Golden Boys Must Burn || 8TURN

𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲

➶➶➶➶➶ ☆ ➷➷➷➷➷

There was a moment where I thought about saying the keychain wasn't mine, but I think we both knew that was a lie. So I took it tepidly, wondering if the other three were around. I couldn't see or hear anyone.

Then I considered this guy again. He was around half a head taller than me, give or take, and even under the jumpers, I could see his shoulders were much broader than mine and he was clearly fit. I was still willing to bet I was faster than him. Still, he hadn't called for his gang friends or tried grabbing me again. His countenance didn't give away anything though. Actually, he did look somewhere between smug and annoyed.

"Kinda dangerous, a young girl being out here all alone after dark."

Well, that didn't sound enigmatically creepy at all. "I like the aesthetic. And I'm perfectly fine. Thank you for your concern."

"Even so. How about I walk you home? Wouldn't want you to run into any nasty types."

I snorted incredulously. "I'm good." My phone rang.

"Hey mum," I answered.

"Hi Sweetie. Just wondering when you'll be getting home. Dinner's ready but I can heat it back up. Kyungmin's welcome to stay."

"Thanks, he has to study though. But I'm on my way." Then I made sure to tell her my exact location and how long I'd be while looking this stranger in the eye. "Oh, and mum, can you tell dad I forgot to sign out of my email on his laptop? It's okay if he leaves it logged in until I get back."

"I'll let him know. Don't forget the things on the list."

We said our byes and I looked back over at hoodie guy. "I have to go. It was really nice meeting you. Bye." I hoped the finality to that sarcasm was enough and he'd just let up and leave me alone. I turned and left, still nervous and glancing about, before I heard footsteps catch up to me.

"Coincidence," he said with that frustrating almost-smirk. "I happen to be heading this way. Promise."

I side-eyed him. "You just happen to be heading to the convenience store?" If he didn't leave me alone when I tried to walk home, I was going to bite the bullet and call my dad to come pick me up. I'd rather deal with getting scolded by them for staying out after dark by myself.

"You're heading there too?" he remarked innocently. "I thought you might've been going to the liquor store. You know, you dropped the last bottle. Or maybe you needed to find an adult to get it for you."

Was that meant to be a threat? As if he was saying: I know you were there but now I have something on you.

And I guess it was pretty obvious I was under nineteen. Without makeup, I looked even younger.

I don't know where this daring came from, as I was still scared that he his gang friends were around here somewhere. But I said it anyway, "You know what I like about the night aesthetic the most? Recording the ambiance on my phone then sending it straight to my email as a backup. You never know if your phone will glitch and delete the memory." 

Two can play at this. You and your friends try anything on my and the email that I left logged in for my dad to find will show a certain video of four people. It was a lie, I hadn't sent it to my email, but I was good at bluffing.

It was nearly imperceptible, but something, maybe concern, rippled across his features. An instant later and the haughtiness was back.

We arrived at the corner convenience store and I got the couple of things I needed, and so did hoodie guy, though I seriously doubted he actually needed to get anything. Interestingly though, was that he seemed to pull the hoodie a little more over his head when passing the security camera near the counter. On the other side of the store, I pretended not to notice.