Chapter 10

So Min walked into ‘Bellísima’, an Italian restaurant. She works there every alternate day as a waitress. The pay wasn’t very good but it was sufficient for her. She was supposed to be taking over from Min Ah, who was working in the shift before hers. Most of the people that works here as waiters and waitresses are all college students. Only customers are allowed to come into the restaurant by the front entrance, waiters, waitresses or chefs had to go in by the back way that leads to the kitchen, so she headed towards the back of the restaurant. The restaurant’s surrounding was quite safe so she wasn’t worried about walking in the alleyway by herself.

‘Knock,knock,knock,knock,knock!’ That was their signal for the restaurant’s workers signal. Only the workers knew their signal. Min Ah was already waiting at the other side of the door. She quickly opened in upon hearing the signal. Min Ah and So Min were not friends but they weren’t enemy either. They just work together with a mutual understanding of each other.

“Who are you?” Min Ah shot her a suspicious look. So Min was appalled. ‘Doesn’t she recognize me?’ Min Ah’s question brought the entire gang at the kitchen to the back door. They all stared at her. Some suspiciously, some politely because after all, her identity has not been discovered, she may very well has been a customer that just so coincidentally knew the signal. Not very convincing.

“I am Jung So Min. Don’t you guys recognized me?” Jaws dropped, the widening of eyes was all So Min could see. She held back a laugh. They all looked so weird.

“Y….you are Jung So Min?” So Min nodded to Min Ah’s question.

“What’s with the makeover?” So Min shrugged innocently. She couldn’t possibly tell them that she was bribed into becoming Hyun Joong’s new girlfriend.  She pushed her way in between the shocked people, took an apron from the hook by the side of the wall, pick out the tray of food with the table number and headed out of the kitchen to the dining area to serve the restaurant’s customers leaving them staring at her back.

“I guess I should go then.” Min Ah said as she scrambled out of the restaurant’s back door.

************

Hyun Joong was in the living room feeling furious, frustrated and a teeny-tiny bit worried  about So Min. It was already 12 midnight and she still hasn’t come home. ‘Where is she?’ As soon as that particular thought left his mind, the sound of the unlocking of doors greeted his ears. He didn’t leave the couch he was sitting on, instead he just sat down there as though he didn’t have a care in the world.

So Min quietly closed the door behind her and headed to her room. She had to pass the living room before she could reach her room. The house was dark. The only source of light was from the living room and that was where she found Hyun Joong. Hyun Joong stood and faced her. His face was a mixture of emotions; relief first and then came the furious rage that was not only visible by his expression but also by the flash of red in his cheeks and the darkening of his eyes. She froze, somehow knowing she was the source of his anger although she did know what she did to bring on this amount of anger from him.

“Where were you?” thundered Hyun Joong. Obviously anger got the better of him.

“Out.” So Min kept her voice low, not wanting to ignite more of his anger although he looks ier with his anger.

“Of course I know you were out but where? I have no time to play games with you.”

“Just out.”

“I told you I had no  time to play games with you!”

So Min anger was increasing. ‘Who was this guy to question her whereabouts? Right. Her FAKE boyfriend. Sense the sarcasm, would ya?’  “Who do you think you are telling me what I should do? You are not even my REAL boyfriend, so why should I answer to you?”

Hyun Joong kept his silence. She was right. ‘I am not even her real boyfriend, so why should I get so worked up?’ Hyun Joong mused. He needed a quick comeback but what?

“You are living under my roof!”

She snorted. “Like I wanted too! Don’t you remember? You were the one that said I must move in with you. Your roof?” She snorted again.

Hyun Joong was lost in what to say. Before he could even think of retaliating back, she had  already stormed off towards her room. “Who knew she had a bit of fiery spirit in her underneath that nerd surface?” Hyun Joong muttered quietly, knowing he lost the battle already. He sighed and entered his room, looking forward to the few hours of sleep he would get before school start.

************

So Min sat in her Chemistry class, smiling quietly to herself. She was still a bit mad at Hyun Joong for going all bossy on her but somewhere deep down in her, she felt this weird feeling at the thought of Hyun Joong feeling worried about her. ‘Maybe I can win after all.’

“Morning class, today we are changing seats.” Some groans were heard but there were also squeals of delights. Obviously those that are stuck with the nerds are the ones that are squealing. Mr. Lee was a good teacher. In his mid-thirties, he still looked young. Many of the female students were crazy about him but he was happily married with a par of twins so they couldn’t do anything about it. Sadly, he had a bad habit. Anytime he felt like it, he would change their seats. They were given a box where they would need to pick out a piece of paper in it. The piece of paper had a name and that will be your partner. The class was divided into half so every time he wanted to change places, the half that chose the paper the last time would not be given the chance to chose the paper again, instead it would be the other half’s turn. Turns out, it was So Min’s half to pick the paper.

So Min waited for her turn, silently anticipating and also dreading it. Who knows who she would be sitting with? Finally it was her turn, Mr. Lee eyes widen a bit taking in her appearance before shrugging and holding out the box for her. She quickly put her hand in and fished around for a slip of paper. When she got one, she pulled it out and then groaned. Luck was not on her side as it seems she would be stuck with another jerk and player. That jerk and player was none other than Park Jae Bum. ‘Ugh! What is wrong with me? First Hyun Joong, now Jae Bum? The girls would surely hate me!’ Sure enough, she was already getting dirty looks from the other girls. They were already on their new round of gossip.

“First she takes our Hyun Joong, now she is even sitting with Jae Bum. Urgh!”

“I know!”

The whole entire lesson was like that; whisperings and latest gossips past around mostly on her. Jae Bum tried making a pass at her but when the sweet-nerdy-So Min-turned-hottie glared at him, he kept his mouth shut and focused on Mr. Lee. So Min was just getting ready to leave when Jae Bum approached her.

“Sorry about just now. I thought you would be like the other girls. You are Jung So Min, right?”

So Min nodded. What else could she say? What would you do if a hot guy that makes a pass at you suddenly says sorry? She just kept her silence.

“I know this is a bit sudden but from what I gathered from the girls gossip just now, I-” So Min shot him a bewildered look. Jae Bum looked a bit uncomfortable but continued “I knew you were a nerd before your makeover-I didn’t mean it to be harsh, it was the only way of putting it! I…I…Can I continue?” So Min nodded. He hesitated before continuing. “Well…… I need some help in my Chemistry studies. Can you help me?”

“Why?”

“You know I am a footballer right? I need good grades in everything or at least a C but I am not doing well in my Chemistry and I need help, so I thought of asking for your help. So, can you please help me?”

So Min felt a bit sorry for Jae Bum, he looked really miserable but she knew her rights. He would have to stop making passes at her if he wanted her help. “Okay but on ONE condition.”

“What condition?”

“You must not make any more passes at me, okay?” Jae Bum laughed and nodded. He admired her, she was pretty but she was really different. She wasn’t like those bimbos that he was kinda sick of now.

“Well, now that that’s settled, can I go and have my lunch or do you have anything else to say?” So Min asked. Her tummy rumbled in hunger. Embarrassed, she looked at Jae Bum but he just smiled. Soon, they burst out laughing.

“Nothing much but when can you help me?” So Min knew she didn’t have any work today after school so she decided to help him after school.

“After school. Meet me in the library.” Jae Bum nodded.

“Do you want me to treat you to lunch? You seem VERY hungry.” So Min laughed. She normally didn’t accept people’s offer to buy her food accept for the food that Tae Sung gave her yesterday. She took it because after all Tae Sung only meant well. She didn’t know whether she should accept Jae Bum’s offer.

“Okay……BUT I am accepting only because you made me wait for my lunch because you wanted to talk to me NOT because I am helping you in Chemistry, get it?” Jae Bum laughed again. She had a bit of spunk in her.

“Sure. Let’s go!” He then steered her towards the cafeteria.

Hey people. Thks for subscribing even though I hv not been uploading for some time. What can I say? Blame it on examinations. Ugh! I hate exams. I haven’t finish my papers but finishing it this Tues but I managed to find some time to type this chap for you guys. Can u see that there is a new appearance there? Woo-hoo! Remember him…he is quite important. Anyway, thanks to my 71 subscribers and to all my readers.

PS: More Hyun Joong in the next chap (I guess?)

Hyun Joong Oppa&So Min Unni

Fighting!!! <3

PPS: The a/n was supposed to be in some special fonts, but when i pasted it from my microsoft word, they didn't have it. Sad