✓ skirt lifter | hwang hyunjin

t w e n t y - t w o

c h a p t e r 22

"Your.." I trailed off slowly.

He raised a brow with a lazy smirk.

"..dog."

He snickered. "Yeah. So quit acting jealous and just be my date."

I instantly fumed. I took a deep breath to calm myself, while chanting a mantra that went along the lines of 'murder is a crime', and I, sir, am no criminal. Instead, I resorted to something similar.

"Oh, Hyunjin! You're here!" I yelled out dramatically.

I did not miss the confusion in his face that gradually transformed into horror when the kitchen door slammed open, revealing the three avid girls. I winced as they simultaneously squealed out his name. I pressed my lips together, suppressing a laugh.

"It's so sweet of you to help out!" One of them gushed, slowly approaching him like a predator that they are.

Honestly, I find it quite admirable that they are so open with expressing their feelings. My insecure ass could never. Being honest with one's feelings? No thanks. Deny deny deny until true? Absolutely.

Hyunjin smiled awkwardly, backing up like a true prey. "Actually-"

One of them 'playfully' smacks me on the arm. "Girl, why'd you make him carry two while you have none?" She nudges me 'playfully'. They weren't playful at all. "Come inside, Hyunjin. Do the inventories instead! It's much easier." She looped her arm with the victim, dragging him inside.

I did a salute with two fingers just as the doors closed with him shooting me a supposedly terrifying glare. I almost laughed when I heard the unmistakable shouts of hurrah from Bang Chan and Seungmin.

I scoffed, dusting the imaginary dirt off my hands. "Jealous, my ass." I sashayed back to the boxes.

If lying was a crime, I'd probably be lifting boxes in jail by now.

•••

I laid myself down on the grass, shamelessly groaning. I paid no attention to the others who were side-eyeing me as if they've never seen a dying walrus before. I stretched my limbs violently as I groaned louder when I heard a loud crack from my spine. My eyes automatically shut, savouring both the pain and relief. I ignored the overgrown weeds that tickled my ears and neck and continued my self-induced labor.

If only I had known that I would only be doing physical work, I wouldn't have gone to this trip. I could have gone to get a real job where I would at least get paid.

As I drowned in my misery, I felt a shadow over me that seemed to block the blazing sun. My eyes cracked open. From where I laid, a grinning boy stood by my head. "You look and sound like you're about to die."

"That's because I am." I didn't bother to sit up.

Jisung sat down next to me, bouncing slightly with crossed legs. He didn't say anything for a while and just watched something from afar. I followed his line of sight and saw that there was a basketball game being played. I could make out that the players were Hyunjin, Seungmin, Bang Chan, Felix and a few others. I suppressed a mom smile when I saw Jeongin cheering by the side.