Page Nine: The Unexpected Guest

“So what are you planning to do now?” I heard Hyesun asked me through Skype.

We were having our usual night conversations behind Minho’s back. Well, he is that troublesome and a tattletale for me so we just have to exclude him. Probably, he would get tired from our girl talk. I saw Hyesun rolled her eyes at me as I continued to blank out.

“Yah, Sandara Park!” Hyesun called me out for the third time and when I managed to snap back to the reality, I heard her threw a fit of laughter.

I pouted and mumbled, “Go ahead and laugh while I sulk here alone.”

“Your humor is getting better. Are you taking some lessons from Minho? He sure is good with that kind of monologues.” Hyesun teased as I knew that I can never be like her boyfriend. After all, he is indeed the reigning drama king. Sometimes I wonder who wears the skirt in their relationship. Hyesun may appear fragile and dainty but she’s definitely far from it. She laughed at my reaction and went back to our previous topic, “So what are you going to do now?”

“Nothing?” I answered and pursed my lips as I saw how she scoffed at me. One of my eyebrows arched and asked, “What do you expect me to do?”

“Probably pushed that girl away and claimed what’s yours to begin with?” Hyesun suggested and her tone filled with sarcasm. When I didn’t reply, she said, “Oops, just don’t say it.” I looked at her in confusion and I heard her add, “Please spare me with your stupidity.”

“I am not stupid.” I told her and when I was about to tell her about my grades being one of the highest, she just rolled her eyes and waved her hand at me.

“Oh, please.” Hyesun cut me off before I go around and pointed out that I am not stupid. Her nose twitched in annoyance and leaned forward to the camera, making her face fill the whole LCD screen of my laptop. “Look, I am not saying that you are dumb or anything. Gracious, your grades are way better than mine. But you are stupid. Period.”

“I can’t believe you are calling me stupid.” I stated and sighed in disbelief. I mumbled, “Some friend you are…”

“Hell. I’m more than a friend than that stick girl.” Hyesun plainly stated.

“Don’t call her like that.” I said.

“I’ll call her whatever.” Hyesun disagreed and snorted. “But don’t try to change the topic here. I know what you’re doing!”

“Come on, Hyesun.” I begged. “Yoona’s not so bad at all.”

“Probably on your book.” Hyesun quickly said. “But not on mine. Definitely not on mine.”

“You haven’t even met her yet.” I pointed out. “You’re not that type of person to judge her with just this.”

“But it’s enough for me to know that she’s the one reason why you can’t have the one guy that you like.” Hyesun reasoned out. She smiled as she said, “Look, she may be a good girl but I don’t like her at all. Not until she moved out of the way so your love story can start.”

“There is no love story.” I repeated. “When can you ever listen?”

“When have you been so blind?” Hyesun asked and rolled her eyes. I looked at her through the small lens of my camera hoping it would at least let her know that I am serious. She scoffed at me arrogantly, “He likes you.”

“But he is with Yoona.”

“That’s why I dislike her.”

“Goodness, we are not having this conversation again!” I gave up and that made her smile. “I miss you and your nonsensical points.”

“And I miss you too.” Hyesun replied.

Then she bid me goodbye as she needed to do some of her school works. I lay down staring at the monitor for a while and thought of my conversation with my childhood friend. Would things really change if there’s no Yoona?

I can only sigh and my mind was still buried underneath these questions when I heard a knock on my door.

“Dara, you got a guest.” Bom, my sister called out.

“I’m coming down.” I yelled as I tied my hair in a messy bun and went down. To my surprise, when I opened the door I saw my grinning older sister eyeing me. With one of my eyebrows arched, I asked, “What’s with that snarky smile?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Bom told me in a sing song tune. “I think somebody is growing up.”

“I am growing up. It just doesn’t show.” I said dismissingly.

“But still you managed to snag a handsome man.” Bom teased and her eyes turned dreamily. Now I don’t want to ask what she’s thinking. She pushed me forward and said, “Go now. Mom is very pleased with this turn of events.”

“Seriously, you and mom should get a life.” I told them and left my grinning sister.

I went down and my forehead formed a crease upon seeing who my guest is. I almost slam my head on the wall when I saw Hyunjoong waving frantically at me. Sighing, I forced myself to walk over Hyunjoong who made himself a little bit comfortable on our living room. I already knew that my mom loves his flowery mouth.

“What are you doing here?” I asked with an arched eyebrow.

Hyunjoong stood up and planted a light kiss on my cheeks that burned a little.

“Hello to you as well, dear.” Hyunjoong sarcastically said.

I pushed him away and made him sit as I threw another glare at his direction. With a scowl on my face, I exclaimed, “How many times must I tell you not to just kiss me on my cheeks?”

“How many times must I tell you I like kissing your cheeks?” Hyunjoong retorted and another grin appeared on his face. “Well, if I have a choice, I rather kiss your lips.” I knew my face turned red with his blunt statement which made him chuckle as he added, “But I guess you aren’t ready for that yet.”

I can only groan at his arrogance but seeing this guy is a little bit refreshing. After all, I did have a stressful day earlier. Avoiding Yoona and Seunghyun were making it a little bit hard for me.

“Let’s get serious here, Hyunjoong.” I started as I looked at him straight in his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m always serious when it comes to you.” Hyunjoong said with utmost seriousness, as if the easy and laidback guy that was here earlier has changed quickly. He looked at my eyes as he added, “You just don’t take me seriously.”

I gulped as I started to feel uncomfortable with his stares. Sometimes I tend to get uneasy with this guy and I don’t really want to know the reason why. He is just one of the few persons that I’m unable to speak with a little bit comfortably and it’s going to be hard to lose him as a friend. It seems that he noticed my silence and that made him snapped back to the playful jerk he was.

He laughed as he said, “I’m here because of the dinner.”

“Did I invite you for dinner?” I asked in surprise as I tried to remember if I asked him.

Hyunjoong shook his head and gave me one of his infamous boyish grins. Then he answered, “I’m here to see you eat.”

I almost fell to my seat as I remember that particular conversation back then. I never thought he was this weird to take that as an invitation. Sometimes I want to open his skull and check the condition of  his brain. Hyunjoong is definitely weird.

“So you invite yourself to dinner?” I asked.

“Nope, I won’t eat if you won’t invite me.” He answered.

“I thought you are here for dinner.”

“Yes. To watch you eat.”

I groaned at his weirdness and decided not to discuss it further.

“Come on, you can’t just watch me eat.” I said in defeat as I heard my mother calling us for dinner. “Just stay for dinner.” That made him smile and his eyes twinkle with happiness. I added, “My mom makes the meanest mash potatoes, you know.”

“I love mash potatoes.” Hyunjoong said.

“I know.”

“And I love you.” Hyunjoong whispered.

I bit my lower lip and turned my back hastily as I ignored him.

“Come on. Their waiting for us.” I said and walked away without looking back.

I can feel his eyes burning holes at my back but I heard him groan. He knows that I ignored him blatantly and I know that this one won’t be finished this easily. One way or another, he will surely pester me in his own way.

Just now, he was added to my list of people that I needed to avoid for a while.

And my world is getting smaller.

And my world is starting to get hard to move on to.

And I fear for what’s to come next.