✎Lesson 12: TRM--Truly Revolting Misunderstanding.
✎♥The Dating Subject♥✎
I woke up with a big smile on my face.
I threw back my covers, hopped out of bed and pulled back the curtains.
I closed my eyes as the sunlight hit my face.
What a beautiful day!
And it's Saturday! My favorite day!
Although come to think of it...
I think Friday is coming a close second to being my favorite.
I smiled as I remembered yesterday...
Flashback
"Maki?" I felt someone shaking me gently.
I opened my eyes and looked up.
Onew was smiling down at me.
"It's our stop already. Come on." He carried my bag and helped me out of the bus.
"I'll walk you home."
"Sorry I fell asleep." I said feebly.
He just laughed.
"Extreme rides can do that to you."
I smiled.
We walked in silence and he held my hand again.
"Onew?"
"Hm?"
"Thanks for today."
"Did you have fun?" He squeezed my hand.
"Yes. A lot of fun." I smiled.
"We should do this everyday."
I looked at him sideways.
I agree with him but we're not a couple. It would be weird if we go on dates everyday.
"Hmm.." I just replied.
"Well, this is me."
I said, facing him.
"Thanks again." I let go of his hand and smiled up at him.
"No problem." He put his hands in his pockets.
"Uhm...Bye."
"Bye."
He turned around to walk away.
"Thanks for the friendly date!" I called out to him.
He turned around slowly.
"What?"
"Thanks for the friendly date?" I repeated unsurely.
Why did he look confused?
"FRIENDLY date?"
"Yes. Friendly date."
"What the heck is a friendly date?" He looked so confused.
"Uhm...what we just had?" I was getting confused too.
He looked like he was at a loss for words.
What's wrong?
"Er...be careful on your way home." I said instead.
He didn't say anything then he started to walk away.
I turned around to go back to my own house.
"Maki?"
I turned.
"Yes?"
"You know, you really know how to drive a guy crazy."
"What? What are you talking about?"
He shook his head, finally smiling.
"Nothing." He turned around.
"Onew?"
"Yes?" He looked at me.
"You really know how to make a girl think." I made a face.
He laughed and waved goodbye.
End of Flashback.
Truthfully, the whole conversation struck me as odd.
I know how to drive a guy crazy?
I barely have friends.
What was Onew talking about?
He really makes me think.
I grabbed Mr. Cownew, the stuffed toy Onew gave me.
"What did you mean by that Onew?" I shook the doll.
Great. Now I'm talking to inanimate objects.
I guess I should study a little.
I went to my study table and took out my notebook.
"Mmm.."I browsed through it absently.
When suddenly, a paper flew out.
I watched it fall on the floor and I bent to pick it up.
Hey! It's my list again!
I stared at it, now I only have four theories left.
But...
I read through it again.
Something's not right anymore.
#2. Going dutch is for losers!
I used to believe this so much...but ever since Onew and I spent time together, I have always been protesting to him treating me in almost everything. If I always felt that way...
Then could my theory be wrong?
I remember yesterday. I was actually glad when I paid for our food since Onew paid for the bus fare going to the park and the entrance fees.
Okay, so I guess going dutch isn't so bad after all.
Or maybe I just really didn't want to abuse Onew's kindness.
Nevertheless, I uncapped my pen and crossed out my second theory.
#2. Going dutch is for losers!
I narrowed my eyes.
Oh this is so not good.
I'm down to only three theories.
And it's all because of Onew!
I got Mr. Cownew and glared at him.
"This is all your fault! You're making me think twice all the time!" I scowled.
"And now, you're making me talk to inanimate objects again!"
I put back Mr. Cownew on my bed and sighed.
Studying won't work right now.
Sheesh.
I closed my notebook but I left my paper on my desk.
Hmm..
I grabbed my tape and placed it on my desk, planning to tape it up.
Oh wait, if anyone saw this, even my sister, it would be messy.
I wouldn't really want to be questioned about being anti-social and being weird again.
I rolled my eyes.
This list is so staying in my notebook.
I went on to my usual activities.
I took a bath for a long time, I ate brunch, I even had a bonding session with my mom.
I finally told her that I was eating chocolates again. She seemed surprised but I repeated Onew's points and we even argued, but in the end, she finally agreed to let us eat chocolates again and she even apologized to my sister and I about taking chocolate away from us for a long time.
We even went shopping for chocolates.
"Mom! Let's buy this!" Mizuki grabbed 2 packs of hershey bars. Her favorite.
"Okay, okay. I owe you girls. Just buy what you want."
"I'll have this!" I got Cadbury and not kitkat.
But that's only because I have a lot of kitkats at home thanks to Onew who seems intent on giving me a lifetime supply.
Then we had a snack at the mall.
It was a really great day.
I knew nothing could ruin my happiness anymore.
Nothing.
--
When I went home, I was so energized that I read a whole novel.
I even ate a whole 6 pack of kitkats.
I was so restless.
So I decided to check the net. I don't really do this since I think the internet is a distraction. I don't have an account in any social networking sites and I usually use the net just for information research.
But you guys all do that too, right?
Anyway, all I have is an email account.
Which I don't really open that much.
I absently deleted spam mails when one new mail caught my eye.
SUBJECT: Secret Love at Themepark!
Guess who I saw yesterday holding hands and enjoying themselves so much at the theme park?
No, no. I won't name names.
But this "odd couple" had a really great time yesterday.
They went on extreme rides and I even caught them in a happy moment by the food stalls.
Who is this shocking couple you ask?
Well, let's just say that all politicians lead secret lives.
And that not all brainiacs only have books in their brains!
Clues, clues, clues?
No more.
Not unless you were there, like me, and had also witness this loveydovey couple, then you will have a hard time deciphering this.
But...
Shall I reveal or shall I not?
Hmm..Dilemmas!
More sightings later!
--
My heart was pounding as I read the mail.
It was sent to everyone.
Everyone!
Was that email about Onew and me?
But..how?
Who saw us?
That's just impossible! I mean, there must be a lot of couples who went there too, right? And it's a friday! So of course, everyone's out.
So it can't be us. No way.
For all I know it could be one of the club leaders and another girl.
Or maybe the girl's the "politician" and the boy's the "brainiac".
Yeah, yeah.
And maybe the couple is not even from our school!
I sighed in relief.
Yeah, no way it's us.
I mean, people might care about what Onew does but not really about me.
I mean, I'm a nobody.
And besides, we weren't being all loveydovey!
That's just all nonsense.
It's so not us.
Plus, no one checks their emails anymore, anyway.
I shut down the computer and returned to my bed.
But I couldn't help feeling bothered by that.
That's not true.
I mean, if it's about us.
Which, of course, it's not.
But still...
Onew and I are not a couple!
We're friends!
On a friendly date!
Stupid rumors ruining my sat--
"Unnie!" Mizuki entered my room.
"Hey."
She sat on my bed.
"What's up?"
A rumor about me and Onew being a couple is flying around.
"Nothing."
"Okay. Listen, let's do manicures today! I'm really bored!" She took out her mani/pedi kit.
"Eh?"
"Pleaseee?" She pouted.
"Let's be normal sisters and do what normal sisters do!"
"We are normal sisters!"
"No we're not. We hardly do any bonding the way real sisters do! We don't go shopping because you don't want to, we don't have girl talks like the one we had before, we don't swap clothes because your style is ugh. Plus, we don't DO our nails together! But we will be REAL SISTERS once I give you a manicure!" She pulled on my hand.
"No, no wait! Uhm...just give me a pedicure." I don't like seeing colors on my fingers.
She rolled her eyes. "Oh okay."
"What color?"
"Hmm..you pick."
"Okay! I have better taste than you, anyway."
I sighed.
"Hmm...Neon pink? Lipstick red? Gothic black? Punk green?" She roots around in her kit.
"Hey! What are those colors? Don't you have a colorless one?"
"That goes on last, unnie. Oh, here! Soft pink!" She looked at me.
"Yeah, yeah. That's better than punk green."
"A real beginner." She made a face.
I relaxed when she started to apply the first coating.
"Hey, Mizuki?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you read your emails?"
"Emails?" She wrinkled her nose.
"Not really, unless it's required for school or whatever. People usually just message me in facebook or tweet me or sends me a text message."
I knew it!
"Ah." I smiled happily.
"Know what? You can do my hands too!" I was suddenly in a good mood.
"Really?! Okay!" She looked excited and continued to do my toenails.
She was done on my toenails and was on my middle fingernail when her phone beeped.
"Oops, hold that nail, unnie!" She put the cap on the nail polish back on and looked at her cell.
"Ooh!" She said excitedly.
"What is it?" I blew on my fingernails.
"I'm a subscriber.." She said.
"Subscriber for what?"
"Hold on." She began to read and I stared at my nails. Hey, this color really works--
"OH MY GOD!"
"What?! What is it?!" I sat up straight.
She handed me her phone.
I reached for it and read.
"Oh my god!" It was the same exact email I got!
"What is this?! Is this an email?!"
"No! It's a text message! I told you I subscribed!" Her eyes were wide.
"Subscribed?! Where?!"
"Our school's TRM!!" She looked at me impatiently.
"Huh?" I gave her a blank look.
"The Rumor Mill!!"
"We have a rumor mill?!"
She gave me a weird look.
"Yes. It's been on forever. How can you not know?"
"It's not academic, okay?!"
"It's not-- Oh god. I give up." She threw her hands in frustration.
"What!?"
She just stared at me.
"Anyway, it's not us--I mean me." I gave her the phone back.
"There's no use denying it." Her eyes narrowed.
"W-what?" My voice cracked.
She opened the message again, scrolled down and the phone infront of my face.
"OH MY GOD!" I screamed.
It's a picture of Onew and Me in the theme park! Our faces were blurred but you could still totally tell it's us.
"You've got to be kidding me! That's a joke right?" I panicked.
"Unnie.."
"B-but...I checked my email. I got the same message but there was no picture!"
"The email's for all. Even the non subscribers get them. The text message is for the subscribers and you also have the privilege of seeing pictures."
"Privilege?! What the hell?" Stupid rumor mill.
"Well, who owns this rumor mill?"
"No one knows."
I shook my head. "This is crazy."
"Who else subscribed? There's like only 5 people, right? Please tell me it's 5 and below." I pleaded.
"Unnie...almost everyone's subscribed. You're the only person I know who isn't."
"Oh no...Oh no."
"I'm sorry, unnie. But hey, this is not such a bad thing. I mean, come on, at least it's with Sunbae! You should be proud!"
I scowled at her.
"It's a bad thing because it's not true!"
"But don't you love him?"
I sighed.
"That's besides the point. And I don't love him--it's just infatuation! And I cannot handle rumors like this. You know I have zero people skills! Plus, it's embarrassing!" I got off my bed.
"Infatuation?!" She snorted and shook her head. "Well, anyway...maybe you can talk to sunbae about this. Maybe he can help you out."
"Y-yeah. You're right. But how long do those rumors last?"
"About a week or two tops. It depends on how juicy it is."
"A week?!"
"Or two." My sister is not helping at all.
"I've got to talk to Onew."
But how? I don't have a phone. I don't even know his number!
"Oh, right!" I opened my computer.
I'll just check our school database. Everyone's email address is in there.
"What are you doing?" My sister looked over my shoulder.
"I'm going to talk to Onew." I logged in on our school site and checked the database.
"Lee, Onew...Lee...Oh right. It's Lee Jinki." I scrolled down and found his name.
"Here we go." I copied his email address and sent him a message.
Subject: URGENT!!
Onew! It's me, Maki! Please. Have you seen the rumor mill or something?! It's about us. And our..
I looked behind ne to see my sister watching.
"Do you mind?"
"Why are even bothering to hide it? Everyone knows. Plus, I'm your sister!" She pouted.
"Let's talk about this later."
"But I haven't even finished your nails!"
I looked at my half finished hands.
"This is not important right now!"
"You'd look really weird with only a half finished manicure!"
"Mizuki!"
"Fine!" She got out of my room and I continued typing.
..And our friendly date.
Please, Onew. Set them straight. We both know that we're not a couple. We're friends! And I don't really know what to do! This is the first time this has happened to me! Please, Onew!
I sent the message three times and anxiously waited for his reply.
After 10 minutes, there's still no reply.
"Come on, Onew! Check your freakin email!" Don't people check their emails anymore?!
I paced the room for twenty minutes.
Still no reply.
I checked the sent items and they were successfully sent.
There's only one way.
"Mizuki!" I barged into my sister's room.
"Aish!" She was applying nail polish on her feet.
"Unnie! Can't you knock first? You made me ruin my pedicure!"
I ignored her.
"Can I borrow your phone?"
"What for?"
"I need to contact Onew!"
"You're still not over that?" She resumed putting on nail polish.
"It's only been twenty minutes!"
"Exactly! I thought you'd be jumping around in your bed and squealing in delight by now."
I scowled at her.
"I bet you'd do the same thing if you were at my place. You'd panic too!"
"Not likely."
"Well, what would you do?!" I put my hands on my hips.
"Jump around in my bed, squeal in delight, then go over to sunbae's place and plant a huge, wet one on him and say: LET'S MAKE THE RUMORS OFFICIAL~~~ WOOOHHHHH!" She started to dance around in her bed.
"oh, and after that, we'd go on a gazillion dates." She sighs dreamily.
""Although of course, it doesn't actually have to be sunbae~ any of his friends is perfectly acceptable!" Her eyes sparkled.
"I wanna go off with any of them, riding in the sunset, all married and lovely, and we'll live happily ever after~ YAYYY!" She squealed happily.
WHAT THE HELL?!
"YAH! How can you rejoice like that?! Are you a freaking retard? ARE YOU ON DRUGS??!"
"Me?!" She scoffs and points to herself. "ME? THE RETARD?! Are you sure that's not you, unnie?! And you're probably the one on drugs if you can't see how COOL your situation is! Drugs can lead to extreme brain damage!" She frowned at me.
Aigoo. What's wrong with the younger generation these days, anyway?!
I shook my head in sadness for her dark future.
"Anyway, to sum it up, I'd probably be really happy if I were in your shoes. Sheesh. You don't know what you're missing!" She starts to calm down a little and puts on nail polish again.
"Stop saying nonsense! Can I borrow your phone now?"
"It's on my dresser."
"Thanks...I think."
I fiddled with it and typed my message again.
Oh wait. I don't have Onew's number!
"Mizuki?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you have Onew's number?"
"I wish." She sighs and applies neon pink polish on her nails.
"What am I going to do?!"
"Oh wait, I have Taemin's number. Would you like me to ask him?"
I handed the phone to her.
"Please!"
She typed something.
"Sent. Now just wait for his reply."
I sat on her bed. Sigh.
Why is Taemin taking so long?
"Why is Taemin taking so long?!"
"He usually doesn't bother with his phone much."
"What?!"
"Who knows? He might bother with it today." She glanced up at me.
"Shall I do your nails now, unnie?"
"Huh?"
"Just something to pass the time. And to complete our sisterhood." She flutters her eyelashes at me, trying to be cute, and starts to uncap her nail polish.
"Come on!"
I sighed and let her do my nails.
Come on, Taemin...reply! Come on...Come on!
Suddenly Mizuki's phone beeped.
"There it is!" I said excitedly and reached for the phone.
"Aish! UNNIE! Can you calm down for a bit?! Sheesh. You made me ruin your pinky!" I glanced at my pinky and saw that the polish had streaked downward.
"Sorry." I looked at the message.
"Mizuki! Don't forget we have a meeting tomorrow! You need to..."
I put down the phone on the bed.
"Was it Taemin?"
"No. It's for you."
She reached for it and read.
"Whatevs." She reached for a cotton and fixed my nails again.
She was on my second hand when the phone beeped again.
"That could be Taemin!" Without hesitation, I reached for it again.
"UNNIE! That's it! I'm not fixing your nails anymore! And you know, this is a manifestation that our sisterhood is going to be an epic failure!" How dramatic. She should totally be Mika's sister or something.
"Huh." I ignore her theatrics and started to open the message and...
"Who the heck is Banana Milk King?" I showed her the phone, confused.
"Uh. Duh. Taemin. He's the only one who's so into banana milk." She rolled her eyes. "Gross. Strawberry milk is waayyy better!"
I hurriedly read the reply once I heard that it's Taemin.
"Sorry for the late reply. Here's Onew hyung's number, Mizuki. What do you need it for anyway?"
I ignored his question and proceeded to save Onew's number and sent him my message again.
"Did Banana Milk King give you sunbae's number?"
"Yes."
"And did you save it?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"And what?"
"Is everything okay now?"
"Onew didn't reply yet."
She sighed and put away her manicure kit.
"I know the solution for this."
"You do?"
"Yes. Wait." She got out of the room.
I sighed and paced the room. Finally, I settled on her bed.
Why am I reacting this way, anyway?
Am I being stupid? Too sensitive?
What do I do?
I honestly have no experience on this, so pardon me for overreacting.
I wonder how Onew feels about all this?
Suddenly, the door opened and Mizuki came in carrying a tray.
"Ta~daaaa!"
Mmm...Is that...
"Ramyeon! I used sunbae's recipe!" She smiled brightly.
"Now eat. And stop worrying."
I felt ridiculously touched. Who knew my sister could be sweet even though she's obviously taking drugs or whatever?
"Thanks, Mizuki."
"Uh-huh. You know, this will blow over in just a couple of days. Trust me."
"I hope so. Onew needs to reply soon."
"He will." She said confidently and we began to eat.
"Hey. This is good."
"Really?" She looked pleased.
"It's not as good as sunbae's though." She made a face.
"Well I think it's better." I smiled at her.
"Really?"
"Yes, because you're my sister."
She shook her head and laughed.
"Cheesy! My sister's being so cheesy!" She said, laughing.
I stuck out my tongue and laughed.
After eating, my sister and I laid on the bed.
"Unnie?" She raised her arms up to inspect her nails.
"Yeah?"
"How was your date?"
"It was...fun."
"It was?"
"Yeah." I smiled a little at the memories.
"I wish I had someone like Onew sunbae. He doesn't really have to be as goodlooking or as smart as sunbae..just you know. As sweet. and thoughtful, and caring, and perfect and amazing...and..yeah." Mizuki's voice sounded wistful.
"He's not mine."
"Yet." She looked at me knowingly.
I laughed. "Seriously."
"You went on a date already. What else do you want?"
"It was a friendly date."
"What? What the heck is that?" She drops her hands and stares at me, puzzled.
"Well, our date was a celebration of our being friends again."
"There's no such thing as a friendly date." She rolled her eyes.
"Who's older?"
"Who knows more?" She challenged. "Well in love, anyway." She muttered.
I closed my eyes.
"I don't like having expectations." I said finally.
"Sometimes, you're allowed to." She sighed.
"When?"
"When everything's there. Everything. Single. Thing."
"What?"
"You'll get it soon."
There goes those cryptic words again! I'm getting tired of not getting everything or anything at all!
Am I becoming dumb or something?
My sister and I laid in silence.
She was listening to her iPod and I continued to send more messages to Onew.
Eventually, doing nothing lulled us to sleep.
I woke up with a start.
It was 5am.
It's now Sunday.
I looked at my sister's phone which I left beside me.
Onew, I realized sadly, hasn't replied to my messages at all.
What am I going to do?
Comments