That Feeling When

Chapter 28

We finished our practice and headed back to the other room. Everyone was already sitting in the living room watching TV. I almost forgot that there was even a TV in the room. The movie 3 idiots was in play. I made my way to the kitchen counter and took a seat beside Sunghoon, who smiled down at me.

"Where were you?" He asked.

"Niki wanted to teach me how to dance." I said rolling my eyes.

"Oooh. So what did you learn today?" He asked.

"Some footwork routine. I kept stumbling at first. But it was fine a while later. Niki helped me through it." I glanced at Niki who was annoying Heeseung.

"Of course he did." Sunghoon muttered beside me.

"Sorry?" I looked back at him.

"Oh, nothing. What are you doing tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure. I've got to study a bit so I think I'll stay in." I said remembering all the syllabus in my head.

"Oh right. Your exams." He realized.

"Yep. My exams are right around the corner and here I am." I said.
"Hmm. Here you are. Wasting your time with the Ice Prince." He said mockingly.

I started laughing. "No that's not what I meant."

"You know Lee, you have pretty eyes. It's not that noticeable due to your glasses though." He said.

"Oh thank you, Sunghoon." I expressed my gratitude. I was aware that my eyes were pitch black. Not even my pupils could be seen separately.
My mother used to say the same thing. I wanted blue or green eyes when I was younger but she taught me that my black eyes reflected in such a way that made it look like I had small glitter spread around my pupils. Even then I envied her hazel eyes so much. You could even tell what mood she was in by the intensity of the brown.

Sunghoon slowly touched the side of my glasses. I stared at him without saying anything and he removed them gently. I lost focus and Sunghoon became a blur of black and white due to his fair skin and white shirt. Even though I wouldn't have been able to tell the features of anyone without my glasses, Sunghoon was sitting close enough for me to make out his face. When did he come this close?

"Your eyes are prettier without your glasses. And even bigger than they look when you're wearing them." He whispered.

At any other time, I would've been blushing but the blurry vision did not let me feel the heat.

"Unfortunately, I'm almost blind without them. So I've got no other option. And the size of my eyes is due to refraction" I winked at him and he chuckled.

"You wink better than most of us." He said.

"I know." I flipped my hair.

Our conversation was cut short due to my phone ringing. I took my glasses back to check who it was. I looked in front of me and Jay and Heeseung were perched up on the opposite side of us. I did not even realize when they got here. I was about to get down to talk, but Sunghoon put a hand on my thigh.

"We're good. You can talk." He said.

I picked up the phone. It was Tanmai.
***************************

Sunghoon was looking satisfied with himself for some reason. I did not expect him to make a move on her while everyone was in front in the same room. He was leaning close to her with her glasses in his hand. And I immediately changed my seat to keep an eye on him. I saw Leah's face as she chatted with her friend. Just seeing her smile made me happy. I think Heeseung and Sunghoon felt the same judging by their expressions. But Leah's expression suddenly became serious.

"PGBP? I studied it once a long time ago. I'm yet to revise it again."

Right now, she looked more mature than I'd ever seen her behave. As if she had aged a few years in a split second. Her mouth was set and her eyes were sharp. She nodded subconsciously to her friend while running her hands through her hair. I looked away in hopes of driving those butterflies away. I considered her a part of the maknaes and I shouldn't feel this way for her.

"Okay, we can do that. Come to college tomorrow and I'll teach you that chapter from scratch. I can get a revision along with it...yep...okay cool. See you tomorrow then." She hung up and took a deep breath and when she turned to us, her expression was back to being bubbly. This shift in aura and expression was common for us but to her? I wondered how she did it.

"Well looks like I need to go to college tomorrow." She said.

I asked her how far her college was and I tried to remember the place just in case. It was 6 30 PM and Leah wanted to leave.

"Well, then I should leave now. Gotta get back beside 7:30." She said while standing up.

As much as I wanted her to stay, I stood up along with Sunghoon and Heeseung.

"Guys. I'm leaving." She announced to the four boys sitting in front of the TV.

"Okay. See you tomorrow!" Jake said.

"I'm not coming tomorrow Jake. I have college." She said and Niki jumped up from the couch.

"But you can come here the day after tomorrow right?" He asked.

Leah thought for a while  "I'm not sure Niki. I can't promise. I'll tell you tomorrow." She said and waved at us.

And then, Niki blocked the doorway. I wanted to laugh but I knew Leah wouldn't appreciate it. And she would ask me anytime now to remove that boy from the door.

"Niki...what..." She was flabbergasted.

"No. If you're not sure when you'll come again, you have to stay longer. Please." He begged her.

"Niki it's not like I won't come again right?" She said.

"But still how many days till we leave? Won't you spend some more time with us?" He said.

That was true. And I saw Leah open her mouth and close it again. She looked at him for a second too long and then to Sunoo and Jungwon who were giving her the same puppy eyes.

She turned to me. "Can I stay longer?"

"If you're asking, I'm hurt." I said. Because I was a bit hurt. Why did she think we wouldn't let her?

Niki bounced on the doorway and jumped on Leah. She stumbled and fell back into Sunghoon, who had to hold the counter to balance all that weight. Everyone started laughing seeing Leah sandwiched between those two and Sunghoon was enjoying it a bit too much. Heeseung pulled Niki from on top of her and steadied her on her feet. Honestly, I'm surprised that she didn't break a bone. If a boy of Niki's size jumped on me, I would've fallen. She apologized to Sunghoon but he had something else to say.

"Seriously you don't have to ask us for staying over. Stay as long as you want. Even for the night." Sunghoon said.

"Eh...thank you for the offer Sunghoon. But I can't." She said and stepped away from him and I faintly saw his hand reaching out to stop her.

"Then let's play one last game. Before Leah leaves." Jake said.

All eyes turned to him in anticipation.

"We'll play the Truth Game."

The next chapter is going to be a blast. I was giggling so much when I wrote it.

Also can we talk about Memorabilia? That album is lit. Fatal trouble is my new anthem along with Criminal Love and One in a Billion. Teeth is my new favorite rock from Enhypen. And Lucifer is Fever and Chaconne's offspring.

And also wait a goddamn second. What is this Ethan not being Heeseung's English name? It was Evan all this time?

My exam is tomorrow. Wish me the best of luck!