emotions | love alarm

4 ~

Chapter Four

Ae-ri didn't like a lot of things, but one thing she enjoyed was fashion.

It was finally the weekend and she wanted to go all out after the shitty week she had gone through. She had homework she needed to complete so she would go to a local cafe and study there as opposed to the library.

She chooses on something to represent her current mood: irritated with knowledge. Her legs slip into slightly baggy light beige pants and ties a black belt around her waist, her arms pulling on white fitted crop top, with an oversized dark brown cotton button up over it. Her hands pick up some white sneakers to tie the look together and she moves to look at herself.

Today her hair was half up half down, with some curls hanging loose around her face; her makeup was quite minimal: sunscreen, mascara, some concealer, and tinted chapstick.

She gives herself a thumbs up allowing a soft smile before tugging her backpack on, and grabbing last minute things like perfume, keys, and sunglasses.

***

Ae-ri didn't really get bothered on weekends except for people to ask where she got her clothes from, so she didn't expect today to be any different.

Fate had other plans.

"Hey, it's you!" she hears from behind her.

She glances over her shoulder before doing a double take and watching as Sun-oh offers a soft smile. "Indeed," she agrees. He stops in front of her before giving her a once over, "You look different."

"I wonder why," she replies, the look in her telling him she knew exactly why.

He chuckles and at the sound Ae-ri confirms he was in a much better mood than two days ago. Sun-oh's eyes glimmer softly as the sun shines on him and she acknowledges his own outfit, "Not bad for someone catastrophically depressed."

He was wearing black jeans with white sneakers and a light navy sweater over a button-up. His accessories were minimal enough for her not to notice, but his rings stood out to her. He thanks her before dropping his hand down to meet hers, tugging her towards his destination. Ae-ri was not with the vibes. She tugs her hand out of his grip and glares at him, "Sir, what do you think you are doing?"

"Let's go get coffee."

"Where?"

"There," he points to the coffee shop she was planning on going to.

She sighs, her plans of having a lowkey day being slightly ruined. "Sure."

***

Ae-ri pulls out her math homework, tugging out her pencil case as well.

"Wow, so you really like studying, huh?"

"I want to be a surgeon," she murmurs absentmindedly, beginning on one of the problem sets.

Sun-oh sips on his coffee as he analyzes the girl in front of him. She was prettier when she was allowed to express herself, he thought to himself. She seemed to radiate power and as he recalls their previous interactions, she seemed to have all the answers to his most pressing questions. He sort of felt his heart mending with every straight up answer she would give him; most people tried to comfort him but she simply didn't have the layer of sympathy to cover up the truth.

"Thank you for Friday."

"You're welcome."

"I've been reading on emotional intelligence."

"Good for you."

Sun-oh sighs which catches her attention and she takes off her blue-light deflecting glasses she liked to wear while studying. Her eyes catch his in annoyance and she throws a book at him, "Make yourself useful if are going to interrupt my study session with your bored sighs."

"How did you know I was bored-"

"I have that effect on people."

He bites his lip to stop from laughing and thanks her as she hands him spare paper and pens to take notes on.

***

"This was fun, I had fun," he comments as they start gathering their belongings.

Ae-ri huffs in annoyance. He had insisted on interacting with her and her social battery was as drained as ever. She had managed to finish her homework, but he kept asking her questions about this and that--whatever came to mind.

"I guess," she replies.

She gets up and tugs her shirt down slightly just as Sun-oh's eyes drop down to her figure. She had taken off her jacket as she got warmer a while ago and he hadn't realized he has never truly seen her body.

He had known she wasn't fully Korean by the melanin in her skin, but by her figure, he could confirm it as fact. Her body resembled a gentle S from both the front and the side, her curves not excessively prominent but definitively present. She wasn't as skinny as most girls, but she was fit which he found more impressive.

"Stop staring," she comments as she tugs her jacket on.

Sun-oh's eyes immediately avert their gaze and a soft blush creeps up his cheeks. "Sorry, I just have never seen your frame out of our school uniform."

Ae-ri shook her head, an amused smile playing on her lips before tugging on his sweater to motion they could leave.

He slides out of his chair and they approach the exit.

"Do you want a ride home?"

"That would be lovely, thank you."

***

"I didn't think this is what you meant."

Ae-ri and Sun-oh's butler look at each other inquisitively as he opens the door for her even though she insisted she would open it herself. Sun-oh tugs on her wrist and she exhales before sliding in next to him, leaving the middle seat open.

They begin the drive to her home and Sun-oh takes soft glances towards her every now and then.

"So, does this mean we are friends now?"

"Define 'this,'" she says after a second of contemplation.

Sun-oh opens his mouth to speak and closes it upon realizing he didn't have a definition.

"Sorry, I forget you're slightly slower than most," she teases. He spots the slightly glimmer in her eyes of amusement and shakes his head, "Brutal, Ae-ri. Absolutely brutal."

Soon they pull up to her home and Sun-oh could tell her family was well off by the large structure before him. He gets out of the car to open her door before his driver could do so and he smiles as he extends his hand.

She slips her hand into his, slightly thankful, and pulls it away after dismounting from the vehicle. They stand awkwardly, not really knowing how to say goodbye, but she breaks the silence first. "Thanks for the personal escort," she nods her head. "Anytime," he smiles. Sun-oh offers her a fist bump and she snorts before commencing a more complicated handshake.

Ae-ri smiles at his gasp of amazement before saying, "Yes."

Sun-oh furrows his eyebrows at her comment in confusion, "Yes?" Ae-ri looks into his eyes and offers him a gentle smile that makes him warm inside, "It means we are friends."

He could not pass up this opportunity.

"Define 'it,''" he replies carefully. Ae-ri shakes her head, a smile peeking through at his words, and turns on her heel, "I take it back."

"Wait, no! I'm sorry."

"See you tomorrow, friend."

He smiles to himself as she gives him a wave from behind and enters her home.

_____________________________________

a/n

im currently playing arceus and it's rlly good