dandelion ➳ 박성훈

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄: sweet & salty

chapter twelve

꒰☁️꒱

haneul walked all the way home, her mind being filled with unnecessary thoughts, not helping but feeling bad for abandoning the boy when he was in need of moral support.

a speeding police car passed by her, her eyebrows furrowed in genuine confusion. for she's been residing in this town since she was an infant, it was always quiet with no trouble at all, with at least a robbery happening every once or twice a year.

she didn't bother herself with it more, as she had reached the front yard of the house, finding her mom watering the plants. for a moment, she forgot it was almost april, due to the weather being frigid and everyone wrapping themselves in thick coats.

"hello sweetheart, how was school?" the woman asked her seventeen year old daughter, who perfectly masked her depressed self with a smile.

"fine, I guess. homework, homework and, guess what? homework!" with a chuckle, she embraced her mom in a tight hug and nuzzled in her neck.

"hardships of a teenager, it could not sound any familiar." she smiled at her daughter, before she pulled away to look at her child with endearing eyes. "heeseung is waiting for you, he just had his lunch, wash you hands and go dig in."

haneul nodded before hopping her way in the threshold, yet the much familiar figure of jungwon exiting the house next to theirs made her halt her steps. she called for his attention, the boy's head snapping to her direction as he grinned.

"you didn't wait for us, bastard." she whispered, aware that her mom was next to them and could hear how she oh so 'accidentally' adressed him that way.

if only she knew.

"I was hungry." he reasoned, his gaze falling on the human being leaning on the window sill inside the house. that caused a sinister smile to form on his lips, one that oblivious haneul didn't even mind interpreting.

"okay, you foodie. I thought sunoo's the one out of control, yet you ain't a better one. if only he was here, those cheeks would be bruised as hell." she pinched his left cheek, making him whine.

"anyways, I'm off to my grandma. I'll return your notes once I come back at seven." he briskly said, skipping his way to the sidewalk, greeting with a smile the standing mother figure next to the main door.

"ah, if only a boy like jungwon was to claim my daughter as his girlfriend, I'd be the happiest." she glanced at the girl, who widened her eyes while she processed what she had just uttered.

"what in the world? never mom, keep dreaming! I already have an interest, and this ain't jungwon. he's one of my best friends whom I can't and never see as something more than that."

"okay okay, I was just stating my own thoughts!" surrendering, the mother sighed before supporting herself in the fence. "so, who's the one to play with my daughter's mind the whole time, may I know?"

"that's a story for another day mom, I'm really hungry. when are you off to work?" "well, just about time. don't burn the house down while I'm away. heeseung will be looking after you."

"mom, I'm not five and certainly not a trouble maker!" she exclaimed, as the named boy sticked his tongue out to her from behind the curtain. without caring about her mom's presence, she returned the action.

"yeah, I can see it." she kissed the top of her head, waving at heeseung who gave her a smile and waved back. she got in the car, pressing the horn to greet the two.

"food is about to get icy, wanna come in?"

"I see that I'm icy~" haneul entered the house with the familiar to both of them dance steps, heeseung judging before stuffing the leaves of lettuce inside her mouth. "shut up and eat!"

"no it's shut up and dance!" "just. eat." "you ain't my mom!" "so what? can't I care for you?" "no!" "okay, then from now on I'm just a stranger!" "okay, what is a stranger like you doing in my house then?"

"yo, can y'all like shut it cause I have a headache?" haneul abruptly snapped her head to her left, finding the tall figure of jay leaning in the door frame of the living room, fingers massaging his temples.

"how the hell did you get in?" "I let him in." "I'll be your boyfriend~" "oh my, how can y'all be so chaotic?"

"just stick your ass in the couch and you─" he pointed his finger at her, poking her forehead "─eat your food before the monster under your bed chase you in your sleep!"

"hee, I ain't five! besides, I'm not in the mood for food." her gaze fell on her shoes, fingers getting fidgety as heeseung glanced at the blonde boy who shrugged in confusion.

"did something happen on your way back? or did sunghoon say something that hurt you?" at the sudden bring up of the name, jay jerked up from the couch and walked up to them.

"wait, sunghoon? as in park sunghoon the ice skating ace?" he asked, both youngsters nodding. "ain't he the boy who you brought along when wonie held a gather in his house?"

"yeah, why?" "nothing, I think ni-ki mentioned him today, he said he got dumped a whole bucket of dirty water in his head, then the same bucket was thrown and landed right on his head."

"wait, what?" "everyone was talking about it today, and it'll be for sure going around for a week or so." the boy added with a chuckle. "poor him, I wonder who was so evil to make a fool of the new boy on his first days."

"someone who has the devil in him. oh gosh, I didn't even know! I'll text him tonight, since he seemed a little busy when he arrived."

"you better do." on the other hand, heeseung seemed deep in thoughts. he could easily expose the raven boy that had passed by the house just a few moments ago, yet he chose not to cause any further drama.

the raven himself have done enough to put him into great despair.