BETWEEN US || STRAY KID'S HWANG HYUNJIN

05

[AERI'S POV]

"oh." was all i managed to blurt out as i walked to my bag.

i sat quietly beside my bag and stuffed all my things into it, getting ready to leave.

what was i expecting? why am i getting a little disappointed?

i took my bag, about to stand up but a familiar voice stopped me.

"where are you going? you haven't treated my wound." hyunjin asked, putting his bag down and taking a seat beside me.

he looked at me, waiting for a reply.

"huh?" i pointed at his knee which was already nicely bandaged, confused.

he pulled the bandage off, crushing it before stuffing it into the side pocket of his bag.

"she didn't even know how to do it properly, she just took a plaster and randomly stuck it on." he shook his head in disapproval.

"you don't mind helping me, do you?" he lifted his knee up slightly to make it easier for me to reach.

"i-i.. sure." i poured some water on his wound.

he winced in pain. i felt bad seeing him in pain. plus, he only got hurt because of my pathetic ass.

"it will sting a bit, bear with it for awhile longer."

i spared a few glances at him but he was just looking straight blankly.

"where are the rest of the boys anyways?" i decided to break the silence while drying his knee with tissue.

"changing." i nodded.

he seemed comfortable with this few words exchanged and i didn't want to ruin that by pushing the conversation any further.

i carefully used a cotton ball to apply ointment and then bandaged it.

he watched as i bandaged his knee.

out of a sudden, he grabbed my hand to get a better look at my palm.

"did you fall?"

startled about how he suddenly initiated skinship, i quickly retracted my hand.

"sorry. i didn't mean to suddenly grab your hand." he apologized before continuing, "i'll help you bandage it."

"you don't have to, it's nothing serious.. i'll just do it when i get home." i was shocked at how he's actually caring now, when he was so cold in the morning.

"it will get infected." he took my hand again and helped me clean my wound, just like i did for him.

not gonna lie, my heart was beating so fast i almost died.

i could tell he was inexperienced, but he was doing his best, copying what i did for him just now and trying to apply the ointment as gently as possible,

i thanked him as soon as he finished bandaging it, he did a pretty decent job.

i put all the things i bought from the pharmacy back into the plastic bag and handed it to him.

"you'll need it again when your bandage gets dirty or wet." he nodded, taking it.

as if on cue, we could hear chan's loud laughter followed by felix's, signalling that they're back.

i stood up, took my bag and looked at hyunjin. "i'll get going."

"thank you for today." hyunjin said, still with an unreadable expression on his face.

"no problem. see you tomorrow, tell the boys that it was fun getting to know them better." i smiled, walking off.

this boy really knows how to surprise me.

"hey, aeri!" hyunjin called out when i was already further away.

"hmm?" i turned around, facing him again.

there was a distance between where we were standing, but what he did this time surprised me the most out of all the things he did today.

"sorry if i hurt your feelings this morning. i didn't mean to be that harsh, i was in the wrong." he looked me right in the eye, he really seemed like he meant every word he said.

although he spoke softer than usual, i managed to hear it clearly.

"no worries, i didn't take it to heart. rest well." i grinned from ear to ear, waving at him.

i turned around to walk off again and i swear i caught a glimpse of him waving back for a split second before minho slung his arm around hyunjin's shoulder from behind.

it was a great day thanks to you, hwang hyunjin.