Entres Nous

“Where were you when you called me?” Yura slipped the door open, tipping her head to the side, giving the tall boy a smile. “You got here awfully fast.”

She stepped to the side to let him in, walking over and sitting on the couch, patting the seat next to her. He flopped down, stretching out his back, letting out a short groan which was quickly halted the moment Totoro jumped on his stomach. He picked up the dog, placing it next to him, rubbing it’s tummy.

“I was at my place.”

“And what happened with Seungho that drove you to alcoholism?” She was one to speak. She already had a drink at hand, sipping it as she spoke. “You can’t lie to me, I know you hardly ever drink anything heavier than two drops of beer.”

He turned her way, putting the dog on the ground and pushing his back against the side of the sofa. His lips parted to answer, but no words came out. She didn’t ask any more questions. Instead she picked up a soju bottle placed on the coffee table and passed it to him, his fingers wrapping around it and snapping the cap open. He took a large gulp, all the way until the bottle was already half way done before setting it down once more. “How was your day?”

“Good.” She licked her lips, crossing her legs on the couch. “Worked for a while and then went to watch a movie.”

“Oh yeah, how’d that go? Did your plan work?”

Yura shrugged, tipping her head back as she raked her fingers through her long hair. “I hope so. They should be alone by now.“ She groaned. “That stupid kid is way too stubborn for my nerves to take.”

He grinned. “You know you like her though. She makes you laugh.”

“Wait, what?!” Chan stood up from her seat. “What plan?”

“Oops,” Thunder chuckled. “shouldn’t have let that slip out.”

“Oh my God, that stupid bitch!” Chan slammed her foot down. “That whole G.O thing, her getting mad at me was a total fluke wasn’t it? She did it on purpose just so we would end up alone!”

“She had a good reason though! If she had just been doing it to mess with you, I would’ve said something. I am her moral compass, believe it or not.”

“Yeah, is that how you got her to spread her legs?!” She dug her nails into the palms of her hands. Chan took a deep breath in before sitting back down. “Okay, fine, that’s over and done with, I’m letting it go. Continue.”

“I do.” She took a sip out of her drink. “That’s why I want her to be happy. I know that maybe G.O isn’t the best option for her but he does like her. I like to believe he will make her feel just exactly how she deserves to feel.”

“How do you still manage to say that?”

She chuckled. “What? With everything that happened?” Yura shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I just do.”

Thunder admired that in Yura. Her faith in people. No matter what had happened to her, she had never lost faith. And that took courage. But at the same time, her faith was the thing he hated the most. Because of her faith she knew that Yura would never let go of Seungho. Because of her faith he knew that she would never move on from that hole in the ground she had made into her home. Because of her faith, Yura cried. And because of her faith, Yura could never leave his mind.



“And then the dude was like, ‘I don’t love you! I could’ve never loved you!’ and the girl was like, ‘I am pregnant!’ and the guy was like, ‘Oh my fuck,’” Yura stood up on the coffee table, pointing his finger at Thunder. “Never dump a chick if her face gets fucked up because she will come back and attempt to kill you.”

He laughed, raising up his fourth soju bottle and taking a gulp. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

It had been at least two hours by then, and they were both just about ready to drop. Even Yura’s cheeks were flushed, her body plopping down on the couch next to Thunder, her head hitting his lap. “You know, at the end of the movie the guy’s new girlfriend marries him? Even after he kills his old girlfriend? How fucked up is that? I was really mad at her when we left the movie theatre.”

“Yeah?” He smiled down at her, pressing the bottom of his bottle against her forehead. She frowned, giving him a pout.

“It’s cold and wet.”

“That’s what he said.” Thunder snorted.

Her face broke into a smile. “That wasn’t even a good one.”

Totoro took her words as a signal to jump on top of her legs, burying the tip of his nose under her palm, urging her to pet him. She scratched behind his ears, his little tail waggling before jumping off, satisfied with her treatment and ready to move on. “You know...”

“I know?” Thunder muttered, his eyes never leaving hers, lifting up his soju bottle from her forehead and taking another gulp, a last one before placing it on the side table. He wiped the dew off Yura’s forehead with his thumb, raking her hair back along with it.

“You know, you never told me what happened with Seungho that got you so upset.” She mumbled back.

“How’d you know I was upset?”

“I just did.” Yura gave him a soft smile. “I know you.”

They didn’t speak for a couple of minutes, Thunder trying his hardest to figure out what to say. Yura wasn’t bothering with thoughts, her eyes studying her friend’s complexion, going from the tip of his nose, down to his long neck.

“Do you remember the time I confessed?” The words left him before he could even think about what he had just said.

“Yeah,” She nodded to herself.

“Do you remember what you said?”

“‘I love you too. I love you so much Thunder. But-,’”

“‘But not in the way you want me to love you.’” He finished her reply. She raised a hand, her fingertips brushing against his cheek before pinching it hard. Thunder pinched her cheek back, just enough for her to stop and slap his hand away.

“Why’d you ask?”

“At that time, were you already in love with Seungho?”

She didn’t hesitate to nod. “Yeah.”

He drooped his head down, pressing his forehead against hers, his hair blending into her roots. Their eyes were millimeters from each other, their noses touching. “What is so attractive about him?”

Yura didn’t bother moving. “Everything.”

“Everything?”

She smiled. “Everything.”

He bumped their foreheads together before lifting his torso, dropping his head back. Yura rubbed the spot he bumped with the palm of her hand, giving him a glare. “Do you want me to lie to you and say there is nothing?”

“No. That’s not...” He crackled his knuckles. “That’s not something I want.”

She lifted herself up from his lap, standing up, picking up her drink from the coffee table and finishing it. “I’ll bring you some bedsheets from my room. I would offer you Chan’s bedroom, but something tells me she ain’t getting laid tonight.”

“That is not what she said!” Chan could feel the blood rush to her face, her ears glowing beet red.

“Hey I’m only the storyteller stating the facts.” He laughed. “Did you?”

She glared at him for a couple of seconds, “No...”

“See? Just a storyteller stating the facts.”

Thunder grabbed her wrist before she could walk away. She turned to look at him, shaking her arm away. “You drank too much. Go to sleep. I’ll bring a pillow.”

“Don’t go.” He stood up. “I just...”

She faced him. “You just what?”

“Go out with me.” He blurted.

Yura smiled, rolling her eyes. “Haven’t we gone over this before?”

“I’m serious. Go out with me.”

She shook her head, whirling around and walking towards her room. She wasn’t fast enough for him, her body slamming against the wall, his hands holding her wrists down. Before she could knee him he pressed his body against hers, making sure none of her moved under his form.“What the hell! What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Choose me.” He muttered, his lips right against her ear. “Choose me.”

“Thunder...” Their eyes locked. “You know my answer already. Let me go.”

“No.” He pressed his forehead against hers. “No. He betrayed you! He was falling in love with Soyeon while you were wondering where he was! He was with her! Not once did he come visit you, not once did he look you in the eye, not once did he try to comfort you. Not like I did. I was there. I wasn’t with some other girl, I was there loving you. I was there. So-.”

“I knew!” She cut him off. “I knew. I knew about Seungho being with Soyeon. Please, I’m not that stupid. I knew.”

He grimaced, pulling his head back. “So then... why?”

“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “I just... did. Thunder...” He let go of her wrists, his hands falling to his sides. He body stayed still against hers. Her fingers wrapped around his neck, the palms of her hands caressing his jaw line. “He was my first love. They’re almost impossible to forget.”

“I could help.” He mumbled under his breath.

She smirked. “I know you could. I just don’t want you to.” She brought her hands down to his chest, pushing him away. Thunder wouldn’t budge. His slammed his forearms against the wall, impeding her from slipping away from his grasp, his head burying against her neck. He breathed her scent in, his chest expanding and contracting which each inhale and exhale he took. “Thunder please...”

He shook his head, letting his forearms fall and wrap around his waist, buckling their hips together. His breath was hot against her skin, his tongue nipping at her earlobe, roaming the sides. He could feel her shiver underneath his frame, his lips closing as he pecked her temple, slowing kissing his way down to her lips. She couldn’t formulate a single word before he pressed them against hers, as tenderly as he could. They were at loss of breath once he pulled away, his arms still firmly wrapped around her.

“I didn’t let you go the first time we met,” He muttered. “And I’m not letting you go now.” He made it a silent promise to himself. He wasn’t. Not this time. Despite the respect he had for Seungho. Despite the respect he had for Yura’s feelings. Despite his own conscience. Despite all that he swore to himself he wouldn’t. And this time, he wasn’t going to break his vow.

“The end.” Thunder stood up.

Chan’s face broke into a frown. “What?! No detailed sex scene? What the hell! If the story was going to have a disappointing ending you might’ve as well have told me from the beginning.”

The tall boy chuckled. “I never said I was gonna tell you all the dirty details. Besides you have enough imagination to figure out what happened after.”

“You picked her up by her thighs, she wrapped her legs around your waist, you guys made out against the wall, you kicked her room door open, you carried her to the bed, dropped her, and then pounced?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Not bad at all, Chantal. Not bad at all.”

She grinned. “A secret talent of mine is formulating sex tales.”

“You must be proud.” He laughed along with her, walking over towards the door and grasping the knob. “I should go though since you juiced all you could out of me.”

“Sure you don’t want to talk about the dirty?” She leaned back on her chair, batting her eyelashes at him.

“I’m sure.” He beamed. “Don’t forget what I told you to tell her. Bye, Chan.”

“Bye!” She gave him a lopsided wave from where she was sitting, watching him close the door behind him. She glanced over at her phone, clicking the screen to check the time. “1:46 P.M.” She sighed. “Just another five more hours to go Chan. Just another five more hours.”