JOOHYUN

She was picking out a dress that would match the pearl headband.  Ever since Yonghwa bought her that head band she made sure that she wore it almost every day.

She had gotten used to the Friday night dinners her parents hosted in their house.  Her parents didn’t often require her presence.  Most of the time she got out of it by saying she was going out with her friends or she wanted to go the library to study while in reality her Friday nights were always with Yonghwa watching movies.  Her parents had allowed her to sleep over at Suwon twice already.  She was so happy being with Yonghwa on those 2 weekends.  They explored Suwon and generally stayed in his house.  It was nice just sitting across each other reading their textbooks while under the table her feet would be on top of his – wearing couple socks – they were just cheesy that way. When they were out with their friends they would be teased mercilessly because their hands would be like magnets reaching out for each other. Sooyoung would laughingly get between them and unlink their hands proclaiming that they were so nauseating sweet. Afterwards Yuri would just push Sooyoung away and relink the couple’s hands and sigh that they were making everyone except for Yoona and Jonghyun jealous.

They also had a great time exploring Seoul together.  They went to bookstores, museums, galleries and quaint little eating places.  But during all those times that she was with Yonghwa, Joohyun always made sure that her parents wouldn’t be in the same location.  While she yearned to tell her parents about Yonghwa and introduce him to them she knew that they would think that she was too young to be serious with a guy she had just recently met.

And Joohyun was serious about Yonghwa.

 From the time she kissed him in front of her gate months ago she fell deeper in love with this guy who told her that loved her several times a day. A guy who was affectionate, loving, thoughtful and cared about her so deeply. But she had to admit he wasn’t perfect – his choding ways made her cross at him lots of times especially when he would play his little pranks on her.  He explained that she was so good natured that he was just enchanted when she got cross with him – how she would roll her eyes or her face would get all red and her nostrils would flare.  He would embrace her tightly and apologize profusely while he was laughing.  She tried to stay mad at him for as long as she could – 10 minutes was the longest record she had for being cross with him. He could charm his way to her good graces just by kissing her forehead and smiling his goofy smile.

When she had played La Campanella for him inside that antique store, she smiled at him with her eyes full of love. La Campanella was her first piano recital when she was 12 – she learned to play it so that her father would be proud of her – now she played it for Yonghwa. When she got up after playing the piece, the store owner and several other people who had heard her play started clapping, Yonghwa embraced her then and kissed the top of her head. She turned her face to his shirt front and kept saying thank you. Later she told him that she wasn’t thanking those who clapped- she was thanking Yonghwa - for loving her.  He had tears in his eyes then as he embraced and called her his lovely girl over and over. They stood there in the middle of the street in Insa-dong unmindful of the people who stared at them.

BUT he could be very jealous and possessive also. And Joohyun never wanted him to be in that mood.  He made sure no one but he sat next to her even during meals especially in public eating places.  When they weren’t holding hands he would have his arm on her shoulders.  He never commented on her outfits but Joohyun knew by instinct that he didn’t like too much of her skin to show – that was fine with her as she was naturally modest.

His very first flare up was when they were in Suwon. She had stop by the convenience store to buy some personal items – she had just stepped out on the pavement when she heard footsteps and someone shouting “Seo”.

Turning around she saw her high school mate N running to her. It turned out that he was enrolled in Engineering. He had remarked that she was as lovely as ever and asked if she was enrolled there too.  She said that she was SKKU Seoul but she was in Suwon for the weekend to be with her friends.

They exchanged numbers and N promised that he would tell Kris, another high school friend about her. They kept talking until they reached Yonghwa’s house.  He was standing on the sidewalk waiting for her and had probably seen N and herself talking.  She felt uncomfortable because Yonghwa wasn’t smiling.

Hurriedly dragging N – she introduced him to Yonghwa making sure that N knew that he was her boyfriend. Yonghwa had shaken hands with N with Joohyun was firmly anchored to his side. He asked N what college he was enrolled at and how long he’d known Joohyun. N had started to look nervous so Joohyun had to intervene.  It would have been fine if N hadn’t turned around and said that he would call her so that they could meet up with Kris in Seoul. Joohyun closed her eyes as she felt Yonghwa’s hold tighten on her waist. She waved at N and pulled Yonghwa inside the house. He sulked the whole afternoon and it took all of her patience not to be mad at him.

Hmm. What do I do with this man? He’s like a spoiled brat.

Being an honest person, Joohyun sat him down on his bed and told him the N came from the same New York private school as her.  She knew N all thru high school and that he was her date for the Junior Prom. Yonghwa asked if N liked her and she had to answer honestly that N had told her that he liked her but she had turned him down right after Junior Prom.  Yonghwa then asked her who Kris was.  Joohyun said that he was also in the same school as her and he was her date for the Senior Prom because they were declared Prom King and Queen. Before Yonghwa could ask if Kris liked her, Joohyun already added that Kris only said that he had a crush on her but he didn't go any further.

Cute but annoying at the same time! He’s so jealous!  

Inside her head Joohyun was jumping up and down with glee.  She fought to keep a straight face.  Getting up from the bed she went downstairs and took the textbook that Yonghwa had been reading and headed for his bedroom.  She kissed him soundly and handed the book to him and reminded him that he had to study for an exam and not think about his unfounded jealousy.  

He made her promise that if and when she met up with N and Kris she would take him along.