“You know what hit me the other day?” Jonghyun asked. You shook your head while absentmindedly picking your food. “We don’t really know each other. I mean, I know you’re grumpy but still have a sense of humour. I like sarcasm… And I know you know I don’t have problems giving away money and that I’m good looking and I’m funny, charming, kind, awesome…”

“And conceited. Will you please stop praising yourself?” You glared at him. “All I know is that you’re an arrogant jerk who thinks that everyone loves him.”

“Yah, that was mean,” Jonghyun pouted. “You didn’t even let me get to the point.”

“It took you too long, just say it now.” You squashed a potato with your fork.

“What I wanted to say was; maybe we should get to know each other a little better?” Jonghyun peeked at you. Was he for real? Since when did he care about anyone except for himself? And why would he care about you? He kind of annoyed you…

“Yeah, sure. Whatever you say.” You kept playing with the mashed potato on your plate.

“Stop being so incurious. I’m asking you to deepen our friendship here, you should feel honoured.”

“Should I? I really can’t seem to figure out why. Stop acting so priggish,” you hissed as you pierced a second potato with your fork. Jonghyun picked up a pen and started writing on his napkin.

“Dislikes: self entered people. Likes: playing with her food,” he mumbled as he struggled to write the words on his napkin. You put your fork down.

“Excuse me, are you keeping notes?” You tried to see what he wrote. He laughed at you.

“Just kidding, so ~~~~~-ah. Who are you?” Jonghyun leaned his elbows on the table and leaned slightly forward.

You felt your chin drop making your mouth from an o-shape. You closed it again and leaned back in your chair. Who were you, really? No hobbies, you never had time to hang out with your friends, the only music you listened to was the crappy western music they played here at the restaurant. There wasn’t really anything that was “you”. You looked at Jonghyun.

“I’m no one.”

Jonghyun raised his eyebrows.

“Not quite what I had expected to hear, and not quite what I believe,” he said. You frowned.

“What do you mean ‘not what you believe’? I think I know the best who I am.”

“Then tell me.”

“Fine. I have no interests, I don’t listen to music, I don’t watch any movies, I don’t play sports, I rarely hang out with my friends, I don’t play an instrument, I don’t sing, dance, read, write, act, nothing. There, happy?” You were breathing rapidly after talking really fast, Jonghyun gave a short nod and smiled contently.

“Just like I thought.” He leaned even more forward. “You’re someone, an interesting someone.”

“You’re weird,” you sighed.

“Now, tell me something you are, not something you’re not.”

“I’m poor. And I’m always stressed… and grumpy.”

“How come you’re poor?” Jonghyun asked. Rude…

“Why are you asking?”

“Curious,” he shrugged.

“My mother got pregnant with me when she was very young. Her parents kicked her out when she refused abortion. She and my father moved into a small room they rented from an old couple. Appa was forced to quit school and get a job, my mother dropped out too. Now we live seven people in a three room apartment. My dad is hospitalised, and at the moment so is my younger sister, and my mother is at home with the smallest of my siblings.”

“Have your parents heard of contraceptive?”

Silence

“What the hell!?”

“Well, since they didn’t go to school, I was just thinking…”

“Get the hell out of here!” You stood up and left the table.

“I’m sorry ~~~~~-ah, it was just a joke. A small revenge for what you said to me. I’m sorry, you shouldn’t joke about this sort of thing.” You ignored Jonghyun calling after you. “~~~~~, please!”

you Jonghyun.