CHAPTER 5

 

“Yujin-ah, are you okay?” Mrs. Ahn asked worriedly when she notices the look on her daughters face “Is everything okay?”

Yujin fake a smile “Everything’s fine. Just, you know exams.”

Mrs. Ahn nodded knowing her daughter is lying and gave her a smile “It’s going to be okay.”

Yujin didn’t say anything and went to her room.

She slammed her body on her bed as soon as she got inside.

 

“She’s my girlfriend.”

“What? You mean, It was Yujinie I am meeting today?” Grandma Kim asked happily

Minjoo nodded faking a smile “You two know each other?”

“We do!” Grandma Kim answered looking happy “Remember Yerinie?”

“Yerinie?” Minjoo asked confusedly “Yerin? Grandma Yerin? The one you always talk about, your friend?”

Grandma Kim nodded enthusiastically “She’s Yujinie’s Grandmother. Remember Yujinie? I always talk about her too.”

“Yeah, you do.”

“I can’t believe this is happening!” Grandma Kim said, clasping both of her hand, looking so happy as she hugged Yujin

Minjoo looked away when Yujin gaze at her while giving Grandma Kim a hug

“Why are you so tense?” Grandma Kim asked when she pulled from the hug

“I… I do—“

“She’s so nervous today Grandma” Minjoo cut Yujin off “She said she couldn’t sleep last night.”

“I’m quiet nervous too to be honest.” Grandma said “I am meeting our Minjoo’s girlfriend for the first time, and I wasn’t sure if I’m going to like her but God, I love you.”

Yujin wanted to clear things up but she couldn’t not when Grandma Kim is smiling like that.

“Why don’t we continue this inside?” Minjoo suggested

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry I’m just so happy” Grandma Kim said as they walked towards the coffee but before they could go inside Grandma Kim’s phone.

Grandma Kim answered.

Yujin and Minjoo met each other’s gaze, full of tension but nobody dared to say a word.

“Is that so? Okay, I’ll be there.” Grandma Kim said

 

“Is everything okay Grandma?” Minjoo asked

“Mr. Jung called; he had to go overseas on my check up schedule so he asked me if I could do the check up today.” She said then gave Yujin an apologetic look “I’m really sorry about this.”

“No, it’s okay!” Yujin answered quickly “its fine. Don’t worry about it.”

 

Grandma Kim sighed “I really wanted to spend the day with you though.”

“It’s okay Grandma. We can do it another time” It was Minjoo

 

Grandma Kim nodded then looks at Yujin “I’ll be sure to do it sooner.”

 

Yujin blew out a deep breath “What should I do, Grandma?”

 

 

“Hi Auntie.” Hyewon greeted with a smile as soon as Mrs. Ahn opened the door

“Good afternoon, Hyewon-ah.” Mrs. Ahn greeted as she lead Hyewon inside the house

“Is Yujin still sleeping? I’ve been calling her but she’s not answering”

“I guess. I knocked on her but she isn’t answering, she probably stayed late last night” Mrs. Ahn said “Is everything okay with Yujin?” she couldn’t help but asked, remembering Yujin from yesterday

“She’s fine” Hyewon gave her a reassuring smile “It’s probably because of the exam week or more like the Math exam. She totally hates it.”

Mrs. Ahn chuckles “Yeah, she does.”

 

 

Hyewon knocked thrice but there was no answer coming from Yujin “Hey I’m going inside, make sure you wear something I don’t want to see you before hell week” then starts turning the doorknob and pushes the door slowly “When your mother said that she’s worried about you because you’re not leaving your room since yesterday I thought it’s because you were nailing your head in your math book but there you are, still on her bed at 3PM like there’s no exam tomorrow”

“Why are you here?” Yujin asked, still lying on bed, unmoving.

Hyewon sits down on the chair on Yujin’s study table “I’m done reviewing so I was thinking if I could help you to review but seeing you right now I don’t think there’s no need for that, I’m assuming you’re done and ready to ace your exam.”

“I’m in deep trouble”

“Please don’t tell me you forgot what are 1+1”

“I’m serious.” Yujin said as she pulled herself up to sit “Something terrible happened and I… just thinking about it… I feel like having a nightmare with my eyes wide open”

She sounded so dreadful and she looks like one too and Hyewon knew this isn’t some Math problems she couldn’t solve, with a concerned look, she sits at the bed “What happened? Tell me”

“I screwed up. I should’ve stayed still. I should’ve just minded my own business. I shouldn’t have come there.” Yujin said in frantic

Hyewon reached Yujin’s hand as she squeezed it softly “Whatever it is, everything is going to be okay.”

“God, why did my grandma raise me like this” She said in defeat “I…”

“Look at me…” Hyewon said, squeezing Yujin’s hand tighter “Tell me what happened and I’ll help you whatever it is, even if we needed to hide a dead body” she said with all seriousness that made Yujin broke into a smile

“There’s no dead body.” Yujin said smiling “and there will never be, I swear.”

Hyewon smiled “I know. That’s why, whatever it is, it can’t be that bad”

 

“Holy .”

“It’s Holy Mary mother of freaking ” Yujin said as she leaned on the wall “I’m sorry for the word grandma”

“I’ve always fond of that fluffy, cheesy, greasy drama but I never imagine them happening in real life because its drama and now that it is actually happening right before my eyes.”She said gushing with so much twinkle in her eyes that, that’s making Yujin feel bad than it already is “God, I still can’t believe this is happening…” as she finally noticed the glare that Yujin is giving her ever “… and I really, really feel bad that my heart aches right now for you. Of al—“

“Stop.” Yujin spoke as she looked at her friend helplessly

“I’m sorry.” Hyewon said, concerned all over her “I know how bad the situation is.”

Yujin breathed out deeply “I already had a bad feeling the very first time I saw her and I should’ve followed it and avoided her, whatever means necessary.”

“Wait, your first meeting wasn’t at the hallway?”

“Unfortunately not.” She answered, gritting her teeth “I met her on the very first day of school and she called me stupid right in front of my face and I should’ve known that it was God’s way of telling me not to associate myself with her, how could I be so stupid”

“Kim Minjoo? She herself called you stupid in front of your face?”

“Why? Is it that hard to believe?” Yujin said, annoyance and frustration evident on her voice

“Kind of.” Hyewon answered “I mean, she wasn’t just famous because she’s pretty or smart or because she’s a member of student council but also her kind and nice personality. She’s perfect”

“Perfect?” Yujin scoffed “Imagine lying in front of your beloved grandma’s face without batting an eye. I couldn’t even manage to lie where I hid my candy’s when my grandma ask. God, I hate her”

“Okay, I know how close it hit to home and we already established the fact that you hates her so… what’s your plan now?”

“Plan? What’s there to plan?” Yujin furrowed her brow “I am going to tell her grandma the truth and get her out of my life.”

“I know that’s what you’re going to say and that’s the obvious and righteous thing to do but—“

“No buts… there’s no buts on this” Yujin said firmly “This isn’t one of those drama’s that you’re so fond of that you actually think that I’m just going to go through this whole girlfriend fiasco thing because I’m not. That’s not going to happen.”

“Then why didn’t you say the truth as soon as the girlfriend word left Minjoo’s mouth?” Hyewon asked, that taken Yujin by surprised

“I…It’s because I was caught off guard” She answered “It’s not every day that you get to introduce to their grandma as your girlfriend without you knowing and…”

“And what?” Hyewon asked when Yujin stopped

“She’s my grandmother’s best friend.” She said softly “I could still remember how the two of them would always find strength to each other after their chemotherapy. They would tell stories about their teens and they just smile all day” Yujin smiled as she remembered the past, then turned into a sad one “When Minjoo introduced me to her yesterday as her girlfriend, she had that smile on her face, the warm smile she used to share with my grandma and I couldn’t bring myself to take that off. I didn’t have the heart to.”

Hyewon smiled to her “If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t have the heart too either.”

Yujin gave her a weak smile.

Hyewon made a deep sighed “I know, it’s too soon for me to bring this up and I know that you already said that you’re going to tell her the truth but for whoever’s sake, are you really sure that, that’s what you wanted to do?”

“You’re like a devil whispering on my ear, did you know that?”

Hyewon chuckled confusedly “What?”

“Earlier I was so sure that I would get out of this room, go to Grandma Kim and tell her nothing but the truth and now that you’re here, whispering to me like a devil… I am having a second thought.”

“Me? Devil? Have you ever seen a devil this pretty?” Hyewon laughed “And don’t point finger at me, because as far as I’m concern you weren’t near anywhere leaving this room when I got here.”

“No, it is your fault. Because you just had to ask like a devil ‘Then why didn’t you say the truth as soon as the girlfriend word left Minjoo’s mouth’ like some scripted lines they would say in dramas to make the protagonist feel guilty for doing what’s actually right and now I am.”

“Okay. Just to be clear I’m not trying to make you feel guilty for planning to tell the truth, I would respect you for it.” Hyewon said “But if you do feel guilty about it and having a second thought, let’s lay it out.”

 “Option 1, you tell Minjoo’s grandmother the truth and your conscience will be free. Then Minjoo’s grandmother will probably be disappointed in her and then Minjoo will hate you and you know everything could happen when someone hates you, I don’t even want to think about it”

Yujin glared at her “Seriously? Not helping at all”

“Option 2, you don’t tell the truth an—“

“Stop. The option of not telling the truth is not an option”

“Hate to break it but you only got two options”

Yujin sighed dejectedly

“Option 2, you’re not going to tell her grandma and you’re going to pretend like she is the love of your life and sh---“

“God, stop it… Not telling Grandma Kim the truth is already killing me enough but to pretend that, that mean-iest, lying girl as my-- I can’t do it. I really can’t”

“I know you don’t want to hear it but like what I’ve said, you only got two options and everything that comes with it and that includes Minjoo”

Yujin starts hitting her head on the wall softly

“If it’s any consolation and you decided to go to option 1, I can probably help with the aftermath of telling the truth and facing the Vice Presidents madness.  If it will make you feel any better, I could help you stay off Minjoos’ radar, what kind of friend I am if I can’t help you when I had a firsthand experience on what could happen when a girl hates you.”

“I so despised that girl for what she did to you, it’s not even your fault that she had a terrible taste in men. Why would she blame you if her man likes a devil with pretty face more than her pale face” Yujin said, making Hyewon laughed a little

“You’re right…” Hyewon nodded in agreement “It’s not my fault that I am this pretty. It’s not my fault that I was born th—“ she stops when she notices Yujin’s furrowed brows. “What I mean is, it’s not our fault, not even a little, so why do they think they can curse us like we deserve it, which in my case is for being too pretty.” Earning another look from Yujin and gave her a soft smile in return “And you for having a soft, genuine, thoughtful and unselfish heart.”

Then a momentarily silence

“You did not expect that, didn’t you?” Hyewon teased, seeing Yujin’s shy reaction “Is that blush I’m seeing?”

“It’s not!” Yujin almost screamed at her, as Hyewon by just looking “Stop it.”

“What?” Hyewon laughed “I’m not doing anything. And why do you look surprise, what I said was true. You do have that kind of heart; I mean I wouldn’t be here talking to you like this if it wasn’t.”

She took Yujin’s hand, as she smiled and hold it softly “I can’t even imagine having someone besides my family who would get in trouble standing up for me, someone who will literally threw a fist on someone’s face for me which is quiet scary and reassuring at the same time, someone who will always got my back until I met you. You have no idea how happy it makes me feel that it makes me cry.” As tears suddenly falls off from Hyewon’s eyes

It was Yujin’s turn to smile, a sincere and genuine one, as she reached for her face and wipe her tears using her hand. “Does this mean that I can count on you if I ever needed to hide a dead body?”

Hyewon broke into laughter “You’re aware that we were having a moment there right? And you had to ruin it using a dead body”

Yujin smile “I know. I just don’t want you to cry any longer.”

Hyewon just broke into smile.