"We'll be in my room for a while, Yukhei's been sick these few days and he missed a lot of homework. I'm just gonna explain some stuffs— It'll be quick!"
Hera came up with an excuse and she caught Yukhei planning up to no good. She knew he wasn't going to leave so easily after getting on her parents' good sides. At this point, she had no escape, she had to talk to him and it was up to her if she was going to let him explain or not.
The twin caught the glare from her brother. He didn't have to hide the fact he disapproved the two being alone together but he had no reason to step in between them. As Hera told herself before, if she wanted to erase Yukhei from her life it was better if she did it properly instead of leaving both sides with fake hopes.
"Yukhei, let's go." She called and eventually had to tear him away from her mother. The woman loved his company so much as they interestingly had the same interest. Funny, how Hera never knew Yukhei knew so much about recipes. Probably because he was left with only his mother— Instantly, Hera wiped off the thought of even pitying him.
He's a liar. He probably did some reading before he came. Just more lies.
Quickly, she darted her gaze away from him and looked forward. She walked ahead of him, leading to her room. In the background, she could clearly hear how her mother complimented Yukhei to her father. How she wish her mother knew what horrible bet he pulled against her. However, she rather not create more conflicts as her father was close friends with his father.
"So this is your room, huh?" He was quick to ask. Hera kept quiet and followed his eyes as he scanned the insides of her room. No one invited him, but Yukhei voluntarily walked over to the wall near her balcony. She hung a few pictures, clipped to a strand of string against the wall. There were various photos, from when she was young to recent.
Out of all pictures, there was a small frame above the set of strings, it was empty. Enough to place just one photo. Yukhei couldn't help but to feel curious as why it was empty. Hera could've put any pictures there but why did she left it empty. Just as he opened his mouth to ask, he realised he stepped on something. He picked it up only to feel his heart shatter.
It was a polaroid film of him and her. Of course he couldn't forget this. It was the day he and the boys dragged her to a national football league. Johnny sneakily took this picture at first but Hera noticed and kept fighting with him to give it to her. In the end, Johnny allowed her to have it.
Yukhei had his arm slung around her shoulders. Their cheeks almost touching as he used the other free arm to point to the players. He was explaining to Hera about his favourite football player and despite not knowing much about the team, Hera listened to him. Johnny had the perfect timing when Yukhei glanced at Hera to look if she was listening, just as the same time Hera looked at him.
In the photo, they were both gazing at one another with a grin plastered on both faces. That moment was also the time when Yukhei started to doubt if he actually dated Hera because of the bet or was it because he truly had feelings for her.
He then slipped the photo into the small frame, where it belonged. Hera knew the moment for them to talk was coming, no matter how much she tried to avoid it. She sighed and turned her back on him.
"I wish you would just leave me alone. Whatever you're feeling for me now, it's too late." Hera said as she sat at the edge of her bed, still having her back facing him. "And I wish you would stop saying that." Yukhei's voice startled her a little. She hadn't hear him for quite a while. Long, but not enough to forget.
Yukhei placed the gifts that Hera threw at him before, at the corner of the place where she displayed all the photos. He had to make it right tonight, this might be his only chance left. He then walked over to her bed, taking a seat next to her.
"Okay, hear me out first. I can't stop you from hating me, I deserve it. I was a total selfish asshole, and I lied to you. I should've been honest after I confessed to you the first time.
"but you have to know that I meant it when I said I was in love with you. I called off the bet as soon as I realised that."
Yukhei held onto both of her hands and Hera didn't know why she let him. She didn't know why she gave him a chance to speak and force herself to listen. The male tried to search for her eyes but Hera refused to look at him just yet.
"I thought I would never fall in love after switching girlfriends so frequently, I thought it was just a game. You know, like football. A home team and the away team, and the crowds are always watching to see who's the winner." His grip on her tightened, he could feel that he was losing her.
"But then I met you and everything was so different." At those words Hera wanted to scoff, but she held it back. "As cliche as it sounds, you will never be the same as the other girls.
"You were so hard to get, you had your two feet to stand. It was as if you didnt need anyone else in your life. You listened to me patiently even if I cracked a stupid joke. You never complained when I dragged you to the games. You were everything I ever wanted, you were all the attention I needed."
For a second, Hera looked at him briefly but her ego kicked in and she wasn't going to let him win. Yukhei grabbed this opportunity instantly. "You looked at me as if I was the only guy in front of you when I brought you to my friends. We barely had eye contact in public, no one knew what I felt for you and that was the best part, my attention was fully focused on you.
"I didn't fall for you because you were hot or rich, I fell for you because you saw me for who I am, you helped the little 5th grader who sucked at maths without hesitant."
At the realisation, Hera couldn't help but to instantly turned to look at him. She remembered that kid, it was back in primary where the maths teacher paired her up with some dishevelled kid. Most kids avoided him because he was really cranky but Hera remembered how she was determine to change that boy. She didn't know why but she didn't like the fact that everyone looked down on him instead of helping him.
"Yeah, that slobbish kid was me. I had a crush on you back then but it was helpless because you were those wealthy giddy two shoes." Yukhei smiled shyly at the memory of it.
"You have a big mouth for someone who couldn't solve a simple 4 times 5 to the power of 3" Hera laughed, it felt good to tease him for a moment. The smile disappear as quickly as it appeared when they realised the situation they were tangled in.
Yukhei used this chance and extend a hand, with the necklace he gave her in his palm. Hera looked at it for a while and picked it up. Having the pendant dangled as she recalled the memory of possessing it.
"I hated you so much when I found out about the bet. I felt stupid. Everyone warned me about being too close to you but I never listened. I even defended you." Hera chuckled, it was a sad one. She was deeply hurt by what he played. "I still find it funny how I could even trust the school's playboy. You played your part very well." She glanced at him for a moment but then focused back on the necklace.
"Love was something I never bothered to find, to me it was a waste of time. To you, it was a game. We differ so much from one another but yet here we are." Hera grinned to herself.
"I told you, I've changed and I was a coward. I couldn't bring myself to tell you the truth because I was afraid that you would leave me. I had never owned such a precious person to me. I was wrong, please give me a chance." Yukhei was already begging like a child. He didn't mind his pride, Hera was everything he ever needed and he wasn't going to let her go.
"You need to learn how to give up." Hera smiled softly at him and took his hand. She placed the necklace back into his palm and closed it. If Yukhei said he was afraid of losing her, Hera was afraid of being hurt again. What they need wasn't a chance, they need time. But time was envious of them.
「 ➳ 」
🐾nct became so confident in english
im just so proud of them!! watch their
interviews in la and I'll guarantee you'll cry.
