c h a p t e r 22

"Your.." I trailed off slowly.

He raised a brow with a lazy smirk.

"..dog."

He snickered. "Yeah. So quit acting jealous and just be my date."

I instantly fumed. I took a deep breath to calm myself, while chanting a mantra that went along the lines of 'murder is a crime', and I, sir, am no criminal. Instead, I resorted to something similar.

"Oh, Hyunjin! You're here!" I yelled out dramatically.

I did not miss the confusion in his face that gradually transformed into horror when the kitchen door slammed open, revealing the three avid girls. I winced as they simultaneously squealed out his name. I pressed my lips together, suppressing a laugh.

"It's so sweet of you to help out!" One of them gushed, slowly approaching him like a predator that they are.

Honestly, I find it quite admirable that they are so open with expressing their feelings. My insecure ass could never. Being honest with one's feelings? No thanks. Deny deny deny until true? Absolutely.

Hyunjin smiled awkwardly, backing up like a true prey. "Actually-"

One of them 'playfully' smacks me on the arm. "Girl, why'd you make him carry two while you have none?" She nudges me 'playfully'. They weren't playful at all. "Come inside, Hyunjin. Do the inventories instead! It's much easier." She looped her arm with the victim, dragging him inside.

I did a salute with two fingers just as the doors closed with him shooting me a supposedly terrifying glare. I almost laughed when I heard the unmistakable shouts of hurrah from Bang Chan and Seungmin.

I scoffed, dusting the imaginary dirt off my hands. "Jealous, my ass." I sashayed back to the boxes.

If lying was a crime, I'd probably be lifting boxes in jail by now.

•••

I laid myself down on the grass, shamelessly groaning. I paid no attention to the others who were side-eyeing me as if they've never seen a dying walrus before. I stretched my limbs violently as I groaned louder when I heard a loud crack from my spine. My eyes automatically shut, savouring both the pain and relief. I ignored the overgrown weeds that tickled my ears and neck and continued my self-induced labor.

If only I had known that I would only be doing physical work, I wouldn't have gone to this trip. I could have gone to get a real job where I would at least get paid.

As I drowned in my misery, I felt a shadow over me that seemed to block the blazing sun. My eyes cracked open. From where I laid, a grinning boy stood by my head. "You look and sound like you're about to die."

"That's because I am." I didn't bother to sit up.

Jisung sat down next to me, bouncing slightly with crossed legs. He didn't say anything for a while and just watched something from afar. I followed his line of sight and saw that there was a basketball game being played. I could make out that the players were Hyunjin, Seungmin, Bang Chan, Felix and a few others. I suppressed a mom smile when I saw Jeongin cheering by the side.

"You don't play?" I asked after a while.

"Hell nah." He shook his head. "You should come to the party, by the way."

My eyes had never rolled so hard before. "If you came here by Hyunjin's request, you can tell him to shove a stick up his as-"

Jisung chuckled, nudging me by the shoulder. "I'm here on my own accords." My brows furrowed, slightly confused as I tried to recall when we had reached the physical banter stage of friendship. "Besides, with all of us there, it's gonna be fun!"

"You guys and I seem to have different understandings of 'fun'." I replied. "Plus I don't know the celebrant, I wasn't even invited." I added, my eyes involuntarily following Hyunjin. My lips pursed together as I averted my gaze when he ran his fingers through his hair.

Damn hair.

"That's why we're inviting you." He smirked. "What say you, matey?" He swung his arm to the side enthusiastically.

I cringed at his choice of words, openly showcasing the disgust on my face. "Vast difference." My lips curled.

He pouted. "At least think about it. The party is next week so you still have plenty of time to decide."

My hand waved dismissively, muttering a 'sure'. I shut my eyes again, partly to block out the sun, partly to make Jisung stop talking, and lastly to stop myself from staring at the blonde boy playing basketball.

•••

After a day full of activities and forced work -work which I'm suspecting as tasks that were given to the teachers but being passed down to the students where they disguise it as skill training-, I'm beginning to think that this trip is being treated as a holiday by the teachers.

While massaging my neck, I yawned as I padded my way along the corridors of the building. I tugged on the hem of my sleeves to give myself extra warmth.

Unfortunately so, I was unanimously chosen by my roommates to be the one to fetch new blankets from the stock room. Desperate to rest my killer back, I dashed out the room to quickly grant their princess wishes.

I find it absurd that they want new blankets when they've only used theirs for a single night! I worry for their laundries at home.

Reaching the stock room, I pulled it open and grabbed whatever I needed. No blankets. I piled up the thick comforters in my hands. Having no available hands, I shut the door with my foot. With the comforters blocking my view, I craned my neck from side to side to be able to see. I walked slowly, not wanting to damage any other body part.

If I had not seen the hands, I would have thought that the comforters were levitating.

Hyunjin smiled at me, lifting the white duvets. "Hi."

I hated myself for blushing at his mere greeting.

"Need a hand?" His nose scrunched.

"Not really."

"It seems that you do."

"Well I don't."

He hummed, ignoring my words as he walked ahead. I followed suit, quickly thinking of ways to get rid of him since I've decided that having him too close is definitely not good for me. "Do you really want to deliver those to a room full of your admirers?" I taunted. He halted in his steps, making me smirk successfully. "Thought so. Now just give them back." I opened my arms wider, gesturing him to pile it up.

He shot me a look by his shoulder before he placed the comforters on the floor. He spun around facing me, his hands in his pockets.

I puffed. "Gee, thanks." I muttered sarcastically, about to approach where they were laid.

"No, stay there."

My brow shot up as I tried to ignore the hammering of my chest when he took long strides towards me. I blinked several times when he passed where I stood. Before I could turn to where he was, his hand rested on my shoulder, preventing me from spinning around. Then there were ripping noises. "What the hell are you-" My words got caught in my throat when I felt my hair being brushed to the side. Then I felt his hot hands had graze my neck. I held my breath, having goosebumps.

Not long after, he was in front of me again with a small smile. He had put pain relief patches on my neck.

"I know your back's killing you too but I don't think it's right for me to lift your shirt." He chuckled, picking up the duvets before piling them up in my hands.

I flushed, gripping on the comforters. "You're a real pervert." I muttered, thankful for the blockage it was able to provide.

I heard him laugh before he positioned himself beside me, giving me a full view of his beautiful smile. "What an odd way of expressing your gratitude." He flicked on my forehead.

I clicked on my tongue in annoyance when I realized that I couldn't flick him back. Instead, I look up at him with a glare. Before I could snap at him, his hand lifted the excess relief patches and then slipped it into the pockets of my checkered pyjama pants. "Call me if you need help." He smirked.

My lips pressed together in a tight line as I marched away from him. "If this is your way of bribing me to be your date, it's not working."

Oh, I'm definitely going to jail for lying.

(a/n: happy 670 readers ㅠㅅㅠ /ugly cries/)