I Like You || kyy || completed ||

Chapter 3

How we managed to avoid the crowds that plauged the mall was beyond me. Haneul led us down walkways, escalators, and hidden pathways that she seemed to have internally memorized.

"Why don't we just like, I don't know, go through the hallways like normal people?" I questioned after another turn that led us in a direction opposite of our set destination. Haneul glanced from me, to Yugyeom and Youngjae who glanced at me curiously. Right. Forgot they couldn't speak English.

Haneul spoke swiftly to them in Korean, their eyes lifting in realization. Both boys bit down nervously on their lower lips.

"I don't like being around so many people," Haneul said quickly, turning her back to us and leading the way once again. I let out a defeated sigh, a quick breath between my lips.

There was a routine that was established in the few minutes upon leaving the larger group. Haneul leading the way, her head of blue hair constantly observing our surroundings. I stood behind her, and Yugyeom and Youngjae stood behind me, their soft voices fluttering over me in the strangely beautiful sound of the Korean language.

"I don't like people either," I muttered after we were lead down another odd hallway, "but this is -"

Youngjae's voice cried out behind me, making me cringe and look back at him. His hand was thrust at the store across from the darkened dress store we stood in front of. Haneul halted in her steps, before turning to look at Youngjae, at the store than back again.

The duo exchanged words, Haneul pulled money, Won from the research I had done, from the little black hip purse she wore and distributed it out amoung us. "What is this for?" I questioned, turning the Won over a few times in my hand.

Haneuk smiled at me, shook he head before letting out a breathy sigh. "It's the equivalent of one United States dollar. Youngjae said it costs to play with any animals." My eyes widened and I felt a jolt of excitement for the first time since arriving.

"You need money to play with animals that spend most of their time in cages?" I questioned as we cut across the path, heading into the store. Haneul didn't immediately respond, translating my question to Yugyeom and Youngjae, who moved closer to me every time I spoke, as if standing closer to me and hearing Mr speak would allow them to understand me.

Once again, Haneul and Youngjar exchanged a conversation, their slim bodies moving closer together as they talked. I didn't bother to stay around so she could explain what they had been talking about. Being around people who spoke Korean and English made me feel out of the loop.

I grumbled to myself, and wandered and the cages. Every little step around the caged animals made my heart swell and eyes blurt with tears. It was a similar feeling of being in a zoo.

I knelt down and stuck my fingers through the wires to a fluffy puppy's cage. His eyes were brown and his fur was white. His tail was fluffy and curled over his back.

He yipped in glee when he spotted my fingers. He padded on long, unclipped nails over to where my fingers were bent and ran his pink tongue along them. I smiled, but cringed away slightly at the contact.

I stayed like that, knelt down in front of the cage, until I felt a gentle pressure on my shoulder. I tensed under the touch and looked up quickly. I expected an employee, scolding me for being here for so long but it was Yugyeom, his tall body hovering over me. There was a slight, pink tint to his chubby cheeks.

I unhooked my fingers from the wire cage and stood up. My knees ached from kneeling at the cage for so long. Yugyeom watched me rub at my knees, his head tilted slightly to the side, his fading silver hair following his movements. It was cute.