Chapter 11
Lemons Grow In Mars
The Oppa Bear
It is 3:37 pm and I’m at the mall, waiting for Seungri. I figured that since I’m out, I should just buy some school supplies.
What is taking him so long? His house isn’t that far from here! I bet he’s doing that ‘model walk’ again just in case Nickhun passes by him. Aigoo. Why the hell does he think that’s an attractive thing to do? I wish he'd stop taking his time, that princess...
*Whistle whistle whistle…*
“Cuddle Bear!”
That voice.
I look up and saw him standing about 10 feet away from me. “OPPA BEAR!”
I can’t help it. There’s a lot of people here but I just miss Jae Hwa oppa so much that I ran to him and hugged him with all my might.
We hugged for a long time.
“Cuddle Bear, is it just me or are you growing more beautiful every time I see you?”
I hit his arm. Pathetic line.
“Oppa! It's been two months since we’ve seen each other and that’s the first thing you say to me? You’re such a liar!”
“No, really! You’re glowing and you’ve lost a bit of weight too. Are you eating right?”
“*Gasp! I lost weight? Really? The baby fat’s melting?”
“Yeah…congratulations!”
I hit his arm again. What a joker.
Ahhh! I’m so happy that he’s here with me again! He’s exactly as I had last seen him. Buff. His arms are huge. He’s much bigger than Young Bae. And taller too. Usually when he and I meet up, he would wear grungy looking clothes to change his appearance. But he didn’t know we were going to see each other today so I guess he's in his normal attire, a black suit. We decided to go to a coffee shop nearby to chat.
Jae Hwa oppa has been like a brother to me. He’s 31 years old now, he took care of me when I was still a baby. Yes, this man has changed my very diapers. He’d done it twice (he always reminds me). But he’s shut off contact with my family now (except me).
When he was 12, his parents who were close friends with my parents died. Someone burned their house. He survived. My parents took him in, treating him like he was their own. My parents were just recovering from the loss of my older brother (who died when he was five, 2 years before oppa came) when they took in Jae Hwa oppa.
Oppa was like an angel to my family, he treated us with the deepest respect, as a grateful orphan would. But outside of our home he got in trouble a lot. Inside, he was angry at the people who killed his parents. Rumors had it that it was a gang boss that had set their house on fire. Nobody really knows except Jae Hwa oppa who spent more than half of his life tracing down the perpetrator.
When he was around 14 (just when we moved to Young Bae’s neighborhood), my parents decided that they would adopt him. He refused, saying that he didn’t deserve such love from them. That’s when he started disappearing, only coming back every other day. Then he started disappearing often for long periods of time, coming back only when he heard that we were sick or when I missed him and on special holiday occasions. He would come back sometimes with bruises and he would make up excuses as to why he had those. Every time he came back he was bigger, wiser, and more mature. My parents were worried for him, but they had no control over it.
Nine years ago he was shot four times; 2 on his chest, his leg, and his neck. I thought he was going to die. Young Bae was still my best friend at that time but he haven’t really seen Jae Hwa oppa, yet he comforted me, telling me that my oppa will live. During Jae Hwa oppa’s 2-month coma, Young Bae became my personal slave at his own will (he would even get punished for my mistakes).
When Jae Hwa oppa finally came to, my parents told him that they don’t want to see him anymore. He said he understood, I was shocked. My parents told me that Jae Hwa oppa was not safe to be around with because he’s part of a dangerous community. Jae Hwa oppa told me to stay away from him, but I couldn’t. I love him like he is a brother of the same blood. I told oppa that I will always cry and my problems would never be solved because he's the only one who really understands me. Like when I ran away a few years back because my parents arranged an arranged marriage for me and the ‘Dark Ages’ after Young Bae started drifting away from me, making me feel very lonely and lowered my self-esteem. He agreed to still keep in contact with me in secrecy. It was hard though because he always changes his numbers. I never know where he lives and he says he's never in one place.
“Are you serious?! That Young Bae guy is courting you? The one who broke your heart?! No wonder you’re glowing… ”
“He didn’t break my heart oppa! And yes, I’m serious.”
“Right… I know you’re in love with him. But I don’t like him after what he did to you. Don’t go out with him.”
“Aisshh! I’m not in love with him! Get your facts straight! I was depressed because he was my best friend and best friends don’t just leave each other for other friends which is why I was sad, not because I loved him!”
Jae Hwa oppa laughed.
“I suppose…well…he’s decent unlike me. At least he’s an honest guy.”
“Why? You’re not honest to your girlfriends?”
He looked at me, his eyes full of hurt.
“You make it sound like I have tons of girlfriends at the same time.”
“Don’t you?”
“Of course not! I don’t even have time for romance. I’ve only dated…two girls in my lifetime… ”
“Oppa, what’s wrong?” I could tell something was wrong from the way he was staring off into the distance.
“Well…since we’re BFFs forever, I should just tell you…”
“Tell me what?” Don't ask me where he got BFF forever from. I don't want to have to explain. What is he anyway, a ten year old girl? BFFs 4EVA? Goodness…
“I just found the one…but she’s not really…our relationship isn’t really appropriate... "
Suddenly I could hear my heart beating loudly. Like you know... in the suspense movies when the chilling mystery is approaching and the background music slowly goes ‘KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM’. That’s how I feel right now. I don’t feel good about this.
Jae Hwa oppa held my right hand that was lying on the table and squeezed it. “Cuddle Bear…please don’t judge me. I can’t help how I feel. I…I… ”
I brought my face closer to his hoping it would help him say what he was going to say faster.
“Yes…you…you what?”
“I’m in love with a high school girl.”
I heard Seungri’s voice yell, “HYUN OK!”
I sat up. “A high school girl?”
OMG. My nightmare has come true.
“Seungri, can you wait a few minutes? Just wait up for me outside and I’ll be there, okay?” I told Seungri. Seungri looked confused probably because I didn’t introduce him and Jae Hwa oppa to each other. But he did what I told him to do.
I sat back down and looked at Jae Hwa oppa. “Oppa…this is not good. A high schooler? You’re old enough to be that girl’s uncle.”
“I know, I know. It just happened before I even knew what was going on. We…broke up just a week ago. But I still…”
“You still love her?”
He nodded.
I sighed and drank my honey lemon tea. This is not good. And I meant the situation, not the tea. The tea is very good. Very yummy actually. Can’t believe something this cheap can be this good.
“She’s really…pretty. She’s almost as pretty as you, actually.”
Pfuit. I almost choked on my tea because I snorted. “What’s her name?”
“…I am your number 1 REAL best friend right?”
“Oppa! Cut the freaking crap! Just tell me her name!”
“She goes to your school.”
Oh. Okay. Now I kinda don’t want him to tell me.
“Her name is Chae Bom.”
For my love of French mustaches why WHY?
I closed my eyes and sighed.
“Cuddle Bear…?”
“Young Bae’s ex.”
“Who?”
“Chae Bom is Young Bae’s ex.”
He looked shocked. Then he drank his coffee, his hands shaking a bit.
“Does he still have feelings for her?”
“He doesn’t talk to me about her, but they’re still close.”
He placed his coffee mug back on the table with a loud thud. That’s why I love talking to Jae Hwa oppa, we’re too honest to each other.
And what a small world. I feel like I’m in a daytime soap. I decided not to tell him about Chae Bom being in the hospital. I don’t really know the exact details and Young Bae told me nothing happened to her so there’s no need to tell it to Oppa. He will only get sick with worry.
“Is he the one…? She mentioned to me once that the only guy she loved other than me was someone named Tae Yang.”
“Tae Yang is Young Bae’s real name.”
“Oh…” he sighed.
Poor oppa.
“Oppa…don’t get me wrong… I just care about you and Chae Bom. You should just forget about her. Her parents will never approved of you and Chae Bom will find it hard living with you. Just think it through…”
“I know. I already broke it off with her…no need to worry…” he chuckled.
This is just sad. I can’t look at Jae Hwa oppa like this. He’s really heartbroken. Why does life have to be this cruel to him?
“Jae Hwa oppa, if you want, I can marry you. I’m prettier than Chae Bom anyway and way ier. I’m sure I can adapt quickly to your lifestyle too. You love me. I love you. It’ll be perfect.”
He laughed. For a second I saw in his eyes that he had forgotten all about his misery. But it was only for a second.
“You still want to marry me after all this years?” he asked, his shoulders shaking from his laughter. “You’re parents will chop me into pieces. Plus, I used to change your diapers. That’s just gross. And not the poop, the thought of marrying you.”
What? Chae Bom is just a year older than me! But yeah…he never changed her diapers. Why bring that up again?!
“It was only twice, okay? You make it sound like you did it all the time! And you never let me forget about it!”
“Damn right I won’t.”
Aisshh…
Oh! Seungri! I almost forgot about him!
“Oppa, I don’t want to keep Seungri waiting…” I said as I stood up.
“Okay then…here’s my number,” he handed me back my phone which he took earlier to save his new number. “Good luck on that writing contest.”
“Keep your fingers crossed for me, okay?” I tell him, laughing at my new wallpaper of him doing the bubbly face. “I really want this nose fixed.”
“Oh no. The nose again? Cuddle bear, c’mon. There’s nothing wrong with- ”
“Blah, blah, blah~” I sang out as I do the arm wave.
Jae Hwa oppa laughed and fished something from his suit pocket.
“Cuddle bear…do me a favor,” he handed me an envelope. I’m guessing there’s a letter inside. “Give this to Bom for me.”
“Oppa…that-”
“Don’t worry. It’s just a parting letter. Our break up was too sudden so I never got to say what I wanted to say to her. Don’t forget, okay?”
“Okay…”
“Go and be a good bear now. Study hard for that English test. I’ll make you my lemon chicken stew if you get a 100.”
I hugged him and left. I’m leaving first so that the chances of anyone (who knows us) spotting us together would decrease. I hate leaving like this though. I want to talk to talk to him longer. I should tell him to hang out with me next Saturday, even for just a few hours. I saw Seungri outside the coffee shop filing his nails. I called him and we started to walk to Morning Glory together.
“Who was that hot Papi?” Seungri asks me, bumping my hip with his hip.
“No one. He is no one, okay?” I gave him some visual effects, making my hand float in the air as if to say that Jae Hwa oppa is a ghost. “He never was, he never is, he never will.”
“Damn sister, you keep all the hotties to yourself. First Tae Yang and now that gorgeous oppa. Who’s next, me?”
“You can have Tae Yang all you want and anyone else, just don’t think about that oppa. And EW, how dare you consider yourself a hottie?”
“I know, hard to believe but apparently I am. I was watering umma’s garden the other day wearing nothing but a pair of shorts when I saw loser So Hee walk by. She saw me and she was like-seriously-STARING at my body! I was like ew, you ert, go away! And it took her like a minute to process her stupid brain and then she looked away and ran. Even girls find me hot, too bad I’m not a lesbian.”
Tsk, tsk.
“Yes, what a tragedy for deranged girls everywhere.”
…Why do I feel like someone’s watching me?
I turn around.
No one. I hope.
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It’s 10:46 am, Sunday, and I’m in the backyard, planting eggplants and squash seeds in our vegetable garden. Usually my parents do this job and I just help them out sometimes but they’re out right now buying groceries.
Sigh… I’m kind of disappointed because the lemons still aren’t perfect. We have two lemon trees in our backyard and I get very possessive when it comes to them. Whenever I see kids trying to get lemons from my lemon trees, I literally bark at them. Evil-minded midgets. Take the eggplants, take the squash, take my freedom, but you cannot take my lemons!
“Hyun Ok!”
Oh! That’s Umma! I guess they’re back from their grocery shopping trip. I hope they bought lots of lemons!
“Umma! Can you make some lemonade for me, please?!” I drop the bag of fertilizer and ran to them.
Uh-oh. They have their arms crossed. Why are they looking at me in a very suspicious way?
“Hyun Ok, we met up with Eun Mi earlier and she told us that you were with a strange looking man yesterday. She told us that the man looked big and was dressed in a black suit,” says Appa, glaring at me with his jet black eyes. “Who was that man?”
KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM.
“Um…um…” I’m trying so hard to come up with something but I can’t. Damn that Ajumma! Why’d she have to be so nosy for?
“Hyun Ok, is the man Eun Mi talking about... Soon Jae Hwa?” Umma asks me.
Think, Hyun Ok, think! A name! Yes! Man wearing a suit. Looks like a gangster... Old Boy?
“Ah! That guy!” I shout, pointing a finger at them. “That guy! Yes, Oh Dae Su!”
“Oh Dae Su?” they ask me in unison, their faces in a crunch.
“Yes! Oh Dae Su!” I say, getting more confident. I got this. “Remember that writing contest I joined? I sent a picture along with the story, and that man-Oh Dae Su-is part of that writing contest committee. He recognized me and we chatted for a bit. He said that my story was good and that I have a big chance of winning first place.”
I can tell from their facial expressions that they’re thinking about it for a while. Yes, please, believe it. Believe my lie. It’s better than believing the truth. I hope I don’t get caught. I watched Old Boy with them once but they fell asleep 7 minutes after the movie started. They only woke up during the loud fight scenes to ask me what was happening. I hope they don’t remember the name of the protagonist.
“Oh…” Appa nods his head. “…his name sounds familiar…”
“Yeah, I know like…three other people with the same name. Ehehehehe…”
Then I heard Young Bae’s laugh.
We turned around and looked at him. He is polishing his motorcycle in their garage.
Whoa. How long has he been there?
“He didn’t say you had a chance of winning first place, Hyun Ok,” Young Bae chuckles, grabbing a screwdriver from a toolbox. “He said that your story was very original and touching. He never said anything about winning.”
Huh? What…
Young Bae gave me a look.
Ah? Am I suppose to play along…?
“We-well…that’s the same thing!” I yell, making it look like I’m annoyed. “People are so unoriginal nowadays and the way he talked to me, it really felt like he was saying that I’m going to win. That’s how it is.”
“Really?” Umma asks Young Bae. “Were you with her, Tae Yang? I thought my daughter was on a date with Choi SeungHyun.”
“Yes, she was,” Young Bae answered her. “I saw them at the mall and I went with SeungHyun at a store for a moment. That’s when the...uh the Oh Dae Su saw her.”
“Of course…SeungHyun mentioned to us that you two are close friends,” says Appa, getting less suspicious now. “That’s good. You and Hyun Ok are hanging out again.”
Umma sighed as if the world has been lifted from her shoulders. “I’m just happy that she wasn’t with Jae Hwa.”
"Ahahaha..." I tried to make my laugh as convincing as possible.
Umma laughs and pats my head. "Ahahaha... we're going to prepare lunch now."
Appa and Umma walked back inside the house, laughing to themselves.
Phew.
I look at Young Bae. Gosh. Why does he make me want to pinch his cheeks whenever he smiles? So cute.
“Oppa…” I’m only calling him oppa because he saved me. “Thanks for saving my .”
“Tell your that she’s welcome.”
Hehe. Sheesh.
Maybe I should just bring Young Bae next time I meet up with Jae Hwa oppa so he can cover up for me. Or maybe not. I just remembered that they’re in a love triangle with Chae Bom. How stupid of me.
“Who’s Jae Hwa?” he asks.
“Remember 9 years ago when I was sad because ‘Oppa Bear’ might die? That’s him.”
“Ah…yes. I remember that time. I was trying to do everything to cheer you up. What happened to him?”
I sighed. “Umma and Appa doesn’t like him and they stopped talking to him years ago. They don’t know that I still meet up with him.”
“Whoa…what‘s wrong with him?”
“He's a bit... preoccupied with kinda dangerous stuff at the moment"
"A gangster?"
"I wouldn't call him a gangster. Actually I have no idea. And I really don't care. He will always be my Oppa Bear."
Young Bae looked shocked.
“Hyun Ok, I understand your parents. Maybe you shouldn’t hang around with him anymore,” he stopped fiddling with his motorcycle and is walking towards me over the fence that separates our houses. He’s touching a lemon from one of my lemon tress. Hmm…his hand shouldn’t be there.
“I can’t. I can’t just stop talking to him. You don't understand. He's like my brother."
He stopped touching my lemon and looked at me. “Are you in love with him?”
What? Ew. That man changed my diapers! Why the heck would I fall for him?
“No,” I answer, chuckling from his misunderstanding.
"Then stop seeing him," he says with his arms crossed.
"No," I replied, crossing my arms.
"Well that's gonna be a problem because I'm not really comfortable with you being with another man."
Gasp! How dare he! God he will be that biggest traitor if he tells my parents!
"I'm not with another man!"
" -much less a very dangerous. Parents are parents for a reason. That Soon Jae Hwa must've done something- "
“Young Bae, shhh! My parents might hear you,” I shushed him, fearing that my parents will catch our conversation. I turn back to Young Bae and is a bit surprised to see him with his head down.
“You love him…you can’t even like me…”
Whoa. Is…is Young Bae jealous? This is so unexpected. They say Young Bae is one of the coolest guys ever because he never gets jealous. I remember months ago when he was dating Soo Yeon, she was flirting up a storm with all these other guys just to make Young Bae jealous but he never did get jealous. Then one day Soo Yeon covered our classroom board with drawings of her and Young Bae and it said “To my Bae: I Love You” and that’s when he broke it off with her. Talk about karma.
“I like you, what are you talking about? You make the greatest lemon squares ever. Chill… ”
“Then why can’t you treat me the same?” his voice is getting softer. His expression also changed. He looked like an angry yakuza boss earlier but now he looks like a very cute but sad puppy.
“Dude, you’re the one who stood me up yesterday.”
I can tell he got caught there. He climbed over the fence (!!!), jumped, and landed right in front of me.
“You know that I had somewhere important to go to… but I promise I will never do that again,” he grabbed my right hand with the dirty glove, took off the glove, and kissed my hand.
Gulp. I took my hand away from his lips and rubbed the part where he kissed it.
I feel like I’m going to vomit the butterflies in my stomach all over his shirt.
“Hyun Ok…” he brushed my hair with his hand. “... if I get too much sometimes... I'm sorry. I can't help it."
He chuckles as he continues brush my hair with his hand.
Oh my Gay Panda.
This dude sure is handsome.
His eyes… his eyes are me in. I can’t look away. His eyes are so small but they’re so cute. And they sparkle (???). Gulp. His eyes are so close to mine that I can see my reflection in them. I feel so numb all over except for this roaring part inside my chest.
Gasp!
“Omo! Tae Yang! Yobo, our daughter!”
“Why don’t you guys get a room?!”
Gah…what just happened?
… he kissed my nose! Again! And my parents and Hyun Bae oppa saw it!
“Hyung! Why’d you have to say that in front of her parents?!”
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m outta here!
ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Later that night…
It is 10:11 pm and I’m in my room, studying for my English test on Tuesday. I don’t think I have to worry. I’m going to pass this test with a perfect score. Yay! Then Jae Hwa oppa can make me his yummy lemon chicken stew. Mmmm…I haven’t had his lemon chicken stew in a long time. Drool…
Alright! I finished practicing the vocabulary words. Done! Yippee!
I can hear Umma and Appa giggling downstairs.
Ugh.
It’s been such an embarrassing day ever since my parents and Hyun Bae oppa saw Young Bae kiss my nose. Aisshh, why did he have to do it there? We didn’t know that my parents and Hyun Bae oppa picked that exact moment to go outside and look at the sky. It was so embarrassing. Then Hyun Bae oppa kept playing love songs in his stereo from his room, it was so loud. He played love songs for four hours after he saw Young Bae kiss my nose. My parents were singing along to the songs and it was driving me mad. I was in the restroom downstairs when I heard Young Bae and Hyun Bae oppa shouting at each other.
“Hyung! Stop playing those songs!”
“Why dong seng?! The message of the songs getting to you?!”
“Aisshh! Leave me and Hyun Ok alone!”
“Wahahahaha! This day finally came! You have finally opened your eyes to see that the love of your life lives right next door to you!”
“I’m warning you, hyung! Stop it!”
“Saranghae~”
Then I heard some breaking and crashing and then the music stopped. I don’t know what happened to Hyun Bae oppa, but it really does pay to know martial arts.
I thought the teasing was going to end there but I was wrong. Even after the music stopped, my parents were all over me about Young Bae. They’ve long forgotten about SeungHyun because they’re so psyched about my new ‘romance’ with Young Bae. I almost barfed when they started talking about baby names for my future babies with Young Bae and what church Young Bae and I should get married at. It was torture, I tell you, TORTURE!!!
And not only that…they talked to me about…about…you know…that thing that parents should only talk about when their daughter gets her first period. They told me that it’s okay if I (shiver) DO IT with Young Bae, but we should wait till we are (shiver again) married. Umma expects Young Bae to “take me from them” in a few years time.
!!!
I live with crazy people! They are getting way ahead of themselves! I don’t even plan on going out with Young Bae, let alone do the ‘Baby Dance’ with him!
Even if Young Bae does have a gorgeous body…and likes me…and is sooo bleeping handsome…and best of all he makes killer lemon squares…
I sit up.
Whoa.
Am I falling for him? No. No. NO. That would be too cliché. My life is not a romantic comedy, damn it, it is of the action/adventure genre. I’m just waiting…for the action/adventure part.
Shooooooooooooooooooooooooom!
Okay. Something just flew by from the window and landed on my bed. Is that thing going to explode soon?
I walk over to my bed and picked it up. It’s a big Hershey chocolate bar with a note wrapped around it (but it’s still possible that it’s an explosive device). I take out the note and read it aloud.
“Dear Twaeji, best friends again?”
What the-
I walk to my window and yelled, “Yah! Dong Tae Yang! How dare you call me Twaeji?”
I saw Young Bae leaning on the rail of his balcony, he must’ve been waiting for me. He looked up and smiled when he saw me.
“Oh sorry. I wasn’t paying attention when I was writing that. You know, since I feel like we’re best friends again so I’m starting to call you twaeji again,” says Young Bae, grinning like an idiot.
Geez. I didn’t mind it when he used to call me Twaeji when we were kids but come on, we’re older now and I take that a bit more seriously. And why does he think we’re best friends? Pfuit.
“Then I should probably call you….ah…er…eh…” Damn it, why can’t I come up with something insulting? Does that mean he’s perfect that I can’t even come up with an insulting name for him? Nah, of course not. It’s just that I don’t know that much about him.
“OP-PA. How about that?”
I scoffed, “Pfuit. NEVER again. Besides, I’m older than you.”
“Aisshh,” Young Bae scratched the back of his head. “For the last time Hyun Ok, I AM the one who’s older than you. I was born 4 months before you were born! Why do you keep forgetting that?”
“Hmm. Whatever. Just don’t call me Twaeji,” I say to him, crossing my arms and rolling my eyes. Actually I do know he’s older than me for 4 months, I just wanted to annoy him a bit. Tsk. So what if I’m a bit chubby? And have a huge nose? And snort when I laugh? And like rolling in the mud (especially at my Uncle’s farm at the Masan countryside)? And I like to eat? And, wait-what the heck? Did I just make a list that contradicts what I’m trying to prove? Gah…@_@
“Hyun Ok! You gonna eat that chocolate?” I saw Hyun Bae oppa from the balcony of his room. He’s looking at the chocolate bar I’m holding and I can see him drooling for it.
“Hyung, I gave that to Hyun Ok. That’s hers,” Young Bae told Hyun Bae oppa. Hyun Bae oppa gave him a look.
“But you just called her twaeji,” Hyun Bae oppa retaliated, placing his hand on his chest to showcase his point dramatically. “How can you expect a person to accept a gift after you call them ‘twaeji’? Dong seng, what kind of sick person are you?”
“Hyun Bae oppa, thank you. Young Bae really needs to learn some manners,” I say.
Young Bae scoffed.
“So Hyun Ok, you gonna eat that chocolate?” Hyun Bae oppa asks me again.
“Hyun Ok, don’t,” says Young Bae.
Hmm…let me think about it.
I tear open the wrapper and broke the chocolate into two pieces. I took the other half and threw the other half to Hyun Bae oppa. He caught it and he smiled at me.
“Thanks Hyun Ok. This is just what you need,” says Hyun Bae oppa, already munching on his chocolate. “If you had eaten the whole bar, you will never lose those pounds…twaeji.”
WHAT??!!!
He then snickered and went back inside his room, closing the door to his balcony. That con artist!
“Told you,” says Young Bae, shrugging.
Waah…I want my chocolate back. That devil took my chocolate.
“Hyun Ok, you done studying for the English test?” Young Bae asks me.
I nod my head sadly. I can’t believe I just got tricked.
Young Bae chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you something yummier tomorrow. So uh... can you do me a favor?”
“Hmm?”
“Can you play ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ for me? Please?”
I look at Young Bae. Looks like he’s not kidding. Well, the Martian compounds in his blood does rise to high levels especially in the evening. I think it’s because he spot his home planet more clearly in the night sky.
“I don’t know…” I say, about to go back to my desk to escape an incoming awkward moment with him. “I think you’ll find it easier to sleep if everything’s quiet.”
I still remember that night he told me to shut up.
“Hyun Ok, I’m sorry. I was being a bleep bleep bleep that night. I was…jealous. Forgive me?”
“Okay..." I giggle. "I’ll get my guitar.”
Yay! Since that night I’ve actually tried not to play as much especially when he was home. I was afraid that he’d get mad at me again for being noisy, but now I see that he only told me off because he was…jealous?
Ehem. Why did my heart skip a beat just now? That’s just probably…brain fart…
I sat in my window seat and started to play the song in my guitar.
“When I…tell you something…I think you’d understand…” Young Bae sang.
Aw. This feels nice. Surprisingly, this is making me feel really giddy. Me playing my guitar and Young Bae singing. Tee hee.
“Go to sleep now, Martian Boy,” I tell him. Didn’t he say he couldn’t sleep?
He chuckled. “Keep playing okay? I’m gonna go to bed now.”
“Um…Young Bae. Can you do me a favor?”
Sigh…I know I’m stupid but what the heck. I haven’t seen it for a long time.
“What?” he asks.
“Aren’t you hot? It’s pretty hot out tonight.”
“No. Not really. I have air conditioner here. I was just about to turn it on.”
“Oh.”
Damn. Never mind. Gah my idiotic ert self.
“Hyun Ok…do you miss seeing me shirtless?”
“Uh…yeah…kinda…just a little…”
He clapped his hands while laughing like a loon. The light in his room went off and on. When he got over it, he said, “Best friends again, okay?”
“Friends. Just friends.”
He did a mock “aw” while he was still smiling. Then he took off his shirt.
I close my eyes for a second to thank the heavens above.
Waah!! >.< Why does he seem to get bigger everyday? I can’t believe this was the same loser that I stole Pokemon cards from a decade ago.
He smiled at me as he walked towards his bed. He clapped to turn off his lights once he was lying down. It was dark but I could still see his eyes looking at me.
I resumed playing the song in my guitar.
Friends. Just friends.
~~~Lemons Grow In Mars~~~
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From BC: sorry for the long wait, you know how it is. I'm on my vacation right now so hopefully I'll post up a lot of chapters this week. Enjoy and happy reading. Support bae! Hopefully he'll be releasing an album this year (even if it is just a mini again. beggars can't be choosers).
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