제2장 | Before It Tells Itself

제2장 | Before It Tells Itself

NARRATIVE

"Who's whipped?" The other friend named Lee Chaejin asks. Junghee puckered her sweet pink lips and use it to point to Serinwho was daydreaming about Jungkook all day

"Eh, he visited you early in the morning at your dorm, right?" Chaejin asks. "How did you know?" Junghee

Chaejin showed Junghee her phone. A latest post from Jungkook's fanclub page. It has picture of Jungkook walking out from the girl's dorm. Junghee blew her fringe bangs in annoyance

"I have a question though, does Jungkook know there's a fanclub page of his existed?" Chaejin ask as she tucked the strands of her black straight hair behind her ear. "I don't know, maybe?" Junghee shrugged and took a glance of her dead brain friend who was smiling like an idiot

"Let's just get the books we need and go to class; I don't want to clean the classroom for being late" Junghee crunched out while grabbing the books she needed from her locker, as well as Chaejin. "Serin, are you done?"

As usual, Serin didn't heard a single word

"Jungkook... hehe, Cutie" Serin uttered

Chaejin refrain her laugh by biting her lip. Junghee on the other hand was speechless

She needs serious help

SERIN

"Alright. Let me remind you that we'll have a new student tomorrow. Be friendly, I don't want to handle another commotion here, understood?" our homeroom teacher spoke, "Yes, ma'am" we all answered in unison. "Class dismissed"

On cue, our school bell rang

I sigh. Finally, hell hours are over. "Serin" I turned my head to Chaejin, "Junghee can't go with me to the bookstore, can you accompany me?" she smiles. AT the age of 19, she already inherited her grandmother's mini bookstore since her parents said that it'll be a practice for her to be independent

"Sure, I'll help" I replied

We both walk down to the hallway where our lockers were. Just in time, we saw Junghee clearing her things from her bag and put it inside her locker. "Junghee!" we exclaimed as she smiled at the sight of us

"Where are you going? Chaejin told me you can't go to the bookstore" I said

"Sorry, my mom called. She told me to look after Jungkook for the night, he caught a slight cold" My eyebrows raised in an instant, "He caught a cold?" I reacted, still remembering not to mention Jungkook's name because of his fangirls... though I am one of them, but I'm no stalker like those on his fanclub page, nu uh

"Yeah, I better go check on him" she replies as Chaejin and I nodded

I frown at the thought. Jungkook is sick, what should I do? Should I buy him some medicines? But I'm sure Junghee already prepared some

"Just message him," Chaejin spoke, linking our arms together. She must've guessed what I was thinking about, I replied a simple hum before walking, headed towards her cute mini bookstore

Minutes passed. Chaejin and I made sure that everything in the bookstore is settled after turning the sign 'OPEN'. Her bookstore opens during the afternoon at 4 till 9 night for people to spend their time here doing to homework and reports

Even though this is a bookstore, Chaejin told us she wants the bookstore to be opened for all. Especially that it's not really famous. So, it ended up becoming a bookstore slash library lounge area

Where people can stay, research and at the same time, buy books. Plus, the land is titled to hers (She's so rich at a young age, I envy her). People who enter here will have to pay to cover her budgets with a time limit

Her grandmother has some assets before she passed it to Chaejin, so there's no problem when it comes to supply some books. Junghee and I in the other hand, help her time to time

"Welcome to 'Happily Ever After'" I greet to the customers when I passed by to the main entrance and I checked on the surroundings

"Serin," I walk towards the cashier where Chaejin was standing, he handed me some stack of books, three books to be exact "Can you put these back? I'll check the payments" I nodded and took the stack

I peek at the corner side of the books. "Good thing they're all from the same lane" I muttered. I'm a lazy person so it's really a big relief that I won't carry these books around to find their proper place and order

Since I already memorized which lane are these books are, I headed towards lane 12 and put these books by order in its serial number. Just then, a man caught my attention, he was stuffing something into a book. "Excus- "

I flinch. I was about to call him when a hand covered my lips and pulled me down. My eyes widened. A guy with long curls gestured me to be quiet as we both hide against the shelves

"Is someone there?" I heard a voice spoke. Must be the guy I saw earlier. I looked back to the man who has his hand still on my mouth. He peeked behind the small gap of the stacked books that were on the shelves

He's close. Really close

His knees were settles between my legs, his arm was beside my head, trapping me. And his face was just centimeters from mine. I could feel my heart pumped so hard against my chest and blood increased its flow along my veins all over my body

He looked at the guy's direction from the books and lean forward not remembering that he was right in front of me. I closed my eyes in distress

If this goes on, I might've died by heart attack

As I tried to peek behind my lashes, his features were displayed in all glory making me lift my lids to see more, his well-angled nose bridge and jawline that could even possibly cut a piece of paper because of its sharpness. His thin yet so eye-catching lips making me gulp a huge amount of bile to atleast ease this intense feverish emotion and his eyes looks so demeanor and breathtaking beautiful. As if those heavenly orbs were inviting my soul

"He's gone," A baritone yet smooth voice entered my ears making me shut my thought and feel something in me flutters. He removed his hand against my lips

Still stunned about what just happened. I felt a sudden rush on my skin. "Sorry about that," he spoke and stood up. He handed me his hand to help me get up, I reluctantly took his and stood up as well

"I'll be going, now... Just don't approach guys who roam around this lane" he spoke without any hint of emotion, it made me feel a slight pang in my chest. He gave me a look for a second before walking away

"W-Wait!" I called out for him, feeling something foreign in me. He turned around, waiting for me to say what I want to say. "W-Why did you do t-that? Why... why shouldn't I approach g-guys around h-here?" I tried my best to contain all my strength that was thrown out of the window when he just pressed himself against me a while ago

"It's dangerous, and before it tells itself, it'll be better for you to not know anything" he said before turning back and walk ahead, now leaving me frozen and still on my spot

What was that?

"Serin...?" I turn my head to see Chaejin. "Oh, Chaejin..." I uttered lifeless. "Are you okay? You looked kind of pale and... red" I blink feverously before cupping both sides of my face. I did feel slightly cold

"I'm okay" I answered. Chaejin seemed to not believe in any word I spoke but I assured her with a simple nod before getting back to work

Although I'm not gonna lie, that man's words stuck in my head, as if it was chanting some curse or prayer. Making me feel chills on my skin. I'm no 5-year-old, I knew something was up

And it must've something connected to those guys who roam around the 12th lane

The next day passed by like in a blink of an eye. But yesterday's events are still lingering in my head. Making me feel scared and cautious

"Serin unnie!" I heard Junghee's voice suddenly erupted right next to my ear. I turned my head to her and groan at the painful sting in my eardrums. "Are you out of your mind? You're going to make me loss my sense of hearing before I became 20!"

"You're not going to lose them because you already did! I've been trying to communicate with you in the past 5 minutes and even try calling you 'unnie' thinking that you wanna tease me and call you with some honorifics!" she ranted

Chaejin and I are 19-years-old while Junghee is still 17, she was an advanced student but she's going to be 18 soon. I always tease her to call Chaejin and I 'unnie' because indeed we are older than her but since we were best friends, it seems that our age gap didn't really come at mind

"Is something bothering you? You were quieter ever since you came back at the dorm," I shook my head as my answer, "I'm fine, just tired" I excused

She crossed her arms, "I'm not buying it. But since that we're running late, I'll let this slip once"

I let out a breath and thanked the heavens mentally. I'm still not sure what was the guy I met yesterday back at Chaejin's shop was specifically saying, but the words he implied was making me think that it was a serious matter and something that could lead danger

"You coming or you want to have a visit with the discipline's office?" I blink and look at Junghee who was now further away and waiting for me to come or not. I skip my way towards her and walk together to our school building

I guess I won't think about this for now