25 Days With Mr. Arrogant

CHAPTER 13

I was disappointed with myself when a surge of anticipation shot through me the next morning upon hearing a rapid knock at our front door. When I'd shakily made my way to the door, passing a suspiciously bubbly Junhui in the kitchen on the way, I mentally scolded myself for the thought that it could be Seungcheol. I was even more frustrated that I couldn't deny that I wanted it to be him. Regardless, I remained composed and squinted into the peep hole, my breath catching in my lungs in preparation to see a head of shiny hair with a gleaming piercing. Instead of the smoldering brown gaze, however, I was met with the impatient cobalt gaze of my best friend.

I inwardly sighed, looking down, and leaned heavily against the cool surface of the door. Disappointment flooded my chest, creating an uncomfortable achiness that resonated straight to my heart. It was Jihoon.

It wasn't Seungcheol.

"Jeonghan?"

I looked up slightly at the sound of Junhui's vivacious voice echoing from the kitchen, its animated tone grating to my ears.

"Who's at the door?"

I cleared my throat, inhaling deeply and maintaining calmness despite the feelings of aggravation settling within me.

"Jihoon," I called out after a moment. "It's Jihoon."

Almost immediately after the response left my lips, the realization hit me with incredible force. My eyes widened and an intense, new-found panic coursed through me.
It was Jihoon.

Junhui was in the kitchen.

Junhui thought that I was out with Jihoon last night. He thought I'd clubbed with Jihoon, drank with Jihoon, woken up with a terrible hangover from having a fantastic night with Jihoon. And Jihoon had not the slightest idea that I'd been out with him.

"Shit," I breathed out, chewing my lower lip roughly.

Oh, shit.

The knocking became more persistent, and I knew he was aggravated, more than likely fuming that I was keeping him standing in the dingy hallway of our less than impressive apartment complex. Taking a couple of deep breaths in an attempt to relax, my mind reeled as I slowly opened the door.

And there he was, standing with an annoyed expression on his countenance, his boot-clad foot tapping incessantly against the grimy tiled floor. He cocked an eyebrow as I managed to sheepishly smile at him, my stomach feeling as if it were going to regurgitate any alcohol left within my system.

"Jihoon..." I cleared my throat gently, swallowing against the forming lump in my throat. "What a surprise - "

"About time!" he barked, pausing to shake a brown bag in his hand. "I have breakfast."

I looked at the bag slowly, my mind still desperately attempting to find a way out of this potentially disastrous situation. He noticed my silence, and let out a heavy sigh, pushing his way past me with a confidence only Jihoon could exert.

"It's fucking cold in your hallway," he snapped, pausing in our foyer to shrug off his gray wool coat. "And it smells like musty ass."

I turned sharply, closing the door behind me, the feelings of dread increasing within me at an alarming rate. "Uh..."

He tossed his jacket onto a small table near the door, offering a smile to me as he shook the paper bag in my direction. "I stopped at that new bakery on Locust," he explained. "They have these apple scones that are to die for."

"Jihoon, I-"

He put a hand up, "I know, I know. Apple baked goods aren't your favorite. That's why I picked you up a chocolate chip muffin."