firefly | zhong chenle

CH29

"his heart beat rapidly, and he hated himself for letting it do that"

-

"Chenle" Arin placed her hand over his lips, stopping him and earning a very annoyed glare from him.

"Go go" Arin yanked on his arm and freed herself from him "Hide"

After a long minute of searching for a hiding spot, she managed to shove Chenle into her closet. As the handle rattled, she pushed her back against the closet and soon enough, the door opened.

"Jungwoo" Arin called from her room, and soon approached the best friend that she hadn't seen in ages.

"Arin!" Jungwoo pulled her into a hug, squeezing her lungs out "Are you okay? I just heard about everything"

"Jungwoo let go I'm okay" Arin slapped at his arm, laughing awkwardly knowing there is a grown man in her closet right now

The two parted as Jungwoo placed his hand on her shoulder, smiling widely "You have a lot of explaining to do. You go to a new place to work and you almost die. Maybe you should go back. Yeah-

"Look. I'm fine. " Arin shrugged his hand off "You should go"

"I just got here" Jungwoo groaned "I'll make you some food. You haven't had a good meal in ages right"

As Jungwoo approached the kitchen, he noticed a bowl of noodles, the soup slightly spilt on to the table.

Jungwoo rose an eyebrow, looking at her "Since when could you cook"

"Uh" Arin fiddled with her fingers "Had to learn how to cook at the station. Yeah"

"Didn't know working at a fire station included the obligation to cook" Jungwoo chuckled. On the other side, Chenle was listening into their conversation. Upon hearing a males voice, Chenle scoffed, clenching his fist.

"I don't need food. I'm really full. You really should leave. I'm tired." Arin tried to push him out the door again.

"You ditch me for a fire station and leave me with no one to hang out with and now you're kicking me out" Jungwoo crossed his arms over "What happened to me always being your top priority"

Chenle rolled his eyes, jealousy boiling within the pit of his stomach. He can't believe he was the one hidden in a closet right after they were about to kiss, and now some other man was supposedly her 'top priority'

"You still are" Arin tried to comfort him "But right now, you're moving the ranks because you're not leaving and I'm tired"

"You go sleep then. I'll just sleep here. Just in case you have a near death situation again" Jungwoo said nonchalantly "This just proves you can't do anything without me"

Chenle couldn't hold it anymore. He pushed the closet door opened, stretching and stepping out into her bedroom. He opened the door, entering the living room and made direct eye contact with Jungwoo. Jungwoo's jaw immediately fell open, the silence weighing the both down.

"Oh my god" Arin gasped silently.

"Arin. Who the fuck is this" Jungwoo straightened his back, as if he was about to fight.

Chenle squared his shoulders, crossing his arms and leaning against the door "Her b-"

"Brother. Haha" Arin suddenly exclaimed rather loudly, laughing to cover up her horribly thought out lie

"You don't have a brother Arin" Jungwoo didn't seemed convinced

"He's like a brother to me at the station. Mhm" Arin made eye contact with Chenle, signalling him to play along. Chenle was more than pissed now, evident veins popping out in his neck.

"Okayyy" Arin clapped her hands "Jungwoo, you're going to leave. Chenle, you're going to leave too"

Arin managed to successfully kick Jungwoo out, but when Chenle was at the door, he blurted out.

"I didn't tell you what I was going to tell you"

And with that, Chenle managed the stay.

;

2 days later...

"Arin!" Haechan hollowed upon seeing the girl that has been MIA for a fortnight. Haechan took the luggage from her hand, giving her a hearty welcome and she finally felt at home again.

"Welcome back" Jisung grinned as Haechan placed her suitcase in her room.

"Hey, Jisung" Arin responded, reaching up to ruffle his hair like she's always done. Before she could even get to it, even when Jisung had bent down to let her do it, Chenle appeared around the corner and took her wrist, pulling her away. There was an obvious tension that erupted when Chenle came to the scene.

"What was that about?" Arin rose her eyebrow, crossing her arms over.

Chenle rolled his eyes "Do it"

"Huh?" Arin asked, confused. Chenle then bent over, so that the top of his head was shown to her.

"You were going to do it with Jisung. The hair thing" Chenle murmured. There was silence for a second, before Arin bursted out in laughter, shoving Chenle's shoulder causing him to stand back up.

"Are you jealous of Jisung?" She had to purse her lips to avoid her bursting out in more fists of laughter.

"No" Chenle scoffed, leaning against the wall.

"What is up with you and Jisung anyway? I swear something is off between you two" Arin tried to pry something out of him, but Chenle seemed to not want to bring it up at all.

"Don't worry about it" Chenle ran a hand through his hair "It's just-"

Abruptly, the bells of the siren blared, crushing her ear drums. She forgot how loud these alarms were.

Calling Unit 2 and 3 members to a mission. Calling all Unit 2 and 3 members. There is a fire in west of Incheon. Head there. Now. Unit 1 doctor please replace Unit 3 doctor"

Arin felt a bit upset that it's been so long since she got to go on a mission. But relieved, because she knew her body wouldn't be able to handle it at the moment

"Sorry." Chenle smiled "Ill see you soon"

"Wait Chenle" Arin called him back just as he turned around.

"Hm?"

Arin, with a teasing smile on her face, reached up and ruffled his hair, as if he was only a kid. Perhaps that's what she wanted for Chenle sometimes. To be freed from all this burden.

Chenle became rooted in spot, his eyes locked on hers. The sound of the blaring of alarms seemed to drain out despite just how loud it was. His heart beat rapidly, and he hated himself for letting it do that. He knew better than anyone the dangers of falling in love and roping someone he cared about into the risky nature of his career. But he just could not help it.

He was snapped right out it when Jeno dragged him by the arm, yelling.

"Chenle come on"

Arin watched as Chenle was quite literally lugged away. The second they disappeared. Arin looked down on her phone, pressing on a number she never knew she'd ever click on. It only took one ring for the other side to pick up.

"Hey, Hajoon"