CHAPTER THREE

“Where are they?”

Luhan was surprised when he arrived at the table. The two chairs in front of Sehun were empty, and the guy was still looking at the menu. Luhan looked at the waiter who was smiling faintly, probably pissed at Sehun for taking forever to order. 

“Uhm,” Sehun looks at the chair in front of him and just realized that the two were gone. “I had no idea they left.”

“They went outside,” The waiter says. “I heard the guy wanted to talk privately.”

Sehun and Luhan exchanged looks. What the hell is Jongin going to do now?
 

“Thank you. Sehun, I’ll see you later.” Luhan says as he follows the two outside.

He heard Sehun shout something but he didn’t stop. He needs to talk to Soojung right now. Good thing they were the only people at the Sushi Bar that night. He easily saw Jongin outside touching his jaw, obviously in pain, as he looked at Soojung who was walking away from him.

“What the hell happened to you?” Luhan asks, removing his friend’s hand from his jaw, revealing a little black mark. “Don’t tell me she-“

“She ing punched me.” Jongin answers, his eyes wide open.

“You told her about the party, didn’t you?!”

Jongin was lost for words. He just stared at Soojung. He couldn’t believe that this girl just punched him, and it really hurt. Sure he was slapped by her before but her punch was much painful from that slap. She, who he used to tease all the time, who he used to annoy all the time. The sweet little Soojung has really changed.

“I can’t believe it...” Jongin mumbles.

Luhan shakes his head at Jongin who was still dumbfounded about what happened to him. He quickly run after Soojung, hoping that he could still talk to her. “Soojung, wait!”

Luckily, Soojung did stop and she looked very happy to see him.

“Oppa, I need to talk to you.”

“Give me your keys. I’ll drive you home and then tell me everything on the car.”

“I’m really sorry.” Soojung apologizes, after minutes of silence. The car was quiet and only the music on the radio was heard. Luhan wanted to talk, but forgot everything he wanted to say.

“What for?”

“For lying. I’m sorry for pretending as somebody I’m not. And for making out with my boyfriend at parties and stuffs.” She says, finally looking at him. “But I swear, when I’m with you and Yoona unnie, I don’t pretend! I really like hanging out with you two.”

“You know, I got mad when I saw you at the party. Yoona and your sister would probably faint if they saw you… like that.” Luhan just chuckles. “Does your family know?”

“My brothers know about my boyfriend, but my parents and Jessica…” She bites her lip, thinking about how would the react if they knew. “They’re going to kill me.”

“How long have you been dating?”

“We started going out when I was 15…”

“That young?!” He was surprised. He thought that they recently dated. She suddenly reminded him of her brother. “So are you planning to tell your family?”

Soojung gulps at the thought of her family finding out. Her brother was sent to London for the same reason, and she doesn’t want the same thing to happen to her. Well, she does love London and would love to live there someday but just not now. She’s very happy in the States, with her friends, with her boyfriend and even with her studies. It’s her dream to go to Harvard, and if she gets sent off to England, everything would be ruined.

“That’s actually what I want to talk to you about.” She lowers the volume of the radio, so they could talk properly. “Can you please tell your friends to keep my secret? Especially that jerk, Kim Jongin.”

Luhan laughs. “What did he say to you by the way? He seemed so amuzed when you punched him.”

“He kinda asked for it though. He told me about the party so I was shocked but I kept my cool. I told him he was wrong and that I wasn't that girl. Of course, he didn't believe. Then I started to get pissed when he told me that I should stop flirting with other guys.” The older guy noticed how she changed when she started to talk about Jongin - her eyebrows furrowed, her arms folded and she started cursing.

“He said that he was embarassed or something. Like who the is he to tell me that? He noticed that I was getting mad and he asked if I wanted to slap him, but instead of slapping him, I punched him.”

“Reminds me when we’re just kids.” He laughs, “Remember when he kissed you and then you slapped him?”

“Wait, you saw that?”

“Yeah?”

“Why didn’t you tell my parents? I was forced to apologize in front of everyone!” The young girl felt her cheeks turn red, remembering one of her embarassing moments. “God, let’s stop talking about this.”

Silence filled the car and Soojung raised the volume once again. With Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk playing in the radio, Soojung sang along while Luhan was just humming, unable to keep up with the English lyrics.

“So what are you going to do with your engagement?”

Soojung stopped singing. She was caught completely off guard. Did he just say engagement? And did he say it was hers?

“What do you mean… engagement?”

The boys’ two week vacation in Los Angeles was short (for them) but was very worth it. They went to every store, every beach and met and saw some Hollywood stars. Tao was freaking out when they sat just a few tables away from his Kanye ‘hyung’ at a five star restaurant and they had to shut him up to avoid getting kicked out from the restaurant.

Everything was great. They even agreed to keep Soojung’s secret, and yes even Kim Jongin.

He had this weird, evil smile when they left Los Angeles though. His friends were worried, but thankfully he didn’t do anything stupid.

The first thing Soojung did when she arrived in Seoul was to visit her brother. Her plane literally landed three hours ago and after eating lunch, she went straight to Gangnam, where his house was.

“Catherine! It’s nice to see you again!” Soojung exclaims in a perfect British accent as soon as she sees her sister-in-law who opened the door. She hugs her tightly before asking where her brother was. "Where's Jae?"

“Hey, I told you not to tease me! I know my accent sounds weird.” The British says, pinching the young Jung’s nose.  “Jaejoong‘s coming down in a bit, he just got out from the shower.”

“But I love your accent!”

Catherine and Soojung are quite close now, but believe it or not, Soojung hated her brother’s wife, knowing that his brother was in love with somebody else. But Catherine also agreed to help the young girl to hide her relationship from her parents, experiencing the same thing before her marriage.

“So are you pregnant yet?” Soojung asks, hoping that she is. She has always wanted to be an aunt, but neither Catherine nor her sister, Jessica have been pregnant even though both are married.

“You always ask me that!” Catherine didn’t say anything else but only smiled. Soojung widened her eyes and started to scream.

“Oh my god you’re pregn-“

“Shut up, Soojung! No, I’m not!” Catherine quickly shuts her up to avoid her husband from hearing. “I think I am. I’m planning to go to the hospital actua-“

“I want to go.” Soojung grins. “Gosh, I really hope you a-“

“What are you all screaming about?” Jaejoong suddenly says, as he walks down the stairs, buttoning his shirt.

“Oh, hey brother who said he was going to pick me up from the airport but didn’t.” Soojung glares at his brother who planted a quick kiss on her cheek.

“Yes, but I sent you a limousine to pick you up.” He smiles, he then pinched her nose, the same thing his wife did to her a few minutes ago. “Shall we go to my office?”

“You sound like a businessman.”

“That’s because I am.”

Soojung bid goodbye to Catherine as she followed her brother to his house office. It was a tiny office and everything was in black and white. Before he could sit at his spinning chair, Soojung hurriedly sat down, pushing away Jaejoong. She then put her boots at the top of the table, earning a glare from her brother.

“Soojung. Your feet.”

“You’re becoming more and more like father.” She pouts and removes her feet from the table. “Anyways, have you heard about my engagement?”

“Wait, you’re engaged?” Jaejoong’s eyes widen.

“I didn’t know either until Luhan accidentally told me.” She sighs. “And to make it worse, I’m engaged to Kim Jongin.”

“Hey, come on. Jongin’s not bad.” He says, trying to cheer her up. “Well except for that time when he almost drowned you when you were 6, he seems like a perfect fit to you. He's smart and he came from a good family.”

“Did I mention that he and his friends know about my boyfriend?”

“Well, you know, you should really break up with Kendrick alread-“
 

“Oppa, first of all, that’s his last name, call him Derek and second, I'm here here to ask for your help. I need you to cancel the wedding.” She says, standing up from her seat to punch him. “You know that I can’t do that. I can’t break up with h-“

“Honey, that’s what I told you before. To be ready when this time comes. You know that this will happen someday.” Jaejoong looks straight to his sister’s eyes. He knew exactly what she was feeling. He knew how hard it was to let go of someone who you really care about. “Now, I may talk to father delay your wedding without even mentioning you asking for help, but I can’t cancel it. Go ask Jongin. He could help you.”

“Why Jongin?” She asked confusedly. “How will that idiot help?”

“He’s also engaged, remember? It’s also his wedding. Who knows, maybe he doesn’t want to get married either?”

Soojung sighs as she looks at her brother who was smiling at her. She doesn’t like what he just suggested, but trying wouldn’t hurt.

Jongin stares at his xbox, tired of trying to fix it. He recently moved to a penthouse and was all alone so he decided to play with it. He doesn’t know what he did but for some reason, he just couldn’t install any game on it. He has sent a message to Sehun to come and fix it, but he hasn’t replied back. Sighing, he lays down at the sofa in front of the TV.

From his living room, he heard the door being unlocked with a key. Knowing that his mother was the only person who has spare keys to his apartmenr, he stayed on the sofa and asked her what she was doing there, not even looking at her.

“Uhm… Kim Jongin.”

Jongin was shocked when he heard a much younger female voice. He finally turns around to see his fiancee with a key in her hands.

“Wifey? What are you doing here?”