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Chapter 9: Curiosity Killed The Cat

Her breath was caught in her throat. She couldn't find the way to move her head, only her eyes blinked so rapidly. Hyejin never felt so aghast all her life.
"You're such a sneak, Park Hyejin."
He was ready to jump off the cliff and dance with anyone around, and yet, fate played smartly, he was greatly enthralled. Seeing her still shocked face, Jungwon bite his lip to control another giggle.
"Not really. I failed to sneak out."
Jungwon's burst in a silly laugh. His laugh is so contagious that Hyejin couldn't help to chuckle back. Then there's a chance to finally catch his gaze. Up close, Jungwon's eyes are so different in moments like that, more soft than she knew eyes could be. The Enhypen's leader really looks like the cutest cat. His slow blink and relaxed eyes gives the appearance of vulnerability and trust. For a real cat, it's called a cat's smile. It's the look the cat is giving a person when he feels safe and comfortable. But Yang Jungwon is not a cat, just a cat coded one.
"I don't know how to do this slow dance thing." he jests, getting the nerves out of her system.
"Y-You--" Hyejin finally sprung forward. "Just follow the beat as you swing your body."
"Okay." he nodded fast, with so much confidence in his eyes. 
The music spun around them, twirling like a thread and lifting away gravity. Jungwon caught her gaze and was again mystified. She got a heaven-spun summery gaze. Her lips were painted with the warmth of sheepish smile that he could have hold for a lifetime. She aren't just beautiful. She a kind of beauty that got into his bones, that even if he tried to stop himself from saying some stupid words, it just went out so easily, making a fool of himself.
He isn't a hopeless romantic kind of guy. He's spontaneous and jolly and doesn't take sweetness seriously. He likes it that way. It's the leader kind of way. But why the hell is he losing his balance so suddenly?
"M-May I?" he asked, a bit hesitant to hold her. "Everyone--" he took a quick look around. "Everyone else is doing it now. Aren't we suppose to dance too?"
He saw a short flash of surprise registered on her face, then a soft, withdrawn smile was visible, followed by a nod. Jungwon puts his hand in her waist while stumbling upon his words. 
They danced finally. Their moves are easy and flowing, like the daffodils taken up in the heavens on a spring day, in tune with the great melody. In the slow time of the dance, he breathes steadily to straighten up his thoughts.
"Thank you." Jungwon suddenly said, his mouth tripped the most outrageous words.
"For what?" Hyejin asked, tilted her head on a side not to get a hold of his gaze.
"For being caught before you could run away." Jungwon shoulder's shrugged in his soft chortles.
He knows he was born to be spontaneous. For him, cracking a joke is a natural thing but doing it has two underlying reasons. He's pulling a chaff when he's comfortable with a girl and another thing which he finds difficult to reveal is, he's joking around when he's feeling unsteady and amazed by such charm. With Hyejin, he's experiencing both ways, hence, the giddiness is overflowing.
Hyejin's charm, is way above anyone or anything else. The power it hold to make everything disappear - the scenery and the people around them, is still a riddle. It all just vanished so suddenly, like a genie puffed in smoke after granting a wish. 
"I'm sorry.  I felt awful for the dishonesty. I got cold feet so suddenly." Hyejin finally loosen up.
"I completely understand. It is not easy doing this thing. I would do the same if it wasn't you. But I am so glad it was you."
"No way." Hyejin softly chuckled.
"It's true." Jungwon was fast to defend. "I really wished your strap will flicker with the same color as mine. I really feel comfortable with you, Hyejin-a." 
Hyejin stopped swaying. He got her again with nothing left to say. Staring close to his face, his dimples is impossibly deep, the most striking detail among his features. There is happiness in the well of it, some like the exclamation point of his smile.
"Your dimples are unbelievably deep--" she unexpectedly muttered, making a fool of herself.
"Oh!" Jungwon shoulders jumped with sudden laugh. "Do you want to touch it?" 
Hyejin stepped back, unsure of what to do. Maybe she stared a little intense for him to say those words. Her mind goes into a sudden alarm. No way she's going to touch him in midldle of the dance floor, with bunch of furious eyes splitting her in half.
"No--" she froze feeling the tip of her fiinger in one of his cheeks.
"It's okay." Jungwon giggled in amusement looking at her startled face. "I don't know why everyone is amazed with the dimples I got. I'm letting you touch it to know it's real."
His cheek is as puffy as clouds, bringing a softness she never thought she'd ever discover. Hyejin felt the space around them turned like wideness of the rink. Funny how their moves were in sync, his dancing style is different from what she's good at, but they moved in harmony, their bodies in ryhtym, swaying in synchrony.
"I haven't seen you danced yet but I know you're a slayer on ice." Jungwon whispered, like reading her innermost thoughts.
"You're dancing style is different but yeah, you're pretty good too." Hyejin burst in a cheeky laugh. She suprised herself for being giggly so suddenly.
"So, you saw me dance already?"
"W-Well--" Hyejin grasped for an explanation. "Not in the sense of seeing it live. Your dance videos are all over the internet."
"Yeah, right." he chuckled. "But Hyejin-a--" Jungwon cleared his throat. He knows he'll trip for the words he's about to say. "D-Do you want to hang out soon enough?"
He don't want to sound like it's forced but he's running out of time. Their break is about to end and he don't want to waste any time. Soon enough, they'll be back on being workhorses with no time for pleasure, so might as well grab the chance. Never did he became so interested to a girl before. It's only Park Hyejin who made him loose his steady course.
Hyejin stopped swaying, eyes fixed on Yang Jungwon's intent gaze. Does he meant, date? But no, absolutely not. Idols are not allowed to date. Unless they want to but going to keep a secret. But still, not. Yang Jungwon is just being friendly. It's not like he wanted to know her better.
"I-I want to know you better." he said, reading her thoughts once more.
She opened her mouth to speak but was ceased by a familiar voice.
"Hyejin-a." the voice called, something that rings a tune to her ears but an unkind, upsetting one.  Hyejin halts her swinging feet.
Jungwon turned his sight to face the man. He's standing inches away from where they are but his eyes was only locked on Hyejin's face. Before everything went a little shaky, Jungwon was looking straight into her eyes, it was bright and sparkly. He was caught in confusion and couldn't even describe it but Hyejin's eyes turned cold and stiff so suddenly. Even her tight grip on his arms loosened that fast. 
He is confident enough with everything he got. But looking at the man, Jungwon began to feel defeated by his stance. The man's height is towering. At glance, he is close enough to reach Ni-Ki, their group's maknae and tallest Enhypen member. 
Being the smallest member of the group, and Jungwon hates to admit it, but his height is his biggest insecurity. He stands 5'8, not short for an average guy but he looked tiny being with his six giant members. And he's seeing one again, trying to snatch Park Hyejin away.
"Can we talk, Hyejin-a?" the man asked, eagerness in his voice is profound.
Jungwon held his breath for the answer he's going to hear. Hyejin is slowly detaching her hand on his arm. She took a step back, body instinctively retreating as though her subconscious had triggered a defensive response. His heart went down in the dumps when she finally let go. 
"Enjoy the rest of the night, Yang Jungwon-ssi." she hushed and slowly walked away.
Seeing her go forth, in the company of another man, has disturbed his mental steadiness. Jungwon felt a sharp twinge, an emotional distress he didn't expect to hit him that fast. 
"Did you enjoy your dance with Hyejin Eonnie?" Yeji's shrieking voice awakened his lost thoughts.
Jungwon coldly chuckled as he faced her. "Did you get to dance with Hwang Jinho?"
Yeji frowned and crossed her arms on her chest. "Don't ask me again! I was paired with the most annoying guy in my class!"
"What a bummer." Jungwon laughs seeing the frustration in Yeji's face.
"I felt bad lying to Sunghoon Oppa. I might as well believe in fate rather than be convinced that this whole Matchmaker's Ball can certainly predict your future partner."
He laughs but not that free enough to live in his heart. He glanced at Hyejin not far away. She was in a deep-rooted conversation with the guy and somehow it's stinging his eyes, feels like there's a heavy thing lodging in his chest. His base is solid but why does he feel envious with the man?
"Who is he?" Jungwon cannot hold back his deep curiosity.
Yeji chuckled while looking at him with suspicious eyes. "I knew it!" she shrugged in laughter while shaking her head. "You like Hyejin Eonnie!"
"It will be better if you lower your voice down." Jungwon slightly panicked. "But no, I just find her pretty." 
"You find her pretty but you don't like her. That's contrasting."
"W-Well--" Jungwon scratched his head as his thoughts scattered everywhere. Park Sunghoon little sister is such a droll. He ran out of words to answer her back.
"That's Ahn Minhyun." Yeji finally disclosed. 
"Ahn Minhyun? How is he related to Ahn Minhyuk?"
"You know Ahn Minhyuk?"
"Yeah. We met in the rink days ago."
Yeji nodded and continued. "That's his older brother Ahn Minhyun and Hyejin Eonnie's first love."
"W-What?" Jungwon choked on his breath. 
His relentess curiosity about Hyejin's personal life led him to something he wasn't prepared to handle. Just as the saying goes, "curiosity killed the cat", it sure killed the leader cat.
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Book Comment (44)

  • avatar
    Ashley Samson

    very beautiful and amazing

    5h

      0
  • avatar
    Keisha Lisette Jo

    Its nice story

    1d

      0
  • avatar
    Jhennelle Margareth

    this is good

    2d

      0
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