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chapter 26 : i like whatever you like
since you make everything taste nice

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seonghwa, kyunghee, and junichi walked together to the infamous parking lot. junichi scratched the nape of his neck as kyunghee got onto her bike.

"i have to ride with seonghwa?" junichi asked.

seonghwa rolled his eyes, "you can always stay behind,"

"oh... do you want to take my bike instead?" kyunghee offered and dismounted again, taking her helmet off.

junichi bowed a little as she gave him her helmet. seonghwa scoffed.

the two on the motorcycle began to suddenly drive off, leaving junichi behind. kyunghee hit seonghwa's arm, "yah! wait,"

he chuckled and slowed down a bit. junichi kept up with him just barely.

truth was, seonghwa was steaming with jealousy. who wouldn't be if another guy was your crush's best friend? he didn't want junichi around her all the time, especially since he made kyunghee happy.

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through thick and thin, everyone eventually arrived to a tiny ice cream parlor nearby. kyunghee ordered a chocolate ice cream first, then junichi ordered a double scoop mint chocolate chip cone.

seonghwa said, "i'll have a chocolate ice cream."

kyunghee's eyes went wide, "i thought you hated sweets!"

he chuckled as he handed his credit card to the lady.

junichi nervously said, "thanks for paying,"

"i only paid since it's too much work to split the bill." seonghwa shot junichi a threatening look as he took his and kyunghee's ice creams to a table.

junichi felt scared and anxious, and so did kyunghee.

they gathered at a small metal table. kyunghee watched seonghwa take his first taste of the ice cream.

"do you like it?" she asked excitedly.

he shrugged, "yeah, it's good."

after waiting for him to eat first, she nodded with a huge grin on, and began to eat her ice cream. it was heavenly.

junichi stayed quiet the whole time, scared of seonghwa going off on him. kyunghee noticed the atmosphere was tense, but didn't know what to do about it.

seonghwa quickly finished his ice cream cone. he was hungry since he unintentionally skipped lunch today. seonghwa smirked as he plucked kyunghee's cone right out of her little hands and tasted it.

she frowned, "i didn't know you liked chocolate that much."

"want some?" he chuckled as he handed the empty cone back to her.

kyunghee pouted and looked away, "you're a meanie."

seonghwa placed his thumb under her chin and turned her face to her. he stared intently as kyunghee bit her trembling lip.

"don't pout," he simply told her. kyunghee nodded, feeling a heat wave from him.

the two lovebirds completely forgot about junichi, who awkwardly cleared his throat. kyunghee gasped and looked down, feeling ashamed.

frustrated with junichi, seonghwa ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "maybe we should just go home."

"already?" kyunghee asked.

"mhm. and by home i mean my place. you and me."

she nervously giggled and nodded as she glanced to junichi. this was just too awkward for all of them.

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kyunghee and seonghwa rode to his place by motorcycle, leaving her bike at the parlor. meanwhile, junichi took the train home.

kyunghee didn't care about that, though; all she thought about was how excited she was to be with him.

"woah, i've never seen your house before..."

seonghwa unlocked the door to a huge house with large windows. he let kyunghee go first, watching her run around the large living room energetically.

"your house is so big! how many siblings do you have?" kyunghee asked as she grabbed onto seonghwa's arm.

he stared stolidly at his arm, and kyunghee let go nervously. he answered her, "none. it's just my dad and i, but he's out of town."

kyunghee nodded, not wanting to drag the conversation on because he seemed tense, and followed him into his gigantic bedroom upstairs. his room alone was bigger than kyunghee's whole house, and that was embarrassing for her.

she admired everything about his room. it was painted black on the walls with dark wood floors, matching with his black and gray bed. a punching bag hung from the ceiling, which caught her attention.

"kyunghee." seonghwa called out to her as he sat down on the end of his bed. she looked to him and he beckoned her with his hand.

she stood in front of him expectantly. he said, "are you still sad?"

"no, i'm okay."

"good because..." seonghwa sighed as he grabbed both of kyunghee's hands in his. "i felt like i was going crazy when you teared up. don't be sad again."

she smiled and looked down, "i— seonghwa?"

"hm?"

"are we dating?" kyunghee's heart fluttered as she asked.

seonghwa shrugged as he stood up in front of her, "why do girls always need to label things? i told you i loved you."

"yeah, but... it's not official. it has to be special." kyunghee beamed.

seonghwa stepped closer to her. he tucked a strand of hair behind kyunghee's ear and sighed in delight. "kang kyunghee, please do me the honor of being my girlfriend."

she chuckled and stood on her tiptoes to mimic him by tucking his hair behind his ear delicately. "park seonghwa, it would be my honor."

"shut up, you're cute," he said as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, and kissed her.

seonghwa didn't know why he was so in love with her; it seemed like he'd never loved anyone this way. and it seemed like he'd never ever love anyone else again but her.

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kyunghee walked into her house after seonghwa dropped her off and leaned on the door. she felt so crazy in love.

suddenly, her mother dashed into the room and smacked her on the head with a rolled up newspaper. kyunghee yelped.

"kang kyunghee, do you know what time it is?"

kyunghee's eyes widened in fear as she read 12:13 on her watch. she glanced at her mom and bowed repeatedly. it was past her curfew, and she hadn't even sent a text to her mom or anything.

her mom had her hands on her hips, "i almost sent yeosang and jaeeun out to find you."

"sorry, mom."

"...you were with him, right? seonghwa?"

kyunghee's eyes twinkled at his name, "yes."

her mom sighed, "just... don't scare me like that again. text me next time and tell me where you are."

kyunghee bowed and nodded again, "got it. i'm going to bed now,"

"wait... seonghwa is trustworthy, right?"

"yes, mom. he loves me with all his heart, even if he doesn't show it." she beamed. her mom chuckled and nodded at the bubbly girl, "alright."

she skipped off to her room and sat at her desk. she giggled as she opened her phone and saw the background she had changed it to recently:

a picture of blonde seonghwa under the florescent street lights in front of the ice cream parlor. he was caught off guard and told her to delete it, but kyunghee took a clear shot and it was perfect.

"gosh, i'd give my right kidney for him..."

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[ a / n : sis.
i saw ateez in atlanta !!!!!
i had floor seats, baby, and i
swear i almost died 400 times.

anyway, sorry i didn't update, i
was too busy crying over how i
miss ateez and my atiny friends ]