HYUN [ JJK ]

21

Jaehwa did not plan to stay until late at night, had planned to go home as soon as possible because she didn't think she would have enough gut to drive alone in the pitch black night. But her plan was ruined when Jeongguk slumped into the couch, endless groans leaving his mouth as the words i'm hungry left him like a mantra. Didn't sure whether he's naturally like that or it's just the after effect of living under the same roof with a baby that he suddenly had turned into a small kid, but Jaehwa simply stared at him, no words were uttered when she took a seat on the other couch.

The moment Jeongguk said he had dialled for pizzas, Jaehwa knew there's no way she could go home early as what she had planned. She wasn't someone who cared so much about her eating style, but she wasn't really keen with the idea of Hawaiian pizza with extra cheese at half past eleven. She was so close to declining the offer but maybe, just maybe, it's the power of Jeon Jeongguk that made her sit on the couch again, feet glued to the ground that she suddenly couldn't bring herself to leave the apartment. Her duty as a babysitter should had ended now that Hyun had fallen asleep since one hour ago, but looking after Hyun meant listening to Jeongguk's order, and that also meant she couldn't say no to him.

If she was asked to describe the situation, Jaehwa would say this—awkward. It's awkward to be alone with a guy she used to despise, even more awkward when realisation hit her that she literally just knew his full name few hours ago. But she couldn't thank Jeongguk more for keeping an unbothered expression the whole time. It's clear that the guy didn't mind being alone with her, unlike Jaehwa who could barely breathe properly, could barely open her mouth to bring a topic up and start a conversation.

When the bell rang, Jeongguk was quick to dash out of the dining hall, giving Jaehwa a short span of time to rearrange the pace of her breathing. Didn't realise that she had been clenching the hem of her shirt as she waited for the delivery guy to deliver the pizzas Jeongguk had ordered for them. However all her effort to stay calm and composed went to the drain when Jeongguk appeared again, this time with a wide toothy grin and two boxes in his hands.

Forcing herself to reply to his smile, Jaehwa shifted her position on the chair, and her hands were back to playing with the hem of her shirt as soon as Jeongguk took a seat across her. She had no idea what's so nerve wrecking about eating together with a guy she saw almost every day. Plus, it's not that she had never experienced something close to this (though the last time was few years ago, when she's still in her senior year of high school).

"Do you like pineapples on pizza?" Jeongguk asked but it took few seconds for Jaehwa to come back to reality.

With his sleeves rolled up, Jaehwa didn't notice that she had been staring at how his hand removed the pineapple from the topping, before she could realise her eyes were already travelling up to his forearm. She bet Jeongguk had been working out religiously to have those popping veins, his hands looked so calloused but in a good way.

"Hmm, Jaehwa?"

Jaehwa's eyes shot back to his face, only to realise that his doe eyes were already looking at her, waiting for the answer with full anticipation. It's absurd how he could act like nothing had happened between them before, and Jaehwa wished she could reach his level of calmness.

"I- I don't mind. I'm not a picky eater." Jaehwa threw a faint smile, her palms became clammy when Jeongguk smiled in response.

"I love Hawaiian pizza but I hate the pineapples." His nasally giggles filled the dimly lit dining hall. "My sister said I am weird."

"I can't really agree with her though." Jaehwa replied, slowly trying to get herself accustomed to his change of demeanour. "My brother dislikes pineapples on his pizza too, so he will never eat Hawaiian pizza. He's more to pepperoni."