my one week boyfriend 『 a jihoon ff. 』

Chapter 10

     His words made me freeze in place. They sound awkward and unnatural coming out of his mouth.

     Yeah, we're on a date.

     The phrase stirs my feelings. I'm not sure whether to be angry or surprised. Maybe, a small part of me is even speechless- hearing Jihoon say that we're on a date acted like confirmation that I wasn't going to wake up any minute, in my own bed back home, and realize that I've fabricated the last five days I've spent in Korea (half of which I'd spent as Jihoon's one week girlfriend).

     Still, I don't think that now is the best time to spill the truth about our relationship to the Wanna One members. I begin listing the reasons in my mind:

     1. We just ran into Daniel, who was the last person I wanted to see tonight. Sigh.

     2. All of us are in a cluster in the middle of the convenience store for anyone, especially fans, to walk in and spot the famous Wanna One with some random girl. Ultimately, unleashing the wrath of the Wannables (what Wanna One's fans are apparently called) toward your truly.

     3. My hair is wet, my clothes are sticking to my skin, and I feel extremely uncomfortable.

     I glance at Jihoon, who is staring blankly at the other members. It's as if he isn't sure what to do with the words that had just escaped from his mouth, and stood absent-minded. In complete contrast to Jihoon's solid expression, the other members seem to be unsure of what emotion to show on their faces. I had never seen someone's emotions shift so clearly on their face in a matter of seconds- much less ten people. It's a bit odd, and even a little creepy, to see how synchronized the members were with one another, as surprise, dumbfound, and pure annoyance made their way across each of the members' faces in that exact order. 'I guess being an idol group has forced them to be in sync in more ways than one.'

     "Is this true, Lyra?" Seongwoo asks abruptly. His voice comes out small, but can clearly be heard amidst the silence in the store. 'Silence?'I hadn't noticed until now, but all the people who had come into the store seeking shelter from the unexpected downpour seemed to be gone. Unconsciously, my eyes wander the spaces between the circle the members have created around Jihoon and I. They all towered over me, so it was pretty difficult to have a good look of the whole store. The place had quieted down in comparison to when Jihoon and I first entered, and it appears pretty deserted, but I can't seem to calm down. A few minutes past before I realize that I've been so lost in my own thoughts that I haven't answered Seongwoo's question.  

     I take a deep breath in and decide that maybe if I act as if my date with Jihoon doesn't have any meaning behind it, the members won't blow everything out of proportion. "Yeah, we are on a date." My voice sounds pretty calm to me, but I'm unsure if it's just my imagination. I've had plenty of experiences where I think I appear composed when in reality I'm clearly a walking mess- I wouldn't be surprised if this was happening right now.

     Another collective moment of silence encases the store, and I fidget with my fingers to distract myself from the uncomfortable atmosphere. The members begin exchanging looks of concern with one another. Somehow, this causes me to become more self-conscious. I'm not sure why, since I was in front of the same goofy guys who invited me over to hang out with them the other day. I guess I don't like the fact that they turned so serious because of me.

     "Oh, wow. I had no idea that you liked Lyra, Jihoon."

     My neck turns stiffly to see who had been brave enough to break the silence. Actually, I already know exactly who the voice belongs to, but I'm curious about the expression he's wearing after saying those words. My eyes widen, as soon as I see a grin across his lips. Daniel smiles widely and chuckles, allowing the tension among the twelve of us to slowly fade. 'I'm saved.' I sigh, finding it easier to breath now. Guilt immediately makes its way throughout my body. I had rejected Daniel's offer to hang out to go on a date with Jihoon, and yet he's the one who helped me just a few seconds ago. I know I just met him, but for some reason I really don't want him to misunderstand the situation with Jihoon and I.