'𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 ‣ jeon wonwoo

004

'BOUT YOU
004

"Am I attractive in your eyes?" Nervously, Isla nibbled her lower lip, as the man smirks as he waits for her to respond. Observing the scene, Joshua directed a sidelong glance toward his sister's side and playfully nudged Wonwoo's head back into his seat, inducing laughter among the trio except for Isla who fell quiet.

"Not my sister, Wonwoo. Not my sister," he cautioned, provoking a chuckle from Wonwoo. "Calm down, Shua. I was just messing around. And to clarify, your sister is like a little sibling to me," Wonwoo asserted, leaving Isla with a sense of heartache. At that moment, she comprehended that the man she admired saw her solely as a younger sibling, lacking the recognition of her as a woman or friend, but rather as a sibling.

Isla's countenance turned somber, her inability to mask her emotions evident. "Are you alright?" Joshua questions in a subdued tone, prompting Isla to muster a smile and nod in response.

Subsequently, a few minutes passed during their drive in total silence. No one dared to break it until Isla's brother interrupted by parking at the roadside. "Everyone get off," he directed, casting a glance at his friends through the rearview mirror.

"Ahh, we've reached our destination," Wonwoo realized, opening the door and stepping out of the vehicle. Everyone disembarked except for Isla, whose gaze fixated on her brother with a pleading expression, yet remained silent.

"What? You need to leave now; I need to park the car," Joshua's forehead creased, as he unbuckled Isla's seatbelt, triggering a mild whine from her. "Why can't I come along?" She pouted, questioning her brother.

"Move, now. Finding a parking spot might take me some time," he gestured for Isla to exit, just as a car horn honked from behind, leaving her with no alternative but to comply.

"I've got you, Isla," Isla froze on her spot when she heard a deep voice from behind. Wonwoo had encircled her shoulder with his arm, pulling her closer. "Go," he gestured to Joshua to drive away, ensuring no traffic disruptions.

"Behave," Joshua cautioned, winding up the car window before driving off, leaving Isla in the company of Wonwoo and his friends, who were already striding away.

"Shall we, sister?" The term 'sister' etched a frown on Isla's face, prompting her to shrug off Wonwoo's arm. "You're incredibly annoying," she muttered, shooting him a glare before walking away, while Wonwoo couldn't help but smirk at her behavior.

Gradually, his smirk waned upon spotting a red stain on her skirt. He knitted his brows, debating if he should inform Isla or not. Silently, he trailed behind the woman, shielding the stain from other people's view.

Isla turned to glance at him, her raising an eyebrow seeking an explanation. "Just keep moving," he offered her a soft smile, provoking an eye roll from her before she averted her gaze back to the path ahead.

Once they entered the mall, Wonwoo moved closer, bending his height to her level. "You might need to head to the restroom to check something." He whispers in Isla's ears, resulting in her furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"Why—" Before she could complete her query, Jeonghan and Seungcheol spun around to face the duo, questioning their slow pace. "What's holding you both up?" Jeonghan asked, completely furious at their slow pace.

"You guys proceed to the restaurant. Isla and I are planning to hit the arcade, particularly the claw machine, as she spotted an adorable stuffed toy," he lied, presenting them with a fake smile. After all, they were conveniently positioned near the arcade entrance.

"K," Seungcheol shortly replied, steering Jeonghan to resume walking, the pair retreating from sight. "What's going on, Wonwoo?" Isla was about to turn around to face the young man. But was stopped when he placed both of his hands on her shoulder, preventing her to turn.

"Head straight to the restroom, and don't turn around. I'll be walking behind you," he whispered, signaling Isla to proceed to the restroom. This unexpected behavior prompted her heart to skip a beat, her confusion growing.

A gasp escaped Isla's lips as she noticed the stain on her skirt, the realization of her period's arrival dawning on her. "So that's why he remained silent," she mumbled, her gaze softening as she observed herself in the mirror, biting her lower lip in contemplation.

"How can I remove this stain?" She uttered in frustration, striding towards the sanitary napkin vending machine, sliding a coin in, and twisting it to release a napkin. Isla heaved a sigh, recognizing Wonwoo's intention to spare her embarrassment.

"He's a true gentleman; it's no wonder I've fallen for him," she whispered to herself, seizing the napkin and retreating into a cubicle to address the situation.

Leaving the women's restroom after refreshing up. Isla flinched when a Wonwoo offered her a hoodie from the side. "What's this for?" she questions, her gaze fixated on the hoodie in front of her.

"Wear it, so people won't notice the stain."

'BOUT YOU
written by luna