stardust | park seonghwa - Chapter 39: Chapter 39

THAT morning, I wake up being aware that something was enveloping me. My subconscious mind is set on alert―this was not how I was supposed to wake up. Yesterday evening, I was so sure I was on my bed next to the window in Chaeyoung's room... but something feels off. The atmosphere feels different; Chaeyoung told me she'd get up for an early beach-side run but I don't hear any rustling of her preparations.
That's when I feel something―or someone, rather―shift and I notice something I failed to do before. An arm snakes around my waist, pulling me closer to somebody and I almost scream at the skin-to-skin contact. What and whomst the fuck?
I try to pry myself away from whoever I'm attached to but the body hugs me tighter, humming lowly in disapproval. Instead, I feel someone's hair tickle the base of my neck as they nuzzle into my collarbone.
Wait... was that..?
"... Seonghwa?"
My face flushes, recalling the bits and pieces I could remember from last night. For some reason, I can't remember the entirety of it but judging from the ghosts of tingles left on my skin, I have a fair idea of what happened. It makes me blush an even deeper red.
In response, Seonghwa groans. "What?" he mutters under his breath but voice muffled due to him speaking into my skin.
"N-nothing," my palms curl into a fist and I let out an internal scream whilst also biting back a grin.
What. The. Hell?
I can't believe I did... we did...
I let out another internal scream. How am I supposed to answer Yeosang when he asks about everything later?
I try to remember everything; starting with how it begun until the end and everything in between. But it comes in small flashes; short and small black and white flashbacks. Maybe I was just too lost? It doesn't matter though. I feel like the more I remember, the more embarrassed I get and the hotter my face will get. That would be unhealthy.
The phone rings, completely breaking the previous silence. Seonghwa flinches at the sound, groaning before turning to face away from me and covers his head with the pillow that was under his head. Before long, I hear his soft snoring again.
I reach out for the telephone, which happened to be on my side of the bed, and press it against my ear.
"Hello―"
Chaeyoungs chirpy voice rings through the line.
"You guys were so loud last night!"
My stomach drops and I'm sure if I could look into the mirror, my face would be white as sheet. "W-what!?"
Then with a teasing tone, she adds: "don't think I couldn't hear you!"
Panicking, I think of something to say. "I... oh my God I didn't realise. I'm so sorry, we didn't mean to―"
Then I'm cut off by Chaeyoung's laugh. I let out a confused hum.
"Oh my God, Hyeshin!" she wheezes, "I was totally joking but I didn't expect you guys actually doing it!"
Why is so hot in here suddenly?
"O-oh, well, I... uh... I-I didn't know that," I splutter, embarrassed. "I―can you please not?"
Chaeyoung's laughs subside a little, though I still hear her smirk through the phone.
"Come on, how was it? San's in the bathroom right now so he's obviously not listening in... I don't think he'll want to listen anyway but do tell me!"
"Well..."
My silence probably took a while since the next thing I know, Chaeyoung sighs and speaks again.
"Actually, don't tell me. It's weird hearing the freaky shit my cousin gets up to."
"Anyways, I truly do hope Seonghwa used protection, I'm too young to be an aunt. I'm going to go on my run now, do you want to come along?"
"I― Chaeyoung."
"Yes, Hyeshin."
"Nothing, nevermind."
Chaeyoung laughs again. This is, like what, the hundredth time she does in the past five minutes alone, I bet. "Oh right, you can't run," I can hear the knowing grin behind her voice.
"What do you mea―" I screech in protest but Chaeyoung cuts me off, again.
"Oop, San's out the bathroom, gotta blast! Have a great day! Don't skip breakfast!" And with that, Chaeyoung cuts the phone.
Stupid Chaeyoung. What was she thinking, catching me off-guard so early in the morning? I mess up my hair in frustration.
Sighing, I turn my head to look at Seonghwa who's still sleeping peacefully (and funnily enough, still snoring into the pillow mushed into his face). A dopey smile makes its way on to my face. I turn to my side and take away the pillow from the top of his face, making sure he's not struggling to breathe.
"Seonghwa," I say quietly.
"Hmmwhat?" he responds almost inaudibly.
"It's morning, get up. We need to head back soon."
Seonghwa's brows furrow. "Huh?"
"We need to go soon."
He groans but doesn't say another word.
I sigh. "Nothing," I muse and brush away the fallen strands of hair that fall over his eyes.
Out of the corner of my eyes, I see the clock strike seven. We really should be getting ready for breakfast and prepare to leave soon. My mind reminds me that I have the painting studio booked later in the afternoon so the sooner we leave, the better, despite how much I actually wanted to stay.
"Let's head down to breakfast soon," I tell Seonghwa. "I'm showering first and by the time I'm back, I'm expecting you wide awake."
Seonghwa flails a lazy arm in the air.
When I sit up, I scan the room while rubbing my eyes. Seonghwa's shirt is strewn on the floor, so with nothing else closer for me to reach, I pull it over my head, suddenly drowning in his scent. I resist the urge to let out a content sigh and before I get too lost in my thoughts, I lift myself off the bed and head to the bathroom.
Looking at myself in the mirror, I cringe at my bed hair. Like I do every morning, I take a quick look at my mark. So I face away from the glass and pull the collar down, peering down at the stains of colour on the back of my shoulder. Nothing had changed, not that I wanted it to anyway but somehow I feel relieved. It's still the same pattern; the same mix of purple and turquoise, the same white star and the same word written in tiny letters underneath.
Pulling the collar back up before disposing the shirt altogether, I step into the shower and let the warm water wash over me.
Although, if I remember correctly, the turquoise looked a little more faded than it should be. But it's probably just a trick of the light.
Feeling fresh and clean after the shower, I head back to the room. I still see a mound underneath the covers on the bed meaning Seonghwa hadn't moved an inch and it's been well over twenty minutes since I got up.
Why, this kid―if he had been Yeosang in this situation, he'd better watch out and brace himself for a push towards the floor. It'll leave a visible bump on the forehead. Lucky he's not specifically titled my best friend otherwise, he'll suffer.
But I see the traces of his movements in the room; the previously opened curtain (which I had pulled back in hopes of luring him out the bed) is now closed again, how half of the covers are hanging dangerously off the bed and how his phone is now turned the right side up. This boy really...
"Seonghwa! Get up!" I pull the curtains open again, wider than I did last time and light floods the bedroom.
I hear Seonghwa's cry of protest.
"Don't be such a baby, I have the studio booked at noon! We need to head back soon," I remind him, approaching the bed quickly and shake his shoulders.
"No..." he murmurs.
"You need to change your bandages and shower. Sheesh, I'm not your mother," Seonghwa yelps when I pull the cover off of him, which he pulls back in alarm.
"Hyeshin!"
"What? I'm going to go to the studio after this and if I miss my hour they're going to cross me off my bookings."
Seonghwa blinks before pulling the doona over his head again with a small huff.
"Seonghwa..."
"... Yeah, yeah, yeah, just give me five minutes more," he mumbles from under the covers.
This is going to take forever since I know that 'five minutes' in Seonghwa language means five decades. Maybe even five centuries at this time of the day. I know Seonghwa isn't a morning person but he sometimes knows his priorities. However, I'm going to miss my booking hour if we don't get a move on.
I do mental calculations in my head. If Seonghwa goes into the shower within the next fifteen minutes, he'll finish by the next half an hour. We eat pretty fast so we should be finished in around an hour (an hour and a half at most, if Seonghwa decides it'll be a good idea to get seconds), then our round of farewells to his family would take another quarter of an hour or so (but then again, knowing Seonghwa, it could take up to half an hour) and... Ugh. I drag my hands over my face. We'll barely make it.
Standing up, I go over to his bag by the wardrobe and start to rummage through it.
"Where are your clean bandages?"
"In there somewhere," Seonghwa replies, finally flopping the blanket off his face.
"Right, thanks, very helpful," I grumble to myself. I zip open a small pocket on the inside of his bag and find the rolls of bandages as well as cream and antiseptic. "Do you need your painkillers?"
The man on the bed yawns. "Nah, m'good."
I set the items on his bedside table and take a seat on the bed. "Come on, let's undo your bandages so you can shower," I say, offering a hand for him to take. He grabs on to it lazily and I pull him up to a sitting position.
The brunet blinks sleepily. I smile fondly at his sticky-up hair and reach out to brush it up a little with my fingers. Seonghwa pouts, shoving my hand away and rubs his eyes.
"Oh no, is he still sleepy?" I coo, hands on his cheeks and squishing them together.
Seonghwa still manages to shoot me a dirty look. I laugh, pressing a kiss on to his lips, feeling his frown merge into a smile.
"You're so mean for opening the curtains like that," he tells me.
"I'm sorry, baby, I know you like sleeping in but I have to go to he studio later today." Seonghwa nods against my forehead.
I pat his shoulder. "Come on, I'll help you undo this and while I pack my things, you can shower, kay?"
"No going back to sleep!" I quickly add when he opens his mouth to say something, which I know would be another whine.
"Now turn around."
Seonghwa shifts and faces away from me, a pillow in his arms as he resists the urge to fall back into slumber.
Then I freeze. It had completely slipped my mind that Seonghwa's injury was on the shoulder. Maybe I should've thought twice about it before I say anything. I feel my brows crinkle, hands fisted in my lap as I come to a moment of hesitation. In that short moment, so many things come to mind all at once and I can almost feel my own mark burn as it senses my nervousness.
"Cherry?" Seonghwa pipes up.
I pull out of my scepticism. "Nothing."
My hands unravel the bandages wrapped around his shoulder, not really paying attention to the strip of cloth as I keep my eyes trained on everything else. Maybe Seonghwa is aware of how tense I am, or that he can tell that I was hesitant and that's why his fingers tap my knee lightly. But he doesn't say anything.
Once they all come off, I can feel my heart crawl up from my chest to my neck. The beats so loud in my ear and I swallow the invisible grip on my throat.
I dare myself to look up.
"Thanks Che―"
A loud gasp escapes my lips.