#spent half an hour finding and throwing out slugs from several rooms in the house | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bluehhj · 5 years

Text

listen to me — chapter 33

LISTEN TO ME — 0033

listen to me masterlist;

WORDS: 2.8K

(a/n: after reading this chapter, pls don't kill me, you guys will still have many reasons to do this in the future asksjkssjzhdjk said it and ran, goodbye)

Changbin could barely find a place to park.

The front of Yugyeom's house — or three-story mansion — was crowded with cars and people who kept coming, resulting in a traffic jam before the huge gates. If the idea was to throw a cliché party for Sana — the kind that everyone is silent about and only shouts "surprise" when the birthday one opens the door —, it was obvious that it had gone very wrong. Jinah was absolutely certain that, by the magnitude of the movement and the music, anyone who entered that neighborhood would immediately notice that something very different was happening.

"Look, how many beautiful women..." — Felix muttered as he walked gracefully. — "It's today, Chan hyung!"

The last one scowled, because, unlike the other australian, he felt out of place in all this.

"Today is the day I'm going to be very embarrassed and want to go home before midnight," — he added, but Felix didn't pay the slightest attention, as his eyes fixed on the face of one of the girls who were also walking in that same sidewalk, but in the opposite direction, and he completely lost his breath. However, the shock of seeing a fallen angel on Earth didn't stop him from straightening his clothes and flashing his best flirtatious smile the moment they met. Felix just couldn't imagine being completely ignored and that she was going to smile like him, only for Jinah. He not even entered the party yet and already suffered the first disappointment.

"What the hell," — he muttered, turning to look at the girl's back, just before focusing his indignant face on Choi. — "How you do it?"

"But I didn't do anything," — Jinah defended herself.

"Exactly!"

"It's simple" — Jade, who was holding hands with Changbin a short distance from the trio, intruded. — "She's beautiful; you, not."

Felix might have told the girl to go fuck herself, but he had enough self-esteem to realize how beautiful he was, and in the face of such elegance, he wouldn't stoop to the level of the rabble. So, he just ignored the laughter of the rest of the people he dared to call friends and kept walking as if nothing had happened. After that, Changbin engaged in a conversation with Jinah about something Lee didn't care to know, as he was still on a mission to leave that party with someone, and soon the four were already through the gates that led to the front yard of the house, which had a long stone walkway — though most people despised its existence and preferred to cut their way through the grass.

If they did that with the grass in his house, Felix was absolutely certain that either his mother would have a stroke or expel everyone with broomsticks.

"Hey, isn't that your hot girl from the hospital over there?" — he was forced to cut the silence strike project he was planning to halve when he recognized the girl's face that Chan showed him through photos several times.

"She's not mine" — the older australian followed his gaze and wrinkled his nose at the scene. Jennie Kim, as the girl was called, was standing near the front doors of the mansion, hugging her boyfriend while talking to her friends. Chan still felt a twinge of jealousy. — "And she's not that hot either."

As for the last statement, Felix thought quite the opposite, but he didn't think the time was right to put that detail into discussion, apart from the fact that it was obvious Chan had only said it out of spite.

The mansion was even more impressive inside. What should have been the living room looked more like a huge ballroom thanks to the absence of furniture. There was a small stage with a DJ, a dance floor, colorful globes, waiters circling with drink trays and champagne glasses, and people; many people, both downstairs and upstairs. Jinah saw only Yugyeom run around, Sana didn't seem to have arrived yet.

"Come on, let's explore." — Felix took one of Chan's wrists and dragged him toward nowhere. The last one just had time to wave to his friends and say they would meet later. Jade also soon touched Jinah and Changbin, then pointed to a certain point in the room where her other friends were. And even from afar and unaware of too many details, Jinah let out a stupidly in love sigh.

Jisung, Woojin, Hyunjin and Yoorim were talking near one of the makeshift bars. They had met there a few minutes ago, but it was long enough for the oldest of the four to order a strong drink and start talking rambunctious bullshit, so Han was already seriously considering the idea of sneaking out and leaving them alone. This until he noticed three more presences and, like Jinah, almost melt like an ice cube in the midday sun, consequently getting lost in all his actions.

The moment became simultaneous. While Choi admired how the boy was handsome — irresistible, dazzling, mesmerizing and yet another string of adjectives of the genre — in black, Jisung was trying to understand why Jinah hadn't yet been exposed in a museum, as a rare piece of art. Okay, he was used to seeing her everyday, but, on that particular night — with a nylon bustier top, high-waist tailored pants and black crystal-embellished heels and a matching color choker around her neck and eyes marked by a dark eye shadow —, Jinah looked too much beautiful. The attraction of both parties was so strong that, although not in the habit of making such a gesture in public, it was impossible for them not to greet each other with a kiss.

"You look beautiful," — Jisung said, with his lips extremely close to Jinah's, and had the vision that, if he could, would always pay to see, because it was lovely to watch her blush.

"You too," — the girl smiled, still embarrassed, and made no point of letting go of Han, not even when Jade joined Woojin and called them to drink.

Jinah didn't want much that night, being around Jisung was more than enough.

♡˖°

The clock ticked as soon as midnight came, and suddenly, it was after one in the morning. After Sana arrived — obviously already knowing everything was going on — and the whole procedure of singing Happy Birthday To You and delivering the presents was over, the dance floor filled up and the music got so loud it could almost be heard on all the block. It was a big party, where the vast majority really danced, drank, kissed, and had fun, but there were a few exceptions.

Josh was leaning over the second floor balustrade. A half-full glass was held by his fingertips as his eyes watched the ground floor boil. There was no trace of animation on his face, on the contrary. Beside him, Kirsten, his best friend, no longer knew what to do. At first, the last one thought they were there to distract their minds and have fun with the others, but, over the course of the hours, it became clear that Josh and his jealousy wouldn't have helped at all to make that happen.

"Cheer up" — Kirsten asked for what must be the fifth time. — "It's a party, not a funeral."

Since he was paying too much attention to Jade and Changbin, who were kissing right now, it took Josh a few seconds to say: — "I told you you don't have to stand behind me like my shadow."

"I worry about you."

"I'm no kid, noona" — Josh finally looked away from the scene that made his stomach turn and turned the rest of the drink in his glass. — "Where's Tzuyu? Go dance with her."

Kirsten sighed. Chou Tzuyu was one of the nicest people she'd ever had the pleasure of meeting, and had a huge crush on Josh, but Lee spent so much time thinking about Jade he didn't even notice. Tzuyu had been keeping them company a few hours ago, but, after watching the boy she was in love with suffering from someone who didn't return his feelings, she got tired of torturing her own heart and decided to walk away.

Loving and being unrequited was so complicated!

"You should pay more attention to the important things instead." — Kirsten nodded her head, referring to Jade. — "I know you like her, but getting a grudge won't get you anywhere. You missed your chance, Josh; it was Changbin who won this time. Get this straight and move on, dammit."

The younger bit the inside of his cheek hard, using all his self-control not to explode once and for all. The truth hurt, after all.

"Go take care of your life, Kirsten."

"My life is doing well, but you need to take better care of yours and fix it."

Josh squeezed the empty glass between his fingers and let a faint laugh escape his reddened lips. Then, he turned away from the railing and began walking toward the stairs.

"Where are you going?" — she asked.

"Do what you told me to" — yeah, Josh would fix your life.

Across the mansion, completely oblivious to all the sentimental torments that might be occurring around them, Jinah and Jisung chatted at one of the unoccupied tables.

Choi was sure this was her pinnacle. Throughout the party, she'd barely put a drop of alcohol in her mouth or at least stepped on the dance floor. In the old days, if someone told her that she'd become what she criticized the most in her life, she'd probably laugh and say that this was a huge mistake. But here was Jinah, despising all the benefits of single life to cuddle with Jisung. If it wasn't love, she had no idea what it was.

"I just find the food a little weird," — Choi said softly through a smile. She didn't need to raise her tone, because she was so close to Jisung that even the loud music couldn't interrupt the dialogue. The excessive proximity made it easier to steal kisses. — "That's slug," — she pointed with her chin at the portion of escargot on the table. — "Never in life will I eat this."

Jisung smiled. He was a suspect to talk to, as he had grown accustomed to such dishes because he grew up in an environment where expensive delicacies were commonplace, but he understood Jinah and should agree with her.

Jisung checked the time and looked around. It was still early, but the place itself wasn't appropriate for their vibe at the moment, so perhaps it should suggest a more interesting program, even though kissing in that dark was wonderful.

"Want to go to some diner?"

"Now?" — not that Jinah was making a point of staying in the mansion until dawn, but she thought Jisung's plans were different.

"Uh huh" — the boy stood up. — "You don't have to pretend to be enjoying staying here."

The girl almost felt her eyes watering. And her thinking the perfect man didn't exist. For this is proof that exceptions are real — at least from her point of view of an idiot in love.

Jinah and Jisung intertwined their hands and headed for the exit, not without first informing Chan that they were already leaving. He had gotten lost of Felix at some point — probably when the other australian got a girl and disappeared — and was now making up for the abandonment with liqueur chocolates.

"Sense, huh?" — he shouted in time for both of them to hear him, though he knew that, sometimes, that word didn't inhabit Jinah's lame dictionary. — "They think they fool me with this diner talk..."

"You should do like them," — Jade said, her voice breaking. It was true to say that the american was as drunk as Woojin, and it is noteworthy that, a few minutes ago, Kim was fighting a dog outside. — "So far I don't believe you'll accept leaving without kissing anyone."

"I'm great" — Chan popped another chocolate in his mouth. The truth was that he didn't want to get involved with anyone because he was tired of passing things. What was funny about kissing a girl and then never seeing her again? No, Chan was old-fashioned (so he always carried the title of bachelor, but that was a mere detail). — "The position of uncle bachelor of cats is already mine, I can't revoke it like that."

Jade rolled her eyes: — "They'll have to invent a magic duster to get all the cobwebs out of this thing between your legs."

"Jieun!" — Chan slapped her on the arm. — "Go talk to Changbin, go."

"But he's gone!"

"You were kissing him five minutes ago, woman."

Jade stopped all her movements and rewound the tape: — "Oh, yeah," — she smiled, softly, as she remembered and lifted her body from the chair. Almost fell on the table in the middle of the process. — "He said he was going to the bathroom. I'll go too. Bye, oppa!"

"Bye. Have sense!"

Yeah, she lacked sense.

Jade crawled among the people, being careful not to bump her nose or bump into anyone, but all her effort was futile when she reached the five-meter mark from the table she was sitting in a moment ago. She prepared to apologize, but, when she saw that it was Josh, all she could do was crack a silly smile.

"I didn't even know you were here, how long did you arrive?"

You see, Josh wasn't one hundred percent clear either, and, in addition to his heartache, of course things would go a much more complicated course.

"I arrived a long time ago," — he replied, his eyes carrying a hurt glow. — "You were busy with your boyfriend, so you didn't see" — it was as if each syllable cut his mouth and spread a bitter taste for his tongue, Josh wanted to throw up.

"Ah... By the way, didn't you see him around?"

"Fortunately, no."

Jade tilted her head, not understanding why Lee looked so annoyed just at the mention of Changbin. It was only after a few seconds in silence that she remembered why they didn't like each other. Jieun looked more like an old computer full of viruses.

"You've also been my boyfriend" — gave an embarrassed smile. — "But it's been so long, right? You don't have to be mad at Binnie about that."

"Time doesn't matter when you keep nurturing the same feelings for a person, it only intensifies."

"Josh-..."

"Let me do just one thing?" — by this point Joshua was already lost in his own salty feelings, that almost overflowed from his sad eyes. Though he wanted the opposite with all his might, Josh knew that Kirsten was right; his chance with Jade had passed, and nothing he could do could alter the inevitable, but he needed something. At least one last time, he needed it with all his heart. Otherwise, he couldn't overcome.

"W-what thing?" — the american was hesitant.

"Close your eyes."

The Jade Kang in her normal state would never fall for a prank like that, but the Jade Kang that carried a high percentage of alcohol in her blood was, as said before, a computer full of viruses. And computers full of viruses don't work well.

Chan's mouth opened in a perfect "O" when he saw Josh's lips stick to Jieun's; his eyes turned into two plates, so wide. And as if there was still a way to make things worse enough, Changbin also entered his field of vision like a movie scene.

"Holy fuck," — he blurted out, and dropped the chocolates on the table. — "Now things fucked up."

Kirsten complemented the scenario and, seeing that the shit was done, had no reaction but to let her shoulders fall and take on a pained expression. The worst thing was that giving Josh a sermon wouldn't even help, she had only to wait for the bomb to explode.

Jade lost contact with Josh's lips and gasped, startled. She was fully aware of how wrong that had been, but the biggest shock came only when she found a paralyzed Changbin, looking at her as if he couldn't or wouldn't believe any of it. And it hurt. It hurt like hell to watch Seo's eyes fill with tears, until one overflowed and trickled down his cheek.

"C-Changbin..." — she tried to approach, but the boy retreated a step. But what would she say? Wasn't that what he was thinking? Jade had neither arguments. — "I'm sorry..."

Changbin made no attempt to wipe the tear, just let more others fall and join it. Two words from him were enough to make the american cry too: — "You promised."

The pain in the girl's heart got three times bigger, but it didn't compare to Seo's heart pain. Changbin left, and Jade didn't have the strength to even try to stop him.

23 notes · View notes