Chapter 102 - Smoking

'Fuck, Ian is so serious about her' Song Ji Hwan tried his best to not think about Song Ji Hun and be a good friend to Ian.

"Ian, does Kiaraa like you too?" subconsciously Hwan was hoping to hear she doesn't.

Ian looked a bit upset with this question, "That's the problem, Hwan. I don't know. She doesn't act like how Aera does in front of your brother. It is so difficult to read that girl's mind"

Hwan was not sure if he should be relieved or still worried.

'Stop it Hwan, please stop it, stop being so biased, please support Ian and be his best friend for once and not Hyung's brother. Ahhhh my lovely Hyung, if Kiaraa dates Ian, my Hyung's heart would be broken, ahhhhhh, what kind of a situation is this?' Hwan's mind was shouting in frustration.

"Can you find out for me?" Ian hopefully asked Song Ji Hwan.

"What? Me?" Hwan again shouted in surprise.

"Yes, she seems closer to you, can you find out what she feels for me, please?" Ian requested him.

Hwan felt like he was in a tight spot now.

"Please Hwan, please, only you can do this for me, please"

"Okay, okay, calm down" Song Ji Hwan took a deep breath and agreed to help Ian in finding out Kiaraa's thoughts.

'If Kiaraa indeed likes Ian, then there is nothing wrong with them being together. Hyung might get hurt but he just needs to accept it if that is indeed the truth. Hyung will move on, he has to.' 

Song Ji Hwan consoled himself before finding out the truth.

"I will talk to Kiaraa strategically to find out what she feels" Song Ji Hwan reiterated making Ian very happy.

"Thank you so much, Hwan, you are the best" Ian happily hugged him as Hwan found out the biggest solution to his problem.

"Don't be so happy, I want to make a few things clear before I approach Kiaraa" Hwan seriously said.

"Hmm?"

"I will not let her know about your feelings and will find out what she truly feels. I will honestly share the truth with you, so no matter what the truth is, you will try to remain sane and understand her perspective"

"You think she doesn't like me?" Ian looked dejected hearing Hwan's request.

"No, I am just saying be prepared no matter what she says. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst" Song Ji Hwan gave this advise like a true friend.

"Fine" Ian agreed and again looked around to find Kiaraa but this time she was not at the food counter.

"Where is this girl?" Ian muttered looking around.

"Relax, she must be interacting with guests, don't act like she is a one-year-old, who will get lost" Song Ji Hwan teased him.

"Let's look for her" Ian didn't mind Hwan's teasing and ran from one place to another looking for Kiaraa.

…

Kiaraa went to the backside lawn of this bungalow, there was a patio where she stepped on and sighed in relief.

So many guests approached her and they all had only one thing to say, 'You need to work hard as the next two years are very crucial for you. Take inspiration from Song Ji Hun and Kim Ian, and do well like them'

Kiaraa was tired of hearing the same thing again and again which kind of made her feel more pressured and worried about the coming two years.

So, on finding the right opportunity she sneaked away to a place where there was no one and she could be alone for a while.

"Cough! Cough!" Kiaraa smelt smoke coming from a cigarette and coughed loudly.

Realizing someone was smoking there, Kiaraa stepped down the patio and took a step forward only to see Song Ji Hun standing on the other side of the patio smoking.

This big patio was separated by a stylish wall, therefore Kiaraa didn't realize someone was standing at the other side of the wall. 

Similarly, Song Ji Hun was not aware of Kiaraa's presence as she came there from the opposite side.

He intentionally stood on this side of the patio, which won't be visible to people coming here as he needed some privacy.

When he heard someone coughing, he too was startled and before he could check, Kiaraa stepped in his line of sight.

Kiaraa and Song Ji Hun were surprised seeing each other there.

After that talk about their almost kiss, two years ago they never interacted privately with each other.

Song Ji Hun was busy with his studies and Kiaraa didn't bother herself with him as she was over that momentary crush, she developed that day.

"What are you doing here?" Song Ji Hun's hoarse voice could be clearly heard.

Kiaraa noticed his voice deepened in these two years as she was now looking at an eighteen-year-old adult.

"All those guests are very annoying" Kiaraa explained in one sentence.

Song Ji Hun nodded his head in agreement, "They should learn to mind their own business" Then he took another puff from his cigarette not minding her presence.

"Exactly" Kiaraa felt good as they always have similar thoughts, then she saw him taking a puff from his cigarette, "You smoke?" 

"What else do you think I am doing?" Song Ji Hun slightly smiled seeing the shocked expression on her face but that didn't stop him from smoking.

Kiaraa joined him on the patio where he was standing.

"Why would you smoke? Aren't you too young for this?" Kiaraa asked him one question but her eyes curiously looked at the cigarette in his hand, as if she was attracted to this piece.

Kiaraa's dad never smoked and no one from the Lee household smokes, so this was the first time to see someone so close smoke.

"I am an adult, I am not too young to smoke" Song Ji Hun answered her taking another puff and releasing the smoke, while observing Kiaraa's eye movements which were following his actions.

"Why do you smoke? It tastes good?" She asked him.

"To relieve from stress. During my exams and studies in the last two years, I retorted to smoking as it helped me handle stress better" Song Ji Hun truthfully answered her.

"You have been smoking for two years?" Kiaraa's eyes widened in shock.

Song Ji Hun chuckled at her cute expression and nodded his head.

"Does your parents know?"

"Obviously they don't"

"Hwan?"

"Hmm, he knows"

"Should I go and tell your parents, that you smoke?" Kiaraa teased him.

Song Ji Hun didn't panic and calmly asked her why would she do that.

"To show your parents that you are not as perfect as they think you are" Kiaraa stated trying to blackmail him.

"Please go ahead and tell them, you will save me from all their future expectations" Song Ji Hun calmly said not bothering even if his parents find out about his habit.

"Is it a lot of pressure to keep up with their hopes and expectations?" Kiaraa worriedly asked him.

Ian used to at least nag and complain to her if there was ever any pressure while studying but she had no idea what Song Ji Hun went through.

Sometimes, Hwan used to say he pities his brother's state but she never asked him more so he too never elaborated.

"It was fine but sometimes it got stressful that's why I retorted to smoking" Song Ji Hun pointed at his cigarette.

"Oh, is it that helpful?" Kiaraa curiously asked as she always found smoking very hot. Even when she watches movies and a smoking scene appears, she used to find the guy smoking very hot.

"You want to try?" Song Ji Hun finally asked offering his cigarette to her.

He could see in her eyes that she wanted to try it.

"I don't know how to smoke" Kiaraa confessed honestly.

"Place the cigarette like this between your lips. Inhale the smoke this way but don't let it fill your mouth. Suck the smoke down into your lungs." Song Ji Hun said while doing the same.

"Then remove it and without releasing the smoke, take a quick breath drawing in a little clean air into your lungs." He visually did what he said.

"Hold it for a second and then slowly release the smoke and air from your lungs." The smoke was released from his mouth and for a second it looked like he felt pleasure.

"Wow" Kiaraa said finding Song Ji Hun very hot at that moment.

"Hmm, smoking is fun" Song Ji Hun thought she loved the act of smoking.

"May I try?" Kiaraa asked for the cigarette.

Song Ji Hun gave it to her and she placed the cigarette between her lips, he again gave the same instructions as earlier which Kiaraa perfectly followed and released smoke without coughing.

"Wow, that's impressive. First time smokers always end up coughing" Song Ji Hun informed her while Kiaraa was feeling euphoric from her first puff.

"You coughed too?" Kiaraa took another puff.