The cold night breeze was perfect as Yi Jeong and Ga Eul walked to the coffee shop near Ga Eul's house. Yi Jeong insisted on taking the car but Ga Eul couldn't pass up such a perfect night. It's been a week since their 'friendship' started and they've been doing great. Yi Jeong would visit her every day either to deliver his letter or to take her out, and Ga Eul has been smiling more than usual in his presence. This was one of the 'taking her out' nights.
"So, how's work?" he asked as they made their way through the calm streets. Her eyes sparkled at the mention of her job. She loved those kids.
"It's been really good. The kids are amazing and they've been doing real great at pottery." They both smiled as they remembered two days ago when Yi Jeong showed up at her class and started mingling with her students. Next thing she knew, he was making pieces for them and telling them tips. Since then, the kids showed a distinct interest in pottery. Especially the little girls who seemed at awe with Yi Jeong the way Ga Eul was when she first met him.
"That's awesome. How's Joo Eun? Is she feeling better?" Ga Eul couldn't help but smile even wider at his genuine concern for her student. Joo Eun had been sick when he visited, she had a fever running and she was sent home early. She was touched that he remembered.
"I've been told that she's doing okay. She might already come to school tomorrow so that's a good thing." Yi Jeong smiled at the information. They reached the coffee shop and they were slowly making their way to the vacant seats at the far corner when they heard someone call out Ga Eul.
"Miss Chu!" the pair turned their heads and Yi Jeong saw a boy, probably his age or a year younger, make their way to them. He was wearing casual clothes, in contrast with Yi Jeong's suit, and he had a 'just out of bed' looking hair. He had a huge grin on his face as he looked at Ga Eul. Yi Jeong felt like ripping him to shreds already. Ga Eul seemed to know the little punk.
"Oh, Jung Su! I told you to call me Ga Eul." she said with a smile when the boy came up to them.
"Right, sorry, Ga Eul." the boy profusely blushed and Yi Jeong wanted to knock his head off for the way he looked at Ga Eul. Like a crushing schoolboy.
"How is Joo Eun? Will she be going to class tomorrow?" she asked.
"Ah, yes! She's feeling better now. She says she misses you already." His sweet tone made Yi Jeong want to punch his sorry face. He kept his cool though, glaring at him instead.
"That's great. We miss her too." Jung Su looked at Yi Jeong as if just realizing he was there.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Jung Su, this is Yi Jeong." Jung Su extended his hand for a shake but Yi Jeong just gave him a stiff nod.
"Yi Jeong? So Yi Jeong? The famous potter?" he asked. Yi Jeong didn't bother giving him a response so Ga Eul just nodded her head
"This is Jung Su, Joo Eun's older brother." She introduced. A call from Jung Su's table disturbed their little chat and he excused himself from the two, not before giving Ga Eul a flirty smirk that Yi Jeong knew all to well. He was silent as the continued to walk to their table. They sat down and Yi Jeong still wasn't saying anything, he just had a hard look on his face.
"What's wrong, sunbae?" she asked, confused at his sudden change of mood. Yi Jeong looked at her for a brief moment before shaking his head.
"Nothing." Ga Eul frowned at his cold answer. Then she smirked as she realized what made him angry.
"You're jealous, huh?" a smile was playing on her face as she said this. Yi Jeong looked away.
"Pfft. Who's jealous? I was just…" he couldn't think of anything. Ga Eul laughed at his uneasy face.
"You ARE jealous!" she told him, triumphantly.
"Of that little toad you were talking to? He's no threat, Ga Eul yang." He said, more to himself than to her.
"Then why are you so pissed?" she was still teasing him. Yi Jeong narrowed his eyes at her smiling face.
"I'm not, Ga Eul yang. Now can we just order?" Ga Eul frowned at him. Why was he acting so stingy? Maybe he really wasn't jealous. That thought somehow made her sad. She quickly shrugged off her feelings and proceeded to look at the menu. It wasn't dinner so she didn't have to order a meal, which she found hard considering he always insisted on paying. The waiter took their orders and both of them kept quiet. Yi Jeong still had that look on his face and he wasn't looking straight at her, Ga Eul was playing with the tissue paper, tearing it apart just for something to do. The situation got even more awkward as two girls made their way to their table.
"Yi Jeong oppa!" one girl said. She had tight clothes on and a short skirt that Ga Eul had to wonder how she wasn't freezing her ass off. She hoped she would.
"Oh. Hi." He said, awkwardly, looking at Ga Eul for her reaction. She gave him the same hard look he gave her.
"How are you? We haven't seen you in soooo long!" the other girl said. Ga Eul wasn't a violent person but she had her moments. Like right now, when she was resisting the urge to pull the girl's ridiculous ponytail.
"I've been away. This is Ga Eul." he gestured to her. The girls looked at Ga Eul, criticizing, as if wondering why someone so ordinary would be hanging out with their beloved 'oppa'. Ga Eul gave them a smile. The girls didn't even nod their heads in acknowledgement as they continued their conversation with Yi Jeong. He looked like he would kill to be anywhere else but there. Still, that didn't stop Ga Eul from feeling all ignored. When did she start being like this? Like one of those bimbos who constantly wanted his attention. Luckily, their orders arrived and the two girls had sense enough to leave them. It was Yi Jeong's turn to ask questions.
"Why so quiet, Ga Eul yang?"
"Nothing, I'm fine." She shrugged. She was having blueberry cheesecake and so she concentrated on devouring it.
"We're not rushing, Ga Eul yang." He told her, noticing her sudden anger. She didn't even look up at him and just continued eating.
"I'm ready to go." She said, as she finished her cake in record time. Yi Jeong smiled at her obvious actions.
"You're jealous, huh?" he imitated her. Ga Eul narrowed her eyes at him.
"Please, sunbae. Don't flatter yourself." Yi Jeong just grinned knowingly.
"Whatever you say, Ga Eul yang." He continued on eating his cake. Ga Eul just sat there, uneasy. She felt like she was going to blow up if she didn't ask, so she did, without thinking…
"Who were they?" her tone surprised Yi Jeong. She sounded…possessive. Yi Jeong had to smirk.
"So you are jealous?"
"Stop that, sunbae. I'm just…asking." She wanted so much to wipe that stupid smirk on his face. She frowned as she realized his smirk just grew wider.
"Just some friends I met in some party, you sure you're not a teensy bit jealous?" It was his turn to tease and he was enjoying Ga Eul's reactions.
"NO!" she said a little too quickly which caused Yi Jeong to chuckle.
"Okay, Ga Eul yang. Just so you know, those two couldn't hold a candle against you." She smirked as Ga Eul blushed. She was really pissed now. How dare he maker her fell all these things?
"I think you should take me home, sunbae." She said with a straight face.
"You're not mad, are you?" he said, playfully. Ga Eul frowned at him.
"Take me home, sunbae." She kept her face straight, not daring to look at him in the eye. Yi Jeong stood up and Ga Eul followed. The moment the night air hit them, Ga Eul shivered. Yi Jeong instinctively shrugged his coat off and put it around her. She glanced at him and he looked away, trying to hide his small smile. She wrapped it tightly around her and they started walking to her house. The walk was anything but comfortable. Yi Jeong kept looking at her, gauging her expression. She kept a straight face while holding on to his coat. They arrived at her house and she took off the coat, handing it back to him without saying anything.
"Ga Eul yang," he finally said.
"Sunbae," she responded.
"I'm really sorry if those girls upset you." He told her, honsetly. She didn't fight his assumption anymore. She couldn't figure it out either. One minute, it was him who was jealous, and then her the next. What right did they both have to get jealous anyway? They were just friends…right?
"It's fine. Good night, sunbae." She smiled a small one at him, letting him know she wasn't that upset. She quickly entered her house and sighed. She needed to do something about this. She knew Yi Jeong's a changed man but what if he gets tempted by those girls? She needed to investigate. She needed to know that he was worth getting back in the ring again. Her thoughts traveled back four years ago when Jan Di dragged Jun Pyo to spy at them on their 'date'. She smirked as she realized what she needed to do.