Faded // Bang Chan

Chapter 21 - Firsts and Fists

Two days had passed and both Na Ri and Chan had been on much better terms. She wouldn't class them as close friends or anything but after his apology on the rooftop two days ago and the constant nagging from Jungsoo to forgive Chan, she found they spoke more often and he seemed less moody towards her.

"I still don't get where I'm going wrong here." She groaned down at her copy page as Chan marked a giant 'X' next to the sum she thought she'd mastered. "Honestly, I don't get it either. How do you not understand basic equations?" He teased her. "Maybe because I never paid attention when I was being taught it the first time round!" She rolled her eyes as he bit the top of her pen which he was using to correct her errors.

"Can you like, not bite that? We eat food for a reason." Na Ri scolded, snatching the pen from his grasp. She didn't want to admit it but something about the way the pen rested between his lips was very attractive to her. He opened his mouth to retaliate but stopped himself, remembering that he was trying to better himself. "You're right." He pulled his best smile to cover his slight annoyance. "I-I am?" She questioned in surprise, not expecting that reply. He ruffled her hair and handed back her copy book with a new sum to complete.

"Try it but this time do it with your eyes open, that usually helps." Chan laughed at her irritated expression that he couldn't help but find adorable. He watched her intently as her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion at the numbers and letters scribbled down on the page.

"What the heck is this crap?" She muttered in English, not expecting Chan to understand. "'This crap' would be basic maths, sweetie." He smirked as her face contorted to a look of horror at his perfect English. "You weren't supposed to understand that!" Na Ri defended herself. "I didn't think I was supposed to but oh well, here we are speaking English." Chan laughed loudly, the sound filling the air on the rooftop. Na Ri gazed down at the boy who was sitting cross legged in front of her. "You never fail to amaze me, Chan." She shook her head in disbelief as a small grin spread across her face. He turned to stare down at his lap, desperately trying to conceal his blushing face at her statement. His heart pounded inside of his chest and his thoughts became scattered and unclear.

"H-hurry up and do the question. I have to leave soon." He stammered, still facing his lap. "It hasn't even been 20 minutes since we began and you're already giving up on me." She protested, sparing him quick glances every few seconds from her perch on the bench in front of him.

"I mean I'd love to sit here all night and watch you struggle at easy maths questions but some of us have to work if we want to eat dinner tonight." He replied jokingly but his statement was true. He found himself enjoying their first tutoring session on the rooftop. At first it seemed like a waste of time and effort but once he opened the door to the rooftop to reveal her smiling face it all seemed worthwhile. Something about the way her face would light up when she thought her answer was right seemed cute to him. He even enjoyed the string of curse words that she would mutter under her breath each time he corrected her mistakes.

"Then stay." She said so quietly that any sudden noise would've hidden it from him. "Na Ri, I can't." He sighed up at her, watching the way her hand moved across the page as she completed the sum. She didn't reply, simply handing him her copy before packing her pens back into her pencil case. She didn't know why she had said that to him. To her, it was out of character and made her seem needy but truthfully she just didn't want to be alone or go home to her father who was still angry over her skipping school on Tuesday.

Na Ri's eyes turned to Chan as he scanned over her work with a small smile and a satisfied nod. He shot her a toothy grin and a thumbs up before leaping up from the ground and tossing her the copy. "Nice work!" He commented before glancing down at his phone. "I gotta go now but same time Monday, yeah?"