Chapter 25: stay over

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I unceremoniously walked out the front door, and he followed me closely. „Why would I go home with someone that asks to kiss me on the one day, but calls me disgusting on the other day?". I stopped and turned around, now facing him.

"Hell, don't you know about playing along?". He asked as soon as he understood why I was upset. "Should I rather have said that I would like to touch and fuck you? I am absolutely sure that Sunghoon would have let you go with me.". My brain stopped working for a second. „Wait what?". A wry smirk settled on his face as he noticed I couldn't be any longer mad.

Heeseung walked past me, shaking his head. Was he making fun of me?

I quickly followed him, as I realized that I completely forgot about my keys and had nothing to change with me at all. So I tried to call out for him, but he was already far ahead and probably couldn't hear my voice.

Never mind, Hyeona. You usually sleep in hoodie and shorts. It's not a big deal.

"By the way, a good move, to get me out of the house.". I complimented him as i took a seat in the passenger seat.

"Sunghoon shouldn't get so worked up over every bullshit. He needs to finally realize that," he said. "You can and should go wherever you want.".

"Tomorrow at the latest anyway," I added.

My eyes met the windshield, where small raindrops started to stream down, getting more and more every second. It reminded me of the last time I sat here in this car and left in tears in the end.

But this time it was different. I didn't feel sad at all. My skin was almost boiling with excitement, and I couldn't explain why. Hesitantly, I looked over to Heeseung. One hand on the steering wheel, elbow resting on the window frame, the other on the gearshift, close to my leg.

Gosh, what I would have done for him to take that hand off that shitty shifter and place it on my thigh instead. Like he did at Jay's birthday party.

I slid up a little on the leather seat, my legs clenched tightly, just like the rest of my body. My entire appearance was anything but relaxed. I exhaled softly to calm down a bit and banish these lewd thoughts from my mind.

"You've never been to my place, huh?" he asked, casting a quick glance over at me.

"Not since you moved out of your parents' house.". I replied.

On the one hand, it was really cool to have your own place. You were independent, you could furnish it the way you wanted, and you just had your peace. But on the other hand, it was really annoying to run the whole household by yourself. I mean, doing laundry? I hate doing laundry!

I don't know what to expect from Heeseung's home. Actually, he was really the messier type when we were kids, but I couldn't imagine the state of his home going down the drain. Probably just an average man's household.

"Here we are.". I was jolted out of my thoughts when the car came to a stop in a private parking lot and the lights of the car switched off.

"It looks really nice from the outside," I said, amazed at the sight of the house. "My apartment is on the first floor," he explained, as I poked my head into the stairwell and noticed the endless amount of sneakers outside the front door.

"Just make yourself at home," he said as he finally unlocked the door and hung his jacket on the coat rack. So I was the first to enter his apartment and found myself in the living room right after the small entryway. To my surprise, everything was furnished quite simple and minimalist. A gray couch, white furniture, a large flat screen TV. Right next to it a dining table with space for six people and an adjacent small kitchen. Probably he had never used this in his life.

"I'm gonna go change, too. You can look around a bit, or watch TV. Whatever you want.".

I nodded to him briefly, whereupon he disappeared into another room and pulled the door closed behind him except for a small gap.

In the meantime, I settled down on the couch. Of course, Heeseung also had all kinds of gaming stuff. Just as bad as my brother. But next to the coffee table, a white cabinet that looked like a display case. Behind the glass, a few small trophies were exhibited. Probably from football or even his children's ice-hockey career.

As I was scrolling through instagram, Heeseung now also entered the living room, he could not hold back his laughter when he saw me sitting there. "You really look like ordered and not picked up".

"What do you mean?". Confused, I grabbed my phone back.

Heeseung turned on the kitchen light. "I mean, you seem a little tense.".

Oh damn. A psychic. Probably because I was tense as hell.

"Do you maybe want something to drink, snacks? I have Soju too.", he grinned and suddenly held two green bottles in the air.

I tilted my head. "Do you want me to get drunk? Remember what happened last time?". I warned him.

"It's your birthday. If you're not going to celebrate with your friends, at least we should celebrate something.". Without waiting for my answer, he placed the two bottles and a bag of chips on the table. "Okay, let's pretend one shot of Soju would be one candle. So you have to take 19.".

I gasped. "Are you crazy? If I drank 19 shots, I would be lying unconscious in the corner of your room.".

"I'm just kidding.", he laughed. "You don't need to drink, if you don't want to.". Heeseung reached for one of the bottles and opened the grape flavored one. I blinked a few times, trying to fight the impulsive thoughts in my head, while biting my lip, trying to remove the juicy flavor in my imagination from my mouth.

Hyeona, what about I will never ever drink one sip of alcohol again after you stripped out your stupid shirt in public and called Heeseung Santa?

But of course my conscience lost once again. and I finally reached for the other bottle. This one was peach flavored and actually tasted pretty good.

„Are you planning to come back to Korea during holiday?", Heeseung asked me, which lowered my mood drastically.

„Uhm...I don't know yet. Maybe?", I placed the bottle back on the tabletop. „To be honest, I haven't thought about it yet. I wanna arrive there tomorrow in peace and get my life under control first.". I avoided his gaze and watched my outstretched legs on the floor in front of me.

He nodded, leaning his back against the backrest. „I will miss you.". A wry smile appeared on his face. „It's a long time.".

I couldn't help but smile as well as my eyes noticed his still positive looking face, even though this evening was actually a farewell for almost one year. „You shouldn't miss me.", I admonished him. „Remember what I've told you? I'm not coming back until I see you happy with another girl.".

„Then I think there's no other option than coming to you". His smile faded, now looking damn seriously as he took another sip from his bottle.

I shook my head slowly. „Hee, you know that...".

"...I don't fucking care about Sunghoon. I'm not going to let him screw up my entire life just because his ego can't deal with the fact that I like you.".

I gasped as my brain processed what I just heard.

„I will talk to him, okay?", he suggested. „I'll sort it out when you're gone so your brother can calm down.".

„He will beat you up.", I warned him

„So what?", he shrugged. „He won't win.".

Gosh, if he doesn't stop with that cocky smirk right now. I'm going insane!

„Sunghoon has been hitting the gym almost daily lately.".

„There's no way he would beat me up. We have been best friends since forever.", Heeseung tried to calm me.

„And he has been my goddamn brother for my whole life and still hit me.".

Now it was silence inside the house. We kept starting at each other for a few seconds, before I slapped my tight with a fist. „I just don't want you to get hurt, why can't you understand it Heeseung?".

Frustrated, I grabbed the bottle once again.

„You're so cute.". He whispered, barely noticeable.

I leaned my head back against the wall with a smile and closed my eyes. „I'm not.".

„Yes you are.", he insisted

„Okay, if you say so, Mr. Lee.".

During the next few minutes I noticed how my body got weaker and it became harder and harder to keep my eyelids open. My head sometimes tipping over sideways.

Just across from me, Heeseung was scrolling through his Instagram Reels, since I listened to audios changing every few seconds and noticed the bright beam of light coming from his cell phone, every time I opened my eyes s little.

The couch below me now moved slightly, as I recognized from the shadow that he must have gotten up.

Suddenly I felt a soft fabric on top of my legs, immediately warming myself up. Especially when I noticed a pair of hands, carefully tugging the blanket around my shoulders.

I really couldn't hide a tiny smile to spread across my face.

Heeseung returned both the bottles and the snacks to the kitchen before turning off the lights.

After that, he squatted down just next to me.

„Hyeo", I sensed his finger brushing over my cheek softly. „You fell asleep.". He whispered, which caused me to open my eyes slightly.

„Come on. Get some sleep.". He tried to help me up from the couch.

My hands reached for the blanket to keep it in place, pulling it behind me like a cape. „Gosh, I'm actually so tired.". I said, and as I shuffled behind Heeseung.

He opened the door to his bedroom, where, in which he had also disappeared earlier to change.

„You can make yourself comfortable wherever you want. This room is all yours.". He said, while waiting at the door frame, watching me resting on his bed.

I frowned in wonder. „Wait, what about you?".

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