better now than he did half an hour ago. Jae Hwa smiled as she handed him the milk she had bought earlier. Hoseok reached out to take it when his fingers brushed again hers. The feeling was different from all the other times he had touched her. The jolt that shot through her hand made her drop the milk. Her heart raced fast.

Hoseok grabbed her hand, squeezing it lightly. «Don't be so nervous. I can hear your heart beating from over here,» he teased her with a comfortable smile.

If she hadn't been nervous before, she would have been now. The grip around her hand made her stomach flutter and knees feel like jelly. She knew her cheeks were burning, but she didn't bother to cover them up.

«W-what? Nervous? Me? I-I'm totally fine,» Jae Hwa stuttered, trying to drag her hand back. Hoseok loosened the grip of her hand and grabbed the milk.

«Say whatever you want. Your heart tells me otherwise,» he chuckled, before taking a sip from the bottle.

Jae Hwa felt like sinking in her seat. Had she been that obvious? But at least he seemed more comfortable around her. Maybe this was working. She built up the courage to ask him.

«I heard you liked music»

He stopped drinking and looked at her. The atmosphere changed completely. It was as if she had brought up something she shouldn't. She started to regret her noisiness. Maybe she should have done it differently. It was impossible to read his emotions.

Then he leaned over the table, smiling. «Do you?»

The question caught her off guard. She had always like music. Her dream was to dare to stand on a stage infant of so many people. She gave up that dream when she realized she didn't have the talent nor the courage to do so. The business was rock hard, and there was nothing that was more terrifying than betting everything you got on some unrealistic dream.

She answered before thinking. «Yes, I do.»

Hoseok almost looked surprised by her answer. Just almost. He leaned back in his chair, resting his leg on top of the other. «I rap,» he said out of the blue.

Jae Hwa had never tried to rap herself, but she had watched her brother during her childhood. He was a musician. Her parents hated that. After he announced his choices they threw him out on the streets and told him to come back when he changed his mind. He never did.

Maybe Hoseok would feel more comfortable if she opened up as well. Well, it was worth a shot, wasn't it?

«I used to do music, but then I stopped,» she confessed.

Hoseok smiled. That was not the reaction she had imagined. It was almost weird seeing him in this mood.

«You look like the type,» he replied, drinking more of his milk.

Jae Hwa looked at him in confusion. Did she look like the type? What did that mean?

«I look like the type?» she questioned in confusion.

Hoseok stood up as if he was getting ready to leave.

«You look like the type of person to have loads to talk about,» he smiled.

That wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Why was he so nice? Was it because he was drunk?

«Come with me. I'll show you something cool,» Hoseok said as he threw the garbage in the trash can.