shades of yellow » han seojun ff

38. refresh

JUGYEONG DID NOT stop running until she was a safe distance away from the well. When she was finally able to stop, she could not help but feel bad for scaring them.

"Serves them right for nearly seeing me without makeup," she acquiesced. "Wait a second—was Seojun about to confess to Yeonwoo?" She slapped an exasperated hand onto her forehead. "Aish, my face has even managed to mess up someone's important moment!"

Before she could dwell on it further, her phone pinged. It was a message from Suho, asking her where she was. She sat on a bench, mind now occupied by him.

She liked him. That much was true. She looked at the selfie they had taken at the lake, seconds prior to her falling in. 

"It was like a fairytale." She stared blankly ahead of her. "But in reality, my life is a mess."

And she could not afford another thing to worry about other than her face.

—

Six hours later, Yeonwoo awoke to a light flashing onto her face. Groggily, she rolled her head away, trying to get away from its blazing glare.

She could feel the dusty ground under her, but she somehow felt comfortable. There was something supporting her neck—

She looked up, only to find herself looking into the equally-startled eyes of Han Seojun. Her head had been resting below his, on the curve of his arm. To make it even more embarrassing, her leg had crossed over Seojun's body, practically forcing them to be a closer distance that what was appropriate.

"What are you two doing? Here?" Came the campsite manager's incredulous voice. "This area's restricted, why are you guys here?!"

Yeonwoo protested weakly, "But sir, we weren't—"

He cut her off. "Give me your names, I have to report this to your teacher—"

"Run!" Seojun said urgently, grabbing her hand to pull her up. 

They ran off, their legs trembling beneath them due to the abruptness of their exit. To pull the girl faster, Seojun intertwined his fingers with hers. It was like an adrenaline rush—her legs quickly caught up with her torso and Yeonwoo was the one who ended up dragging him along for the ride.

They tripped over twisted and gnarled tree roots, skidded over rocky patches and semi-hills of dirt. All the way, Seojun's hand were latched firmly onto hers, warm and comforting. Whenever he squeezed her hand, she felt her heart would burst into a million flames.

Once they reached the campsite, they hid behind a tent, gasping for breath.

"That was," he gulped in a huge morsel of oxygen, "exhilarating."

"Terrifying, you mean," she corrected him. But then she burst out laughing. "Did you see his face as we ran away? I think he was even more terrified than we were when we saw that ghost!"

"Yah, don't bring up the ghost!" He shuddered. "I'm never trusting Kim Chorong ever again."

"He was right though. There was a ghost. A faceless one."

"When I get back to our tent, I am going to—" he cracked his knuckles threateningly.

"Don't! Remember those screams we heard before we reached the well? It was them. They probably saw the ghost too."

He grumbled, "It was their fault for bringing it up in the first place. Them trying to vlog a paranormal experience pah! They were just as terrified as we were. Some YouTubers."

"You're such a fusspot."

 He walked Yeonwoo to her tent, stopping awkwardly in front it. "Sooo," he began, "Do you think the manager will recognise us tomorrow?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?" She shrugged. "But I had fun, despite the consequences. Good night, Han Seojun."

"Good night, Jeong Yeonwoo."

She tiptoed into the tent, thankful that the other girls were fast asleep. But just as she was making her way to her sleeping bag, Jugyeong raised her head.

Yeonwoo nearly screamed out in fright, for the girl's hair was obscuring her entire face. "Jugyeong?"

"Is that you, Yeonwoo?" Jugyeong's voice was hoarse. "Where were you?"

"I was ... out," Yeonwoo said lamely. "What are you still doing up at this hour?"

"Waiting for you," came the girl's miserable reply. "I was worried because—I was worried! About where you were, whether you were still ... I was worried!"

Concerned, Yeonwoo said, "Are you alright, Jugyeong? Are you sick?" She took a step toward her, but Jugyeong violently jumped away, hair still covering her face.

"I'm fine!" Jugyeong whispered loudly. She coughed slightly, but managed to cover it up with a nervous chuckle. "Go to sleep! You must be feeling tired after that scare."

Before Yeonwoo could inquire further about her friend's strange behaviour, Jugyeong rolled over to the other side and emitted a loud—and fake—snore.

"Night," Yeonwoo said softly. In the dark, she substituted her dusty jacket and pants for her pyjamas. Then, she climbed into her sleeping bag, to dream of ghosts, running, and the boy who made her heart beat faster than the speed of light.