SOOBIN | 10 Things I Hate About You ✓

thirty-seven

soobin froze in his spot as his fists slowly unclenched. he didn't know whether to feel heartbrokened or confused.

soobin harshly let go of seokmin's collar before standing up.

"let's go," soobin spoke in a monotone voice as he opened his car door for her, in which aera entered hastily.

"i'll see you later aera!" seokmin cackled as he waved goodbye to the pair.

-

an awkward aura surrounded the pair, who were on their way back to soobin's house.

soobin gripped onto the car wheel tightly as aera fidgeted with her fingers.

the car ride remained silent as many thoughts raced in their minds.

once they reached his house and settled in, soobin looked at aera with a blank stare.

aera avoided the purple-haired boy's gaze as she clenched her small fists tightly, her fingernails digging into her palm.

"who was that?" soobin broke the silence between them.

"t-that was seokmin,"

"mark's brother?" soobin asked in surprise as aera nodded in response.

soobin pursed his pouted lips together as he looked at the timid girl in front of him. he knew how frazzled she must've felt.

"was it true? that he took your virginity?" soobin muttered, causing aera to shoot her head up.

"it's true," aera sighed before responding truthfully.

soobin clenched his bruised fists again under the dining table, his heart somewhat aching.

"does jeno and jaemin know? does mark know?" soobin asked but aera only shook her head guiltily.

"why did you lie to me?" soobin mumbled as he looked down at his bruised knuckles.

"before mark entered the picture, i knew seokmin. we didn't date or anything but i was a wild 16 year old," aera started as soobin listened quietly.

aera sighed as she looked at the boy sat across her, her heart aching with every word spilled out.

"yes, he took my virginity and i consented to it. i thought he was a sweet guy but afterwards, he wanted more from me. of course, i denied after realising he just wanted to use me as one of his play toys," aera admitted but soobin continued to avoid her gaze.

"then i met mark. i didn't even know they were related until mark invited me to a family dinner,"

soobin stood up from his seat and headed towards the kitchen, grabbing a croissant and munching on it.

aera hung her mouth open in shock at soobin's actions. in the moment of seriousness, he was eating a croissant.

"will you tell me what's going on in your head right now?" aera asked timidly as she walked towards soobin.

soobin sighed with his mouth full of bread, his cheeks stuffed as he grabbed a pint of ice cream from the freezer.

"soobin,"

soobin continued to ignore the frustrated girl who was expecting an answer from him as he took two spoons and walked towards the sofa-bed.

aera felt tears well up in her eyes as she pressed her forehead against the kitchen wall. she felt ashamed and scared.

her past mistakes had come to haunt her and the boy she genuinely loves is ignoring her.

at least that's what she thought.

a pair of arms snaked around aera's waist, pulling her into a back hug.

"you might think i'm mad at you when i really just want to eat ice cream and cuddle with you right now,"

aera turned around to face soobin, her expression showing a mixture of shock and guilt.

soobin gently caressed aera's face with his bruised hands, wiping away the tears that were streaming down her face.

"don't lie to me next time okay? it was in the past aera, everyone was stupid then. even i'm still stupid," soobin joked as aera sniffled and hiccuped at her choked back tears.

"y-you aren't mad it's seokmin?" aera sniffled as soobin babied her in his arms.

"i'm only mad because you lied to me. i couldn't care less who it was," soobin cooed as he brushed her baby bangs away from her face.

"i bet i'm better in be-"

"choi soobin!" aera screeched as she hit his chest in embarrassment.

"alright, alright," soobin chuckled as he pressed a kiss against her nose.