the boy next door • donghan

04

kwon eunbin

"stay safe alright? call me if anything happens," my mum gave me a quick hug and i nodded.

"bye eomma," i told her before putting on my school shoes and leaving the house.

just as i stepped out of my house gate, donghan came out too.

what an awkward coincidence.

we locked eyes for a moment before i quickly looked away as awkwardness filled the air.

his blazer was unbuttoned and his tie was hanging loosely around his neck. and his hair, i could tell he didn't gel it up but he still managed to look good in his slightly messy morning hair.

ugh, damn him for looking so good the first thing in the morning.

"hey, are you okay now?" he asked first as we started walking.

"yeah i am, and thanks a lot for yesterday. i wouldn't know what could happen without you appearing," i thanked him sincerely.

"you should really be more careful next time, don't walk through the alley alone when it's dark," he told me.

i chuckled slightly.

"okay okay, you're like my eomma," i said, then i froze a little.

i was praying donghan would reply in a way that could keep our conversation going. i tried easing the tense and awkward atmosphere and i know donghan doesn't really talk and is pretty cold but i really hated being in such an awkward situation. i don't mind getting to know him better, as long as he didn't mind.

"talking about your mum, she's nice," he added.

i blinked.

what's with donghan and my mum calling each other nice?

"oh haha," i laughed awkwardly.

"and, she said she heard about me from you before. you talked about me?" he asked and my eyes widened as i mentally face-palmed myself.

why did my mum have to say that?

"oh...uh...yeah...but not exactly, i mean i talk about everyone in class to my mum..." i quickly said.

i quickly looked away but i could feel him looking at me.

"okay i get it, your ears are so red," he smirked as i gasped and my hand quickly reached up to rub my ears, cursing at myself in my head.

we managed to keep a pretty stable and not-that-awkward conversation going until we reached school.

"eunbin!!" a familiar voice called from behind me as i looked back to see soyeon running towards me and snaking a hand around my waist.

then, she noticed donghan was beside me. her confused eyes jumped from me to donghan, then donghan to me.

then she looked at me and cocked up an eyebrow.

"i'll go to class first," donghan quickly said before running a hand through his hair and walking away, leaving soyeon and me alone.

"spill it!! why did you come to school with him?" soyeon whispered-shouted to me as soon as donghan was gone.

i grabbed soyeon's arm and pulled her along with me as we started walking down the corridor while i told her everything that happened.

"oh my fudge!! are you okay???" soyeon exclaimed as soon as she heard that i got harassed by a random drunkard.

"yes i'm fine, thanks to donghan," i reassured her.

she heaved a sigh of relieve, then her eyes sparkled.

"gosh, if i were you, i would've fell head over heels for donghan. i mean he saved you and carried you all the way home, that's so sweet," soyeon chuckled as i nudged her and rolled my eyes.

"i wouldn't fall for such a cold guy, we barely know each other and we belong in totally different cliques," i said.

"i know, but i don't think he is that bad. he's popular, he's in the bad boy gang but he seems pretty okay. he doesn't really rebel or anything, and his good looks is a plus one," soyeon winked again and i pushed her away from me harder.

"just shut up," i scowled at her.

just then, the bell rang and she grabbed my hand, quickly pulling me along with her into class before we get detention for being late.