Lie Again! Chapter 88

<Chapter 88. Neatly, Clumsily (2)>

 

“Are you really going to be like this?”

 

After ordering two drinks and handing the menu back to the waitress, Jin asked the boy sitting across from her in disbelief. He was staring out at the beach with a sulky face, resting his chin on his hand.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

Evan rolled his eyes to steal a glance at Jin before looking back toward the shore. His aloof demeanor made Jin let out a huff of exasperation. And him with such a pretty face, too. 

 

‘If you’re going to play innocent, at least don’t make it so obvious that you’re sulking.’

 

On this sunny Sunday afternoon, the small seaside cafe where they sat was a familiar place. Jin had spent time here just a few weeks ago, sitting alone with another man.

 

The clear weather, the people enjoying their holiday on the beach, the sound of the waves lazily rolling in from the distance.

 

Even the face of the waitress who had just taken their order was the same as before—everything was identical except for one thing: the boy sitting in front of her.

 

Two hours ago, when Jin stepped out of Evan’s car, she had frozen upon seeing a Mexican restaurant with a somewhat familiar exterior. She had whipped her head around to look at him, but since he smiled with a perfectly nonchalant face as if he knew nothing, she had looked away, feeling uncertain.

 

It was the same beach she had come to with James, and the same restaurant she had visited with James.

 

‘Was there anything else to do around here?’

 

It had only been a few days since she had fallen for his subtle coaxing and spilled everything that had happened with James.

 

‘…It must be a coincidence.’

 

Jin had tried to push the memory of Evan’s face—the way he had smirked with only one corner of his mouth lifted while saying “Oh, really?”—out of her mind. But the lingering suspicion she had tried to ignore was confirmed just now, at the cafe they came to after lunch.

 

Jin stared with narrowed eyes at the boy who was still playing dumb. By now, he seemed to have given up on acting casual, as he sat there with a crooked expression, stirring the coffee the waitress had brought.

 

Watching him, Jin, who had been sipping her iced tea because her throat was dry, suddenly burst into a fit of giggles. At that, Evan’s gaze, which had been fixed solely on the distant beach, drifted toward her.

 

“…What are you laughing at?”

 

“Because you’re cute.”

 

“How?”

 

“The fact that you’re sitting there with a sulky face after coming all the way here because you’re jealous.”

 

“….”

 

Thump.

 

Evan’s knee, which had been pressed close to hers under the cramped table, bumped against Jin’s thigh. Looking at the boy who was picking a fight for no reason because he had nothing to say, Jin bumped her leg back against his. Then Evan bumped her again.

 

Sparks flew between their clashing gazes. A silent battle played out several times under the table.

 

It seemed to be a fairly even match, but before long, the tide turned in Evan’s favor. He trapped both of Jin’s legs between his own thighs and squeezed them tight.

 

“No fair using strength!” 

 

Despite her protest of unfairness, Evan simply shrugged. An annoyed Jin tried her best to break free, but his firm thighs didn’t budge an inch, as if they were made of stone.

 

“Alright, alright. Let go first and let’s talk.”

 

Evan didn’t even pretend to hear Jin’s hurried attempt at a truce. While she was making a fuss trying to win, he leaned back and casually sipped his coffee as if nothing were happening, which made him look even more obnoxious.

 

However, that only lasted a moment.

 

“Ow, that hurts.”

 

As Jin winced in pain, a surprised Evan quickly relaxed the strength in his legs. Just as he was about to check on her—

 

“Are you okay—?”

 

Thump.

 

“I won.”

 

Taking advantage of the gap, Jin kicked Evan’s leg and quickly stood up from her chair, laughing triumphantly.

 

Evan stared at her playful face in disbelief, then shook his head and stood up to follow her.

 

“So, is the next stop Point Avenue?”

 

Evan looked down at the girl, who was smiling mockingly, with narrowed eyes for a moment before speaking.

 

“I changed my mind.”

 

He then strode ahead toward the cafe exit. Jin followed behind him, chuckling.

 

“Hey. Seriously, why did we come here?”

 

Jin asked as she carefully moved her feet, which were sinking deep into the sand. The sand digging between her toes felt warm. With every step she took, kicking her feet out one by one, grains of sand showered down through her sandals.

 

“….”

 

“I promise I won’t tease—ack!”

 

As she was kicking her feet while chasing after the silent Evan, Jin momentarily lost her balance and stumbled. Evan quickly reached out and caught her by the arm.

 

Even though he had been walking half a step ahead the whole time as if protesting his sulkiness, he had reacted faster than her. Jin thanked him with a bewildered expression.

 

Evan shot the girl a sharp look before turning his eyes forward again. He still hadn’t let go of her arm.

 

“I didn’t want Wood to be the only thing in your memories of this place, Jin.”

 

At the blunt answer that finally came, Jin’s eyes widened as she stared at the back of his brown head, and then she let out a chuckle.

 

The smell of the sea brushing past the tip of her nose, the laughter of children running across the white sand, the cool blue waves rolling in.

 

All of it made Jin feel good, but the best part was definitely this boy.

 

“But how did you know I even went into the ocean with James? I didn’t tell you that.”

 

“You…!”

 

“I’m joking.”

 

Jin gave a beaming smile to Evan, who had whipped his head around at lightning speed. Just as she was about to nonchalantly pass him by—

 

“Whoa, whoa, wait a second!”

 

Evan caught Jin as she tried to walk past and swept her up into his arms, supporting her under her thighs. Jin’s eyes went wide at the sudden height, and she grabbed Evan’s shoulders.

 

Her eyes met his at a completely inverted level. His green eyes, rippling like summer greenery in the sunlight pouring behind Jin’s back, curved gently.

 

The face looking up at her silently with a mischievous smile was so dangerously handsome that Jin’s fingertips curled. The body heat transferred through his thin T-shirt to her palms was hot.

 

But after being distracted by the boy’s face for only a moment, Jin realized her situation and muttered uneasily.

 

“You’re not, right?”

 

Because Evan, who was holding Jin, was walking straight toward the ocean without hesitation.

 

“I think I am.”

 

A light voice drifted out, as if he were just going for a casual stroll. The moment she heard that, Jin tried to make a quick escape, but it was no use.

 

After easily overpowering the struggling girl, his steps toward the water were relentless.

 

Before long, the soles of his sneakers touched the seawater, and in an instant, they were completely submerged. His jeans also began to soak through into a dark color, but Evan didn’t care at all.

 

“Evan, Evan! I was wrong, I don’t have any spare clothes—eek!”

 

Jin, who had been desperately pleading while wrapping her legs around Evan’s waist to avoid touching the water, was terrified to see the seawater already up to his waist.

 

Looking into her eyes, which still held a tiny sliver of hope as if she couldn’t believe this was happening, Evan gave a brilliant smile.

 

“From now on, whenever you come here, this is the first thing you’ll remember, right?”

 

“You…!”

 

Splash.

 

Before Jin could finish her sentence, the two figures disappeared beneath the waves. A spray of water, sparkling like jewels in the warm southern sunlight, shot up over the surface.

 

* * *

 

In the evening, as a darkness tinged with faint orange began to settle, Riley was pushing Evie on the garden swing when she turned her head at the faint sound of a car exhaust.

 

As soon as she saw the green Mustang in the distance, she let out a small laugh as she followed her daughter, who was running toward it in excitement.

 

The car came to a stop in front of the house, and Riley smiled at the welcome face stepping out from the driver’s seat. But then, after seeing Jin step out of the passenger seat, she looked back and forth between the two with puzzled eyes.

 

It had been too dark to see clearly earlier, but now she could see that the two kids looked like a pair of drenched puppies. More accurately, puppies that hadn’t fully dried yet.

 

“Did it rain today or something?”

 

“Evan will answer that.”

 

At Riley’s question, Jin glared at Evan. Instead of explaining the circumstances, Evan just smiled, showing off his pretty dimples. Then he greeted Evie, who was clinging to Jin’s side. 

 

Evie hid behind Jin and gave a small “Hi” before avoiding eye contact; despite having run out so excitedly, it seemed she was being shy again after not seeing him for a few weeks.

 

Riley shrugged and caught Evan just as he was about to get back into his car.

 

“Stay for dinner. I bought plenty of Panda Express.”

 

“Next time.”

 

When Evan shook his head, Riley didn’t press further and instead watched the two of them—who were in the same frame for the first time in a while—with a satisfied look. She didn’t know what had happened, but the two were still bickering while looking at each other with eyes full of lingering affection.

 

She watched Evan say goodbye to Jin and tossed out a mischievous comment. It was a welcoming gesture for his return.

 

“The previous guy was nice too, but it’s still good to see a handsome face again.”

 

“From now on, I’m the only one you’ll be seeing.”

 

Evan gave a confident grin. While the person who made the remark was perfectly bold, Jin was the one who felt embarrassed and looked away, causing Riley to burst into laughter.

 

“Alright, I’ll look forward to it.”