Chapter 17: CHAPTER 15
JEON JUNGHO
I cut the engine off and step out of my car. It was a late spring day when I decided to visit Jihan at last. Spring suits the Northern Valmore ley more than it does the city of Aleria. I breathe in the faint smell of Jasmine as the wind blows to my face.
I'm here, really. To finally meet the boy who kept me awake at the ungodly hours of the night. As I stand here in a haze I didn't realize the hunched forms in the courtyard of Jihan's home until I'm a few steps away from them.
They rise to their feet when I am close enough. And tried to plaster a polite smile on their pale faces for me which is an utter defeat as it doesn't make them any less tense.
"Ah, Jungho, come on in." Jihan's dad is the first to talk. I undo my shoes and get in. Jungho's mom already got in after throwing a smile at me.
"You must be here to see him." He states with a nervous chuckle that flies past his lips. This is weird, the way they act. I look over at Jaewoon.
"Is everything okay?" His smile flops in a flash as he looks away, brushing past my shoulder. As I reach the living room with Jaewoon before me I spot Jia standing beside the stairs. She doesn't graze me with a gaze, instead, busies herself by pulling at a pearly bracelet on her wrist.
What's wrong with these guys?
And where is Jihan?
"Take a seat here, Jungho," Jaewoon says and plops himself on an armchair as he gestures to me at the couch before him. I bit the inside of my cheek, eyes roaming around all over the place to find him.
Why's he not here?
I take a seat, my gaze settling upon Jia. She was already looking at me, uneasiness swimming in her eyes.
"Where is him?" I worded the question that haunts my brain from the moment I got here. My eyes are still on Jia. She throws a glance at her husband who held her gaze for a second and then snaps his head at me.
"He's in the shower." He says with a nod, smiling, but it quite didn't reach his eyes.
"Yes!" Jia cries, making me squint my eyes at her. "What do you want to drink in the meantime?" She asks already on her heels to the kitchen. Then she turns at the door, and said something I didn't expect.
"Jihan is not here." Her voice is void of any emotions just like her face. Her eyes travel to Jaewoon who gulps and looks away. She continues: "He told me he'll be at the meadow which is just a hill down here and I told him to be back before dawn."
"Jia" Jaewoon's tone is a warning.
"What? You go all around to look for him but he's nowhere to be found! I'm scared, Jae. . . I— I don't know what to do or think of it." Her voice cracks at the end as tears gloss her eyes. "It's getting dark."
"When did he go?" I ask as I rise to my feet.
"Late afternoon." Jia's reply is cut short as if she doesn't believe her voice to not break while she talks. I nod and walk toward the front door. "Where are you going?" Jia calls after me. I turn to answer her but halt when Jaewoon bounces off the chair and takes big strides toward me.
"Are you leaving already?" He asks, eyes searching my face for some solace.
"I'm leaving but not for home but for Jihan. To bring him back." I put a hand on his shoulder and give it an assuring squeeze. A smile tugs at the corner of his lips and this time it reaches his eyes even though it's a faint one.
"I'll come with you." He says. But I refused it politely asking him to stay with his wife. Because I felt she needed him.
I walk outside with Jaewoon and Jia following after me. Jaewoon wrapped his arms around her delicately and she rested her head on his shoulder as they stood in the courtyard. They both watch me leave.
I shove my hands in the pockets of my pants. I guess it somehow is cold in early spring up here. That golden hue the sky had when I pulled over to the Kim's had turned into a faded pink when I was inside the house and now it's almost a dark hue of blue.
It's getting late and Jihan is not home yet.
I walk to the hill in a rush, worrying my lips. The darker it gets the more restless I get. I'm hopping down the hill. I can almost see the meadow now— what's that?
I pause on my feet. As my eyes travel around the meadow I detect two silhouettes. Two young wolves. They're lying on the grass and when they rise on their feet, their heavenly laugh rings the whole meadow and my ears. A shiver runs down my spine. It's suddenly so cold but I could not specify if it was from inside or out. I swallow.
It's him.
He's here with a guy, all giggly, and with no sign of getting home before the darkness swallows the meadow thoroughly. I don't have any idea why I hope the other guy is an omega too.
I didn't know he was bratty, but this is kind of a turn-on.
Turn on? Goodness, Jungho!
I walk down, this time as slow as a snail. I watch as the other guy touches Jihan's shoulder and says something to him.
I walk closer and closer.
Jihan's side faces me as he watches the boy go and I did too until I don't.
Because, suddenly, as I'm standing just a few steps away from him, my nostrils are attacked by alpha pheromones. I swirl and look around but no one is around. It's just us. My jaw tense as the suspicion crawls under my skin like a dreadful parasite.
Jihan twirls and takes a few steps but freezes when his gaze flies up to mine. Eyes going wide.
"Jungho?" He breathes.
"Is that you?" He wonders out loud, taking measured steps toward me.
"Do you always stay out this late. . . with him?" My eyebrows scrunch. An uneasy feeling settling on my chest.
"It's not that late," He rushes toward me. His cheeks met his eyes with the smile stretching his lips wide. I want him to know how happy I am to see him again. About how many nights I've spent in my bed with no sleep to embrace my cold body, head full of him.
But now is not the time, not when he got the scent of another alpha on his body. An alpha who's not me.
He reaches to take my shoulder in his hand. "When did you come—" but I don't let him. I move away. I don't know what triggered it but I did it anyway. It could be the ugly sensation I feel in my gut.
It doesn't matter how irritated I feel right now, I can't keep my eyes off him. His beauty is out of this fucking world, that I'm sure of. But it's starting to freak me out at this point. Even in his white polyester short sleeve shirt and brown pants, he looks holy. Truly. With that unrealistic goldness to his eyes and locks.
"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." I'm snapping, the words flying out of my mouth like the caged birds flying out of their cages for the first time in an eternity of their life in those. He looks up at me with his mouth agape.
"And you were with that alpha boy." I am taken aback by the tone of my own voice. It sounds so. . . distant and cold. And the look on his face is a slap to my face.
"Who are you talking about?" He rasps.
"The one just left."
"He's not an alpha!" He let out a laugh. Seeming somewhat relieved, I doubt why, because I know he's lying and I don't think he thinks of me as a fool to believe him. He smiles up at me, innocence oozing from his angelic face. I bit inside my cheeks, eyes boring into his.
"Don't lie, Jihan." I press. Because, I don't like the one who lies. In fact, I despise them.
"What?" He asks, disbelief is all I can see in those wide golden orbs.
"You reek of an alpha." I finally let those words that claw at my insides climb out of my clenching teeth. And Jihan stands before me like I've dumped ice-cold water over his head.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
oceaanblues
oceaanblues I'm desperate to let you know how Jungho feels :')
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone