Chapter 169: Which Lingerie Are You Choosing?[June’s POV]
The last thing I needed tonight? Underwear.
Yeah. Actual underwear.
Because there’s no way I’m staying at Ian’s place without it. Absolutely not.
My luck, I’d end up flashing him in my sleep or something.
How the hell do I buy underwear with him trailing behind me like a lost golden retriever?
I side eyed him pushing the basket.
Ugh, he’s literally everywhere.
Think, June. Think.
"Ian," I said sweetly, tilting my head.
He raised an eyebrow, already suspicious.
"I, um, need to use the restroom real quick. Be right back."
Before he could even open his mouth, I bolted.
Okay. Mission Secret Panty Grab is officially in progress.
I darted down random aisles, glancing left and right like I was plotting a heist, until...jackpot.
I spotted it: glowing like a holy light in the distance.
The lingerie aisle.
My safe haven. My embarrassing little secret corner.
I made my way over, pretending to casually browse while internally screaming. Everything was just... so much lace.
Why was everything see-through? Like, can I not just get some cotton boyshorts without looking like I’m a lingerie model?
My stomach flipped.
Still, my hands landed on this pair.
This soft pink with lacey edges.
Cute, kinda hot, not too crazy. I held it up, squinting.
Yeah... okay. This works. This is fine. Besides, nobody will ever know.
And then.
Through the aisle.
A shadow.
I froze.
Someone was staring straight at me... through the see-through lace I was holding up to my face like an idiot.
Holy.
Actual.
Shit!
My eyes went wide.
I shoved the underwear down, trying to fold it in half with shaking hands just as the figure stepped closer.
Not Ian.
Not some random woman shopper.
Ren.
My heart started racing so fast it was embarrassing.
"June!" He broke into that stupid easy smile, like he hadn’t just caught me. "Wow... hey."
His eyes flicked down at my hands, then back up to my face, amused. "Didn’t expect to see you here."
I wanted to die. Actually dig a hole in the floor and crawl in.
"I uh..this isn’t..." I stammered, shoving the underwear behind my back like I wasn’t totally caught red-handed.
"I actually saw you walk into the aisle and yeah had to check if it was really you."
I was pretty sure my soul left my body right then and there.
"I was just uh lost. Wrong aisle." I smiled awkwardly.
Ren tilted his head, grinning. "Lost? In the lingerie section?" He raised a brow. "Ohh, I see."
"I was," I snapped, my face was already turning red. "I was..uhm looking for uh skincare."
"Right," he said. He took another step closer, dropping his voice slightly. "It’s very obvious. The skincare section is over there."
My soul literally left my body.
"What!" I hissed, clutching the underwear in a fist so tight it probably ripped.
He chuckled.
Before I could reply back, I heard Ian’s voice from somewhere near the snacks aisle:
"Juney? Where’d you go?"
Panic. My stomach flipped. Oh god.
I shoved the underwear back on the rack so fast it dropped onto the floor, and Ren bent down to pick it up before I could. He held it up between two fingers.
"You sure you don’t want this?" he teased. "Pink lace huh? It’s cute. You should get it."
Heat crawled up my neck, down my arms, everywhere. My palms were sweaty, and I was ninety percent sure my heartbeat was loud enough for him to hear.
Oh my god. No. No no no. He cannot say that. He cannot look at me like that. This is illegal.
I opened my mouth to say something, anything...but it came out as this strangled squeak.
I wanted to vanish. Crawl into the shelf behind me and live there with the paper towels forever.
"Hmm, I should...uhmm..." I hissed, glancing down the aisle like someone was going to pop out of nowhere.
And of course. Of course. Because the devil works hard but Ian works harder...
"Juney?" His voice. Right behind me.
I froze.
Oh god. Oh no. Not him. Please, anyone but him.
I turned slowly...very slowly and there he was. Ian.
Striding toward us with a bag of Oreos in one hand, looking like the devil himself had answered my prayers in the worst way.
His eyes flicked from me, to Ren, to the lace dangling between Ren’s fingers.
Oh My God.
That was it.
The ultimate humiliation moment of my life.
June Halloway’s Most Embarrassing Story.
Because I was literally stuck between two guys. One I’d had a crush on since forever, the other I was only just starting to develop these messy, confusing, maybe romantic feelings for.
And where did fate decide to shove me?
The lingerie aisle.
They both looked at me at the same time. I wanted the floor to swallow me.
Like, congrats June, you’ve unlocked a new trauma!
I swear my soul left my body the second when I heard his voice.
"Juney, I’ve been looking for you."
"Ian..." I started, but he was already walking towards me.
"So this is where you disappeared to? Left me all alone so you could sneak off to get lingerie? What, were you shy to come with me?" He smiled.
I made a strangled noise that was supposed to be words. "I I wasn’t...it’s not what you think." I quickly grabbed the lingerie set from Ren.
Ian raised a brow. "Oh, hi Ren." His tone was polite, but his eyes? Looking dangerous.
"Hey, Ian," Ren said, smirking.
"I came to get you," Ian told me, his eyes kept flickering between me and the lingerie aisle.
"I...I know," I muttered, moving backwards like that would fix anything.
Ren tilted his head. "Wait! Are you already two together?"
"No!" I said instantly, too loudly.
Ian didn’t even hesitate. "Not entirely," he corrected smoothly, sliding closer and placed his arm on my shoulder. "I’m still chasing her."
He reached me, and before I could blink, his thumb brushed the corner of my lips.
"There," he said casually, like Ren wasn’t right there watching. "Lipgloss. It’s sticky." His eyes flicked at Ren, then back at me. "See how soft and plump you lips are."
My entire body shut down.
Did he just compliment my lips in front of Ren?
Ren’s smirk twitched, like he was trying not to laugh. "Ohhh... I see."
And then Ian, the menace, looked down at me and smirked wider. "So, babe, which lingerie are you choosing?"
I groaned into my hands. "Please stop saying it like that. I’m embarrassed already!"
Ren chuckled. "Babe, huh?"
Ian reached over, casually picking the lace set out of my hands to inspect it. "This one’s cute," he said, holding it up. "Would look good on her."
"IAN!" I yelped, my face turned red instantly.
He leaned down, whispering just for me, "Relax, Juney. You think too much." Then, louder, for Ren: "She’s picky though. Might take her a while."
Ren smirked, his eyes kept flicking between us. "Cute dynamic you two have."
Ian’s expression softened as he looked back at me, and then he dropped the line like it was nothing. "Yeah! She’s spending the night with me. Helping me grieve." He patted my head, then cupped my cheek gently, smiling down at me.
Why did he have to announce it? Omg!
Ren raised his brows. "That’s... cute."
Ian tilted his head at him, dropping his voice. "Yeah. Speaking of cute... how’s Jackie? Your girlfriend." His smiled. "You holding up okay?"
Why did he also have to mention Ren’s girlfriend like he was trying to remind me?
Ren’s grin faltered for just a second, but he shrugged it off. "I’m fine."
And me? Still standing in the lingerie aisle, caught between two boys and one very lacy piece of fabric.
If the floor wanted to open up and swallow me, I wouldn’t even resist.