Withered - Chapter 11: Chapter 11

"Huh?" I draw away after hearing his audible voice. I lift my gaze, finding his makes and maintained eye contact. Confused, I don't get what he just says.
"What?" He presses his lips staring at me.
"D-did I say something?" He adds. Now avoiding my gaze and froze at the time. He looks like trying to search for word while I'm still waiting. I heard it wrong. Right?
"Yeah"
"Ah-Umm I-I" He mutters a few words, sometimes shut his eyes probably thinking. I'm narrowing my eyes in an attempt to understand him. Just when he let out a heavy sigh and find my eyes again, he gets interrupted.
Ring Ring
"Yeah?" I ask ignoring the phone call. I don't think that's important.
He drops his head before blinks and raises his brows. Maybe waiting for me to answer but I'm not. "Um your not going to pick it up?"
"No"
He breathed in a big lump of air and releasing it hard before he starts to speak again "I l--"
Ring Ring
"Maybe you should" He gives me a faint smile and nods a little. Maybe I don't have a choice but to get rid of this caller. I could just stomp on my phone and throw it away. Urg
"Give me a moment then," I say as I'm standing from the bench, taking out my phone that is in the front pocket of my cardigan and walks away for few steps enough not to let Chaengie overheard the conversation. I almost curse the caller but stop when jeongyeon Oppa voice came out. It looks like he wants an answer now. After seven months.
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Chaeyoung eyes followed Mina until he can't see her anymore because of the darkness that surrounds them. He sits back straight turns his body facing the lake upfront. The water is like a mirror, the shimmering reflection of the moon casts a silvery sparkle on the still waters. He curses himself for saying the things that were running his mind, didn't realized that he was actually saying it out loud when he only thought about the word that slips from his mouth.
While waiting with wind howling calms as it brushing his hair, he shut his eyes and savour the memory of its gentle touch.
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|Flashback|
"Weak! Don't play with us again! That's why your mom left you. Weirdo!" A kid pushed a ten years old, little Chaeyoung until he fell on his butt. As a kid, he always labelled as a freak because of his personality. Chaeyoung was not like usual kids, he was quiet and always alone. He spent most of his time locked in his room, drawing. He tried to bend with the others but it seems like he couldn't when he tried to play his role in football to gain score but his short legs and tiny body make it easy for the opponent to steal. After the match, he needed to face the consequences, trapped in the changing room with his teammates crowding him.
"Yyaaaa!" The door swung open revealing little Mina with a broom. She runs towards all of the seven other kid and recklessly beating their ass. They ran for their lives without any complaint since Mina, the named princess turned into the hulk when she was mad.
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Eleven years old Mina found Chaeyoung hiding in branches of an oak tree "Gotcha!" she shouted from under the tree while pointing at Chaeyoung who found his way to get down.
"This is not fair. You're too good for a seeker"
"I'm not. You're just bad at hiding" Mina laugh pinching chaeyoung's nose while the younger kept babbling.
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Sixteen years old Chaeyoung asked Mina to wait for him on the bench while he gets ice cream for them. That time he makes sure to told the older to listen to him and not go anywhere or went for a bike.
But when he returned, he hoped he had told her one thing he forgot, which is to kick the ball when some idiot tried to hit on her.
"Those jerks" Chaeyoung fastened his pace, tried to get there as soon as possible. He didn't want to run and chances for him to stumble and drop the ice cream was high. He kept it cool, never turned his eyes from the guy that holding Mina's wrist as he stood in front of her. A full-power kick hits the guy's side stomach as he fell on the ground growling.
Chaeyoung gave Mina the ice cream and smiled before he grabbed the tall guy by his collar and dragged him away. Before they disappear Mina stopped Chaeyoung on his way "Chaengie that's enough. I don't like violence" He sighed and released the grip, asking if she was hurt. When she assured that she was fine, he gave another punch after he saw the red mark on Mina's wrist.
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Seventeen years old Chaeyoung convinced Mina to tried to swim and overcome her fear of water after she almost drowns when she was seven, a year before they met.
"Trust me, I'll catch you," Chaeyoung said as he stood in the middle of the not-so-deep swimming pool, but because of the height difference, Mina can't reach the end without disappearing from the surface. He had taught the older to practice using her arms and legs while still gripping hard on the side of the swimming pool. The last step was for her is to swim on her own. "Chaengie. I- I'm afraid. I can't"
"Hey, just release your grip and swim using the technique I've taught you. It's only three meters away. Just trust me" Hearing Chaeyoung's word Mina close her eyes in an attempt to stop the pounding heart and calm herself. The attempt failed. But still, she didn't want to disappoint Chaeyoung when he already taught her for hours.
With final inhaled and exhaled, filling her lungs with a big lump of air. Mina released her grip and kicked the wall as she swam as fast as she could moving her arms and legs like how she'd practice, head in the water, swam without knowing where she was going. Chaeyoung smiled when Mina starts to swam and when the latter's head hit his chest, he quickly grabbed her by the arms and pulled her into a hug while Mina circling her legs on his waist, arms on his neck, hugging Chaeyoung tightly as she gasped for air.
Chaeyoung praised Mina for her courage while laughing as the latter shown no sign to lose her grasp. She was hugging him like koala and refused to get down until they were on the land.
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Chaeyoung ran and pulled Mina closer to him wrapping his arms around her shoulder. The arms that hold Mina were soft yet strong. The feel of her body so close to his soothed him more than he expected. But within seconds, he pulled away and let out a sigh of relief "Yah, I thought you're leaving me. What take you so long?" Chaeyoung had waited for two hours as the latter leave him alone saying she'll be back in a minute.
"I'm sorry, something's on the way," Mina said apologetically. Hiding the fact that she took time to pick the right gift for the upcoming birthday of her best friend.
"Never leave me okay"
"Silly, I won't"
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Both hanging around the park after school. They spent their time playing swing until Mina suddenly popped an idea "Let's make an oath to each other"
Chaeyoung who just came back from buying ice cream for them nodded regardless, not realizing that he will regret his word "Okay" Both of them stood in front of a huge oak tree and promise themselves.
The cub took a step closer to the tree and faced Mina "I'll go first" he said before raising his right hand.
"I'll protect you. I'll never hurt you and........
Ahh, I'll love you as your brother and best friend"
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Jeongyeon Oppa talks a lot more than I expected, while I'm only listening barely answer his questions. After the phone call, I swing my feet to the bench and finds out that Chaengie is closing his eyes. I continue to sit beside him. Maybe he's tired. I thought. "I'm back. Are you sleeping?"
He's awakened by my voice, maybe I should just let him sleep. He brushes it off saying he's only enjoying the wind and smiled at me. That sad smile again. The only smile I can't see through.
"Anyway, what do you want to say earlier?" I ask, my curiosity still alive and I want an answer.
"Oh, Ummm I-----" He stares at me again, presses his lips together and seems like to think. Are you going to reject me? Will you feel awkward afterwards? Avoiding me? Can we be more than friends? Are you going to be mad at me? Is it worth it to lose you?
"I'll love you as your brother and best friend"
"Hah, its nothing," He adds and smiles again before he positioning himself, planting his gaze into somewhere. Now I really starting to hate that smile.
"Really?" I doubt.
"Humm"
There is a long silence after he speaks, leaving us with only the sound of crickets. I notice the gap between us and for the first time, he feels so distant, so different."Who is it?" He asks, without looking at me. We sit facing upfront with a clear gap when he's on the left side of the bench while I'm on the other side.
"Umm a--haha I don't know what to address him" I chuckle awkwardly.
"Him?" He asks, knitting his brows and now looking at me.
"Yeah. I said that I wanted to ask you a question that's why I agree to join you today"
"What is it?"
"A guy has been courting me this past week. And he wants an answer from me..... Umm, should I say yes?" I questioned. He froze at the moment and try to utter a word but nothing seems to leave his mouth. I don't know why I wanted to ask him so badly, or why I need to tell him that when I can make the decision on my own.
"I-If he makes you happy. Then. You. Should say yes" He smiles.
"Ahh" That's the only things I can say to reply to him. I do expect it but I don't like to hear it. At all. I force a smile and tap his shoulder to let him knows that it's time to go home. The ride is quiet when we are on the bus. Since it's early in the morning already, no one except us, sitting side by side at the back of the bus. I'm so sleepy until Chaeyoung uses his jacket, wrapped me with it and let my head fall on his left shoulder.
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"Myoui Mina!"
Urg what they want early in the morning. I just had a long day with Chaeyoung and I'm tired. I thought while tossing right and left, cupping both of my ears while this squirrel and big eater keep shaking my body and shouting behind my ear. I groan and wake up, feeling like I want to throw this unnies from the window.
"What!?" I shout with my not so loud voice while sitting, rubbing my eyes.
"Are you with someone now?" They ask in unison
"Jeongyeon Oppa, why?" I answer boringly and yawn at the same time.
"Mina-Yah!!" Momo unnie half whine, half shout and half shock. I don't really know how to describe her tone just now. She just looks at me with disbelief expression. I raise my brow.
"Huh?" I swift my eyes to Sana unnie who's crossing her arms against her chest while shaking her head. She pulls Momo unnie out of my room and left without any word, leaving me confused at their actions. Well, I'll ask them later. I need my sleep.
Ring Ring
Gosh. Come on! Urgh. "Hello!" I yell, annoyed with everyone.
[Oh, Mina ya. That's the loudest voice of you I ever heard......Thank you for accepting me]
"I said let's give it a try. Please don't put your hopes too high"
[Don't worry I'll make sure you fall for me. Let's have a date tomorrow Please~~]
"Alright. Oppa, I'm really sleepy right now, could you be kind and let me sleep"
[Haha. Okay okay. I Love you. Bye]
I wanted nothing more than to lay down and be enveloped by the warmth of silence and rest. I sigh and turn my phone off, pulls the battery out and put it inside my drawer. I flopped to the bed with a thud, then buried in sleep.
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He asked me to come to the tennis court. I never know that such a place exists in this college. Well, I never explore the whole place so it makes sense I don't know a thing. And since when my college is this big? even a map couldn't help.
After searching for about an hour I finally found the court. I walk closer, the view of him started to show. Again, I don't know he's a sports guy. To be honest, I know nothing about him other than my musical partner, indeed soon after the project, he confronted me and started to court me. At first, I declined, but he was very eager. I sit on a bench near the court waiting for him to finish. He wears a black long-sleeve polo shirt, a black cap, black sweatband on the wrist and dark blue shorts. He is kinda good at this. I assume he is because he wins it.
I grab a towel and a bottle of water near me then give it to him. He smiles as he wipes his sweat then drink. He wanted to hug me but I complain about how stink and sticky he is while covering my nose. He pouts as I laugh and ask him to take a shower then we'll get going.
"So, what now?" I ask as we walk beside each other. He changes into a black V neck long sleeve shirt and black shorts. This guy like black I guess. Just like Chaengie.
"Let's rent a bike" He exclaimed. Before I could say anything, he drags me along and rent a bike. I don't know that there are such things in this college, what actually I know? I'm always stuck in the library. Wow. I'm so smart-but-dumb. He put his backpack at the front basket then a blue in colour helmet on me. He smirks saying that he doesn't want to take responsibility if I fall. I only throw him a dirty look as he laughs at me. He positioned himself while I still hesitate to ride the bike. I don't know why but I just did. Maybe I don't trust him enough.
He grins as if he knows what's inside my mind then shows me his motorcycle license. He pulls me to sit on the back of the bike. As he pedal onwards, the breeze is as welcoming as sunset air. In that way, with steady sunlight warmth and wind to cool, my eyes are bathed in the passing scene, lots of things I've never seen before, that's when I realized he's taking me on a tour around the whole campus.
"If I were you, I'll hold my shirt or--" He says right before taking a corner. Startled,  I hug him afraid that I'll fall. "--- a hug is a lot better" He laughs. I pinch his waist, both side for teasing me.
"So, you show me your motorcycle license. Why don't we just use it instead of renting a bike" I ask tightening the hug until it hurts him because he keeps scaring me turning the handlebar to the left then right, or speeding like a turbo. It's a good thing we're now in the park and not on a road.
"I send it for repairs because I got into an accident," He calmly says after growling in pain.
"What!?" I half-shout, making him stop cycling. He turns to me as I jump down and checks his condition. There's a bandage on his forehead. How come I don't realize it beforehand? I touch his wound while asking if there are any other injuries.
A smirk form on his mouth "Are you worried?" He teases. Geez this guy, I press the wound making him cried in pain, then walk by myself leaving him alone. He chases after me walking his bike along the side of the road. I'm still stomping my feet away from him. I heard quick footsteps behind then feel my wrist being grabbed. I turn around and there he is smiling at me.
"Thank you for asking about me. And no, there are no other injuries except your pinch is really strong. My waist still hurt" There he is, whining like a child exactly resembles someone. Or is every guy is a bit childish?
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"Is he okay?" Momo asks her fiance, worry can be seen written on her face. They are staying at a cafe with Momo, Dahyun, Tzuyu, and Sana sitting in a circle.
"I'm not sure, he had been locking himself since yesterday. That idiot." Dahyun tells them while shaking his head, slowly sipping on an Americano.
"Well, Hyung only got three choices, whether to steal Mina unnie, act like a loyal friend or he will leave" Tzuyu sigh, rubbing his forehead.
"I'll try to talk to him," Sana interrupts smiling at the others, she's the last person that Cheyoung call and the one that he always seeks for help or advice. The only person Chaeyoung always open to, the others agreed that Sana can bring the tiger out or even lecture him.