40
𝙧𝙤𝙝 𝙝𝙮𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙖

"why did you get ice this morning?" joohyuk asked. "you okay?"

i nodded and kicked a small pebble on the sidewalk. "my leg was aching a bit. i doubt its serious though."

"you should still get it checked out. your game is coming soon." he said.

i nodded. "what about you? when are your games?"

"i have a small match next week." joohyuk replied. "you don't have to come though-"

"nope. i will have to come." i said. "i'll bring flowers and a giant sign like you did, don't worry!"

"don't you dare." he said.

i chuckled. "you'll come to my preliminaries, right?"

joohyuk grinned. "i wouldn't even think of missing it."

i smiled to myself. "everything is back to normal now."

he looked at me weirdly. "hm?"

"you were being all awkward earlier." i accused.

"as if! you were the one being all uncomfortable." he mumbled.

i rolled my eyes. "i was only being all nice to you. you're never seeing that from me again, so don't get any ideas."

"aww, why??" he asked. "i liked it."

i kicked him in the leg. "i'm not your slave. you're my slave."

"am not." joohyuk said poking me in the nose. "i think i've been doing too much for you recently. you're developing some kind of superiority complex towards me."

i brushed off my shoulder. "whatever."

"if i ignored you for an entire day you'd suffer, wouldn't you?" he teased.

"i woUld noT." i said. "but don't do it." i added.

"i'm not that mean." joohyuk said. "i know you hate being ignored. by me, especially." he bluffed.

i scoffed. "as if."

"i ignored you earlier this morning. it bothered you, didn't it? right? rightttt??" joohyuk asked, getting all up in my face.

i smacked his forehead. "yeah!! it did!!"

"at least you're being honest." he said. "it was hard for me to ignore you though. especially when my fucking colleagues bad-mouthed you. i should've grabbed their heads and held them under the water." he said, irritatedly.

"then you'd get kicked off the team you idiot." i said. "it's not like i get bothered by it though."

"they don't know you at all. you're no player. that kwon sejong dude or whatever it is is the player." joohyuk rambled.

i stifled a laugh. "thanks."

|

after training ended, i wandered around campus, contemplating whether or not i should go do something today.

just on time, i spotted my 8 foot giant, and ran to him, but quickly stopping after and jumping behind a tree.

"here. take it." a girl said, holding out a small box in front of her, to joohyuk.

was i witnessing a confession right now?? is this some kind of live kdrama, starring nam joohyuk?"

"i've liked you for a long time." the girl continued on shyly. "i really like you, sunbae."

she must be a swimmer then... my palms suddenly got clammy. what if he accepted it? what if he suddenly got a girlfriend, today???

what if, he started ignoring me because he got a girlfriend??

i bit my lip and waited for joohyuk's answer.

he let out a soft and nervous chuckle.

no no no. don't do it. don't you dare-

"i can't accept it." joohyuk finally said.

"why?" she asked.

"you're a nice girl, but i like someone else." he said. "sorry."

i finally let out a breath after holding it for so long. i didn't even know why i had gotten so nervous. i felt really...jealous in those past minutes. i'd never say that out loud, though.

but, he likes someone else.

who???

gosh, i'm overthinking everything. it's not like he can't like someone else. he's totally allowed to. hE cOmpleTely iS.

"she's lucky." the girl mumbled. i suddenly felt sorry for her. hey, i'll take the gift if joohyuk doesn't want it!! let's ditch the dude.

"sorry." joohyuk said again. "cheer up. who wouldn't like a good swimmer like you?" he said, ruffling her hair.

my eyes narrowed. he just touched her. and that was a pretty sweet compliment too.

the girl giggled. "sunbae!!" she whined.

my eyebrow suddenly twitched. "tsk tsk tsk. what are you going to do next, hm?"

"get going now. don't miss curfew." joohyuk said, once again, a little too sweetly.

"you too!" she said, and then finally ran off.

"tsk. what a sight." i muttered, turning on my heels and walking away.

i was peacefully (but not really) leaving, when i heard heavy footsteps and someone throw their arms around me. i shrieked and nearly collapsed.

"hYEONAA!" joohyuk yelled.

i shrugged him off of me. "you're being unnecessarily loud."

"i'm just showing my unending love for you." he said jokingly.

"why don't you show your unending love for that girl instead??" i asked. "i mean, if you're gonna be that nice to her minus well just date her then!!"

"you saw??" joohyuk froze and grabbed my arms, turning me around to face him. he squinted and inspected my face closely. "aigoo, i thought i was hallucinating, but it's real."

i looked away. "what?"

"are you being jealous right now?" he teased.

i wriggled out of his grip and walked ahead of him. "jealous?? what is jealous? i don't know it."

"hyeonaaa-" he whined, latching onto my arm. "she's my dongsaeng. i can't be mean."

"mhm." i said, uninterested.

"she's a freshman, i can't break her heart in such a cruel way!!" he said. "come onnn."

"i don't need explanations, i'm not jealous." i said.

"you're one scary girl." joohyuk said, chuckling. "hey! you scolded me for being jealous a while ago, you hypocrite."

"this is a different story. i was messing with you on purpose." i said.

joohyuk looked at me another time. "you should get jealous more often. i like you like this."

i elbowed him in the gut. "i'm not jealous."

"sure sure." he said. "don't worry, i won't be overly sweet to anyone else other than you, don't worry."

i scoffed. "i-it's not like i'm your girlfriend or anything, you don't have to."

"you'd be mad at me still if i didn't say that just now, isn't that right?"

"shut up."

• • •