The Reason? - Yoon Jeonghan

Chapter 38

As the boys started to prepare for their comeback, Ophely was on her own trying to push through her school work and revision for her exams. She might have been a little too invested in all of that. For fear of failing. It was something that had gnawed at the back of her head for the many previous months.

Her head was down over her papers and studies as she sat in an empty recording booth in the practice building. He wasn't too far from the boys if anything were to happen, and she was in a calm and silent environment, away from their prying words. She had been there the entire afternoon, and it was nice to finally not be interrupted by anybody.

"Tou pe kwa?" Jeonghan asked in his best French possible, leaning next to Ophely to look at what she was doing on the desk, papers and books covering the entire surface.

Ophely continued writing in her jotter, looking over her text book before going back to her repetitive movements. "J'étudie."

"It looks boring." He muttered under his breath, going back to his full height and stretching his body. He dropped his hand over her shoulder, ready to talk but it was brushed off before he could say anything.

"- at least I was before you came. Just leave." She bitterly bit back, dropping her pen on the table and turning to face the culprit with a steel gaze. "I was actually studying before you interrupted me, just like everyone else." She took a deep breath in, not blinking once. "Why do you think I looked for this private room? While you're all at work I am studying for my end of year exams. So just let it go and go bother someone else!" She tightened her jaw and pushed the male away from her with a shove.

Ophely stopped as she stood in front of Jeonghan. She took a deep breath and unclenched her. She blinked. Once, twice. Looked at the desk and back towards the apologetic man.

"No ... I mean." She bowed her head, writhing her empty hands together. "I'm sorry." She breathed in shakily. "I'm trying to study and all of you just coming and distracting me isn't nice."

"It's okay." Jeonghan hugged her tightly to him. "I just think you need a break."

"I'm a bit stressed."

"Which is normal." Ophely hugged him back, tears prickling at her eyes. She closed her lids and pushed her face to his sweaty t-shirt. She didn't care about that. She had worn those tops before, she was used to the smell. There was nothing either of them could do about it. So Ophely just hugged him tighter, holding tightly clenched fists at the back of the fabric. His touch was soothing, and welcome. Like it often was.

The girl revelled in the embrace.

She broke down.

Feeling like it was the first time all over again, Ophely hid herself closer to him, letting the pressure leave her bit by bit through tears and shaky breaths. And he brushed her back in a soothing manner.

"Do you want ice cream?"

"What?"

"Do you want ice cream? I had come to ask you that in the first place. The boys are going to send a staff to pick some up because the weather is quite warm."

"That will be nice, thank you." Though she didn't let go, she felt Jeonghan remove a hand from her back to fish his phone out from his pocket. He stopped before he had done much.

"Chocolate?" He asked.

"Mhm." Ophely hummed back her response, slowly pulling away from him as he typed the answer. His hand didn't leave her t-shirt as she let go of his. Still rubbing smooth circles over her back tenderly.