my one week boyfriend 『 a jihoon ff. 』

Chapter 12

I slide my sunglasses off of my nose bridge and place them on top of my head. I figure it would be uncomfortable for me to talk to Eunbi with my "accessories" crowding my face. But, I let the mask stay over my lips, strategically. If anything, I'll just pretend like I've caught some kind of cold or virus (I really wouldn't put it past me to have actually caught one), and needed to buy clothes, for some reason that I hopefully won't have to struggle attempting to elaborate on. That is why I put on sunglasses and a face mask to hide my crappy, sick face from the outside world more so for the benefit of others than my own.

Eunbi giggles and a faint dimple appears on her left cheek. "I knew it was you! I just wasn't completely sure because of the dark sunglasses and mask. Are you sick or something?"

I feel my eyes widen and both of my eyebrows raise in surprise. That was easy. I expected that I would have to try to explain myself through a series of stiff chuckles and antsy head scratching, instead of Eunbi promptly making her own conclusions as to why I look stuffy and unusually suspicious today. Specifically conclusions that are spot-on to the excuse I had come up with only a few seconds ago.

"Yeah." Cough. "I'm really-" Cough. "sick." Forcing the coughs to come out makes my throat tight and dry. It's weird how coughing acts as a way to liberate your throat when you're sick, but when it's feigned it seems as if it could be the cause of sickness. The tiny fibers attached to the mask keep brushing past my nose and I sneeze, unintentionally. The impact of the sneeze pulls my head toward my chest. When I straighten my body again, Eunbi's eyebrows are knit together, paired with a frown. "I've been feeling under-the-weather, lately. I'm probably allergic to foreign countries. Or, my luck is just shit, like I always say." Speaking of which, my luck is especially bad today. Of course, I would end up running into Eunbi when I'm trying my best to avoid any Wanna One fans. I wonder what she would say, or what expression she'd make, if she found out that two members of the group she adores is right here, just a couple of racks of fabric between them. And, that I'm kind of friends with Wanna One now, despite how much I want to deny it. Now that I've spent the night with Jihoon sleeping beside me, I can't really consider him just an acquaintance, or my unnamed irritating neighbor I complained about to Eunbi.

She nudges my arm with her boney elbow. "Your luck is not shit. You probably just got sick from staying up too late scrolling through your Instagram, or watching all your recommended Youtube videos." Eunbi shakes her head in disapproval. "I'm one hundred percent sure that luck has nothing to do with it. Although, rather than being allergic to Korea itself, you could be allergic to the people in our school." This was one of the reasons why Eunbi and I get along. She's anti-social. I'm anti-social. My intensity of being anti-social is definitely higher than hers, though, that's for sure. Eunbi is one of those people that you wouldn't expect to be introverted because of how effortlessly she can converse with others or crack a smile out of them. Whereas, I usually attract icy glares. Although, that might be the result of the "resting bitch face" that I apparently have.

I nod, chuckling. "That actually does seem like a valid enough reason for phlegm to build up in my throat and my head to pulsate. Hopefully, my diagnosis isn't too severe, though, so I can be better by Monday." It would undoubtedly be a shame for my fake sickness to get in the way of the last two weeks I have as I foreign exchange student.

"Yeah, it would suck if you stayed sick for the next week or so, since you're leaving..." She takes my hands in hers. "Even though we've only known each other for like a week, I like you WAY more than any of the other people in our class. Please don't leave me alone with them." Eunbi fake sniffles, pretending that the idea of being stuck with our classmates has induced her crying. Honestly, I don't blame her for complaining; our school is composed of boys and girls who are obsessed with being updated on the latest gossip within our own school, or relating to their beloved idols. Speaking of idols- A few meters past Eunbi's shoulder I notice Jihoon, striding carelessly with multiple hangers hung along his forearm. My eyes follow him, until he notices, pulling down his mask to flash me a toothy smile. Then he draws his attention to a dark brown, braided leather bracelet on a white, revolving rack.