t w e n t y - f o u r

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c h a p t e r 24

I side stepped my way towards the exit. I felt that it was my responsibility to look for Hyunjin and check whether if he was really going to carry out my absurd request. And if he was, he was a certified dumbass and I planned on putting an end on whatever nonsense the blonde prince had schemed.

"Leaving since Hyunjin isn't here?" Felix's teasing tone echoed inside the infirmary.

I halted in my steps and tried to casually (clumsily) lean on the door, flustered that he had caught me trying to slip out of the room. "Puh-lease, he's the last person I want to see." I sputtered as I focused my attention on the ceiling as if it was the most interesting thing in the room. I laughed awkwardly. "Oh, look fluorescent. Efficient."

"Yeah, did you know that fluorescent bulbs use about 70% less energy than incandescent bulbs?" Jeongin commented, genuinely interested.

I mentally thanked him for being a bulb aficionado.

"That's a lot of percent." I feigned interest.

Jeongin nodded enthusiastically. "Right?"

"Who knew?" I matched his energy to keep the conversation astray.

Seungmin interrupted with a click of his tongue. "You're as big of a liar as Hyunjin is." He shook his head.

"Am not." I frowned. "I was just planning on taking a shower." I lied through my teeth.

The five boys nodded exaggeratedly. "Sure." They simultaneously drawled out.

With my chin held high, I spun around about to leave the room. I halted once more realizing that I did not know where Hyunjin was. My eyes shut in frustration as I tried to lower my ego and just ask his whereabouts. Before I could spin around, Jisung spoke as if hearing my mental distress. "He's in our room. Room 10."

I said nothing and just thanked him in my head. As I jogged back to the sleeping quarters, the thought of entering a room alone with Hyunjin inside had slipped my mind.

•••

My feet refused to move when I reached the boys' floor. After what felt like forever of me just standing like an idiot, I remembered that I had a cellphone. I could just call him! I smacked myself on the head and searched for my phone. However, after patting my body down like a maniac, I realized that my phone was not with me.

My thoughts were cut short when a group of boys approached the staircase-which was where I stood, my feet finally obeyed as it moved to the side. I ignored the snickers as they whispered amongst themselves while they jogged down the stairs.

"Someone's about to get 'some'!" One hollered suggestively, earning a roar of laughter.

I suppressed the urge to push them down the stairs and finally decided to march up to the 10th room. The indifference that I tried to project as I confidently walked across the hallways did not reflect on what I felt inside.

I approached a door labeled '10', double-checking if I was in the right room since I wasn't in the mood to get flashed by naked teenage boys. I took a deep breath about to knock. My fist hung in the air as I noticed that the door was cracked open, giving me a peek of what was inside the room. I saw the unmistakable blonde hair of Hyunjin hunched over as he rapidly cracked open the peanuts. "Ah, the things I do, Pororo." I heard him mutter as he shook his head before popping a peanut inside his mouth.

I blushed at the thought of him doing all of this for me. My eyes shift to the floor that's littered with shells and a bucket beside him that was already halfway full with unpeeled nuts. Guilt immediately flooded me. I knocked three times and swung it open, not waiting for his reply. He looked up at me from where he was sat on the floor. He blinked three times, dazed.

"What the hell are you doing?" I snapped.

Crack.

"You've been asking me that lately." He chuckled after recovering. "What are you doing?" He asked back.

Crack.

"Stopping you."

Crack.

"From?"

Crack.

"This nonsense! Quit that! I was joking, Hyunjin!" I sneered with flushed cheeks.

He sighed dejectedly as he rested his back on the drawer beside him. "I figured. Just wanted to give it a shot." He shrugged grabbing a handful of unpeeled peanuts. He patted the spot beside him as an invitation. "Can't get these to go to waste."

After internally debating with myself whether I should accept the offer, I found myself guilty, sitting next to him as we munched in silence. We were two teenagers, sitting on the floor cross legged, emptying a can of peanuts. My life had never been more exciting.

I stared ahead blankly while I persuaded myself into thinking that the boy beside me was only a normal boy. Only he wasn't. He made my personal agenda a lot more difficult than it was when he rested his head on my shoulder. I freezed on my spot, afraid that he would move away if I made any abrupt moves. I hated how I wanted him closer. I hated how his hair tickled my neck. I hated how good his hair smelled.

I hate him.

Only I don't.

"Are you sniffing my hair?" I could hear the smirk in his tone.

"Yes." I didn't bother to deny it. I was thankful he wasn't looking at me or else I would be a mess of jumbled words.

"Do you hate me so much that the idea of going to a party with me upsets you?" He asked tossing a shell inside the trashcan by the door. It went in.

"I don't hate you." I said, tossing a shell myself. It did not go in.

"Then, why?" He tossed. It went in.

"I don't belong in your circle, Hyunjin." I tossed. I missed. "Just ask someone else." I added.

"I told you, I don't want to ask 'someone else'." He tossed. It went in.

"Why?" I asked, projecting my aim with one eye closed.

"If it's not already obvious, I like y-"

The shell that I threw, flew across the room when the door slammed open as four boys fell on top of each other, stumbling inside. Bang Chan, Jisung, Felix and Jeongin groaned from the floor.

"Ow! My neck!" Jeongin yelped out.

"My back!" Felix's deep voice echoed.

I had to bite the insides of my cheeks to prevent myself from singing the next line. It seemed inappropriate to do so given that I was alone in a room with boys.

"Seungmin, you idiot!" Jisung hissed.

I then only noticed Seungmin who was standing by the door, crutches in hand. "Cut me some slack! I'm injured." He defended with a glare.

"Hey!" Bang Chan's tone went noticeably higher as he forced a smile. "Are those our peanuts?" He asked enthusiastically, avoiding Hyunjin's eyes.

I glanced towards Hyunjin who had the darkest look ever.

Jisung quickly crawls over next to Hyunjin, bravely putting a hand over his shoulder. "What is up, roomie!" He smiled. "Wah, you're looking handsome today." He gushed, twirling a strand of the blonde's hair.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Hyunjin was unhappy with being interrupted.

"What are we talking about?" Seungmin limped his way inside the room. I quickly stood up to help him. "Thanks." He smiled gratefully as he made himself comfortable on the bed.

I just nodded and made my way towards the door to leave.

"How dumb you are for spraining yourself." Hyunjin deadpanned, prying Jisung's hand off him. "Are you leaving?" He asked me, slightly alarmed.

"Yeah, I'm not supposed to be here in the first place." I reminded him. They bid me a chorus of farewells just as Hyunjin tried to stand up but was held back by the others.

"You're not going anywhere." Bang Chan held him by the shoulders.

I left them to argue and walked out of the room. Halfway across their hallway, I stopped walking. I chewed on my bottom lip as I furiously tried to make up my mind. After an excruciatingly long amount of time, big amount of self-hatred and fear, I spun on my heels as I trudged my way back to Room 10.

I knocked twice and decided to wait for a response. After hearing a 'come-in' to which I think is Jisung's voice, I cracked open the door and peeked inside where only my eyes were visible. They were still in their original positions and were now waiting for what I had to say. My eyes found Hyunjin's and I promised myself a treat for deciding against going inside or else they would see me fidgeting with flushed cheeks.

"I just wanted to ask if there was a theme for the party?"

(a/n: happy 1k reADS OMG HAPPY #1 in #hwanghyunjin !!! HAPPY ME !! IF Uve rEAD THIS FAR thank u sO MUCH !! ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO TAKE THE TIME TO COMMENT AND VOTE !!! IM CURRENTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF MY MIDTERMS AND EVERY TIME MY PHONE LIGHTS UP SIGNALLING A voTE/COMMENT I PROMISE U IT MOTIVATES ME TO STUDY BETTER.

this is the longest a/n ive doNE BUT I REALLY JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE. ALL OF UR COMMENTS MEAN SO MUCH TO ME AND I READ EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM AND IT MAKES ME LAUGH SM AND I HOPE YOU GUYS WOULD CONTINUE TO DO SO. I LOVE YOU ALL mic drop)

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