five
Hired Girlfriend
The next day, Soojung was both nervous and excited for her new job. From the moment she woke up, she was all smiley. Even if she was scared, she couldn't help but think that she finally got a job. It was her first job that's why she was so happy about it.
"Good morning, Jinki!" Soojung greeted him cheerfully when she got down from the apartment and saw leaning against his car.
"Excited much?" Jinki laughed at her and got in the car.
It was a fast road trip. Soojung was basically jumping up and down her seat the whole time and Jinki just continued laughing at her. He parked the car a block away from the coffee shop. Soojung didn't ask why and just got out.
"Wait, Soojung." Jinki stopped her before she could start walking towards the cafe.
"Okay, they'll be hard on you on your first week so you have to be patient. It doesn't matter if you break a couple or few things, they just want to see you try and they want to see how much you want this job. It's like a job training. Don't be hard on yourself. Work hard but not too hard. Take care of your health. Patience, okay?" Jinki grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes.
"Okay," Soojung nodded.
"You're on your own." Jinki patted her shoulder.
"What? You're not gonna...? But..." Soojung finally figured out why Jinki didn't park in front of the coffee shop.
"You're Jung Soojung. You can do it!" Jinki pushed her away.
"I'll call you later." Jinki said as Soojung started walking.
"Who are you? My boyfriend?" Soojung turned her head with her forehead creased.
"Right now, kind of, so deal with it!"
Soojung entered the cafe and saw only few employees. It was actually still very early. They were opening at 9 and it was only 8.20. She just greeted them and went straight to the manager's office.
"Here's your uniform, Soojung. Your first task are the dishes. Make sure every table is clean. And organize the storage room." The manager was giving her a straight face.
"Yes, sir. I'll do it right away. Thank you again for accepting me here!"
Soojung wore her uniform and went straight to the kitchen. She put on her apron and started washing some cups, tumblers and plates. She then cleaned the sink before she went out to start wiping the tables and putting down the chairs together with the others. All the employees were probably there. The longer she stayed in the room, the sooner she realized how everyone was looking at her... awfully. They scared her a bit but then Jinki did tell her about those kinds of things. She just hoped that after a week, everything would be better.
For that whole week, Soojung worked her hardest. She had never worked as hard as that before. Well, it was her first time so she really did her best. And she never failed on giving everyone a smiling face. It was what Jinki taught her. That no matter how tired you get, how lonely, you just have to smile because a smile is contagious. She had Jinki's eye smile plastered on her head so she wouldn't forget to smile as well.
"Guys, we need another person to work overtime. Who can do it?" The manager asked.
"I can! I can!" Soojung raised her hand that made everyone look at her.
"Okay, Soojung. Everyone, get back to work." It was a busy night. It was Friday and most customers just got off from work.
Before Soojung could even get back to work, her phone started vibrating.
"What's up, Jinki?"
"You're almost done working, right? Let's eat some black noodles." Jinki suggested.
"I can't. Overtime." Soojung simply said
"What? I told you not be hard on yourself!" Jinki exclaimed.
"I'm fine. A couple of hours of overtime won't kill me. And overtime means extra pay so.... Later, Jinki!" Soojung hung up.
And by Monday, after putting on her uniform, Jungsoo called Soojung to his office.
"You really want this job, don't you?"
"I need it. Having this job is the only way I can survive."
"Jinki did tell me about that." The manager nodded.
"What?"
"Come with me." Jungsoo stood up.
"Yea, sir!" Soojung followed him like a puppy.
"Everyone, welcome Soojung to our little family!" Manager Choi.
"Welcome, Soojung!" Everyone shouted that made Soojung smile.
"Seulgi is in charge so you should always go to her if you have a question, okay?"
"Yes, sir. Thank you so much!" She bowed.
"And, please, call me Siwon. I'm still very young, you know."
"So how did you and Jinki oppa know each other?" Seulgi asked since there weren't many people coming in.
"Ugh... Common friends~" Soojung simply answered.
"That's it? Why hasn't he brought you here before?"
"Well, let's just say we just recently got close."
"Cool. Oh, sorry if we acted so rude to you. It was just a newbie act we do." Seulgi apologized.
"It's okay. Jinki told me about that."
"Eh? What a huge party pooper." Seulgi shook her head while Soojung laughed.
...
Jinki and Soojung had not hung out for a few days since Soojung was busy with her new job and Jinki just didn't want to disturb her. She was finally starting to be independent. And he was so proud of her. He had been calling the manager to update him on Soojung's situation and he told him she was doing well. Even if it was her first job ever, she showed so much determination and she had only broken a plate.
While waiting for the two younger boys and while he was cleaning the house that Monday night, he suddenly received an unexpected call.
"Qian, long time no hear." Jinki joked.
"Funny, Jinki. I just called to ask if you're free this Saturday? Lunch maybe?" Qian asked and Jinki thought for a few minutes.
"I've got no plans. Why?" He jumped on the sofa and sat down.
"Let's have lunch together. I kinda want to introduce you to... uh... to my boyfriend?" Qian got straight to the point. Jinki froze for a sec but he didn't want her to think that he was still in love with her and that what he heard affected him a lot.
"Why not? Sure. I'd love to! In fact, I'm bringing my girlfriend with me as well." Jinki was spewing whatever was in his mind.
"Girlfriend? Oh, okay. Great. I'll see you at the Italian restaurant then? At one maybe?" Jinki felt like Qian was talking oddly.
"At Buongiorno? Okay! See you in a few days, Qian!" Jinki said and she hung up.
"WHAT THE HECK DID I JUST SAY?!" Jinki cried and Jonghyun just came in.
"Jinki, what are you shouting about?" Jonghyun rushed to his side.
"I just said the most ridiculous lie ever!" Jinki's eyes were wide opened still couldn't believe of what he just said to Qian.
"What? What?"
"Qian called. She wanted me to meet her boyfriend this weekend. I said yes." Jinki paused.
"What's wrong with that?"
"Then I said I'll bring my GIRLFRIEND with me." Jinki continued and Jonghyun laughed hitting his lap with both of his hands.
"What should I do, Jjong?" Jinki asked with worried eyes.
"Take back what you said. Tell her the truth." Jonghyun said the most obvious solution.
"I can't do that I've already said it. Give me some other options!" Jinki stood up and walked across the room, back and fort.
"I don't know. Hire some girl to be your girlfriend." Jonghyun was just joking, of course.
"The what? Wait, that's not a bad idea. It could work!" Jinki's face suddenly brightened up.
"Come on. You're smarter than that."
"I am. But sometimes, the stupidest idea works best." Jinki grabbed his phone from the couch.
"Where'd you get that idea?" Jonghyun looked at the older male oddly.
"I just have to find a girl." He ignored Jonghyun's question and started scrolling down on his contacts.
Jonghyun left him in the living room and went to the kitchen to find something to eat. Taemin arrived and instantly noticed Jinki looking so intensely at his phone on the couch. He thought he was only playing some games and so he didn't disturb him and just went to the kitchen and ate some snacks with Jonghyun. Then Jonghyun told him what Jinki was really doing and Taemin burst out into a huge laughter.
After scrolling up and down for the last five minutes, Jinki finally stopped and gave up. He realized that all his lady friends had boyfriends and that he was basically hopeless.
"Why don't you ask Soojung?" Taemin suggested jokingly as he sat next to Jinki with junk foods in his hands.
"Oh right! Soojung! I'll visit her at work tomorrow. Thanks, Taem. You're the best!" But Jinki took his suggestion seriously. Jonghyun hit the back of Taemin's head for saying that ridiculous thing.
The next day, Jinki went to Soojung's workplace and worked with the crew in the afternoon. He didn't like to wait without doing anything so he decided to help even if he wouldn't get paid.
"Hello, Soojung!" Jinki greeted Soojung when she got out of the storage room. She jumped from surprise almost dropping the things she was carrying.
"Jinki?! What are you doing here?"
"Nothing. Just wanna check on you." Jinki answered and Soojung was not convinced.
"No, really. What is it?" Soojung knew that Jinki just never checked on her. If he did, he wouldn't come to the cafe and visit. He could just call.
"I'll tell you after work."
"Just say it now." Soojung knew she'd get distracted if Jinki was there the whole afternoon.
"It's confidential~" Jinki sheepishly laughed.
"What? Are you finally going to declare your love for me." Soojung asked jokingly as she walked toward the cashier and put down the utensils and serviettes.
"I can but that's not it." Jinki joked back.
"Hey, you two, stop wasting time! Get back to work!" Siwon shouted at them.
"Yes, sir!"
If Soojung was at the cashier, Jinki was serving tables because if they were working in the same area, Soojung wouldn't probably stop asking what Jinki wanted. Jinki then worked in Siwon's office and organized his files for him so he would be even far away from Soojung. And when it was finally closing time, he snatched Soojung out of the coffee shop and walked around the area.
"Now, can you please tell me whatever it is that you want?" Soojung looked at him full of curiosity in her eyes.
"Last night, Qian called and said that she wanted to introduce her boyfriend to me. I said I'd meet him and I'll even bring along my girlfriend." Jinki explained in one go.
"But you don't have a girlfriend." Soojung snorted.
"Exactly." Jinki didn't feel offended with her reaction.
"Well, remember what you told me about two weeks ago?" Jinki asked and grabbed his keys from his pocket.
"Which one?"
"You told me that you'd do anything anytime to pay me back." Jinki reminded her as he played with his keychain.
"Yeah. Why? Is there anything I can do for you?" Soojung remembered, of course. How could she forget the promise she made.
"Actually, yes. Will you pretend to be my girlfriend this weekend?" Jinki got straight to the point making a really cute pleading face.
"Say what?! You're kidding, right?" Soojung's jaw just dropped.
"I'm serious. So will you?"
"No." Soojung answered without a doubt and walked faster than the usual.
"Why not?"
"Qian knows me."
"So? Things like this happen." Jinki said it like nothing was wrong with it.
"That's not what I me—she wouldn't probably believe you. I mean, you and me together? Isn't that a little odd?" Soojung just remembered how they were before the rejections happened. And she finally understood why everyone thought it was weird when they hung out.
"Not at all. Like I said, things like this happen." Jinki repeated.
"I don't know." Soojung shook her head. She couldn't deal with Jinki's craziness anymore so she walked to the bus stop but Jinki followed her.
"I just want to prove that I'm fine with it and that I don't have feelings for her anymore!" Jinki cried and so Soojung turned her head and sighed.
"You don't have to bring a fake girlfriend with you. Just call her now and tell her the truth."
"I can't take back what I said. Come on, Soojung-aing. Pretending to be my girlfriend wouldn't hurt." Jinki took her right hand and rubbed it against his soft and chubby hands. The bus had arrived.
"I'm sorry, but I won't do it. Goodbye, Jinki." Soojung pulled her hand and jumped on the bus.
"Soojung!"
For the past two days, Jinki didn't stop asking and pleading Soojung. He would call her whenever he knew she was on her break or when she got home or very late at night. But Soojung was getting so annoyed and that Thursday night, she just burst out of anger.
"Stop!!!" Soojung shouted through the phone.
"I won't change my mind. Not now, not ever!"
"B-but you said—"
"I know what I said. And I know I owe you BIG TIME but I can't do that. Anything but that. So if you want us to still be friends, stop calling me and stop bothering me!"
"If you change your mind, it's on Saturday, 1 PM, at Buongiorno." Jinki said before Soojung hung up.
Jinki sighed and put down his phone. He felt like it was finally time to give up because, obviously, his plan wouldn't work wothout a fake girlfriend.
The next day, Jinki walked back and fort across the room again worried about the excuse he'd tell Qian the next day. He felt a little, well, really sorry for Soojung for what he had been doing to her for the past 2 days. Jonghyun was watching TV and he couldn't see anything because Jinki kept passing by so he threw a pillow on him but he was able to duck.
"Ha-ha!" Jinki ran to the room.
When he lied down on his bed, he received a very awful call from he company he wanted to work at. It felt like his heart was broken again. It was practically the same pain. He took that as a sign to call Soojung and apologize but she wouldn't answer his calls, not even his messages. He couldn't sleep that night and he couldn't stop thinking about his mishaps. He really thought that he didn't deserve all of those, maybe just a part but, not all of those mishaps.
It all started with that tiny lie.
Coz it's the start of Jinki's stupidity yeah! ahahahha
Is anyone reading this?
idc. I'll continue writing anyway so wazza.
xdorkyx
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