Lessons From Romance

Happiness and Fear

The next morning during breakfast Namjoo felt her eyes move in Luhan's direction. He was eating well and quietly. Lowering her head to take a bite of her food she wondered if he'd really stood outside of her door. If so, why? The more she thought about it, the more she couldn't understand. Why would he anyway? But what if...he come to apologize?

A little disheartened she sighed and continued eating. After washing the dishes and changing she headed down the stairs. The rest were already outside with the rental car preparing to head for the market. When she started toward the door she caught Luhan putting his shoes on. He slightly paused for a few seconds when he saw her, but continued on.

He probably didn't want to be near her, she thought and glanced at the ground. Slowly moving forward she grabbed her sandals and slipped into them. Then again, she wondered about the door closing last night again and the strange feeling she'd had.

When Luhan turned to head outside she called out, "Wait."

He immediately stopped in his tracks and turned around. Namjoo peered into his face suddenly feeling small. Would he answer her if she asked?

"Last night," she started, "did you...did you want to say something to me?"

Luhan stared back at her with those cold eyes of his; the ones he'd looked at her with that night he'd screamed at her.

"No."

Namjoo suddenly took a step forward when he turned to really walk out, "T...that really wasn't you?"

"I said it wasn't," he perfectly enunciated each word sounding irritated before finally walking out, leaving the door to slam.

And Namjoo...felt hurt for some sane reason. Did he...not like her that much? But she liked and wanted to befriend him.

"You coming?" Ki Chan opened the door, poking his head in with a smile.

Namjoo glanced at him and smiled, nodding.

"Sit in the front," Chae Yoon smiled at her when she neared the car. "The seat's reserved for you anyway."

Namjoo watched her turn to Ki Chan with a wink before opening the back door to get in. She knew and was consciously aware that Ki Chan liked her, but Chae Yoon didn't have to make it so obvious. It put her in an uncomfortable situation no matter how nice Ki Chan was to her.

"====="

Settling into the seat behind Ki Chan, Chae Yoon glanced toward Namjoo's downcast eyes before quickly turning to the talking Ki Chan with a bright expression. When she turned away the glow in her face disappeared and she stared into her lap.

Chae Yoon wanted to laugh at how pretensive she was being. Luhan had exclaimed how she was the one putting an act, but really Namjoo was doing this to herself. That girl, as long as she stayed beside Ki Chan, nothing would go wrong.

Chae Yoon turned to look at Luhan who was peering out the window desolately. She really hoped he would come back to his senses. His confusion must have affected his head so much that he'd strayed so far from her and it was all because of Namjoo. And Chae Yoon would get him back. Luhan belonged with her and only her.

The front of the market was accompanied by a full crowd dispersing in every which way. Older women with their popular curly hair trudged back and forth with bags hanging off their arms, eyes searching for other stores. The shouts of shop owners speaking to customers or friends roamed the air busily like bees at a beehive when they entered.

"Stay close so you won't get lost," she heard Ki Chan warn Namjoo and smiled before glancing at Luhan for his reaction. She caught his eyes dwindling over them before peering off elsewhere.