(editing) friends | dino | lee chan

Chapter Five

Aera

The school day was going as slow as it could. Thankfully I had metal workshop last, it's my favourite subject. People found it odd and I couldn't blame them. What would a small, fragile looking girl like me do in a metal workshop class? I had grown up creative like my mom. She makes handmade jewellery and tries to sell them on stalls on the side of the roads and street markets. I was never interested in jewellery though. I liked making hard and heavy things like furniture.

After class my teacher complimented my work and gave me feedback on my current project (a table that folds itself in with wheels for mom so she didn't have to struggle so much trying to bring our old wooden table home from selling her jewellery). All my classmates (which were all boys) would  look at me with jealousy in their eyes as ssaem never checked on each student everyday. Just me. Perks of being a girl? Or perks of being the best in class? Who knows.

As I walked out of the workshop room ready to go home I was stopped at the hallway by Mr Lee. "Kang Aera," he smiles.

I bow, "hi ssaem."

"I'm heading home early today. Do you want a ride?"

I wasn't sure if that was appropriate but I couldn't help but nod. I was tired and I wanted to get home as fast as I could. Plus, walking home alone was lonely.

"Let's go," he turns to walk towards the doors that led out of the school building.

I follow quietly.

Mr Lee's car smelled of fresh lemons and his music taste was a little odd. It went from a slow piano song to an r'n'b. He chuckles when he notices that I kept eyeing the stereo. "This is Chan's playlist," he explains. "He's a dancer so he likes a wide variety of songs."

I nodded.

"You would know that already, wouldn't you?" He asks.

That he was a dancer or that he likes a wide variety of music?

He indicated right then says, "we don't get to talk much but when we do he talks about you," Mr Lee teases a little.

"Oh, uh... he does?" I felt a little embarrassed and happy at the same time.

"Why so surprised? He talks like you two are close," he now comes to a halt at a stop light.

"I didn't know he would talk about me to you, ssaem," I admitted.

He just chuckles and shakes his head in response.

For the rest of the drive we listened to an English song I could hardly understand. When ssaem finally parks his car into their double garage I said a quick thank you before leaving.

I walked away hurriedly, scared that Chan somehow saw me. It would have looked weird to see me with his father even if he was my teacher. I lock their wooden gate behind me then turned towards my house. I was taken aback when I saw who was leaning against the streetlight facing towards my home. I look at the ground and slowly make my way over to him.

He didn't notice I was there until I was right in front of him. "Aera!" He clutches his chest. "Damn it, you startled me," he furrows his eyebrows.

"Sorry... oppa." It felt weird calling him that. I hardly ever saw him anymore, his presence feels the same as a strangers'.

He sighs, "it's fine. How's things?"

"Good, yeah," I nod.

"How's school?"

"Bearable."

"Your parents?"

"Happily married."

"And you?"

Missing you... "I'm okay."

Jihoon oppa and I used to be close. Our parents are close friends from high school and so naturally we were close too. But ever since he left high school and went to music school, he hardly saw me anymore. 'I'm tired,' 'I'm busy,' 'I'm resting today.' Those were his... excuses? To not see me. We fell apart through time. Well, I think we did. He still tries to act like his old self as much as possible. But he wasn't fooling me nor himself. He's changed.

He shoves his hands in his pockets and gives up trying to have a conversation with me.

"Well, uh, you must be tired," I say awkwardly. "You should go home."

He looks into my eyes as if I had just said the most horrible thing in the world.

I didn't want him to go. And I know he didn't want to either. But I couldn't help but want to push him away. It's my way of sulking.

"Why are you doing this?" He asks coldly.

"Doing what?"

He looks away in disbelief then looks back at me, "you know exactly what I mean!" He yells. He's never yelled at me before. "You think it's easy for me? You think it's easy that I don't get to see you everyday like I used to?! I'm hurt Aera, I'm hurt!" He turns around and punches the streetlight.

I cup my hands around my mouth in shock. Tears started to well up in my eyes.

"I just..." his breathing slows as he rests his forehead on it, "I just want to see you as much as I can but what you're doing to me hurts."

What I'm doing to you? Unbelievable. I don't say anything.

He leans away from the cold, hard material and starts walking away.

When I thought things couldn't get any worse, Chan walks out of his gate with someone in tow. A girl.

The girl points at oppa and yells out his name happily then puts an arm over his shoulder. She was a little bit taller than him. It sounded like she was introducing oppa to Chan.

I sigh then start walking towards my house when Chan yells out my name. Damn it. The one time he actually notices I'm there. I hesitantly turn to the three who were now looking at me.

Chan waves me over with a big smile on his face.

I obeyed like a puppy.

"You finally get to meet Nari noona," he gestures to the girl.

"I'm Song Nari," she takes my hand and shakes it. Her grip was really strong it felt like she wanted to crush my hand. "You must be Kitty, I've heard a lot about you."

Me too. I just smile back at her.

"Anyway," Song Nari pats Jihoon oppa's shoulder which was still around him. "We better get going. The boss awaits."

The boss? Only then did I realise they were wearing the same jacket. Plain black leather with a crescent red moon on the left side.

"Alright," Chan waves them off as they walked across the road and into a black tinted car.

I just looked down at the ground until I was sure they had completely left.

"So."

I look up at Chan who's grin has now faded into an emotionless face.

"They make a great couple, huh?" He says bluntly.

"O-oh," my chest tightened. "Yeah," I said pretending to know that they were...

Chan suddenly pulls me into a hug. He rests his chin on my head. "Wanna be my new best friend, Kitty?"

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A/N: Sorry this is boring uwuwuwu