It was a good Monday morning, until Jiyong came in the Sonic.

He glared at me like he wanted to take my life away from me as he walk down the counter. I have to admit it was scary, but I didn't show it and just gave my resolute look.

 

“Give me a glass of water.”

“O-okay.” Minyoung, who is beside me, said and literally ran to the kitchen, even if there's a window where she can have a call of what Jiyong-ssi ordered. Maybe she's really scared.

He continued to stare at me and I just let him. When Minyoung came out, he grabbed the bottled water and walked away. “Unni, what was that?” She asked as her startled gaze followed Jiyong's form walking away from us. I shrugged.

“I don't know. Maybe he ate something bad.”

“Or maybe he knows already that you and Seunghyun-ssi are dating…”

“And that, too.” I said, and she looked at me, surprised at first, and then pity the next. I can’t blame her; I pity myself too for being such a worthless girlfriend.

 

I kind of felt that Seunghyun and Jiyong had a lot of talk yesterday. I bet Seunghyun did defend me from Jiyong, who probably had a lot of questions and offensive remarks last night – the things he said to me was just a warmup.

I wish I could defend myself too. I hate it when someone fights my own battles, and although I should hate Seunghyun for doing those things for me, I know I could not do it for myself. And for that I’m grateful that he is beside me.

After a moment another man came in. Minyoung smiled awkwardly at me before looking at the man across the counter. He's wearing a jacket and a cap, and didn't bother taking off his glasses. Must be an idol.

 

“Good morning, can I help you with your order?” Minyoung greeted cheerfully as if nothing had happened.

“Yes. Ugh, can I have two caramel macchiato and two slices of strawberry shortcake?” Minyoung repeated what he said and punched his order. He then walked to the side where Jiyong-ssi went a while ago.

 

I, on the other hand, called the order. The boys acknowledge and when it's done, I saw Taehyung going out with a tray of macchiatos and cakes. He’s about to walk when Minyoung called him.

 

“Yah, Taehyung oppa, can I give that?”

“You like that idol too?” I scoffed. She stared at me.

“Who doesn't like Lee Jongsuk-ssi?” She asked with sarcasm in it. I chuckled, purely because of disbelief. How can I not know he's Lee Jongsuk? And how can Minyoung throw a sarcasm at me now? Aish this girl.

 

Minyoung brought the tray with her careful and small hands. A moment later another guy came. From his height to his posture I already knew him, even if I can't fully see his face. And then, suddenly, he faced me and smiled as a greeting to me. My heart just stopped beating as I smiled back. Only he (and, okay, Seunghyun too) can have that effect on me. Woobin-ssi then made his way on the right side of the cafe where Jongsuk-ssi went a while ago. Maybe he and Jongsuk-ssi have their friendly date.

It was only for a brief moment but it made me forget completely about Jiyong, my problem with my relationship, the stress and everything, and I started to see rainbows and butterflies (this is what fandom can do to you, actually). I continued to look at people with admiration as they seem to go in and out in pure slow motion. After some minutes I saw a familiar girl coming in. She smiled when she saw me.

 

“Sunhee-ah, how are you?” She asked. I smiled back.

“Fine. And you?” Hyunhee shook her head and rolled her eyes.

“Not really fine. My mom forced me to go on a blind date again.” And then she chuckled miserably. “As if I need to get married this year. Mom's really overacting sometimes.”

“You're having your blind date here?” I asked again. She looked at me.

“Yeah. Someone interesting came here? Mom didn't say who he is. She said she wants to surprise me.” She tutted. “And you know I hate surprises.”

I nearly laughed. “No one really. I mean, if she considers idols as your date, it will be a little interesting, right?”

“Maybe. But the thing is, mom keeps matching me with guys who are either jerks or faking their coolness. I just hope mom would stop it.” She then fished her phone out of her pocket. “Mom said he'd call me.”

“Sit first and wait.” I replied and she followed my suggestion. She sat on the table nearest the counter.

After some minutes, she grabbed her phone and placed it on her ear. She looked at me and rolled her eyes before planting a fake smile on her lips, like the guy can see her. “Yes, I'm already here. What? I'm so sorry. Okay, I'll be there.” After turning her phone off, she walked back to me. “He was waiting for fifteen minutes already. Can you remember who went here during that time?”

 

I tried to think who came fifteen minutes ago. Aside from customers I didn’t recognize, I just remembered Minyoung squealing again over Jongsuk-ssi that time. Is he?

But he already had a date. Yeah, I remembered Woobin-ssi coming in, smiling at me like the world depends on it. I felt my heart stopped beating again. And then I remembered someone before them.

 

“Jiyong-ssi...” My voice came like almost in a whisper. Hyunhee looked at me quizzically.

“Sunhee-ah? What were you saying?”

“What?” I looked at her and smiled nervously. She don't have to know what I have in mind. After my encounter with Jiyong, I don’t think I could freak Hyunhee out. Besides, there’s a small chance that Hyunhee’s date is Kwon Jiyong.“I said, Minyoung... She can accompany you. Did he tell where he is?”

“On the right side, near the window.” She replied. I nodded and hoped that Hyunhee’s date would be someone else.

“Minyoung can take your order from there.” I said before nodding at MIinyoung. Minyoung smiled and walked with Hyunhee.

After a while, Minyoung came back. She's wearing her knowing smile. “Want to know who, unni?”

“Who?”

“Jiyong-ssi.” She cringed her nose as if there is something smells here inside that she didn’t want.

“What?” I nearly exclaimed. The thing I dreaded to come true just did, but she just shrugged. “What’s Hyunhee's reaction?” I asked. Maybe that really surprised her.

“Frowning. I tell you unni. Her reaction is daebak.” She said, but not contented, so she continued. “But they'll make a good match. I hope it'll be successful.”

“Didn't you hear her a while ago? She hates jerks.” I pointed out. Minyoung just creased her brows.

“Well, Jiyong-ssi?”

“Is someone near to being a jerk.”

 

~-~-

 

Hyunhee sat across the person with a frown, remembering what Sunhee said. I mean, if she considers idols as your date, it will be a little interesting, right? Now, for Hyunhee, Sunhee was such an idiot for suggesting it.

After Minyoung brought their orders, Hyunhee realized him looking at her intently as if she have something on her face. She absentmindedly brushed her fingers on her face and looked at him anxiously after doing so.

 

“What's wrong?” She asked him politely merely because he deserves it even though it's weird to sit in front of him, and he just shook his head.

“How old are you?” Jiyong asked after a pause, and Hyunhee’s brows must've knitted because he continued after sipping his coffee, “My mom didn't say anything about you aside from your name.”

“My mom didn't say anything about you, including your name.” Hyunhee replied, making sure that sarcasm is visible.

“Oh, she should, if she wanted to keep the element of surprise.” His grin is so crooked that Hyunhee wanted to slap his face. Good thing she can control her emotions well, including her facial expression.

 

Well, only a jerk can ask a lady her age, especially on the first meeting! And only a jerk can openly compliment himself! I'm on the edge of pulling eomma's hair, I swear! She thought, but she kept her smile.

 

“Our moms really did click after that tea party.” Jiyong’s voice brought her back to now. “And she said she'll disown me once I did not agree on this date.” He then chuckled almost miserably. “Not that I don't know that she's not serious – she can't just disown her idol son – but I'm just worried that I'd disappoint her.” He said those words, and Hyunhee didn't know what to feel. He is elevating himself, though the thought of him being afraid of disappointing his mom is kind of touching. “So why did you come here?”

“Me?” Hyunhee shrugged. “I really don't know. My mom is always setting me to blind dates so it became, like, a moral obligation.”

Jiyong almost laughed at her choice of words (what the heck? A moral obligation?) but he held it when he saw her looking at him pointedly. “So your mom always arranging blind dates with mothers who she had tea parties with?” He asked instantly so Hyunhee can stop staring at him.

 

Jiyong doesn’t know, but for him Hyunhee’s face is a combination of scary and beguiling, most especially when she’s angry. As much as he wanted to see her getting mad, he knows he cannot look at that face too much. He might fall in love if he does.

 

“Like that.” Hyunhee nodded slowly. But there is something she didn't say: My mom is arranging blind dates with mothers who have jerk sons. Jiyong raised his brow, and looked at her like he is able to read her thoughts. And so Hyunhee looked back with her innocent-looking-wide eyes. His jaw twitched, as if thinking of something.

“If I'll be your boyfriend now, would she stop pairing you with other guys?” Hyunhee’s stare changed from being innocent to shocked. Is he serious?! “A beautiful lady like you must not wait for her mom to bring her a man that she will marry. She should always have a free will.”

 

She stared at him with disbelief, on how he can defy her mom on in front of her and on how he could say that she’s beautiful too casually. He smiled his crooked smile after his speech and her mind snapped from thinking that he's saying it to compliment her. The jerk's telling me those cheesy words for me to feel uncomfortable, she thought bitterly. Well, he almost did it. Almost.

 

“You can tell my mom that I have the freedom to choose.” Hyunhee replied and kept the words and that I won't choose you. He cocked his head to other side.

“She isn't my mom.”

“But it's your suggestion.” When Hyunhee said it, Jiyong chuckled.

“You can be very demanding for a girlfriend.”

 

Girlfriend???

Hyunhee’s eyes grew large again, her head screaming DANGER! JERK OF ALL JERKS! and her stomach starting to spasm because of something that isn't Sunhee's coffee. She’s so pissed with Jiyong that her hands was forming into fists and anytime she can spank him on the head.

This is the first time she was treated like this on a blind date. Her mom has done a great deal of choosing jerk men but none of them is like the man in front of her.

But I am Jung Hyunhee, she encouraged herself, and no one can defeat me on the battle of wills.

 

So she smiled at him, so sweetly she can almost fool herself that it is real, and said, “Oh, yes. And men can only tolerate me for three weeks.” She don't know this kind of half-truth will be a positive one.

“Shall I try to make it longer?” Hyunhee was startled by Jiyong’s answer, but the more she thought about it, the more it sounded like a challenge. So she smiled at him, more mockingly sweet this time.

“Sure.”

 

Now let's see if he won't go away after three weeks. She thought with an internal witch’s laugh.

 

~-~-

 

After an hour or two Hyunhee went out of the cafe, her face crestfallen. She glared at Sunhee just before she pushed the glass door, and then went out.

After some minutes Jiyong followed. But instead of exiting he went to the counter and stared at Sunhee.

 

“Lee Sunhee-ssi, let's talk.” He said in a bossy tone and went back to his seat.

 

Sunhee gave Minyoung a nervous look before following him.

She sat on the chair opposite his, feeling both nervous and haughty. She was suddenly feeling scared and fidgety when around Jiyong, but still she wanted to tell him who she really is with confidence.

 

Jiyong was sipping his coffee when Sunhee came. He put his cup away from his lips and started. “How much do you want?”

“What?”

“Is five million okay with you? Or shall we double it?”

“Excuse me, but are you acting like this in behalf of Seunghyun-ssi's mom?” I asked. He glared at Sunhee. “What are you implying, Jiyong-ssi?”

“I just wanted to give you compensation for leaving Seunghyun hyung.”

 

If Sunhee was born idiot, then maybe it would take ages for her to get what Jiyong means. But she is her father's daughter. The well-known architect is not easy to fool, and so is she.

 

“Sorry but I won't accept any bribe from you.” She said, even if she badly needs it. “And I'm not leaving Seunghyun-ssi.”

“Well of course. Hyung has more money than what I'm giving you.” Jiyong shrugged. Sunhee looked at him angrily, but stopped herself from slapping Jiyong.

“I can earn money. I don't need anyone to give me that.” She said, almost furious, “I'm different from what you think.”

“I can think whatever I want, however I wanted it to be. For me you're just a woman contented on making someone else's coffee, and you are not for hyung. So I want you to stay away from him.”

“I'm not taking orders from you.”

“Then maybe from him.” He shoved his phone to Sunhee, and she took it. She look at him for a moment before putting it on her ear.

“Sunhee-ssi...”

“Lee Sunhee!” Sunhee heard the two men say her name exactly in sync, as if they'd been practicing it. She looked up at Taehyung without answering the man on the phone, and she saw Taehyung walking furiously at her and Jiyong. “What's happening?” Taehyung continued. Sunhee stood up upon Taehyung's approach, recognizing the trouble, still Jiyong's phone was on her ears.

“Oh, you're…” Jiyong trailed off while looking up at Taehyung.

“Sir, can I talk to you?” Taehyung voice was insistent; he won't accept a no. Sunhee glared at him, but Taehyung was only focusing on Jiyong. Jiyong stood awkwardly.

“Taehyung—” Sunhee tried to catch Taehyung's attention, but the voice on the phone cut her.

“Listen, Sunhee-ssi.” Seunghyun had said it so pleadingly that Sunhee turned her attention to him.

 

She listened to his voice at the phone while looking at both Taehyung and Jiyong as they went out of Sonic. But as Seunghyun said the things he wanted to say, Sunhee started to think he and his words are both frustrating and infuriating because he called Jiyong and not her, as if the two of them rehearsed this to prank her.

Her mind cannot comprehend Seunghyun's words any longer that she considered Taehyung spanking Jiyong is more possible...

No, it is really happening.

Sunhee stood in her place, shocked. After some moments her muscles started moving, fast, and she started to talk back to Seunghyun and end the call, at the same time walk outside to stop Taehyung.

 

“—Seunghyun. My nuna said we shouldn't hurt our customers inside. But I guess that rule technically excludes spanking you outside the Sonic.”

“Kim Taehyung!” Sunhee ran to them and grabbed Taehyung's arm, still shocked of what he did. “Yah, are you even thinking?!”

“Come on, nuna.” He said and ushered her inside, leaving Jiyong breathless and glaring at them blatantly. Sunhee stopped Taehyung from walking away and walked nearer to Jiyong, slow and hesitant, as if Jiyong will kill her, and gave back his phone. Jiyong took it rudely, not forgetting that deadly glare.

 

---

 

I really regret that I did this chapter and the chapter before this and maybe the upcoming chapters as they are/would. I know Jiyong oppa isn't this rude. 

Still, this is a fiction, sooo.

I will miss Seunghyun oppa, really. :(

 

bunny.