The Perfect Match Chapter 21

!!!5 Months Later!!!

Jun Pyo

Why wasn’t she replying?

It had been more than an hour since she had read my message.

You would think that after being in a relationship for over five months Geum Jan Di would be aware of certain ground rules by now.

One of those ground rules being:

Replying to your boyfriend’s messages!

But no, of course Geum Jan Di would not conform to any kind of rules.

Well, I was Goo Jun Pyo and Goo Jun Pyo would not be ignored by anyone, even if that anyone was my girlfriend.

“You look like someone hit you with a frying pan Jun Pyo.” Yi Jung forced me to take my eyes off of my phone: “Everything okay?”

The dim lights in the F4 Lounge did very little to hide his amused stare.

Even Seung Jo looked vaguely entertained.

At the risk of sounding more than a little pathetic, I told the two what was going on: “Jan Di isn’t answering my text.”

The guys shared a glance with each other and before any of them could state the obvious I cut in: “And she has read it already.”

Yi Jung shrugged: “Maybe she’s busy.”

I felt rage build up inside of me: “But she saw it more than an hour ago!”

This time it was Seung Jo with his aggravating drawl: “Well maybe Jun Pyo, unlike what you think, her world does not revolve around you and so she forgot to reply.”

I was just about to yell at him for being his high and mighty self once again, when Woo Bin walked in with Hee Young in tow: “Good one Seung Jo. You’re actually not far off.”

She turned to me: “I assume this conversation was about Jan Di?” Without waiting for an answer she continued after taking a seat on one of the sofas: “I’m pretty sure she’s at work. She wanted to pick up some extra shifts at the porridge shop. She said she needs the extra cash. Something about treating herself to something special on her birthday, if I’m not wrong.”

Hee Young

It was like he had turned into a statue.

As soon as the word birthday had left my mouth Goo Jun Pyo had been frozen on the spot.

I leaned over to Woo Bin next to me: “Is he okay? I don’t think he’s breathing.”

Woo Bin shared amused looks with his other two friends and released a deep chuckle, shaking his head: “I think you broke him.”

“Yeah, but don’t worry.” Yi Jung chimed in: “He’ll come back to his senses. Give him a few moments.”

We’d been in the same class for eight months now, but the F4 leader was still an unresolved mystery for the most part. I had absolutely no idea how his brain worked.

Just as my thoughts started clearing up Jun Pyo seemed to come out of his stupor: “Birthday?!”

I pursed my lips: “Yes, exactly a week from now actually. You didn’t know?”

He stared at me in bewilderment: “Know?! No, I didn’t know! Do you think I would be freaking out right now if I had known her birthday was next week?”

“I see.” Nodding at him, I got up from my seat, preparing to leave. This was not my cup of tea. Woo Bin could deal with his friend’s erratic behaviour without me.

“Where are you going?” Surprisingly enough the panicked voice did not belong to my boyfriend, but rather to Jun Pyo: “You need to help me! What do I do?”

Sighing, I slumped back down on the sofa. Just as I thought, it was impossible for me to ignore a person having a downright meltdown: “What exactly is it that you need help with?”

His shoulders sagged with relief: “This is the first big event in our relationship. I want to do something special for her. But she hates grand gestures and that’s the thing I’m best at. Do you know anything that would be special and she wouldn’t completely hate?”

A thought flitted through my brain: “Now that you mentioned it, I guess there might be something, or rather someone. There is a very special person Jan Di wants to see again desperately. It’s her biggest wish. Maybe you would be able to arrange something. You certainly have the influence to do it.”

“Tell me who, I’ll arrange it.” Jun Pyo was so eager to make Jan Di happy; it was quite heart-warming to see.

A little smile slipped onto my face: “Let me call Ga Eul and check some details with her. I’ll tell you after that.”

Ha Ni

Jan Di’s birthday was only four days away now.

After taking care of her present, I could finally concentrate on my studies.

The exams were coming up in a few months and I needed to be prepared.

All of that was not possible at home though. There were too many people there who cared too little for studies as to remain quiet. Also, managing to make a child stay quiet was no easy task either.

So with all my relevant books and notes I had left the house for the day and taken up residence in the public library.

I was so engrossed in my history book I didn’t even notice someone taking a seat across from me.

Seung Jo

I sat at that table for over an hour and not once did she raise her eyes from her book.

Just what was it that held her attention to this degree?

Oh Ha Ni was a mystery to me. She was nothing like the other girls I had encountered until now. Definitely not like the heiresses that went to our school. Then again, I hadn’t spent as much time with anyone else other than my family or the rest of the F4.

“Is there a test I’m not aware of?” My words startled her and she finally lifted her gaze to look at me, though it still took her a moment to realize I was sitting in front of her.

She blinked once, then twice: “Seung Jo… I didn’t notice… How long have you been here?”

“A little over an hour now.”

Her face flushed with embarrassment: “I’m sorry. I just get so into my books that I forget everything around me sometimes.”

I shrugged: “It’s no big deal. I was just wondering what you were reading. It looked like a schoolbook, but I don’t think we have any tests coming up for the next month.”

“There isn’t any. I’m just studying for the finals.” She mumbled.

“What?” I didn’t understand: “The finals won’t be for a few more months. Aren’t you a bit early for that?”

Her face grew even redder at this and she shrugged her shoulders meekly: “I just want to be prepared, that’s all. I mean, I’m pretty sure I won’t place first, since you’ll be taking the same exam, but I at least want good marks.”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise: “You told me the same thing a few months back, Ha Ni.” He liked people who were serious regarding their studies, but something about Ha Ni attitude seemed a little off. It was as if she was obsessed with the need to excel at everything she did.

He remembered the time he had called her stupid and she had slapped him right across the face for it: “Why are you so afraid of being unprepared?”

She lowered her eyes and it looked as if she was contemplating what to tell me. Finally she settled on an answer, her eyes focusing on me once again: “Being unprepared is not an option for me Seung Jo. That’s not something I can afford…”

My brain was shouting at me to ask her more questions, but the quiver in her gaze told me that I had upset her enough already. She did not want to talk about any of this; it was so very clear to me.

Instead I gave her a nod of understanding: “Do you mind if I stay here while you study?”

The question was unexpected, her face conveyed every single one of her emotions: “Yeah, sure. Some company would be nice.”

End of Chapter

Author's Note:

Hi guys! I'm still alive :D

I have no excuses what-so-ever, but I'm still alive and writing, so I guess that's something...

Thank you to everyone who is still here after so many years!

I love you guys!!!