sand&strangers [ JHS ] √

2 | Pride&Guilt

"I'm sorry ma'am, but we can't do anything about it now. Do you want a refund?" The lady looked quite scared at Jaehwa's totally annoyed expression. "You can stay with Mr Jung Hoseok in the room, though. I'm sure you can be... friends?"

Jaehwa groaned, slamming her palms on the counter, causing the receptionist to flinch at her. The rising action was fortunately, interrupted by Hoseok.

He cleared his throat, two of them looking back at him. "You can have it. I'll be sleeping in a tent." Hoseok smiled at the lady, then at Jaehwa, turning the scene into a staring contest.

Jaehwa raised an eyebrow, but after a while, lost it when she looked away. Hearing the boy snicker, she could only roll her eyes, thinking he was trying to make it as if he's the good guy and she was the antagonist.

"Key?" She opened her hand to the receptionist, as she gave it to her and lastly bowed. Maybe Jaehwa wasn't as bad as someone who couldn't simply say, "thank you."

"Thanks." She mumbled, earning another smile from the boy as he saw how her words were still laced with pride. He didn't mind, though.

The room was finely decorated with wooden accents, frames all around. She loved how the window gave her a fascinating view of the horizon - the sea. Jaehwa collapsed on the bed, feeling the soft, fluffy matress making her body sink into it.

She couldn't wait for more; her first day was only beginning but it all seemed already exciting now. Adrenaline rushed through her veins as she stepped out of the balcony, feeling the warm wind embrace her exposed skin.

Wearing a sleeveless dress was a good choice. She thought. But then again, she was quite tired from the 5hour flight, so she found herself limply laid on the matress. "I can just start tomorrow."

Sleeping for the whole afternoon, Jaehwa didn't seem to notice that night had fallen. Not just that — it was even raining heavily outside. Or more like a storm. It crossed her mind, the guy he met at the reception counter. He was supposed to sleep at a tent.

After trying to just brush it out of his mind, Jaehwa couldn't stop twisting and turning on her bed, unable to forget that idea. She punched the pillow a couple of times after coming to a conclusion; she had to let him in.

With the sound of rain heavily tricking down, and the scary sounds of thunder right outside the building, it was enough for her to pity him. "Can I borrow an umbrella?"

Dashing into the rain, she looked around behind the garden of trees just behind the hotel. Only the light from her phone's flashlight was lighting up the place. She hated the feeling of her shoes sinking into the mud, but oh well, it already happened.

"Looking for me?" A male voice startled him, almost causing her to fall out of balance if only there was no tree trunk she could hold on to. The guy from earlier also held an umbrella above his head, same as Jaehwa.

"Y-You. Why aren't you in a tent?" She scowled with slight confusion. Hoseok smirked, "you really believed me?"

"W-what..." Jaehwa mutters, voice fading in the end. He shrugged, "Since there aren't rooms left, I'm flying back to Seoul. My flight is in an hour."

"H-huh? Can't you just..." she fails to say anything else rather than words that couldn't come clearly out of her mouth.

Except the rain and thunder, the sound of Hoseok tapping his feet on the ground were the only resonance heard. Jaehwa was thinking hard, feeling guilty with the guy.

"Then... just share the room with me."

Hoseok looked up, a look of disbelief appeared before he broke into a chuckle. "Nah, it's okay."

"No, really. You're making me guilty for being the reason why your vacation is flopped." She looked down, actual iniquity painted on her small face. "I can't sleep at night knowing I did this to a kind stranger."

Hoseok smiled, "are you sure?" She couldn't smile back, but nodded.

"Just say you want to sleep with me, that's easier," he says jokingly, shrugging with a teasing smile.

Jaehwa rolled her eyes and walked ahead of him to the hotel. "Don't make me change my mind."