that boy | hwang hyunjin | ✔

Chapter 45

Soon, lunch break peaks around the corner. Until now, avoiding Hyunjin without him noticing was relatively easy since we had to be silent during most of the time and Felix would occupy the seat next to me. Hyunjin only spoke to me once or twice and I kept that conversation politely short and ended it soon.

And oh how much I hate it.

But I needed space. Space to get everything straight so that I can be friends with the boy without ending up scared of my own weird thoughts and feelings. Once I sorted everything out, I'll make it up to him. Besides, I'm trying my best to keep him at a small distance without hurting him, like how I did the first time. I think it's better for both of us. I don't want to end up hurting him again because of my own confused state.

"Oh, look. We have visitors," Felix dryly remarks as we enter the cafeteria. Hyunjin and I both look up to see two girls sitting at our usual table. They look around the cafeteria longingly and I can only guess they're looking for one particular person. The one and only Hwang Hyunjin.

I know these girls. They aren't as aggressive as most of the girls that chase after Hyunjin like wolves after a rabbit in distress but they are still no hair better. They are sly and preferably go for a more subtle way. Like waiting for him at this lunch table, for example.

Then one of the girls eyes trail our way and once she notices Hyunjin, she nudges the girl sitting next to her, causing her to look up as well. Her eyes light up, almost making her look like an innocent girl with just an innocent crush on the boy.

I don't like this at all. 

"What do we do? I can't handle a bunch of rabid girls after that heavy Korean class," Felix sighs, eyeing the girls with a bored expression. "I also don't like how that one girl is sitting on my seat." 

"I suggest we just go there since I'm pretty hungry," Hyunjin shrugs. "I don't feel like letting two girls get between me and my precious lunch."

Without waiting for the boys, I stroll towards our table. They follow soon and one of the girls starts fidgeting with her fingers as Hyunjin comes closer. The other one shoots me a poisonous look, one that I gladly return. But as she glances at Hyunjin, a sweet and overly fake smile plays on her lips.

"Hyunjin oppa, my friend Sohee has something to tell you," she tells him, slightly tilting her head as she looks at him with round eyes. I just happen to know that she's older than Hyunjin so the fact that she calls him oppa makes me cringe.

"I, uh- yeah," the girl named Sohee starts, looking down at the table. But then she looks up, and I just happen to catch the small smirk she sends her friend before looking at Hyunjin, with now obviously fake nervousness. "Can I uh- talk with you, oppa?"

I grit my teeth in irritation as she acts all cute and innocent. Hyunjin obviously didn't notice the smirk she sent her friend just a split second earlier, but Felix certainly did. He frowns, and his brown eyes meet mine as Hyunjin stands there, looking a bit awkward. He's obviously not used to girls approaching him like this.

"I was actually planning to eat and I prefer to sit with them," he replies, about to take his lunch box from his bag. But before he can do so, the other girl quickly grabs his wrist, batting her lashes at him.

"You can sit with us?" she offers with a sweet smile.

I stare at her fingers around Hyunjin's wrist with wide eyes. The perfect pink on her nails, the curly fake silver ring around her finger with a little pink fake gem in it. My irritation fuels and turns into anger within a mere second, and something within me snaps.

"Let go of him," I growl, reaching out and intertwining my fingers with Hyunjin's without a second thought. I squeeze his hand a little too hard and he turns around to look at me instead, his confused eyes meeting mine and a bright red dusting his cheeks. I quickly glance at him before I redirect my eyes at the girl holding onto his wrist again.

She suddenly doesn't look as confident anymore.

But she doesn't let go yet. Instead, she is staring at me, completely dumbstruck. My heart is racing and I have to bite my lower lip to keep myself from saying something stupid. It's a staring contest, but it's undeniable me who is going to win this battle. She falters, starts to back off, and Hyunjin takes this chance to shrug his arms from her grip before he inches closer to me.

"When Hyunjin says he wants to eat lunch with us, he means he wants to eat lunch with us," I explain, my words slow and tone threatening. I narrow my eyes at the girls. "Now leave, we're hungry and you're disturbing our lunch break."

"You're crazy, Lee Chaelin," the girl named Sohee spits, but she still moves to grab her belongings, just like her friend. "No wonder everyone hates you."

And then they're gone."

"Damn, Chaelin," Felix mutters, whistling lowly. "That was wild, I never expected you to get all protective over a boy."

My heavy breathing rapidly turns to normal as I let his words sink in, but my poor heart never gets the chance to calm down as I notice an unfamiliar warmth between my fingers. I look down and it's only now that I realize I've been holding Hyunjin's hand tightly in mine for the entire time.

It's as if I've been stricken by lightning in this very moment. My breath hitches in my throat, my heart seems to stop beating for a second and my eyes widen as I stare into the distance for a while, speechless and with chaos taking over my blank mind.

Then I quickly let go of Hyunjin's hand and step back, unable to tear my gaze away from the boy as we're both processing what just happened. Why did I do that? Just when I had to distance myself from him a bit? Heat flood my cheeks and I open my mouth to say something.

"Air," I choke, my voice a few octaves higher than it should be. "I-I need fresh air."

Then I whirl around on my heels and dash away, ignoring the boys calling after me and the weird looks other students give me. What a system failure, what the heck have I done? I'm so stupid, what was I thinking?

I have no idea where exactly my legs are taking me but I only want one thing. Out. Soon, the mass of students shrinks and I bolt through the swing doors that lead to the abandoned miniature courtyard hardly any student knows of. Fresh air and the opportunity to be alone for a while.

I let myself fall on the bench surrounding a defect fountain and I heave out a heavy sigh. What a mess. I obviously can't trust myself around Hyunjin anymore. Which means there's only one solution.

Time for plan B.

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What do you think of the new cover? :3