CHAPTER 3 – February 8/19

“No!” Jungkook brushed his hair back, feeling hot around his collar. “I mean, it would be lovely to spend some time with you, noona.”

Jieun smiles, “Perfect, let’s just walk around for now.”

Jungkook nods his head, joining into a conversation with the older girl. They had shared their hobbies—both love to play the guitar though Jungkook had admitted that he only knew the basics.

“I can teach you some more if you would like. Only if you aren’t busy since I know how stressful senior year is,” said Jieun.

“That would be great,” He managed to utter out.

“Oh, I also booked a movie this evening, would you like to come and watch it with me?” Ask Jieun, showing the two tickets that she had bought earlier that morning.

“O-oh y-yes, yeah. Cool.” He managed to stutter out. He followed Jieun’s lead into the theatre, taking a seat next to her. The movie, was a romantic one, and to be frank, Jungkook wasn’t into those classic romance one but today. Today felt like it was a perfect evening to watch a cheesy film about a boy and a girl‘s romantic story with each other.

He glanced over to his right, seeing the petite girl so mesmerize with the film. Her amber brown eyes never once leaving the screen. He looked around the theatre, everyone else was a couple and were giggling, hugging or holding each other’s hands. He shifted in his seat, stretching his hands up as he sneaked it on the top of Jieun’s chair.

So close yet so far from cuddling her shoulders.

The temperature in the theatre must have been a bit too low because halfway through the movie, Jieun had unconsciously leaned over closer to Jungkook, seeking some type of warmth.

Jungkook sat still, stiffly deciding whether he was allowed to finally remove his arm on top of the chair and actually physically wrap it around Jieun’s shoulder or would it seem too obvious and forced.

He held his breath, slowly lowering his right arm until it settle around Jieun’s shoulders, who didn’t seem to have notice the new pair of arm wrapped around her shoulders.

In fact, she seem to have decided to cuddle into the warmth of Jungkook’s arm—it was like a dream come true for Jungkook as he stayed like that for the rest of the movie.

Jieun got up as soon as the ending credits started rolling up. Until the end, she never noticed his arm, which Jungkook was both thankful and not thankful for.

“That was a good movie,” she praised, pulling Jungkook up from his seat. “Why is your arm like that?”

“Don’t mind me,” he said, trying to put down his arm. “My arm just fell asleep.”

Jieun nodded her head, “I’ll drive you home. It was a nice movie but I guess we’ll have to skip on dinner. Your mother said that she made dinner.”

“Oh,” Jungkook hopes he didn’t sound too disappointed. He followed the elder girl like a lost puppy, the movie might have run a bit too long since it was already dark when they emerged from the theatre.

The whole ride back was quiet, and even when Jieun walked him to his house. She waited until he was about to enter. She tugged his hand, pulling him back as she tiptoed and whispered into his ear.

She grinned as his face blossomed into a deep red. She walked off back to her own house.

“I thought you were just a shy kiddo but surprisingly, you are quite cute.”

Jungkook buried his face into his hands, ignoring his brother’s questions and weird stares.

“You okay, Kookie?”

…

…

…..

 “So it’s a date.”

“It’s not a date, Sulli,” rebutted Jieun, closing her laptop. “It’s just me teaching him how to play the guitar.”

“What about the last time?” She interrogated, rolling her eyes at the expected answer.

“We were both ditched, that’s all.”

“Yeah, okay, like apparently walking around downtown and watching a movie is totally not a date,” Sulli sarcastically pointed out.

“It’s not a date!”

“Whatever you say.”

Jieun rolls her eyes after her best friend, who was busy planting some idea about dating her neighbour’s youngest son. Though she wouldn’t admit out loud the fluttering feeling that she felt knowing he was coming over.

It was sort of a proud type of feeling. Her heart just swell with pride.

Definitely pride.

She changed into a different attire, actually it was just into her classic purple jumper and nothing beat her comfortable jumper, even if others had a rather sharp opinion about it.

“Noona,” A voice called out, knocking softly on the door. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah! The door is open.”

Jungkook came into her room, still in his uniform as he took a seat next to her. Opening his bag to pull out his guitar. “It’s a bit old but it’s the only one we currently have.”

“Oh! Is this Mr. D’s guitar?” Jieun points at the base of the guitar. “I know because this is my signature.”

“Yeah,” Jungkook stares at Jieun’s signature. “he was being a hassle today and said that if I don’t return it in mint condition, he was going to send an invoice to my house.”

Jieun laughs, “Don’t worry about him, he’s always like that but he won’t charge you.”

The pair subconsciously fell into a routine conversation, talking about the current teachers, much of whom were still teaching today.

To be honest, Jieun realized that they did more talking than actually teaching the boy how to play the guitar.

Their lessons had fallen short when her mother came into her room. Sending her a knowing look, “Jungkook, your mom is asking you to come home for dinner.”

Jungkook glance at Jieun’s clock, tucking the guitar back into its case bag safely. “Sorry about that, Mrs. Lee, I kind of got carried away.”

“Don’t be, tell your mother we said hi,” Said Mrs. Lee as the boy jogged down their stairs. Jieun’s Mom was about to open before Jieun stared pleading.

“Don’t say anything mom, please.”

Jieun sighed, zipping down her sweater when she felt awfully hot for no reason. It wasn’t like she had been caught doing naughty things (though that shouldn’t embarrass her at all since she was an adult).

The door opened again, her brother peeking into her room. A large grin on his face, “Mom said dinner is ready, though I don’t think you’ll be feeling any hunger at the moment.”

“Shut up Junghoon!” She threw her pillow at the door and could hear her little brother’s teasing as he stormed down the stairs.

Jieun slaps herself, mentally forcing herself to get a hold of herself or else she’s gonna get arrested—though Jungkook was fully considered an adult in his right.

It still didn’t feel right.

Even if her stomach wasn’t agreeing with her on that opinion.

“Okay... let’s say maybe I do like him,” started Jieun, tossing her coffee into the garbage. “What should I do? He’s basically a kid and I’m like old.”

“Asians don’t crack. Don’t be so scared, I’d kill to date younger guys but they just aren’t my type,” Said Sulli. That was probably the most comforting thing that Jieun was going to hear from her friend.

“Let loose once in a while, who knows what might happen.”

...

......

..........

Indeed, good things were happening too frequently in Jieun’s opinion. She walked up to her front gate, then stepped back. A tall figure was crounching against their shared front yard.

“Jungkook?” She calls out, she knew his figure like the back of her hand. She watched the boy quickly straighten his posture. “What’s wrong?”

“I-I Uhm…would you like to—“

“Jungkook! I said to clean the dishes, come back here and clean them before I whipped your !” Mrs. Jung yells out at the top of her lungs, dragging her son back into the house.

Jieun scratch her head, watching the scene unfold before her. Shrugging her shoulders, it was none of her business whatever happens with her neighbours.

The next day was a similar scene, the boy was still waiting for her by the gates.

“Jungkook, do you need anything from me?”

“I-I was wondering if you would—“

“Jieun-noona!” Jieun’s little brother shouted form his window, “Mom said she needs you to pick her up from the station ASAP.”

“Okay!” She shouted back, she returned her attention on Jungkook, who wasn’t there anymore.

Shrugging her shoulders, it probably wasn’t important. She got back into her car, and five to the station where her mom was impatiently waiting.

For the third time in a row, Jieun saw Jungkook waiting at her gates again. This time, she never could to ask her usual question.

He stuttered as he opened his mouth, “J-jieun-noona, w-would you like to go—“

“You brat!” Jungkook’s brother put him into a noogie position, rubbing his knuckles on the fluff of hair as the siblings playfully fought. “I told you not to touch my ice cream and this is how you repay me?!”

Jieun laughs, watching the close siblings. She watched them struggle into their house, eyes catching at the fallen ticket on the ground. She picked up the two tickets, reading the information on it.

“Ah, Jungkook!”

The pair of siblings stopped in their quarrelle. The younger Jung brother staring at her with anticipation, “Would you like to go to the festival with me?”

He blinks his eyes, searching his pockets for the very same tickets. Jungkook’s brother laughed out loud, “Good job brother, you got a nice date!”

“Y-yes! If you aren’t busy,” Responded Jungkook.

At the background, Jungkook’s brother was grinning ear to ear and gave his little brother thumbs up for accomplishing his task

“I’ll see you then.”