Hello, Beautiful readers. I missed saying Happy Valentine's Day to you all, so here is an early chapter to wrap up the week. I hope you all have all types of love in your lives that you celebrate throughout the year. I can't wait to read your comments :)
The sleep she thought she wouldn't be able to get; it was odd how her eyes had closed an hour after she laid on her bed. The warm blanket her body was hiding under, her eyes staring at the sealing; she only had one thought to help her drift off to sleep. The new friendship she formed, which she would reexamine every second of. The comforting melody of the rain hitting the window, forcing her to let go of her worries and drift away, was working against her. Once she was in the dream world, that would be when her subconscious would slowly start taking over. All the comfort and rest her body was enjoying were disturbed by the day's serious events that would repeat one after the other. Her body slowly pulled to the corner of the bed and found its safest place, but even that wasn't enough. Her legs brought up, and closer to her chest, she would get into the fetal position once the voices that haunted her started whispering. Like yesterday, the dark visuals that come with the muffled sounds, she was pulled back into the same hallway. The nightmares she would fight, she at least had gotten a few hours before she woke to the loud sound of her alarm.
Sunday had started with the same dark clouds as Saturday as she sat at the edge of her bed. Her body was more exhausted today than yesterday. "Huh," the loud sigh she exhaled; she chose to sit by the edge of the bed and close her eyes for a few seconds. It's all so tiring. Her right hand extended to the curtain behind her bed; she pulled gently. At least the sun was somewhat visible today. The list of things she had to do and think about, she gave herself a break to not even bother with one as she decided to wait until she had eaten. She dragged her body away from the bed; the long pajama pants she had on hand slipped under her feet, keeping her warm feet from touching the wooden floor as she headed to the bathroom.
The sink she brought herself to, her routine was always the same; she pulled her toothbrush from its charger and put some toothpaste on it. She would ignore the mirror above and choose to sit on the toilet while brushing her teeth. Her eyes she kept closed; she thought it would help with the starting headache. The only thing that could have helped would be adequate rest or finding a productive way to manage all the stressors she deals with. The water she sipped into her mouth, she had ignored the clear bite marks on her lower lip from what she had done to it herself. The long-sleeved shirt she pulled off was followed by the pants she left on the floor. The two clothing items she had slept with would be left there as she got into the warm water. Her eyes slowly closed, she turned her face towards the faucet raining down the warm water.
This felt magical.
The water going through her hair was smoothly taking her back to the wave of the ocean she had spent hours staring at last night. She might not have dared to join them, but at least it felt nice to be standing under some form of water. The water she wanted to be submerged in, she would have to wait until tomorrow, and she got to school to enjoy the old swimming pool by herself. Considering the dark and rainy day predicted for today, she considered the beach as an option. Rainy days meant fewer people at the beach. She can sneak away and have time in the water if she schedules her day correctly. She only had one thing scheduled for today anyway. But that one thing was major. The meeting scheduled for tonight, she knew all her team members except her were busy preparing all the information they had about the new people that would be added to their board. Ctrl is the main one. Even then, he had made her breakfast and left it on the table before locking himself back into the hidden basement.
The delicious-looking food spread on the table with a note stating not to disturb him. Her first smile of the day had come once she saw the smiley face he had drawn on the note. The food she was excited to eat but before she even lifted off the lid, the phone rang, grabbing her attention.
"What?" she asked, adjusting her cardigan. She had chosen to wear the same clothes as yesterday.
" Good morning to you too," Mrs Kim sounded happy early in the morning.
" Good morning," Jandi adjusted her tone. There was a level of respect she had to show Mrs Kim, but she wasn't excited about the call. No matter what it was about, it could have waited until she ate her breakfast. It was already 10:30, and the dinner she hadn't had made her a bit crankier than other days.
" Somebody is here to see you." Mrs Kim's upbeat tone was explained in one sentence.
" What?"
" The boy from last time. Remember the handsome boy," Mrs. Kim went on while Jandi tried to save herself from falling on the pants she stepped on by holding the fridge she was standing next to. Not even 24 hours ago she had gotten a similar call that messed up her day, and here she was reliving the same day but with a different member of F4. Her exhausted mind was already giving up on trying to understand the type of mess she had brought herself.
" He said he is here to talk to you."
" He asked if you were out somewhere. I didn't know what to say."
" Are you okay?" Mrs Kim asked when she didn't get any response.
" I will be there. Don't talk to him."
" What do you mean don't talk to him?"
" Don't ask him weird questions, please. I am on my way." Jandi, adjusting her pants, hung up.
" Jandi?"
" Hello?"
" Did you just hang up?" Mrs Kim asked twice before placing the phone down and walking to the table they had sat Jihoo in. On her way from the counter, she grabbed the two tea cups and loudly ordered the kitchen to bring tea and snacks. Breakfast service had wrapped up, and there was only one customer in the tiny restaurant. The staff members, enjoying their free time before the lunch rush, were all in the back, taking their breaks. Jihoo's curious eyes were picking up on everything he had missed last time. The old and worn-out table and chairs, the menu tapped to the wall decorated with a weird mixture of trees and flowers. One thing was clear: the restaurant was very clean. Mrs Kim's cleanliness that borders on a mental condition; the restaurant was cleaned twice daily. For a small space filled with pants, it was necessary to do so. There was something warm and family-like about the restaurant. Maybe it was the dynamics between the staff that had surprised him the first time he saw it. It wasn't just them. Everybody he walked past on his way here had been an interesting subject he wanted to study. The way they talked and acted, everything was so different from the people he was used to.
" She is on her way." she gave him a big smile as she placed the cups and pushed one his way. Her kind eyes had started at his hair as she slowly scanned down. It wasn't just her; even the customer finishing up his late breakfast had scanned the boy, who clearly didn't look like he belonged there. With his handsome face, it was easy for even strangers to tell he had won the genetics lottery thanks to his parents. That would have been enough, but the boy dressed in the business casual outfit also knew how to dress. The dress shirt he had topped with the cardigan and a matching long coat, he dressed differently than most boys his age. Mrs. Kim might not know much about designer brands but knew enough about fabric to assume the ones he was wearing weren't ones she could afford a yard of even if she sold this restaurant.
"These people are not rich; they are wealthy. There is a difference." She recalled what Ctrl always says when the families of the kids that attended that school are mentioned. He was correct; there was a clear difference between rich people and these families. Even the air around them was different. Just like last time, this one seemed kinder and more likable than she expected them to be. Which explained why he was here again. The type of person he had to be to get the chance to be this close enough to Jandi? She quickly questioned.
" You two seem close." She tried to downplay the importance of the question she asked by focusing on cutting the green onion she needed to prepare for lunch service.
" We work together, so we spend a lot of time together," his nervous hands played with the empty tea cup; he was adorable when nervous—being this adorable when this handsome was a dangerous combination. Jandi, who doesn't have a single friend, even from the people around here, Mrs Kim found it hard she would have anything in common to form any kind of relationship with this one.
" Work where?"
" Student council. That is why she spends much more time at school" He gave Mrs Kim a soft smile. He was nervous. Visibly nervous about how the people that were closest to her saw him.
" She is very easy to get along with, so I."
" What?" the loud laughter of the boy that hadn't changed his annoyance at Jihoo being here, just like last time, questioned Jihoo's claim.
" Jandi nonna? Easy going ?" He placed the tea he was asked to bring on the table as he continued laughing. There was no way his nonna would be considered easygoing unless she was pretending to be.
" She must really like working with you, that's why," Mrs Kim warned, her eyes focused on the boy who pretended not to have seen her warning. The things he heard he would be bribed not to spill around Bom, he was already excited about how much he could make to lie about all this. But more than that, he was excited to find something he could tease Jandi about.
" You seem really nice, so she probably likes that." Mrs. Kim tried adding with a smile.
" He seems like her type." The boy who didn't have a filter was the only one who enjoyed Jihoo's reaction.
" Why are you startled? Do you like her?" he asked, moving away from Mrs. Kim's right hand, coming to slap his back. The reaction on Jihoo's face, even the chef had leaned to the window to catch it.
" Do you?"
" YA, leave him alone." Mrs. Kim had used the green onion to attack the boy who wasn't done with Jihoo. He wasn't even giving Jihoo a break to respond to any of it as he continued.
" You better not. None of you are allowed to like her." His fingers pointing at Jihoo, his smiling eyes had turned angry in seconds.
" None of you?" Jihoo whispered, confused by what group of people he was part of.
" All you spoiled assholes."
" Especially you 4." The boy didn't seem to mind sharing every opinion of his despite Mrs. Kim's attempt to warn him to shut up.
" Go find something to do," Mrs. Kim repeated her slap on his shoulder.
" None of you are allowed to even be close to her"
" He will beat you all to a pulp before he allows that, just letting you know," The boy added another warning before he got his last warning from Mrs. Kim. Who was he talking about? Jihoo had no idea. Who was going to beat him up?
" I will do it before he does too." his last sentence was said before he walked into the kitchen, but he was loud enough for Jihoo to have caught it.
" Don't pay attention to what he says." Mrs. Kim's smile was used to defuse the tension.
" What does he mean you 4?" Jihoo's kept his eyes on the tea she started pouring; he really was so oblivious to how much these people knew about him and his friends.
" He means the F4. You guys are famous." Mrs Kim knew how to use her smile to make him less suspicious of everything they knew.
" Since Jandi joined that school, we all keep up with things related to the school."
" Aren't you a member?" placing the teapot down, she raised her eyes to him.
" I am"
"We are all shocked she made friends with one of you."
" why?"
" Well, because you are so," she didn't know the right word to finish her sentence. She glanced at his watch, which became visible when his right hand was sent to the teacup. The rare watch was enough clue.
" She doesn't have any friends at that school. It's surprising for the first one to be you" Jihoo didn't know what to say or even how to take what Mrs. Kim said. He really didn't get what was so different about him except he was rich. Sipping his tea, he kept his questions to himself as he kept giving her small smiles everytime he glanced up and caught her eyes. Lucky for him, the tv that was turned on had gotten her attention away from him.
" Isn't that you?" her excited voice, she pointed her hands at the silent TV reporting on the Shinwa corporation. The reporter standing in front of the headquarters building, not even Mrs Kim needed the logo to recognize the building.
" No, that's Junpyo." He was less surprised by them knowing that name. Everybody knew of the Shinwa Corporation; their logo was everywhere.
" He is another one. She hates him.''He wasn't sure if he should have said it, but it had slipped his lips. His eyes glued to the reporter talking about the new deal the Shinaw corporation was making to buy out the largest manufacturer of dairy products in the country, he was sure he heard his dad saying he had dinner with a few of the council members who were against that needed some convincing. The corporation that had taken over the country, even his dad, was on a speed dial when Junpyo's dad called for a favor.
" She hates who?" Mrs. Kim's hands snapping the green onions in half; she was happy to sit there and get as much information about what Jandi does at that school.
" Jandi hates him. The one inheriting that." he took a sip of the fantastic tea as he pointed at the TV with his teacup. Mrs Kim glancing up was a bit confused about what he said. Her hands had stopped moving, and Jihoo misinterpreted her confusion.
" You know they own our school"
"Yes I know"
" The son of that family goes to school with us," Jihoo added.
" Jandi knows him?" Mrs Kim tried to focus on her question-filled mind. How on earth has Jandi said nothing about this? Since when does she know these kids? Wasn't her mission to stay undetected? What is going on? The question she would save for Jandi herself, she even came up with asking Eun about this to get more information.
" Yes. She knows him."
" She even slapped him." Jihoo smiled; he was too busy remembering the incident to see Mrs Kim's startled face. He had shared something significant, and he didn't even know it.
" He did something that wasn't nice, so she had to." Jihoo started explaining when he glanced up and saw Mrs Kim's questioning eyes. The fact that Jandi knew Junpyo was one thing but having any type of relationship with him to slap him was beyond shocking.
" He had never been hit before, so you can imagine how shocking it was"
" What did he do?" Mrs Kim asked. Her serious eyes, now was when Jihoo picked on some clues that he might have said more than he should have. Jandi hadn't told her family about what happened and he had just slipped it in.
" Did he do anything to her?" Mrs Kim, dropping the green onions, asked. The silence coming from Jihoo making her even more worried, she leaned forward and demanded an answer by asking again.
" You should ask her"
" Oh I will" Mrs Kim's angry hands had snapped the three green onions she picked in half. If anybody at that school had dared to do anything to Jandi, even she would walk in there with her knife and teach them a lesson. But it wasn't just nobody. It was a member of F4. the leader himself who had done something to her and Mrs. Kim was already on the fence about telling Bom so he could step in and figure out a way to punish whatever that spoiled jerk had done.
" Jandi is strong and defended herself" Jihoo, trying to make it better didn't know what to say.
" That is what I like about her," he said, taking another sip. He knew what he said would shift the topic a little bit.
" Interesting," Mrs. Kim whispered as her hands returned to cutting the green onion. She has so many questions to ask Jandi.
" So she knows all F4 members?"
" Yes. But she is not close to them. Me and her just work together so we are closer"
" How often does she talk to you all?"
" She was at dinner with all of us Friday night." The tea was doing its job as it had made Jihoo ease up and continue making everything worse for Jandi.
" Really?"
" Yes, she looks different when she dresses up" She got her first clear hint of what this boy felt about the girl she had raised as her own daughter. She might have spent more time investigating that if she wasn't still shocked by the fact that Jandi knows the son of the corporation they all had sworn to hate until their last breath.
" In what way?"
" She is beautiful but there is something about her. Maybe it's her daring attitude." Jihoo wasn't helping his case as Mrs. Kim sat back—only needing a minute to realize how this boy liked their precious Jandi as he continued talking.
" She is so confident and daring. Even when she slapped Junpyo" The glow in his eyes when he talks about her, even how he talks about her, Mrs Kim's hands stopped again as the realization hit. Was it finally happening? Was she finally getting what she had been asking for? But this couldn't be it. There is no way the universe would send such a man to Jandi. There was no way one of the F4 boys would be it; Mrs. Kim was on her own thoughts, ignoring Jihoo, who was going on about what he liked about Jandi. This can not be it. It can't be him. There is no way this boy could be the first.
Jandi had always been unlucky, but this would be a cruel joke for the universe to play on her. There was no way Jandi's first crush would be a member of the F4. No way. Her weak heart, Mrs. Kim, was already worried about the possibility she had conjured in her mind. The man she had prayed for, who would love and spoil Jandi in inhumanly impossible ways; even for her, it was unbelievable for it to be anybody related to that school, let alone a member of F4. Even Jihoo, the kind and unproblematic one, was unbelievable for Mrs. Kim to accept. Maybe the universe would pay her in this way, Mrs. Kim thought. Maybe the universe was sending her a rich and powerful one to spoil her for all it had taken away from her. To have one of those boys fall for her and bow down at her feet, maybe it was karma. But even that didn't seem right and totally unfair to Jandi who doesn't deserve to even breathe the same air as these people. If it was karma, it should be the boy; her eyes were raised to the news, still talking about the Shinwa corporation. The smile that escaped her lips had turned to a small laugh at the ridiculous thought of it. She shook her head as she continued laughing. Beyond absurd.
" Did I say something?"
" Oh no," she said, returning her attention to Jihoo.
The questions she had for Jihoo she didn't get to ask anymore as Mrs. Kim's eyes caught the person walking to the door.
"She is here." Jihoo's eyes, following Mrs Kim, made out the girl wrapped in the black cardigan that walked into the glass door. Her untamed hair was flying to the wind; she really did look different when her hair was down. A complete opposite of her look from Friday night; it was so clear she was relaxing at home when she got the call, considering what she was wearing. A side of her he rarely sees, Jihoo slowed his scan up until he reached her face that didn't even have moisturizer on. All the glamorous makeup from Friday was gone, but the reaction her eyes that landed on him got from his heart was the same. The fluttering feeling that started at the left side of his chest and sparkled away was the same as that night.
"Hello," Jandi, walking their way, continued adjusting the cardigan she had wrapped to protect herself from the wind. He really was here.
" Hi," the way his voice had softened, Mrs. Kim had to do a double take as she caught the way Jihoo was looking at Jandi. She didn't need another proof after this. She had lived long enough and had seen enough infatuated young people to spot it. What on earth was going on? Was all she could ask herself as she sat back looking at the two. Jihoo's change would have been surprising enough, it was even more baffling to see Jandi talking to him as though he was somebody she knew very well.
" What are you doing here?"
" I said I would make it up to you." Jihoo had missed the look Mrs. Kim and Jandi exchanged; his enchanted eyes had only one job, and it was just to take the beautiful sight in front of him. The worn-out cardigan topping the carton t-shirt she had on, his eyes trailed down to the oversized pants she had tucked into her unzipped boots. How does one look this stunning even when dressed so messy? Who even leaves the house dressed like this?
" Make up for what?"
" I was supposed to drive her home." he responded to Mrs Kim's question.
" I told you not to worry about it."Jandi jumped in.
" He drives you home?" Mrs Kim's question was to Jandi this time. Jihoo's eyes followed her as she stood by Mrs Kim's side.
" I didn't"
" Who got you home?" Mrs Kim, crossing her arms, asked. From the looks the two women were exchanging, he could tell they had a language of their own.
" Let's go. I have something to talk to you about." Ignoring Mrs Kim, Jandi moved to Jihoo's side. Moving the teacup away from him so he can stand up.
" Noona, is that you?" the boy shouted from the kitchen and started running to Jandi. His long arms wrapped around Jandi, she didn't seem to mind at all as she just stood there letting the boy hug her from the back. Their sibling-like dynamics were just as interesting to watch as the first time he saw them.
" What does this punk want from you?" he asked. Jihoo wasn't bothered by the label used for him; he was busily watching how Jandi didn't seem even a tiny bit uncomfortable by the boy who had his arms around her shoulder and resting his chin on her shoulder. He knew she had no family members, but they really seemed like siblings.
" He is older than you; watch your language," Jandi warned the boy, who she tried to get his chin away from her shoulder but failed as he pulled her even closer. His scary eyes on Jihoo he was sending a message only Jihoo would pick on. He was on the list of men who would fight any man who dared take their Jandi away.
" Let's go" at her command, Jihoo stood up adjusting his coat.
" I think he likes you," the boy's laughter ignored, all eyes focused on Jihoo choking on the tea he had sipped. The teacup he was sending back to the table, he had almost spilled it.
" See," the boy being hit by the green onion in Mrs. Kim's hand continued while he started laughing at Jihoo, trying not to choke. Both women attacked him, the boy knew he better get away before Mrs. Kim stood up.
" Ignore him. Let's go" Jandi, grabbing Jihoo's arm, started pulling. Her scary eyes had turned back as she exchanged a look with the boy, who was shocked to see Jandi grabbing Jihoo's arm.
The door she was pulling Jihoo to, Jihoo, still coughing, had grabbed the umbrella he had placed by the door. She didn't seem worried about the tiny raindrops that had started; she just needed to get him away from this pace. Not just this place but this neighborhood.
" Did you see that? She is holding his hand?" the boy pointing at the two crossing the street had drawn all attention to the two.
" They seem very close," the chef, who had run out of the kitchen, all of them focused on the arm Jandi was holding. The way she was pulling him away, the way he was smiling as he followed along, all were standing by the window of the restaurant as they watched Jandi leading with her quick steps while Jihoo, opening the umbrella, followed behind.
" He is holding a 600 U.S. dollar umbrella," the boy that had Google the price shouted as all focused on the umbrella he raised to cover her. Mrs Kim's focus wasn't on the expensive umbrella but how close the two were walking. The way Jihoo was looking at Jandi, Mrs Kim's intuition, had started warning her against the assumption she was making about how cute they looked together. This is not good. Does Bom know about this? Just when the thought crossed her mind a cold sweat had gone down her spine.
" Do you know how much that is in Won?" The boy was still on the umbrella.
" Does Bom know about this?" the chef asked a question that silenced even the boy. The man who doesn't let anybody even look at her, a boy walking with her, would be a sight all would pay to see how Bom would react. They all could imagine what Bom would do if he ever learned about anyone wanting his prodigy, let alone that person being the handsome boy holding the umbrella for her. A boy coming for Jandi was one thing, but that boy being a student of that school alone would make him lose his mind, but a member of F4? None of them could even imagine how he would react to a member of F4 coming over to see Jandi.
" He is going to kill him with his bare hands." The hint of excitement in the boy's voice wasn't reciprocated by the Chef and Mrs Kim. They have lived long enough to be more worried about what they witnessed as they had zoomed their eyes on Jandi. Her smile at whatever the boy had said, the look of her eyes focused on Jihoo, was saying much more than necessary. Her scary eyes, there was something new in the way they were looking at the boy, and Mrs. Kim, who had been praying for this day, had been the one to be worried most about it. This couldn't be happening. He can't be it. Anybody from that school can't be it.
" Imagine if he really liked her and Jandi Noona liked him back?" the boy started laughing.
" Omg, Jandi Nonna liking one of the F4 boys." His laugh had gotten louder as the Chef and Mrs Kim exchanged a look.
" That would be the day Bom Hyong would burn everything down" his loud laugh; the boy was the first to leave the window and start walking back to the kitchen.
" If I were her I would jump off a building before liking any of them" the boy had added before he disappeared
The scenario he deemed impossible was already happening in front of their eyes, but Mrs. Kim had been the only one to pick on it as her eyes stayed on the two until they made a left turn and disappeared out of her sight.
" This is a shortcut." Jandi, leading the way, had to turn back to see Jihoo's reaction to the block they had turned to.
"What?" his smile, he asked, confused about why she was watching him.
" Nothing," her hands sent to her cardigan pocket; she brought them closer in hopes of closing the cardigan and helping shield her from the wind trying to push away the rain. That was his cue to offer his jacket, but Jihoo was busy thinking about what he wanted to ask her. At least he had held the umbrella closer to her so she didn't get any of the raindrops warning all to go inside.
" Were you resting at home?"
" Yes"
" No plans for today?"
" No"
" Sunday is for rest" moving the umbrella closer to her, he adjusted his steps behind her as they let the old lady pass through their narrow path. He was doing everything possible not to pay attention to his surroundings so he could focus on her. The unbelievable conditions of all the buildings they were passing, how many of them were still standing and hadn't been broken down because they weren't safe for living; he had to pause himself at that thought. What type of life does one live in these houses? The uncomfortable feeling, he had to silence it rather than process it.
" The rain is perfect for staying in.'' He tried not to but couldn't help but focus on her body that was brought close to him as they joined the narrow hallway. Her hair swung his way thanks to the wind; he got a tiny sniff of the shampoo she used, which was just as refreshing as the tea he had been drinking. For the first time, his wandering thoughts about the smell of shampoo were given more time than necessary as his eyes stayed on her. She looked so comfortable in the clothes she had on. Does she always dress like this at home? Baggy clothes seemed to fit her style but so did the fancy dress she had on last time.
" I love this" Jandi sent her right hand away from the umbrella covering her and letting some of the raindrops land on her hand. The soft-looking skin of hers and her tiny hand had his attention. The water drops bouncing on her palm, he was reminded of how soft her skin had felt every time he had touched her. With every raindrop landing on it, Jihoo couldn't help but wonder when he had ever wanted to hold a hand this much. What would happen if he grabbed her hand and held it?
" I know." With a slight smile, he changed his gaze to the narrow road.
" Since you don't have anything to do and you love the rain, I have a surprise for you." her startled eyes turned his way; he assumed she didn't seem opposed to the idea and was just surprised.
" It's to make up for not getting you home."
" You don't have to make up for anything."
" Okay, but I still want to do something." he had a quicker response to her quick one.
" What is it?"
" It is a surprise. You have to give me the rest of your morning," his anxious eyes scanned the right profile of her face; it was interesting how hard he was finding this. The hours he had spent planning after choosing what to do, none of the work he had done to make the surprise as good as it could be had made him as nervous as what was happening now. Waiting for her response was the most challenging part of the day he had planned.
" You said you had nothing to do."
" it will be fun." he extended his smile to her eyes that turned his way. He wasn't aware he didn't have to do much to get her to say yes.
" I promise." the word promise she takes seriously; it was the look in his eyes she trusted. It was Jihoo, too. His smile accompanied by his kind eyes could easily get a yes out of her. The word please he wasn't saying was all done with his eyes that she was having a hard time questioning, let alone saying no to.
"Okay," she whispered, turning her eyes to the road. She has to play cool and hide her excitement about whatever he has planned for them. Unlike her blank face, Jihoo's smile made it obvious how happy he was with her response. Somehow, the gloomy day had turned bright with just one word from her.
" Is it somewhere fancy because?" She directed his eyes to her clothes and did a quick scan.
" not at all. There is no dress code. You can wear whatever."
" I am wearing sweatpants." she kicked her leg up.
" You're beautiful in whatever." how easily it had escaped his lips; neither was ready for it.
How her face he was used to seeing every day, how it had taken him this long to admit how beautiful it was, was embarrassing. The boy, who was not used to saying things like that casually, was dealing with nothing compared to the girl, who didn't hear that word being used to describe her. She didn't accept as truth but it felt nice to hear him say it. He was nice. The jokes the men around her make about how scary she often looked; "beautiful" wasn't a word ever used to describe her by any of the men she cared about. It always came from the men she was spying on, and she hated it whenever they said it. How those filthy men were the only ones that called her beautiful, was something that never sat well with her to the point she didn't even like the word. She used to claim she never cared, but now. Not only had she felt happy to be called beautiful when she looked like this, but it was also said by Jihoo. The nice moment didn't last long before the dark thoughts came in reminding her he probably said it to be nice. There was no way she was beautiful compared to the women around him. Her eyes quickly turned to the road.
With the raindrops tapping at the umbrellas, Jandi had forgotten what she was leaving behind as they started heading to the edge of town where he had parked his car. The fancy world Jihoo was taking her to, she wasn't even remotely scared about it, but there would be somebody else to worry about her.
" I'm here to see Hyong," the man who walked into the office waited for the node from Bom before he continued his walk. The gambling table the six men were seated around, the private room of their restaurant was heavily protected by all types of security hidden in and out. All six men had their teams armed and ready to cause havoc if anything happened with the chat they were having masked as a game.
" I thought you might want to see this," the man who walked to Bom's side propped his phone so only Bom could see the picture of Jandi and Jihoo he had taken. His eyes on Bom, the man waited for a reaction but got none. Nobody has learned how to decipher Bom's emotionless face. The picture he zoomed on, his focus was the face of the boy holding the umbrella for the smiling Jandi.
" Delete it," he ordered before he turned his attention to the game.
Bom had seen enough photos of the F4 boys to recognize the boy in the picture as one of them. He trusted her enough to know what she was doing and what she was supposed to be doing at that school, but still.
What is she doing?
She would ask herself the same question when they arrived at the drive way he parked his car in. Welcomed by two men holding giant umbrellas. One had held the door open for her and adjusted the umbrella to her height. The other had done the same to Jihoo before he took the key Jihoo handed him. They were led up the three stairs and the main entrance of the building that didn't have a sign.
" What is this?" Jandi, leaning Jihoo's way, asked as she wrapped her cardigan around herself. Just looking at the lobby waiting for them, she was embarrassed by how she was dressed. Even the staff were better dressed than her. All she could do was at least hide her cartoon-decorated t-shirt with the black cardigan.
"Oh God", she muffled for herself as she looked down and caught the messy way her pants were tucked into her boots, which she had worn with no socks. They weren't even zipped correctly.
" You look fine," Jihoo, sending his hands to his pocket, slowed his walk up the stairs to match hers.
" I like the messy look," he added, getting a smile from her.
" This way, Miss," the staff leading them directed Jandi to the elevator by the left corner. The hallway they were leaving, she tried looking for any clues to where they were but found none. It looks like a fancy apartment building lobby. Before finally deciding to give up, she tried checking for any logo on the staff's uniform. Neither the two behind the desk, the doormen they walked past, nor the one leading them had any logo. Their name tags just had a symbol that she couldn't recognize. That was when she caught how they were also scanning her up and down. She wasn't surprised anybody would be surprised to see her here, let alone walking with Jihoo, who always looked well put together. Her cardigan wrapped even tighter; she sent her right hand to at least brush her hair down. Luckily, they entered the elevator and were away from anybody's view. The way she was looking at her reflection as she adjusted her hair, Jihoo found it cute. Everything she did was cute.
The staff member standing with his hands held together gave her a small smile as she caught him looking at her boots. Rather than accept that she was starting to care about how she was dressed whenever she was with Jihoo, she forced herself to act like she still didn't care.
" So, who did you meet that night?" she asked the first question that popped into her head.
" Nobody important." Jihoo's smile, his nervous hands were hidden from her view.
" Just someone from my mom's work." The girl and her father, his mom introduced him to, Jihoo knowing enough not to mention any of it to Jandi. The type of girls his mom introduced him to, he knew it would cause more problems for their relationship that hadn't even started if Jandi knew about why they were introduced to him. His anger at leaving her behind for them he hadn't fully resolved; he hoped she wouldn't ask about it. he had worked overtime to make today special because he had left spending time with her to meet them.
" I am sure everybody you meet is important."
" Not to me," the smile he kept sending her way; the staff member had been the one to pick on the smiles the two were exchanging. Jihoo they were familiar with, the presence of a girl next to him had shocked all, but they were highly trained enough to keep their smiles welcoming. None of them would have imagined that the girl they expected to see next to Jihoo would look like the girl here now. Not just because of how she was dressed but even because of how she was walking. How uncomfortable she was being there; they just had to look at how her arms were wrapped around her, and her head was held down to pick on it. Maybe he is doing somebody a favor, but what he asked them to prepare didn't seem like it was for that.
" Miss," the elevator door held open for her. Jandi was asked to lead the way out. The two men followed, and the staff members started leading them down the hallway, which grabbed Jandi's attention. Her curious eyes on the roof; she was surprised by the thick glass that was clear enough to show the dark clouds above. The glass roof of the hallway, she wasn't ready for the room they entered past the door the staff member held open for both. The glass roof covered the room they walked into; her startled eyes had turned to the thick glass-covered walls, showing the distant view of the city but mostly the garden section of the golf club they were in.
" Oh" was the only sound that escaped her lips. Even her legs stopped moving as she raised her eyes to the roof. The dark clouds still hanging over the city, and the tiny raindrops trailing down the glass were just as enchanting as the view from the glass wall all around. The staff member staying behind was busy noticing how Jihoo was looking at the girl amazed by the room. It was so easy to see how enamored Jihoo was by whoever this girl was. The staff waited to give them some time before leading them to the main space. The whole floor Jihoo had booked for private use; they had cleared the whole space to ensure everything was done according to what he requested.
" This is the east view, " the staff member started describing what Jandi's eyes had landed on as she moved in the direction he was leading them.
" This way," the staff member pointed at the right turn he wanted her to make. Her big eyes glanced back at Jihoo, he got his confirmation that this was the perfect place. All the hours he had spent watching her eyes staring at the garden view from his office, he was sure she liked these types of views.
" huh," she whispered in shock. Her eyes weren't ready for the grand view of the golf course the whole glass wall was exposing. The whole room emptied out, they had turned the corner of the room into a warm picnic area. The glass wall in front opened to let in the breeze to set the mood for the vibe they were told to set up; the corner had turned to one of those fancy picnic setups she sees on magazines.
" I wanted it outdoors, but the rain," Jihoo stopped his explanation as he stood there, letting her wandering eyes take in the view in silence. The sound of the rain still hitting the thick glass, the sound of the city a long distance away both added to the soft piano playing for the speakers around; the melody of the space was just as enchanting as the view. She followed the staff member walking to the sitting area in her slow steps. They were given pictures of picnics, and they had done their best to set up the sitting area to the best of their ability. The heated mats under the beautiful blankets and pillows spread across. It had taken three staff members to set up the place to be as romantic as they could imagine to go along with the mood of the gloomy day. What money could do, they had even brought in an artificial fire that was placed to face the wall-to-wall window opened in front.
" You always stare at the garden at school," Jihoo's only response to her stunned eyes turned his way. His smiles he couldn't contain; he was letting her enjoy the view as he stood steps behind. Just watching her was enough for him. Just knowing he could stun her into silence was worth it.
" We have all the different drinks and snacks." The staff member described the grand food laid out by walking to the beautiful arrangement of snacks and drinks Jandi couldn't even name. The whole thing was so beautiful it looked fake. The moment they walked into this space, Jandi had been speechless, unable even to accept this was done for her. Her brain couldn't accept that Jihoo had spent even a second thinking about what she liked and doing all this for her. For her? Why would anybody do anything for her, let alone something like this?
" I will come to check in for brunch in a few minutes," his node was exchanged with Jihoo. Her stunned eyes still scanning the view of the golf course; the opened wall was broadcasting, Jandi wasn't sure where the fluttering feeling was coming from.
" Enjoy" the small bow the staff member gave her; she reciprocated before her eyes were sent to Jihoo, standing steps behind her.
" What is all ?" her words were interrupted by the switch the staff member had clicked, turning the main light off. The gold lights across the glass wall were the proper lighting for their picnic and the gloomy city view. The golden light matching the artificial fire around them, Jandi could only stare at Jihoo. This was unreal and she wasn't sure what she was even feeling let alone what to make of Jihoo who had done it for her.
" I said I would make it up to you." Jihoo, who couldn't keep just looking at her stunned eyes, walked past her and headed to the sitting area. His shoes kicked off, he was the first to step on the warm rug and pick his corner. Jandi slowly walked to where he was; she removed her boots she would neatly place by the edge. Her sockless feet were visible only briefly before her long pants covered it. Jihoo, waiting to see where she would pick to sit, busied himself with the cut apple pieces he started munching on. The right side she chose, he questioned if it was to be close to the fire.
" You didn't have to make up for anything." her cardigan she was adjusted to wrap herself with, her eyes were on Jihoo when he walked behind her.
" I wanted to." His whisper was accompanied by the blanket he picked up. His slow steps to her back, he had leaned down to place the blanket on her shoulders. The way she had looked up at him, it had done something to him when it happened from this angle. The blanket adjusted across her shoulder; his right hand had dared to brush her hair away. He had chosen to stay away from her personal space until they were alone, and the moment they were left alone, she was starting to make it hard for him by how she was looking at him. His intrusive thoughts had only one goal and had sipped in as his eyes trailed down to her lips. She had thought only his eyes were dangerous but it was his hand that had brushed against her neck that had caused the reaction her whole body processed.
" Use the pillows." his hands leaving her shoulder pointed at the pillows spread out on her right side—two of which she would grab to place underneath her legs to support her sitting. The blanket she adjusted wrapped around her; she dismissed her thoughts that were questioning why he was looking at her like that. She knew why. His eyes had told her. Even if they didn't, she had felt it. Trying not to think about it, she looked up at the opened wall-to-wall window and the golf course garden ahead. The endless greenery of the well-maintained & empty golf course, it was interesting how it looked under the rain. The breeze accompanying the raindrops she could see, Jihoo had made an excellent choice with the cozy indoor picnic he had set up for what would be their first date and her first-ever date. Her hand reaching to the fake fire, she was happy to just sit like that, staring at the rain for however long they could be here. Nobody had ever done anything like this for her, and Jihoo was making it hard for anybody to outdo him. Would she be wrong to feel a tiny, very tiny bit special to get this kind of treatment from the handsome boy she dreams about? The metal walls around her revenge-filled heart, it was still a young girl's heart after all.
Did he really just do this only for her?
She turned her focus to Jihoo, sitting a small gap away from her, letting only the beautifully arranged food he pulled to the middle separate them. He needs a physical separation from the girl he has been dying to kiss since he walked away from her Friday night.
" What?' Jihoo, who was picking the expensive-looking teapot, asked.
" Nothing"
" Do you want tea or coffee?" he was sure she would say tea. That was all she drank.
" Tea," her eyes were on his hands as he poured the hot tea that filled the small space with the perfect scent. The fancy cup filled to the top he had to kneel as he brought it her way. She forced herself not to even think about how he was looking at her after he placed the cup down and slowly started moving back to his side.
" Thank you"
" Of course," he didn't pour one for himself. His preference was the cappuccino they had prepared and placed by his side for him. While she took her first sip, which would make her question what type of tea tasted this good, Jihoo was busy arranging his seating to lie down. Placing a few of the pillows behind him, he propelled his back to sit up. Intentionally choosing to face the window just like her, he let the rain set the mood.
The soft piano playing in the back, both wanted some time to enjoy just sitting there in silence. The tea she kept spinning every minute that passed was helping Jandi relax as the legs she was tightly holding close were even set to relax. The other blanket she pulled to her side used to cover her legs; the rain she adores had helped remove every worry of hers one by one as she sat there in complete calm. The enchanting world of his he kept pulling her to; it wasn't even imaginary anymore. He was doing it in real life and had started with the magical infinity room where they had their second kiss. The second she thought of it, her eyes slowly turned his way. Her strong gaze he could feel, Jihoo knew she was looking at him but wanted to give her all the time to do so. He enjoyed what she did to him just by looking at him. The coffee he sipped, her eyes lowered to his lips. This might be the first time he wondered what his right profile looked like. How was it natural to feel this anxious because of your crush looking at you? The tingly feelings that came with it were just as new as Jihoo tried distracting himself with the coffee.
" Why do you like the rain so much?" he asked, keeping his eyes on the view.
" I always see you staring out the window when it rains."
"It's calming." she responded.
" Don't most people like it?" her tea brought to her lips, she asked. She wondered if this was another odd thing about her. She never cared enough to compare what she liked and doesn't like to others. Was liking the rain such an odd thing?
" I don't know. I know some hate it."
" Who hates rain?"
" Junpyo," his eyes turned her way; he wasn't disappointed by her reaction. Her detest of his friend, Jihoo, shouldn't be smiling at how even the mention of Junpyo gets a reaction out of her, but he thought it was funny.
" He has problems." The word she chose was way nicer than the one she thought of. Even then, it was a reaction to the face she was reminded of. His flying hair, his dark eyes, his adorable dimples, his whole handsome face; the way he had been looking at her last night was replayed in slow-motion the instant she heard his name.
" haha," Jihoo's soft laugh; he was the first to start with the delicious snacks laid across.
"I still don't understand how you two became friends?" she stated.
" I met him before preschool. Our families have know each other for generations."
" Woobin and Yijeong, we met in kindergarten." He added the other two.
" Were they all like this even back then?"
" Yijeong has always been a weird artist. He was a child prodigy, so he has always been famous" The four people she knew so much about, it was interesting to hear about them from Jihoo's perspective.
" Woobin hadn't changed much either. But he was way nicer back then. He changed a bit after high school. Junpyo," Jihoo stopped; Jandi, using all her observation skills, picked up where his eyes were looking. His moving hands brought the pastry to his lips, his eyes seemed to be conflicted about what to say about his closest friend.
" What happened to him?"
" Is it what happened ten years ago?" she asked while praying her questions didn't seem suspicious.
"Yes. It changed a lot of things." Jihoo, enjoying his pastry, let the falling raindrops take his mind back to whatever was left of his memory of that weird year.
" Do you still feel guilty about not being here ?"
" I didn't have a choice. I still don't remember how it all happened. I returned a little over a year ago, and everything had changed." the sadness in his voice, her eyes scanned his face to check for any other sign of what he felt about leaving his friends back then.
" Nothing was the same after that year. He was quiet for a few years after that year. He started talking again when we got to middle school. "
" He was so friendly and easygoing before then. '' The smile on Jihoo's face was clear to see how much he missed his childhood friend.
" What happened to him?" She was more curious about the information she needed for her case rather than what actually happened to Junpyo. That was considered none of her business. But even then, she found it worrying he went silent for years after.
" You don't have to tell me if" she stopped herself when Jihoo looked her way. She wasn't sure if he was starting to suspect she had other intentions for why she was asking but his smile had helped evaport her worry.
" I am not sure if I should tell you because it will change how you see him." Taking another bite, he kept his eyes on her.
" There is nothing you can tell me that would make me hate him less" The smile she gave him was making him question the worry that was holding him back from saying it.
" Why would you worry about me changing my mind anyway? "She asked, changing her focus to the rain.
" I don't know. '' His worry he wasn't even sure of where it was coming from, he couldn't verbalize it but his six senses were already warning him about Junpyo.
" I like how much you detest him. I don't know if that makes me a bad friend" In his honesty, Jandi didn't know what to make of what he said. Her quieting eyes on him, she saved the line of questions she wanted to ask. She chose only one.
" Why is that?"
" I don't know"
" Maybe because every girl he smiles at seems to like him" Jihoo was scared of his own honesty as he kept his nervous eyes on the open window. The things he would never dare mention to anybody else, he was happy he had found somebody that felt like a safe space for him to say it out loud. The girl who always seriously listens to his worries, there was nobody better than her to open up to.
" I was happy you were the opposite" his eyes kept on the rain, she read his body language to accept he was telling the truth. His friendship with Junpyo she never questioned, she was getting the first crack in their lifelong friendship she could use to her advantage if she wanted.
" Did he have something to do with you and?" She chose not to say the name. Both knew who she was talking about.
" He didn't but he did some things that weren't right" For once, she was getting what Jihoo really felt about the whole thing.
" Woobin said he kissed her to get back at me after we had a fight but I think he really liked her. He apologized for it so many times and even stopped hanging out with her after " Jandi tried remembering everything she had heard about the kiss that all used to blame Junpyo for the relationship that didn't work between Jihoo and Min Seohyun.
" But he is not to blame for why it didn't work out. I never did anything about my own feelings and she never liked me in that way. "
" Did you ever tell her about your feelings?" Jandi's nervous hands, she was seriously curious about this question.
" I'm sure she knows. Even our parents make jokes about it"
" It doesn't matter anyway" his dismissive tone was stinging Jandi who was sure he was still in love with the girl he had liked for over a decade.
"You are the opposite of her, which is why I like you" Jihoo had thought what he said was positive but it wasn't how it was taken by Jandi who knew she shouldn't dare compare herself to the girl Jihoo had loved for so long.
" I mean why I like spending time with you" Jandi who had spent so many hours wondering why he would even look at her let alone kiss her wasn't ready for the reason to be because she was the opposite of the beautiful, elegant, and friendly girl. What does that make her?
" So you will stop liking spending time with me if I don't hate him anymore?" trying to get away from the discomfort the realization made her feel, she tried returning the conversation back to what started it.
" Haha no" His smile was cute
" I like you for a lot of reasons" And just like that, with one sentence he had made it all disappear.
" You are bold and beyond smart."
" You walk around with this confidence that is unmatched" Their smile getting bigger, and the glow in her eyes started sparkling with every new thing he added to the list of things he liked about her.
" I also like talking to you and being around you" his eyes delivering the message had stayed on her for longer than they should as they waited for a confirmation she believed what they were telling her.
" I feel at ease around you" he couldn't help but smile at how adorable she was when she was stunned and didn't have a quick response.
" I have also never seen a girl fight a group of boys" her smile was making her even more adorable.
" I mean you slapped Junpyo. What more is there to say"
" We are all big fans of yours because of that."
" We?" she asked.
" Yijeong and Woobin included. Yijeong is a big fan of yours" Jihoo continued with his snacks. It was so comforting how she didn't make a big deal out of the things he listed about her. Even saying he liked her was accepted as casually as he said it. He assumed it was because he had already kissed her and she could guess how he felt. But that wasn't the case for Jandi.
" He always reminds Junpyo about the slap to irritate him"
" Really?" She was already liking Yijoeng based on all the things she hears about him from Jihoo.
" Yeah'
" He seems very nice" She was happy that one of the three liked her like that.
" He is super nice. He is somewhat of a celebrity, so he knows and gets along with everybody." Jihoo gave her the clue she needed for why she would need to be super close to Yijeong.
" He is the opposite of Woobin. I know you hate Woobin, but he is a cool person once you know him. He just is going through stuff and has things he needs to deal with"
" I am not shocked by why Woobin is like this. His brother is a big bully," she whispered, excited about how the conversation was going to the man who was her target. She could try to get as much information out of Jihoo as she could.
" Even I am scared of his brothers." Jihoo, lying down to be more comfortable, turned his eyes to the rain.
" I heard the oldest was the one that started the F4 thing," hoping Jihoo would spill all he knew, she asked, lying down as well. The pillow she used to support her back, felt so nice to stretch her legs and lay on the heated blankets.
" He did. Him and his three friends"
" I heard they used to rule the school." she was directing the conversation to where she wanted.
" They did. They were untouchable. The only ones they couldn't bother were Junpyo and his sister. Apart from them, everybody bowed at their feet." His words helped to remind her the way Woobin's brother treated Junpyo's sister the last time she saw them.
" We used to sneak to the high school campus just to hang out and used to hear so many stories about how they ruled the school"
" What did they do?" She knew the question was too blunt to get an answer and she wasn't surprised she didn't get an answer.
" You don't want to know," he sighed, keeping his eyes on the rain that had started pouring.
The heavy rain getting their attention for a few minutes and both were taken back to the past. A past she was more aware of than him. The greatest puzzle of her life, Jihoo had given her another clue about the men she was searching who she was daily becoming more certain have something to do Woobin's brother and his friends. With that she remembered the guy that had taken the unconscious girl to the hotel. He needs to be added to their list.
" It's amazing to see them now" Jihoo brought her attention to him.
" You think they have changed?" she asked while she took a mental note to check the men Woo Bin's brother was with last night against the list of students that might have been the three friends Jihoo just mentioned. She needs to know every detail about anybody associated with that man.
" I hope they have. I think two of them are married and have kids." Jihoo had missed her small smile at the new information he had given her.
" They are grown men with serious jobs. They probably have changed a lot"
" Men like that don't change." how the tone of her voice changed with each word, Jihoo turned her way to catch her scary eyes.
" They become worse," she added, turning her eyes to the rain. His intuition that peaked at the look in her eyes, he decided just to let it go. There were times he noticed a certain look in her eyes but never felt comfortable enough to question it.
" I don't understand how you guys took after them?" her question was genuine, especially for Jihoo, who doesn't seem into the whole F4 thing.
" We didn't take over as much as people just referred to us as F4"
" What do you mean?"
" Ever since he was little, everyone was waiting for Junpyo to grow up and run the school. He never asked for it; people just gave us the name when we got to high school. We just went along with it." even Jihoo wasn't sure how the name stuck easily without any of them ever fighting to be called by it. It seemed fitting for Junpyo and his friends to have the title and for him to be the de facto leader.
" It was all childish games and out of boredom. None of us took it seriously."
" So all the bullying was really out of boredom?" Her questioning eyes waited for an answer, but she didn't get any.
" I always wonder why you would let yourself be associated with them when you are not like them.
"It's just a phase. They have things to figure out"
" I wonder why they never go through being a nice human being phase" her smirk, Jihoo had learned to never argue with her about this subject. She had first hand experience and there was nothing he could do to justify it.
" Did Woo Bin apologize?" he asked, crossing his arms.
" Apologize for what?"
" Nevermind," Jihoo whispered. The argument between Woobin and Junpyo he had missed, he had only heard about it from Yijeong who had summarized the whole fight as Junpyo telling Woobin to apologize to her.
" There is a kid with broken bones in a hospital bed, burning my shoes and slapping me is the least of his deeds"
" Oh God, I forgot about that. How is he?" Jihoo asked a question she didn't have an answer for. The boy and his mother she hadn't visited in a long time, she took note to do so on her way home from this.
" last time I saw him, he was in the hospital"
" they crossed a line with him" Jihoo, trying not to think about the image of Jandi carrying the blood covered body, closed his eyes for a few seconds. That day and what he saw her do had been one of the things that made her special to him.
" Why did you help him?" His question wasn't received well by Jandi who didn't understand why she was asked about helping another person bleeding on the floor.
" I mean because it was Woobin. Nobody ever helps anybody marked by F4?" he tried explaining.
" They could have made you the next target"
" Should I have stood there until they beat him to death?" her scary eyes were warning to be careful about where he was leading this conversation.
" You know I didn't mean that"
" Nobody at that school sees us as humans anyway, so it would make sense why you would ask that." She changed her focus to the grand view.
" What? No?" Jihoo had sat up as fast as his brain processed what she said.
" No, what?" her arms crossed, her scary eyes were starting to have a hint of anger.
" They don't see you like that"
" Who is They?" She was quick to challenge his claim. He had no answer.
" Maybe you should just speak for yourself"
" But then again you are the student president" she gave him a small smirk that left him even more confused about how she had changed in seconds.
" I know you don't like that school but you talk about it as though it is ' His defense was interrupted as her eyes turned his way.
" Are you really going to defend that place?" she asked, her body turning his way. She was not only angered but hurt that he was even trying.
" Bullying doesn't just happen at our school. I am sure there is some data we can pull up"
" Will that data include how many sexual assault and suicide cases were buried by the school administration?"
" Tha" Jihoo silenced himself. He needs more than minutes to process what she just asked.
" Why are you surprised?" She turned her body to the rain.
" Aren't you the representative of the school? At Least you should know all the things that happen on that campus before you speak for it." Her smirk was saved for herself.
" Huh" Ji Hoo sighed, choosing to sit with the uncomfortable topic. He doesn't know much about what goes on in those offices when the lawyers are called in to handle things but he knew enough not to say anything about it.
The silence that took over was necessary for both.
" You probably are one of the few decent humans in that place" she wanted him to know at least he wasn't included in the mix.
" I wonder why you are so different from them when you grew up with them?" She asked, turning her eyes his way.
" F4? Maybe because I grew up with my parents." his eyes still on the rain, he responded. Her eyes, carefully watching him were ignored. All his attention was on the topic that had brought out the angry Jandi he rarely sees. How does she know about the cases? Was it just from the rumors students spread? Did she go through documents?
" None of them are orphans."
"Haha" her quick response got a smile from him. Her eyes followed his right hand as he picked the croissant he cut in half before he brought it to his lips.
" I saw Yijeong's parents on TV recently," she tried recalling the news of the cultural center Yijeong's family was sponsoring.
" haha," Jihoo's smile that got bigger seemed dismissive of what she was saying.
" You saw his dad and whatever woman his dad is dating now," Jihoo corrected her.
" Where do you think Yijeong gets his womanizing ways?" his eyes glanced her way.
" His mom left when he was 3, and nobody has seen her since." Ji Hoo questioned if Jandi had ever seen Yijeong's paintings enough to pick on the muse that is in all of his paintings. The woman who left him with a broken heart before he could even write his name. Jandi's face might have been blank but she was connecting the dots about the mother who was never there and the various women they were used to seeing when they spied on Yijeong's family, which explained why Yijeong lived by himself in his art studios. This was brand new information to her and the file they had on Yijeong's family.
" Woobin's mother passed away, and his dad," Jihoo stopped. He doesn't need to say much about what that family does and how terrifying the dad is. The behavior of his three boys was enough proof of who they were raised by. Woobin's family, they will focus most of their energy on, she saved her questions for everybody else.
" and the other one?" she asked, a bit curious about what he would say about the Shinwa family.
" if he is lucky Junpyo sees his parents at quarterly board meetings." Jihoo kept his answer about his closest friends short.
" I am not trying to justify their actions" his eyes were as honest as one can be as they stayed on her.
" But they all have messed up lives. Beyond all the glamor they are not who people think they are '' he added finishing what he was eating. The topic required some alcohol and he had sat up, leaning to the wine bottle to pour himself some.
" You shouldn't feel sorry for them but just saying" the wine glass he picked, his eyes glanced her way as he started pouring
" I live with my parents. Eat two meals a day with them. Wake up to the voice of my mom" he placed the wine bottle down,
" Every birthday, every new year, every achievement, they were there." He didn't seem happy about what he was saying. The first sip she watched him take, this was the first time she had seen Jihoo with alcohol in his hand.
" I am spoiled in that way. That's why I am different ."He air quoted the word 'different'.
" You don't seem happy about that?" She asked. Ignoring his smirk, she questioned the depressed look in his eyes.
" It could be suffocating to have somebody watching over you and dictating your every move 24/7." the odd smile he sent her way. The tight rope he lives tied with, just saying this, had given him some room to breathe as it had loosened a bit.
" Isn't it because they love you so much?"
" It is.'' He didn't seem happy about this one either. Jandi was confused about why he wasn't happy he was cared for 24/7. Aren't people supposed to be happy that their parents love them? Wasn't that what he was explaining about why his friends were the way they were?
" So?" she chose to just ask and listen to what seemed like something serious. He has never brought this topic up before.
" Nothing. It's a blessing that everybody around me loves me too much" his fake smile didn't sit well with her.
" Everybody respects you and admires you. Isn't that better than being hated like your friend?"
" You are allowed to be whoever you want when you are hated." Jandi needed a minute to decipher what he meant.
" People don't respect and admire me; they do all that because of who my parents are and who they expect me to be"
"Huh" she sighed, choosing to stay silent and look for more clues before she made any assumptions about what he was trying to tell her.
" You want to be free from their expectations?" minutes later, she whispered. Her legs adjusted, and she lay comfortably down as she turned her body to Jihoo, who was beside her, only separated by the fruits.
" I want to be free from a lot of things. '' His enchanting eyes that slowly turned her way captured all her attention.
" And then?"
" Just free and be no one," the soft voice of his, the guards of his he lowered; Jandi was just given access to this side of him he doesn't even open to his friends.
" That's the opposite of a future president," she added, hoping to make him smile at least, and she had accomplished that.
" Maybe you are just anxious about the future," she whispered gently. The wine he was sipping, Jihoo had kept his eyes, which didn't seem like they were even blinking, on her.
" You are about to end one chapter and start a new one. Isn't it normal to be anxious about the decisions you are making?" she asked. Was her question hard? She asked herself as she noticed the hesitation in his eyes.
" I am not anxious about it."
" I am scared of it." The fright he was talking about was even evident in his voice.
" Maybe I don't want to be responsible for anything, let alone a whole country." Every word he was saying was making her fall even deeper with him. Jandi was fully transported out of her own miserable world and brought into his. A world where the biggest worry was about not wanting to be the president.
" Then don't be one."
" haha," his smile was beyond beautiful when he was looking at her like that.
" I wished it was that easy."
" Why is it not?"
" This is why I like you. You make everything just a simple decision." his laugh was lovely.
" I think you will be good at it, but if you don't want to do it, then don't. It's that simple," she added, smiling back at his sparkling eyes.
" Can you come with me and explain it to my mom like that?" his infectious laugh had gotten Jandi.
" I am sure she will listen to me." she started laughing.
" She will have to"
" Why?" her laughing he had seen before; it always did something to him whenever it was accompanied by her twinkling eyes looking at him.
" Because I l" he couldn't finish his sentence. Even his words had disappeared as everything around them was blurred out of his vision, except the girl smiling at him. Somehow, even the music around them had slowed.
" Because you? Her sweet voice hitting his ear had pulled his eyes to her cherry-colored laughing lips. Being aware of what her lips felt like had been a huge disadvantage to Jihoo, who wanted a proper taste. The gap between them seems shorter than it was; he was made aware of it when his body started daring him to close it. He didn't know what to make of the tension that was pulling him towards her. His lack of experience he always blames, he hated how much he wasn't sure of himself when it came to girls. How was he supposed to know when it was the right time to make any move? He hated how he couldn't seem to read her. He was only sure of what he was feeling in that moment, and her continued smiling wasn't helping his weak heart.
" huh,'' Jandi had ended her laugh right when the seconds hit 60, and she was made aware of the look in his eyes that had changed since she started laughing. In an instant, the mood was changed to an unfamiliar zone as her anxiety was triggered and her fingers started fidgeting. The sleeves of her cardigan she pulled to cover her hands, the way her eyes had looked away from him, Jihoo was now getting signs.
He only had one thought going through his mind and he had dared to ask her when her eyes returned back to him.
The small movements of his, he had pushed the fruit plat to the side as he closed the gap between them. Her nervous eyes followed his every move as her fingers had pulled the sleeves to hide them away completely. Just like last time, her heartbeat was disturbed the moment he entered her personal space. Her eyes, unsure where to look, had changed from him to the window, then back to him. Her nervousness he could easily read; Jihoo wanted her eyes on him and only on him. His hands he sent to her shoulder were used to stop her from moving. Her beautiful eyes, looking at his endearing ones, he locked them in as he moved even closer. The time he was taking, he was trying to give her all the time she needed to push him away or object to it, but she hadn't done either.
With the hint of pink that started appearing on her cheeks, Jihoo had lost his control right when he noticed it.
His lips gently landing on hers; Jandi's body, which wasn't ready for what she knew was coming, was sent into derangement as the tingling feeling took over. His soft lips he was as gentle as he could be, letting both of them just take in that this was happening. His right hand came up to help him, landing softly against the right side of her face. With his moving lips, he was getting his demand met as she had no other option but to respond and part her lips. Her breathing that felt like it had stopped, she wasn't even sure how her lungs were getting the oxygen she needed. His right hand softly adjusting her to the right, he deepened the kiss as he took over her bottom lip. In an instant, making everything else irrelevant. Nothing else mattered at that moment. Nothing. None of the constant anger she lives with. No sadness or pain. Nothing of her past. All that mattered was the tenderness of the kiss.
One of the things she had heard and read so much about but never understood, here she was getting first-hand experience of the electrifying feeling that takes over even from such a simple kiss. All the things she had deemed as useless things people do that she would never understand, Jihoo was set out to disprove all, and he had started with one of the simplest forms of showing affection.