Friends I han seojun ff ft. lee suho

#041

chapter 41

Yoon-ah followed the older woman into the small parlor ahead, shaking off the water from her hair silently. The onslaught of monsoon was finally here. They had been caught in a light drizzle on the way from the hospital and Seojun and herself had insisted that his mother take the umbrella. That left them with nothing but hooded jackets, though she didn't quite find that bothersome. Something about the weather made her feel happy, knowing winter was just around the corner. 

A small bell rang, signaling their entrance into the homely beauty parlor. The bright light inside was in stark contrast to the dull streetlamps. Yoon-ah squinted momentarily, attempting to take in her surroundings. 

The salon was a spacious indoor area filled with mirrors and plush leather seats that swiveled all the way around. The flooring was deep brown, made of wooden boards that had been polished smooth, and the walls were bright white. The candles at the opposite end of the parlor brought about modest illumination and wonderful aroma, like a delicate airy comforter for the mind.

It was a small room, that felt both intimate and communal at once.

"Eunnie!!"

"My gosh! Mi-hyang! Is that you?" 

So that was what Seojun's mother had intended to do after all. It made sense that she would want to meet her friends, following her long stay in the hospital. However, Yoon-ah didn't quite understand why she had taken the liberty of inviting her along.

The brunette had simply wanted to go home after visiting her sister's ward. However, she had foolishly spent some time just walking in the empty corridors of the hospital, before stumbling into them. It had given her some time to think. Not that her day ever ended on a positive note after that. She was both morally and emotionally exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep until things were right again. At the same time, she also resented the idea of having no one to go home to. No one was affected by her absence in any way.

Yoon-ah didn't mind being alone, but she hated being lonely with all her heart and soul. While she could control one, but thinking about the other just left her feeling helpless. It was really pathetic. 

She could feel Seojun's presence right behind her. While the two women were busy catching up with each other, Yoon-ah snuck a glance over her shoulder. Not surprisingly, the boy was ruffling his rain-soaked hair in the most diva way possible. Strands falling in his eyes, and long fingers in his tousled black hair. His actions almost felt like a deliberate thought-out pose. 

She knew he had questions. Lots of them. Although she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to talk about any of it just then, she didn't know how much longer she could put off sharing her story either.

As if sensing her gaze on him, Seojun raised his head and their eyes met. A buzz seemed to pass up her spine. The boy, however, simply quirked his brows, a sliver of a smirk showing on his face. 

"What is it, angel?" he whispered softly. The rasp in his voice made Yoon-ah's hair stand on end. Her eyes darted towards the older women, exhaling silently in relief. His voice was low enough for them not to hear him. She turned back to him, her eyes narrowed and her heart racing.

"How many times must I ask you to stop calling me that?"

Seojun pretended not to hear her. Unperturbed, the boy continued to play with his hair, glancing worriedly into the mirror. He turned back to her after a moment. 

"How does it look?" 

Seojun wore a cheshire grin that was devoid of any indication of what he had just said, although his eyes twinkled with mischief. A strange warm glow spread across her chest. It was then the brunette decided that perhaps she hadn't made the worst decision by coming with his mother.