Chapter 16: CHAPTER 14
HAN JIHAN
I stood a few steps away from Joah and Bekel, waiting for them to be done with their goodbye kisses and nuzzling— no scenting yet, because Joah hadn't told his parents.— which did not seem to be going to end soon. I can feel Mian's gaze burning the side of my face. But I keep the anger that threatens to poison my veins at bay.
Joah finally let go of Bekel and said "I see you soon, alpha." Bekel leans to press one last kiss on his lips. His eyes never leave Joah as he makes his way to me. I threw an acknowledging smile at him before grabbing Joah's wrist and sprinting off to the woods. It was late. I'm late. It's already dawn.
Cold breezes hit our flushed skin as we keep running through the woods. Gasping for breath at some points and doing the run all over again by breaching every ounce of strength in our systems.
The last rays of the sun bled through the branches of the enormous trees that touched the golden sky with their leafy hands. It's like a gold rush. It would be a golden moment and I would have been standing here with my mouth agape, looking over my head to absorb every single second I could behold this and breathe in all the enchantment in this late evening air if it wasn't for Mian doing what he absolutely did. Plus the rush of adrenaline I'm feeling right now thinking of mom waiting at the doorstep of our home with a frown on her face.
But I don't want to dwell on that now either about the thing Mian did to me at the lake. I just want to give some room to the bliss trying to spread its wings from the far corner of my heart's chamber and let it fly out in the world to make me float in the air. . .
So I did just that.
A laugh stumbles out of my mouth and echoes through the woods in a loop as I let another and another give the gone one's company. Scaring Joah out of his skin in the process, was yet another reason to laugh my mind off. I feel like I'm crazy, out of my fucking mind. But I love this. It's as if I'm having different people live in my body all at once.
And I have no idea how long I'm going to feel this way.
"Oh, Jihan!" Joah let out a wild laugh and almost tumbles me down with his hands dumbed on my shoulders.
We run,
And run, and run until our legs shivered to keep us straight. I crouched with my hands on my knees, gasping and wheezing for some air to fill my burning lungs. And Joah stands just beside me, in a position that mirrors mine. Sweat drips down his flawless skin as his crystal blue eyes look into mine. A pleased smile on his pretty scarlet lips.
"ooowh, that was insane!" He says with an edge to his voice. I laugh and throw my body at him. Our limbs tangled and my back ache a little at the uncomfortable position we are in now, Joah's muscles shut down completely for him to balance my weight and led us to fall.
A laugh still manages to push out of our tired systems as I manage to stand on my feet.
"As much as I don't want to go, I can't stay here if I wish to see the outside world again," I tell him.
"I could say the same thing. You know, my parents aren't much better." Joah pats my shoulder, then squeezes it.
I watch as he runs off to his home with a smile on my face. He swirls and waves at me with a bright smile. And I so eagerly wave back. I can picture myself with the same bright smile he offers me on my face.
I blow out a breath when he fades from the sight of my eyes. The sun went down just before we made it out of the woods and now it's dark and starts to become scary. I have never been out at this hour, let alone, alone. I should get back home before it becomes scarier. I turn to leave. Only for me to freeze on my feet. Eyes going round and mouth parted.
Am I seeing things?
Or am I dreaming?
"Jungho?" I breathe.
Jungho stands in front of me in all flesh. I run my eyes up and down his form, wanting to make sure it's him and not me fantasizing. He's in more casual clothes than I saw him last in. A light blue short sleeve shirt which almost looks like white with the lack of light and a pair of khaki pants. His brown hair parted at the center as his locks flowed to each side.
Handsome as always.
Even in this dark, I can make out his tired eyes and it still holds the magic that I feel draws me into them. Those brown eyes, I could spend my life just looking at them.
"Is that you?" I wonder out loud, taking measured steps toward him.
"Do you always stay out this late. . . with him?" Jungho's eyebrows scrunch as he asks that.
Why's he here so late? Does it mean he won't leave today? Anyway, I'm happy to see him. And delighted to have him here.
"It's not that late," I can't even think of what I'm saying as I rush toward him. My cheeks met my eyes with the smile stretching my lips wide. I want him to know how happy I am to see him again. About how many times have I thought of this. How many times I gave rise to scenarios up in my head on those sleepless cold winter nights. I reach to take his shoulder in my hand. "When did you come—" He pulls away from my touch as if it burned him.
"It's not that late? Your mom was worried sick and your dad was sitting in the courtyard with a pale face because he searched everywhere but did not find a sign of you when I got there." His forehead crinkles as his eyes glare at me.
"And you were with that alpha boy." He tells it with so much disdain. A fist closed around my guts and clench it so that I feel like I would throw up right here and now in this instant.
"Who are you talking about?" My voice is alien to my ears. My throat is dry and stiff.
"The one just left." He says. And that's when I feel like I can breathe again. He's talking about Joah. For a minute my thoughts flew to Mian and dared to think, for a second, perhaps Jungho saw us. But he did not. And I thank all the gods for that.
Is he jealous? I smile up at him because he's adorable.
"He's not an alpha!" I let him know with a laugh. It's funny that he thought Joah's an alpha. He sure is lean and tall but he's also curvy and pliant.
"Don't lie, Jihan."
"What?" Does he really think I'm lying? Why should I?
"You reek of an alpha."
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oceaanblues I'm redoing it bc I got something to add :)
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