ride | yeo hwanwoong.

18

rain had started to pour outside the restaurant as the banter continued at the large table.

"it's raining cats and dogs out there. we gotta be careful not to step in a poodle." daniel said, laughing loudly. everyone stared at him in disbelief from the horrible joke he made.

"sorry, i read that in a book." he shrugged, trying to hold back his laughter.

"its okay, daniel. i thought it was funny." seulin said, giving him a grin and a thumbs up.

"yeah, it's hilarious." eunhye chimed it, her voice dripping with sarcasm. taedong smiled as he looked at eunhye.

jihoon cleared his throat suddenly.

"jiah, i have something to tell you."

jiah's gaze shifted from eunhye to jihoon in front of her. jihoon hesitated for a moment. and in that moment, jiah's eyes moved to something  behind him.

at almost the same time, the three girls who were facing the door gasped when they saw who had just burst through it.

yeo hwanwoong, hair dripping wet from the rain with clothes that were completely drenched. it took him a few seconds to see where the group was seated and he ran towards them.

jiah stood up, her heart racing. her mind wandered to the fact that he was sick but drenched but she was immediately brought back to reality when he spoke.

"han jiah, listen to me." he sighed, panting slightly from running.

"this is so not how i wanted to do this." he cast a sidelong glance at his friends and jihoon who were all watching him anxiously.

"go on." jiah prompted. hwanwoong took a deep breath.

"..i hate this. i hate it when you smile because my heart does all these weird things. but i hate it even more when you're sad. i hate it because even though i tried to push you away, you're still all i think about."

"he really thought this through." taedong whispered to the others. eunhye shushed him imediately.

"you know what? when you talk to me, when you're around me, i feel so happy it's almost like my heart could burst. im so helpless around you. i hope im not too late but i really really like you, han jiah." hwanwoong said, gulping as he watched jiah.

"say yes, say yes, say yes." eunhye started chanting. somehow, everyone else in the restaurant had been watching and they all started chanting with eunhye.

"it's about time, woongie." jiah grinned and threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around him. the other customers cheered but clearly couldnt wait to get back to their own business.

"im sick and wet." he said, trying to struggle out of the hug.

"dude, stop pushing her away." taedong said. hwanwoong gave in and slowly put his own arms around her.

"oh by the way, taedong and i have been dating for a month." eunhye quickly filled hwanwoong in. jiah let go of hwanwoong and he voluntarily linked their arms.

"congrats. now pay up." he said simply, holding out his free hand to seulin. she rolled her eyes and passed some money to hwanwoong.

"were you all in on this bet?" eunhye gaped.

"not me. and uh, i think i should be heading off now. see you guys around. congratulations." jihoon smiled at jiah and hwanwoong before leaving the restaurant.

hwanwoong sat down in jihoon's seat and jiah sat down opposite him, a grin on her face.

taedong had already started making fun of hwanwoong's confession while jiah argued back at him with daniel and seulin laughing their heads off as they watched. in the midst of their noisy friends, hwanwoong and eunhye shared a smile. he mouthed a 'thank you' and she shrugged, a smug grin on her face.

hwanwoong looked at jiah in front of him and wondered why he waited this long. then he looked at his friends and smiled.

///

fINALLY!! it took him long enough, jiwoong is real y'all

also i'll be writing about kenta once i finish this book so do check it out!!