Hearts Aflame

007: Avoidance

I know, chapter overdue ;(
-

"Do we really have too, though? I'm already stuck doing my endless punishment with you as it is, and now I have to go with you to see Jongdae," Mina, whom was once again passing a fresh white towel to Minseok, whined, throwing the older guy a gigantic pout he so easily ignored; despite it being so difficult for him to do so, considering how cute she was with it. "What do you even want from him?"

"Stop whining, sweet pumpkin," Minseok managed to say without chuckling at how adorable she was being; although a huge smile was apparent on his face, the same chipmunk grin of his that Mina liked to watch. He accepted the towel she was offering with a small thanks and went on with his monologue. "Jongdae and I had a challenge to do regarding soccer. Did you know that he had the audacity to declare himself as better than I am? So now I'm going to him, all tired from my previous rehearsals, to kick his ass and show him I'm better even when I'm exhausted."

"This sounds like something Jongdae would definitely say." Mina murmured softly, almost shyly, at the mention of the boy, her heart already reacting to him violently despite only hearing his name. It was ridiculous how affected of him she was growing to be, terrifying even. Would anyone want someone else to have such a big impression on them? Was it even healthy? Mina shook the wandering, stupid thoughts of the boy out of her head, and tried – the keyword being tried – to act as nonchalantly as she should.

"But do I really have to go with you?" She told Minseok with a shudder, clearing her throat afterwards to have a grip on herself. "And is that the only reason you want to challenge him? Some stupid man pride?"

"Hey!" Minseok called, smacking the awfully smelling, awfully wet towel he was using to wipe his forehead sweat on her shoulder, and she shuddered again, this time in disgust. "As the captain of the local soccer team, that's one hell of a big pride. Also, the winner has to recharge the other's Netflix card for three months."

Is he fucking for real? Netflix card?

"Minseok." She whined again, taking a step closer to him so that she could clutch on the short sleeve of his team shirt, the fabric flimsy and filled with sweat. But she didn't mind, not at the time, her unwillingness to go and see Jongdae bigger than her disgust reactions. At least at the moment while she was trying to avoid Jongdae's pretty smile, his pretty eyes, his shrill screams, his gorgeous golden, windswept hair, his—

Okay, she was drifting away.

"I told you to stop whining, sweetheart," Minseok chided gently, rubbing on her head with his free hand that she wasn't holding (thankfully, it wasn't the hand he was holding the towel with) and patting her hair like she was some sort of a pet. She didn't notice. "You don't have any classes at the moment and it's not like I'm going to meet up with strangers you don't like, you're being weird."

If Minseok was catching up to her resolute dejection and refusal to leave with him, he wasn't showing it; or maybe he was showing it, but she wasn't noticing. Either way, she needed to give him an excuse of her reluctance, something to hold on to and not questioning her about.

"I'm just tired as it is," she told him, giving him her best puppy eyes. Surprisingly; he wasn't relenting, but squinting his eyes in doubt instead. "With my morning classes and then having to continue my duties being your slave for the day. Can't I sleep?"

"I'll buy you lunch."

"Urgh, fine. I hate you." He bought her with the lunch offer, since she was a food person – honestly, who wasn't a food person? — and they could count on it to buy her.

"But you love food and you can't decline that." Minseok snickered, walking away from her to the bench his duffle bag was lying on, already taking the clothes he'd be dressing in after taking a shower, relieved that he wouldn't have to nag her into coming anymore.