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━━━  " 📂 " ‍..⃗. ༉

𝙍 𝙊 𝙈 𝘼 𝙉 𝘾 𝙄 𝙉 𝙂

! chapter one hundred
& seventeen ─── ʚĭɞ

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Silence hung between the two as they walked together, not saying much even when they delivered the food to Gowoon, who said she had agreed to watch the shop for a little longer before returning home.

And so, Seojun and Miyeon were left by themselves, walking in a direction that didn't lead to their of their homes. It wasn't awkward, just filled with a certain tension and confusion following what they had just experienced.

"So you've known for a while?" Seojun finally asked, as they twisted down another side street and onto rather well-light road. "Since that day you were at the burger shop."

"Yeah.. she dropped her wallet before running out and I picked it up and saw her school ID. It was a shock.. but then I talked to her about it and I understand why she wants to keep it a secret so much." Miyeon nodded. "I feel awful for her."

"They're horrible people. I've never liked Park Semi. Now I have even more of a reason." Seojun gritted his teeth, practically exuding anger.

"I don't think you acting like that to her is going to change anything on her side." Miyeon commented, Seojun glaring at her. "What? It's clear she likes you, and I pity you for it."

"I don't need pity. I just hope she gets the message that I don't ever want to see her again. Did I make that clear, do you think?" Seojun twisted towards his friend.

"I think breaking her phone really spelled it out. I doubt she'll bother you for a while at least." Miyeon's reply gave him a sense of comfort, nodding along to her words. He watched as her expression turned sour once more, walking a little closer and nudging her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I just feel really bad for Jugyeong. I knew that Semi bullied her.. but I didn't know the extent of it. Those photos were horrible - and she made her buy them dumplings." Miyeon shivered at the thought. "I don't blame her at all for deciding she wanted a new start."

Beside her, Seojun nodded. "It took me by surprise.. but I've never cared about looks. She has a nice personality, which is what matters. Do you know if anyone else knows?"

"You mean Suho, right?" Miyeon saw right through his question. "He does, he's known for far longer than I have. Pretty much since she came to the school, I think. I can't remember exactly - but I think Soojin knows as well."

"Kang Soojin?" Seojun repeated. "She's been acting strangely recently.. do you think she told Park Semi that Jugyeong was the same Jugyeong she used to bully?"

"I.. don't want to assume. She's been acting weirdly, but I'm hoping it's because she feels awkward because Jugyeong is dating the guy she likes. I really, really hope that she isn't just being horrible because of that." Miyeon replied.

Seojun didn't have the heart to tell her that Soojin most likely was just being horrible because of that. The hope that rested in the Hwang girl's eyes seemed to spark a surge of sympathy for her. He didn't even know why - it just seemed so pure and just plainly nice of her.

All Miyeon wanted was to have a normal life. He knew that. He knew she wanted to return to normality when she came back to Seoul and he ruined that within the first few days. And then she gets that normalacy, and she gets a nice group of friends, makes up with the two people who could never hate her even if it seemed otherwise, and she gets a nice boy who's secretly liked her since middle school and had only just acted upon it then.

"I'm sorry I kissed you, Miyeon, I really am." Seojun was suddenly saying, the sense of guilt spiking once more. "I shouldn't even excuse it with the painkillers, I kissed you, even though we're just friends and you have Hyunwoo. No excuses, it was just plainly unfair."

Miyeon blinked, eyes set on him. The change of subject was sudden and completely unexpected it, and with the remnants of those horrible thoughts about what happened to Jugyeong, Miyeon could only shrug.

"It's alright, excuses or not. You just happened to kiss me, for whatever reason you have." She replied. "And even though you say I have Hyunwoo.. I don't even know my own feelings for him." She admitted quietly.

Seojun ignored that stupid spark of hope.

"You don't? But I thought he was being really nice... did he say something?" It only took a matter of moments for Seojun to jump ato his version of the worst conclusions. He could barely even think about what he would do if Hyunwoo had said something awful to her.

"No - no, nothing like that. I'm just confused. He's really sweet to me.. brings me books as presents for make-up dates.. remembers my favourite drink. But.." Miyeon and sighed, trailing off.

"But?" The spark was turning into a flame.

"Feelings are confused.. I'm confused." Flame burst into a fire.

"What are you confused about?" Seojun asked gently, almost as if he was adding wood to the flames.

"How I see him, I suppose. And how I see.. someone else." Someone had unhooked the fire extinguisher.

"Someone else?"

"Don't worry about who that is." Miyeon replied. "I just need to think about things, about how I see him." Someone had put out the fire, white foam smothering the flames.

"If he does something stupid, let me know alright?" Seojun told her. He didn't even know why he had felt so hopeful all of a sudden. He had feelings for Jugyeong - he couldn't possibly have feelings for Miyeon as well.

Although considering his actions of the past week, it was become more possible by the minute. Which couldn't happen. He couldn't disrupt her world like that, couldn't tell her how he felt.

"I'll walk you home." The Han boy swallowed, moving behind her and gently manoeuvring her coat-clad shoulders to the direction they should be going. "Thanks for bringing Gowoon the food, by the way."

"Oh it's no problem. Apparently Eunjoo and your mom met up in the hospital which is where she found out all about Gowoon's job." Miyeon decided to omit the part where Eunjoo lived in the same building of Hyunwoo.

"Either way, it was nice of you." Seojun pushed. "Gowoon.. hasn't always been treated nicely by people. I'm guessing that you made the connection between Jugyeong helping her?"

"Almost as soon as I found out." Miyeon nodded, continuing to tell him other little details that had come to light as they walked towards Miyeon's apartment.

It was then that they both simultaneously decided to put away their feelings for each other. It was unfair, for the both of them to like two people at once. Neither of them were ready to deal with such real feelings.

And they wouldn't have time, soon enough, considering what would come out in just a few days time. Then they would have no time to even worry about themselves.

Let alone each other.