NIGHTS → KWON HYUK #Wattys2017

THREE

KWON HYUK smiles in content as he pushes the shopping cart along, despite the strange looks he- or rather they were receiving. But he wasn't expecting anything less considering he had a grown woman inside the cart, her arms hanging over each side as he pushes the cart to the next isle.

"Oh, Hyuk, I need some of those. Be the sweet boy you are and grabs me two packs please." Krystal says suddenly, pointing a dainty finger towards bags of barbecue chips.

"Boy? I'm twenty five." He informs her, grabbing two bags of chips and tossing them into the cart as he eyes her skeptically, "And you can't be older than me."

"So what you're older than me, I hope you're not expecting me to call you oppa or anything." She shudders after her statement to which Hyuk shrugs.

"You can, if you want to." He tells her, a teasing smile on his lips.

"That's the thing, I don't want to." Krystal says, turning her nose up as if the thought truly disgusted her before a coy smile finds it's way to her lips and she leans back, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind, "I could call you daddy though. I mean you are treating me like my father, buying me things and pushing me in the cart."

"Please don't use your father as an excuse to call me sexual things." Is his amused reply, shaking his head at her failed attempt.

"Sorry, I forgot you were a prude." She mumbles, trying to stretch her legs in the small cart.

"I am not a prude." He denies, "I'm just not as open about things like that, like you are."

"Oh yeah, I forgot I get fucked for a living." Krystal retorts almost immediately, ignoring the horrified look frown the elderly woman beside them as she continues, "Can't get any more open than that, huh?"

"Krystal-" Hyuk starts, immediately regretting his words.

"Hyuk, can you please push the cart a little faster? Grandma Myrtle over there is about to pass us." The dark haired girl interrupts, sticking her tongue out at the elderly woman who looks horrified. Hyuk laughs, doing as asked, watching Krystal stick her arm out and scoop several bags of chocolate into the cart as they pass.

† † †

It's much later when Hyuk and Krystal have returned to the safety of her apartment, the groceries neatly put away,when Krystal just seems to snap. In comparison to yesterday, she was much less chipper, instead displaying sarcasm and a sudden restrained hostility that he wasn't really expecting. He didn't know her well enough to ask what was wrong. In fact, he didn't know her at all. They had only just started speaking two days ago but he was already buying her groceries and hanging out at her apartment.

What was wrong with him? He was supposed to be cooped in the studio, or at his own apartment, moping over how Jiyoon was never coming back... Jiyoon. He still needed to figure out how to win her back. After all, she only made a mistake. He made mistakes all the time, and she forgave him. So it was only right he did the same for her.

Her clothes, she still hadn't returned to pick them up. He should call her and remind her, that would be the perfect excuse to speak to her. He makes move to do just that, only to catch Krystal's attention from where she's still seated on the sofa, shoving licorice in her mouth as she watches some horror movie.

"Where are you going?" She asks, staring at him suspiciously.

"Jiyoon left some of her clothes at the apartment-" He explains only to be cut off by her.

"And you haven't burned them yet?"

"No, why would I-"

"Let me see them." Krystal demands, coming to stand beside him, "Let me see the clothes."

That's how they find themselves at Hyuk's apartment with him standing in the bedroom doorway and Krystal standing in front of Jiyoon's old closest. She's browsing through the various outfits hanging up quietly. Hyuk is watching her, wondering what time he should call Jiyoon to tell her to come get them. He's startled out of his thoughts when Krystal suddenly grabs a handful of clothing and begins making her way hurriedly towards the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" He asks quickly, following closely behind, "Krystal, what are you doing?"

"What you should of done." She replies simply before dumping them into the trash can and fishing a lighter out of her pocket. All Hyuk can do is watch as she lights one of Jiyoon's shirts on fire and tosses it into the trash with the rest of her clothing. Krystal turns to face him then, opening her mouth to say something before closing it just as quickly. She hurries out of the apartment then, brushing past Hyuk on his way out. He watches her go, the door slamming behind her before he returns his attention to the steadily growing fire. He watches the flames growing steadily as a thought occurs to him: how was he going to explain this to Jiyoon?