mind games ⁀➷ s.j ✓

2

It was around 5 by the time I got home. After swim practice, I went straight home due to exhaustion, and I also had a sore neck that was really painful. I wanted to stop by that new boba place, but my neck is being a bitch right now.

I think I have a stiff, sore neck from swimming. The inconvenience makes it hard for me to move my neck around freely, which is crucial in swimming. I'm not sure how I developed a stiff neck today during practice, but it sure hurts like a devil. All I need to do to relieve my neck is to massage it and put a healing oil sticker on it, but I'm positive it'll go away in a few days, which sucks.

Luckily and thankfully, I drove home safely and was able to ignore my painful neck. My hair still wet from not drying it at the pool, I had on my swim team's sweater, since I didn't bother to change into my actual clothes from today. I unlock the door to my house and step inside, immediately seeing Jay and the older guys in my living room, my brother nowhere to be found.

I glance over and notice Jake looking at me with soft, yet flirty eyes. Ignoring his presence, I look at the other guys.

"Where's Sunoo?" I ask the guys, putting down my car keys on the side table near the door.

"He's with Jungwon and Riki. They're out getting ice cream." Sunghoon responds.

"Oh, okay. Have they been out for long?" I ask them while taking off my sweater, immediately feeling more comfortable in my short sleeved T-shirt.

"It's been about an hour." Heeseung says to me.

"How are they even getting there? Did they walk?" I furrow my eyebrows in slight concern.

"Wait, why are you guys even at my house if Sunoo's not home with you guys? Did you all invite yourselves here?" I ask them.

"The 7 of us were all here, but the three of them went out afterwards." Heeseung answers.

"That makes sense. I almost thought you guys were weirdos. But again, that's nothing new."

Sitting down next to Jay, he smacks my upper back, triggering pain in my neck. Flinching, I yelp in pain softly and hold my neck, feeling a tight, aching and sore pain in my right side of the neck. Putting my hand immediately over my neck, I begin to rub the painful spot. The guys look at me with concern.

I would never wish this pain on anyone.

Stiff necks hurt like absolute hell.

"Are you okay, Shiyeon?" Jay asks me. "Did I hurt you? You looked like you were in pain."

"Did everything at practice go okay? Were you being safe?" Jake's voice appears, looking at me.

For the first time in forever, Jake isn't looking at me with a flirty smile; right now, he's actually looking at me with concern in his eyes and a small frown formed on his lips.

"It's nothing. I just got a stiff neck during practice." I assure them.

"Ouch... stiff necks are the most painful things ever." Heeseung shudders, rubbing his neck in relief and comfort for himself.

"Are you okay, Shiyeon? Do you want us to do anything for you?" Sunghoon asks me.

"Yeah, anything to make you feel better." Jay adds in.

"It's fine, really. I'm seriously okay. It'll go away in a few days." I shake my head.

"You should go get your neck checked out, Shiyeon. You injured it from swimming. You don't know if it's serious or not." Jake tells me in a serious tone.

"Thanks, Jake, but I'm okay. I'm okay, guys. Don't exaggerate." I reassure them.

"Sunoo's gonna freak out once he finds out about your neck. You know how panicky and caring he gets over you, since he's your baby brother." Sunghoon states.

"I'm sure he'll be okay. He doesn't need to know. Unless one of you fuckers tell him." I stare at all of them one by one and they all shrug.

"Your hair's still wet, Shiyeon. Go take a shower, I bet you smell like chlorine." Jay smirks, thinking that he's funny.

"In fact I do, no shit idiot. I just came from the pool, but I don't expect anything from you. Your brain's small."

"You look like a wet, shaggy dog with wet hair. It looks funny." Heeseung laughs at me, clapping his hands.

"Don't lie to her, Heeseung hyung. You know you think she's hot regardless." Sunghoon rolls his eyes, smacking Heeseung on the shoulder blade.

"You make everything so weird, Sunghoon. Stop." I sigh.

"Whoever thinks Shiyeon is hot, is just a weirdo." Jay scrunches his nose.

"I guess Jake and Heeseung hyung are weirdos." Sunghoon shrugs.

"Oh my god." I face palm.

"I'm gonna go and take that shower, now." I stand up, taking my duffel bag and sweater with me.

"Let me know when Sunoo's home. I'm gonna rest in bed, too." I add.

I go upstairs into my room, putting down my things. Getting out a pair of pajamas, I head into the bathroom, taking a quick shower and washing my hair as well.

Once done, I left the bathroom, to see Jake right there. He didn't notice me at first, but when he did, he stops in his tracks in front of me, looking at me with normal eyes once again; not flirty ones.

"Are you sure your neck is okay?" He asks me.

"Yeah. Thanks for your concern. I'll be okay. It just aches like shit."

"Here," he says.

He reaches into his pocket and hands me a mysterious pack of something, and I look at him in confusion.

For the first time ever, he shyly smiles at me and begins to rub the back of his neck, looking a bit embarrassed.

"They're the best oil patches for sores and aches on your body. They'll help relieve your neck more quickly. I got them in Australia." He explains to me.

"Just stick it on your neck and you'll feel better. They work really well."

"Really? You got them in Australia?" I ask him, intrigued.

"Yeah," he smiles. "My mom gave them to me."

"In that case... can you help me stick one on? I want to put it on the most accurate place." I ask him.

"Sure." He nods.

He follows me into my room. I hang my towel up as he stands there and waits. Walking back over to him, I give him back the oil stickers. Turning around so my back faces Jake, he surprisingly lifts up my hair for me and sticks on the oil sticker onto my neck after I pointed to my painful spot.

I gulp, feeling a weird and unfamiliar emotion roam around in my body. Getting chills from his touch, he puts my hair down. I turn around and he looks at me with a small, assuring, and comforting grin.

"Your neck should feel better in a day or so. I hope you feel better, Shiyeon. Don't move your neck around so much, and take a break from swim until your neck is better, okay? Or else I'll tell Sunoo that you're keeping it from him." He points at me with a small, sly smile.

"Alright, Jaeyun. Thanks for your help. And for your oil patches." I say to him.

"You're welcome. I'll let you know when Sunoo gets home."

He gives me one last quick smile and leaves my room, gently closing the door behind him.

Letting a breath out, I sit on my bed and try to contemplate what that emotion was.