our summer | soobin

twenty-five.

❏— Chapter Twenty-Five
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ Phonecall

"I thought that he wouldn't fall asleep immediately because you two were playing so much earlier." Yeji chuckled as soon as she sat on the couch after tucking Hyeongjun in, "You two easily became close huh?"

Soobin shrugged, "What can I say? I guess kids can't resist my charms."

Yeji laughed, not used to seeing Soobin's playful side. "You know what --- I've noticed something."

Soobin's ears perked up at that and looked at Yeji, confused. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"You've changed, you're different now." Yeji replied.

"Good kind of different I hope."

Yeji nodded, smiling, "Mhmm, you're a lot more relaxed and loose now... I guess. I mean, you snapped at me when we first met, d'you remember?"

"Tch, that's because you wouldn't stop talking." Soobin laughed at that memory. Who would ever forget about that moment?

"On second thought..." Yeji started, staring at Soobin's face as if she's trying to figure him out, "Maybe you didn't actually change, you just started showing... your real self."

"Am I not myself before?" Soobin quietly asked, fighting back a laugh.

Yeji stopped for a moment before shrugging. "You were so grumpy before, do you know that? You have this permanent frown on your face everytime you see me... it's like everything I do just seems to annoy you."

"That's because you were really annoying." Soobin laughed quietly to not wake up the sleeping boy on Yeji's lap.

Yeji scoffed, rolling her eyes playfully, "Were? Does that mean that I don't annoy you anymore?"

Soobin said nothing and just shrugged while smiling.

"Are you...warming up on me?" Yeji beamed.

Soobin chuckled, "Maybe."

"I think my heart skipped a beat." Yeji gasped dramatically, placing her hands on her chest.

Soobin couldn't help but laugh again at that, his dimples in full view.

"You're really just a softie hiding behind your tough guy act." Yeji said.

"Do I really look tough?" Soobin asked, tilting his head.

Yeji nodded, "Uh-huh. Especially when you're not talking."

"Oh...I honestly didn't mean to come out that way. I'm just really not good with people in general --- I may look cold for some 'cause I really don't know how to socialize...I just always stay quiet so I wouldn't stay anything bad or embarrassing. I didn't have a lot of friends growing up but at least I have Beomgyu who's probably the only person who doesn't get tired of me." Soobin explained, "That's why I'm actually surprised that you didn't hate me when we first met."

"I don't think anyone can hate you honestly." Yeji said softly while looking at him, "Have a little faith in yourself. You're a good person although you don't show it that much because you don't know how. But that's alright, you don't have to do grand gestures to tell someone that you care about them --- your presence is just enough, trust me."