When we reached my home Jong In did something he never had before; he leaned in to kiss me good-bye. I wanted to kiss him too, really, but I still wasn't very comfortable with physical affection in public. There wasn't much I could do about it, though, as his kiss was quick and sweet. He pulled back and smiled just as sweetly before turning and heading home himself. I guess we had moved far enough in our relationship for this kind of thing to happen now, for it to be normal, but it was still all so new to me.

He did it again the next day, and the day after that as well, turning it into a routine. It was strange at first, and it still was, but it was growing on me.

When I got upstairs I helped my mom out with dinner while we waited for my dad and sister to get home. Not too long after we all sat down to eat I got a text from Ga In asking me to call her when I was done eating. She knew my family always sat down for meals together and she respected that. Still, I was a little worried over what she needed to talk to me about that required a call rather than her explaining through text. 

When I was finished I rushed to my room, but I was caught off guard by the first words she spoke when she picked up the phone.

"Don't judge me," Ga In said.

I was brought up short, not sure what to make of her words. They weren't hostile, just a warning.

"I won't judge you," I assured her as what she said sunk in. I felt a little hurt that she felt she needed to tell me that.

"Well I've had a bunch of people judge me over this that I wouldn't have thought would have so I just wanted to warn you about it because I can't have you against me too," she said, her voice firm.

"Alright," I agreed, still feeling a little miffed but my worry too strong for me to dwell on it. "So what is it?"

"I'm dating Lay now."

I sat stunned, unsure what to think. I hadn't had any specific ideas about what she could have told me, but even if I had had the time to try and come up with some, I would never have guessed that. From what she had been saying it sounded like she had gotten involved in something terrible and wrong, and dating a guy wasn't exactly on my list of things a person could do that would fall under that category. And she said other people had judged her for it, but I didn't understand why they would.

I was also having troubles wrapping my mind around the idea of Ga In and Lay dating, of being together. They seemed like two opposites to me. Not that I really knew Lay all that well myself. He seemed like a really friendly, spacey, cheerful person, while Ga In was more of a type A personality, more down to earth and maybe a bit cynical. I could more easily see them getting on eachother last nerve, but they do say that there's a fine line between love and hate, so I guess I they found it.

"Why would I judge you for dating him? Lay seems like a nice guy," I said once I got my thoughts mostly together.

"Because I only broke up with Jongdae last week and Lay is his friend," she explained.

"Oh."

"And I know all that but we talked a lot Friday night, like a lot a lot, and we just... clicked."

I had to take another moment to process that. I didn't know that Lay and Jongdae were friends, and I understood how that could complicate things for them. I could also understand why people would think it's not the most ideal situation to be in, however that still didn't justify people making Ga In feel the way the tone in her voice made me think she felt.

"I don't think anyone should fault you for moving on already," I started saying. "If you're ready to see someone knew, then you should have the freedom to. Especially if you've met someone you really like. I mean, you can't help your feelings, and it's not like you're still in a relationship with Jongdae. You're not cheating on him or betraying his memory or anything. And as for dating his friend, I feel like that's something more between him and Lay. I mean, unless Jongdae personally has a problem with it, then there's no issue. Everyone else just needs to calm down and stop trying to make you feel bad about it.," I said, before realizing what I was doing. "Not that I'm trying to judge you or anything."

I heard her give a small laugh on the other end.

"I'm sorry for assuming that you would treat me like everyone else," she said. "That was stupid of me."

"Oh," I said, realizing how she had taken my last sentence. "No, I didn't mean-"

"Thank you," she cut me off before I could start rambling an explanation, like she knew I would. "It's really nice you're on my side, and you think it's a reasonable side to be on."

"Well, yeah," I said, suddenly feeling awkward being thanked. "I just can't believe you and him are dating. Because you seem to different," I rushed to explain after my bad attempt at shifting the focus of the conversation.

"Yeah, it's really hard to explain how it all happened. He's just really different from the other guys I've dated before, and I like that. Not that they've all been bad, with a lot of them it just didn't work out. I don't know. Maybe that's a good indicator that I should try dating someone different, someone like Lay."

"Maybe," I agreed. "Well, at least I can verify for you that Lay is nice, smart, and good looking."

"Good looking?" she asked, aghast. "Don't tell me he's your type."

"Don't worry," I laughed. "I'm not attracted to him. But I understand how other girls could be."

"That's good. Poor Kai probably wouldn't take it very well if you were too attracted to another guy."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, think about this from his perspective; you're an introvert that's never really tried socializing with many people before, now you've suddenly got a boyfriend and new friends, a lot of which are boys. He probably doesn't feel very secure with you. He may be the first guy to approach you, but now you're meeting and spending time with a whole bunch of new guys, some of which may take an interest in you, so what's to say you won't be taking an interest in them?"

"That's rediculous. He doesn't think like that," I said, and at first feeling confident about it, but as the words came out I began thinking more on them, and wondering. Was she right? But that couldn't be, it just didn't make sense.

"Let me put this in words you're going to understand better. You know how you first discovered Jane Austen by reading Mansfield Park? Remember how much you loved it then and thought it was the best thing in the world? Well, after that you found out there were other books by her and you started reading them. When you did that, you found Pride and Prejudice and though that book was actually the best book ever, and liked it even more than Mansfield Park. You discovered a new author through one book, and then figured out there were more books out there, started reading them, and then realized there were better books to be read. Do you see what I'm getting at here, Soo Young?"

I did get it. I understood what she was saying completely. Maybe Jong in really was thinking like that, and I just never noticed. He had never actually seemed terribly over bearing or jealous before, although there had been some moments of jealousy, but that's normal, right? He wasn't going over board on it, though. Most of the time he actually seemed pretty confident in our relationship, but was it all an act? Was he actually worried that I would decide I'd rather try dating other guys instead of staying with him?

I didn't think so, but what Ga In said had me a little worried.

"Look, I didn't say that to get you all upset and worried," she continued when I didn't respond, lost in my own thoughts. "When I said it I was mostly just teasing." Mostly, she said. "If he knows you at all he should know that it really is a miracle that you've even made it this far with him, and that the likelihood of you going out of your way to start another romantic relationship is slim to none. Even if a guy started flirting with you, you'd probably think it'd be too much of a hassle to start over with the guy even if you liked him."

"This far?" I asked, the words sticking out in my mind for some reason.

"You know, like a legitamate couple, not just dating or still new to it. You guys have been together a couple of weeks now, which, granted, isn't a really a very long time, but still long enough to have built your relationship up or watch it fall apart. Plus, while I wasn't paying a lot of attention on Friday night, I did see you two together, and I don't know how to describe this, but you guys just seemed... together. Like you were a pair and not two seperate items. Does that make any sense?"

"I don't think so," I answered, feeling like I was kind of understanding, but not quite all the way there yet.

"Just understand that, from what I can see, you two seem like a legitamate and serious couple. You look comfortable with eachother, and you seem really close. I don't think I've ever seen you be like that with someone outside of our families."

I didn't respond to that, realizing that, even if she had only meant it one way, there were a lot of different truths to that statement.

"In all honesty, I don't think I've ever been like that with a boy myelf, except maybe one or two," Ga In continued on.

"Oh no!" I exclaimed.

"What?" she asked, worry lacing her voice.

"I just remembered that this whole conversation was started because you got a new boyfriend and here we are talking about the hypothetical problems of my relationship," I explained, feeling like a bad friend. "Tell me more about you and Lay. When did you guys start dating? Have you met much after Friday night? What attracted you to him? Have you kissed yet? Is he a good kisser?"

"Oh my gosh, slow down," she interupeted me, the laughter back in her voice. "I can't believe you just asked me if he's a good kisser, you the prude."

"Ah but I have kissed a boy now. Did you not hear? I have turned to the Ways of the Wanton."

"That sounds like something weirdly legitimate considering what 'wanton' means."

"It is legitimate. I have a certificate and everything."

"What? Now I'm insulted. I was kissing boys way before you and I haven't got one."

"Maybe you weren't doing it right."

"Excuse me, Ms. Expert, but I'll have you know that there has been a 100% satisfaction rate from all of the boys I've ever kissed. This simply won't do. This is a dishonor. A dishonor to me and my family. You know what I'll have to do about it, right?"

"What?"

"Seek revenge."

"Or you could just ask nicely."

"No, they have insulted me for the last time."

"This was the first time."

"And it will be their last. They shall all learn to fear me."

"How are you going to get revenge?"

"I am going to write them a strongly worded level of disapporoval."

"You're right. That will be so affective."

"It is! Why do you think Germany fears me so much?"

"Everything makes so much sense now," I conceeded, laughing.