~

어떻게 시작해야 할까?

이 어색한 고백을..

How should I start

this awkward confession?

~

 

 

Somi and Woohyun just stood there, looking at each other in disbelief.

 

 

Woohyun had picked up the metal box, shook it, and prodded around for any secret compartments, but found nothing.

 

 

“Let’s go,” Woohyun had said, and he and Somi left his apartment, only to be caught by Myungsoo, who invited Woohyun over for Somi’s birthday dinner and cake.

 

 

So there they were, sitting at the table with Myungsoo and Sungyeol, waiting for Howon and Sungjong to come over with food.

 

 

“So how was your day today?” Sungyeol asked Somi. “Our professor was a big pain in the .”

 

 

“Yeah, the guy kept ranting about politics and how the North Korean government was so corrupt. As if we can do anything about it,” Myungsoo added.

 

 

“Today was.. alright,” Somi said, taking a sip of her water.

 

 

Myungsoo could tell that something was wrong. He wanted to talk to Somi and see what was going on, but he couldn’t.

 

 

“Jjan! We’re here!” Sungjong opened the door to Somi and Sungyeol’s apartment, stepping in with a cake box in his hands. 

 

 

Howon followed him in, carrying a bigger box, which had food inside. He was sweaty and still in his soccer uniform. “Hey guys!” he grinned.

 

 

“Hi!” Woohyun and Somi greeted him.

 

 

“I made it myself!” Sungjong plopped the cake box down on the dinner table.

 

 

“Let’s eat!” Sungyeol said, pulling food out of the box. “Eww, jjajangmyun again?”

 

 

“Hyung! It’s Somi’s birthday, and this is what she wanted to eat. Even though I don’t really know why,” Howon glanced at Somi. “She wants to eat jjajangmyun every day!”

 

 

“I like jjajangmyun too. It’s black, like my soul,” Myungsoo said, seriously.

 

 

Everyone laughed and Myungsoo smiled.

 

 

“Let’s eat!” Sungyeol said again.

 

 

“Be patient,” Somi flicked his forehead as Woohyun and Howon were separating the jjajangmyun equally into bowls.

 

 

“LET’S EAT!” Sungyeol said for the third time.

 

 

“WILL YOU SHUT UP?” Everyone exclaimed at once.

 

 

Sungyeol didn’t ask to eat again.

 

 

~~~

 

 

Eventually, everyone had their bowls of jjajangmyun in front of them, and they were eating away.

 

 

The small group of friends exchanged stories, memories, and talked about what they wanted to do in the future.

 

 

“I want Somi to move out so I can live alone with the love of my life,” Sungyeol stated.

 

 

“You want to live together with L hyung?” Howon asked.

 

 

“NO! I was talking about Jureumie!” Sungyeol narrowed his eyebrows at the younger boy.

 

 

“No offense hyung, but that Jureumie is one ugly cat,” Woohyun said.

 

 

“I agree!” Sungjong nodded.

 

 

Finally, everyone finished their food and it was time to cut the cake.

 

 

“Jjan!” Sungjong opened the box and showed the cake to everyone. It was not the prettiest cake in the world, but Somi could tell that it was made with love and sincerity.

 

 

“Thanks, Sungjong-ah!” she patted his head.

 

 

“You’re welcome, noona! It’s strawberry flavored! Just for you!” Sungjong grinned, as he lit the candles.

 

 

“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Somi! Happy birthday to you!” Everyone sang as Somi made her wish and blew out the candles.

 

 

“I wish.. I wish I could forget about Sunggyu and start out fresh,” Somi thought.

 

 

Everyone enjoyed the cake that Sungjong made, and slowly, people left one by one. Once everyone was gone, including Myungsoo, Somi went to bed.

 

 

“Goodnight Somi,” Sungyeol came to tuck her in. “Happy birthday!” he said one last time.

 

 

“Goodnight oppa!” Somi grinned, as Sungyeol turned off the light and walked out of her room.

 

 

~~~

 

 

“Ugh, back to school. The weekend was too short,” Somi said, as she walked alongside Woohyun.

 

 

“I know right?” he chuckled, as the two of them finally approached the school. “Listen, I’m really sorry about the box..” Woohyun started to say.

 

 

“But would Sunggyu really leave us something empty like that?” Somi asked. “Are you sure no one went near that box besides you?”

 

 

“Hmm.. I don’t really think so,” Woohyun said. And then it hit him.

 

 

“Him. He had a lot of interest in Sunggyu’s metal box that day..” Woohyun thought. But Woohyun didn’t share his suspicions with Somi.

 

 

“Oh well.. I guess there’s nothing we can do about it,” Somi sighed. The two of them approached Woohyun’s classroom.

 

 

“Oh yeah. Somi, this is Jinhee,” Woohyun grabbed the arm of a girl who was about to walk into his classroom.

 

 

It was her. That creepy girl, who had said, “You’re hurting” to Somi on Sunggyu’s birthday. That creepy girl who sat in front of Sunggyu’s apartment building that night at the karaoke bar.

 

 

It made sense.

 

 

“Hi, I’m Lee Somi,” Somi stuck out her hand, and Jinhee took it.

 

 

“Hi,” she said shyly. “Aren’t you the sister of Lee Sungyeol?” she asked.

 

 

“OH YEAH! Jinhee has a cru-” Woohyun was cut off by Jinhee, who smacked his arm.

 

 

“Shut up, Woohyun,” Jinhee said, her cheeks red.

 

 

Somi laughed to herself. Someone liking Sungyeol? She couldn’t imagine anyone liking her immature, choding-like younger brother. Did Sungyeol even have interest in girls? He only liked his cat. Oh wait.. Somi suddenly remembered seeing Sungyeol’s magazines under his bed. They had pictures of girls in bikinis.

 

 

“Anyways, we need to be getting to class,” Jinhee glared at Woohyun. “I’ll see you around, Somi-sshi.”

 

 

“Let’s drop the formalities,” Somi smiled warmly at Sunggyu’s sister.

 

 

“Okay,” Jinhee responded, as she dragged Woohyun into the classroom. “Seriously, how could you tell her that? Now she might tell him,” Somi heard Jinhee mutter as she hit Woohyun’s arm again.

 

 

“Hey, bestie!” Howon greeted Somi as she took her seat beside him.

 

 

“Good morning!” Somi smiled at her friend, and noticed a white envelope on her desk. “What’s this?” she asked him.

 

 

“Beats me,” Howon said, as he turned around to talk to Dongwoo, who was of taking roll, as he always did.

 

 

Somi opened the white envelope.

 

 

“Lee Somi,

It’s me again. You know, your ‘secret admirer’ as Dongwoo calls me.

I’ve finally gathered up courage.

You want to know who I am too, right? I’m sure you’re curious.

After classes end today, come to the back of the boys’ locker rooms.

I’ll be waiting! Don’t let me down!”

 

 

“What is this..” Somi mumbled to herself.

 

 

Howon leaned over the desk and read the note. “Ooh, so are you finally going to find out who your Romeo is?”

 

 

“I guess so..” Somi said, secretly hoping that it was someone who she didn’t know well, so she could easily reject him.

 

 

She had no interest in guys at the moment. Well, except for Sunggyu.

 

 

As soon as classes ended, Somi trudged down the hallway and walked out to the soccer field, and headed over to the boys’ locker room. Howon followed behind her. He had to go change for soccer practice, anyways.

 

 

Somi was at the side of the locker room building, hesitating. She was curious as to who could like her so much, but at the same time, she didn’t want to know.

 

 

“Howon.. You go first,” Somi pushed her best friend in front of her, and he walked behind the building.

 

 

“Yah! Lee Junho!” Howon called out. “What are you doing here?”

 

 

“Junho?” Somi thought. “The guy who hates me?”

 

 

Somi followed Howon and was faced with Junho, standing in front of her. He was holding a bouquet and had an awkward smile on his face.

 

 

“Hi, Lee Somi.”

 

 

“Lee Junho?!” Somi was really surprised.

 

 

“That’s me,” Junho said. He was really, really awkward. Somi didn’t know what to say. Howon watched the two of them with a smirk on his face.

 

 

“You? You’re the one who sent me all those notes?” Somi questioned.

 

 

“Yeah..” Junho rubbed the back of his neck.

 

 

“Why?” Somi asked. “I thought you hated me.”

 

 

“How do I start this awkward confession?” Junho thought to himself.

 

 

“I never hated you. I’m just really awkward around girls, especially the girl that I like. I just.. I never really talked to you, because I like you!” Junho said back.

 

 

Somi just looked at him in disbelief. She saw Junho as an expressionless meanie, who always ignored her.

 

 

“So, I know this is very sudden, but will you be mine?” Junho held out the bouquet to Somi. Howon snickered and Junho glared at him.

 

 

Somi didn’t know what to say. She was very uncomfortable around Junho, but then she remembered Myungsoo’s words.

 

 

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay. Everything’s gonna end up fine. Sometimes, you just need to forget and move on,” Myungsoo had said that one night.

 

 

Somi took this as an opportunity from her to move on from Sunggyu. She knew that it would be impossible to get him back, from wherever he was anyway.

 

 

“Okay. Let’s go out,” Somi said coolly, nodding at Junho and accepting the bouquet from him.

 

 

Howon’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

 

 

“Today is our Day 1!” Junho hugged Somi. “I’m so glad you said yes. My phone number is in the bouquet card. Text me soon, okay? I have practice now!”

 

 

“Okay..” Somi said, still feeling uncomfortable. Howon looked at her with an unreadable expression.

 

 

“What does she think she’s doing? He doesn’t really like her.. Does he?” Howon thought.

 

 

“Let’s go, Howonnie! We have to change for practice!” Junho grabbed Howon’s arm and literally skipped into the locker room. Somi chuckled, and pulled out her cellphone. She was in the middle of inputing Junho’s phone number when she was interrupted.

 

 

“Hey.”

 

 

Somi jumped. “Oh my gosh! Jinhee, you scared me!”

 

 

“Sorry,” Jinhee said. She spoke in a very curt manner.

 

 

“Did you just see.. what happened?” Somi looked from her bouquet to Jinhee.

 

 

“Yep,” Jinhee said. “You meant a lot to my brother, you know.”

 

 

Somi felt really guilty.

 

 

“Yeah, I guess.. But everyone needs to move on someday, right?” Somi looked to Jinhee.

 

 

“I suppose. He’s gone for good, anyways,” Jinhee said.

 

 

“Gone for good?” Somi wondered.

 

 

“Sunggyu oppa.. he’s.. alive right?” Somi asked with big eyes.

 

 

“Probably. He should be. Who knows?” Jinhee asked, looking at the ground.

 

 

“Umm.. yeah.. okay..” Somi was a bit creeped out by Jinhee. She was speaking in such an ambiguous manner.

 

 

“But the reason why I came here, was because I want to tell you something,” Jinhee’s face began to turn red.

 

 

“With what?” Somi questioned.

 

 

“I really like your brother. I’ve liked him ever since Sunggyu oppa brought him over to our house for a group project. I actually would’ve never told you that I like him, but since that idiot Woohyun had to tell you, I figured that I might as well let you know,” Jinhee smiled shyly.

 

 

“I see. Well, Sungyeol’s a pretty easy guy. He likes revealing clothing,” Somi said nonchalantly.

 

 

“What?” Jinhee’s face turned even redder. “Please don’t tell him that I like him. That’s the reason why I came here. I don’t want him finding out.”

 

 

“I’m just kidding!” Somi laughed. “I honestly don’t know what kind of girl he likes. But he loves his cat. Anyways, I wasn’t even going to tell him that you liked him!”

 

 

“Well, that’s a relief. So is my secret safe with you?” Jinhee asked.

 

 

“Of course.”

 

 

“Thank you,” Jinhee’s expression turned dark. “Oh.. and I don’t think you should go out with Junho.”

 

 

“Why?” Somi asked, trying not to show that she didn’t even like him.

 

 

“Just cause..” Jinhee spoke ambiguously again.

 

 

“Does he seem like a jerk or something? Cause he always used to ignore me too. But I think he’s a good guy,” Somi seemed to be trying to reassure herself more than Jinhee.

 

 

“Yeah. I guess he seems quiet and jerky. I don’t know if he can be trusted,” Jinhee said, seriously.

 

 

“He probably was cold to her, like he was to me,” Somi said to herself.

 

 

“It’s okay, I think I know that he’s a good person inside,” Somi smiled.

 

 

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Jinhee said.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

*Author’s Note: Jinhee seems to be like a very overly-dramatic character, right? She always says very ambiguous things and keeps to herself a lot. Haha! And she doesn’t like Junho.. Poor Junho, he always liked Somi but he was always shy around girls and didn’t know how to treat the girl he likes. Junho is my bias in 2PM though! Hehehe^^