Too Good to be True (JHxOC) (J-Hope X Original Character)

Chapter 24: You Are My Home

On my second day at Lake Powell, I bundled up in my heavy winter coat, hooked up Rizzo's leash, and we went exploring on a trail that led us up the red rock cliffs surrounding the lake. We were just heading back into the resort at Wahweap, when I saw a familiar figure climbing out of a car out front. He leaned back into the car to say something to the driver. I almost tripped as I watched him. That would have been embarrassing. I don't think that I realized until then, just how much I missed him. Rizzo didn't wait. He tugged on his leash so hard that I had to let go. Then he ran to Hoseok and jumped on him, almost knocking his bags down, and almost tackling him to the ground in his excitement at seeing him.

When I got to the footpath that led to the main door, he picked up Rizzo's leash and turned to look at me, a smile spreading over his beautiful lips as he walked to me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Gongjunim," he breathed into my neck. He took a deep breath and released it. It kinda seemed like he hadn't done so since I left.

I know the feeling.

"Hi, Hoseok," I said as I pulled back from him, reached for the leash, and headed to the doors that led inside.

"Ellie?" he called out, following me. His voice sounded confused. I don't know why. Did he expect me to just be okay? Just like that? As if nothing had happened?

Nah, bro. Not happening. Well....In all honesty, I was fine. I had made the decision to forgive him. But he didn't need to know that, just yet.

"Yes, Hoseok?" I was making a point to use his given name instead of his nickname.

"I guess I kind of-" he shook his head. "No. Nevermind. I'm just happy to see you."

Instead of going inside, I took the footpath past the doors and around the side of the building, where there was a boat launch that wasn't being used, since it was the middle of winter. It gave us a beautiful view of the lake.

"Woah..."

I looked over as he walked up to stand next to me. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" I asked him. "I love it here."

"How many times have you been here before?" He asked me.

"This is the first time."

He turned to look at me. "You just happened upon it?"

I shook my head, "I drove and drove, something kept telling me that this was the right direction. When I got to Arizona, I went to check out the visitor's center, and saw pictures and a map of the lake, and something just felt like this is where I was supposed to come. So I did."

"That's interesting," he told me. "I can see why you love it, though."

"Yeah...and you haven't even seen the half of it," I told him. "This place is huge. I went out on a tour boat yesterday. I couldn't believe it. It was cold, but so beautiful"

"That sounds like fun," he said.

"Good," I said, then turned and smiled at him. "Because when you texted me to tell me that you'd be here today, I booked us a dinner cruise for tonight."

He did that cute, little puppy head tilt thing that I loved. "You did? That sounds like a date, El."

"It is," I told him. "Look, Hoseok...I can't say that I'm not still upset about what happened. I am. I don't like being made a fool of. I've always been that person that got picked on. I wasn't skinny enough or pretty enough, and I was a target. That's what it felt like to me."

He reached for my hand, and I didn't pull it away. He looked down at the ground. "I had no idea, Ellie. I'm so sorry that that happened to you. And I'm sorry that we made you feel like that again. But it was before we knew you. We never would have made that bet now that we've been around you."