chapter 21
the psychology of good studentsIt’s Thursday morning, which means only one thing: Jooyoung is out of her room way too early for her liking. Also, she hasn’t combed her hair. And she has her usual weekly student government meeting.
Minseok grins at her when she comes in, but quickly goes back to his laptop. He’s been insanely busy in this period of time with his residency and all, but he’s still been doing all the accounting and settling of funds for the student government, and turning up for as many meetings as he can, even though he doesn’t even have time for proper sleep. That’s why Jooyoung is so grateful to him and trusts him so much.
That’s also why Jooyoung doesn’t feel the same towards Krystal Jung.
Krystal walks into the meeting today clutching her head, and drops herself — still elegantly — into her chair. Jooyoung refuses to mind her because it’s evident she’s exaggerating her actions for attention.
“I have a headache,” she groans, as if it isn’t obvious enough. With the fading away of the drama caused by the lying incident, she’s been also treating Jooyoung with less awkwardness than at first, even though Jooyoung’s perspective on her hasn’t changed since.
“I can tell,” Jooyoung says monotonously. But then her conscience acts up so she digs mindlessly in her bag for the paracetamol she carries around just in case, and tosses it to Krystal. Not that she’s feeling empathy for Krystal. She’s just being a decent human being.
“You’re so sweet! Thanks, Vicey,” Krystal says in a voice overly-enthusiastic for just two pills. She’s probably hungover, Jooyoung knows. There was some big party going on last night but obviously, she and Kyungsoo had better things to do than to go. Krystal probably got too drunk there. As expected.
Krystal seems to notice her staring unconsciously, so she swallows the pills quickly and begins to strike a conversation. “I have no time for anything these days, gosh. Everything is just piling up. The headache probably came because of that?”
Jooyoung almost feels a prick of sympathy for her, because she's felt that way before. But then she sees her perfectly manicured nails run through her perfectly curled hair, framing her perfectly made-up face. Right, she has no time for anything except for caking herself with beauty products.
Krystal’s fingernails drop down to her keyboard and Jooyoung resists the urge to scoff, especially when she opens up a document she’s supposed to present and it’s half-empty.
“Hey, Vicey. I’ve been really busy recently, can I present next week? Like, I know it’s due next weekend and we probably do need to make edits, but I promise I’ll work hard to finish my work!”
Jooyoung holds in her rising anger. She isn’t a confrontational person by nature, even when she disagrees with someone’s opinion, she just gets internally upset all the time.
It’s the same this time. “Fine,” she says eventually. And honestly she isn’t sure sometimes whether she’s letting people step all over her by giving so many concessions, or she’s just being a decent person.
Krystal splays her arms out wide and grins, like she’s initiating a hug. Jooyoung pretends not to see. The only person she would willingly hug at this moment — besides her parents, of course — is Kyungsoo, and only Kyungsoo.
Seeing Jina at the store again for her shift is like returning home. It’s just a part time job but for some reason, Jooyoung’s grown so attached to the metallic counter, to the chime of the door, to the friend she’s made. And Jina’s been gone so long because of her residency it seems like ages since the both of them sat behind the counter and talked about everything, and nothing.
Today they discuss Professor Park. Then the topic is shifted forcefully to Kyungsoo, because Jina’s all about the juicy stuff and Jooyoung’s all happy to tell. And then about Jina’s involuntary weight loss from all her stress from residency. But it slowly drifts back to Jina’s favourite topic, celebrities.
“Did you change your lockscreen everyday in the hospital?” Jooyoung asks as a joke. She tries to imagine a Jina wrapped in a white coat, caged in a small resting room, desperately scouring through Twitter for fansite pictures, and can’t help but laugh.
“Please. I wish I had the time to do that.” Jina rolls her eyes, burying her head in her hands.
“Then who’s your lockscreen? Still the short guy?” Jooyoung reaches over and tries to grab Jina’s face-down phone, but she intercepts and pockets it quickly, avoiding her gaze.
“Hmm?” Jooyoung curiosity is piqued — Jina’s never tried to hide her phone before, not even when she set a picture of some guy’s abs as her lockscreen. It’s strangely suspicious.
“Show me.”
“No.” Jina shakes her head adamantly. She places a firm hand on the pocket of her vest but Jooyoung’s not letting that hinder her. She tickles Jina’s weak spot and before they know it the phone is in Jooyoung’s hands, and she feels like a champion.
“There’s no need to hide anything from me,” Jooyoung mumbles as she switches the phone on.
Jina’s lockscreen is a candid picture of Minseok in scrubs in the hospital, looking very messed up, but still as professional as ever. Minseok! And not a celebrity!
“Choi Jina!” Jooyoung gushes, and she merely hides her face in embarrassment. Jina doesn’t even seem to flinch at Jooyoung’s bone-crushing hug.
“What...” She mumbles, her ears a deep shade of red.
“You didn’t tell me about Minseok! Since when has your relationship come this far? How? Does he know?”
“Don’t overreact,” Jina says, her face still flushed. “It’s just a crush right now. I’m not too sure whether I really want this or not. You know me. I’m indecisive as heck.”
“But Minseok is a good choice for the first non-celebrity crush I’ve seen you have in literally forever,” Jooyoung teases.
“Yeah, but I do need some time to think about it, so don’t try anything funny.”
“Okay, I get it,” she assures. “You can trust me.”
Jina narrows her eyes playfully at Jooyoung, before they dart to the door, and then she starts laughing. “Hey, look whose man is here.”
Jooyoung turns around in anticipation, because who else can it be? She’s slightly sorry to admit but the moment she sees Kyungsoo step into the store with a shirt she’s never seen before, she forgets about the whole Minseok and Jina thing in no time.
“You’re wearing a weird shirt today,” she opines, hopping off the counter. It isn’t weird, really, it’s just different because he doesn’t usually wear graphic tees, but she just likes to like that. He’s the best to tease.
Kyungsoo pinches his shirt. “I found it in my closet when I was clearing it the other day,” he says casually, then tilts his head and tentatively opens his arms wide for Jooyoung to leap into.
Jina is watching (and making unnecessary squeaking noises) but Jooyoung doesn’t care. She can’t help the smile on her face as she wraps her arms around his waist, breathing in the scent of his new shirt. It still smells like Kyungsoo and it’s amazing, especially when she’s buried in his coat and her whole world is him.
He ruffles her hair and she ducks. “You came to the store because you missed me, right?” Jooyoung teases again, although she knows it’s true.
But he groans instead and pulls her away, making her laugh. “Can’t I visit the convenience store in peace?” He says exasperatedly.
Kyungsoo turns around and abruptly walks away, his hands in his coat. Then he checks out some packaged bread before bringing it to the counter, where Jina automatically reaches out for Jooyoung’s wallet under the counter to pay for the food. But today Kyungsoo pulls out a crumpled note from his pocket and pays for the bread himself.
“Ooh,” Jina says, taking the note from him. Kyungsoo laughs.
He sweeps Jooyoung back behind the counter when he’s bought the bread, telling her not to mind him. Then he selects the table nearest to the counter and takes out his laptop to do his assignment. His arms are propped onto the table as he types and he’s sitting up straight, so his shoulders look really broad. And his eyebrows are slightly furrowed together in a serious expression.
As if it’s possible not to mind him when he looks so good studying.
“Do Kyungsoo!” Jooyoung calls, sitting herself down on the stool beside Jina. He looks up from his work at his name, and she gestures for him to move behind. “Go away. You’re distracting me.”
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, but grabs his stuff and moves one table back, before looking at her reaction again. It’s still a no because she can still see the veins on his arms, and it’s horribly tempting. So he shifts all the way back to the table furthest from the counter. Jooyoung grunts in approval, but Jina nudges her.
“You’re so mean to him,” she says, but Jooyoung just shrugs.
“He owes me because I’ve bought him so much food and stuff.”
Jina laughs. “You’re also beginning to talk like him.”
“Not true,” Jooyoung says, scrunching her nose, and they both settle back into their seats, letting a silence sweep over them.
“He has a boyfriend vibe today,” Jina comments. They both are staring at Kyungsoo and watching him work, having nothing better to do because there are no customers.
“You’re not allowed to steal my baby,” Jooyoung jokes. “Go back to Minseok.”
“Ew, you’re gross. And excuse me, but no one ever mentioned anything about stealing.” Jina rolls her eyes.
“You insinuated it.”
“You’re horrible,” Jina laughs, then jerks her chin up in the direction of Kyungsoo, gesturing for Jooyoung to go. “Can you please be a good girlfriend and accompany him? He looks so bored studying.”
It’s a tempting proposition, but she’s still a loyal friend. “But you’ll be lonely.”
“I want to call Minseok, and I don’t want you here,” Jina says casually, and although Jooyoung can’t tell for sure whether she’s telling the truth, she decides to give her the benefit of the doubt. She smiles teasingly at her, before hopping off the seat and going towards Kyungsoo.
He looks up when Jooyoung comes to the table and closes his laptop shut immediately. Then he smiles at her.
“I waited for long. I missed you,” he says breezily, tugging her down to sit on the chair beside his. When she does, he hooks his leg to the chair closer to pull it closer. She plays with his pen and swings her legs, not wanting to look into his eyes because she’s blushing. Badly.
“Have you eaten?” She asks instead, because she knows Kyungsoo takes meals very seriously. He nods and she smiles in relief. It’s near three in the afternoon and honestly, she hasn’t eaten yet because of her shift right after class, but knowing that he’s eaten makes her feel just a little less empty.
Then Kyungsoo slides the bread he’d bought across the table such that it’s right in front of her. “Eat this,” he says, pulling its wrapper open. “I know you didn’t have lunch yet.”
Jooyoung loves it when Kyungsoo fusses over her like this. Yes, she’s all about the idea of her being a strong, independent woman, but being looked after and loved by someone is a wonderful, wonderful feeling. But then again, she doesn’t like to feel as if she’s a burden, so she doesn’t allow that very often.
Hence Jooyoung shakes her head when he hands the bread to her. “No, you eat it. It’s one of your favourite flavours. And you’re the one who bought it, not me.”
“I’m your boyfriend, I’m supposed to buy you things.”
“Still. It’s unnecessary,” she says, throwing back to him the same thing he says all the time.
But he looks all the more shocked at her words. “What do you mean unnecessary! It’s you, everything’s necessary when it comes to you,” he exclaims, ing the bread even closer to her lips now. “Here. Eat it or I’ll break up with you.”
“Don’t say things like this,” she mumbles, then takes the bread from his hands. She’s feeling so shy, goodness, and when he ruffles her hair she swears she’s back to being a baby all over again. The bread is just regular, packaged convenience store house brand bread, but today’s loaf is so sweet and so soft she can taste love in it.
It is late in the night when Jooyoung makes her trip downstairs to get a drink from the vending machine again. She’s feeling light and happy because she just called Kyungsoo and although she promised him she’s going to sleep soon, she needs to finish something up, so she goes to grab a coffee.
But strangely there’s no stress today, she just has work to do and it’s just there. Jooyoung feels surprisingly calm about the incomplete assignment, and she guesses it’s because she’s been really happy recently and nothing is penetrating her high mood.
When she goes down, she sees Krystal and a big group her friends at a corner of the cafeteria, beer cans on the table. They are laughing and talking so loudly Jooyoung almost feels annoyed, but she knows she’s being biased just because Krystal’s there, so she tries to stop herself. Although she can’t help but think that if Krystal has a headache she shouldn’t be drinking more.
She decides to ignore them and goes to buy her drink.
And when she turns back and her eyes wander to the group again, she realises Krystal isn’t there anymore. Her absence is abrupt and swift and she is confused for a moment, so she tries to search around for Krystal, but she is nowhere to be seen.
Hm.
Jooyoung’s always known that Kyungsoo’s too sociable for his own good. And maybe because of that too, he’s too kind for his own good — she’s never seen him reject anyone nor walk away from someone he doesn’t want to speak to.
So when she spots him from across the corridor, pressed up against the wall while a small group of girls corner him there with their tiny waists and twirly hair, she is ready to protect him at all costs. The prospect of her being the knight for once is motivating her to no end.
The girls are pretty, and look like they can pounce on him anytime, but she’s not jealous. (Okay, it is a bit sour in her heart, but she gets over it quickly.) She knows Kyungsoo well enough to know he’s not in for shallow things like external beauty, and he will love her, and her only. Instead Jooyoung just feels a little sorry for him because he has to bear their squeaky giggles and high-pitched voices and who knows how long he’s already been standing there torturing himself for. She can see him squirm ever so slightly but because he’s Mr. Friendly he keeps a smile on his face. She knows, however, the small habits he has that shows he’s uncomfortable, like the curling of his fingers behind his back and bouncing on his heels.
Self-proclaimed Knight Jooyoung marches over to the group, and when Kyungsoo sees her as she draws near, his eyes light up visibly. It’s super endearing. She slides herself in front of the girls and latches herself onto Kyungsoo’s arm, resting her head on Kyungsoo’s shoulder.
“Honey, you said you were going to pick me after class.” Jooyoung pouts, doing her best impression of the cutesy girls she sees on the Internet. She can’t believe she’s doing this and she’s cringing internally so badly, but if it can save Kyungsoo without making him lose face, then it’s alright.
Kyungsoo looks shell-shocked. For a second he doesn’t respond, but she nudges him lightly, and he seems to break away slightly from his reverie. “Er, y-yeah.”
She clenches her teeth — he has no idea how to play along, does he? Taking in a sharp breath, she continues speaking in the awfully cutesy voice. “But you didn’t, honey. You’re a bad boy.”
He’s still staring at her like he can’t do anything else. “Y-Yeah.”
“I didn’t know you have a girlfriend,” one girl says, her voice somehow still managing to be higher than Jooyoung’s. Kyungsoo just slowly nods, and Jooyoung daren’t look at the girls because, oh my goodness, this is so embarrassing. She’s just hoping they would take the hint and leave.
There’s a few moments of silence because Jooyoung’s run out of lines, and Kyungsoo’s not saying anything, and the girls are just watching them. It gets excruciating and when she can’t take it anymore she grabs Kyungsoo by the arm.
“Honey, let’s go home!” She mumbles in a rush, not caring whether it came out cute or not (probably not, though). Then she pulls him along and he follows dumbly as they bolt away.
They walk for what seems like ages in continued silence, and Jooyoung can feel Kyungsoo’s stare on her the entire time.
“Stop staring,” she snaps, flustered.
Kyungsoo doesn’t. Instead, he stops in his tracks and rubs his neck, looking all shy. “Can you... can you...”
“What?”
“Can you call me ‘honey’ again?” Kyungsoo asks bashfully, his ears turning red.
“Please don’t make me do that,” she groans, but inside her heart is thumping fast. Did she just entrance Kyungsoo with her pet name?
“Just one more time,” he pleads.
“Go away.”
Kyungsoo chuckles, and it seems like he’s broken out of whatever spell he was put under just now that rendered him speechless and incoherent for that long while. He protectively places a hand on her waist and pulls her close. Then he dips down slightly and whispers into her ear, “Han Jooyoung, you drove me crazy just now. So crazy.”
a/n: I'M NOT SURE IF YOU GUYS EVEN REMEMBER JINA AND MINSEOK INTERACTING HAHAHA but here
and!!! stuff is coming just telling y'alls first
I OWED SO MANY OF YOU REPLIES i’m so sorry!! just replied to everyone i hadn’t replied to aaa but i hope everyone’s having a great 2019 so far! i think it’ll take a while before my next story because of circumstances.... but i promise i’ll be back :”)
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