Cho Hee

I notice Kai’s sullen expression when we’re eating breakfast. Grandmother excuses herself and leaves for work. When we’re alone I ask: ‘’What happened?’’

‘’Nothing’’, he says while picking on his food. I keep on insisting what’s wrong since I can see it clearly on his face. He excuses himself as well and takes his jacket to go to school.

‘’Wait!’’ I hold his arm and force him to look at me. He sighs and shrugs my hand off. ‘’I’m late’’, he says and goes out of the house leaving me dumbfounded.

I walk up the stairs of S.M. Entertainment and also mentally prepare myself to face Taemin. Taemin hurries out of the music recording studio and catches up to me when I walk to put my jacket away. ‘’Cho Hee…’’ I turn around and manage to show a smile. He gets confused and is at a loss for words when he sees my happy expression. He must have thought that I would throw a fit or ignore him. However that is what the old Cho Hee would have done. ‘’Morning’’, I say nonchalantly and go towards the canteen to buy some coffee. Taemin follows after me. ‘’I need to talk to you.’’

I keep on walking and after I get my coffee I go on the terrace. ‘’What happened that day… I can explain…’’ He tries to begin somewhere, but I can tell he’s flustered.

‘’What happened on what day?’’ I slowly sip my coffee while watching his puzzled expression. I continue: ‘’Listen, that day means nothing for both of us, it just happened.’’

Taemin’s mouth hung open hearing my business talk. ‘’What…’’

I show him my right hand. ‘’ First of all I’m engaged and I won’t come between you and He Yi.’’

‘’I never mentioned her name to you…but that’s not the point, what I mean is-‘’

‘’Kai told me some things’’, I say while gauging his reaction. His face turns a little pale and he gulps. I don’t even want to know if it’s true or not. I’ve been deceived too many times and I won’t allow anyone to fool with me again.

Slowly I close the distance between us and I put my hand on his arm lightly. He looks up at me with a strained expression. ‘’No need to pull such a face’’, I say softly, ‘’we’ll still be friends, right?’’ I show him my angelic expression and Taemin just nods stiffly.

Just before it’s time to go home Myung Soo shows up. Taemin’s face turns annoyed when Myung Soo gives me a short kiss on my lips. ‘’Cho Hee, let’s meet up tomorrow…as friends,’’ Taemin emphasizes the last two words and I agree immediately. It couldn’t get better.

‘’How about we do a double date? You come with Yoo He Yi and I’ll bring Myung Soo!’’

Before Taemin can protest Myung Soo interrupts. ‘’That sounds nice. A double date’’, he says with a fake excitement in his voice. Taemin bites his lip, but agrees on it unwillingly and takes his leave. I notice Myung Soo staring at me. I look back at him with one of my eyebrows cocked upwards. ‘’Since when does he have a girlfriend?’

I shrug while taking my bag from the ground. ‘’I don’t know. I just met her yesterday.’’

He nods and takes my hand firmly. ‘’Let’s go home.’’

And here we are on the double date…oh wait…triple date…

Flashback

‘’Kai! I need to tell you something!’’ I say and storm into his room. I stop immediately when I see he’s not alone. I narrow my eyes at the person that sits on his bed. Kai is leaning against his desk and looks at me questioningly. That person gets up slowly and walks over to Kai. ‘’What are you doing here?’’ I ask warily. ‘’I can visit my grandmother’s place, can’t I?’’ Su Hwa says nonchalantly while standing awfully close to Kai. ‘’I meant as in Kai’s room’’, I say with a layer of sarcasm. She grins at me and puts her hand on Kai’s chest. ‘’Thank you.’’ Something is about to burst inside of me. Get your hands off of him!

Kai just nods at her and continues to look at me. ‘’What did you want to tell me?’’ My mind is still clouded and I answer absentmindedly. ‘’I’m going on a double date, with Myung Soo.’’

Kai’s face becomes unreadable. ‘’I will go too.’’

‘’You can’t, it’s for couples.’’ I say persistently while looking at Su Hwa’s hand that won’t release Kai. ‘’I can keep you company’’, Su Hwa says while cocking her head to the side. Before I can even reject it Kai agrees to it. Su Hwa walks past me smirking. ‘’See you then…’’

End flashback

This should have been the great place where I could get back at Taemin, but now I can only look at Kai and Su Hwa.

We’re sitting in the train and I can feel the heavy atmosphere. Yoo He Yi is clinging onto Taemin while Taemin is watching me and Myung Soo. Su Hwa is sitting too close to Kai and is glaring to our side. Kai is playing with his phone, but I can see him glance to our side to sometimes. He’s been weird since yesterday morning…

Myung Soo shows me some photos of his on his phone, telling me about his little world tour. I nod as if I’m interested and say some random words. But I can’t listen to him at all, since Su Hwa is touching Kai a little too much. I can hear her extravagant laughter over here.

‘’Cho Hee?’’ I look up surprised. ‘’Are you even listening?’’ Myung Soo flashes a smile and throws his arm around me and puts his head on mine. ‘’I’m sleepy’’, he yawns and holds me tighter. With his sudden movement Taemin’s eyes are locked on us and so are Kai’s and Su Hwa’s. I close my eyes and pray that this day will be over soon. I still didn’t reveal where we’re going, right? Well, we’re going to a hot spring…!

After two hours we finally reach our destination. Kai comes over to me to help with my luggage, but I shrug his hand off. He looks up at me weirdly. ‘What?’ He asks confused. ‘Looks like your ‘girlfriend’ ,over there, needs your help.’ I turn around and go over to Myung Soo. I’m still angry at him for allowing Su Hwa to come with us.

While we’re walking to the resort I see from the corner of my eyes Su Hwa clinging onto Kai. I grit my teeth and tell myself to calm down.

‘’Why did you invite Su Hwa?’’ Myung Soo asks curiously, but also in an uncomfortable way. I shrug. ‘’I didn’t…Kai did.’’

‘Kai? Why?’

I sigh. ‘I don’t know.’

‘Maybe he likes her’, Myung Soo speaks up his thoughts. But when he sees my glare he changes the subject immediately.

After settling down in our own rooms we go to a hot spring. The guys and girls are in separate hot springs.

‘’So how do you know Taemin and Kai,’’ Yoo He Yi asks me curiously. ‘’Taemin and I work at the same place and I’ve known Kai since I was young’’, I answer plainly. ‘’Oh, I’ve known them since they were little. We were childhood friends’’, she says triumphantly. ‘’But you seem really close with Kai.’’

Before I can open my mouth Su Hwa interrupts. ‘’He’s her brother.’’

Yoo He Yi looks surprised. ‘’I didn’t know he had a little sister.’’

‘’Step sister’’, I correct Su Hwa while glaring at her. She just smirks. ‘’Kai is really cute.’’ My body freezes when I hear Su Hwa talking like that about Kai. What is she trying to do?

I walk out the spa and go in to change into my clothes. Su Hwa follows after me. ‘’Since you’ve got Myung Soo don’t try to in between Kai and me’’, she says coldly after she’s done changing. I grab her arm roughly and force her to look at me. ‘’Don’t you dare to get close to Kai!’’ I hiss at her.

She laughs hard enjoying my outburst. ‘’I didn’t ask for your permission. Or did you get scared that I will snatch him away?’’ I bite my lip and repeat again in a dangerously low voice. ‘’Don’t…’’

‘’I’ll show you how it feels to take someone away.’’

Fear kicks in when I realize her words. What if Kai leaves me for her?

I shake my head angrily. Don’t be stupid, he won’t do that kind of thing.

But something still doesn’t feel right…