Chapter Fourteen.

I'll Be There

From afar, Saeyeon assumed they were in a rather compromising position. Her legs were slightly spread open with one of his legs pressed against her inner thigh. His arms were bent at an angle, making his face closer to hers than it should’ve been. Her teenage hormones were sending her head and body into a crazy frenzy, because she really, really liked this position. And finally after what seemed to be forever, Saeyeon opened to tell him to get off but was cut off when the door opened.

“Jaebum-ah, when is Saeyeon comin— O-Oh dear.”

. 

4186

“I am so sorry you had to experience that,” JB repeatedly apologized as he shook his head in embarrassment. 

Saeyeon simply threw her head back and laughed at how ridiculous of an evening she had.

After being found in an inappropriate position with JB, she thought for sure she’d get kicked out of the house— wait, scratch that, the balcony. Yeah, the balcony. Saeyeon thought she’d get kicked off the balcony. Out the window she’d go along with her ruined first impression. However, contrary to what she believed would happen, JB’s step-mother reacted entirely different. It was almost creepy. 

‘Well, you must be Jungah’s daughter, Kim Saeyeon! Oh, I’ve heard so much about you!’ JB’s step-mother greeted warmly after quickly regaining herself from the shock. ‘As you probably already guessed, I’m JB’s step-mother. You can call me Mrs. Im, or auntie if you’re like. Jaebum here didn’t tell me you were coming over so early,’ she exclaimed with a wide smile.

The two teenagers scrambled off of each other and quickly stood up, straightening out their clothes. JB opened his mouth to explain but was cut off. 

‘—then again, if he told me, then you two wouldn’t have been able to—you know. For now, I’ll give you two some privacy to carry on. Dinner will be ready in an hour or two. Be safe, kids!’ With a suggestive grin, Mrs. Im gave them a small ‘fighting’.

‘Mom, it isn’t like that—’ 

But she had already closed the door.

By that time, Saeyeon wanted to jump off the balcony voluntarily, willingly. JB had attempted to comfort her but honestly he was just as embarrassed, so his kind words did little to no good for the either of them. Nonetheless, there was an unspoken, mutual agreement between the two to not further discuss what had happened. Truthfully, they didn’t know what exactly went down either, so there was that. 

Saeyeon and JB eventually settled down side by side on the floor with their backs pressed against the wall. He had to remind the both of them the original reason why Saeyeon was there in the first place. At first, she wasn’t too keen to spill her thoughts now that she was in a better mood, but she figured that even though she was currently 'whatever' about it, her bitter feelings would eventually return (knowing her parents and all) and thus she would need to vent. 

So without further ado, the two of them spent the next hour or so together, Saeyeon complaining about her parents’ suffocating grip on her nonexistent love life while JB lent his cute little ears. She didn't know why she was blabbering all this trivial information to him, but it oddly felt nice. Im Jaebum seemed like the understanding, nonjudgmental type, so yeah, it felt very nice. When Saeyeon had confessed that the issue began with her casually mentioning him at breakfast, the boy chuckled, immediately apologizing (which Saeyeon thought was unnecessary but whatever). 

Somewhere along the conversation, JB had then randomly suggested that the two of them should pretend to date to solve their problems (because truthfully he was tired of being set on blind dates too), but Saeyeon only laughed it off (after slightly blushing of course). Because the two of them together? Ha. She didn’t think he was her type, and she doubt she was his. After all, he had seen all she had done in the past week, and who the hell would be attracted to a hot-tempered teen with obvious issues as big as hers? 

“Are you okay?” JB then asked. His voice had gone noticeably soft. 

Saeyeon snorted, her back still pressed against the wall. “Yeah, I mean I guess it’s inevitable that I’ll eventually have to be married off in this business, but—“ 

“No, I mean, about yesterday. You got hurt.” 

Saeyeon blinked, realizing he must've been referring to her getting hit. "Oh. That?" The image of Hanbin punching her flashed her mind, and she subconsciously grazed her fingers against her lip, only to momentarily shrug. "Yeah, I'm okay. It's whatever. I've suffered worse from Taekwondo practice back in California." 

JB noticed that despite her answer, Saeyeon's face said differently. Now that he got a good look at her, he could see it. He hadn't notice it at first due to her makeup that apparently concealed wonders, but if you cared to look hard enough, it was clear as day. Her eyes were slightly swollen, and her eyebags heavy. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought she had been crying the night before.

Did she? 

The thought of that didn't sit well with him.

"I, uh, didn't realize your differences with your brother were that serious," he sheepishly admitted.

Saeyeon paused before replying. "Neither did I." 

JB cleared his throat. He wondered what had exactly happened yesterday, what had triggered her to doing that to Jennie. To say seeing Saeyeon that violent concerned him was an understatement. Hanbin's reaction didn't help the situation either, and JB wondered if all of this had to do with those pink papers, those... birthday invitations.

"What about you? Are you okay?" 

Her sudden question pulled him from his thoughts.

"H-huh?" 

Saeyeon pressed her lips into a thin line. "I saw Hanbin hit you a few times," she said quietly. 

JB blinked before chuckling in disbelief. She was worried about him? 

"Yeah, I'm fine. I mean I'm still alive, aren't I?" he cheekily replied. "Nothing broken, nothing bent. And hey, I saw Hanbin too. You got some pretty good hits; I have to say I'm impressed. Remind me to never piss you off, black belt." 

Jokingly, she punched his shoulder. "Remind yourself." 

JB instantly hissed in pain, clutching onto his arm and causing her eyes to widen. 

", I didn't mean to—" 

"Just kidding!"  JB abruptly stopped holding onto his arm and began to laugh as Saeyeon stared at him in utter disbelief.

"Did you just— you ," she snapped once she realized he had faked the pain. Shoving him (on instinct), she got up and strode over to his bed to get away. Who knew JB would be one to troll? The boy was far too busy still laughing at her wide-eyed reaction that he failed to notice the smirk that slowly etched onto her lips as she reached for a particular item on his bed. His laughter instantly faded once he looked up to see his stuffed bear back in the hands of none other than Saeyeon. 

Raising a brow, JB slowly got up. "Didn't we already go through this?" 

There was a hint of playfulness in his voice, causing Saeyeon to thoughtfully hum. 

God, he was so flippin' attractive.

"Why don't you remind me, Im Jaebum?" she taunted.

And then she ducked and ran.

Eventually, the two teenagers were called down for dinner. 

Dinner had actually been ready for awhile, but Mrs. Im thought against retrieving the youngsters downstairs once she had heard the bucket loads of laughter coming inside from her step-son's bedroom. 

She gave them a few more minutes before heading upstairs to get them.

To sum up the experience shortly, Saeyeon would probably tell you that dinner with the Im's was far better than having breakfast with her family. JB’s step-mother was honestly a delight, not being afraid to compliment her in every aspect (especially her pink highlights which shocked her above anything else). Most parents would easily look down on such a childish, unladylike decision, so the fact that JB's step-mother actually liked her hair was a surprise.  It was a nice surprise. And although Saeyeon knew she was fairly attractive, she was still humbled by the kind words. Aside from JB’s step-mother, there was also his father... who she was even more reluctant to meet, but JB’s father was a huge contrast to hers. He had a deep (and jolly) voice. Saeyeon internally joked that he was practically Saint Nick, only Korean. 

The warm and welcoming atmosphere only stayed with them throughout the entire dinner, and she watched JB’s parents playfully banter, the love evident between the two. She noted that this was probably what JB had meant when he said having a step-mother wasn’t so bad, and she grew envious. Not of the fact that he had a step-mother, no. She was envious, because their family was warm, capable of joking around and laughing... unlike hers. She wondered just how their families got along; they were practically polar opposites. 

There were a few more compliments, completely-unsubtle hints that JB was single and ready to mingle (according to his parents), and lots and lots of ridiculous laughter. JB's parents didn't hesitate to tell her of embarrassing tall tales of the said boy, all which JB either turned crimson red at or rolled his eyes. 

Saeyeon stayed just a little while longer after dinner was over with but shortly decided that it was probably time to leave. After thanking the Im family for having her over for dinner and bidding them a respectful good bye, Saeyeon left the house (using the front entrance this time). She was one foot off the front porch when the door swung back open and out came JB. 

“I’ll walk you home.”

So now here they were, walking slower than they should’ve been but… Saeyeon didn’t mind.

It was a nice night. 

“Is it weird to conclude that both our parents ship us?” JB casually mention