Campus Crush 8

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Part 8

Joohyun ran fast to beat the now closing school gate but failed. She scoffed, mad more to herself than to the person who closed the gate. It’s her first time being late, and it’s all because she couldn’t sleep thinking of someone. She hates herself for not being able to resist on thinking of him. “Now, I have to be sanctioned for being late” she whispered. It’s not like she hates cleaning (the punishment for being late is to clean the campus), what she doesn’t like is messing up her schedule for the day. “I’ll have to inform mom to fetch me an hour late for our appointment.” she took her journal and write it as a reminder, then took out her book and started reading “Might as well read while waiting for the gate to open.” She thought

Yonghwa let out a frustrated sigh when he saw the gate closed, because of his band practice he can’t afford being late due to its consequence. “Aw sucks! The boys will kill me for this” he muttered. He looked at his fellow late comers that are standing near the gate waiting. And someone caught his attention, the cause of him being late today. That beautiful girl who’s holding a book and reading, totally oblivious of her surroundings, Seo Joohyun. “Such a sight to behold this early morning.” He whispered while staring at her, he dared not approach her, not with all the people around. “CNBLUE can’t practice later because of this, but Joohyun would be there after class for the sanctions too… Not bad” he smirked

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After class, the freshmen late comers were gathered and were instructed to clean up the garden area at the back of the campus. There were about 5 of them, Joohyun was tasked to clean up the leaves that fell from the trees while the others picked up weeds and some water the plants. She was heading to where she planned to start cleaning when she heard voices that made her stop and hid herself behind a tree, she peaked and was not surprised of what she saw basing from her phone conversation with her cousin Hyo last night (heart to heart talk with her mom was interrupted by Hyo’s phone call) Jung Yonghwa is really popular with the girls, and a lot had tried confessing their feelings but Yonghwa always decline, albeit nicely. Another girl has mustered the courage to confess.

“I baked these muffins just for you, oppa. Please accept it.” with the girl’s back facing her, she can see Yonghwa’s reaction.

He brushed his fingers through his hair, he gave her an understanding smile “I’m really grateful for your thoughtfulness, but if accepting your gift means accepting your feelings then I’m sorry. I hope you understand and I sincerely hope you can find a guy who’ll love you back.” He said in a sincere and apologetic tone

The girl nodded “I understand” she walked away with shoulders slightly slumped

She saw him sighed and looked around. She was hoping for him to go so that she can start her task but for some reason, it seems like he wanted to stay a little while longer.

“I know you’re there, so whoever you are just come out” Yonghwa called in a loud voice that made her stiffened “If you don’t come out from where you’re hiding then you’ll be sorry if I’ll find you” although threatening, there’s humor in his voice

Joohyun bit her lip, confused of what to do. And finally, she took a deep breath and stepped out from where she was hiding “I swear I was not spying on you” she said defensively “I swear! I’m here with good reason, I am tasked to clean this area and it so happened that you’re here too.” She reasoned

Yonghwa smirked “With good reason Seo Joohyun?” his eyes playful

“Y-yes, I was late and this is my punishment. T-that’s why I’m here” she stammered, she avoided his eyes and her face turning a deeper shade of pink

He nodded, walk towards her slowly, his eyes piercing on her “Okay, I understand” he whispered his lips inches away from her ear.

Joohyun’s eyes closed as she felt Yonghwa’s breath fanning on her ear, and felt the hair on her nape standing because of it. Her face turned from pink to crimson as Yonghwa walked away as if nothing happened. She knew her heart just did a summersault for him.

After she recovered from her trance, she started sweeping the dried leaves under the trees. “That girl must be really sad today.” She said, talking to herself loudly “Imagine how much courage she mustered to approach him and confess and just to be turned down just like that” she stopped sweeping just to snap her fingers and then back again. “That’s why, I should be contented on looking from afar, like him by myself and be contented and happy with just seeing him or playing in a band with him” she continued

“So tell me, are you one of those girls who has a crush on me?” a voice from behind startled her

“OMO!” she gasped, and just like expecting a monster in a horror film, she turned her head slowly. And she almost fainted at the sight of Yonghwa behind her, his back leaning on a tree. How she wished she can wipe off that smirk on his handsome face. Or was it mirth she was seeing in his eyes?

Her face turned bright red in embarrassment, he might be laughing at her talking to herself like that. And what’s more embarrassing is, she was talking to herself about her crush on him. “What are you doing back here?” she thanked herself for not stammering, trying to change the subject

He squared his shoulders, and with hands on his pockets he slowly walk towards her “I just want to make sure that what you said earlier was true” he said towering over her while looking at the broom in her hand

“As you can clearly see, I was trying to clean the place” she put a little sarcasm in her voice to cover up what she really is feeling inside “If that’s the only reason you’re here, then you can eave now” she continued, she wanted him to leave immediately, his presence is distracting the hell out of her

“Actually, that’s the only reason why I went here, but because I heard something interesting, I changed my mind. Meet me at the practice room after you’re done here, I’ll wait for you there.”

Her forehead creased “It might be about the song arrangement” she thought “Okay. See you later” she nodded after a while

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“So tell me, is it true that you have a crush on me?” a suppressed smile was lurking on Yonghwa’s lips. They are now in CNBLUE’s practice room and surprisingly, no one except them were there at the moment.

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