Chapter 9

T  A  E  H  Y  U  N  G

    I’ve never had a girlfriend before - not before Hyun Jae, of course. We basically sat in between the friend zone and the dating zone for 4 years until we finally got together. Until those 4 years, I’ve watched her get together with different guys. I didn’t see it like she did - dating around until you find the right person and then - happily ever after. However, my attitude was like if it happens, it happens, which kind of annoyed her that I didn’t care as much as she did about dating and finding your soulmate. I don’t regret it, though - because now I did find someone I want to be with for a long time.

Isn’t that a soulmate? Hyun Jae has a different mindset of a soulmate...

    I came close to having a girlfriend once - or as close as I can get, anyway. I made a connection with this girl named Sojin at school. I met her in one of my classes and we had one of those cliche moments when we made eye contact across the room and then smiled and looked away. A week after doing this, I had the guts to approach her. (I have to give Jimin props for being able to flirt with girls because it was not easy as a nerdy awkward high schooler.)

    Anyway, we talked, flirted, held hands, and I lost my first cheek kiss to her. We didn't go we are boyfriend and girlfriend, right? Because it was a given. We acted like a couple all the time, and I didn't think we had to make it official at all. She was a cool girl and pretty, obviously.

    I picked up a phone call while walking to get coffee across the street. It was Jimin.

    "Hey man..."

    "Bad news?" I asked because at the time, he was on an off again, on again relationship with some girl.

    "Yeah - no one else wanted to be the one to tell you and I'm your BFF--"

    "Don't call us BFFs..."

    He seemed nervous. "I uh..."

    "Jimin. Spit it out." I complained.

    Then he says it and I'm surprised he said it like it was one big word.

    "Sojin-Has-A-Boyfriend"

    I'm making a weird face but then I remember he's not there with me. "Yeah. I know it's me."

    He swallowed. "No. It's this college guy she met a few weeks ago."

    "What? Jimin shut up."

    "It's true!" He whined. "She told me just a minute ago that they're dating. When I asked her about you, she froze up and said she forgot."

    "She forgot that she was dating someone else?" I demanded, directing my anger at someone that should be Choi Sojin.

    "No. She didn't even think you guys were officially dating"

    I scoffed. "And girls say guys are dense."

With that, I hung up.

    I stomped into the cafe with a big attitude towards the waiter who gives me this awkward look that hints at me being a douche. I try to suppress my anger, but I'm still pissed off and my childish anger shows. I turn after she gets my order and when I turn, I feel someone touch my arm. I whirl around and its Hyun Jae who flinches at my sudden movement. And then I remember - I blew her off last weekend to hang out with Sojin. She needs to study for the exams.

    I feel bad. Whenever Hyun Jae never blew me off - not once whenever she was in a relationship, and at the time she was in one. I must've covered up my guilt of not hanging out with her with the fact that she had someone to be busy with. Here I was blowing her off for someone who I invested so much time into and wasn’t even my real girlfriend.

    "Hey. What's wrong?" She asks with a frown and I feel better.

    "I - uh. You having a study date?" I asked.

    "Hmm? No. (Douche at the time insert name here) and I broke up yesterday."

And then I feel the guilt.

    "I'm sorry. Why'd you break up?" I'm actually secretly relieved they broke up because he wasn't the best boyfriend for her.

    "Something stupid. He's such a jerk. I saw his true side yesterday" she scowled. "He makes a big deal out of everything. He named every guy I talked to. Said I was a "

    My jaw dropped. Hyun Jae is a lot of things. She is a good liar...and that's all the bad things I could list about her. She's not a though - not even close.

    "What does he think he's doing? Saying that to you? It's ing ridiculous. I'm gonna say something to him." I cursed.

    She's surprised. "Wait! What? No!"

    I see her face and I sighed, hugging her. "Sorry I wasn't there for you."

After pulling away, she gave me a reassuring smile and says it's ok. I feel a lot better now, and the waitress looks a little more relaxed now that I have. Hyun Jae asks me what's wrong after I get my drink.

    I scowled. "Freaking Choi Sojin."

    Hyun Jae's face twists. She's never liked her - since the day they met, after the little hang out, Hyun Jae turned around and said "I don't like her." I felt annoyed by this, but then she acted as if Choi Sonin didn't bother her. Like telling me this was a warning.

    "What's wrong? Did she stand you up?"

    "No. We weren't even dating"

    "Uh. You kissed, hung out, and held hands. You introduced her to me like I was your mom for Gods sake, Tae. Even if I don't like her, it's obvious she wants you to ask her out."

    The scowl remains on my face. "She started dating this college kid today. Didn't even know we were officially dating."

    "How can she not?" Hyun Jae gapes, and I know she's thinking that Sojin must be stupid, and I agree.

    "Guess what? She told Jimin. And..."  

    "...Jimin told you. She didn't even call you to tell you?!" She demanded in anger and I nodded.

It's nice to have someone who can get angry with you.

    "She doesn't even know what she's doing. This is ing ridiculous. I'm gonna say something to her" she scowled.

    "It's okay" I smiled.

Hyun Jae's cute when she gets mad for me.

    That day, we headed back to my house and ate ice cream and watched movies.

    "We should do this next break up" Hyun Jae suggested, full.

I could only laugh, and lean forward to wipe the ice cream off the corner of the mouth. After a few minutes, she spend it leaned over yelling BRAIN FREEZE!

     "So? How does it feel to be in a stable relationship?"

Of all the people I could've woken up to...

     "Why does it have to be you?"

     Jimin scowled. "Why are people so mean?!"

     "Because you're too arrogant sometimes. You need to be brought down to earth once in awhile." I replied with a shrug.

     He scoffed. "Whatever. I got that waitress's phone number, you know!"

     "Like you're actually going to call her."

     He's flipping through the channels while I laid on the squashed fort Jae and I made last night. It was afternoon - when I woke up and she had to go meet up with Sanghyuk for lunch, and I couldn't be woken up. Jimin came back and got frustrated that I wouldn't wake up, so he threw the remote control at my stomach. I'm lucky he had bad aim and didn't hit me in the face.

     I wiped the crud out of the corner of my eyes and sat up. He's changed out of his party clothes and was wearing his toy story crew neck Jae bought him for his birthday. As much as she doesn't like to admit - Jimin's like her little brother too. I don't remember exactly why he's like this - if maybe he really is too lazy to have a stable relationship. Or maybe something happened that I don't remember. It could've been that Hayoung girl, but maybe not...

     "What's wrong with you?" I blurt.

     "WHAT IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE?" He fake sobs.

AHA! I GOT IT!

     I run to my room, Jimin still fake sobbing while flipping through the channels and eating through the snacks Jae bought for us. I ran for my phone, immediately calling Hyun Jae who's on speed dial.

     "JAEJAEJAEJAE!" I screech into the phone.

     "Hey Tae." She says, less enthusiastic.

     "Guess what?"

     "Just get on with it.."

     I pouted. "Fine. We should hook Jimin up with someone!!!"

     "Huh?"

     "THINK ABOUT IT! He's such a good matchmaker but it's like he doesn't know how to get a real girlfriend!" I explained.

     "He's gonna get mad when he finds out we're trying to hook him up. He'll feel less manly." Jae warns.

     "Pweeaasse?!"

     I hear her sigh on the other line. "I'll see what I could do."

    She hangs up after that, and I know she’ll go through with it, because I know she cares about Jimin no matter what she says. I feel a little guilty that Jimin’s helped me out a lot, so maybe I could help him just this once.

A/N:

Hello my beautiful subscribers <3

Again, here is a new chappie for you guys and I'm sorry for being gone for too long, and I'll be working on my other stories as well!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Author Megan --