Chapter 5: Thanks

Juri’s POV

I heard the school bell was ringing loudly, giving a sign to all teachers and students that the school was finally over. I packed my things up and quickly went out from the class. I walked passing Jaejoong and I secretly took a glance at him. He was busy packing up his thingy too until he didn’t notice my presence. He seemed cheerful as I could hear he was humming an unknown rhythm.  

‘I want to speak to him but I still have no guts to do so. I’m such a coward. He has already been my friend since hours ago and I still can’t act like a normal person will do. But is he really wants to be my friend? I still doubt about our friendship even this is truly what I pray for since the first time I met him.’

I finally decided to just silently walk out from there and go towards the school gate. I’ll wait for Hyejung as usual in front of our school gate after school. 15 minutes passed and I barely saw Hyejung yet. My legs were getting tired and fatigue as I was standing there for a long time. I knocked my knees gently to reduce the pain. I looked at my wrist watch again.

‘Where is she? She never did this before. She usually tells me in case she has any extra class after school. I hope nothing bad happens to her. Maybe I should wait for her for a while.’

I looked around the school, hoping to see Hyejung’s appearance but nothing happened. The school was empty as everyone had already left. Suddenly I heard someone’s voice. It was voice of boy and girl who were laughing and chatting happily. I tried to find the owners’ of the voices and I was surprised to see Hyejung and Jaejoong were walking together. They seemed very happy and I admitted that deep inside my heart was saying that they would make a cute couple even my head tried hard to deny it. I looked down to control my tears from falling down.

‘Not now, Juri. Please don’t cry. You know about this from beginning, right? He’s not your prince and you’ve to accept this fact, Juri.’

I took a deep breath and looked at them back. Hyejung finally noticed my existence. She was surprised to see me.

“OMG, Juri. Please forgive me. I really really forgot to tell you during lunch. Please... Please forgive me. Please," she asked my forgiveness. She pouted and I could see that she was guilty for letting me waited for her for a long time. I just slowly nodded my head and formed a fake smile.

“Aish, Hyejung. You should tell me earlier. You know how long I’ve waited for you? Aish, you’re forgiven today and promise me that you won’t repeat it again,” I said gently as I had no more energy to mad her. My heart was broken into pieces and I really need a space to hide this miserable feeling.

She smiled hearing my words and then hugged me tightly. I looked at Jaejoong who was still standing there while watching us. He was smiling and unexpectedly our eyes met. I could feel my heart was beating rapidly as our eyes were looking to each other.

“And I’m sorry too, Juri,” he apologised. I just nodded my head as Hyejung was still hugging me. I tried to smile even it looks so fake.

“Juri, you know what, I’ve good news for you. Jaejoong has asked me for a date today. Could you believe that? You know what’s that means? Juri, I’m really happy,” she whispered to my ears. I was shocked hearing her “good news” and I tried to control my facial expression.

‘That’s not my good news, Hyejung but yours. But I should feel happy for you too as you could find your own happiness. I’m your best friend, right? Your happiness is my priority.’

“Oh, really? Congratulations Hyejung. I’m happy for you,” I sincerely said that and let go our hugs.

“Why don’t you come with us too?” Hyejung asked me happily. I looked at Jaejoong and his face looks uneasy with Hyejung’s sudden request.

‘I know you want to be alone with her, right? Now I believe that I’m just your friend even deep inside my heart told me you’re using me to get her. I don’t know you have this type of attitude. But never mind, Jaejoong, I understand that and I should treat you as my friend too.’

“Thanks but no thanks. I’ve something to do. Just have a nice day guys,” I smiled while walking away from there but Hyejung quickly grabbed my hand. I stopped my steps.

“Juri, please,” she begged me.

“But..,” I tried to excuse myself but no words came out from my mouth. Finally Jaejoong spoke.

“She’s right, Juri. Why don’t you just come with us? And I’m sure it would be great,” he said cheerfully but I knew deep inside his heart he didn’t want me to tag along as I could feel his face was frustrated. I tried to reply back but Hyejung pulled my hand and finally three of us walked together. I was quiet while Jaejoong and Hyejung were chatting happily again.

‘There’s no use I come with them. It makes my heart becomes worst’

Jaejoong’s POV

As I was chatting with Hyejung, I could notice Juri was walking quietly behind us. She looked down for the whole time.

‘I want to talk to her too to avoid this awkwardness but I’ve no idea to talk about. I didn’t want Juri to come with us at first as I want to be alone with Hyejung but as that girl really insists to invite Juri, I’ve no choice to reject that.  And I also feel bad for making her waited for Hyejung for  a long time. Maybe this is just a way to repay her.’

 “Let’s go to that shop,” Hyejung asked us and pulled my hand. I could feel an electric current flew in my body as our hands touched. We entered the shop and there are a lot of cutesy stuffs. Hyejung walked around the shop. She looks like a kid and I admitted that she’s really cute. I smiled seeing her action.

“That’s really beautiful,” she said.

“Do you like it? If you do, I’ll buy it for you,” I said while smiling to her. She looked at me happily.

“Really? Thanks Jaejoong,”she thanked me and excused herself to look around the shop again. I just nodded my head. Aish, this girl really melts my heart with her cuteness!

‘Where’s Juri? She’s behind us just now.’

I searched around and I saw she was looking at something fascinatingly. She was smiling while holding that thing. I came closer to her.

“What are you looking at, Juri?” I asked her. She was shocked of my presence. She moved backward and almost fell down but I quickly held her waist. Her eyes were getting bigger. Even she was wearing a thick glasses, I could see her eyes clearly as our faces were just in inch. She quickly stood up and I let her go.

‘I never know she has a beautiful eyes’

“No... nothing,” she stuttered. Her eyes were still looking at that thing. I looked at the way her eyes pointed at. I took that thing. It was a phone chain and it’s quite cute. It only left one.

‘She has a good taste too’

“Do you want this?” I asked her. She immediately shook her head.

“No,” she denied.

“Good because I want to buy it too,” I . Her face slowly turned gloomy.

‘She’s really innocent. Even her feeling could be clearly read through her face’

I went to counter to pay the phone chain. Hyejung was still searching around, so I decide to pay it first. After finished, I went towards Juri again.

“Here,” I handed her a small plastic bag. She seemed very shocked. She opened it and found out it was the phone chain that we had talked just now.

“Why do you give it to me? It’s yours as you paid for it,” she said while giving back that thing to me.

“Just accept it. It’s my gift for you for being my friend,” I said and walked away from there to find Hyejung.

Juri’s POV

As I was looking at the phone chain, Jaejoong asked me from my back. I was shocked hearing his voice and I moved backward as his body’s almost closer to mine. Unfortunately I trapped my leg and almost fell down until someone hand grabbed my waist.

‘It’s so close. I mean Jaejoong’s face and mine. I could tell my heart is beating really fast’

“No... nothing,” I replied his question but my eyes were still looking at that phone chain. I didn’t notice he was looking at my action.

 “Do you want this?” he asked me while taking the phone chain.

“No,” I denied even I really want to but it. Furthermore, it only left one in this shop.

“Good because I want to buy it too,” he said and went to counter to pay.

‘He must be buying that for Hyejung. I should take it but it’s too expensive.’

Suddenly someone handed me something. I looked up and I was confused. I opened the plastic bag.

‘Why does he give me this? I thought he bought for Hyejung’

I tried to give it back to him but he refused to accept it.

“Just accept it. It’s my gift for you for being my friend,” he said and then walked away from me.

‘I never expect this from you, Jaejoong but thank you for giving me this phone chain. I’m really happy and I promise to take care of it. It’s really valuable to me’