Jina and Seungho were both being a couch potato, spending the rest of the day by just watching TV and nomming on snacks. Seungho was suspicious with Jina’s attitude when he came back home from jogging a few days ago. He was relieved that Jaehyo was gone, on the other side he felt something else was going on.

“Jina-ya...”

Jina had a mouthful of chips. She didn’t take her eyes off the TV. “Eung?”

“Why do I feel that you’re acting like a cute puppy in love?”

Jina swallowed but still paid attention to the TV. “I am always cute like a puppy but your second assumption is kinda... wait. What?”

Seungho looked at Jina giving her a ‘what what?’ look.

“Who are you talking about?”

Seungho scoffed. “Don’t pretend like you don’t know.”

“No seriously, who?”

“The Almost Perfect but Stupid Ulzzang. What’s his name again? Jaiho?”

Jina almost choked on her water. She swallowed and laughed while putting her glass on the table. “Jaiho is Cat Dolls’ song.”

“Whatever,” Seungho shrugged.

“It’s Ahn Jaehyo,” Jina continued without being asked to. The moment she mentioned Jaehyo’s name, Jina felt that funny feeling in her tummy again. She was sure it wasn’t because of the food she was nomming on.

Seungho turned his head and looked at Jina again. Jina looked back. Seungho had this teasing face, those awful wriggly eyebrows that people normally use on you when they want to tease you. Jina took the pillow beside her and hit it on Seungho’s face.

Seungho chuckled. “You know if nothing is going on, you wouldn’t bother to say his full name or even hitting me with a pillow.”

Jina paused chewing. “You got a point there.”

“Then why bother?”

“Do we really need to talk about this?” asked Jina, slightly feeling pissed.

“I don’t know. I just love teasing you, you know that.”

Jina didn’t reply to the last sentence. Her head was suddenly filled with thoughts of Jaehyo. How they first met, how he never treated her as cold as she treated him, how they eventually keep meeting each other, and how he never get angry or upset by how Jina always treated him.

“He is undeniably nice,” mumbled Jina.

Seungho’s eyes widen. “Pardon me?”

“Nothing,” said Jina quickly. She didn’t know her brother would listen her mumbling.

Seungho heard it very clearly. He let out a smirk and patted Jina’s head.

“It’s okay, Jina. You have my approval. I wouldn’t mind if you guys start dating, it’s better than seeing you forever alone.”

Jina wasn’t pleased with Seungho’s last words. Just when she was about to attack him, her phone rang. Seungho sighed feeling relieved.

“Yes, Manager Kim?”

Seungho watched as Jina’s face slowly become lazy as she nods and says yes to whatever the caller was saying. The conversation didn’t last for a minute, Jina finally hung up.

“What’s up?” asked Seungho, always curious.

“It’s still months towards my game in Hongkong. Manager Kim told me not to forget skating, he said I should practice routinely as usual,” explained Jina, she pouted after talking.

“I bet you are lazy to practice,” guessed Seungho.

Jina nodded. “Aren’t I already perfect?”

Seungho had this ‘judging you’ face. Jina laughed. “I’m kidding okay I still have flaws, of course I am gonna practice.”

“Cool. I wanna watch you practice. When are you going to start?”

~~~~~

“You are smart sometimes, Jaehyo. I didn’t know where on earth you got the idea to pretend being drunk and in the end had a sleepover at Jina’s place,” Kyung shook his head in amazement. He even clapped twice. “I like your swag.”

Jaehyo frowned. “I didn’t pretend being drunk, I was really drunk!”

Kyung looked surprised. “Really? But I thought you don’t drink.”

“I don’t know I just feel like it that night.”

“Why?”

“Because I thought Jina’s brother was her boyfriend.”

Kyung was about to drink the hot brewed coffee in front of him. He paused to Jaehyo’s last explanation, and started chuckling.

“So it was a misunderstanding?” asked Kyung. His face was all smiley smiley, preventing himself from LOL-ing.

Jaehyo nodded.

“A lucky one. Imagine if it wasn’t Jina who found you at Shincheon, imagine it was some creepy ahjumma who in the end takes you to HER house and I don’t know maybe you will get...”

“CUT IT OUT! Ewww, even without imagining it and hearing you talking is already nasty!”

Kyung finally let out a loud laugh. Jaehyo had to kick Kyung’s leg to make him silent. They were in a cozy café, their conversation was already loud enough for other customers to hear.

As Kyung was trying to stop laughing, Jaehyo caught a young lady walking towards him. His eyes squinted as he tried to recall who she was. Kyung also turned around to see what Jaehyo was looking at.

“Park Kyung and Ahn Jaehyo, right?”

Jaehyo blinked. He knew the girl but he totally forgot where he met her and who she was. Kyung also forgot everything but eventually answered. “Yes. Have we met before?”

The girl scoffed, leading to a soft laugh. “I was already thinking you guys would forget me already.”

Jaehyo and Kyung looked at each other and both shrugged. The girl smiled and stretched out her hands.

“Ryu Hwayoung. Jina’s college friend. We met before at the boutique.”

Kyung snapped his hands. “AH~! Right I remember! Sorry for forgetting you, Hwayoung,” Kyung shook his hands with Hwayoung.

Somehow Jaehyo still didn’t remember even when Hwayoung already explained everything. He also shook hands with Hwayoung and let out a small smile, still slightly confused.

Kyung looked around. “Are you alone?”

Hwayoung nodded. “Yeah stopping by for a drink before I go to college.”

Kyung nodded. “Want to join us?”

Hwayoung’s face was slightly looking delighted. “Is it okay?” she asked as she looked at Jaehyo.

Jaehyo got the signal. He smiled and pulled out a seat. “Yeah, it’s fine.”

“Thanks,” Hwayoung settled her bag on the chair. She excused herself to make an order.

“Ah, a pretty sight in such a good morning,” said Kyung as he sipped his coffee.

Jaehyo shrugged and glanced throughout the window. “Would have been even better if she brought Jina along.”

Kyung smirked and started teasing Jaehyo all over again. Jaehyo had these embarrassed but happy being teased facial expressions. Hwayoung came back holding a warm cup of latte. Kyung quitted and invited her to sit.

“Sorry for interrupting you guys,” said Hwayoung.

“Ah it’s okay,” Kyung answered with a smile. “You said you were going to college?”

Hwayoung nodded. Kyung looked at Jaehyo. Jaehyo looked back. Hwayoung looked at Jaehyo.

“Is there anything wrong?” asked Hwayoung.

Kyung cleared his throat. “Well, as you can see, my friend here was wondering whether you have Jina around or... OUCH!”

Kyung winced in pain as Jaehyo kicked his foot, this time harder, to make him be quiet. Hwayoung looked confused but chuckled in the end.

“Oh, Jina’s house and my place are quite far, so we never go to college together. We always meet in class,” explained Hwayoung briefly.

Jaehyo and Kyung both nodded. Hwayoung got curious.

“Why? Were you expecting to meet her again, Jaehyo-sshi?”

Jaehyo was startled by Hwayoung’s question. “Oh? Well, not really. I mean, kinda,” he answered, stuttering and scratching his head awkwardly.

Kyung covered his mouth to hide his chuckle seeing his buddy in an awkward situation. Hwayoung just smiled while holding her cup of latte.

~~~~~

Jina lead the way to the entrance of the huge ice skating center. Seungho followed her behind. She peeked through the window and saw the ice rink half crowded.

“How am I going to practice?” asked Jina, mostly to herself.

“Is your manager already here?” asked Seungho, catching up to Jina’s side.

Jina nodded.

“Then maybe he would take care of everything,” said Seungho.

Jina shrugged and continued walking until she reached the changing room and an information table. There she saw Siwan and Manager Kim making a deal with some random guy at the table.

“Oh, Jina you came?” asked Siwan when he turned around and saw her.

Jina gave a 45 degree bow to both Siwan and her manager. Seungho followed and did the same.

“Guess who I’m with,” said Jina. She pulled Seungho who was behind her.

“Seungho! Yah! It’s been ages!” Siwan gave a quick buddy hug. Seungho smiled and hugged back.

Seungho also greeted Manager Kim. They had a quick chit chat while Jina was worried looking at the crowded ice rink.

Jina looked back to the three guys chatting and was about to open when a voice was heard through the speakers. It gave an announcement that the skating time is over, the skaters must leave as the ice rink needs to be cleaned and that the ice rink will be open in another 3 hours.

Jina looked at her manager. “So that’s how you do it?”

Manager Kim smiled and nodded. “Your usual practice place couldn’t be used at this moment so I personally rented this whole place. Well, not personally exactly but Siwan and I managed to get this.”

Jina blinked. Siwan chuckled. “What are you waiting for?” asked Siwan.

Jina walked towards Seungho, Seungho gave Jina’s skates. She punched Siwan’s arm and her manager’s shoulder lightly while thanking them and entering the changing room.

~~~~~

Jina had to wait 15 minutes for the whole ice rink to be cleaned and polished. The three guys said they would leave after watching Jina’s practice for half an hour. Jina entered the ice rink after thanking the ahjusshi who was in charge of it.

She already did some warm ups in the changing room. She casually skated around the whole ice rink to warm up some more. Jina then did her basic moves, spins, and all, with the three guys watching from afar. After she completed her whole moves from her previous game, she looked at Seungho tapping on the huge glass window. He signaled her to get her phone.

Jina nodded and skated towards the ice rink entrance. She reached for her phone that was ringing, placed on top of her bag which was directly on top of the ice.

“Yes, oppa?” she answered the call while looking out the glass window.

“Siwan, Manager Kim, and I will go out for a drink. Don’t finish practicing before an hour and a half more, okay? And keep your phone standby, don’t set it to silent mode. It kills me being have to call you over and over again.”

Jina chuckled and gave an ‘okay’ sign with her hand. Seungho then hung up and waved. Jina waved back to Siwan and Manager Kim too.

She watched the three guys walk outside the ice rink area. She then looked around. It was just her alone. Whenever she was alone, she would always remember her mother, and she would start having teary eyes.

“Quit it, Song Jina. You are here to practice, not to mourn. Mom, have faith in me! Jina hwaiting!”

Jina gave some support to herself and started practicing again. She would come back to her phone and check if there are new messages or missed calls. She then connected to the available wifi, and watched some videos of new ice skating moves.

It’s been an hour. Jina’s body was too tired and hot, she sweated a lot despite the cold temperature of the ice. She still had 30 minutes left before she is allowed to leave the ice rink.

She sat down on the ice with her bag beside her, browsing through her phone, looking for new moves, when suddenly her phone rang. She was startled that she almost dropped her phone to the ice. She tilted her head as she saw the unknown number calling her.

“Yoboseyo?”

“Song Jina-sshi?” said a deep voice.

Jina’s heart almost skipped a beat. “Yes, who is this?”

The voice chuckled. “I guess you haven’t memorized my voice well, have you?”

Jina started to think that the caller was some creepy stalker. “Who are you?” she asked, in a sharper tone.

“Easy, Jina. It’s Jaehyo.”

Jina sighed. “You got me scared for a second there.”

“I’m sorry. It’s almost dinner time, are you free?” asked Jaehyo.

Jina looked at her watch. He was right.

“Actually I am in the middle of a practice session.”

“Really? Gosh I am sorry if I am bothering you. You better continue or your coach would scold you.”

Jina laughed. “I practice alone. I have no coach.”

Jaehyo stayed silent for a second. “Really? Anyway I almost forgot the reason I called you. I still owe you something. When you finish practicing, would you mind if I treat you for dinner?”

Jina smiled. Her heart was definitely beating faster than usual. She convinced herself that it was because of her practice, but she couldn’t deny that Jaehyo’s surprise call made her feel excited.

“Sure, I’d love to!”

Jaehyo was half shocked on how excited Jina’s voice sounded. “Very well then. I will call you again in an hour.”

Jina nodded. “Jaehyo, wait...”

Jaehyo who was about to hang up the phone on the other side, stopped and replied. “Yes?”

“You can come and wait for me to finish practicing, if you want to.”

Jina absolutely had no idea why was uncontrollably saying random things like that. She covered after she said it, and slightly closing her eyes waiting for a reply just in case she got ‘rejected’.

“Seriously? Where are you now?”

Jina opened her eyes and was secretly relieved. She told her location to Jaehyo before they both hung up.

Jina stared at her phone. She squealed while hugging her knees before she stood back up and skated some more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

this is quite a long update, right?

i have chapter 14 ready in my word document. will release it tomorrow!

thank you for new subscribers, and to my loyal readers, please note that i always love you and your comments so keep commenting~!!! ♥♥♥