Ch. 11: Go With Me

Hyojin was on her living room couch, flipping through the channels as she thought of what to answer JB back. ‘I mean, he’s a very nice, funny, and sweet guy. I hate to turn down an offer like this when it only comes once in a lifetime. Well, for me. But as you look at my appearance, it’s surprising how it will change into a red carpet appearance. Because think of it, I have glasses, braces, and acne all over my face. How do you change it into a movie star face?’ she thought.

“Hyojin-ah! I’m home!” her dad yelled. Hyojin got off the couch and waited for her dad to enter the living room. “Hey Hyojin, has a boy asked you to the dance, yet?” her dad asked.

“Dad, you’re my father, you’re going to whoop my if I say yes.” She pointed out.

“Well, I’m going to whoop your if you say no. For this time.” He walked to Hyojin and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They both sat down as he said, “So? Did anyone ask you?” Hyojin’s father was like her trust because it was only her father who has been there for her. She never had a lot of friends, so all that was left as a friend, was her father.

“Well…” she started, “I did get one proposal earlier.” Her father jumped out of his seat and pumped his fist in the air yelling, “Yes! My daughter is finally going to a dance with a date!”

“Appa. Quiet down or you’ll annoy the neighbors since you’re already annoying me.” Hyojin complained.

“Sorry Hyojin-ah.” He sat back down. “I’m just so happy that you are finally going to a dance. With a date too! Who is it?”

“Try to guess. He’s one of your football players.” Hyojin said.

Her father’s eyes widened as he gasped. “Is it Mark? Oh my goodness I am so happy for you!” He started hugging her, tightly.

“Umm, no dad. It’s not-“ she was cut off by her dad.

“It’s so cute how you and Mark are going together. I mean, first he has to be your slave now he’s your date to the dance. Oh! I know the perfect-“ he was cut off by his daughter.

“Wait! How did you know Mark was my slave?” she asked, worried.

“Oh, that morning he took you to school, he told me. But anyways, I know the perfect dress for you to…” he noticed her daughter was gone. “Wear…”

Hyojin stormed out of her house and knocked on his door furiously not giving a dime if anyone else can hear it. No one answered the door. She waited for about 30 seconds and knocked hard again. Still, no answer. She decided to give him one more chance and knocked on the door. Finally, Mark answered the door.

“What do you want, Hyojin?” he asked with his sleepy voice.

Hyojin’s eyes widened and looked away at the person before her. Mark was wearing… no shirt, basketball shorts, and had messy bed hair. Don’t even get her started on how y he looks and sounds right now. Never had she felt this way before.

Hyojin scoffed, “Wow, do I do this often that you already knew it was me?” she asked still looking away, taking small and short glances at Mark’s body. Like, who wouldn’t want to look at his abs?

“Umm yes, this is like the second or third time already. Anyways, what is it that you have to wake me up from my slumber for?” he asked.

“You told my dad that you were my slave?” Hyojin asked looking into his eyes.

“What’s wrong with that? Can I not?” Mark replied.

“Well, no… and you’re not doing quite a good job at being my slave. But now my dad thinks that you asked me to the dance; which I’m not even for sure I want to go to, and did his little happy dance.” Hyojin remarked.

“Well it’s not my fault your dad likes me so much.” Mark replied. Hyojin didn’t reply leaving an awkward silence. All Hyojin did was stare at the ground, but would take short glances at his abs, again. Come on, it’s hard to resist! “So…” Mark started. Hyojin’s head shot up. “Are you going to go to the dance with JB?”

“I-I’m not sure. I mean, he’s very nice and…” she started to trail off.

“And?” Mark asked, curiously.

“I used to have a crush on him… back in primary school. But I pretended I didn’t know his existence.” She murmured, but Mark heard the whole thing. Mark felt something hurt inside of him. “Wait, why am I telling you this?!”

“I don’t know…” Mark said softly.

“Well… bye.” Hyojin simply said and left, not taking a look back.

“Hyojin-ah, don’t just leave me like that.” Her father complained.

“Appa, Mark is not the guy who asked me to the dance.” Hyojin confessed, avoiding the fact that her father is mad at her.

“Wait, then who is it?” he asked.

“It’s… It’s…” she somehow couldn’t say his name.

“It’s?” her father asked.

“It’s Jaebum!” she yelled.

Instead of being mad at her daughter who raised her voice on him, he started smiling like a little boy. His eyes started to squint like he is teasing her. “Sooooo, did you give him an answer?”

“I’m not going to tell you that.” Hyojin said before she walked into the kitchen. “Dad, I’m going to cook dinner now. What do you want? American?” Hyojin asked.

“Yeah, we haven’t had American in a while. Why not?” her father said.

Hyojin always prepared dinner, every single night. Because her father doesn’t really cook well, and her father works hard at school, so this is what Hyojin can do to give back. But she also doesn’t really mind cooking dinner. It’s become a habit now. And when she cooks, she felt at ease, like it’s her relaxer. She finished cooking, and she and her father ate it. Hyojin washed the dishes and started on her homework.

Hyojin usually stayed up to finish her homework and made sure she gets it. If she can’t stay awake, then she would go to the nearest convenience store and grab some coffee. You know, those Starbucks frappaccino’s in a glass bottle.

She grabbed her jacket and put on her shoes so that she can get some coffee. It was around 10pm and the streets of Seoul were quiet.

“Hyojin!” she heard someone behind her call her.

“Oh, Mark.” She said faintly.

“What are you doing out here at this time of the night?” he asked curiously.

“Just going to the convenience store to get some coffee. You?” she asked.

“Just getting some snack from the convenience store.” He replied. She nodded and just awkwardly stood there. “M-May I walk with you?” he asked.

“Uhh, sure.” The two started walking at a pretty slow pace and kept it at that speed. The two never said a word, just a bunch of sighs, coughs, sneezes, etc. Yeah, they are VERY awkward. Once they reached the store, Mark held the door open for her and followed Hyojin wherever she was going.

“I think you are getting more than coffee.” Mark implied as he watched her pick up some food.

“Well, what’s a homework night without snacks?” Hyojin reasoned.

“That’s true.” Mark replied.

“I’m done, how about you?” Hyojin asked as she turned to him.

“I got my snack already while you took your dang time.” Mark complained.

“Hey, they sometimes never have these crackers, so I should keep an eye out on these.” Hyojin said. Mark was taken aback at what she just said. “Umm, sorry about… that.”

“No, it’s okay. Let’s pay now?” Mark asked. Hyojin nodded and stayed behind Mark. “Hey, put your stuff here, I’ll pay for it.” He said as he pulled her towards him.

“N-No it’s okay. I can pay it myself.” Hyojin tried to get out of his offer, but it wouldn’t work.

“I’m your slave, so that means I’ll pay for it. Now, put the snacks and your drinks, on the counter.” Mark demanded as he took out his wallet.

Hyojin sighed and put everything on the counter. The real reason why he wanted to pay for her stuff was because he wants to be a nice guy and find out what she mostly buys at night. You know, so he can buy the same thing for her next time. Mark payed for the groceries and grabbed the grocery bag before leaving the store. When Hyojin exited the store, she didn’t notice that a little boy accidentally stepped on her shoelace; which is a pretty bad thing since she’s walking. Again, they were walking at a really slow pace, slower than before.

“Hey, umm, thank you. I’ll pay you back.” Hyojin said as she took out her money.

Mark put his hand on hers, “No, it’s okay. Since I am your slave, just ask me what you want, and I’ll get it for you.” Hyojin kind of blushed at his comment. “Oh, I almost forgot, may I get your number?” he asked as they both came to a halt.

“Uhh, sure.” Hyojin grabbed his phone and typed in her phone number. Mark had a fireworks show inside him because it was just THAT easy in getting her number. “Here.” She said giving it back to him.

“Thanks.” Mark smiled.

Hyojin took a step forward and screamed. “Ahhh!” she yelled as she fell onto the ground.

“Hyojin! Are you okay?” Mark asked.

“I don’t think so, my ankle hurts. I think I sprained it.” Hyojin winced at the pain.

“What did you slip on anyways? There’s no puddle or anything on the ground.” Mark said as he looked around to see if anything was around. He took a look at her shoe, “Ohhhhh, you tripped on your shoelace.”

“What?!” Hyojin yelled in an annoyed voice. “I sprained my ankle, just because of a darn shoelace.”

“I should bring you to the hospital.” Mark said as he was about to carry her, bridal style.

“No! Don’t, I don’t want my father to know about this. I know how to treat it, this isn’t my first time getting a sprained ankle, just quietly, take me into my house and I’ll do it myself.” Hyojin replied. Mark sighed and nodded.

He carried her, bridal style, and brought her up pretty fast that she squealed. “Calm down, you’re going to wake up everyone.”

“I’m sorry!” she yelled in a whisper. “I can walk, so you can out me down,” she said as Mark started walking.

“Nope, I’m not going to put you down until I get you to your house.” Mark implied. Hyojin just scoffed and kept quiet. This was her first time getting carried bridal style and she is taking it quite well.

“Mark?” she asked.

“Mm?” he hummed.

“Do you know where I can find JB? To like, tell him my answer?” she asked, shyly.

“I thought you knew already.”

“I don’t. When he said, ‘You know where to find me’, I honestly didn’t know what he was talking about. And since you are a close bud of him, I figured you know.” Hyojin explained.

Mark sighed, ‘I can’t believe we are talking about JB when it is just the two of us.’ He thought. “You’ll find him in the choir room. He hangs there most of the time.” Mark explained.

“Thank you.” She said.

Mark faintly smiled and entered their apartment building. The security guard watched them as he watched Mark carry her towards the elevator. Hyojin clicked the button and they both waited for the elevator. Mark would take small, secret, glances at her, but she was too busy admiring the elevator door to notice him.

Mark entered the elevator and pressed their floor button. Instead of bring her to her apartment, he decided to bring her to his apartment.

“Mark, my apartment is right there.” Hyojin pointed to her door. She didn’t realize how close their faces were until Mark made eye contact with her. She immediately looked away.

“I know, I just thought that it would be easier if someone treated you instead of yourself.” Mark said as he unlocked his door. He brought her to his living room and set her down on his couch. “Wait here, I’m going to get my first aid kit.” He said before leaving her alone.

After about twenty seconds, he came back with a huge bin with a label that said, ‘First Aid Kit’. Hyojin chuckled at the sight.

As he applied some alcohol on the bruise, that’s now purple, he asked, “You said that you’ve had a sprained ankle before, may I asked how times have you had it?”

“Uh, I think about 3 times. Well, including this, it’s my 4^th time.” She said like getting a sprained ankle is nothing.

“So tell me, what do you find in a guy?” Mark asked as he sat right beside Hyojin.

“Why are you all of a sudden asking that?” she asked.

“Can I not know?” he reasoned. Hyojin couldn’t fight back and just sighed which made Mark chuckle.

“Well, I like a guy who is attractive, but also has a nice personality which is pretty hard to find these days. Most of the guys in our school are pretty attractive, but they have no manners, so why should I go after them? Anyways, I like a guy with a good scent too. I like a guy who can make me laugh when I’m sad. I mean, who doesn’t want a guy…” she trailed off once she turned her head, only to see Mark’s face only a few centimeters away from hers. “Wha-what are you-“ she was cut off.

“Don’t go to the dance with JB, go with me. Be my date. And be my… girlfriend.” He whispered right before he cupped her face and put his lips onto hers.

author's note:

I am deeply sorry everyone for not updating in like 5ever!! I just started school like 2 weeks ago, and I have been so busy with my honors classes and JROTC. I hope you guys can understand. Anyways, as a gift for waiting for a long time, I made this chapter pretty long. On Word, it was 6 pages. I had this written out already, all I needed to do was finish it. I am sorry everyone about the typos, I wanted to get this chapter finished and ready to go. I hope you guys like it! Please comment y'all! Don't forget to smile :D

thanks for reading~saburiina