Reassuring and comforting

"You have been already watching him for years," he said, "You know, I am starting to think that you have some sort of feeling towards him."

He extended his hand towards her and hugged her from the back. His words caused her eyes to widen for a while before she let out a chuckle.

Then, she voiced out, "What is that? Is that jealousy in your tone?"

"Hmm," he responded, "I get really scary when I am jealous. That's why, don't look at him anymore."

In that moment, she merely took his words as a joke, and while a smirk formed on her face, she turned to face him. 

Then, moving her hand forward, she held on to his cheeks and vocalised, "Yes, yes, yes. I understand. Can you even be scary at the first place?"

Chuckles left her mouth after that.

Taking that as opportunity, he moved his head closer to her and pecked on her lips softly. Taken aback by his actions, she pecked him on his nexk once he stood up straight.

"Geez! You had nothing to be jealous about. You are the only one who can make me feel this way," she vocalised, "But I suppose it would be cute to see you be jealous once in a while."

°°°

When Youngjae had left to communicate with the other adults, Yura found herself watching Yejoon again. At this point, this had turned to be a habit of hers.

She noticed how depressed his mood was when he saw Jisoo talk with other men and started to think of him as someone pitiful.

Throughout the entire time, she was clearly able to see how attached he was to Jisoo. If it was for Jisoo, there was nothing he would be able to do.

He immensely loved Jisoo.

But being close with Jisoo, Yura knew that Jisoo did not have that sort of feelings towards him. She viewed him as her younger brother.

Yura was aware of how terrible Jisoo's state was, and although Jisoo did not indulge her on the details, after seeing Jisoo talk with those men, she knew that everything wasn't as simple as it was on the surface.

But although it causes her heart to clench painfully everytime she encounters such a scene, she was completely helpless. It deeply saddened her that there is nothing she us able to do for her closest friend.

She was aware of how Yejoon shares the same sentiments as her. No, his emotions were way worse than her. From his dull eyes, she was able to guess that it was slowly killing from inside.

The only thing she was able to do right now was to pray for two of them to get a happy ending at the end. That would be enough to satisfy her.

When one of the men placed his hand on Jisoo's hand, Yura clenched her hand tightly. There was a persistent urge within her to move forward and punch that man on the face.

Pursing her lips into a thin line, she took in a deep breath and tried to compose herself when she noticed Yejoon's countenance.

She realized how the man had become completely pale, and frown was visible on her feature. He felt sick when he turned his back on the room and started to leave.

Seeing that caused a sudden urge to develop within her. After glancing at Youngjae once, she saw the deep conversation he was holding with the men.

Knowing that it would take him a while, she decided to follow after Yejoon. It wouldn't hurt to take a glance.

She wasn't able to describe the emotions that went through her. It was somewhere between concern and curiosity.

°°°

After slipping out of that party, she searched around for the signs of the man. A smile formed on her features when she finally spotted him standing under the tree.

She noticed how his shoulders were shaking while he stared at the ground. That caused her chest to tighten painfully.

Even though she planned to watch him from the back initially, now she wasn't able to resist the urge to take a step forward towards him.

She placed a hand on his shoulder.

He immediately slapped her hand away while turning back to face her. Her eyes widened when she noticed the tears that glistened at the corner of her eyes.

She just stared at him silently right then with her heart aching at him painfully.

"What are you looking at!? Get lost!" he loudly exclaimed.

"You know, I can't leave someone alone when they are looking this pitiful. 

If you want to cry, I can lend you my shoulder. That would be better than crying alone. What Jisoo is going through his terrible, and it breaks my heart as well.

Probably your feelings are much stronger than mine, but aren't we both on the same page? It will be fine to comfort each other."

Right then, the image she had of him was a little boy who had met with immense sadness. There was that kind of innocence present in his eyes.

This lead her to extend her hands towards him and pull her into a hug. She then patted his back softly in order to provide him with warmth.

Even though he did not show any attempt to hug her back, he leaned his head against her shoulder, and for then, that was enough.

Back then, she had failed to notice the pair of eyes that glared at both of them; she was oblivious to the grand consequences that might come with this.

°°°

The day that caused him to be provoked was still clear in her mind. It wasn't because of the trauma that followed after it.

The reason for it was Yejoon.

Maybe it took a much longer than that for her to actually have a friendship with him, but that's when, the special bond between them had started.

She felt her hand being pulled, and turning back, she noticed that Yejoon was wide awake now. Bringing his palm over to his mouth, he softly kissed on it.

When it came to Yejoon, she couldn't consider these actions to be intimate or in that light. She knew that this was his own way of reassuring and comforting himself.