COLLIDE [PARK SUNGHOON]

20.

Waking up with a groan since it's the weekend a ringing keeps piercing through my ears, but it's not the alarm clock. Groggily forcing myself to sit up, I blindly reach for my phone and answer the call, not knowing who it is.

"Dahlia...oh god finally." My eyes spring open and I detach the phone from my ear to look at the caller's number. Ye-Jun?!

Hopelessly, I fall onto my back and rub my eyes to wake up. I hum lazily, regretting not checking the caller and he sighs through the phone that makes a distorted sound. 

"Can we please talk, I can't wait for the next training session. I want to apologise. Meet me at the café down the street in an hour?" Squinting my eyes open to look at the digits on the alarm clock, I bury my face in my pillow. My parents won't be home yet.

"Fine..."

A relieved sigh cracks through the device and after saying our goodbyes, we hang up. Not believing what I agreed to, I hop out of my bed and get ready to meet Ye-Jun.

≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

I hug my coat tightly and notice a stressed Ye-Jun through the café glass. I stop my movements and make a quick prayer before I meet my parents later. 

As I enter the not-so-busy café, the chime of the bell indicates my entrance and a familiar face flashes a look in my direction. He quickly stands up and makes a small bow, but I press my lips together and give him a small bow back. I still don't know how to feel around him.

He wants to take out my chair for me, but I politely wave him off and do it myself. He awkwardly retreats to his previous seat and I wait for him to say something. Scratching his throat, he looks deep into my eyes. "I apologise for last time. I hurt you and I'm sorry." 

I sigh and want to speak, but his hand motions that he has more to say. "I shouldn't have said the things I said and your skating thing with Sunghoon is only temporary so that's why I didn't tell coach and I won't in the future." He confesses steadfastly.

He blows out some air as his chest rises and falls, relieved that he could say what he wanted to say.

I breathe out a long sigh and lean back in my chair. "No need, I'll tell him myself" I fold my arms over each other and drum my hands on them. His face changes to shock and he tilts his head to the side, dropping his arm in disbelief. "But why? I thought..." He rubs his eyes and shakes his head. He doesn't believe why I want to tell the coach, when at first I begged him not to tell.

I cross my one leg over my other and shrug my shoulders nonchalantly. "I don't think he will kick me out. Sure he's strict, but the internationals are nearing and he can't exactly prohibit me from skating with Sunghoon because that is an activity outside the roller club." I may look calm, but inside, my nerves are eating me alive. What I just told him, I'm not even sure. Coach can kick me out whenever he wants honestly.

Ye-Jun licks his bottom lip and then grabs my hand, gently stroking a finger along my knuckles. I raise an eyebrow, but he says something that makes my gaze wander away from our hands. "I actually think it's better you don't tell him. As you said, your situation with Sunghoon is temporary? So I won't snitch and then he won't know. I think it will only backfire if you tell him now."

I subtly withdraw my hand and place it on my knee. "How?"

"Well...I believe he won't kick you out, but if he knows you're figure skating with someone, he'll be extra harsh on you until you want to leave. You know how he is, he can easily find a replacement. And if it weren't for internationals, I guess you would have already been gone if he knew. He's strict on rules and disipline and you know that better than anyone."