A Different Way // Stray Kids Lee Know FF

17. Hold on

Minho

After Areum left the Cafe I went to Hyunjin who was by the counter staring at his phone. The Cafe looked like the last place he wanted to be at the moment.

"What was that little show you put on all about " I asked him as I now leaned on the counter.

"I just wanted to make things clear for you because you lost your shit that night when I mentioned something about liking Areum." He shrugged.

I stared blankly recalling what happened. That was when realization hit me. That night Hyunjin kept getting on nerves. Not just that night, but since I found out he was somehow close to Areum. Heck I didn't even know this Cafe belonged to Chan's dad and Hyunjin works here till Areum started to work here. That was when I became interested in the Cafe. Visiting mostly when it was Areum's shift. I didn't like how Hyunjin was so clingy towards her and definitely did not like how she laughed so much when she was around him. sometimes I approach them trying to be part of whatever was between them and other times I distance myself but still feel a burning rage everytime I see them having fun at the counter making me want to punch Hyunjin in the face.

But now it finally hit me.

I was jealous. I was jealous of Hyunjin because he was getting closer to Areum than I am. I was jealous because Areum seemed to be Happier when she is with Hyunjin, I was jealous because I thought Hyunjin liked Areum and so he would make her fall for him.

I was jealous because I liked Areum.

I like Areum.

Shit it took me four weeks of missing her plus Hyunjin's sentence to make me realise that.

The past weeks Areum made my life a living hell just by ignoring me. I lost all appetite. I couldn't sleep and even if I do, she'd always appear in my dreams. I missed her so much it's driving me crazy.

Countless times I wanted to hear her beautiful voice but I couldn't call her afraid of how she might react. Because that night she was definitely hurt and broken. Angry too. It was the first time I heard her yell. She always had this soft angelic voice.

All those times I honestly thought I just felt sorry for her that was why I started being nice. But no. It may be the reason why I started being nice but it was definitely not the reason why my life became a mess the past weeks. If it were, wouldn't I be not bothered by the fact that she's out of my life?

It wasn't because I felt sorry for her. It was because I like her. Shit I don't even know the exact reason why I like her but I just know that I do. She is 'Bai Areum' and that was enough. No one can replace her, not even if she had a twin.

Hyunjin cut off my thoughts by saying "look, if she's important to you show her. What's so hard about that?"

Yeah. What's so hard about admitting you like someone and that they're precious to you? What's so hard about telling them you like them when you clearly know that you're hurting them by staying silent.

I quickly left the Cafe and rushed towards our apartment complex. I saw a notice that the elevator is having temporary problem and is being fixed at the moment so I took the stairs, my struggle for breath increasing with every floor I passed. By the time I reached our floor I almost passed out. My vision was literally getting blurry but I managed to limp my way to Areum's apartment.

Breathing heavenly, I pressed the door bell my eyes slowly closing but I quickly snapped out of it.

Silence.

I pressed continuously but no answer.

Maybe she wasn't home? But when she left the Cafe earlier I definitely saw her  eneter the Building.