Sweet Bites

Chapter 06: Dating Romour

The morning sunlight filtering through her window roused Seoyeon from a deep sleep at 6:45 AM. Another day of classes, another day of stress loomed. Her eyes remained closed; sleep still clung to her. Five more minutes.

She stretched, but something long and heavy pressed against her stomach. It was her oversized teddy bear, a birthday gift from Aira, designed to improve her sleep. It had worked wonders. She let out a soft groan, turning to hug the plush toy, sinking into its warmth.

But something felt off. When did her teddy bear get so muscular? And it smelled it so good she wants to bury her face in.

The comforting scent of it, unexpectedly emanating from the bear, filled her with a bittersweet longing. It makes her misses someone yet relaxes her.

Just five more minutes. Let me enjoy this comforting scent…

A gasp escaped her lips as the bear moved beneath her, arms wrapping around her waist and back.

What the hell is this? A snake? She froze, terrified of it. I shouldn't move, it won't bite me, right?

"God, you smell so f*****g good…"

Her eyes flew open at the deep, husky whisper near her ear. She saw a soft neck, softer than any woman's.

"What?" she mumbled, disbelief washing over her as she pushed herself up, her hands landing on a rock-hard chest. It hit her like a ton of bricks, she was lying on top of Johan.

Right, I forgot he was here. We were discussing the assignment, and then I fell asleep. He carried me here? I should thank him, but what is he doing in my room? Aish, this pervert!

She shifted back slightly to see his face, his eyes still closed in peaceful sleep.

Should I wake him up? Why am I even asking? Of course, I should! There's no reason to be on top of him.

She tried to pull away, but he groaned, his eyes fluttering open, meeting hers.

Before she could speak, he murmured, "What did you do to me… Seoyeon?"

What is he talking about? She thought he was still half-asleep and babbling nonsense.

"I should be asking you that! Did you do something stupid to me while I was asleep? Why are you even in my room sleeping with—" He pressed a finger to her lips.

"Shh, you talk too much," he said, closing his eyes briefly before sitting up, causing her to land squarely on his lap, a shocked expression on her face. "s**t, I'm sorry," he said quickly, regaining his senses. She scrambled off, landing on the floor with a thud.

"Aw! My butt," she winced, rubbing the sore spot and glaring at him. "I'll ask again, Johan. Why are you sleeping in my room?" His eyes widened, a blush creeping onto his cheeks, but quickly replaced by disappointment.

Wait, what's with that face? Did something happen to us?! Panic flared in her chest.

"You don't remember?" he asked. She shook her head, completely clueless.

She didn't know what he was talking about. Had something happened last night? When she told him she didn't remember, he stormed out of her apartment, disappointed and silent.

What's his problem?! Why does he look like it's my fault?

...

She groaned silently, resting her elbows on her desk, running her hands through her hair.

"Sis, you okay? Fix yourself before the teacher sees you," Aira's voice broke through her thoughts. "You look crazy." Aira shook her head, then turned back to the lesson.

Seoyeon pouted before focusing on the lecture, trying to straighten her hair. She heard Aira's lazy giggle.

"What?" Seoyeon whispered.

"Get new glasses. You've been wearing contacts since yesterday, and you still can't see the board," Aira yawned, copying notes.

Yes, I've been wearing contacts since yesterday because Johan broke my glasses.

Speaking of that pervert… never mind.

"Copy the formulas on the board, we'll have a quiz," Mr. Gong announced. The bell rang just as they finished packing up.

As they walked and laughed, they stopped at a crowd gathered around a bulletin board. Seoyeon squinted, recognizing a picture of a boy carrying a girl on his back—it was her and Johan.

Her eyes widened in shock.

"Seoyeon? Is that you? With Johan?" Aira asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

Seoyeon was speechless.

"There she is!"

A group of girls pointed at Seoyeon.

"Get her!" one yelled, running toward them.

"s**t! Seoyeon, run!" Aira shoved her, urging her to flee.

"What about you?!" Seoyeon grabbed her sleeve.

"Don't worry about me. They're after you. Go!" Aira yelled, and Seoyeon ran.

"You're going to pay for stealing Johan oppa!" the girls screamed.

Stealing? I didn't do anything wrong! He was just helping me. They thought they were dating.

She ran, finding refuge in an unfamiliar room, locking the door. She turned, gasping as she saw Johan, holding a beer bottle.

"What the f**k are you doing here?" he asked.

Johan's voice, though calm, held an undercurrent of anger and disappointment. Seoyeon felt a pang of guilt. Her gaze fell to the beer bottle he quickly concealed behind his back.

"Why are you drinking before class? You'll get detention," she said, stepping closer, arms crossed.

"Why do you care? It's none of your business. Leave me alone," he scoffed, finishing the beer and placing the bottle on an old desk.

"Why are you mad at me?" she asked. A flicker of hurt crossed his eyes. "Look, I seriously don't remember anything from last night," she said. A sharp rapping on the door interrupted them.

Knock. Knock. Knock!

"Hey, b***h, I know you're in there. Open up!"

"Emmie, I'm sure she's not here. This room is haunted, remember?"

"Shut up, Leslie. She's hiding here. Open the door!"

It was the girls who had been chasing her. Seoyeon gasped as Johan's hand clamped onto her wrist, pulling her behind a curtain.

"Wha—" she started, but he pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her before backing her against the wall, his face close to her ear.

"Don't speak, or they'll find you," he whispered, his voice slightly slurred. His cologne—a new, captivating scent—filled her senses, distracting her. She closed her eyes, leaning into him.

The knocking stopped. They were gone.

Why does he smell so good, even after drinking beer?

"Are you trying to seduce me again?" His voice cut through her thoughts. Her eyes snapped open, widening as she realized her face was inches from his neck, her hands resting on his chest. What did he say? She pulled back, locking eyes with him.

"Because it's f*****g working," he mumbled huskily. Before she could react, his lips found hers, the kiss rough and demanding. A jolt of electricity surged through her, a familiar pull, but she resisted, ignoring the urge to respond.

Oh no, not again.

"Johan… stop, you're drunk," she managed to say, but he continued, ignoring her protests. She pushed against his chest, but he remained unyielding. Finally, gathering her strength, she shoved him away.

"Stop it!" she yelled, breathless.

Slap!

Her hand connected hard with his cheek, making his head snap to the side. He touched his cheek before slowly turning back to her, his expression darkening.

"Do that again, and I'll kiss you again," he said, his voice low and menacing. Her anger flared. She thought she'd forgiven him after his apology last night, but here they were, fighting again.

"You pervert," she muttered, slapping him again. In an instant, he pinned her against the wall, his hooded eyes intense, his breath warm on her cheek.

"You said you don't remember, right? Fine, let me remind you," he whispered, capturing her lips again. But this time, his kiss was gentle, strangely familiar.

"Johan…" she breathed, not reciprocating. He tilted his head, deepening the kiss. She felt helpless, wanting to push him away but unable to.

"Please," he whispered softly, his lips demanding a response. She should be angry, but her body betrayed her. Closing her eyes, she kissed him back, as if hypnotized. His grip on her wrists loosened, his fingers intertwining with hers. It felt wrong, yet incredibly right. He caressed her cheek, then her neck.

Her free hand moved on its own, resting on his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart, mirroring the frantic rhythm of her own.

A flashback suddenly flooded her memory.

Flashback

"I found something that can help us explain the topic," Johan said, flipping through pages. He looked up to see Seoyeon asleep, her lips slightly parted.

"Are you kidding me?" he muttered, chuckling. "Hey, wake up. We're not done." He poked her cheek, smiling at its softness, but she didn't stir.

He stared at her for a moment, smirking as he took a picture before carefully scooping her up in his arms, carrying her bridal style upstairs to her room.

He gently placed her on the bed, smiling as he recalled the first time he'd carried her home.

"Mmm," she murmured, unconsciously reaching for his hand, bringing it to her face to rub against her cheek.

"Look at this nerd. One minute she's a monkey, the next thing you're a cat," he mumbled, chuckling at her cuteness. Surprisingly, she pulled him closer, hugging him tightly, mistaking him for her teddy bear.

"Nooo. You're warm… let me hug you," she whined.

"Seriously? I don't think—" Her hand moved to his ear, one of his weak spots. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. "Please stop," he breathed.

"You're handsome. You know that?" she mumbled, eyes closed. He smirked, amused by her sleep-talking.

"Can I kiss your dimple?" she murmured again. He frowned, feeling a pang of something he couldn't quite name.

Is she dreaming of someone else?

He looked away, wondering why he felt bad about her possibly dreaming of someone else.

Why do I care? We're nothing. He shook his head.

But little did he know, she was dreaming of him. In her dream, they were at a park, laughing, playing, as if they'd been friends forever.

"Johan…"

His head snapped up at the sound of her voice, his heart pounding. His gaze fell to her lips.

Numerous thoughts running inside his head, the battle between following the urge to kiss her lips and pulling away is too frustrating.

Nervously, he leaned in, giving her a quick peck.

No, this is not good. Trying to convince himself to think better. He shouldn't have done that to her. He should stop taking an advantage. He mentally scolded himself for it.

Stupid.

Before he could pull away, her hand moved to his neck, surprisingly pulling him back for a deeper kiss.

*End Flashback*

...

Johan pulled away from the kiss, their foreheads touching, both breathless. "Remember now?" he asked, opening his eyes to find hers still closed. She nodded, remembering the kiss, her face red from embarrassment. How could she do that? She mentally scolded herself.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled an apology for kissing her. Before she could respond, he asked, "Why are they chasing you?" changing the topic.

Realization dawned on Seoyeon. She straightened, pushing aside her lingering emotions.

"It's… about us," she stuttered. Confusion clouded his face.

"Someone posted a picture of us yesterday—you carrying me—on the bulletin board. Everyone saw it, and those girls… they're after me," she explained.

"This is a big problem," he said gravely.