strangers | michaeng

a friend

The lively night was at its peak. Moonlight shone through the black sky, engulfing the entire street with dimmed light. Dots of stars sparkled through the celestial blanket, adding more beauty to the elegant darkness above. Despite it being already late, the city was still filled with busy people conversing, and walking through places. The city lights were breathtaking, as our figures slowly entered the crowded area.

I was still inside the car of the person who almost killed me. The girl named "Chaeyoung" offered me a ride home. I couldn't say no for an answer since the latter kept on insisting. She felt in-debt, like she wanted to repay my kindness for forgiving her. She said it was the least she could do after what she had done to me twice. She even suggested that I should report her to the police, but it wasn't necessary since no heavy damage was done, and she didn't ran away. 

So in the end, here I am, my arse heating the front seat. But it wasn't that bad, I rarely got the chance to admire the peaceful night. I've been busy with academics and extra activities that I haven't had much time to spend in enjoying scenes like this. Although, I could've enjoyed it more if the atmosphere wasn't this awkward

Like extremely awkward.

There was barely any exchange of words from the two of us. You know that feeling when you'd do something stupid in front of the person you like and you'd be extremely embarrassed about it? Yeah, I had a similar thing going, minus the liking part because never in a million years would I fall in love with a girl smaller than a lentil bean. Besides, I'm not interested in relationships.

Suddenly, Chaeyoung began to talk which broke the ice that had been consuming the space. It was as if she read what was on my mind. "So... I saw you at our school, does that mean you go there too?" She asked, her eyes still focused on the road.

Come to think of it, I think I've seen her as well. She has been a hot topic recently ever since she hooked up with Jeon Somi. No wonder her name seemed familiar. I'm not a fan of rumors, but students gossip as if there aren't other people inside the premise. "What? My room is a few meters from yours, yet you didn't know I was there?" I rolled my eyes in disappointment. I was kind of expecting that she'd at least know me from my previous performances.

She apologetically scratched her head, releasing her hand from the gear lever before putting it back to focus on driving. "Oh... Sorry, I don't really pay attention with other rooms."

"Whatever you say." I lightly scoffed. "By the way, you reek of alcohol. Did you drink?"

Nervous, she nodded her head weakly. "I uh... Yeah."

I could only reply with a nod as well, assuming that she was able to see it. Another long silence took over, and judging by the atmosphere, it would probably stay like that until we reached my destination. After what seemed like an eternity, she coughed lightly, which gained my attention. I looked around and realized that we had already arrived.

The car stopped in front of a bus stop, where I'd usually wait for a ride. It was conveniently located across the street, so I had no worries with transportation, not that it really mattered. But it did made going to school much less of a hassle. Gotta give props to my parents for finding a great spot.

Chaeyoung turned off the engine, before asking a question. "Are you really sure you're getting out here?" Doubt was evident on her voice.

I swiftly nodded my head and answered. "A-Ahh... Uhmm. Yeah." I opened the door and got out of the car. The latter girl did the same and I walked towards her side to face her.