The Rival Chapter Ten
He pulls my collar towards him, as he leans forward closer to me. He presses his lips on mine and opens it a bit to invite a more passionate kiss.
Alex
It has been a week since I am at peace. No calls, no stupid conversations with that idiot. Yet, Chen’s suggestion struck me hard.
“For the sake of our fans and to the student council’s charity event, why not show a bit of affection to me, Alex? That’d be fun,” he says and winks. He didn’t wait for my response and leaves me hanging in front of the crowd.
Why the hell does he think like that? Does DBXQ normally think like that?
Suddenly, I shiver from the cold breeze. The Christmas air hasn’t left, it seems. I place my hands in my pockets while I take a stroll in the streets—two blocks away from my apartment.
When I turn to the left corner, I see a coffee shop with a frosty and cute design, suggesting a cozy cafe for their new customers. I haven’t seen this recently. Maybe, they open recently. To ease the coolness, I decide to have a sip of coffee and enjoy its scent in peace. I have been practicing with the band for hours and honestly, it has been stressing me out.
Without looking through the menu displayed above, I confidently order, “One large coffee, please” to the attendant.
“One large coffee, sir, coming up,” she says with a smile and turns to the coffee brewer.
When I turn my back to their vacant seats, I see someone really familiar. A bad vibe gives me a sudden shive from the tip of my spine up to my head. I shake my head and turn in her direction to make sure my guess is right. Confirmed.
“Alex,” She shouts. Facing the counter, I squeeze my face out of disappointment and smile before I turn my attention to her as if I am pleased to meet her again.
“Here’s your coffee, sir,” the attendant says handing the coffee. I take it and amble to her direction, near her seat. Fortunately, she is with a friend. “Hi.” She waves her hand with a big smile reaching her ears. “How are you?”
“I’m great. You?”
“Same. It’s been a long time.” She twists her body in her seat to introduce her friend. “Anyway, my friend, Jessica.” Trying to keep my composure amidst the uneasiness, I force myself to smile.
I want to get away from her as soon as possible. “Anyway,” I interrupt her, as I point to the vacant seats at the corner most section of the cafe, where the couches are. She nods and looks away to resume their girl talk.
Relieved, I amble towards that direction with a large cup of coffee in my hand. I sit and lean against the soft material of the couch, as I release a sigh. I sip my coffee and feel the warm liquid gulp in my throat. My eyes enjoy the cozy ambiance, especially the silence. Why haven’t I known this place exists nearby the apartment?
Just before I sip, I hear the clinking of the door. I raise my face a bit to see the person entering. The attendant greets the new customer to a tall guy that seems to have a familiar back. When he scans the place to search for a vacant seat, I flick my head face down to hide. I look at him again and see his gaze. His smirk.
“Why is that idiot here?” I whisper and cluck after I see him having the same coffee I ordered. And in the same size? As much as I want to enjoy the mood of the place, my appetite for coffee plummets as soon as I see him standing there. Especially when he smiles while he ambles towards me.
He didn’t ask permission and takes a seat in front of me as if I am pleased to meet him here. “You’re here,” he says. I snort and look away.
“And why you’re here?” I place my hand underneath my chin and clench it to support the weight of my head, trying too hard to avoid his eye contact as much as I can.
“Isn’t it obvious?” He raises his cup grinning before he takes a sip with a loud slurping sound. How annoying! Fine. He’s here to enjoy a cup of coffee amidst the cold weather. There are a lot of vacant seats here. Why does he have to choose to sit with me?
Hani screams as she dashes at me and pushes me to sit nearer the glass window. I push her away from me, a subtle way to show my discomfort. Chen, on the other hand, hides his smile behind the cup he tilts to sip. She hugs me tight as she always does. She even pulls my head to kiss my cheek. Gross.
“Stop it, will you?” I push her away again. Instead of leaving me, she pulls herself closer to me—almost gluing herself.
“Oh, you’re girlfriend?” Chen asks with a smile. He squeezes his hands around the cup to keep warm. “I didn’t know you have one.” He tilts his head and smiles at us; while I glower at him.
“Yes, I am,” she replies and squeaks afterward. She covers her face with her hands to hide her face flush.
“Excuse me. I’m not your boyfriend. You’re not either. Stay away from me.” Outraged by her childish behavior, I sip my coffee to calm myself.
“Hey, I thought you miss me. It’s been years since we last met after my return to the US,” she whines. I roll my eyes and refuse to respond.
“I don’t miss a crazy woman like you.”
“Why?” She sputters.
I glare at her while holding the cup in my hand. “Look. I have no interest in women who obsessed their selves with me. Like you, you are that obsessed fangirl I have in grade school, who uses power and riches to form a fans club with hundreds of members.”
“But can’t you see, I show my love for you, Alex. I created the exclusive fans club to show how much I adore you since we’re kids,” she exclaims while holding my arms tight. I shrug and shake my arm to let go of her grip.
“But you don’t know how much you messed up my life, Hani.”
Her eyes widen and become teary, as she releases her grip off my arm.
“Thank you,” I say in an angry tone and sip my coffee to calm myself down.
“You don’t know how much I thought of you while I was there. You don’t know how much I miss you when I am separated from you, Alex.” Her tears fall down on her cheek; while I roll my eyes and look away to avoid Chen’s eyes having fun on the drama.
“I didn’t even think about you, ” I mutter. “In fact, I was very happy when you left.”
“Why? You have a new girlfriend?”
“Why would you care if I have a new one?” I purse my mouth in a self-satisfied smirk.
“I do care. Who is she? I need to know her name and I’ll tell her personally to leave you. You’re mine, Alex. You’re mine,” she sputters and abruptly stands to create a scene.
I scoff and sip my coffee. “Wow, I didn’t know you’re still a freak, Hani,” I say in a nonchalant manner.
“I am because I love you, Alex. I love you,” she presses herself to me, smooching her lips. I push her with a sneer.
“You love me?” My question makes her pause and whimper as if she raises her hope to be with me. She nods without second thoughts. I take a deep breath and sigh. “Then, leave me alone.” I look at her with a blank expression printed all over my face. Her eyes turn bloodshot and tears continue to crawl down on her cheek.
“I can’t.” She shakes her head, showing desperation while holding my arm again. “I can’t, Alex. You’re the only reason why I came back.”
“Then you shouldn’t have come back!”
She almost recoils when she hears my sudden outrage. But she slightly shakes her head and does not let go of her grip. “Tell me who’s that bitch you’re hooking up now?” she whimpers. “Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!”
Without a choice, I need to use an alibi to shoo her away. To make her drama stop and leave me alone. I need a strong reason for this. “Him,” I say while I grab Chen’s hand closer to me without losing my eye contact with her. He yelps, his eyes, and his mouth slightly widening, surprised by my move. I’m so done. This is the freakiest thing I’ve ever done with my life. I wish the earth buries me now. I know this is the stupidest idea I could think of. But what else could I do except…this.
Her face shows confusion. Her eyebrows knit together and quickly raise while she fixes her sight on my hand squeezing Chen’s hand. “What do you mean him?” She asks, pointing her fingers at him.
Chen perplexes, trying to understand the situation. I look at him with a smile to complete the pretense while I feel my stomach is twisted and cold sweat covers my whole body. “Y-yeah, he’s my boyfriend,” I say, almost stammering. She sobs but is still doubtful. “You don’t believe me? Look.” I lean myself closer to his face and grab his chin to kiss him lightly. I didn’t know he smells this good. I return to my seat to see his surprised look.
“No, this ain’t true, Alex. You’re just using him to put me down.” She remains standing in front of me, shaking her head to deny the fact. My eyes fix at her with a smile. Yet I didn’t expect Chen’s abrupt move.
He pulls my collar towards him, as he leans forward closer to me. He presses his lips on mine and opens it a bit to invite a more passionate kiss. My eyes remain open.
The sweet sensation of his lips and the scent of coffee mix up causing me sudden distress. I can’t help but remember how soft and kissable his pink lips are when we bumped on the apartment complex’s main gate ages ago.
“Why the fuck did you just do?” I whisper in a hoarse voice, pushing him a bit away from me. But not too far that Hani could notice.
“This is more convincing, you know that,” he whispers in a deep baritone, smirking.
He still locks his eyes on me with his sharp-looking gaze slowly butchering me. Our faces—too close for two men in a public place in a broad daylight. “Look.” He flicks his head in Hani’s direction. I follow and see her and her friend staring at us. “See?”
She scoffs and whines and cries in front of her friend. Realizing she’s gone, I snort and clear my throat avoiding Chen’s gaze. “Don’t take everything seriously. You know, I want her to leave me alone. That’s all.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation. I’m no stupid guy, you know.” He emphasizes the last two words with a sarcastic tone. He sips his coffee and puckers his lips as if he tries to taste my lips. “By the way, about the suggestion?”
“What suggestion?” I know he’s going to bring this up. “Are you really serious about that?”
He shrugs. “It’s for the fans. It’s what they call fan service. You want to help the student council, right? You want them to earn more to help the charity.” I nod to agree to his terms. “So, do it.”
“I don’t think it’s okay.” I look at him to study the blank expression on his face as if he tries to set aside the joke. His gaze becomes intensified, slowly devouring me. That gaze could melt women’s hearts, causing arousal. Those eyes. They’re beautiful. Shit. What am I doing? I didn’t lose eye contact and continued to stare back at his hazel brown eyes. “Is there dirt on my face?”
His response is different from what I expected. He stands from his seat and transfers beside me. Why? What is he thinking? What is he doing? That distance had me at a disadvantage. He leans his body closer, wets his lips, and his hand slowly caresses my face down to my neck. With his face too close to mine, I couldn’t help but stare at his pink lips, smell his breath, and feel his warm skin. “W-what are you doing?” I try not to stammer but the distance had me uncomfortable.
“Is that a mole on your neck?” Chen continues to cup my face as he leans closer than before and combs my hair behind my ear, suddenly feeling a cold shudder down my spine.
“Can you just release me? You know, my neck cramps.” I couldn’t help but complain. He seems to have no plans of releasing his hand off my neck as he slowly tilts his head to see my mole in a close distance. The pain becomes unbearable that I press my head on his shoulder. He almost recoils but my groans make him realize I am not joking. “What the hell are you doing?” I whisper and slightly panting.
He holds my back and rubs it up and down. “I’m sorry. I just find your mole cute.” What? What did he just say? My mole? Cute? He pauses and pushes me a bit to have a good look on my face with a smirk. “I have been dying to see it this close, Alex.”
My eyebrows furrow and snort.
Someone clears the throat. We turn to have a look. “Jun?” Chen utters in a disturbed tone. Unexpectedly, our faces turn red while pushing away ourselves and he returns to his seat avoiding Jun’s look.
He raises his arm to wave his hand, forcing himself to stretch his lips wide to smile. “H-hi, guys!” He presses his lips, seeming uncomfortable with what he has seen right in front of his eyes. “Ah, a-anyway, I have to…” He points at the counter where the staff waits for his order. After he hands his card to the cashier, he looks at us again and giggles while shaking his head.
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