chapter 4: childhood friend

jeongyeon didn' let any second to pass when they were dismissed. she immediately grabbed jeonghan and pulled him outside.

their blockmates were in a state of shock, 'cause, how can jeongyeon do that to the new guy?!?!?!

ridiculous, right?

"ouch!" jeonghan yelped in pain when jeongyeon grabbed his ear. "t-that freaking hurts, jeongyeon!"

"why didn't you tell me that you're going back?" jeongyeon asked, still pinching jeonghan's ear.

"well, i wanted to surprise y- aww! let go!"

"you know i hate surprises!" jeongyeon punched his arm. she never liked surprises eversince.

"o-okay! i'm sorry, alright?"

jeongyeon calmed down a bit and let go of jeonghan. jeonghan massaged his arm and ear that was in a color of red.

"apology accepted." jeongyeon muttered. "well, you've got so much ex--"

"i've missed you," jeongyeon was taken aback when she felt jeonghan's warm arms enveloped her. jeonghan ruffled her hair when he felt her froze. "still the same little girl i know."

jeongyeon was stunned. her mind stopped working and she was lost for words. cheeks were burning.

"still the same little girl who's a sadist." jeonghan patted jeongyeon's head. "still the same girl who knew me just like the back of her hand."

they stayed like that for a minute and when jeongyeon came back to her senses, she slapped jeonghan's arms.

"ouch!"

"let go of me, idiot!" she muttered to jeonghan. she noticed that they were making a scene, and everyone was watching!

"why?" jeonghan asked, unaware of the many pairs of eyes that was watching them. "can't i hug my childhood sweeth--"

"childhood sweatheart your !" she fired back, flustered at the pet name he used.

good thing jeonghan let go of her but one of his arm has found its way to her shoulder. he turned his head and smiled at the audience.

and just like that, the hallway is now busy again with bustling students.

"argh, it's your first day and then you're making a reputation!" jeongyeon elbowed his gut, which made him remove his arm from her shoulder.

"i really like your way of welcoming me back." jeonghan muttered as he massaged his gut. note the sarcasm.

"welcome back." jeongyeon smiled at him.

jeonghan smiled back. "eventhough you're still a sadist, i'm going to treat you for the warm welcome. come on!"

he grabbed jeongyeon's hand and pulled her. he vaguely remembered the road to the cafeteria when he was toured around.

jeonghan ordered for them when he made jeongyeon sat. jeongyeon insisted on coming with him, but he said that well, he can manage.

jeongyeon cupped her chin while watching her childhood friend.

yes, childhood friend.

yoon jeonghan was a dear friend back then. she smiled when she remembered how she bullied this boy back then.

he grew up from a cute boy to a fine guy.

jihyo, who happened to pass by, saw jeongyeon smiling while looking at someone. she got curious so she followed her line of vision.

her eyes widened when she saw the new guy.

oh my gosh! c-could it be her boyfriend? jihyo thought. b-but what about jimin? what about my ship?!?!

anyways, she snap jeongyeon out of her reverie. jeongyeon smiled in greeting.

"what's up?"

"sorry to in, but, why are you oggling at the new guy?" jihyo asked her. jeongyeon's brows were pinched.

"what oggling are you talking about?" jeongyeon fired. eww, she never oggled at someone, ever. 

well, if you're a book, then chances are higher.

"sorry, but, it's just that you're looking at him and you got that smile on your face." jihyo explained as she sat on the chair infront of jeongyeon. "well, in my vocabulary, it's defined as oggling."

"hmm, miss park jihyo, you'd better expand that vocabulary of yours." jeongyeon replied dryly. "he's my childhood friend since 1st grade."

"oh," was the only thing jihyo said after hearing the relationship of jeongyeon and the new guy. "really?"

"yup!"

"anyways, there's another gossip circling around our college." jihyo shared, turning on her gossiper mode voice.

jeongyeon didn't even care about the gossips, as long as she knows the ground she's standing. she glanced at jeonghan and saw that he's the next in line.

might as well buy some time.

"haven't heard about that," jeongyeon shrugged.

"well, you always haven't heard about rumors, gossips or etcetera!" jihyo rolled her eyes. "but, going back to the topic, i've heard that there's this one couple who displayed pda on the hallway."

"what the--" jeongyeon's face heated profusely. "w-we're not a couple!"

"huh?" jihyo asked, mouth gaped open and eyed were full of question. "w-wait what? aren't you overreacting or what?"

"ugh! i'm gonna kill the one who spread that freaking fake news!" jeongyeon bursted out.

"w-wait, you mean..." jihyo was still processing the things jeongyeon was saying as she watched her freaking out. "you and the new guy were the ones who displayed--no, no, no."

jihyo shook her head. it is so unusual of jeongyeon to be that girl she's gossiping about. "out of the two hundred students in our college department, how sure are you that you and that guy are the one's i'm talking about?"

jeongyeon's eyes widened. she was embarassed tenfold, but quickly thought of something to back up.

"out of all the students here, i am sure that there were more than like sixty students passing in the hallway every five minutes!"

"hmm," jihyo narrowed her eyes and scanned jeongyeon's face. a smirk was slowly getting painted on her face. "well, if you say so."

"so, mind to tell me about your boy--"

"i told you, we're not a couple." jeongyeon fanned herself. she glared at jeonghan who's currently on his way to their table.

"what's with the dagger stare again?" jeonghan asked as he placed the tray full of foods on their table. he raised his hand in surrender when he realized the look that he received. "i-i didn't do anything again! i swear!"

jeongyeon rolled her eyes. her eyes flew to jihyo who's currently star strucked at her friend.

"yah!" she kicked jihyo's toes underneath the table to bring back to her senses.

"oh sorry!" jihyo laughed awkwardly and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears. "i'm park jihyo by the way!"

jeonghan accepted the hand shake jihyo offered and smiled at her. "yoon jeonghan."

"and you're...?" she looked at jeongyeon then back to jeonghan.

"oh, i'm her best friend," jeonghan answered her.

"i'm getting hungry. can you please sped up the whole introduce thingy?" jeongyeon deadpanned as she observe the two exchanging pleasantries.

"whatever!" jihyo rolled her eyes at her. she stood up and bid her farewell to the both. "bye! see you later!"

jeonghan sat infront of jeongyeon and offered her french fries.

"thanks," she replied dryly, not in the mood.

"did something happen?" he asked carefully. dealing with an angry jeongyeon was his specialty back then. but he's not sure if he's still at it.

"it's because of you, arggh!" jeongyeon glared at him. "haven't you read the handbook?"

"what handbook?" jeonghan asked as he put the straw on jeongyeon's drink. 
"ugh, why did they even accept you here?" jeongyeon's eyes narrowed at him.

"who wouldn't though?" he smugly replied. he prepped his collar and brushed his sleeves. "may i remind you that i was the salututorian in our batch, and a consistent dean's lister on my previous school?"

"if that's the case,  then why did you even transfer here?" jeongyeon picked a handful of french fries and threw it his face to which jeonghan managed to dodge. "you are so full of yourself."

good thing, the university offers bridging program. jeonghan won't be problematic regarding his subjects.

"what about the handbook anyway?" he asked.

"one of the rules here is that no one is allowed to do public display of affection; especially, not in the halls!"

"that was just a hug, and you're my friend! i'm sure if they knew then they would shut up!"

jeongyeon heaved out a sigh. this is freaking pointless! why is she even arguing about this? she won't be called by the prefect of discipline for this, right?

"okay, i'm sorry." she sighed. her childhood friend just got back home and she's suddenly throwing a fit. maybe jeonghan thinks that she still at the best friend department.

"h-huh?" jeonghan's brows creased. it is so unlikely of jeongyeon to just surrender at an arguement.

he leaned on the table and checked her forehead. "are you really jeongyeon?"

jeongyeon narrowed her eyes and grabbed jeonghan's hand and bit it.

"ouch!"

"let's just eat, okay?" she rolled her eyes and sipped on her drink.

"hmm, okay." jeonghan agreed as he munched on his donut.

"why don't you tell me the things that happened the past years you're out of the country?" she placed her elbow on the flat surface of the table and pressed her hand on her cheek. "you stopped your ocassional skype calls you know eversince the last year of high school, and you seldom reply to me!"

"sorry about that," jeonghan's smiled apologetically. he stopped calling jeongyeon since he's busy and studying abroad drained all his energy. "i didn't have the chance to call you, and when i do, you're the one who's now busy."

"i think those are the times when i'm finishing a research paper." jeongyeon remembered his messages but she was too busy to even reply.

"mmm," jeonghan agreed. "good thing, the school kept me busy and all or else, i'd fly back here the second i knew you broke down with a failed quiz."

"how did you know that?" jeongyeon arched a brow. she made sure that only a few people knew that. her eyes narrowed when she remembered sungyeon, her sister. must be jeonghan's accomplice. "did my sister told you?"

jeonghan smiled. "you are really smart." he could clearly see the cogs on jeongyeon's head working in harmony and unity. "but that subject is a piece of cake."

"shut up," jeongyeon rolled her eyes. "just because you're good in math, doesn't mean that you're allowed to look down on me."

"but you're the one who's good in science and you once laughed the hell out of me when i failed that titration thing!"

"because you've done it wrong!" jeongyeon laughed when she remembered jeonghan's troubled face when the contents of his erlenmeyer flask turned to a shade of violet.

"fine, fine, fine." jeonghan chuckled. "but don't we compliment each other, though?" jeongyeon nodded. "you're good in science and i am in math."

"and that makes us soulmates!" jeongyeon hi-fived jeonghan and they both chuckled.

it was such a rare scene to watch for the students. the stoic yoo jeongyeon who seldom smile and laugh is now doing it.

jimin raised a brow and observed the two. he wasn't sure why he's looking at them.

maybe because, their laughs were noisy. well, the cafeteria's usually filled with chattering students, but their laughs overpowered them.

"careful, she might melt." yoongi smirked when he followed jimin's line of vision.

"whom are you staring at?" yoongi asked eventhough he already knew.

jimin quickly snapped and composed himself.

"none of your business," jimin deadpanned.

"you jealous?" yoongi snickered.

jimin's forehead creased. he can sense that yoongi is teasing him. why would he be jealous, then? she doesn't even like yoo jeongyeon.

"not even an inch." he replied and stood up to head to his next class.

☆☆☆

"uhm, hi?" jeonghan greeted the expressionless jimin when they were tasked to have a meeting with their respective groupmates for their chemistry project.

jimin only nodded in response. he's not in the mood to interact with someone.

jeongyeon scoffed as she watch jeonghan approaching jimin.

"he's park jimin, jeonghan." jeongyeon rolled her eyes and did the introducing thing herself since jimin wasn't really in the mood. "let's start."

"okay," jeonghan curtly nodded at jimin who turned his head to the window and decided to watch the view instead.

"so how do we do this?" he asked as he scan the paper given by mr oh.

it took all of her willpower to share the idea she've came up. this would be a piece of cake if only she's not in a group together with mr. intelligent aka park jimin.

jeonghan was attentively listening while jimin seem to doesn't care.

not unless, he turned his head and raised a brow, jeongyeon stopped explaining, she also, had her brow raised.

"- got any problem with that?" she asked jimin.

"you are making things more complicated." jimin deadpanned as he analyze the things jeongyeon have said.

jeongyeon was taken aback with his statement, but instead of putting a fight, she decided to stay calm. endure, endure, endure. this will only last for a day or two.

"well, this is a meeting and we're supposed to share our ideas about this project. why don't you share what you have in mind?" she rolled her eyes heavenwards before whispering the last words she's gonna say with overflowing sarcasm. "...mr. intelligent."

"thanks for the compliment, jeongyeon. you know that such words doesn't easily escape my ears." jimin smirked when he clearly heard what she had said.

"we can make this thing more simple," jimin mumbled as he scanned the project task. "it won't take us a day or two to finish this thing."

"yeah?" jeongyeon creased a brow. "and?"

jimin discussed a simpler plan, but he didn't disregard jeongyeon's ideas. there were few moments were they would agree on something, but most of the time, they would argue.

what else would we expect if we add jeongyeon and jimin in one picture? chaos, exactly.

"we can also do what you've said awhile ago in this part." jimin looked at her. jeongyeon's eyes was on the paper whete jimin had sketched the envisioned project.

"also, you made this part complicated." jimin encircled a part on jeongyeon's sketch. jeongyeon rolled her eyes.

"we can make this simple like this." jimin muttered as he draw another sketch of the said part.

jeonghan was also sharing his ideas, but his mind was flying elsewhere. he's like watching a movie, and the protagonists were these two.

after a series of twist and turns and  exchanging of opinions, their meeting was adjourned and they chose to execute the project at jeonghan's abode.

"yah," jeonghan poked jeongyeon's back when they went out of their classroom. jeonghan was sure that something is going on between jeongyeon and jimin. his eyes followed jimin who just took a turn.

"what?" jeongyeon replied as she massage her temples. arguing with jimin costs a lot of energy.

"that park jimin guy," he started off. he was watching jeongyeon's reaction on his peripheral view. "are you mad at him or what?"

jeongyeon's forehead creased."uhh, no. i am not mad at him, and we're always like that."

"okay," jeonghan sensed the urge to change the topic since jeongyeon's tone were marked with finality.

"uh, by the way, what's your next class?" he asked cheerfully and glanced at his wristwatch.

"major," jeongyeon answered as she looked at her watch. fifteen minutes, good grief. she can't afford to run late in one of her majors.

"okay," jeonghan pulled jeongyeon's arm. "let's go! i'll take you to your class."

"err, you don't even know where my next class is located." jeongyeon brushed his arm on her but she grabbed his arm, instead. "i'll just take you to your class instead."

"that is so unmanly, yoo jeongyeon." jeonghan mumbled as jeongyeon started to walk. "i would never let a girl do this for me."

"well, i'm not some girl." jeongyeon scoffed. "i'm your best friend."

"stubborn," jeonghan whispered to himself, but nonetheless, told her his next class. the remark made jeongyeon smirked.

the two have different majors so unfortunately, they had to part.

"don't be so dramatic, jeonghan." jeongyeon muttered to him as soon as he bid his dramatic farewell. "we'll see each other at home, right?"

"we're not going home together?"

"nah," jeongyeon shook her head. she's going to her sister's ice cream parlor. "i'm going to meet my friends later."

"ah," jeonghan nodded. he looked at jeongyeon with those eyes. she rolled her eyes and quickly shook her head.

he pouted and showed her his puppy eyes.

jeongyeon scoffed. "that doesn't work on me."

"why are you so mean?" jeongyeon looked at him with disbelief. "i just wanted to meet your new friends, and i don't have any friends here yet."

"ugh, fine!" jeongyeon rolled her eyes heavenwards. jeonghan really knows her despite his absence all throughout the years. "3pm. wait for me at the student lounge."

"yes!" jeonghan hugged her, but she quickly brushed him off.

"bye!" after bidding her farewell, she ran to her next class. good thing she still has seven minutes.

as soon as she reached her room, she sat on her armchair and started to review her notes. who knows if her professor woke up on the wrong side of the bed, and decided to give a freaking quiz?

all in all, her day went smooth. she didn't encounter any of those professors who loves to torture their students.

"wow," she mumbled when she saw jeonghan waiting on the student lounge. she glanced at her watch and saw that it was 3:01 pm. she walked towards him and smirked. "look who's on time."

"time for a change," he replied arrogantly. he learned it the hard way, anyway.

jeongyeon slapped his shoulder and laughed. "yeah, but you're still conceited. come on, let's go!"

jeongyeon and jeonghan were drowned in their stories that they didn't notice the car infront of them. they're waiting for the car to move so that they can walk.

sungyeon popped her head from her car window and saw that it was her sister, together with jeonghan.

she press the honk to steal their attention, and she successfully did.

jeongyeon glanced at the car once and her brow instantly creased, but she chose to continue to talk again. she was telling jeonghan the jokes her teacher cracked to them awhile ago.

jeonghan was also engrossed in laughing that he didn't notice.

sungyeon narrowed her eyes. aish, these kids. she pressed the honk once again.

"busy in your own world, aren't we?" sungyeon's head popped, and jeongyeon yelped in surprise.

"yah!" jeongyeon held her chest, and softly massaging it. this is the reason why she dislike surprises. "you should've waited for my text!"

"noona!" jeonghan rushed to her. "what are you doing here?"

"i'm here to fetch my sister," she cheekily smiled at him. her eyes went to jeongyeon and she saw that she's stabling her breathing.

"oh, are you going somewhere?" he asked.

"no," sungyeon shook her head."i'm taking her home, and also--" she opened her compartment to get something but jeongyeon shook her head.

"we're going at your ice cream parlor." jeongyeon interrupted their conversation and slid at the back seat. she tapped the car seat and motioned jeonghan to sit beside her. "hop in!"

jeonghan sat beside her and sungyeon started the engine.

jeongyeon shut her eyes, but when she felt a movement beside her, she opened her right eye and saw jeonghan whispering something to her sister.

"looks like jeongyeon woke up on the wrong side of the bed." jeonghan whispered to sungyeon.

sungyeon chuckled. "she always does."

"really?" jeonghan rested his back on the car seat. "she's not like that when i left, right?"

"i think so," sungyeon replied. she leaned on the back seat and whispered something to jeonghan."she kind of misses you."

"excuse me," jeongyeon rolled her eyes and focused outside. "i'm still here and i can clearly hear you talking about me."

jeonghan apologetically smiled and gave her a peace sign. he then looked at her sister whose eyes were fixated on the road.

he looked at the mirror and saw that sungyeon winked at her. he smiled at her and closed his eyes.