Thursday, June 24, 2021

Neighbourhood Flowers - Chapter 23

Sora entered the campus using her white GT-R. It has been a month after what had happened, and she started to reveal her real identity whilst ignoring what people has been talking behind her back.
 
"You're going to the library again?" Bomi asked as Sora is parking her car near to the library. She has been going there every day now when there's classes. 
 
Sora looked at Bomi as she nodded. "Emm.. I have research to be done for my thesis.." She replied to her. The same excuse that she has been using all over again.
 
Bomi is worried. Sora has alienated herself for too much after what had happened.
 
Sora has been ignoring Bomi and even those guys that has been confessing their love towards her.
 
"Let’s have lunch together at the cafe today, Kang Sora." Bomi asked. She misses the cheerful and lighthearted Kang Sora. She has been missing those moments when they happily spend time with each other.
 
"I'll pass for today, Kim Bomi." Sora immediately turn down the invitation.
 
"Until when Sora?" Bomi sighed. There seems to be nothing that she can do to change her.
 
Sora forcefully smiled. "I'm just preparing myself for final. Don't worry Kim Bomi." She said to her.
 
"Don't lie to yourself." Bomi looked at her for a while before opening the passenger’s door. "I hope you'll come back to your old self soon. I'm also your friend Kang Sora." Bomi said to Sora with traces of disappointment on her face.
 
Sora looked at Bomi as she walked away--thinking about the words she just said.
 
While she has been feeling miserable over what had happened to her friendship with Hyorin and Jinjoo, she failed to see that Kim Bomi is also trying hard to support and stayed by her side right now. She should not risk her friendship with Bomi just because of her sadness.
 
Sora sighed hardly feeling burdened with everything that is happening surrounding her. “I wish I can just run away from all this..” She thought to herself.
 
* * *
 
Slowly she walked towards the cafe looking for Bomi, thinking that she might be there.
 
She looked around the campus as the winter cold weather started.  It has been a while since she walked around the campus other than being in the library.
 
Joongki saw Sora as she is walking alone heading to the café. It has been a while since he last saw her.
 
“Hello Kang Sora..” Joongki greeted.
 
Sora looked at him. “Hi.” she replied as she continues walking to the café.
 
“How are you? It’s really hard to see you around lately.” Joongki asked looking at her gloomy and unfriendly face.
 
“I’m okay..” She replied. Short. Before she goes into the restaurant looking for Kim Bomi. But it seems that she is not there.
 
She sighed.
 
“Are you looking for someone?” Joongki asked. Still patiently following her around.
 
Sora looked at him. “Kim Bomi. She’s not here it seems.” She replied before she approached the order counter.
 
She looked at today's menu showed on the board.
 
"Takeaway bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese, please." She ordered after a few second. "..and americano without sugar." She added. In need of something bitter too.
 
"Make it two.." Joongki ordered the same thing. "I thought you didn't drink coffee?" He looked at her.
 
"There are times that I just need it.." She replied as she coldly gazed at Song Joongki that is standing in front of her. A person that she used to enjoy his company but lately she has been hiding herself from.
 
Joongki looked deep into her eyes. There is a trace of sorrow in there. “I really missed seeing you around.” He said to her with his deep voice.
 
Sora silently sighed as she turned her gaze to the ground. Not able to face his eyes longer remembering how everybody has been blaming her for playing around with their ‘oppas’ heart.
 
"You must have been busy lately?" Joongki asked.
 
Sora nodded. "Final exam is around the corner.."
 
"Your orders are ready." after a while, the waiter called them.
 
"Thank you." Sora said as paid for the food before heading towards the library again without waiting for Joongki. She has been planning to spend her quite time at the library the whole day earlier.
 
"Kang Sora, you've been purposely avoiding everybody right?" Joongki followed her.
 
She is silent. Not in the mood to have any conversation on how she has been carrying herself lately.
 
Joongki hold her wrist. "I miss you Kang Sora.." He said as he tried to look at her eyes, but she is avoiding it.
 
“Let me go.” She said as she tried to pull her hand off Joongki’s, but he is holding it tight.
 
“Look at me first.” Joongki said.
 
Sora looked at him. "I'm not in the mood to play around, Song Joongki."
 
“Neither am I..” Joongki replied as she pulled her towards him.
 
[Chup] -- He planted a kiss on her lips for a slight second.
 
Sora looked at him. "What are you doing?!" she is surprised with Joongki’s sudden action.
 
"Getting your attention." He caresses her cheek. "Stop being hard on yourself Kang Sora. It hurts me seeing you like this.” He said as he looked at her eyes.
 
Sora pushed his hand off her cheek and run towards the parking lot. "No this is a mistake.. a mistake!" Sora thought to herself as her mind kept thinking of the kiss they had just now.
 
Joongki chased her that is running fast towards the library parking lot. "She must have been really furious." Thinking that he just made a wrong move just now.
 
"Kang Sora!" Joongki stops in front of her GTR that just about to leave the parking lot.
 
[creek!!] -- the sounds from an emergency brake.
 
Sora looked at Joongki surprised as she got out of the car rushing towards him.
 
"ARE YOU FREAKING CRAZY??!!!!" She hits his chest. “Nobody should be playing with their life. What more risking it for a stupid attention.” She said to him.
 
Joongki looked at her before gushing towards her for another kiss. A real one.
 
Sora surprised with the sudden kiss before she tried to push him off. Struggles to let go off him as Joongki is using his man strength to stay.
 
"Song Joongki!" A man came and pulled him off her. 
 
[Dush!] -- a fist hit his face throwing him to the floor.
 
Sora shocked looking at Juhwan who is in front of them right now before she rushed towards Joongki who seems to be taking quite a hit.
 
"Are you okay?" She asked.
 
"I’m okay." Joongki slowly got up and look at Juhwan.
 
Juhwan pulled Sora towards him. "Follow me.." He said.
 
But Joongki is fast in pulling Sora from Juhwan's hand. "She's not going anywhere." He replied as he stands in front of her.
 
Juhwan sharply glares at him. "Are you looking for a fight?"
 
[Dush!] --a fist was thrown towards Juhwan face without warning.
 
"You have started it. Why do you bother asking?" Joongki stares.
 
"Guys stop it!" Sora trying to stop them as they were fighting. Things has gone out of control – it is messy.
 
[Dush!] -- Sora was thrown on the floor feeling numb on her left cheek.
 
"Sora!" A man rushed towards her as he saw Sora got hit by them.
 
Insung looked at her cheek--swollen with her slightly bleeding lips. "Are you okay?"
 
Sora nodded as she looked at both Juhwan and Joongki who are still fighting with each other unknowingly that they have hit her. She got up wanting to stop them again.
 
"You'll get hurt again." Insung grab her hand trying to stop her, but she snapped her hands off his, ignoring the warning. Those stupid men would hurt even more if she did not interfere now.
 
[Dush!] -- She thrown her fist.
 
[Pang!] -- She slaps on their cheek.
 
[Prap!] -- She flies kicks them to the ground.
 
Sora looked at them who are now on the ground. With bruises and blood from their earlier fight -- if not from hers. Their fighting skills are no match to her when she fights properly.
 
"You're supposed to be friend. What the hell is this?" She looked at them as there are trying to get up. “You said you will win me gentlemanly. What's gentleman about all this?!”
 
"Lots of people are watching. You should be ashamed of yourself!" Insung added the flame.
 
Sora looked at him. "You're the same too!"
 
Insung surprised. "What did I do?" He scratches his head.
 
Sora sighed hard. "Stop this, guys. I am not worth it. Please get hold of yourself and wake up. Do not waste your beautiful friendship just because of me." she shed her tears. "I'm tired. I just want to finish this semester peacefully. Please."
 
"Kang Sora.." They tried to hold her hands as they looked at her crying face. Surprised.
 
They never saw her cried. Not even when she is hurt, being humiliated, or even isolated by the whole campus. She never cried. But now, at this right moment, the precious tear from her beautiful eyes falls on the ground.
 
“Please. Just leave me alone..” Sora backed off. She had enough.
 
Jinjoo and Hyorin looked at Sora from afar--feels like rushing towards her and give her hug right now. Sora must feel suffered with all that has been happening surrounding her lately. They sighed for not being able to support her when she is in need.
 
"Let’s go home." Woobin wraps a winter coat on her shoulder, giving some warmth from the wool to calm her down.
 
"Kim Woobin." Sora looked at him as she hugs him. Her tears suddenly flows unstoppably as she looked at that person in front of her. A person that she has been hoping to be here has come back.
 
"Syhh.." Woobin caresses her hair before accompanying her to the car.
 
"What did I miss?" Kwangsoo come out of the crowd hearing the noise at library parking lot as he looked at Sora's Nissan GTR rumbled away from the campus.
 
"Is that Kang Sora? What happened?" Kwangsoo pulled Juhwan and Joongki before he saw their swollen faces with bloods and bruises.
 
"What the hell has happened??" Kwangsoo surprised seeing their condition now.
 
"Fighting with each other.." Insung answered nonchalantly.
 
Juhwan sharply glared at him as he pulled Insung to face him before throwing a punch on him. 
 
[Dush!] -- a fist was thrown towards Insung's face.
 
"You deserve this too.." He said before walking off the parking lot.
 
"Ya you jerk!" Insung looked at Juhwan.
 
[Dush!] -- another fist thrown by Joongki towards Insung before he walks off.
 
"What the hell man?!!" Insung is determined to get them, but Kwangsoo stopped him.
 
Kwangsoo cannot believe those 3 gentlemen fight with each other.
 
"You guys must have gone insane. Isn’t it?" somehow seeing the situation now, immediately gave him the explanation of what had happened. Explains why Sora should not be there.
 
"What a mess.." He sighed looking at Insung, Joongki and Juhwan as they walk off their own ways.
x

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