What Can I Do

Chapter 10 ~You think I'm pretty? Well I do stutter when I lie

The weekend passed just as quickly as it came, and Monday saw the students all rushing through the halls, or gathering books from their lockers before school started. Jae and Haru had been standing in front of Haru's locker, chatting idly before first period.

"So, where'd you go after the drop tower? Me and Brian didn't see you. You could've joined us you know." Jae raised his eyebrows at her, questioning.

Haru smiled but shook her head, "You guys were having fun, and it looked like Brian didn't want me there anyways." 

She smiled, a little less genuine this time, and Jae noticed. 

"Aw come on! That's so not true! Brian actually really l-likes you! He said you're really... nice and... pretty and stuff. Yeah." Jae said, awkwardly.

Brian had actually never said anything of the sort, but he didn't want Haru to think Brian did not like her. Brian never really showed any interest in Haru besides cold indifference, and Jae was too busy with his new friend to notice the way he acted towards his old one. 

But, he still didn't want Haru thinking Brian didn't like her. They were both his friends, and he didn't want to hurt her feelings. He didn't want to lose either of them as his friends. He was beginning to really like Brian, the elder making himself a part of Jae's life faster than than he thought.

"Really?" Haru said, slightly blushing.

Jae nodded, a little awkwardly for he was never the best liar, especially towards people he had known for a long time. He breathed out a little in relief when Haru didn't notice anything amiss. 

Haru was too busy thinking about what he friend had said, she hadn't notice his slight stutter than always appeared when he was lying. 

She told herself not to get excited, a little something close to giddiness building in her stomach. 

She couldn't stop thinking about his hand in hers ever since the fair yesterday and mentally replayed every moment they had encountered each other since the first time he bumped into her in the hallway. Just thinking about his intense stare, or his hand on her mouth as they stood so close in the art classroom, made her heart beat faster than it should. 

Even now, thinking about Brian made colour rise in her cheeks. She mentally willed her blush to go away. Before it could though, she saw someone walking in their direction, and the blush stayed on full force. 

Brian's head was down, looking at this ground as he walked down the hall, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

Obviously Jae saw him too, because he said, "Oh look it's hyung now! Hyung!" He called, waving him over.

Brian had an impassive look on his face, with his eyebrows scrunched, glaring at everyone who dared to make eye contact. 

Suddenly he heard the same voice who called to him at the fair, again in front of him. He looked up and saw Jae with Haru waving him over. 

Brian immediately smiled lightly seeing Jae, which completely changed his face. 

The surprise of the students was evident, for they had never seen anything but a sarcastic smile on his face. They wondered why Brian was smiling like that, and concluded it must be because of Haru, who he was walking over too. 

Brian ignored all of them, and walked up to the pair, only glancing quickly at Haru before saying hi to Jae.

Haru's heart had begun to speed up the minute Brian had looked up at them, and continued to race while he walked towards them. She forced herself not to act strange around him, as she looked at his face. 

Brian was undeniably handsome, his strong brows and chiseled face going perfectly with his dark hair and unkempt uniform. It gave him an all around bad boy look, matching with the scowl permanently etched on his face and the earrings dangling from his ears. 

Haru couldn't deny that she thought he was attractive, his gaze making her breath stop when he even glanced at her. 

He chose that moment to minutely glance at her, and she continued staring at him while he spoke with Jae. Did he really think her pretty? It made her heart beat faster just at the thought.

"Hey hyung, did you get that new game I told you about?"

"Yeah, it's amazing, the graphics are so much better in this than in the old one."

"Tell me about it. They're thinking of making a new version of the game soon too. Not going to be out for a few months though. I'm gonna beg my parents for it."

The two boys continued to converse in a mixture of Korean and English, most of which no one could barely understand. 

Even Haru, (who Jae taught a few stray English sentences to), was lost on what they were talking about. 

The students, who had been watching the exchange, looked on in confusion and wonder. The boys began walking towards their next class together, still speaking excitingly in English. 

Haru trailed beside them, mind still reeling about what Jae had said before.

She was lost in thought, and didn't notice what was happening until Jae inquired, "Right, Haru?"

She started and looked up to see Jae and Brian looking at her expectantly.

"Oh yeah, of course!" She replied, having no idea what she was agreeing to.

"Great! Well, guess we'll see you on Friday then!" Jae grinned at Brian.

Brian offered a small smile towards him and walked off to his own class.

"What did I just agree to?" Haru asked the minute he was gone.

"Party at your place. He's invited, right?"

Haru had almost forgotten. On Friday it was her birthday. She was finally turning 18 and her parents said she could throw a party at their house, since they would be away on a business trip. 

They trusted their daughter not to make a mess while they were gone. Haru didn't have that many friends, opting to just stick to Jae most of the time. However, she was friendly with everyone, and almost everyone in the school knew who she was. 

With Jae's endless list of friends, he had decided this party had to be epic and invited almost the entire school! Haru had sighed exasperatedly but let him do whatever he wanted. She knew he would never get her into too much trouble. 

The thought of Brian being there made anticipation build in her stomach, and however the party went, she knew it was going to be eventful.

~~