Chapter 38

"You don't have to walk me. I can go on my own." Soyeon whined as she yank at Jung Kook's hand. "Really, it's okay. I can already see the building from here. It's not too far away now." She assured him again when she noticed the forlorn look on his face.

Soyeon was reluctant to end the beautiful night with Jung Kook but she didn't feel good to reject her bestfriend's offer either. After receiving the green light from her husband, and at his insistence (though Soyeon doubts his sincerity) Soyeon decided to go with her heart and spend the rest of the night with Jongin.

Jung Kook gave Soyeon another of his concern look before finally releasing her hand. "Araseo, araseo." He finally gave in with a heavy heart. "Make sure Kai sends you right to your doorstep - but DON'T invite him in. And text me once you're safely back in your room." He reminded her for the nth time that night.

Soyeon chuckles at his words and pats his cheeks in reassurance. "Okay, appa. Seriously, you're such a worry-wart!" She exclaimed before pressing her lips on his cheek. "Goodnight!" She waves at him and ran to the opposite direction before Jung Kook could see how crimson her cheeks turned.
 

---

"You made it!" Jongin pulled Soyeon into a brief hug before dragging her to their usual spot at the manga cafe where the bean bags were.

Soyeon gave Jongin a mocking look of exasperation at his words. "Why, of course. I wouldn't miss free ice-cream for the world!"

Jongin returned Soyeon's grin as he ruffled her hair. "Chocolate chip?" He asked.

"You know me."







As Soyeon waited for Jongin to return with her ice-cream, she scan her eyes over the mess Jongin had previously made on the small table. It seemed like he had picked up on a new manga. Soyeon pick the first volume up and read through it's brief description. An interesting plot with a mystery genre. Soyeon reminded herself to ask Jongin further about the book.

Her mind was left unoccupied again as she cleared the table up before her ice-cream arrives. And at that moment where her mind was free, a random conversation from a few weeks ago crept back into her mind. A few weeks ago, Soyeon had met up with Jongin here as they usually do. And that day was specifically memorable because she had just finished with her monthly test.

And what makes it much more memorable was the fact that she and Jongin had shared a deep conversation together that night. She was too occupied sorting out her feelings for Jung Kook however, that she did not realize that the conversation concerns Jongin's feelings too.

 

"Have you ever like someone?"

Soyeon almost burnt her tongue from the hot drink. She was shocked that the question was out in the air.

But it didn't rolled off her tongue.

But Kim Jong In's instead.
 

"Have you ever like someone that it hurt so, so much just from trying to contain it?" He asked again.

Yes. I do. Soyeon subconsciously answered.

"I don't know what you mean," Soyeon answered with a blatant lie. "Do you like someone Jong In?"

A small, gentle smile broke across Jong In's handsome face. "I didn't know I had these feelings in me at first, but then it grew." Jong In continued, ignoring Soyeon's question. "Like a flower it blossomed. Just by seeing her smile, I can literally feel the butterflies."

I feel those too. Sometimes it even does flips and somersaults.
 

Soyeon kept silent as she continues to listen to Jong In as he went on with his monolog, staring off into spaces.

"Instead of laughing at our greasy friend's cheesy whispers of sweet nothings at his girlfriend, that 'someone' would be on my mind and I can't help of wanting to do those sweet things with her."

Sometimes, out of the blue, I had those imagination too. Images of me bickering and laughing it off with him. And he would say something disgustingly sweet into my ear... Soyeon hated those out of the blue images that popped in her day dream. It always caught her off guard and wanting for more.

"And when I see her with other guys," Jong In continued, "even if those guys are only friends with her, I hated it. I get jealous. And I'm afraid that they would all fall for her like I did."

I hate it too, when other girls surround him. Because I know for a fact that those girls really like him. They would swoon at his feet just by looking at him.

"Then, shouldn't you tell her that you like her?" Soyeon unawarely breaks open, surprising herself with her own bluntness. "Shouldn't you let her know that you like her before somebody else steals her away?"

"But what if she did not reciprocate my feelings?" Jong In asked, a hint of panic in his eyes. "I might ruin our friendship. Should I take a chance on someone I'm not willing to lose?"

"Any person out there who would break any sort of relationship with you does not deserve you." Soyeon offered him a genuine, reassuring smile. She played with the bottom of her mug in her hands for a few good good seconds before finally looking into Jong In's eyes.

"It is a risk to love. What if it doesn't work?" Jong In asked. The question was directly meant to the girl he mentioned. Her.
 
"Ah, but what if it does?" Soyeon answered. 

--Then it hit Soyeon. If what they had said about him having feelings for her is true, then the girl in the said conversation was her. And Jongin's already in too deep for her hence Soyeon's worse nightmare came true.

She might have unintendedly hurt her best friend.




 

Jongin unconsciously smiles when he saw Soyeon staring into spaces. "Soyeon..." He called out to her. And when she looked up, Jongin could see how pale she looked. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked worriedly and quicken his steps to reach by her side.

"Jongin..." Was all she said before a lone tear slip down her face.








Jongin didn't know know what to feel or what he should do. For all he knew, he's worried for Soyeon. His girl cried and she's trying hard to not break down in front of him by brushing her emotions aside as she engulfes her ice-cream. When Jongin boldly asked if anything happened between her and Jung Kook, she almost cried again but was quick to change the subject.

He knew something was up but he was at a lost as to what?

 

---
 

"Dude. Did something happen between you and Soyeon?" Jongin asked.


It was near midnight. After receiving the relieving text message from Soyeon informing him she was safe at home, Jung Kook received a phone call short after. He did not expect it to come from Jongin however.

 

"What do you mean? Is something wrong?!" Jung Kook panicked.

"That's why I called you. Did something happened between you two? Because the Lee Soyeon I knew never cry in open." 

"Soyeon cried?!" Jung Kook panicked again. He stood up from his bed and was ready to run to Soyeon's house if it weren't for the faint clicking of a tongue he heard on the other line.

"Well, she didn't really cry. She was about too."

Jung Kook lets out a breath of relief. "Did you ask her about it?"


"I tried. but she looks as if she's about to cry every time I brought the question up so I decided to not push her with my questions and ask you instead."


"Why did you think I was the reason behind it? Couldn't it be you? She was fine with me for the whole day until she met up with you."

Jongin felt the urge to throw Jung Kook into Han river at the moment. Couldn't he be more annoying than he already is to him? "Whatever. I'll try to find out tomorrow. Honestly, I'm worried about her."


Jung Kook was silent at those words. A foreign emotion was playing at his heart.


"J-Jongin," he began. "Take care of her tomorrow cause I can't be around to care for her." He said. Without giving a chance for Jongin to reply, he hung up.





---

 

"So, everyone's going? Where should we meet up?" Suho asked when the gang had assembled once school was over for the day. In just two days, Jongin would finally audition in Gangnam for a renowned entertainment agency and the audition will be broadcasted live. 

"Why don't we just meet up at the station and we'll go together with Kai." Sehun suggested to which everyone agrees to.

Hyeseong suddenly remembered something and she turned to Soyeon with an expectant gaze. "Soyeon-ah," She flashes what it seemed to be her cute pouty smile at Soyeon. "Bangtan Boy's showcase is around this weekend isn't it?" She dragged her words.

Soyeon nodded in confusion at her. "Yeah..." She almost forgot about Jung Kook's showcase! She was too occupied about feeling guilty towards Jongin that she had push everything else to the back of her mind. What kind of a wife is she, to forget her husband's important date!

"So, didn't Jung Kook give you extra ticket for the showcase?" Hyeseong asked and Haerin who was listening in to their conversation decided to join the girls with a hopeful look.

Soyeon laughs, finally getting at what Hyeseong was trying to say. "Of course he did. Here," She fished out her wallet from her bag to retrieve the tickets. Hyseong squealed in glee with her sister. Yes, Haerin is excited for the showcase too it seemed.

"Yah, Soyeon." Haerin spoke, her eyes never left the ticket as she scrutinize every detail on the ticket. "The showcase is on the same day as Jongin's auditon. At the same time too."


 

"WHAT?!" Soyeon can't believe her ears. The last time she check it was on a different day than Jongin's audition. How could she get it wrong. "What? How could this be?" Soyeon panicked. A nasally snort of laughter can be heard in the background.

"Jongin." Soyeon whispered. 


She's torn in two.


Unknowingly Soyeon ran to Jongin and pulled him away from their friends to the back of the school. Jongin was dumbfounded but pick up his pace nonetheless to catch up with Soyeon's steps. "Soyeon, what's wrong?" Jongin realize that Soyeon was back at it again. "Can you please tell me?" He shouted.


As soon as they reach the empty back garden, Soyeon pulled Jongin into an embrace. "Jongin, what I am supposed to do?"
 

Author's Note

I'm so sorry that the update was so slow and after waiting for so long, it turns out crappy. T.T
I'll try to make it up on the next update.

The end is coming near so wait just a little longer. There'll be bonus chapters! Don't you worry :3


How have you guys been? I hope you're not in Soyeon's state at the moment. If you are, stay strong. Time is the answer.
Also, concerning the welfare of innocent lives of those in Gaza and Israel, I hope you would spare a little time to always remember them in your thoughts and prayer.