✓ flower petals || yang jungwon

018: realisation

"What do you mean?" Eunji immediately pulled back her hand, her eyes widening.

Eunji hadn't thought of an excuse yet and was totally caught off guard by his question.

Why did she run away that day? Now that she thought about it she didn't know exactly why either.
Was is the flowers?
Or did she just tried to cowardly run away from the fact that Jungwon will always think of her only as a friend?

"Eunji." Jungwon's serious tone, made her snap back to reality, as she tried to forget those thoughts.

There was no chance she can back out of this one.

"It was late and I wanted to immediately go home that day." She lied, like she always did.

At this point, the lies would flow naturally after all the times she bluffed to avoid risky and uncertain situations, afraid that she was exposing too much about herself.

Eunji needed to be cautious.

"Please tell me." Jungwon avoided her gaze, feeling almost irritated, "What can I do for you to trust me?"

"What?"

"Why do you always avoid my questions? Eunji, I know you didn't go home immediately that day. I was there." The boy inhaled sharply and sighed afterwards, "You weren't home when I rang your doorbell."

"Jungwon—"

"I know I messed up." He looked deeply into the girl's eyes, "But if you are going to continue hiding your feelings and thoughts, I might lose my mind at this point."

Eunji stayed quiet.

She couldn't tell him about it.
Not now nor ever.

"I'm sorry."
Jungwon eyes darkened in disappointment at her apology.

"I will tell you when the time is near." Eunji brushed back her hair, avoiding the boy's gaze.

"I don't understand why..but I will wait."

"But is it that obvious?" She laughed halfheartedly and looked down, trying to change the subject, "It's just.. I don't like telling others about my problems. It's my business so I should be the one dealing with it."

"From now - whatever it is - It's part of my business too. We are friends after all." Jungwon determinedly said, a small smile on his face. Eunji tried smiling back, but she failed. 

"You told me the same thing, Eunji."

"What?"

"Don't hide. Don't keep your emotions to yourself." The boy reached over to put away a strand of her hair, that was dangling in front of her face, "You told me not to run away. The same goes for you, Eunji."

His smile made her insides go crazy.
"But this is... different—"

"It's not different. I don't want you to ever run away ever again." Jungwon's tone got serious once again, but at the same time he looked at Eunji so delicate, that her cheeks put on a rosy tint, making her feelings for him almost obvious.

But at the same time, Jungwon was too oblivious to notice.

"Alright." She nodded, avoiding his intense gaze.

"Promise me."

"I promise." Eunji chuckled and intertwined her pinky finger with his.

"You know..." The boy let out a small laugh, before grabbing his sandwich he hadn't even started eating yet, as he cheekily looked at her, "Next time if I mess up this bad ever again..Slap me, yell at me or just straight up scream at me, I don't care."

"What?" Eunji's eyes widened as she almost spit out the chocolate milk she sipped a second ago.

He wanted her to do what?

"Just help me snap out of it. It's just..I prefer you expressing your anger and let it out on me, than hide and blame yourself when I clearly am the bad person." Jungwon explained, looking at her, "If you ever hide ever again I might die from all the worrying."

"Don't overreact, it's not like I'm a small kid." Eunji laughed and put down the empty packaging, finishing her snacks completely.

She didn't understand.
Why did he care for her so much? She still hasn't got used to it yet.

"Sometimes you act like one—"

She was listening well to his suggestion.
The boy earned a playful smack for this one.

"Alright, alright sorry. I was just kidding.." Jungwon laughed loudly, clapping at the same time, making it obvious that his apology wasn't genuine at all.

"Whatever." Eunji turned around, but secretly chuckled to herself. The amount of serotonin she felt everytime she was with him was indescribable.

Jungwon asked again, making sure "So...you forgive me, right?"

"I forgave you the moment you looked for me." Eunji smiled gently and nodded, feeling warmth spreading around her whole body.

jungwon's p.o.v

Words couldn't describe the relief I was feeling.

I didn't lose her. I didn't lose my friendship with Eunji.

Eunji had forgiven me.

"Just like that?" Sunoo raised an eyebrow at me, taking another bite of his ice cream.

"What do you mean?" I asked as a frown made its way up to my face.

"I'm telling you this as the friend of her friend." The older started, glancing at me, "How can she forgive you just like that? Don't you think there's something wrong?"

"Why?"

"She acted like nothing happened, when she saw you at the convenience store, didn't she?"

"I mean— yeah."

"Something's wrong."

My happiness turned to worry once again.
"I don't understand."

"Think about it, wonie. Eunji saw you with Sangmi...at the convenience store." Sunoo put down his ice cream, "Right after she heard you saying how you used her as a distraction to Sangmi."

"You..are right."
It hit me right in the face.

Now that I thought about it, there was definitely something wrong.

How could she forgive me that easily? How could she keep reassuring me how it's alright?

What was she hiding?

The look in her eyes was different. Now when I thought about it, there was something that looked so woeful in her gaze. But it was hidden deeply behind her reassuring smile that I didn't want to think about it that much.

I ruffled my hair, messing it up.

I mean, from the moment Eunji lied to me about going home that day, I should have known that there was something wrong.

But she didn't want to tell me.

Sunoo stood up, ready to clean up after he finished snacking, an encouraging smile playing his lips.

Calmly, he spoke "If you want her to forgive you completely and genuinely. Talk to her again and..make sure she is honest with you."

jungwon's p.o.v end