The Perfect Match Chapter 25

Yi Jung

“That was something, wasn’t it?”

After Ha Ni’s epic confession to Seung Jo, the festivities had kind of fizzled out for our group. Woo Bin and Jun Pyo had taken their respective girlfriends home, leaving me with Ga Eul.

She had told me that she would go home on her own, but stupidly I had insisted on dropping her off. It was late and she was my friend and I really didn’t want her wandering around alone right now.

Apparently my chivalrous intentions were coming back to bite me in my behind though. The tension in my car was overwhelming.

She hadn’t said a word once she had taken a seat and that was saying something, because the country bumpkin that she was usually talked my ears off for hours.

She wasn’t even responding to my lame attempt at starting a conversation.

“Did you know about this?” I tried again, because the silence was seriously stifling.

A full minute went by and just when I thought she wasn’t going to answer she spoke up: “It was not a secret, if that’s what you mean. Ha Ni tends to carry her feelings on her sleeves.”

Relief washed through me at her words. At least she was talking again.

I stopped at a red traffic light: “So, do you think those two are meant for each other? Soulmates was the term you used, right?”

I turned towards her, just in time to see her let out a surprised gasp, her face turning red.

We had talked about this before. She was convinced that soulmates existed. I wasn’t.

Turning to look back to the street in front of me, I heard her mutter something under her breath.

“Sorry, what was that?” the least she could do was to speak out loud.

Huffing out an exasperated breath she snapped at me: “I said, stop making fun of me! You made it abundantly clear the last time we talked about this, how ridiculous you think I am for believing in soulmates. I get it, you don’t believe in them.”

Woah: “I never said that and I’m not making fun of you.”

She was clearly annoyed: “Yes you did. You literally called me ridiculous and yes, you are making fun of me.”

Had I really said that?

For the life of me, I could not remember that instance. Normally I had an excellent memory and I never spoke without thinking first, unlike Jun Pyo, but Ga Eul seemed to have that effect on me.

Whenever we argued, my mouth just lost its filter and my brain shut off. This was not good. I had to get a handle on this problem before it escalated.

Taking a last right turn, I entered her street and parked in front of her house and turned to look at her once more: “I’m sorry if I said that Ga Eul. Insulting you was never my intention. I don’t even remember saying that, honestly.”

Her arms crossed under her chest in a defensive manner and she glared at me: “Yes, well, I remember it all too clearly.”

“I’m sorry.” Again, I apologised. I didn’t think I had ever said sorry to another person this many times before.

Forget her silly notions. This situation right here was what was actually ridiculous.

Praying for patience I wasn’t even sure I possessed I tried to reason with her one last time: “Ga Eul, I don’t even know why we’re fighting. I thought we were friends, but these last few months you have mostly treated me as if I’m the scum of the earth. I really don’t appreciate anyone treating me like that, let alone people who I think of as my friends.”

Her glare lost its intensity at my words, her arms sliding down to wrap around her waist instead before she let out a resigned sigh: “You’re right. I guess I have been kind of a lately. I’m sorry about that. It’s just that…”

She paused, giving me adequate time to let the surprise of her apology wash over me. Ga Eul did not apologise easily. Something was not right here.

“It’s just what?” I urged her on in the gentlest voice I could muster.

“I have been on edge lately.” She finally said: “You know how you F4 get all those love letters in your lockers?” seeing my nod she continued: “Well, the girls and me get the opposite, hate mail. Which is fine, to be honest. We can all handle that and it’s not that bad for Jan Di and Hee Young, since they’re officially dating two of you. The letters Ha Ni and I have been getting though are bad. There’s everything from bad wishes to death threats and that would be fine too, but some people have been acting on their words.”

I felt the blood drain out of my face as the meaning of each of her words sank in.

They had been getting threatening letters for months now and hadn’t said anything to anyone. One of us, the other guys or me, could have handled the situation.

No, not only letters, I had to remind myself, the other students were also acting on those threats. I was going to have to talk to the guys about this as soon as possible.

!

Why had none of them said anything sooner?

Trying to get my rising temper under control, I released an agitated breath: “So, how come you’re telling me all this now?”

Her shoulders shifted in a meek shrug: “Now that Ha Ni confessed like that in front of everyone and was basically rejected, I just can’t imagine how much worse it’s going to get. I’m in awe of her bravery, but I’m also scared for her… and me.”

“Why are you scared for yourself?”

Another shrug followed: “What I’m about to do is going to put me in the same position as her.”

“What? You want to confess to Seung Jo?” that made no sense what-so-ever.

“No.” her spine straightened with resolve and I knew instantly what was coming before she spoke the damning words: “I’m confessing to you.”

Aw, .

All the anger rushed out of me in a whoosh.

She knew me well enough, didn’t she?

What was I supposed to say to her?

Let her down gently? Ga Eul?

I never thought I would have to do that. Not in this lifetime at least…

How had I not noticed any signs? Was I that oblivious, or was she that good at hiding them?

No, she was an emotional person. That only left me with my obliviousness.

Rubbing a hand down my face I forced myself to say something: “Ga Eul, you know I don’t do relationships. You know that better than anyone. Hell, you’re the one constantly calling me out on my womanising ways.”

Ga Eul

And wasn’t that just ironic?

He was right. I did call him out for that all the time and still, since the day he had stepped in when Soo Pyo had cornered me on the street, I just couldn’t get the other side of his personality out of my head.

God, I was so pathetic.

Yi Jung looked as if he was going to be ill.

Was it such a bad thing that I had caught feelings for him?

Yes, yes it was. I could admit that to myself.

The admission didn’t help me any further though.

The least I could do was to tell him why I had sprung this on him so suddenly: “Look, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. After seeing how fearlessly Ha Ni stood up for her feelings, I kind of felt like a coward for keeping mine hidden all this time.” I rambled on without pause: “All those things you just said, I’m well aware of them. I know you don’t do relationships and I know you have a different girl hanging off your arm every week, but all of that doesn’t seem to deter how I feel for you. You’re different when you’re with me. You’re not So Yi Jung, the self-proclaimed Casanova of the F4. For me, you’re Yi Jung, my friend and that’s the person I fell in love with.”

The last words were barely more than a whisper, tears threatening to choke up my throat.

Yi Jung simply stared at me, stunned into complete and utter silence.

I needed to get out of this car, right now!

“Wait!” just as I reached for the door on my side he made a grab for my other hand: “I need to know if we’re still going to be friends after this Ga Eul. I may not return your feelings, but you’re still important to me. Am I being too selfish for asking this of you?”

Forcing a smile onto my face throughout all of this was the worst part: “Of course we’re still friends. Don’t worry about it. I don’t expect you to change all of a sudden and come running to me or something. I only needed to get this out in the open. I’ll see you after the holidays at school. Bye!”

Freeing my hand from his, I dashed out of the car, just barely catching his bye as I power-walked to the front door with as much dignity as possible.

Once inside, I slapped the door shut and let myself slump down on the floor against it.

This was not happening!

What in the world had possessed me to blurt out everything to him like this?

Tears of frustration spilled down my cheeks as I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my head against them.

He was right. I was ridiculous. There was no other word for what I had just done.

“Ga Eul? Is that you?”

My eyes snapped open. Grandma was here. How could I have forgotten that?

Wiping the tears away I stood up and made my way to the living room, hoping to every higher power that might be to not let anyone notice anything was wrong with me.

Yi Jung

I sat still in my car, staring at the front door even long after Ga Eul had vanished inside the house.

Love.

She’d said she was in love with me.

She didn’t just like me. She was in love with me…

“!” I slammed both hands on the steering wheel, not even wincing at the painful impact.

I’d asked her to remain friends.

What kind of ed up person was I to demand such a thing?

And she had said yes anyways, giving me a watery smile that had done nothing to hide the emotions or tears in her eyes.

Well, it was done. Neither of us could go back on our word now. We had agreed we would stay friends and that is exactly what we would do. Not to mention, neither one of us could risk the awkwardness that would ensue in our group of friends if we stopped talking so suddenly without any explanation.

Seung Jo and Ha Ni were going to cause enough awkwardness for all of us as it was.

This was all kinds of ed up.

Taking one last glance at the front door, I turned the key in the ignition, released the break and started to make my way home to another sleepless night.

End of Chapter

Author's Note:

Well, this happened earlier than I expected.

So, we have two back to back confessions...

Hope you liked this chapter :D

The next chapter will be up some time next week.

Thank you to everyone who is still reading and to those who are new!!!

Feedback and discussions are always appreciated :)