CHAPTER ELEVEN

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SUNWOO POV

I never slept that night, I'd dropped her back at her dorm before returning to my own. I felt horribly guilty, watching her sad fawn eyes tell me she was okay. The strings of her dress falling messily, the bags under her eyes sunken from tiredness as she hung her head low defeatedly.
"Are you sure you're okay? You don't wanna talk about anything else at all?" I asked trying to make sure the girl felt safe again as she scratched her arm awkwardly.
"Yes. Thank you though Sunwoo. Don't argue with that either." She sent me a bittersweet smile before shutting the door in front of me. She only did because she knew I would scold her for being thankful. I pressed my lips together solemnly, listening as her footsteps left the doorway and it closed with a lock.

My own dorm was empty, Eric hadn't even realized I'd left. I assumed he was too drunk to by now, I faced the mirror in the bathroom and lent over the sink with my forearms extended.

"You're an idiot Sunwoo Kim." I slammed my fist down on to the granite beside the basin, my already wounded knuckles causing me to wince as it landed with a thud. The tile beside it cracked, falling to the floor in a chaotic rattle. I wish I never left her side and maybe this wouldn't of happened. I ran the the faucet, watching the blood mix with the water off my hand. She probably doesn't even trust me now. I splashed my face with water before closing it off and leaving the bathroom.

No matter how much sleep I tried to get, nothing could shake the thoughts that flew around my mind like wild whippets in the night. I slid upon the balcony door, the curtain behind me ruffling in the breeze as I lit another cigarette between my lips. Coughing up the contents slightly, I stood near the ledge observing the thin strip of woodland that the campus backed on to - watching the steadily night proceed. I had no idea how long I'd been sat here lighting spliffs. However a light crack of daylight, triggered a chime at the door.

Stumbling in, Eric fell on his bed, his jacket was missing and his tank top hung disheveled over his intoxicated exterior. I sighed to myself, crushing the stick into the gathering of cigarette buts in the ashtray.

"Oh there you are." He ran up to me and hugged me enthusiastically. He wobbled, his feet trembling as he threw his arms around me.

I groaned in annoyance shoving him off me, as he fell back on to his own bed and chuckled in a jovial burst. I filled up a glass of water, setting it on his night stand, watching as he stared up at the ceiling.

"The ceiling." He whispered as if something was listening, staring up at the ceiling warily and then back to me.
"What?" I replied in a blunt monotone; watching the blonde haired boy as he shushed me again.
"It's spinning." He added, staring up at it in terror as he hallucinated in his alcohol coma - or whatever else he had taken along with it last night.

I huffed, handing him the glass and dragging him to sit up. "Drink this and take these. Then the people spinning the ceiling will piss off okay?" I was used to Eric being intoxicated like this, the issue was he would mix his drinks with his medication. The boy was out of control at this point. There was no point in trying to help him as he'd only argue and hold a child-like grudge for weeks on end.

"Fuck you ceiling people." He glared up to it, I put my head in my hands as he chugged the water down boyishly. He wiped his mouth on the side of his arm, setting the glass down beside the night stand.

I was now tired, the awake state in my mind completely drained by the boy who was now out like a light on top of the covers of his bed. I soon went to bed myself, closing the balcony door and all the lights out in the dorm room. I laid awake for a while, the sound of the AC rattling in the background. Hoping the girl on my mind was sound asleep by now, whether it was out of guilt for what had happened to her or I had a new found protection for the new girl around campus.

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Y/N POV

I couldn't sleep, I tossed and turned - the sheets scratching in restless shuffles.  A loud shatter alarmed me, I just assumed Sunwoo had dropped something next door. I then noticed next doors porch light flicker on, the outlines of insects fluttering around it busily. Sunwoo's silhouette was leant over the balcony, cigarette perched between his ring and middle finger as he blew smoke out into the atmosphere. His leather jacket reflected in the moonlight, his hair still wavy and chaotically swept over his forehead.

He sat there all night, lighting more up as the night when on. It worried me how still he was, he wasn't on his phone or fiddling thoughtfully. Yet just still, only moving to take another hit of his lit cigarette. I had no idea how long I'd been awake watching the boy, however Eric returned in the early hours of the morning. A low lying chatter echoed as the two spoke, I watched Sunwoo put out a final cigarette before he disappeared inside completely.

With that my eyes began to flutter closed, slumber partially submerging before a yell startled me through the walls.

"Fuck you ceiling people" I sat up slightly in confusion, giggling to myself out of stupidity as a Eric's drunk voice resonated muffling slightly due to the barrier. After that, everything quietened down - I was able to find some peace within myself that allowed me to sleep contented despite it only being the early hours.

Whether this peace lies, in the new friendship I'd formed with the supposedly problematic boy from next door or it was something more than that.

I hoped he was too asleep through the plastered wall that separated us..
LA is a place full of fakes, people who use you for the thrill of it all, people who force you to be apart of their trashy acid trip, yet he's been the only person I could trust here so far. I was grateful for that, criminal or not he's taken care of me in ways I never thought that anybody could.

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AUTHORS NOTE

sunwoo doesn't like being thanked guys & eric is x726327 chaotic whilst intoxicated (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞ !

i'm almost falling asleep whilst typing this authors note omg anyways ! friday tomorrow ! well done on completing ur week i'm sure you've done amazing ! <3

i'll do anymore edits in the morning ! i just wanted to get a chapter out whilst i still could ily !

sending all my love..

clover <3

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