Not Your Lover (2PARK✔️)

Step Twenty-One: Panicking

i've been waiting to use the gif since chapter 10 of the first book- not even joking

it took me a bit of time to decide what song worked best with this chapter. I've used SKZ before and "3rd Eye" is nothing short of perfect at capturing every emotion I had while writing & still keeping things simply put and dark

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Traffic is heavy around the cab, but we're still stopped at the traffic light, and I know if I move quickly enough, I can run us out of the street before the cars around us move. Taking Jihoon's hand in mine, I shove the back door open and yank him after me, ignoring the honks of cars behind and beside us.

"Come on!" I shout at Jihoon, his feet stuttering against the pavement as his body sags against mine in pain. He's completely withered before my eyes, a sight I haven't seen in a long time. I thought perhaps his tears when we met with the CEO a few days ago was his big unleash. This is far worse than I would have expected.

Cars begin moving around us, and I realize that the traffic lights have changed and we're trapped on the meridian in the center of the road. I watch the taxi pull around the corner and park, our driver stepping out from it and walking down the sidewalk towards us. Jihoon's face is tucked against my chest, protecting himself from everything around us, though I know he feels more vulnerable now than he would in front of thousands of fans.

Minhyun stands just fifteen feet from us, and the cars stop once again to allow us passage. I turn Jihoon and I around, crossing to the other side of the street in a hurry. The shorter boy knocks against my side as his legs tumble over one another, accidentally pushing me off balance every few steps.

"Jihoon, you can't be like this in the middle of the road," I tell him hotly, gripping him beneath both arms to practically drag him along beside me. I can hear the footsteps behind us, and I can only pray that it isn't him. They're close to us, and I have half a mind to turn and take a swing.

Jihoon hears them too, quickening his pace beside me and hitting the sidewalk at a near sprint. "Hey!" The shout behind us startles the both of us, Jihoon tripping over me and lurching us into the wall of a building. "Jihoon, hey!"

I shove Jihoon behind me, pressing him between my back and the wall as the angular face comes into view. Pointed eyes faceted over high cheekbones, and lanky black hair cut in a sharp bowl. His lips are pursed as he peers down at me, his cheeks flushing as the cold wind hits them.

I grit my teeth as he bows his head politely, greeting me as if we're friends. "What the hell do you want?" I ask, my voice dangerously low. If Jihoon weren't gripping the bag of my coat to hold me close, I'd already be stepping forward to shove him back.

"Well for one, you didn't pay me the service charge for driving you." He laughs lightly, Jihoon flinching behind me at the tinkling sound. "And I just wanted to say hey to an old friend. Is there a problem?" He stands on his toes to peek at Jihoon over my shoulder, who I pray is doing his best to stay hidden.

"I don't think he wants to say hello," I inform the older man, glaring up at him as best I can.

To be honest, I'm scared. I don't know what to do in this kind of situation. I've never been one to flee and hide. I'm up front. I protect when I can, and I attack when I need to. But I don't know where to turn with Minhyun staring me down like this. I don't know how to find safety with Jihoon whimpering into the back of my coat like this. Jihoon never told me about anything other than Minhyun disappearing after they'd slept together, but he's reacting now as if Minhyun had beaten him for years of knowing each other.

I don't know what to do.

"Are you his boyfriend or something?" The man doesn't sound upset, angry, or even surprised. He's purely curious as he tries to get another glance at Jihoon behind me.