chapter five : shirtless

 

"you actually had a male friend?" sooyoung asked as soon as jeonghan excused himself. she really can't believe that this friend of hers has a male friend.

not that she viewed jeongyeon as a 'man-hater', she really just can't.

"jeonghan went through hell to befriend her," nayeon told her as she tasted the newly launched ice cream flavor of sungyeon's ice cream parlor. "and did i already mention that she bullied him when we were in pigtail days?"

"you actually bullied someone?" jennie looked at jeongyeon, pure shock evident on her face. "well, i didn't strike you as a bully when we met."

"that's because people change," jeongyeon rolled her eyes. err, how many times did she does this today?

jeongyeon's group of friends (excluding jisoo, who's busy because of her modelling sideline) were gathered together in her sister's ice cream parlor, just like the usual.

sungyeon also told them to try the new flavors she had invented. she wanted to know if it's going to be a new bestseller or not.

"you guys are mean," seulgi mumbled from her side. she winked at jeongyeon, mouthing 'i got your back'.

jeongyeon chuckled while shaking her head.

"people tend to change especially if puberty hits 'em," seulgi added while munching the matcha flavored ice cream.

"so how did you two became friends?" sooyoung curiously asked.

nayeon made a sound at the back of and looked at jeongyeon with sneaky eyes. "would you like me to narrate it or will you do the honor?"

jeongyeon rolled her eyes. nayeon is at it again. "suit yourself."

but before nayeon could start her story, jeonghan arrived and slid on the seat next to jeongyeon. 

"so where were we?" jeonghan uttered as soon as he settled himself.

"oh, we were talking about you and jeongyeon." nayeon spoke for the group. for some reason, the three girls were still on the 'getting to know jeonghan' stage, so speaking casually to him would be kind of awkward.

jeonghan smiled and looked at jeongyeon. "it's not really a good story to tell since all of the chapters were composed of slapping of heads and punching of guts." he paused and glanced at jeongyeon. "right, jeongyeon?"

jeongyeon slapped his head. the four girls were shocked but they instantly recovered. jeonghan yelped in silence as he brought his hand up to massaged his head.

"--this is what i'm talking about." he told the other girls.

"you make it sound like, i'm the villain in your life, huh." jeongyeon glared at him. "i can still enumerate all of the good things i've done to you!"

"yeah, but it did outnumbered the times you hurt me!"

the girls were in awe as they watch the two squabble. they had their mouths half-opened.

"okay, cut it out guys!" nayeon recovered from the shock quickly since she encountered this so many times. she moved her chair beside jeongyeon and placed it in the middle of jeongyeon and jeonghan. she was then again, the peacemaker.

"yah yoo jeongyeon," nayeon faced her. "jeonghan just came back, why don't you try to stop the bickering for an hour or two?"

jeongyeon looked at her with disbelief, but nonetheless shook her head.

"it's okay nayeon," jeonghan mumbled with a warm disposition. "i'm used to her, so it's not really a big deal."

"wow," sooyoung uttered from her seat. "i don't think i would ever be used to someone bullying me." sooyoung hugged herself.

"maybe that's the only way jeongyeon can express her affection towards her friend." seulgi mindlessly said while constantly checking her phone.

"yeah, maybe you're right." jennie seconded.

the three girls continued to watch the scene infront of them; nayeon fixing the situation, jeongyeon not cooperating and jeonghan who seems to tease jeongyeon even more.

"okay," nayeon breathed out after saying a lot as she massaged her temple. "just continue your fight when we go home." she mumbled, giving up.

she raised her cup of ice cream. "let's just commemorate jeonghan's comeback here in south korea." she motioned the three other girls to raise their cups. "welcome back!"

"welcome back!" the three girls greeted him and jeonghan thanked them with warm smiles.

jeonghan and jeongyeon's situation were solved after minutes of sharing laughters. that's how it is for the two. that's how fast they resolved their fight.

after a series of sharing stories and jokes, jeonghan found it easy to get along with jeongyeon's friends.

later on, jisoo came when the clock at six thirty. she joined the crowd and shared how stressing it was to be a model and student at the same time.

"i promised myself that i'm going to chill the whole day tomorrow." jisoo said.

"you don't look like stressed at all!" sooyoung blurted out as she examined jisoo's face. it was wrinkle-free and there were no traces of dark circles.

"you have to share your skin care routine to me," nayeon muttered as she touch jisoo's face.

jisoo laughed and told them about it. jeongyeon also introduced jeonghan to her, and they easily got along.

it's saturday tomorrow and fortunately, all of them have no classes. so spending a much longer time in sungyeon's ice cream parlor would be possible.

when the clock at eight, everyone decided to rest.

sooyoung bid her farewell first when she spotted a familiar car outside.

"goodbye girls!" she kissed everyone's cheek except for jeonghan whom she hugged. "hope to get along with you more, jeonghan!"

"bye!" the others waved their hand as she watched her walked to the car.

it was then, when she opened the front seat, jeongyeon saw jimin's eyes boring into her. but it was short since sooyoung kind of blocked her sight when she slid on the front seat.

her brow shot up. weird.

sooyoung opened the window and waved her hand at them. they returned it with a smile.

jennie was picked up by hanbin, as well as seulgi. hanbin rode a motorbicycle while yoongi drives a car.

jisoo texted her twin brother to pick her up and she got up when he arrived. she kissed nayeon and jeongyeon goodbye and smiled at jeonghan before exiting out of the store.

"can you please call my sister?" jeongyeon mumbled to the manager of the store. sungyeon went to her office when they arrived awhile ago.

"okay." the manager replied and walked to the door leading to sungyeon's office.

"thanks!"

"what are you two going to do tomorrow?" nayeon asked them.

"we're going to start the project for chemistry 4," jeonghan mumbled.

nayeon's eyes widened when she remembered something. "oh my gosh! you mean, you're the one who's grouped together with jimin?"

"uhh, yes?" jeonghan was about to ask how did she knew but stopped himself when he realized that maybe jeongyeon had already told them.

"are you going to be okay, though?" nayeon asked jeonghan.

jeongyeon, who was listening beside her glared at her.

"i think so...?" jeonghan answered unsure.

"well, you see, if jeongyeon," nayeon raised her left index finger. "plus jimin," she then, raised her right index finger. "when joined together," her two fingers collided with each other and she made a gesture of explosion with both of her hands. "is equals destruction."

jeonghan nodded, remembering the interaction of the two earlier. "i see."

"where do you plan to do it?" nayeon asked curiously. she was running out of stories to tell, but never did she ran out of questions to ask.

"my home--,"

"figures," nayeon quickly cut him off. she had already figured out why they'll do it at jeonghan's.

jeongyeon can see the cogs turning in nayeon's head when the latter looked at her with 'i know why' eyes.

"you're overreacting," jeongyeon commented on her. nayeon shrugged, instead.

"what's their relationship?" jeonghan curiously asked nayeon. he refused to ask jeongyeon because he knew what will be her answer again.

'he's not really a nice topic, so let's just forget about him.' - was going to be jeongyeon's usual line.

"i don't even know what's with them." nayeon shook her head while chuckling. "one day, jeongyeon just woke up and surprise! she was big time pissed and annoyed at park jimin."

"yah," jeongyeon interrupted them. they may have seem to forget her presence, again. "it's not like i got pissed at him for no reasons."

"how will i know, then?" nayeon looked at her. "you refused to give me the details behind your attitude towards him."

jeongyeon shut her eyes. "are we really going to talk about this?"

none of the two answered. silence enveloped the table but was interrupted by the ring of an incoming costumer.

"fine," she deeply sighed. "i hate him simply because he's a walking contradiction. like, everything i said and do, he would always find a fault. and he tries to outsmart me. i find it so humiliating."

"oh now i know," nayeon commented after digesting everything jeongyeon had said.

"i actually find it fine though," jeonghan started. "maybe he wants to correct you in a good way."

"so you're siding-- ugh, nevermind."

"i'm not siding with anyone. i just like to view things as a whole. jimin looks like an experienced man. there's no harm in confiding with his suggestions."

"right!" nayeon agreed. "you know, when people tries to correct you, it doesn't mean that they want to humiliate you. they just want to help."

"and by the looks of that park jimin, he doesn't seem to do that to humiliate you." jeonghan commented. he was observing jimin and jeongyeon awhile ago when the two were busy throwing questions and suggestions. "but he does have that arrogant air with him."

"he's nice, jeongyeon." nayeon commented. she knows lots of stories since sooyoung is an open book to her friends. sooyoung often told them stories about how jimin's the best brother and all.

jeongyeon was left speechless after listening to her two best friends.

maybe i just mistook him as a competition, that's why i hate him.

jeongyeon wouldn't want to settle for the better. she wants the best, thus why she got the nickname 'miss perfectionist'. her ways might be difficult but she knew that exerting efforts would equate to a high grade.

jimin was intelligent, and if he tried to exert more effort than what jeongyeon's been doing, he would definitely climb the ladder.

thinking of her actions and crooked thoughts of him, made her want to hate herself. she wasn't raised to see someone higher than her as a competition.

she was taught to be a humble person.

"always consider others better than you." her mom's words lingered through her head.

the other side of her head reasoned out that it's normal to feel threatened. but hey, a simple change won't harm, right?

nayeon's head fell on her shoulder. she was surprised but easily relaxed so that her friend could take a nap comfortably.

jeonghan sat on the shotgun seat, and was telling stories to sungyeon. nayeon and jeongyeon were at the backseat.

due to endless blabbering awhile ago, nayeon was taken over by her drowsiness and had her head on jeongyeon's shoulder.

jeongyeon smiled when she realized how opening up to her friends feels refreshing.

i'm so glad to have such good friends.

-

jeongyeon woke up at 4 in the morning the next day. she wasn't really an early riser but she stood up nonetheless and faced her vanity to brush her hair.

while brushing her hair, she thought of what to do to kill time, since breakfast is gonna be served at 7.

should i sleep again? or jog? or should i finish 'three little pigs'?

she smirked when she remembered something. she grabbed her phone from her night stand and typed a message to jeonghan.

jeongyeon:

you up? come on! let's jog at the park!

she also called him incase he's still not up.

it took almost five rings before he answered. jeongyeon ended the call without saying anything. she just did that to wake him up.

she was choosing what to wear when her phone lit up for a message.

jeonghan the late ugly boy next door:

'kay. wait for me at your front yard.

upon reading the message, she went to her bathroom and took a bath.

after dressing herself up, she went out of her room. she caught her mother doing her routines in their living room. her mom was a fan of yoga.

"good morning, mom." jeongyeon greeted her.

"mornin'," she gruntled as she change her position. "you're early, huh."

"uhh, yeah." she went to the kitchen to drink water after answering her mom.

"you're gonna jog with jeonghan?" her mom asked. she figured that she was done with her routines.

"yeah," jeongyeon nodded as she downed another glass of water.

"oh, tell him to join us for breakfast later after you're done." her mom said, while grabbing her things, not bothering for a reply. she's probably going to take a shower now.

jeongyeon shrugged and grabbed her phone from her pocket when it vibrated.

jeonghan the late ugly boy next door:

i didn't know that you've been hanging out with turtles nowadays

"shut up," she rolled her eyes and walked to the door. grabbing her phone and airpods.

"let's go," jeonghan as soon as he heard the door opened.

"sorry for the wait," jeongyeon apologized as they both headed to open the gate.

jeonghan smiled. "it's okay. let's warm up?"

jeongyeon nodded and they both started to warm their bodies up.

after an hour of jogging and another hour of playing at the park, the two were now off to eat breakfast.

"i hope your mom made pancakes," jeonghan said out of nowhere. "i forgot to tell her when she asked me awhile ago."

"don't worry," jeongyeon patted his back. "she sometimes tend to prepare a feast whenever we have a guest."

yeah, it's true. whenever her girl friends would decide to sleep over at her house, breakfast or any time of the day, her mom would always prepare lots of foods.

perks to have a daughter who owns an ice cream parlor and a husband who works at a food company.

"oh about that," a question popped up from his head when they were walking back to jeongyeon's home.

he was kind of wondering why would jeongyeon pursue chemical engineering instead of business administration.

jeongyeon turned to him. they were now at the entrance of the subdivision they're in.

after greeting the bodyguard, jeonghan continued his question.

"i kind of failed to ask why you took up chem eng," he started off nonchalantly. "i thought you would take business ad or something."

"don't you think your question is kind of outdated?"

"uhh, not really?" he sounded unsure. what's wrong with asking though?

"we're already on our last year and we're going to start our practicum soon." jeongyeon mumbled.

"and what about that?"

"it would be better to ask that when we were on our freshmen days." jeongyeon rolled her eyes. "anyways, i just like science, specifically chemistry and chemical engineering piqued my interest."

"i see."

"sungyeon finished a business course and it's kind of lame for me take business too." she added as they walk to her house. "although that wants me to take business too, but i told him i wasn't up for it."

"i'd like to start by myself," she smiled, thinking about her goals. "it'd be nice to work your way to the top."

she wants to have her own pharmaceutical company... and start on researching about a medicine that would cure this certain illness.

"let me guess..." jeonghan touched his chin as he opened the gate of jeongyeon's home and motioned her to head first. "cosmetics?"

"nah," jeongyeon shook her head.

"oh, so it's going to be medicines then."

"yup," she gave him a thumbs up. "what about you then?"

"looks like you have already forgotten of my dream career, eh?" jeonghan glared at her.

"what?" her brows knitted into a curious expression. she tried to dug that piece of information but she couldn't. she raised her hands in surrender. "'kay fine, sorry i did forgot."

"remember my dad's a director in a petroleum company?"

"yes..." at the mention of that, a memory flashed on her mind and she instantly remembered what it is.

"i told you this countless of --"

"oh no! no! i know!" she quickly said. she stopped on her tracks and faced him. "a petroleum engineer, isn't it?"

"i'm glad you remembered now." jeonghan chuckled. "now i won't have a reason to ignore you later."

"shut up," she pushed his face when jeonghan tried to put one of his arms around her shoulder.

jeongyeon opened the door and was welcomed by a noiseless living room.

"i bet they're at the dining," jeongyeon said. she turned her head to look for jeonghan and caught him looking at her middle school graduation pictures. "let's go." she called over.

"oh, you've arrived?" jeongyeon's mom went out of the kitchen to place a plate of bagels. she turned her head on the side to look for jeonghan but he wasn't there. "oh, where's jeonghan?"

"he's coming," she said as she took a seat across from her sister. "morning."

"good morning, sis." sungyeon greeted in return as she sipped on her tea. "you went to jog?"

jeonghan followed suit after awhile. he sat next to jeongyeon and greeted her mom and sister.

"yes, we did." jeongyeon answered as she waited for her chocolate drink. she thanked her mom when she placed it infront of her together with a plate of pancakes. "thanks."

"woah," jeonghan was in awe when he saw a plate of fluffy pancakes.

"i still remember that you like pancakes dear," jeongyeon's mom said when she saw his reaction. 

"thank you so much!" jeonghan was satisfied with its thickness and he quickly stood up to kiss the cheeks of jeongyeon's mom. "you really are the best!"

"gosh!" jeongyeon's mom hugged jeonghan and tapped his back. "you've grown so big!" she ruffled jeonghan's hair and let go of him. "but you're still the same sweet boy!"

jeonghan laughed at the remark and stalked back to his seat beside jeongyeon.

jeongyeon and sungyeon shook their heads. the younger frowned while the elder smiled.

without further ado, the breakfast feast started.

"do you guys have somewhere to go today?" jeongyeon mom started a conversation. she was sipping her tea and her company were busy munching. jeongyeon nodded while sungyeon shook her head.

"well, jeongyeon, you better be home before dinner."

"why?" she asked after eating a bagel.

"it's saturday today, jeongyeon." sungyeon answered in a 'matter of fact' tone. "dad's coming home."

"oh, i forgot!" she drank water and stretched her neck sideways. "school's really eating my system."

"it's okay," their mom smiled. she knows how jeongyeon studies hard.

jeongyeon and sungyeon's dad is working abroad. he often goes from a different country to another due to their company having branches in different parts of the world. he stays overseas in a week or two, depending on his schedule. he goes home at saturdays, and rests for a week and then back again to flying.

"where did your dad go this week?" jeonghan asked jeongyeon. although his mouth was filled with pancakes and words were muffled but she was able to get a gist from it.

"is it berlin, mom?" jeongyeon asked and looked at her mom. her mom nodded. jeonghan nodded, brushing the topic off and focused on his pancakes instead.

"by the way sis," sungyeon called out her sister while getting another strip of bacon. "where are you going later?"

"his house," jeongyeon mouthed jeonghan who has his own world, busy with his pancakes drizzled in honey.

sungyeon nodded and the table went silent, only their munching mouths were the sound that can be heard.

"your mom really makes the best pancakes," jeonghan mumbled as he massaged his tummy.

after breakfast, jeongyeon pushed jeonghan to leave eventhough he wanted to play the new video games she have.

"no, not today." jeongyeon pushed jeonghan's chest when he tried to climb the stairs.

"why?" jeonghan asked. jeongyeon was stepping on the first stair.

"duh, you have to prepare the things i'm going to tell you." jeongyeon pushed him again, but he was strong enough to not bulge.

"oh my gosh, when did you became so strong?" jeongyeon pushed him again towards the door. jeonghan laughed at her statement.

jeongyeon was pushing him and was kind of successful since she was able to brought him halfway.

"oh come on!" jeonghan sighed, sulking. "it's still early! he'll arrived at 2, right?"

the digital clock showed that it was still 8:40am.

jeongyeon gave up on pushing him to leave because it did require alot of energy. she narrowed her eyes and placed both of her hands in her chest.

she tilted her head and without saying anything. she rolled her eyes and sighed.

jeonghan was looking at her, puzzled why she doesn't want to let her in.

"fine, one game."

-

"wow," jeonghan was in awe when she saw how jeongyeon's room upgraded. gone was the room for a girl. it now looked like a room of a lady.

"who renovated your home?" he asked as he settled his self on a bean bag.

"my mom and her friend," jeongyeon answered as she looked for a nice game in her rack.

she owns a lot of video games eversince. she and her sister used to play video games everyday when they were still young. their father first bought them a family computer and when he saw that her daughters enjoyed it, he bought a playstation and the girls overjoyed. when the xbox thing was released, the girls did their best to have their own set.

now, jeongyeon has her own and sungyeon does too.

"oh, i forgot that your mom studied interior designing." he mumbled as he stood and walked his way towards jeongyeon. he sat and also looked for a game he would want to play.

"yeah," she let him choose the game they were going to play. she was done setting up her xbox and was now waiting for jeonghan to pick.

she sat on her study table and grabbed her sticky notes and wrote the things they'll be needing later.

ugh, i can't wait to start the practicum. i really hate doing group works. she mumbled as she continued writing down all of the materials.

she prefer working alone, most of the times. but whenever a group works were to be done, she tried her very best to get a task that would require only her.

"have you played this before?" jeonghan asked, his back facing jeongyeon's back. he raised the video game with a title named 'fortnite: battle royale'. "it still looks new."

"what's that?" she asked back. jeonghan looked around and saw that she's facing her back.

"fortnite."

"which fortnite?" she asked, still writing the specific materials she'd need. miss perfectionist is at it again. she played all fortnite editions, though.

"the newest," jeonghan said as he stood up to put it on.

"i don't think so," jeongyeon stood, tearing the sticky note. "must be one of the games sungyeon bought last month."

before proceeding to get the bean bag so that she can sat there, she placed the sticky note on jeonghan's forehead who's waiting for her. she took the bean bag and placed it infront of the xbox.

jeonghan grabbed the sticky note and put it on his shirt instead.

"i stopped playing video games eversince fourth year started." jeonghan mumbled as soon as they got to choose their own character.

"hmm," jeongyeon hummed, grabbing the console with a hand.

"let's see who's skills got rusty," jeonghan stretch his arms while waiting for the game to start. his game face mode is on.

on the otherhand, jeongyeon doesn't even care. she smirked inwardly.

you dead meat.

"go home, loser." jeongyeon teased jeonghan. she was on a winning streak. they already played four games and jeonghan didn't even won.

jeongyeon smiled arrogantly when she saw that she won again.

"nah, let's do another game again!" he glared at jeongyeon and was about to get another video game from the rack but was halted by jeongyeon's kick.

"na uh!" she stood, blocking the rack. she glanced at the clock and saw the time. "it's already eleven in the afternoon!"

"fine," he lowly groaned. letting go of the game console.

jeongyeon turned off the xbox and started to pick their leftovers. jeonghan also did the same.

"i'll go to your house before two, and you go wait for jimin at the subdivision's gate." jeongyeon said as she finished cleaning. she went to the door and escorted jeonghan out.

"bye loser!" jeongyeon again when they reached the gate.

"shut up!" jeonghan fired back.

jeongyeon stuck her tongue out and waved her hand goodbye.

-

everything was done by the book. jeongyeon is silently doing her part while she steal some glances at the gentlen who did the part where strength is kind of required.

"this is so hard," jeongyeon heard jeonghan whining. she smirked but focused on what she's doing.

as for jimin, well... the two are still awkward.

well, jeongyeon thinks it is awkward. she thought if jimin felt that too but she quickly brushed the thought at the back of her head.

he doesn't even have the slightest idea that her friends are shipping him and her.

"psst," jeonghan called her. the two boys were done with their task and was waiting for jeongyeon.

but the latter was having a deep thought in broad daylight. he called her again, and still, she didn't even.

"oi," jeonghan decided to throw something at her. he grabbed the nearest thing beside him and threw it.

jimin was observing the scene and he chuckled when he saw her reaction.

"what the heck?!" jeongyeon fired when the big erases hit her head, bulls eye.

"who was that?!" she turned her head and her eyes first flew to jimin. she was about to look at jeonghan but she saw that jimin was shirtless.

her eyes widened as she trailed down his body. and oh my gosh, did she mentioned that jimin has the thing they'd call perfect abs. his muscles were in its rightful places. the sweat dripping in his chest even made him look...

boy, how could this guy have this kind of body?!

jeongyeon thought she was immune to boys showing their bulked bodies. she was sure to frown everytime she'd see one. her friends loved to see those type of sceneries.

her eyes then flew to his face when she heard him chuckle.

oh my gosh! he caught me gawking at his b-bo-- wait--- the heck? did i even say i did gawk?! 

jeongyeon turned her head and held her red face. "w-why the hell wouldn't you have your shirts on, oh?!"

she wanted to curse out loud and blame her friends! now that they're on with that destiny thing, she's been having some passing thoughts regarding about that matter.

"what?" jeonghan raised a brow and walked to her side. "mind you, we are sweating bullets! that's why!"

jeongyeon shut her eyes close when she felt jeonghan beside her.

"don't tell me this is your first time," jeonghan and then again, the two were throwing banters at each other.

jimin sat on the couch as he wore his shirt. he then closed his eyes and rested his back on the couch. he smirked when he saw her flustered face.

cute. he thought. the thought made him chuckle.

"jimin," jeonghan called him.

"yes?" he opened his eyes. the first thing he saw that jeonghan was now wearing a new shirt. his eyes then flew to his back and saw jeongyeon who flustered when he caught her looking at him.

the latter quickly marched to the dining room, while fanning herself.

an idea popped on his mind, but it was so close to impossible so he brushed it off.

"come on, let's take a break." jeonghan motioned his head towards the way jeongyeon went.

jeonghan's brows pinched when he didn't saw jeongyeon on her position when he called jimin. he craned his neck and started to walk to their dining room. "now, where's she?"

jimin stretched for a minute and headed to the dining room.

"stop saying nonsensical things, mr loser." he heard jeongyeon. the two are then again, throwing banters at each other.

"someone who can't even beat me in fortnite doesn't have the right to talk like that to me." jeongyeon added, the mockery in her tone was very evident.

"hmm, haven't you got so arrogant then?" jeonghan leaned on the table, his challenging face was plastered. the side of his lips rose. "just a few practice then i can beat you."

"once a loser, always a loser." jeongyeon fired back. she was about to throw a banter again but was stopped when she heard jeonghan greeted jimin behind her.

"come seat here, jimin." jeonghan pointed at the chair on his right. he eyed the foods that were placed in the table. there were carbonara, toasted bread, cookies, and many more. "nana prepared so many snacks!"

her back was facing the door, thus she can't see who came.

jimin didn't say a word and went to his seat, across jeongyeon.

"so, you were saying?" jeonghan turned to jeongyeon but she saw the latter's eyes focused on her snacks. jimin also started eating quietly.

"yah," jeonghan, after minutes of silently eating, noticed his best friend. he lifted his spoon and pointed it at jeongyeon. "why are you so red?"

jimin lifted his head and looked at jeongyeon in between chewing. he noticed it too.

"what red are you talking about?" jeongyeon mumbled, not taking her eyes off of her food.

"your face," jeonghan drank water and chuckled after. "you look like a tomato."

"shut up," she glared at him. jeonghan's chuckling face contorted into a scared one. he even zipped his mouth close.

her eyes then flew to jimin, and saw that he's looking at her with a smirk on his lips.

she felt her face flustered. she was now sure that she looks like a tomato... a riped one, even! she shut her her eyes and focused on her food. jimin chuckled silently and focused on his food again.

jeonghan widened his eyes when he saw the scene. his face contorted and his lips was in a malicious grin. looks like i know where this is going to.

jeongyeon widened her eyes when she felt that she's choking. she immediately drank the water beside her. she saw jeonghan's face and she immediately shook her head.

this idiot will probably tell this to the girls! i'm doomed!

jeonghan was about to open his mouth when jeongyeon placed the glass back on the glass table. it created a noise that even jimin was surprised.

before jeonghan could say a word, his nanny rushed to his side, holding a wireless telephone.

"your father called, jeonghan." his nanny handed him the phone and she excused herself out of the dining.

he then excused himself from his two guest and stood to talk to his dad on the porch.

when jeonghan left, the air changed between jeongyeon and jimin.

why am i suddenly left alone with this guy? she thought. she didn't lift her head again, and started to finish eating her carbonara. that's it! if i finish before him, i can leave this table and not--

she stopped when she realized what she's doing. why am i even thinking about this?

she mentally counted one to ten to calm herself and when she did, she focused on eating again, not bothering to say a word to the man sitting across him.

"you're acting strange right now," jimin spoke from his seat.

jeongyeon froze. slowly, she lifted her head and saw his face. she raised a brow when he smirked.

"i see you don't have your tongue with you today," jimin said. he got no reply from jeongyeon.

jeongyeon was battling with her mind to answer him. if she opened , awful things will come out. so she thought that it's best to shut for the mean time.

"is it with jeonghan?" he asked. thick brows were in a curious expression. it accentuated his sparkling eyes. "you only talk when he's the one talking to you." he said the last sentence in a low volume.

jeongyeon shook her head when she noticed that he's staring at him.

"w-what?" she asked, avoiding his gaze. for some reasons, she wanted to evade his eyes. his last sentence somewhat made her uncomfortable.

"is it your first time seeing someone topless?" jimin asked out of the blue, remembering the scene awhile ago.

for some reasons, the air between them felt unfamiliar to him.

he was used to the yoo jeongyeon talking back at him, the yoo jeongyeon who's capable of making him annoyed.

right now, the yoo jeongyeon he's facing is near to a rare dream.

a silent moment with her? probably a dream. a rare one. he thought.

"w-what?" jeongyeon stuttered. remembering the scene awhile ago, she felt her face reddened. but decided to brush it off.

you are not going to be shy and humiliatef infront of him. no! remember what your trainor told you about acting!

she looked at jimin and saw that he has his brow raised.

"o-of course not!" she answered, trying to sound confidently. good thing she enjoyed the time when she was enrolled into an acting and modelling workshop. "i go to the beach you know, and i often see people like that."

"oh so you act like that too?" jimin asked back. she can find some hints of amusement in his tone.

"like what?" she really wanted to thank her trainors for their workshops, that she can act like nothing happened awhile ago.

"i didn't know you tend to easily forget things," jimin chuckled.

he finds this amusing while jeongyeon is itching to leave him alone.

"why do i still find it funny when i know your acting?" jimin said to himself.

jeongyeon stiffened as her face blushed.

"anyways," jimin leaned on the backrest of his chair. he placed his arms infront of his chest. his eyes darted at jeongyeon. "are you done with your part?"

jeongyeon nodded, relieved that the topic she dreaded was done.

"when jeonghan cames back, we'll just assemble and attach the thing that you did on the base." he stated.

"okay," jeongyeon nodded again. she can now look on his blank eyes.

"i'm so sorry!" jeonghan sat with a worried expression.

guessing from his face, she knew that she won't like the next things that would probably come out of .

"dad asked me to go to the company..." he started off. "something came up and he asked if i could be of help. so i said i will, after this but he insisted to come urgently when he knew that i'm with you, jeongyeon." he looked at jeongyeon, who has in an 'o'.

"so... i think you can continue this thing later at jeongyeon's home." jeonghan said, he faced jeongyeon with a sorry expression. he then looked at jimin. "is that okay with you, jimin?"

jeongyeon and jeonghan looked at jimin. jeongyeon fisted his hands and was sure that the latter would agree, but too late though.

"okay," jimin said and walked out. he's probably going to fix the things. the followed him with their eyes, and when jimin was out of eyesight, jeongyeon turned to jeonghan.

jeongyeon glared at jeonghan.

"stop giving me that look," Jeonghan had his palms together and placed it infront of his face. "I tried to convince him, alright!" he even raised his arms for surrender.

jeongyeon shut her eyes and half-heartedly stood up, following jimin.

 

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comments are highly appreciated! would be glad to know you thoughts about this story. :)