the boy next door • donghan

28

kwon eunbin

i hurriedly followed after donghan once i parted ways with jungwoo and jungbin, but he was nowhere to be found.

i sighed, i did felt upset about our quarrel and i didn't want him to leave without resolving it.

i had sorted out my thoughts eariler on while i was walking with jungbin and i realised there was no point in me being so cold to donghan. i didn't even know why i acted like i did.

anyways, i decided to take a slow walk home. i didn't exactly live very close to the mall i was at, it would take at least half an hour to reach my house, but i didn't mind. the weather was really nice. the temperature was cooling but i had my jacket so it was just right.

i pulled out my earpiece and plugged it into my ears then i shuffled my playlist at least 20 times before i found a song i wanted to listen to - day6's beautiful feeling. [a/n omg guys go check out that song is suPer gOOd like yass day6 !!!] i slid my phone into my skirt pocket and let out a soft, contented sigh before making my way home.

-

about 20 minutes later, the park that was located nearby my house came into view and i decided to walk through it even though it would take me a longer time ti get back home.

as i made my way through the lush greenery, i froze when i saw him. donghan. sitting on t the bench, hugging his school bag with his head lying on the bench. i think his eyes was closed, but i wasn't sure because i was quite a distance away from him.

i slowly walked towards him and realised that he was listening to something with his earpiece plugged in.

cautiously, i sat down beside him and he still didn't budge.

lifting up my arm, i tapped him on his shoulder, causing his head to shoot up all of a sudden as he opened his eyes.

when he saw me, he removed his earpiece from his ear. his expression hardened and he looked away, causing my heart beat to speed up. something about this was making me feel afraid.

it was kind of like the tables have turned. i was the one mad at him earlier on but now, it seemed like there was something bothering him.

"what's.. " i started, then stopped. i couldn't get the words out of my mouth.

"do you want to talk to me?" i finally gathered up the courage to ask him.

"about?" he asks in a low voice.

"uhm.. about.. why you look so upset?" i reply uncertainly which i immediately regretted. it was because of me, i was the one who started that whole argument we had, that was probably why he was upset.

there was a short silence as donghan stared into the distance and as i was waiting for his reply. i was fiddling with my fingers because of how anxious i felt.

"did you have fun with jungwoo?" he asks, obviously not a reply to my question.

why was he even asking about that?

"no, i didn't even do anything with him," i replied flatly.

there was a short silence again. i could hear the sound of birds chirping and it sort of calmed me down.

"didn't you guys went to get ice cream?" he continued, still not willing to look at me.

"no, i didn't," i reply.

donghan finally turned up to look at me, but he turned away soon after.

"i wanted to find you, and apologise to you. but i couldn't, you just disappeared," i added, since he wasn't speaking.

"well, so, i'm sorry," i continued, glancing at him cautiously.

"you don't have to be sorry, it's not your fault at all," he says, interlinking his fingers together.

"it's just me," he added.

my heart was paltipating as our conversation continued and my palms were starting to get sweaty.

"i.." donghan opened his mouth and said, but closed it soon after.

he took in a deep breath and suddenly, he lifted his hands and slapped his cheek, causing my eyes to widened.

"what are you doing?" i quickly asked as my hands gripped onto the hem of my school skirt tightly.

"i just didn't mind at all to be seen with you in public. i didn't mind at all for people to think that we are dating. i didn't mind at all to tell others that you are my girlfriend even if it isn't true. i'm sorry if you didn't feel the same way," he started blabbering, as if he had gained courage to confess after slapping himself.

but his words only left me in shock. i was trying hard to process whatever he just said but my brain seemed to have stopped working.

"oh," i said softly. i didn't know if donghan could hear me, but it didn't matter because that was a horrible answer to whatever he had just told me.

"sorry i just.. i don't think i'm thinking straight. i'll just go," donghan quickly says before i could even speak.

with that, he grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulders, stood up and walked off hastily. leaving me seating on the bench at a loss for words.