Luminous • Jisung

4 • Hallway

• Chapter 4 •

Haechan put his hand on Cho-a's back, guiding her through the crowded campus area.

"Could you not text when you walk? You will run into someone," the boy sighed, meanwhile pushing her into the right direction.

Not even looking up, eyes stuck on her phone, she hummed.
"That's what I have you for."

"I'm your tutor, not your babysitter," he retorted quickly whilst he also continued to babysit her.

"I'm sure Kun will pay you extra to be both," she said jokingly. "So he would worry less - he keeps texting me."

Which she blamed Renjun for - because he made sure to keep Kun up to date with everything that had been happening. He told him about her meeting with Jisung, about his suspicion, about the accidents.

"No amount of money can make me do that," Haechan replied awfully seriously as he reached out and put his hand around Cho-a's shoulder. He pulled her closer just a second before she ran into a wall.

Frustrated he frowned then took the girl's phone and put it in his pocket.

"Hey!" As she reached over to take it back Haechan switched positions - from gently holding her close to pushing her away.

He grinned amusedly.
"I told you to put it away."

"But he will worry-"

"He will live," the boy reassured but Cho-a quickly shook her head.

Sulking, frowning softly she sighed.
"Who says you are not my babysitter," she mumbled at which Haechan pushed out a huff.

The two came to a halt in front of a still closed classroom door, voices from inside pushing out through the thin walls. Spotting the large clock on the wall opposite him, Haechan pulled Cho-a to the side of the hallway then looked at her expectantly.

"Their class ends soon. Wait here, I'll go get you something to drink," he ordered softly before turning around and walking away, quickly disappearing behind the next corner.

Watching as he left, the girl leaned against the wall behind her, head resting on the hard surface as her eyes got stuck on the bright clear blue sky above.

Her mind felt crowded. When she exhaled deeply, trying to push every last bit of air out of her lungs it was a lazy attempt to make herself feel a little less heavy and tired.

Seconds passed and the sun flickered through the leaves of the trees before her onto her face. She closed her eyes. It wasn't quiet on campus, but it wasn't loud either. It was just noise floating through the air.

Meaningless and subtle. 

"Unfortunately this is a hallway and not an alley," Jisung said as he came to a halt in front of Cho-a.

She hummed, not yet opening her eyes.
"Good day to you too, grim reaper."

Jisung ignored her greeting and looked around. 
"Where's Haechan?"

"Somewhere more fun," she said but opened her eyes at the boy's confused hum. Her gaze met his then she nodded towards her right. "Cafeteria."

With a raised brow Jisung nodded, then stepped away from her just to lean against the railing opposite her. It was obvious that he had something to say. 

"What is it?" Cho-a asked impatiently.

"I know you aren't human." There was no beating around the bush and no trying to be subtle about it. All that there was, was a threatening underlying tone in his voice and an arrogant expression.

All things the girl didn't really care for. 

"What? Because my beauty is out of this world?" Sighing exaggeratedly, Cho-a tilted her head to the side and flipped her hair back. "I get that a lot."

Though it was an obvious joke it still managed to irritate the boy to some degree. Something about the casualness she had when talking to him, something about the way she didn't seem to care. 

Grabbing the railing's metal bars tightly, Jisung glared at her, unimpressed with everything she said and did.
"You are so endlessly annoying."

"We talked twice," she noted surprised.

"Exactly."

Rolling her eyes she inspected the boy before her. They were the same age so calling him a kid essentially meant calling herself one too.

But even if he was young, he was still someone Renjun warned her about. So her curious eyes turned warily as she watched Jisung carefully.

"What kind of grim reaper are you?" she asked nosily at which the boy raised a brow. His confusion lasted for only a moment before his lips curled up into an amused smirk.

Eyes on the girl, he pushed himself away from the railing and stepped closer. 

One step. 

Two steps. 

"One that could easily kill you." 

With only an armlength between them, Cho-a gulped at his closeness but didn't really bother to worry about his threat. 

She stared up at his brown eyes, deep and rich, showing nothing but sincerity for his words. 

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have a lousy temper?" 

"Did no one ever tell you not to mess with someone who has such a lousy temper?" he asked back at which the girl shrugged.

"Kun might have mentioned it at one point." Which earned her nothing but an irritated look. 

Jisung stepped even closer, put one hand on the wall next to the girl's head and leaned in until mere centimetres were between the two. 

His glance wandered over her features, daring to get lost in her deep eyes. 
"Has your big mouth never caused you trouble before?" 

Cho-a raised a brow and leaned her head to the side so that it was resting on Jisung's arm. Taken aback but not ready to back off, he clenched his jaw as he watched the girl. 

"Has yours ever caused you trouble before?" she asked back. 

Not minding the glares they were getting by now from the occasional passersby and the students resting on the campus' seating area not far away, Cho-a leaned in a little closer. It wasn't to get physically more near him, it was to make a point. 

To tell him that she wasn't afraid of him. 

"None that I would've cared about," he replied earnestly making Cho-a smile. 

"Same goes for me." 

"Well then darling," Jisung said, voice lower now at their closeness and Cho-a grinned amusedly. "Let me be the one to change that for you."

"Can't wait, grim reaper."

• Hallway •