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The Kings BrideA fist slammed down on the table hard enough to make the dishes shake. Jinhee reached out and grabbed her glass before it could spill on the floor. Chanyeol stood up from his chair, fire in his eyes and the veins on the side of his neck bulging.
"You're engaged?!" He screamed and everyone in the restaurant became quiet and was watching them. Jinhee felt her ears grow hot from embarrassment as she tried to avoid the gazes from everyone. It felt as if they were judging her and this was not something she needed after her hard day at work. "How can your dad do this?!"
"Sit down." Jinhee whispered as she grabbed his sleeve and tried to force him down. This was the angriest she had ever seen him; even worse than the time his parents tried to close down his store because they felt that it wouldn't do well. He ripped his arm away and stormed out of the restaurant, leaving her alone. Jinhee reached into her purse, pulled out all the cash she had and put it on the table before apologizing for his behviour. She ran out after him and saw him storming off down the street. People were moving out of his way because they knew if they didn't then he was going to steam roll through them. Jinhee ran up to him and jumped in front of his path, refusing to be shoved aside.
"Move." He ordered and when he saw that she wasn't going to move he tried to walk around her but she just kept stepping in front of him. "Stop acting like a child."
"You first!" She screamed back which shocked Chanyeol because she had never raised her voice at him. "Do you think I want this either? I'm doing this for my family, I don't even really know the guy! Now you embarrass me in front of all those people and make me feel like a terrible person, how dare you make me feel like that." Jinhee had tears in her eyes that she desperately tried to keep from pouring down her face. It was an annoying habit but whenever she got overwhelmed or angry, she instantly started crying. When Chanyeol saw this, the anger washed away and he hung his head in shame. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her and knowing that he messed up was even worse.
"I'm sorry...I just...I wasn't expecting it." Chanyeol shoved his hands in his pockets and awkwardly rocked back and forth on his heels. Jinhee reached out and punched his shoulder. It wasn't a hard hit but Chanyeol still winced as if it hurt.
"Do you think I was planning this? Stupid." Jinhee started to calm down as well and now they were standing on the sidewalk trying to figure out what to do with themselves.
"Want bubble tea?"
"Of course." Jinhee muttered under her breath and Chanyeol couldn't help but chuckle at how cute she was. His hand twitched in his pocket as he fought with himself to not reach out and grab her hand. For as long a he knew Jinhee, he had been madly in love with her. He had tried everything to try and get over her but nothing seemed to work. Every girl he dated could never measure up to the perfection that was Jinhee. A kind heart and a sweet face. He worked hard his whole life to try and be enough for her and now knowing that she would never be his was enough to drive him insane. But, seeing her upset about it as well, gave him a brief glimmer of hope that maybe, if they couldn't be a couple, then maybe they could stay friends. They walked together to the bubble tea shop down the street that had the famous brown sugar tea that was Jinhee's favourite.
"So..." Chanyeol spoke first and she looked over at him with her bright eyes and his heart shattered all over again. "...What's the guys name?" Trying to be supportive was ten times harder than he expected. Jinhee pointed at a magazine with a young man in a fancy suit on the cover.
"Kim Jongin." She muttered and Chanyeol froze.
"Like, he has the same name?"
"No I mean it's that guy, Kim Jongin. He's a loser." Jinhee rolled her eyes at his picture and walked into the bubble tea shop. A new rage started building inside Chanyeol and he didn't know how long he could control it. A man who had zero respect for women and threw money around as if it were nothing, was now going to marry the woman of his dreams. He bought Jinhee her drink and seeing her happy made the anger easier to bare but he still couldn't look her in the eyes. It seemed that no matter how hard he worked, it was never enough for her.
"Let me drive you home, 'kay?" He forced a smile and Jinhee agreed but she could see that something was off with Chanyeol but she didn't want to push him any further that night and the two of them sat in silence for the rest of the ride.
Jinhee was dropped off and made it into her apartment, she barely made it to her bed. When she sat down she felt how exhausted she was and wondered how they managed to make it through a whole day without crashing. Although she was tempted to just drop into bed and sleep, Jinhee forced herself to have a shower and wash up. Seeing how angry Chanyeol got at the news of her engagement sent a chill down her spine. She had never felt threatened by Chanyeol but there was something about it that didn't sit right with her. Something in the back of her mind was telling her to be careful with Chanyeol and the topic of her upcoming marriage to Jongin. She laid in bed and moved her pile of manga out of the way and sitting on the side table was a picture of her and Chanyeol when they were around ten years old. They had their arms around each other and they were wearing dirty clothes from playing outside. Both of their faces were lit up with smiles and Jinhee was left wondering when they had lost that happiness they used to carry with them everywhere.
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