The Heart Never Lies

 

It’s a new chapter of Jaehyun’s life after graduating from high school and straightly enrolled in university. That sudden transition kind of gave him a bit of culture shock. Everything was totally different from the last 12 years of school. From studying to the social culture. Although he could adapt well to the lecture, he still struggled with the social culture. The hardest one was the drinking culture. For Korean, it is customary to not refuse a drink when get offered by a senior or someone older. More importantly, he was still a freshman, and somewhat they had an unwritten obligation to always be ready whenever there was a bonding event. Almost every night, he had to drink with seniors. Luckily, most of the seniors never forced their juniors to drink. Although there were still one or two who stuck to the old culture. They made the freshmen feel uncomfortable when they were present.

The drinking custom wasn’t the only problem Jaehyun faced. His handsomeness was leading him to another trouble. The number of girls who tried to hit on him, not only from his department but also from another department was abundant. It gave him a headache. His cool appearance also attracted male seniors or friends. He became the most wanted person to hang out with. It made him exhausted but couldn’t reject them directly. Besides, according to age, he was considered as the younger line since some of them although in the same batch, were older since they were repeaters or take the exam after graduation. Today, some of the seniors asked him to hang out. He agreed to their invitation because this group of seniors wasn’t the forcing type. They allowed the juniors to drink soft drinks when they were hanging out. Unfortunately, this good fortune didn’t last long. When they were having a chat, other seniors from another faculty suddenly come. Most of the seniors were girls, and two of them went to the same high school as Jaehyun’s senior. Feeling bad to refuse their request, Jaehyun’s senior allowed those girls to join their table.

As he predicted, some of the girls were trying to hit on him. He was used to handling this kind of flirt, but it still exhaust him. What's even worse, those girls started the drinking party. They ordered a few bottles of alcohol. From the conversation between them, Jaehyun could tell those girls were the type who could handle their liquor well.

Jaehyun was one of the freshmen in his department who could hold his liquor well. It saved him because he never caused trouble when drunk. This ability was not always good. It was followed by a disadvantage. Sometimes he should step up to help his fellow friends by being their knight.

Drinking for 4 consecutive days made Jaehyun feel a bit sick. He was physically and mentally exhausted. Not only because he had to drink, but he also needed to politely handle their flirt. He has had enough and decided to take a short break. The popular tricks for escaping were going to the toilet or going for a smoke. Since he needed a longer time to escape, so he chose the latter excuse. Jaehyun didn’t smoke, but he lied so that he could go outside. While he was outside, he took that chance to hide and called Lisa.

Ever since they started college life, those two were often sharing their problem. Suffering from the same problems, those two decided to help each other to escape this situation. One time, Lisa came to the restaurant, pretending to be a customer, and intentionally bumped into Jaehyun with a cup of americano. Using changing clothes as a reason, he successfully escapes that gathering. The same scenario applied to Lisa too. Sometimes, they rename each other contact with Mom or Dad. Lisa used an excuse to get a call from his dad to escape her gathering. Of course, the one who called wasn’t her Dad, but Jaehyun.

Like a series of unfortunate events, Jaehyun seems not destined to leave this party. Lisa couldn’t help him to escape because she was out of town for her orientation. She then suggested to asked Chaeyoung for help.

“Oi, Jaehyun! What are you doing?” asked Jaehyun’s senior who caught him hiding in the corner while making a phone call.

Jaehyun was a bit surprised but glad the one who caught him was the kind senior, Seungchol. Seeing Jaehyun holding a phone, he was smirking. Besides for smoke, Seungchol went outside to receive a call from his girlfriend. Seeing Jaehyun made him assume Jaehyun also did the same. Didn’t bother to clear up a misunderstanding, Jaehyun just smiling.

The phone call with Lisa was already ended but Jaehyun still acting like he was still on it. Secretly he was eavesdropping on Seungchol’s conversation. It made him remember this senior was known for having an overprotective girlfriend. An idea was born from his smart brain. He sent an SOS message to Chaeyoung explaining his plan. Since sending a message didn’t guarantee she would read it right away, Jaehyun attempted to make a call. While waiting for her to pick up his phone call, he purposely muttered words that showed he was feeling anxious because the one he called didn’t pick up his call.

Once again, it felt like it was his worse day. More seniors were coming to him. It made him a bit panic because Chaeyoung still not picking up his phone. If the seniors found out he wasn’t out to smoke, they would tell him to go inside to accompany the others.

“Jaehyun, can you buy me a cigarette? Hurry, go, here is the money. Hurry!” Seungchol gave an order. He noticed Jaehyun’s expression was getting anxious when he saw the other seniors.

Felt a bit pissed off at first because of the sudden errand, Jaehyun quickly nodded and escape to the nearest convenience store. After making eye contact with Seungchol, he knew that he just trying to help him escape. Feeling grateful and guilty for taking an advantage of his kindness, he promised himself he would treat Seungchol to a meal.

Seems like Jaehyun’s bad luck didn’t last long. Chaeyoung finally answered his call. Within the limited time, Jaehyun explained the situation to her. Although the plan was usually executed by Lisa, as a fellow partner in crime, Chaeyoung was able to do it as well as Lisa. Jaehyun's plan was simple. He would rename Chaeyoung’s contact name and told her to call her in fifteen minutes. He would purposely leave his phone on the table while going to the toilet. Although he felt bad, he will use Seungchol’s weakness to his advantage. Seungchol would feel bad for him because of his alleged mad girlfriend. Since he was the most respected person at that table, most of them would obey him.

As planned, Jaehyun returned to the bar, gave the cigarette to his senior, and joined the conversation with other seniors. It's almost time for the plan, so Jaehyun excused himself to the bathroom. He purposely left his phone on the table and made it into ringing mode. Right when he left, his phone was ringing loudly. Being disturbed by the ringtone, the other seniors were having a mischievous thoughts. They told the senior girl who sat next to Jaehun to look at who was the caller. He flipped the phone and saw “Our Rose” was written on it. The entire table was smiling naughtily. Sadly, before he picked it up, the call ended. The audience got disappointed, but then they were smiling happily as the phone was ringing again.

“HEY, JUNG JAEHYUN WHERE ARE YOU??!!” shouted the caller and it was heard throughout the table because they set it on speaker mode.

The entire persons at that table were surprised by the sudden nag. They then realized they made a mistake. The senior girl who picked up the call was told by the others to answer it. Carefully she talked to the caller and told her that Jaehyun went to the toilet. Without Chaeyoung even having a chance to ask, the senior quickly introduced herself as Jaehyun’s senior.

Pretending to be surprised Chaeyoung apologized for yelling at the senior. Right at that moment, Jaehyun was back, and the senior quickly handed the phone. Jaehyun pretending to act dumb and innocently received the phone call. He just said hello and Chaeyoung raised her voice by asking where he whereabouts. Since the phone was still on speakerphone, Jaehyun turned the volume down before changing the mode. He kept talking on the phone but not getting out. Instead, he was taking a seat so that people would listen to his conversation.

Throughout the phone call, Jaehyun didn’t say a word and just responded with yes or no. Finally, the breathtaking phone call ended after five minutes. Jaehyun took a deep breath. He looked at the people at that table then without being told he stood up. He bowed and apologized to the seniors for causing such a commotion. The seniors took that chance to . As a good junior, Jaehyun just took all the tease without saying anything. They then continued their event as if nothing happened.

Around 15 minutes later, the table became quiet again. A gorgeous girl just came in and it caught the attention of the senior who sat facing the door. This great news shouldn’t be kept alone. He told the entire table about the presence of that girl. Most of them were curious and secretly tried to look at her without being too obvious. The one who could see her easily agreed with that senior. They voluntarily made a report about the position of that girl. Strangely, that girl was coming to this table. It made the other become more curious but couldn’t just look back. On the other hand, Jaehyun who sat back- facing the door, didn’t get curious at all. He knew, his savior came. Yet, to blend with the others, he had to pretend to be curious too. The table then became noisy again as the girl got closer and closer. They were pretending to have a chat with each other and acted like they didn’t pay attention to her.

The girl stopped behind Jaehyun, tapped his shoulder, moved her head closer to his ear, and whispered something but the volume was loud enough to be heard by the senior who sat next to Jaehyun.

“Jaehyuna, let’s talk,” she said in a whisper, but half of the table somehow could hear it because they suddenly stopped chatting.

“Jaehyun, who is she?” asked the girl senior.

Jaehyun began his act by showing a hesitant face. The girl who picked up the phone call quickly asked him whether it was his “Rose”. Jaehyun nodded shyly. He then stood up from the chair and stood next to Chaeyoung. His gesture seems like he was about to introduce her, yet once again, he couldn’t say a word because another senior was cutting the line.

“Are you a student in our school?” asked the senior who sat across from Jaehyun.

“No, I am not,” Chaeyoung answered brief and bold.

The seniors especially the men, looked disappointed. Only if she was one of the students, they could ask her to join them.

“I am so sorry, seniors, but can I take Jaehyun out?” she politely asked Jaehyun’s senior but the tone of her voice sounds like she wasn’t asked for permission. Instead, it sounds like she was giving a command.

“Oh, what should I do? Jaehyun hasn’t even finished his drink,” said the girl senior who sat next to Jaehyun.

Chaeyoung smiled and whispered something in Jaehyun’s ear while pointing at the glass on the table. Jaehyun gave a short nod and she quickly took the glass. In one shot, she finished all the liquid inside. The other seniors were looking at her with widened eyes.

“Sure, you can take him away. Jaehyun, just go,” said Seungchol.

Like what Jaehun predicted. Seungchol could relate to this situation. Some of the seniors felt a bit offended by Chaeyoung’s attitude which seems rude, but they couldn’t voice their opinion. They didn’t dare to go against Seungchol’s order. Got the permission, Jaehyun thanked his seniors and took his bag that he put on the chairs. Before they left, Chaeyoung also bowed and thanked them with her original sweet voice.

As a great actor, Jaehyun was adding an adlib by holding Chaeyoung’s hand when they were walking out. They kept continued holding hands until it was far enough from the bar. As soon as Jaehyun let go of her hands, they both faced each other, then giggled. Jaehyun lifted his hand and Chaeyoung high-fived it. Both then laughed, proud of their actions. The people in that street started to look at them with judging eyes. It made them stop laughing and continued to walk with their head down as they felt embarrassed.

The street they were walking on was getting crowded as nightfall. Jaehyun was fine before, but as he was walking through the sea of people, he started to get dizzy and nauseous. Didn’t want to pass out in the middle of the street, he kept hypnotizing himself that he will be fine.

“Should we rest for a minute?” asked Chaeyoung while linking her arm to Jaehyun to support him. She saw him stumble when walking before. His face also looked even paler. Although he didn’t say anything, she could sense something was wrong with him. Jaehyun’s breath was getting faster and with a short nod, Chaeyoung guide him to find the nearest bench. Sadly, there was none of it in this street. It made Chaeyoung get worried. She then suggested they go home.

“Don’t take the taxi. Let’s ride a bus,” said Jaehyun when Chaeyoung was about to call a taxi.

“What? Are you crazy? You are sick and you should go home as soon as possible,” she scolded him for his ridiculous request.

“No, I am fine. I just need fresh air. Riding a car can make me even sicker,” stubbornly, Jaehyun was refusing.

The look on Jaehyun’s face made her couldn’t just ignore his wish. With a frowning face, she led him to the nearest bus station. The first bus was coming, but it was too crowded. There was no empty seat, so they didn’t ride it. After several buses left, the least crowded one finally came. She didn’t know the bus destination, but first, they should ride it. Chaeyoung guided him to take the double seat and let Jaehyun sit near the window.

During that no-destination ride, Chaeyoung and Jaehyun didn’t say a word. Chaeyoung was being considerate of Jaehyun who seems to seek serenity in silence. He must be wanted to escape from this busy life by enjoying this moment of silence. Because Jaehyun was resting, Chaeyoung took her phone out and looked for their position. Seems like luck was on her side tonight. This bus route was going to Jaehyun’s home. They only had to change bus once.

The long silent bus ride ended when they reached the lonely bus station. It wasn’t a rare view for Chaeyoung. She used to live in this kind of housing complex where the bus station looked like it was deserted. Their journey hasn’t ended yet. To reach his home, they should walk for around 2 km.

The route to Jaehyun’s home was as quiet as the bus station. The road was bright enough for them, but the trees and no presence of human beings created such an eerie atmosphere. Moreover, Jaehyun was still in his silent mode and causing the natural sounds to sound so clear.

“Jaehyuna, I know you don’t believe in the existence of ghosts, but I do. Walking along in this street kind of gives me a creep. So, can we just talk? It’s getting scary when it’s too quiet,” she finally relayed her worries after trying to play it cool.

Jaehyun scoffed and agreed with her request. Couldn’t think of a complicated topic, Chaeyoung brought up what they had just done. She asked Jaehyun whether it was true he loves to ride the bus. Without hesitation, Jaehyun told him it was true. At first, he didn’t find something was wrong with her question. Maybe she just spouted a random question due to her fear. But it’s a bit out of her character. She never asked something without empty meaning. That sparked a curiosity and it made him ask her why she asked it. It’s as if she was trying to confirm whether it was a lie or not.

A shy glance was secretly looking up at Jaehyun’s face. Unfortunately, Jaehyun caught it and it made her get shyer. Getting caught, Chaeyoung revealed what was on her mind. She remembered one of his friends, whether Mingyu, Taehyung, or Dokyeom said Jaehyun didn’t like to ride on the bus. His nickname was a modern prince because he always rides a car as his cart. Moreover, as they were now walking a long distance to reach his house, the statement from his friends seems to be more fit.

Jaehyun was trying hard to hide his giggles to not offend her. This friend of his was truly cute. Sometimes she threw a question as naïve as a curious kid. There was more than enough time for him to explain everything from A to Z so he took that chance to clear up the misunderstanding.

What his friends said was right. He didn’t like riding a bus because it will be a hassle. But, what he said to her was also true. He envied his friends who ride buses home from school. It was because they could spend more time together. It was fun. Besides, he truly enjoyed riding the bus because he could observe a lot of things. That’s why he loves to walk her home. It felt like he could achieve his small dream. The opportunity to walk her home was rare. That was why he always wanted to ride a bus instead of a taxi when he was with her.

“And also…,” he stopped talking because he was hesitant about whether he should say it to her or not.

“Also what?” she asked curiously.

Jaehyun’s face suddenly got a bit warmer.

“And also… I want to save the environment as well as save my money,” he decided to not tell the truth because he couldn’t bear it.

“What a cheapskate,” she jeered at his obvious lie.

He let out a laugh not only to respond to her reaction but also to hide his blushed cheeks. Actually, he wanted to say he purposely did that because he wanted to spend more time with her. Now, he even wished the distance from her home to the bus station was as far as his home. But, because of their recent quarrel, he was afraid it could create a misunderstanding.

The spring season always served beautiful scenery. It was nighttime and the streetlight was a bit dim, yet it couldn’t hide the beauty of spring. Jaehyun didn’t know whether it was due to the alcohol that flowed through the blood vessels, but his eyes got pulled into her right after he admire the scenery. Like there was a magnet he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“What’s wrong?” being stared at made Chaeyoung a bit nervous. She was afraid there was something attached to her like a bug or spider.

“I just realized, why it’s so pretty?” without being shy Jaehyun spitted out what was on his head.

“Hahaha… What? Have you just realized it now after years? I always look pretty. But thanks for finally being honest. I truly appreciate it,” Chaeyoung was laughing happily.

“No, not you. I mean your clothes. You somewhat look different today,” after observing her for quite some time he found out there was something different about her tonight.

This time, Chaeyoung was a bit offended. She defended herself by saying she always put extra attention to her wardrobe whenever she hung out with him. Due to her trauma of being mistaken as his manager or an ugly girl that impossible to be his girlfriend. Jaehyun knew about it but that only applied when they planned the hang out beforehand. Whenever it was an emergency or incidental occasion, she always came in a casual outfit or hoody.

Today's incident could be considered incidental. She came up not long after Jaehyun called her. Yet she dressed prettily and was wearing full make-up.

“Are you perhaps having a date today?” Jaehyun mustered up his courage to ask that question. He felt like he couldn’t bear hearing the answer, but he asked her anyway.

“I am just hanging out with Jungkook when you called. We were supposed to watch a movie, but I canceled it. Well… I don’t know but does it consider a date?”

Jaehyun apologized cause he didn’t know about it. He felt so guilty because it was the second time, he snatched her away from Jungkook. First during prom night and now. Chaeyoung understood and said Jungkook was okay with it too. It’s an emergency and as Jaehyun’s friend, he also prioritized him first.

Once again, Jaehyun felt he was a bit strange tonight. For a strange reason, he felt a bit sensitive and sentimental. His mood got better earlier but now, it's changed again, especially after what he just heard about her and Jungkook. For a while, they walked in silent again because Jaehyun suddenly didn’t feel like talking and Chaeyoung somewhat could feel it.

The silence suddenly broke as they saw the bushes that were ahead of them shaking. Out of reflex, Chaeyoung grabbed Jaehyun’s hoodie and hide behind him. A pair of the shining ball appeared from the bushes, and it made her scream. Turned out it was just a stray cat. Chaeyoung caressed her chest as a gesture of being glad it wasn’t a big stray dog.

“Ah really, why is your home so far away?” she complained due to the shock she received.

Jaehyun laughed and apologized. He also felt bad for her and suggested calling a taxi. She agreed with him. While Jaehyun was playing with his phone to try to order a taxi, Chaeyoung was walking beside him, still holding onto his hoodie. Because his eyes were fixed on the phone, Jaehyun couldn’t see the little hole on the street, and it caused him to trip. Lucky, Chaeyoung pulled him and prevent him to not falling.

“Gosh, I guess the ghosts don’t like us. They keep throwing a prank on us,” to calm himself, Jaehyun was trying to throw a joke. Being heard ghost was mentioned Chaeyoung was about to protest but she didn’t do it due to the loud sound of the car’s honk.

A bright light was coming toward them, and it made them cover their eyes with their palm. A car was approaching and when it arrived next to them, the window was rolled down. It’s Joshua. Like adventurers who lost in the desert and found an oasis, they were so happy to see Joshua. Without further talk, they immediately got into the car.

After a brief explanation of the situation, Joshua kindly offered to drive them home. They arrived at Jaehyun's home first, but he suddenly refused to go out. He said he still reeks of alcohol and didn’t want his mom to look at him in this condition. So, he said he would tag along until Joshua drove Chaeyoung home. Chaeyoung was protesting because she thought Jaehyun need a rest. Their bicker hasn't finished but Joshua already stepped on the gas. In the middle of her nag, because Joshua choose Jaehyun over her, Jaehyun was thanking Joshua for his understanding.

“Oppa, thank you so much for the ride,” said Chaeyoung before she got out of the car once they arrived at her house.

“No problem,” said Joshua.

Chaeyoung pull the door handle and pushed the car door.

“Get out,” said Joshua to Jaehyun.

“Why?” he confused with Joshua’s order.

“Don’t you have to safely her until she reaches the door?”

He was still in confusion, but he did what he told as he owe him for the ride. Quickly, he caught her up and accompany her until she got into the building. When he turned around, he saw Joshua was looking with a deadly stare. Without any other option, he followed Chaeyoung and safely walked her to the front of her apartment door.

“Thanks for walking me home. You should go home and take a rest.”

Jaehyun nodded and told her to go inside.

Not long after, Jaehyun came back to the car. He put on the seatbelt and adjusted his body to find a comfortable position. It’s strange. Joshua did not start the car although he was all ready. It made him who was ready was looking at him with a confused expression. A suspicious and full of meaning smile was showing on Joshua’s face. It gave Jaehyun a creep and asked what’s that smile for.

“You. You like her, don’t you?” asked Joshua still with that smile.

Jaehyun was giving a straight face at that question and let out a loud sigh as an answer.

“Hyung, seriously. Even you? I’ve heard that question million times from all people. And now, you finally joined them,” a disappointment was shown on Jaehyun’s face.

Joshua’s smile got even wider. But he didn’t say anything to respond.

On their way home, Joshua did not try to start a conversation. Instead, he the radio and purposely put the volume up. Jaehyun was a quick-witted guy. Joshua believed right now he must be thinking about why he suddenly threw that question. It won’t be fun if he suddenly revealed the answer. So, he let Jaehyun think about the answer first.

“Why did you suddenly ask that question? After all this time?” just like what Joshua expected. Jaehyun was curious about the reason.

Joshua’s smile bloomed again. Now, he put the radio’s volume down so that Jaehyun could hear him.

“It’s because of your eyes,” said Joshua.

Jaehyun once again got puzzled due to his abstract answer. Without seeing his face, Joshua knew Jaehyun must be curious about the continuation of his answer. Feeling a bit guilty for toying with this curious boy, Joshua finally told the answer.

During the last volunteer work meeting, the day where they finally make up after their quarrel, Joshua witnessed something interesting. During the meeting, the members were busy looking at the picture of Chaeyoung’s school prom night event that was just uploaded on their social media.

“Your eyes when you saw the picture of her, and her prom date were so scary. It shoots a laser full of jealousy. Your mood even changed after that. Although you tried so hard to hide it, I can feel it. Not only that, but your gaze towards her tonight was also different. It’s full of love and sadness. You might now believe me, but I have good talent for observing people. Especially the one who falls in love,” Joshua knew what he said sounded unbelievable. But seems like it was so right on point. While waiting for the traffic light to turn green, he checked on Jaehyun’s face. His ears were getting all red.

The light turned green, and the car was moving again, as well as Joshua’s speech.

“It seems like you are in the state of being confused about your feeling. Do I truly have a feeling for her? Is that only admiration? Or it just loves between friends? Or am I falling in love with her? What should I do to know what exactly is this feeling? If I confessed to her, but she doesn’t like me as a boy, will we still be a friend? What if she likes me too but one day we broke up? What if… What if… That kind of question may be haunting you now, am I right?”

Those words truly expressed what was on Jaehyun’s mind recently whenever he saw her. It somewhat made him got embarrassed for being caught. As a response, he was complimenting Joshua by saying what he said was so detailed. As if he already experienced it beforehand.

“I am. And it still become one of my biggest regrets in life. I don’t want you to experience the same thing as me, so although it’s embarrassing, I will help you as much as I can,”

Hearing Joshua’s confession kind of made Jaehyun felt a bit guilty. He didn’t know what to say in that situation. So, he chose to keep silent. Besides, like Joshua’s said, he was still confused by all these indescribable emotions. He planned to discover it himself before asking for help.

The silence continued until they reached their housing complex. Could guess what’s on Jaehyun’s mind now, Joshua also didn’t say anything. He let Jaehyun organize and decided what he wanted to do next.

“Everything related to human emotions is complicated. But if you allowed me to give you some advice, I would say, you should organize and decide what is that feeling first. Ah, but don’t take too long. Trust me, it won’t give any advantage,” didn’t want to just let Jaehyun lose, so Joshua decided to give a little advice.

The car just passed the road where it's picked up two passengers before. In a few minutes, it would arrive at Jaehyun’s house. Still, he hadn’t spoken a single word to Joshua.

Finally, the car stopped in front of his house. Joshua opened the car’s door lock and waited for Jaehyun to get off. But, Jaehyun hasn’t unbuckled his safety belt and just sitting and staring blankly.

“Hyung, do you have a schedule tomorrow?” asked Jaehyun with such a serious face.

Joshua was surprised at the random question, but he shook his head to answer.

“Then, let’s go for a night drive,” said Jaehyun.

A smile bloomed on Joshua’s face. He was glad Jaehyun decided to accept his consultation offer. Without wasting any more seconds, that white car was moving.

***

Feeling bad for wasting gas, that white car only traveled tens of kilometers. After taking a short stop at the juice shop, it continued its journey to the Han River. There, two good-looking men got out of the car with their beverages looking for a good spot to sit down. After they found a good spot, they sat down, took a sip of their beverages, and enjoyed the scenery.

“I hate to admit it, but I think I got jealous,” was the opening sentence Jaehyun choose to say.

He paused the story and took a sip of his orange juice. His mind was now busy recollecting where all his concerns started.

“That night, when she explained I am not just a mere prom night date but also her duet partner on her prom night, I felt so happy. Finally, I got the chance to sing with her. You might not believe me but the reason why I decided to join to be a volunteer was that I wanted to sing with her. I am her fan. I have a dream to have a duet stage with her. Strangely, even after a year, I still got no chance to do it. As if the universe works together against it. When its time for our performance, she suddenly fell sick, I suddenly had a sudden appointment, and much more.

“The chance finally comes. I don’t want to waste it. With Lisa’s help, we planned an amazing performance and practice hard. Of course, the reason behind all that effort was different for each of us. Chaeyoung wants to win the prize, Lisa wants to win and shows a wonderful performance, and I just wanted to fulfill my wish to be on the same stage with her.

“Finally, the long-awaited day came. I was so nervous and excited the night before that I can’t sleep well. For that special day, I wore my best suit and shoes. I was ready a few hours before the time. While I was styling my hair to choose the best hairstyle for me, the hospital called. They informed me that Naeun finally awakes from a coma after being unconscious for several days. Without any thought, I rushed out to the hospital. I forgot about the prom night at that time until I got a call from Naeun’s parents that told me they were on their way to the hospital.

“I had one hour before the event started. The faster Naeun’s parents could arrive was thirty minutes. That means, I only had thirty minutes. It was more than enough so I told Chaeyoung I would be late. While I was accompanying her, a nurse come to check on her. After she finished, she told me to follow her to the door. Before she left, she told me it was better to stay with her. That nurse’s eyes somewhat tell me, it might be her last day. I didn’t want to pay a cent to it, but it kept bugging me.

“Afraid for the worst, I decided to not come to her prom night. It might be not the time to fulfill my dream. Just because I couldn’t achieve my dream, so shouldn't she. So, with the remaining battery on my phone, I asked Jungkook for help to substitute for me. Luckily, he was willing to do it.

“Not long after, Naeun's parents come. They thanked me and told me to leave, but Naeun was whining for me to stay. I couldn’t just leave her like that, so I stay. But suddenly she realized I wore a suit and looked so neat. She remembered about the prom night because Chaeyoung couldn’t stop bragging about it a week before. She felt guilty because I was with her instead of Chaeyoung. She told me to go, but I ensure her it was okay to stay. Shockingly she suddenly burst into tears. She said she wanted to meet Chaeyoung and heard the story about the prom night. I had no choice but to do it.

“I only had fifteen minutes left before the event started and I already gave up. But then, Naeun’s wish to hear about our performance made me unconsciously speed walk to the car park. I just got my driver's license, but I drove near the speed limit towards her school.

“The prom night event was private and exclusive. You can’t enter without an invitation. I was at the entry gate and scanned my QR Code, but it was denied. I was panicking and luckily, Yuju, one of her friends was there. She came over to me, scanned her QR Code, and told the guard that I was with her. Without wasting any more time, she was running and led me to the hall. I felt bad for her because she was running in her high heels.

“I felt so glad when I got into the hall because Chaeyoung’s hasn’t started yet. The light was still on and she still tuning her guitar. But it didn’t go smoothly for me. She was so popular and almost all the students wanted to watch her performance. It made me hard to get close to the stage. When I was stuck in the audience, our eyes met. Right after that moment, the light got dimmed. I was panicking and about to ask the people in front of me to make a way because I had to reach the stage. But, before I did that, I heard Jungkook’s voice.

“Their performance was great. It’s spontaneous but it was indeed so great. I felt so relieved because at least, she could still have a chance to win first place. But, at the same time, I felt so upset. It should be me who stood on that stage. Only if I run towards the car, if I drive my car faster, maybe… Maybe I still have a chance.

“I enjoy their performance but somehow, I just can’t stay to watch them. So, I left and wait outside. On my way out I bumped into Yuju and told her to not tell Chaeyoung I was there. I will tell her once the prom night was over.

“Seems like Yuju felt bad for me so she didn’t do what I told. Chaeyoung suddenly showed up, of course, after she finished the performance. The look in her eyes told me that she was worried yet, she didn’t dare to ask. I assume she was worried because I suddenly couldn’t be reached. To calm her, I told her about Naeun. I thought she would be less worried, but it was the opposite. She suddenly told me we should go to the hospital right away.

“On the way to the hospital, she kept talking about Jungkook. I didn’t know why but I felt a bit upset when I heard it. She seems so enthusiastic when she talked about him. That night, maybe because I went through a lot of events in a short time, I couldn’t hold my emotion well. As far as I remember I kept saying sarcastic things but wrapped it nicely with jokes.

“That night, I wasn’t in my best condition. Experiencing lots of things and emotions in a short period affects my mood. Especially when I was back at the hospital. My anxiety grew high as I remembered what the nurse said. Then, something worse happened,”

After a long story, Jaehyun finally took a long pause. He felt so ashamed to tell the next chapter. So, he was writing the script in his brain. Joshua seems to know about it and whether he was about to tell the behind story of their greatest quarrel. Jaehyun showed a shy smile. Since he already leaked the story, he should pour it all at once.

Jaehyun told Joshua that Chaeyoung suddenly asked him to date. Not for real, but only for a show. Naeun was their biggest shipper. So, as the last gift, they at least could tell a white lie to make her happy. Jaehyun shyly admitted until now, that he didn’t know why he got really mad. Was that because Chaeyoung thought it was Naeun’s last moment or because he got tricked by the fake confession? According to Jaehyun, they often joke using fake confessions but that night, he couldn’t be cool with it.

“Tonight too… I felt like the worst friend to Jungkook. I was jealous seeing her dressed up prettily when she hung out with him. I felt so guilty too. Not only did I snatch her from him, but also because I was feeling so happy, she choose to come to me and leave her date,” Jaehyun’s face blushed when he said it. Somewhat he felt like a sinner confessing his sin to a priest.

The story had finished, but Joshua didn’t give any feedback. They fall silent again and the only noises heard were the noise of nature. After considering and thinking about how to wrap the long advice into a simple one, Joshua finally opened his mouth.

“People said, they couldn’t choose who they like. But we can choose whether we want to continue or stop liking it. It sounds absurd but it’s true. If it’s not, then all the people in this world is having broken hearts cause they can’t move on.

“So, the first thing you should do is be honest with your feeling. Second, choose whether you want to stay as a friend or be a lover. If you want to stay as a friend, just draw the line regardless you love her or not. If you want to be a lover, then confess. If she likes you, then you will be a couple, if not, it will be awkward for some time, but you can stay as a friend again,” Joshua gave Jaehyun brief and clear tips.

The night has gotten chiller and their plastic cups were already empty. Joshua took his phone out and looked at the time. It’s almost midnight. His thumb then touched on the message notification from Chaeyoung. She was asking whether Jaehyun got home safely and whether he still feel sick. Joshua turned his head to look at Jaehyun. He observed him for a while and smiled.

This matter couldn’t take a night to solve. Joshua stood up and dust off his pants. He told Jaehyun they should go back home since it was already late. Without any objection, he obeyed, and they walked towards the car.

“Hyung, that time, what is your choice?” asked Jaehyun once Joshua started the car.

Joshua chuckled when hearing that question. it seems like Jaehyun needed to hear it as a reference for what he should do.

“I chose to stay as a friend,” he answered briefly.

Jaehyun wasn’t satisfied with the answer so he interrogated Joshua for more information.

“I like her, but I keep denying it. When I heard another guy was making a move on her, I didn’t do anything. Because other people say there was no way we didn’t like each other. Besides, there was no other man as close as me. So, I took it for granted. One day, her close friend suddenly pushed me to make a clear decision about our relationship. I dragged this no-status relationship for too long and that friend hates it.

“As time goes by, I started to feel threatened by that man. But I chickened out and kept suggesting to myself it was best if we stay as a friend. I like her so much so I want to stay with her as long as possible. If we were a lover, we would be apart once we broke up.

"When I finally stop denying that I like her not only as a friend, I was too late. Another guy already snatched her from me. That’s why I told you the timing is important.

“Sounds very regretful, doesn't it? But that wasn’t the thing I regretted the most. What I regretted and hate the most is the fact that I at that time admitted that I like her. Yet, I thought about what if someday I broke up with her. If I truly love her, then, I won’t have that kind of thought,” Joshua showed off a bitter smile and remembered that painful memory.

The short ride truly felt too short. They almost arrived at Jaehyun’s home. Throughout the rest of the ride, Jaehyun didn’t say a single word. He was thinking about Joshua’s advice and Joshua just let him be. Now, they were stopping in front of Jaehyun’s house. Joshua cheekily teased Jaehyun about whether he wanted another lap of night drive. Jaehyun let out a laugh and said he didn’t want to get scolded so he should head home.

“Thanks for the ride and the lecture Hyung. It’s so helpful but the homework is too … Burdensome. Ah, anyway, is the friend you mentioned before, Jisoo Noona?” although Jaehyun didn’t know about this story before, he somehow got a feeling that friend was Jisoo.

Joshua was a bit surprised at his guess but decided to not give a confirmation. Jaehyun was smirking because he knew he just shot a bullseye. His tongue was so itchy to tease Joshua, but he knew it won’t be a wise thing to do. Using someone else's pain as a joke was the worst thing to do. So, after thanking him once again, he opened the car door and got out.

“Hey, Jaehyun! I forget to tell you something!” Joshua called before Jaehyun walked too far.

Curious, Jaehyun walked back to the car.

“If you two are true to be destined, then even if it's not now, you will eventually be together in the end. And if you are not, no matter what your decision is, it won't happen,”

Jaehyun was frowning. Truthfully he didn't get Joshua’s true intention. Was he trying to support him to go for it or give up on it? But then, he just being grateful and nodded.

The car wasn't moving until Jaehyun closed the gate. Joshua was smiling then take his phone out. His fingers were typing incredibly fast. After he finished, he threw his phone in the passenger's seat and bring his car to go back home.

“I safely ride him home. Don't worry He is more than healthy. But, I think he will have a bad headache a few days later. Lol”

***

“Emmm… If you don’t mind, may I get your phone number?” asked a boy who had just taken his coffee that Chaeyoung handed on.

“Haha… Well… That’s a bit…,” pretending to get surprised, Chaeyoung gave the politest response she could show.

“Excuse me. If you are finished with your order, can you scoot over?” said the customer who stood behind that boy.

The boy who got scolded quickly apologized after seeing the man. His expression was so scary and somewhat he looked so intimidating. Without waiting any longer, the boy quickly scooted over and left the café without getting her phone number.

“One americano please,” said the man who turned out to be Jungkook.

Chaeyoung showed a smile and casually took his order. She was so ready to hear Jungkook’s nag. But, after his order finished, he didn’t say a word. He still looked so pissed though. That made Chaeyoung get curious about what happened in his mind.

“Are you working overtime tonight?” he asked her before he left.

Chaeyoung nodded. Jungkook then told her he would come over and he will walk her home. With a smile, Chaeyoung gave several little nods to show enthusiasm. Jungkook was indeed still pissed. He always come over every night yet this time he told her about it. People who saw Jungkook’s expression right now might be wanted to avoid him at any cost cause it’s so intimidating. But, it looked so cute in Chaeyoung’s eyes.

It’s not the first time Jongkook witnessed customers flirting with her. His blood was boiling, but he was helpless. The least he could do was something similar to what he did. He was aware that he had no right to act like a possessive boyfriend. To take it fairly, his status was also the same as that boy. There was nothing between them. It made him even more frustrated with himself. He was the one who choose to stay in this friend zone. Thanks to his cowardness made him afraid to get rejected.

The late realization and got dragged by the regret made Jungkook’s mood a bit down. He didn’t feel as energetic as usual and kind of lost his focus during the lesson. Even when the bell was ringing signaling the end of their lesson couldn’t lift his spirit. Usually, his energy would be fully charged as soon as the bell rang, and his feet would run over to the café. His friends who noticed his unusual behavior quickly take an emergency rescue. When they were walking out of the class, they were asking him to join them to have a drink. Since it's Friday night.

“Oh, I guess you won’t join us tonight, huh?” said Moonbin while smiling cheekily.

Jungkook couldn’t understand why he conclude it like that even before he gave his answer. Moonbin’s eyes then pointed to the lobby where Chaeyoung was sitting. Woojin nudged him with his elbow and told him to enjoy the date. Not satisfied with teasing him like that, they all together come over to Chaeyoung and sincerely asked her to take care of his friend. It made Jungkook so embarrassed that made his face turned all red. Chaeyoung was smiling and responding to their tease by saying Jungkook will be safe under her care.

The presence of Chaeyoung in his cram school lobby was a bit rare. Before Jungkook ever asked her about her occasion, she quickly dragged him outside. On their way to the bus station, she said the new employee will take care of the remaining shift. She should teach the new employee, but she asked her boss to leave early. The reason was that she wanted to treat Jungkook to dinner. She saw the result of the mock test and he got a good score. That’s why she wanted to celebrate it. As a gift from the tutor. Besides, she wanted to thank him for helping her get away with the flirty customer.

It’s the Japanese restaurant they visited before. Honestly, Jungkook didn’t like this place. Not because of the food but because of the memory. This place was the place he heard a bunch of kids badmouthing him and her. But, since Chaeyoung choose this, he didn’t say a word. Afraid she likes the food here.

“Won’t you ask anything?” asked Chaeyoung to Jungkook who still looked so lost. Chaeyoung choose the same table and the same menu just like the last time they visited.

Because she seems like she did it on purpose, Jungkook finally asked her about the reason she did this. And the answer completely made him touched. She said Jungkook had bad memories of this place, so she wanted to erase them by making a new happy memory. So that, he won’t hate the food and the place. Not only that, but she also said it was proof at what that kid said was unproven. He wasn't a failure and his choice was the right one. Seeing how well he did on the mock test showed that he was sincere and not joking about his future dream.

What she said truly melted his heart. Her thoughtfulness almost brought him to tears. It also made him even more greedy. He wanted her not only just a tutor, or a friend. He wanted more. Once again, his greediness only brought him regret. If he could turn back time, he wanted to go back to when she hasn’t met the others. Let her be his only treasure. At that time, he would throw away his pride and admit he loves her.

Regretting the past won't take him anywhere. Now his mind was back to the present. He said to himself he would make up for the past. Having a normal and fun conversation and getting to know her better. That's exactly one of the things he wanted to do with her. Unlike last time when they mostly ate in silence, this time they were having a proper conversation. They talked about anything. It made him feel so touched at how much their relationship had changed. They indeed got closer although he was still not at the same level as Jaehyun. At least, she didn’t feel awkward around him anymore.

Speak of the devil, Chaeyoung’s phone was ringing, and the screen showed Americano on it. It made Jungkook a bit anxious. Did Jaehyun want to snatch her from him again? While they were on the phone, Jungkook was trying to keep his cool and pretending not to listen to it by focusing on his gyoza. When the phone ended, he was nervously munching his food, waiting for her announcement. But, after a few seconds, she didn’t say anything, and her facial expression looked normal. Silently he breathed in relief because she didn’t have to go. But, there was something that still bothered him.

“You seem to save your contact with a nickname,” said Jungkook trying to open the way to fulfill his curiosity.

Without feeling suspicious, she explained it honestly. Korean usually had three syllables for their name. So, it would be confusing if they had similar names. So, she used a nickname to avoid calling the wrong person. A curiosity suddenly grew in Jungkook’s mind. He wanted to know his nickname. After waiting for a while and after they change their conversation topic, Jungkook secretly took his phone out and dialed her number.

Chaeyoung’s phone was ringing and there was no name displayed on the screen. It’s only a series of numbers. Jungkook took a close look at his phone, afraid he dialed the wrong number. But, he was right.

“Why are you calling me?” asked Chaeyoung feeling confused when looking at her phone screen.

“You… don’t save my number?” his voice wasn’t heard. more like he was mumbling. He was still in shock and disbelief after witnessing what just happened. It was far from what he expected. Don’t talk about the nickname, she didn’t even save his number.

“Ah, yes. I haven’t found the right name for you,” she casually responded about the shocking situation for another party.

Her casual answer was piercing through his heart once again. He thought he could erase the memory by creating a beautiful one. But seems like he was about to make an even worse memory.

“I don't save it, but I memorized it. Aside from my family, only Jisoo Unnie and your phone number that I memorized,” noticing the change in Jungkook’s expression, Chaeyoung quickly fixed her mistake.

Seems like Jungkook still think she was just trying to not make him sad. To prove it, Chaeyoung uttered his phone number which made Jungkook a bit surprised. So, she didn’t lie.

 

“What about me? What are you saving my contact’s name with?” without warning, Chaeyoung snatched Jungkook’s phone and dialed his number.

Jungkook suddenly became panicked and tried to get his phone back. It’s too late. Her face looked so weird while she gave it back to him.

“Jimin’s sister. Well… That’s not wrong though,” there was a disappointment in her voice.

Feeling guilty over it, without being told, Jungkook explained the history behind it. He admitted he erased her number and got it back again from Jimin. It was the time when Jimin asked him to his sister who came to the training camp to deliver his uniform. The time they met again after their big fight.

“Ay Ay Captain,” said Chaeyoung after he finished the history class.

It was such a random word to say. Jungkook frowned and without waiting for him to ask the meaning, Chaeyoung said it was his contact’s name before. Just like Jungkook, she also told him the behind story of that nickname. Well, it’s simply because he was the captain of his soccer club.

The mission to turn bad memories into beautiful ones could be considered successful. It almost turned into a disaster but in the end, it was a happy ending. There was no awkwardness and they felt so free to talk about the past fight. They could even turn it into a joke. With a happy stomach and happy heart, they were leaving the restaurant.

The time seems to run faster than usual. That was what Jungkook thought. In no time, they arrived at her apartment. As usual, Jungkook told her to come inside first. Before she climbed the stairs, she looked at him and thanked him for the good time. There was nothing special about what she said. Every night, she always being grateful and relayed it to him before she got inside. But, this night it seems very special. He didn’t want to say goodbye to her. He wanted to stay longer. But, he couldn’t say a word until she was climbing up the stairs. His chest started to feel stuffed and it felt like it was gonna burst if he didn’t do something.

“What’s wrong?” asked Chaeyoung when Jungkook suddenly hold her wrist when she was about to leave.

Jungkook who was as surprised as her suddenly took his hand off. He was too embarrassed because he did that without thinking. His body was moving based on the command of his heart not wanting her to leave. Thanks to it, now he should say something if he didn’t want it to be awkward.

“Oh… That’s... I wonder… Whether you are free tomorrow,” he just randomly said something in his head.

“Tomorrow… Hmm… I must go to my part-time job at the café as usual. Why?” she innocently answers his question.

“No. It’s okay,” although he just asking a random question, somewhat he felt disappointed.

“What’s that? I thought you want to ask me to hang out. If you say so, then, I can take a day off from work,” there was a disappointment in her voice.

Here comes another regret. Most of Jungkook’s friends said Jungkook was the bravest person they ever met. There was no sign of cowardness in his action. Even to the scary coach or strict teacher, he would speak up about what was on his mind. Strangely, he would turn into a total coward in front of her. His strong legs turn as weak as jelly when it comes to saying what he feels.

Like a snowball, the regret grew bigger when she was getting further. The glass door was opened after she entered the code. Before it got closed, Jungkook hurriedly ran towards the door and once again hold her wrist.

“Let’s go. Tomorrow,” he said it with sincerity that was shown in his big, rounded eyes.

“So, you decided to go hang out tomorrow instead of studying? Good decision. You should take a break once in a while,” the thought of skipping one day of work made Chaeyoung extremely happy. It’s been so long since she hung out during the weekend. All her friends were busy, so she always went to work.

“No. I don’t want to hang out with you,” his looked suddenly got so serious.

“Oh, alright… So...,” his serious face and his response made Chaeyoung wonder whether she heard his first statement wrong.

“Tomorrow… Let’s… Let’s go on a date,” with a blushing face, Jungkook finally said the words that had been hiding deep inside his heart.

***

It was two hours before their appointment time, yet Jungkook was all ready and now heading to her home. He was so excited, but he couldn't hide his nervousness. Last night, he was busy surfing on internet about what to do during the first date. But in the end, he came up with nothing. It was too cringe.

Now, he was already arrived and getting confused about what to do to kill these two hours. If he came too early, she might still not be ready yet. It would make her uncomfortable. Finally, he decided to just wait at the bus stop.

The bus door opened. Jungkook instinctively looked at it. He felt a bit alarmed because he was afraid, he would meet someone he knew. It will be a hard task to explain his existence at this bus stop. And what he feared of coming true. He saw Jimin had just gotten off the bus holding four big shopping bags in both of his hands. Jungkook was in dilemma whether he should help his junior or quickly hide from his crush’s brother. Except for Mingyu, no one knows about his feeling toward her. It will be awkward if he tells Jimin since they were close.

“Need help?” asked Jungkook to Jimin who almost dropped the mandarin from the bag.

The sudden offer made by Jimin didn’t question Jungkook’s presence in this neighborhood. Right now, he desperately needed his help. Seeing how Jimin didn’t get suspicious made Jungkook feel relieved. Now what he needs to do was just keep this flow and distract Jimin’s mind by making him busy talking. To start it, Jungkook asked about the groceries.

The need to rant out about his struggle made Jungkook’s strategy work well. Jimin said it was his turn to buy groceries. Usually, it’s not that much, but since Jin and Chaeyoung had a date, and they were preparing for their lunch box, they used most of the ingredients. It resulted in him buying twice the amount since the stock was run out.

“I can understand if Jin Hyung preparing the lunch box. He is good at cooking. But my noona, it’s a bit strange. She only brings herself because it’s always Jaehyun Hyung who prepares it. I guess she lost a bet that made her have to make the lunch boxes. It’s pretty rare seeing her woke up since dawn,” Jimin’s nags continued. His noona unusual behavior was the main reason he had to buy lots of groceries.

“You seem close with Jaehyun. You are not calling him sunbae,” Jungkook was a bit surprised at what he just said. He was regretting it a second after he said it. He cursed himself for being so petty over something trivial.

“Ah… Jaehyun Hyu… Sunbae is my sister’s friend before I got into high school. He hangs out with my sister a lot and used to come to our home. So… Hmm… I called him Hyung out of habit. I am sorry, Sunbae,” in Jimin’s eyes, what Jungkook said seemed like a warning. Even if they were close, he should still call Jaehyun a Sunbae. So that, there won’t be any misunderstanding between the soccer club members.

“What are you being sorry for? Well… we have already graduated anyway. You also… Can call me Hyung. I don’t mind,” Jungkook felt a bit embarrassed when he said it. Somehow it felt like he tried to win over his crush’s brother so that he could become his supporter.

Knew Jungkook wasn’t mad, made Jimin feel so glad. He knew all along that Jungkook wasn’t the conservative type and it was proved to be true. Besides, the fact he helped him bring the shopping was solid proof that he was a kind senior. Talking about help, Jimin just noticed how well-dressed Jungkook was today. Moreover, it’s a bit strange seeing him in this neighborhood. He might have a date with someone in this neighborhood.

“Sunbae, thank you so much for helping me. I hope I am not hindering you to go on your date,” Jimin once they were getting near to his apartment.

Jungkook was blushing. How did Jimin know about it? But he still had to play cool by saying he still had more than enough time before his appointment. He even didn't know how to kill those times. Jimin then offered to wait at his home. Besides, he wanted to serve him something to eat or drink as gratitude. That offer made Jungkook was blushing even more. That glass door was like a wall for Jungkook. He never crossed it and always stopped on the stairs when he walked her home. Now, he got invited to come over.

“Well… Sunbae if it will make you late, you don’t have to come,” Jimin felt a bit guilty when he saw Jungkook’s hesitant expression.

“No, it’s okay. I have plenty of time,” he quickly clarified it.

The beep sound was heard after Jimin pressed the code. After they entered, Jimin took the shopping bags from Jungkook and told him to take a seat in the living room. Jimin quickly went to the kitchen neither Chaeyoung nor Jin wasn’t there. He took a look at the dining table and there was only one piece of sandwich and sliced fruits. Not satisfied, Jimin was peeping into the picnic basket. His sister unexpectedly made visually pleasing food. Jimin then went to her room and knocked on her door to ask permission whether he could enter.

Chaeyoung was all ready to hang out. She only had to style her hair. Jimin got close to his sister and asked whether he could take some of the food from the picnic basket. Chaeyoung strongly refuse and said he could take the ugly one that she put on the dining table. Jimin frowned and said it was not for him but Jungkook.

“Then just serve him beverages,” said Chaeyoung.

Jimin knew Jungkook was part of the study group which Chaeyoung tutored. He ever heard from Taehyung they weren't getting along very well. But, Jimin didn’t know they hate each other till she told him not to serve food to Jungkook. Didn’t want to serve strange-looking food, and didn’t want to anger his sister, Jimin did what she suggested.

When Jimin was pouring hot water into a cup with a tea bag, Chaeyoung hurriedly went to the kitchen. It’s so unexpected to see her dressed up very quickly. She checked on the basket, looked around, and asked Jimin whether he saw a water bottle. Jimin helped her look for it. The water bottle was near the refrigerator. He handed it and she looked at it suspiciously, she believed it was not hers, but put it in the basket anyway since she was in hurry. Once again, she showed unusual behavior. Usually, she would make Jaehyun wait, the fastest was ten minutes. Now, Jaehyun hasn’t come yet, but she was ready.

The tea was served with sliced fruit. Not a good combination so Jimin had to apologize to Jungkook. Jungkook replied to him with formal language that made Jimin a bit surprised. He then teased Jungkook by saying to not get afraid of his sister. Just talk normally like he usually did. If anything happened, he would become his shield.

A few minutes later, Chaeyoung came out of her room, walked to the kitchen to get the basket, and hurriedly went to the living room.

“Noona, are you going now? But, Jaehyun Hyung hasn’t come yet,” asked Jimin.

“Jaehyunie? He will come here?” without lifting her face, Chaeyoung asked Jimin back while tying her shoelaces.

Jimin frowned. He didn’t know his sister was having a boyfriend. But why she didn’t tell him? Wait a minute. Jimin looked at Jungkook who still sitting nervously.

Don’t tell me…

“Let’s go Jungkook,” said Chaeyoung right after she stood up. Jungkook finished his tea, and without being told, grab the basket, and followed Chaeyoung to the door.

Jimin’s eyes widened with what he just witnessed. He suddenly got a sudden chill as he remembered he just spilled a lot to Jungkook regarding his sister.

“Noona… I am sorry,” said Jimin inside his heart.

***

“Why do you look so stiff?” asked Chaeyoung when they were on the bus, on the way to their date place.

Jungkook was looking out the window because he was feeling shy at her question. Because she didn’t get an answer, she asked him again. Just like another human who was falling in love, Chaeyoung’s cute voice was Jungkook’s weakness. Shyly, he answered that he was nervous because it was his first date. Moreover, he didn’t know what to do during their date.

Chaeyoung tried so hard not to show her smile. Once again, she was got attacked by Jungkook’s reverse charm. This guy had different sides to him. How come someone who had the tough, cool, and tsundere image turned out to be a softy cute bunny like this? It’s such an honor for Chaeyoung to witness this view.

“Don’t worry. I don’t know either. But the most important thing is we should enjoy it,” to not make Jungkook feel shyer, she gave out an encouraging response. Jungkook must read all the articles that were too cringe.

Now that they finally arrived at the bus station of their picnic site. It was Chaeyoung suggestion to go picnic on their date. It’s been on her bucket list to go on a picnic in spring. Sadly, she won’t be able to do it since she had no friends to go with. Jungkook who didn’t have any idea about what to do for their date immediately agreed with it. He let Chaeyoung plan everything.

The path to the picnic site was too beautiful. The cherry blossom trees painted the scenery with pink color. The falling flower petals also made the road change color. There were a lot of people because it was peak season, but it didn’t bother them. The scenery was pretty enough for them to ignore the crowd.

“You like it?” asked Chaeyoung who saw Jungkook’s fascinated expression.

Jungkook smiled widely and nodded. He said he never went to watch cherry blossom because it must be too crowded. Only tourists who come to watch it. He used to think why to bother to come here if he could see cherry blossom trees in his neighborhood. Now, he got caught by its charm and understand why people wanted to see it.

The road was a bit crowded so they were walking so close to each other. When they were walking, Chaeyoung overheard a conversation between a group of tourists behind them. They were talking about how they should bring the picnic basket and how envious they were of Chaeyoung and Jungkook. One of the girls said she wished her boyfriend would want to bring a cute picnic basket like Jungkook.

Since the tourists were talking using English, Jungkook didn’t pay attention to it like Chaeyoung. The last comment by the tourist made Chaeyoung think Jungkook must feel a bit embarrassed. So, she asked him to give the basket to her.

“You prepare it for us, and I am not doing anything. The least I can do is to bring it,” said Jungkook refusing her request.

“Thanks. I thought you will be embarrassed. You know, my brothers always refuse to bring that kind of basket because it’s too… Embarrassing. Even my friends too. It’s not embarrassing for her, it's just too bothersome,” Chaeyoung wasn’t lying about that. Lisa refused to bring it because usually, they will hang out in another place after the picnic. The basket couldn’t be folded so it become a hassle.

“Hmmm… I don’t mind though. It’s a picnic so we need a picnic basket, isn’t that, right?” Jungkook reassured her that he doesn’t mind it.

That honest smile made Chaeyoung feel glad. So, he didn’t feel forced to bring it.

The way to the picnic site was a bit far. Moreover, the road was crowded so they couldn’t walk fast. To kill the time, Chaeyoung suggested they play a game. The game was simple, a guessing game. The question was also very simple, and it involved the surrounding. Such as how many people riding a bicycle will go past them in ten seconds, what color the outfit of the person who walked behind them, and what kind of dog breed the person behind them brings. The winner of the game would ask the loser a question and if the loser couldn’t answer it, they should get the punishment by drinking a healthy Chinese herbal drink. It was a multistage game which she prepared in case they have nothing to do.

“You are such a liar,” said Jungkook after Chaeyoung explained the rule of the game.

“You said you didn’t know what to do during the date, yet you already prepared it,” he added once Chaeyoung showed a confused expression.

Didn’t want to get accused as a liar she immediately said Seokjin was the one who gave her the idea. Jungkook was smiling hearing her reason and it made her a bit embarrassed. In return, she launched an attack by saying Jungkook must read all the cringy articles about what to do during the first date.

The blood ran to Jungkook’s face because he got caught by her. He was getting more embarrassed when Chaeyoung asked him what the suggestion said. Couldn’t hide the embarrassment, Jungkook immediately change the topic by starting the game. Chaeyoung unconsciously uttered the word cute as a form of adoration for his shy reaction.

The first round of the game was won by Jungkook. So, he got the privilege to ask her a question. Didn’t know the limit of the question he could get asked, and because he was too nervous, he decided to ask a simple question. He asked her about her hobby. This time Chaeyoung couldn’t hold her laughter. She played this truth or dare game a lot with her friends. They, especially Blackpink members were too creative or could be read as cruel. They asked such a unique and tricky question. So, this kind of question looked so innocent in her opinion. But, to respect the rule, she answered it honestly.

The next round was Chaeyoung’s win. She waited for this moment to teach Jungkook how to play this game. As a warming-up question, she asked Jungkook about his ideal type. Jungkook was a bit taken aback by the question. He didn’t expect she would ask it.

“If in the count of three, you can’t answer, you should drink this delicious drink,” she threatened him.

His competitive side awakened and it made him answer without a second thought. Honestly, he didn’t have any. Disappointed, she then asked the following questions to force him to give a more detailed answer. Jungkook gave her a warning that it would be counted as a second question, but she defended herself by saying his answer was too vague.

“I am not asking another question. I just help you to give a more proper answer. You truly don’t have a girl you like before?”

“No, I don’t,”

“Then… am I your first love?”

“It’s another question,” Jungkook refused to answer.

Luckily, Chaeyoung lose other rounds so she didn’t get the chance to ask. Despite her consecutive losses, she was feeling satisfied because now Jungkook knows how to play the game. His question wasn’t too simple like before. It’s getting bolder and bolder each time.

“Among us, if you could choose, who would you like to be as your boyfriend?” Jungkook threw a question that he wondered about for so long.

“Dokyeomie,” she answered without hesitation.

“Why?” he asked out of reflex.

Chaeyoung gave a meaningful smile and Jungkook took a deep breath. He had to win the next game before he could get the answer. The frustration of being curious was lasting for longer. It was because they finally arrived at the picnic site. It was almost filled with people, so their eyes had to work extra hard to find an empty spot. They found a space under the tree on the edge of the site. Without saying anything they both move quickly so that other people won’t occupy it. Seems like their luck was good today because they successfully tag that place. Chaeyoung took out the picnic mat from the basket and lay it on the grass.

Haven’t eaten breakfast because they were too busy preparing for this date, added by walking by quite some distance made their stomach grumble in hunger. As soon as they sat down, Chaeyoung took out a lunch box, utensil, and two cans of soda. The lunch box that she opened contained sandwiches. When he found out, he was a bit disappointed. He hoped she would make a kimbap. Even if he only tried it once, he like it.

Although Jungkook didn’t say it or show disappointment, Chaeyoung somewhat could sense it. She then apologized if it was not to his liking. Jungkook immediately shook his head and said he loves a sandwich. Frequently eating dinner in a sandwich restaurant was solid proof. He also praised how good the sandwich was.

“Honestly, I thought you would pack kimbap. I don’t say your sandwich is bad. I do love it and it is delicious. But I do love your kimbap. You know the one you brought on my graduation day,” to not make her misunderstand, he braved himself to say what he was truly thinking.

Chaeyoung’s face looked so surprised. It was the first time she heard someone truly like her kimbap to the point they wanted to eat it again. Since kimbap always tasted the same so she never expects someone to especially like it. Now, she could understand the joy of cooking. When someone finished the food and compliment the taste made she wanted to cook for them again. That made her promise Jungkook that she will make kimbap next time.

While they were enjoying their brunch, Jungkook was explaining his first answer about the ideal type. He once adored his classmate in elementary school. She had sporty look. She was a part of the athletics team during elementary school. That girl had short hair, always dressed in something comfortable and so friendly. During middle school, he likes a senior whom he met every day on the bus ride. Her appearance was completely different from his first crush. She was having long straight black hair, dressed neatly and elegantly, and her voice was as gentle as her appearance.

“But, if talk about first love, honestly, I don’t even remember her face. My first love is someone from your school. I saw her at tteokpokki stall. Eating tteokpokki while reading a book and had an earphone on her ears. I am not good at remembering people’s faces, so I don’t remember. One thing for sure, my heart suddenly beating so fast when I saw her,” he said.

 The falling petals and the pinkish scenery matched their conversation topic. Chaeyoung listened to him attentively and when he reached the part about his first love, she suddenly got goosebumps. She stopped sipping her soda and suspiciously looked at Jungkook. Being stared at like that made Jungkook wonder what he did wrong.

“You are not trying to flirt, aren’t you?”

“What? No. I just talking about my first love. Is that considered flirting?”

“But your first love. Why do the descriptions sound like me?”

“Hahaha…  I am truly telling you the truth. Like I said I don’t remember her face, so, there must be a possibility it was you. But really, I don’t think she was you,”

“You are right. There are a lot of girls who look like that. But don’t you think it will be very drama-like if it’s true?”

“But, I prefer not to know it,”

“Why?”

“Cause people said first love never works,”

This time it was Chaeyoung who blushed. This guy was a smooth talker. How could he flirt like it was a normal thing? She had to admit his flirting skills improved a lot. Or maybe he already has it but never shows it. It’s not surprising remembered he hang out a lot with Mingyu, Jaehyun, and Taehyung. Those three were as smooth as silk.

Their conversation continued as they talked about so many things. They were used to having this kind of conversation but today was different. The topic was kind of more private. Unlike before when they started to ask questions after playing a round of games, now they asked naturally.

Sat for too long slowly made their backs ache. Chaeyoung slowly moved over to the three behind her to lean her back. Jungkook noticed it and hurriedly warned Chaeyoung not to lean on it. She quickly moved her body and looked at the tree. There were lots of ants on it so it could be dangerous. She was really sad because the only hope was gone and now she should fight over the pain.

“Should we sit back-to-back? My back kind of hurts too,” Jungkook suggested a solution and she agreed with it immediately.

The emergency to saving their backs from aching didn’t make them think further. When they were about to set a position, awkwardness suddenly appeared. But both of them couldn’t just cancel it and started to play cool. Now they were sitting back-to-back, slowly they moved their backs closer until they were lean against each other. When it was time for their head, they weren’t being careful and it bumped. This little accident made them laugh and at the same time swept away the awkwardness.

With a bottle of soda in their hand, they started to look at the sky and the surrounding. For the first time, they stopped talking and just focused on the view. A lot of thoughts were running in both of their heads.

“It’s so pretty. I wonder when will we be able to enjoy this kind of serenity again? Aren’t we supposed to enjoy it now? Like an old movie where the youth was living their fullest when they are still young. I guess for our generation, it’s just a fever dream. Living in the cram school, stuck at the desk, studying nonstop after graduating, looking for a job, busy working to make a living, busy with family are the reality that we live in,” Chaeyoung started her rhetorical out of the blue.

“We are so busy that makes us neglect God’s gift. We harmed the body and soul He gave us. We kept torturing it. Even resting felt like wasting time. We kept blaming the world, the system, and the people who created it. Yet, in the end, we are the ones who hurt ourselves. Living diligently to make up for the expectation. We just give punishment but never the reward,” Chaeyoung stopped her speech and sipped the last remaining drop of the cola.

The breeze was so comfortable that made her a bit sleepy. She closed her eyes and smelled the spring that was transmitted by the air. Spring was supposed to be a good fresh start but just minutes ago she talked about something depressing. That fact made her open her eyes and felt sorry for Jungkook. What if she transmitted negative energy to the student who was preparing for the big exam?

Having the urgency to wash away the negative energy, Chaeyoung slowly moved her back, changed her sitting position, then took out another lunch box filled with sliced fruits. She offered Jungkook and he nodded. She was looking inside the basket to look for the utensils and found the tumbler that contained the herbal drinks. She took it out while giggling. She said it will be a waste because they didn’t take a sip of it. Jungkook then suggested playing another game. There was one question he wanted to ask. She was smiling and nodding. To be true, she will answer his questions even without the game. But, since she wanted to make him forget about her rhetoric, she agreed.

This time, they guessed how much melon was in that lunch box. After counting it by one, Jungkook's guess was the closest, so he won. He then asked why Chaeyoung choose Dokyeom. She laughed because she just remembered that topic got forgotten because they were busy securing their place. She then said it was because Dokyeom was very kind. Although his kindness sometimes made him look so naive, he was the kind of person whom people were comfortable with. Also, unlike his appearance, surprisingly he was a sensitive guy and knew how to set boundaries. What’s more important was that he treated Nayeon with so much respect and love. It showed how much he loves her.

Jungkook responded by saying Chaeyoung had keen eyes. She knew him not too long, but she pointed out some crucial points. Actually, inside his heart, he was relieved because she chooses Dokyeom over others. Even Jungkook knew he won’t be able to beat Dokyeom in terms of securing people’s hearts. After that question, they were continuing to play games while enjoying the fruits.

The lunch box was finally empty, and they decided to play the final round. Chaeyoung suggested the loser should drink a glass of herbal drinks. Unlike Chaeyoung, Jungkook suggested the loser had to fulfill the winner’s wish. As for the drink, if the loser can’t answer the question from the winner, then they must finish the entire bottle. She had no problem with it and signed an imaginary pact.

The last game was the simplest one. It’s the rock, paper, scissor game. Once again, it was Jungkook’s idea. The game was three sets and without reaching the third, Jungkook already won it. Chaeyoung was preparing her heart to hear his question. Since it was the last game, he might throw a question that will be super hard to answer.

“The question… Hemm… I will save it for later,” his statement made her protest. But Jungkook didn’t pay attention to it. He defended himself by saying he still hasn’t thought of the ultimate question yet. Chaeyoung then bargained saying it might count as a wish. Jungkook then suggested taking out the herbal drink punishment to make it even. She nodded in agreement. Now, what was left was his wish.

“My wish is… I want you to listen to what I say without interrupting. Just listen. Is that okay?” although he was the winner, he still asking for her permission.

His wish was a bit simple. It made her suspicious. What if he confessed to her again but this time he demands an answer? Or, perhaps… it was the opposite? No matter what, her stomach suddenly felt uncomfortable. As if something was in there to make her feel excited, anxious, nervous, and any other feelings that were hard to describe.

After putting down the fork and putting away the empty lunch box, Jungkook now moved his sitting position and now sitting face to face with her. He reached out both of his hands and asked Chaeyoung whether he could hold hers. He then took his phone out and set a timer to three minutes. He promised her it would only take three minutes. She looked a bit hesitant but then she reached her hands out. Gently, he held her hands and he put their hands on his knees. He took a deep breath before he started.

“Chaeyounga,” he started by calling her name in his soft voice.

 

“Yes?” she responded but then muttered sorry because she forgot the rules. She didn’t suppose to respond. Jungkook scoffed and said it was okay. Because she made a mistake, Jungkook retook it by calling her name again. This time she just smiled while looking into his eyes.

“Thank you for spending your time today for me. Thank you for bringing me here to see the beautiful scenery. Thank you for waking up at dawn to prepare these delicious meals. Thank you for making me comfortable on my first date. Thank you for sharing your life with me,” Jungkook paused because he had to organize his feeling. His hands now held her hands tighter. He felt bad and now he loosened his grip. Before he continued, he let out a deep nervous breath.

“Chaeyounga, thank you for patiently teaching me. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for always helping my friends. Thank you for all the encouragement and support you gave me. Thank you for being a good friend, a good older sister, and a good daughter to us. Thank you for always making us rest assured. Thank you for working so hard. Thank you for always being someone dependable. Thank you for enduring all of it although it’s hard,”

The timer was ticking and the time was almost up. Jungkook moved his eyes away for a second because he thought he might lose himself. After calming down for a moment, he was back on her again.

“Chaeyounga, I know I can’t offer a lot to repay all the things you gave me. But, I want you to know, if it’s getting too hard, then I can always take you out to see beautiful spring. And also… Thank you so much for always greeting me with a smile every morning. Thank you for always becoming our sunshine,”

The timer was ringing and Jungkook slowly loosened his hand to let her hand go. After saying all of that, his face now boiling red. He cut the eye contact as soon as possible and awkwardly looked to the ground, didn’t have any courage to lift it.

Unlike Jungkook who was holding on to his embarrassment, Chaeyoung was trying to hold on to her tears. What he did was very unexpected. She thought he would do something about his feeling toward her, but it was unexpected. Being attacked like that was too overwhelming for her. But somehow, she didn’t want to show her crying face to him. After he released her hands, she quickly wiped her tears that almost poured down. With a speed of light, she stood up and excuse herself. She said she wanted to buy water since they were run out of it. She was the loser so she should be the one to go.

On her way to the convenience store, she burst into tears. But, because she was in a public place, she quickly wiped it out whenever it started to fall. She also didn’t look behind because she didn’t want Jungkook to see her crying ugly face.

The convenience store was located a bit far from the picnic site. It took almost 20 minutes for her to go back and forth. She kind of regrets her choice. But it will be weird if she came back empty-handed. That’s why she had no choice but to go.

When Chaeyoung was back, Jungkook wasn’t there. There were only the picnic mat and the basket. She thought maybe Jungkook went to the toilet, so she checked on her phone. Wondered whether Jungkook messages her about his whereabouts. But there was no message. Chaeyoung then tried to call him, but he didn’t answer. Now, she was looking around the area, hoping she would see Jungkook on another picnic mat visiting his friend, but the result was disappointing. He was nowhere to be found.

“Hey, miss, are you looking for your boyfriend?” called an old lady who was sitting near them. Chaeyoung nodded without being bothered to correct her if Jungkook was just a friend. She then walked closer to her. The old lady told her that her boyfriend went jogging.  Chaeyoung was frowning because it sounded so absurd. Could sense she was skeptical, the middle-aged lady who seemed like her friends told Chaeyoung that her boyfriend seems drunk. That statement made Chaeyoung even more confused. Although it’s very hard to believe, Chaeyoung was thanking them for the information and excused herself.

The ladies’ explanation was totally hard to believe. How could Jungkook be drunk? Moreover, he went jogging. That’s absolutely absurd. Why should he be working out in the middle of the date? But those ladies seem very sure with what they see. While packing out the picnic equipment, Chaeyoung felt something was off. The herbal drinks tumbler felt lighter. She opened it, and an unfamiliar smell was leaking out. She smelled it more deeply and found the fainted smell of alcohol beneath the medicine aroma. The whole bottle was empty so she couldn’t taste it. Something was strange here. She then called Jimin about the content of the bottle. Jimin said he didn’t know anything. He then said maybe it got switched with Jin Hyung.

“WHAT???? Are you pouring a strong liquor in there? Oppa!” Chaeyoung was holding her forehead with her left hand while the other was holding a phone. When Jimin told him it got switched, she called Jin right away. The tumbler looked a bit similar which might be the cause of him taking the wrong one. Jin then said that’s why he wondered why his friends not getting drunk although they were gulping down the whole bottle.

 

What those ladies said was true. After packing up the picnic mat and tidying, she went up to those ladies again. She apologized first and asked them whether they saw which direction he went. Kindly, those ladies told her the direction. After thanking them for the information, Chaeyoung went to the bike-renting place. She rented it for an hour. Since she was gone for about 20 minutes and considering Jungkook’s physical strength, he might go too far if it was reached by foot.

Pedaling at a maximum safest speed in this area, Chaeyoung was focusing her mind to find the jogging man. She was pedaling for ten minutes now but couldn’t find any trace of him. At this point, she doubted Jungkook was jogging. He must be sprinting. Her legs started to shake, so she slowed down the speed.

“PARK CHAEYOUNG!!!” Chaeyoung stopped the bike when she heard her name get called. She looked around and found Jungkook sitting on the bench on the side of the road. She got off the bike and walk it to the bench. She then parked the bike behind the bench so that it won’t disturb another pedestrian.

At a glance, Jungkook didn’t look like someone drunk. It made Chaeyoung throw simple multiple questions at him. Surprisingly he answered it right. To confirm it again, she asked whether he was tipsy. Confidently he said he was not. He just felt a bit sleepy after jogging.

“Do you know what you drank?” she asked Jungkook out of curiosity.

“I don’t know. I thought it was herbal medicine like you said. But somehow, there was a taste of alcohol,” although he said he wasn’t tipsy, from his voice, Chaeyoung could tell it was not true.

“If you know it was liquor, then why did you gulp down the whole bottle?” she was feeling guilty because he drank the wrong beverage. Yet, at the same time angry because he just drink it although he already knew there was something wrong with it.

“Cause I don’t want you to drink that bitter beverage. I know your character. You won’t break the rule and will never beg to be excused from punishment. You are so strong and independent, that’s what I like about you. But I don’t want to see you suffer. So, I drank it all,” Jungkook was muttering his honest feeling. This time, he didn’t feel shy and do it like it was a usual thing he said.

Chaeyoung was smiling after she heard it. This guy was definitely drunk, and his drinking habit must be he will become extremely honest. From what she heard from the study club members, Jungkook, along with Jaehyun was the strongest when it comes to drinking. Now, she knew he was weak with Chinese liquor. Witnessing drunk Jungkook would be one of the historical events. It made her thought of the mischievous thing.

It felt a bit unethical, but she was curious. Once again, she asked Jungkook about her food. Even in this state, Jungkook still gave the same answer. Not satisfied, she asked him about her looks for today. Without being shy, he complimented her by saying she was totally pretty today. She was already pretty but this day especially, she looks so gorgeous. Instead of him, it was Chaeyoung who was blushing because she felt really shy.

“About your wish earlier, why did you do it?” Chaeyoung threw the question that she was deadly curious about.

Jungkook who slowly got sleepier was having a bit hard time recalling which wish she referred to. She then explained it clearly to him. Jungkook nodded as he finally recalled it.

“Because you are more than deserves to be loved and complimented. Besides, I want to show you how much I like you and how much I am being grateful to you. I want to return what you give. You are always the one who showers us with compliments. You always be our supporter. You are always the one who loved us unconditionally. So, this time I want to be the one who does it to you. Of course, I am nothing like you, but I want to do it,” he showed her a beautiful smile that made her heart suddenly pound so fast. Once again, she felt so shy that made her looked away, couldn’t stand seeing his loving eyes.

To change the atmosphere, she handed out a water bottle to him. Jogging for quite some time might make him thirsty. He took it and drank it. To make him forget about the previous question, she threw another question about why he suddenly went jogging and left all their belongings unattended. Jungkook looked surprised and quickly apologized. He said he suddenly felt overwhelming energy sip down onto his body. If he didn’t let it out, he was afraid he would suddenly turn into a superhero.

What he said was too absurd that cracked her up. She laughed so hard that even made her shed tears. Besides being honest, doing some exercise was this guy's drinking habit. She was being lucky Jungkook not suddenly do push up or sit up on the street. If not, she would be embarrassed to the point she will pretend to not know him.

“Chaeyounga,” called Jungkook.

“Yes?” Chaeyoung was still laughing and busy wiping the tears that came out.

“There is something I am so curious about,” said Jungkook with a serious but tipsy voice.

“What is it?” she finally stopped laughing and now properly looking at him.

His eyes were fixated on hers. That intense stare made her a bit nervous. He then raised his hands and gently cupped her cheeks. The coldness of his hands was transferred to her cheek that made her heart suddenly beat out of control. Slowly he got closer, and closer made the distance between them was getting shorten, and shorten.

***