CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“I did.” Jinri raises her hand calmly in comparison to Jongin who was losing his .

“Why did you do that?!”

“Why the not, Kim Jongin?” Soojung asks, her arms crossed. “Why are you so scared of Seulgi?”

“I am not scared of her! I’m scared of what she might do to you! That’s different!” Jongin defends himself. “And I’m pretty sure I know how my ex acted when I started to date Sooyou- .”

Soojung’s eyes widen. So Park Sooyoung was his ex too. “You dated Sooyoung too?”

“And Son Seunghwan.” Sehun adds. “The headmaster’s daughter, who is also one of Seulgi’s best friends now.”

“Dude, you’re not helping me at all!”

“Oh yeah! I almost forgot how much the headmaster hates you.” Jinri says as she laughs with Chanyeol and Sehun. “He would have probably kicked you out already if only you're not one of the football team's most important players.”

Jongin could only just glare at his friends while Soojung was slowly processing everything she was told.

“So let me get it straight… Not only did you date Seulgi, but you also dated Seunghwan and Sooyoung?” Jongin and their friends nod in confirmation. “And they’re all friends now?” They nod once again. Soojung slowly blinks and after a few seconds, she finally says something. “That’s… so cool.”

“Huh?” Jongin scratches his head in confusion. “What do you mean by that?”

“Most girls would hate their ex’s exes but they’re all friends now after you broke up with them. Isn’t that nice?” Soojung says with a big smile. “You know, for a stupid person, you have a really nice taste in women.”

“Don’t you understand, Jung? They’re planning something horrible to me. I can feel it. I don’t really care but, doesn’t it bug you that Seulgi’s faking your friendship with her just because she wants to use you?”

“Oh, please. I know a fake when I see one. I know because I’m also one.”

Jongin turns to Jinri for help. “Could you please tell her that this isn’t a good idea? Tell her not to be friends with Seulgi.”
 

“Come on, just let her. You don’t know how hard it is to be the only girl in our group of friends.” Soojung nods in agreement. “And besides, her birthday’s nearing. Make it as her birthday gift.”

Soojung’s jaw drops. With her break up and the stress that she had about school, she has totally forgotten about her birthday. She wasn’t even sure how she’s going to celebrate it since it’s the first time in 10 years that she’ll be celebrating it. But knowing that her mother is a socialite, they’d probably throw a party for her.

“Do you think Tao and Kris could go back here on my birthday? I want to invite them if ever I do throw a party.”

“And why is that?” Jongin asks with his eyebrow raised.

“Because Tao gives the best gifts ever.” Soojung answers. “I remember that he gave me a limited edition Barbie doll when I was 7.”

“It’s really nice to reminisce about the past and all. But aren’t you guys hungry?” Chanyeol says. “Shall we go back to the cafeteria?”

“We really should. I’m starving!” Sehun says, rubbing his tummy.

He then challenges Chanyeol to race downstairs and the first one to arrive in the cafeteria gets a free drink from the one who loses. It was pretty useless since they could just buy anything they want for more drinks, but Sehun says that he couldn’t think of any other consequences so he just said that. They also invited Jongin to race with them, but refused, saying that he still has some unfinished business with Soojung. So the two boys went without him, with Jinri behind their backs, telling them to be careful.

Back at the rooftop, Jongin stares at Soojung before finally saying something.

“Do you still have some feelings for Derek?”

“What?”

“Answer me and I won’t care about who you want as your friends anymore.”

“Why are you even asking me this?” Soojung sighs.

Jongin runs his fingers into his hair. “It’s just a simple question! I know you said that he’s a boy that you ‘loved’ but since we’re alone now, answer me sincerely. Do you still love Derek; yes or no?”

“Yes! I do! Now can we please, please stop talking about Derek?” She asks, her voice cracking a little. She doesn’t want to hear his name again. She wants to move on already, even though she knows it will be hard.

“Hmm, okay. I get it.” He smiles. “Let’s go downstairs. They must be waiting for us.”

“So you asked me to stay with you… just so you can ask me how I feel?” Soojung didn’t quite understand well but Jongin nods innocently anyways. Both of them have started walking downstairs when Soojung says, “You’re such a strange boy.”

“What can I say? Your life is so interesting, I want to be a part of it.” The boy says and winks.

Soojung rolls her eyes. “Stop winking at me and keep your eyes on the floor.” But Jongin didn’t listen. He stops walking and winks a lot more using both of his eyes. She didn’t even look though. Soojung just continued walking.

“If you fall from the stairs, don’t blame me.” She warns.

“You never appreciate my cuteness.” He pouts.

Even though nothing is really announced to the public, students know something is up between Kim Jongin and Jung Soojung. The rumors of Jongin dating a new girl emerged at the start of the school year when the boys came back from sunny Los Angeles. Jongin looked very happy, and everybody thought he was dating a foreign girl. Everybody is a fan of the football star, so as expected, they wanted to know who she was.

That was until Jongin disappeared for a week and Choi Jinri not so accidentally informs the whole school that he was with Jung Soojung in Paris. In a school like Imperium Academy, there’s a 50% chance that your parents were classmates from an Ivy League. Or that they’re currently business partners. Or that they’re golf buddies. So even if she wasn’t even enrolled to the school yet, everybody knew who she was.

Even if it’s still normal for the rich kids to get their marriage arranged, and since everybody has known the fact the two were ‘close friends’ when they were younger, nobody doubted the rumours of Soojung and Jongin were actually dating.

And them being always together ever since Jung Soojung arrived doesn’t help either.

The thing about rich kids is that they never admit that they’re jealous or insecure. So when Soojung and Jongin entered the cafeteria, they just glanced quickly and looked away. Though the two are going to be the subject of their gossip later.

Son Seungwan is the only one still looking at them when the so called couple sits with their own friends not too far from their table. “I can’t believe Kim Jongin has a new victim.”

“Stop looking at them.” Sooyoung nudges at her, even though she as well was looking at them a little while ago.

“Are we not going to do anything?” Seungwan asks Seulgi who was busy writing god knows what on her journal.

Seulgi smiles calmly and says, “Don’t worry.”

The two other girls exchange looks.

"What does she mean?"
 

"I have no idea."

Mark was beyond confused. He was sitting at the counter when Soojung entered the café he and Jackson worked at. They weren’t really expecting her and the café was very hard to find so it’s not like she just happened to stumble at the empty café.

She was also shocked to see him as well. Though she kind of expected to see him. It was his new dyed blonde hair she was surprised to see.

“Nice hair.”

“Uh, thanks.”

“Miss Ju- I mean, Soojung?” Youngji stood up her seat, her eyes wide. “I’msosorrydoyouneedsomethingishouldhavewenthomeearlieritsjus-” She says in one breathe before Soojung finally cuts her off.

“Its okay, Youngji. I came here to see you.” Soojung smiles. Most of her friends have plans without her anyways. Jinri has to shoot, Seulgi has school council duties, she’s not that close with her two other girl friends yet, Sehun has to go to his dance class and Chanyeol and Jongin have football practice. Who else could she hang out with in Friday afternoon than her good friend Youngji?

That and she also secretly want to know about the party Jackson mentioned the last time.

How did she know that Youngji, you ask? It was all thanks to her brother who knew everything about their workers.

Of course, she didn’t forget to change into casual clothes since they were students of Ehra High… and she was from Imperium Academy. She didn't want the two boys to know. Not yet.

“Oh, Soojung! What are you doing here?” Jackson comes out of the staff room with a map on his left hand.

“You dyed your hair too! How cool.” She points to his hair in amazement and wondered how she will look if she did the same. She then goes to the cashier to order and Mark goes back to his place. “One hot choco, please.”

“Coming right up.”

Soon after ordering, Soojung takes a seat beside Youngji. Jackson does the same thing with a big grin. He tends to be excited whenever he meets new people. When Mark finishes the drink for Soojung, Jackson forces him to sit with them since there weren’t really anyone with them at the café. Soojung awkwardly sips her drink while Youngji stuffs her books on her bag. She was doing her homework when Soojung suddenly came over.

“Are you two the only workers here?” Soojung asks.

“No, there’s actually another person on duty, but he's sleeping in the kitchen right now.” Jackson replies, still smiling. “He’s lazy, but he bakes really well.”

“And your boss?”

“He opens the store early in the morning and comes back during night time.” Mark explains.

“Hmm, I see.”

Soojung was calm, but Youngji couldn’t help but to feel a bit uncomfortable. Till now, she doesn’t know how she knew she was there and why she was there. She always does her homework at the café, and goes home at 6:00.

“So, what are you guys going to do tomorrow night?” Soojung asks.

“The party!!!” Jackson screams in a loud voice that made Youngji cover her ears. “You’re coming, right?”

“I told you already! She’s not into those things!” Youngji says while Soojung laughs uncomfortably. She should really talk with her soon to let her know everything about her.

“I am not talking to you, okay? I was talking to her! Let her talk!”

“Stop bugging her! She has more important things to do!”

“Uhm, guys…”

As Youngji and Jackson started fighting and Soojung tried to stop them, Mark stood up from his seat and returns to the cashier. When he returned, he passes a small piece of paper to Soojung. She was confused but accepts it anyway. After reading it under the table she realizes that it was a direction not too far from Ehra High. She knew exactly that it was where the party was going to be held.

Without even the two even noticing, she keeps the piece of paper into her pocket.

“Fine! I won’t let you copy my homework then!” Youngji warns.

Jackson laughs half-heartedly. “I was just kidding. Please let us copy you-” He reaches for Youngji’s notebook until she hits him. “Ouch!”

Soojung chuckles. “You let him copy you?”

“I feel for bad for them.” Youngji sighs sadly. “They’re just so busy. At school, they have football practice and then they go straight here to work. After that, they have training. That’s why I always do my homework here so they could copy.”
 

“Training?”

“Yup! Mark and I are going to be superstars someday!” Jackson states proudly. “Do you want my autography now or do you want to wait until I debut?”

“They’re training under Park Chanyeol’s father’s company.” Youngji whispers while Jackson still gushes about being an idol. “That’s why whenever your school and our school have a match against each other, they try to avoid him. You know, so they won’t get trouble at the company.”

“So everything Jackson does, Mark follows?” Soojung chuckles.

“More like everything Mark does, I follow.” Jackson admits. “This might sound a little gay but, I really do enjoy being with my brother from another mother.”

“They’re basically soul mates.” Youngji says, but Jackson didn’t get mad.

With a hoodie, a pair of jeans and some shades on, Soojung felt like she was a Hollywood A-lister hiding from the paparazzis when in a reality she was just going to sneak out of their house. She doesn’t want to call it sneaking out though. She did tell Youngji that she was going out, but she did lie.

“I’m going to Jongin’s apartment.” Soojung lied. She didn’t mean to say that, but slipped. She couldn’t turn back now.

At the taxi she rode at, she had second thoughts. She didn’t really know whose house she was going to. She was just told that it was there. She knew that it was bad, but she couldn’t help her thirst for partying. Parties were her addiction and the music was her drug. Maybe she could cross out crashing on a party out of her bucket list.

“Just one last time.” She tells to herself as soon as the taxi stops. “One last time, and this won’t happen again.”

The party was just like any other parties she’s been to. Except the fact that there were no drugs. She knew exactly how strict her country is when it comes to those things. She absolutely didn’t know anyone at the party, but she believed that she could still have fun.

That was until someone taps her on her shoulder. Soojung turned around to see Mark. She was about to thank him for ‘inviting’ her, but he spoke first.

“I know you now.” He says and it made Soojung confuse.

“Of course you do! We met before, remember?! I’m Soojung!” She says, half-shouting since the music is too loud.

He shook his head. “You’re Derek’s girlfriend.” Mark says in English.

Soojung swears her heart almost stopped beating.

She drags him to a less crowded, less noisy part of the party not so nicely. Her grip was too tight and though Mark had ask her to stop, Soojung didn’t care. There was only one thing on her mind and that is somebody else knows her secret. And that wasn’t good.

“Okay, am I wrong? 'Cause I'm pretty sure that I've seen you in one of my cousin's parties in LA.” Mark says after Soojung finally releases his hand from her grip.

“LA?” She repeats. She look less crazy now but still shock. “A-are you from LA?”

“I was born and raised in LA.” He states. “Derek’s a friend of a cousin of mine, so I used to see you and him at parties a lot…”

“Then why I have never met you?”

 “Because you’re too busy kissing your boyfriend and when you’re not, you’re in the dance floor dancing with your friends.”

Soojung turns red at what he said. She leans in to a wall to think about what just happened. This guy who she doesn’t know that well just found her secret. Now that another person knows her secret, he'll probably spread it to the whole city and the she’d probably get exported to Antartica by her parents to live with penguins or something…

“For a second there I thought Kim Jongin told you…” She sighs in relief. Knowing that Jongin is capable of doing anything, he popped out on her mind as the culprit. She kinda feels guilty for blaming him at first.

“Kim Jongin? Why would that idiot tell me that you’re dating Derek?” She sees him frown. Soojung wanted to slap herself. Why did she even mention his name? “Wait… by chance do you know that guy personally?”

“Mark, can you do me a favour? Can you please, pleaseeee, please keep that a secret?” She begs, her eyes closed. “Please say yes. Please say yes.”

“You mean, you and Derek dating? I can’t.” Soojung just felt her heart sink. “I have to tell everything to Jackson.”

“Okay, you can tell Jackson, he’s a nice kid, I think. But other than him, please don’t mention me and Derek’s name in a sentence. In exchange I’ll… I’ll go to the café where you work at everyday and order 10 items! If you want, I could go talk to your boss tomorrow morning tell him how hard working you and Jackson are and he might give you two a raise!”

“That’s nice and all but… I don’t get it.” Mark scratches his head. “Why do you want this as a secret anyways? Are you cheating with him with some bigshot star or something?”

“What?! No! I’ll never – I mean, I never cheated on him.” Soojung bites her lips. She was about to tell him that they broke up when Jackson suddenly showed up from nowhere, looking so happy like always.

“Soojung! You came! And you look… you look kinda horrible.” He helps Soojung on fixing her messy hair and turns to Mark to ask, “What happened?”

Mark looks at Soojung, waiting for her to explain and Jackson did the same. But she panicked with the two boys staring at her.

“I’m from Imperium Academy!” She accidentally blurts out. The three of them had their eyes wide open. She didn’t mean to say that and yet again, she messed up.

There was only one person Soojung wanted to talk to as soon as she arrived back at the mansion: Youngji.

She needed to tell her everything. She didn’t want to lie anymore. She needed to tell her not only about the party, but also about Derek, everything about L.A and what she did there. Soojung heads to her bedroom, hoping to see her there fixing things.

But it seems like the devil is on her side that night.

Guess who was in her bedroom sitting in her bed?

That’s right.

Kim ing Jongin.

“Good evening, wifey.” He greets her with a smirk.

author's note: I'M AN IDIOT. I THOUGHT THAT JOY FROM RED VELVET IS A 94 LINER JUST LIKE SOOJUNG BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT SHE WAS BORN IN 1996. And I made her and Jongin date in the story....

I forgot to add Seulgi's explanation on how Jongin ended their relationship. Sorry ^^;

This chapter honestly has no point but I just wanted to update.