Spring Flower (A Seventeen Fanfiction)

Chapter Five: The Truth

"Zara, pull over," Soon Young says.

Even without glancing over at him, I could imagine the worry most likely crossing his beautiful face. My fingers tighten around the steering wheel, my knuckles flushing white in the bluish light of my dashboard. Seventeen's sweet voices continue to croon through my speakers; Hoshi had started playing their slower, softer songs the moment the sun touched the edge of the sky. That was hours ago.

"I'm fine," I say, but even in my own ears, I can hear the lie ringing in those words.

Soon Young sighs. Out of my peripheral, I can see him shaking his head, his hair looking like molten moonlight within the passing headlights.

I blink a few times, trying to fight back against the exhaustion tickling at my eyes. I grip my water bottle, it's emptiness crunching in my hand. Soon Young reaches into the back seat and grabs another one for me.

He continues holding onto it, even after I've wrapped a hand around it. "Please?"

I scan the roadway, my eyes landing on a vibrant blue sign. Rest stop, a mile ahead. I flip on my signal, already giving in to the desires of Soon Young. Perhaps it would be nice to rest my head, if only for a little while. After all, to make it to the concert on time, I'll have to do everything I can to continue driving. Even if it means forgoing a hotel room.

The tires cross over the cracked pavement as we approach the brown, domed building of the rest stop. I can practically hear the hum of their florescent lights from where I sit in my car. I killed the engine, plunging us into silence.

With a groan, I squeeze my eyes shut and rest my forehead against the steering wheel.

"What is this place?" Soon Young asks.

That's right. Along the journey so far, I'd always stopped at a gas station or a fast-food joint. We'd never stopped at the meager offerings an American rest stop has to offer. They're nothing more than a couple acres of land, with a dozen or so parking spots for both cars and semi-trucks. Now, at almost midnight, we're the only ones at the stop. The building holding the bathrooms glows ominously from behind its glass doors.

"It's a rest stop," I mutter into the center of my steering wheel. "It's really just bathrooms and a picnicking area."

"Ah," he replies quietly. "Rest stops are grander in Korea. We actually have restaurants in them."

"We have vending machines here. If you're lucky," I reply, leaning back. I lay back against the driver's seat, keeping my eyes pinched shut.

As if sensing my exhaustion, Soon Young sits there quietly. I drift off to sleep.

*****

I wake with a start, the cold air outside the car jolting me into reality. Soon Young shrugs sheepishly as he climbs back into the car. The door of the rest stop is slowly screeching closed; he must have gone wandering while I slept.

He winces when he catches me glaring at him. "Sorry, I just needed to stretch my legs."

I sigh. "I figured. How long was I asleep for?"

He glances at my phone. "About an hour. It looked like you really needed sleep, you drifted off right away."

I pick at my cuticles. "I've never been good at pacing myself."

Soon Young laughs humorlessly. "I don't think any of us are."

Silence descends between us, awkward and lukewarm. I bite my lip and glance away from the worry lines rising on his forehead as he stares at me. Instead of facing whatever is waiting behind those honest eyes of his, I throw open the car door and dunk myself into the cold winter air. Even though we crossed into the south hours ago, the nightly temperatures aren't much better here.