areum | jjk ✓

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THE prom party, vintage themed,
boomed with loud music and people's screams,
the loudest of them was the football team.

everyone who was anyone knew this would be the scene,
kids sneaking in liquor, sipping lean,
but jeongguk as a chaperone couldn't be seen,
all night he eye'd areum, thinking he was clean,
but anyone could see that when his eyes set on her, he'd beam.

___________________

'areum. your neighbour is literally the hottest.', stacey gushed.

areum turned her away from where jeongguk was talking to old teachers and a couple of the other volunteer chaperones.

'no, no! i want to get a closer look!', stacey fought areum off.

'no, please, you know it's a private affair. we can't be seen together.', areum warned her friend.

'fine,', stacey huffed, 'let's go dance.'

rocking their heads back and forth to the band playing, the girls were joined by more of their friends and their dates.

joshua slipped his hands from behind areum, holding her back against him as his chin rested on her shoulder. he swayed her back and forth, them laughing loudly as jeongguk watched.

all he could do was watch. they were just acquaintances after all.

he told himself that they were more than that. they shared a childhood bond, closer than one would think, but it didn't seem as though areum acknowledged that.

why was he doing this to himself? initially, it was areum who begged for his attention, seemingly liking him a lot. he agreed to her game, but he didn't feel the same way about her, which is why he set rules.

it's all biting him in the arse now.

'i want to go out for a smoke, do you mind coming with me?', josh asked areum sweetly.

areum shook her head, offering her hand to her date, leaving the gymnasium.

the band's instrumental's died down as they snuck out the back, heading for the parking lot again. areum sighed as she looked up at the black sky, covering herself with her scarf.

joshua leaned against a wall, pulling areum towards him. areum looked at him, calculating his next move, feeling uncomfortable and apprehensive.

he reached in his blazer, retrieving a white lighter and handing it to areum. he opened a pack of unflavoured cigarettes, placing one between his drawn in lips. areum flicked the lighter, kindling a small flame, lighting joshua's cigarette for him, like she always did before.

he inhaled through his mouth and exhaled the smoke out his nostrils, leaning up against the wall with his eyes closed. areum took the filter tip in her hands, pulling in the tobacco with her red tainted lips.

joshua smirked, pulling her close by her hip, he placed a peck on her lips. areum pulled away, taking a drag from the cigarette, so she wasn't compelled to kiss him again.

'i booked a room at the plaza, just so you know.', he said.

areum furrowed her eyebrows, 'why?'

his fingertips caressed the side of her face, from her hairline down to her jaw.

'so that we can spend more time alone.', he spoke, seductivedly.

gesturing to her hand, areum lifted the cigarette up to joshua's lips.

'but i don't want to.', areum said.

joshua turned his head to the side, his neck muscles tensing as he blew out a pall of smoke.

'i'm sorry for the past, but we both did bad things. we have to admit though, we love each other.'

'um, i don't- don't want to,', areum moved her hands around, 'spend the night with you.'

the black sky gradually attracted a coating of grey clouds.

'come on, areum. i've been fantasising about what a slut you might be in bed.', joshua said,, chuckling.

areum nodded her head, drawing in her last smoke before dropping the cigarette on the ground, putting it out with her stiletto. she blew the smoke in his face, causing him to scrunch his nose.

'areum, you just waste a cig!', joshua pushed himself off the wall, glaring at her.

the sky rumbled, thunder striking hard.

'listen, babe. i'm not your slut. i called you here tonight to keep me company, with no strings attached. i'm not going anywhere with you after the prom.'

'fine.', joshua said, 'die a virgin.'

areum, gasped, slapping joshua across his cheek.

'you think you're the only one who can have me?', she inched closer to joshua, venom spitting out of her mouth, 'you think no one else is dying to take me?'

joshua lazily smiled at her, 'you've already had sex.'

areum kept quiet.

'who was it?'

'was it tucker? i heard he's been stalking you around school.'

'or was it stacey's date? the blonde quarterback?'

'enough.', areum weakly voiced.

joshua scoffed, 'you're such a-'

'she said enough.'

lightning struck, illuminating jeongguk's figure standing behind the two high-schoolers.

joshua looked between areum and him, finally understanding.

'it was him! you, you've become-', joshua chuckled.

'call her a slut one more time.', jeongguk said, 'i dare you.'