Caramel Eyes

Chapter 12

" Sunwoo-ya, I'm hungry" Yoohan pouts, still sleepy.

"For god's sake go and wash up first" I take out the ingredients to cook.

"Can you stay with me forever?" he asked and I almost choked on my soup.

"What?" I ask between coughs. He is just staring at me as I struggle to catch my breath. I don't know why he always stares at me like that. It makes me want to forget everything and just go after him. I finally calm down and our eyes lock. I don't want to look away, his beautiful caramel eyes always sparkle under the sunlight coming from the window. I can't believe I look forward to mornings just to see him. His lips move and his eyes have a confused look but I am too busy admiring his face to hear anything.

He gets up from his chair leans forward on the table and I stop breathing, my mind is screaming asking me to move, to do something but my body seems to have gone in shock seeing him lean forward like that he slowly reaches his hand towards my face and flicks me on the forehead.

"Hey, have you lost your mind?" I shout.
"You were not listening to me and kept talking" he replies looking offended. I sigh and continue eating.
"So?" he raises his eyebrows.
"So what?" I ask confused.
"Stay with me"
"And why would I ever do that? I am not opening a babysitting business and you are not my first project" I get up and clean the dishes.
"That's very rude, CHOI SUNWOO!!" he yells.

He goes on for 10 minutes complaining about how I called him a child as I continue to clean the kitchen. I can't believe I have to raise a kid while studying. I am vacuuming the floor and he follows me around like a puppy. I stop and he bumps into me.

"Ouch, why would you stop? Your back is so hard I almost broke my nose" he complains.
I hand him the vacuum and walk towards my room. He tries to follow me and I turn around to glare at him.
"I need the house clean, we both live here" I walk into my room as he mumbles something under his breath. I look at him one more time as he proceeds to clean still mumbling and a smile appears on my lips.

"I have something for you." He is sitting on the sofa watching something on TV with the lights off. It's almost 8pm and already dark outside.
"I don't want it" he replies.
"Are you still sulking just because I made you clean?" I ask amused.

He turns his head to look at me I can barely see his face in the darkroom. I try to reach for the switches to turn on the lights.
"You think I am so petty? I also live here. I should work too" he says.

I switch on only the fairy lights and tree lights I had put on for Christmas. I turn around and He is looking at me angrily. The room looks so cozy with just yellow fairy lights lighting it up and a soft melody starts to play on the TV. What a timing I think to myself. I walk towards him waiting for him to speak but he says nothing.
I extend my hand, in which I am holding a big paper bag, in front of him. He looks at me and then at the bag. I gesture for him to take it and he holds the bag. He looks inside and a big smile spreads on his lips. He looks up at me but I am standing expressionless.

"You got me a Christmas gift?!" he exclaimed. I just nod and he takes out the big dolphin I bought him.
"You said you can't sleep without holding anything and pillows make you uncomfortable. I can return it if you want me to," I tell him.
He gets up and jumps into my arms.
"It's so cute and it's a perfect size to hug while sleeping. How did you know I like dolphins? Are you a stalker?" He raises his eyebrows at me.

I am frozen in my place waiting for him to let go of me. He finally steps back and looks at me seriously.

"Do you have any idea how handsome you are?" he says with all seriousness, his eyes have turned a shade darker than usual.
I push him out of my way and rush back to my room. My face feels so hot. I put my palms on my face trying to cool it down. I should really stay away from him.

"I am meeting Minho later," he says but there is a hint of hesitation in his voice. I want to ask why he is still seeing that jerk, but there are some lines I can't cross even if we are friends. It is his personal matter and I have to right to interrogate him. But I am still worried for him.

Christmas break has already come to an end and we are heading back to classes. I don't respond and he repeats himself.

"I will be with Ashley till late so it's fine" I walk out the door quietly. I hope everything works out and he doesn't come back home drunk.
"So he is meeting that guy and you just let him?" Ashley asks.
"What am I supposed to do? Drag him to the room and tie him to the bed?" I reply in frustration.
"I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff" she smirks raising her eyebrows at me.
"Not now" she pressed her lips at my stern voice.

We are sitting in the café trying to write our assignments as submissions near.

Ashley pokes on my shoulder when I get back to writing. I look up at her and she is looking in another direction. "Isn't that Yoohan?" she says and I turn only to see him kissing that boy. He pulls back and smiles at him, but he doesn't look happy. That's a fake smile he always tries to pull whenever he is sad or missing home. I know it too well to not recognize it.

And then our eyes meet.