Space
The PrequelIt wasn’t long before Bom had to face Jungjin again. After Seungho dropped her off at school, Bom found Jungjin waiting outside for her at the gates. She approached him, silently.
“Is this the best time to talk?” He asked.
Bom nodded. “Look Jungjin, I think we need space.”
“Space? You want space?”
“Yes,” Bom said. “I think that’s what we need for now.”
Jungjin rolled his eyes. “You’re ing unbelievable.”
“What?”
“Are you just wanting space because Seungho influenced you?”
“No!” fired Bom. “I came to this decision on my own!”
“Is this really what you want?” asked Jungjin softly.
“Right now,” Bom said with strength in her voice. “I can’t stand you. If I don’t get some space, I’ll end up hating you.”
“Alright, I understand.” Jungjin picked up his school bag from the ground. “I’ll see you in school Bom.”
As Bom watched Jungjin walk away and into the school doors, she felt a pang of regret in her heart. But, it was done. She couldn’t take back her words. It would make her pathetic. Bom sighed and adjusted her backpack. A new best friendless Lee Bom was now entering the school.
---------------------------------------------
A few days later, Bom was sitting alone on her bed, with her books sprawled across opened to a certain page. That night, she was studying for her midterms. Usually, Jungjin would be there helping Bom. He was the smart one. After all, he was perfect score Jungjin.
After another hour of boring studying, Bom called it quits. She retreated into her living room where she lazily watched T.V. Her eyes began to slowly droop, when suddenly the door bell rang. She grunted as Bom made her way to open the door. On the security cam it showed Seungho waiting for Bom to open the door.
“Cho Seungho,” Bom said as she opened the door. “What are you doing here? It’s almost 11 now.”
Seungho flashed Bom a smile as he made his way inside. “What? I can’t visit my girlfriend?”
Bom stifled in a grin. “Your girlfriend? And who would that be?”
“That would be you.” Seungho grabbed Bom by the waist and hugged her tightly. “So what were you doing before I came by?”
“Well…I was studying.”
“Sure looks like it.” Seungho remarked sarcastically, pointing out the television.
“Hey, I was studying in my room. I just needed a break.” claimed Bom.
“Alright, get your books I’m going to help you study.”
“You know, for Chumsang High Schools bad boy, you’re such a smart .”
“For one of Samgyup High Schools top students, you’re such a .”
Bom laughed as she went to go retrieve her books.
“So, what’s first?”
“Chemistry. You’re good at that.” Bom came back into the living room and set all her books down on the coffee table. Seungho joined her on the ground.
Seungho opened her chemistry textbook. “The pressure of a mixture of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen is 150 kPa. What is the partial pressure of oxygen if the partial pressures of the nitrogen and carbon dioxide are 100 kPa and 24 kPa, respectively?”
Bom stared blankly at Seungho. “What?”
Seungho took Bom’s notebook. “This is called Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures.” He began to write out the formula. “Ptotal = P1 + P2 + P3 + ... Pn, substitute that to the problem, you get P
Bom took a look at the formula and began solving it out. This went on for another hour. Before she knew it Bom had finished all the practice problems. She looked up and found Seungho thumbing through her literacy textbook.
“I finished.” announced Bom. She placed her head on the coffee table and closed her eyes. It was now 12:30 a.m.
“Come here.” Seungho directed Bom to lean on him.
“I told him.” whispered Bom as she nestled into the crook of his shoulder.
“How’d he take it?” asked Seungho as he the back of her head.
“Surprisingly well.” replied Bom. “He didn’t argue with me that much, he just said okay.”
“Well that’s good, but how are you feeling?”
“I regretted it for a little bit. But then that feeling went away,” said Bom. “This is for the best. It’s not permanent space. I’ll have time to rethink my friendship with Jungjin.”
“Is it hard?”
Bom nodded. “I wanted to call him to see how he’s doing, or text him about Calculus. I feel I need a dosage of Park Jungjin before I go to bed.” She looked up at Seungho. “Is that bad?”
Seungho shook his head. “That means you still care. I’m proud of you though. You haven’t given in yet.”
“It’s been only a day.” sighed Bom.
“And that’s an accomplishment.” smiled Seungho.
Seungho gradually began to lean down towards Bom’s face. She closed her eyes. This was going to be it. The first kiss every adolescent teen dreams of. Her first real kiss. A kiss Bom wasn’t going to regret after.
“We’re home! Bom-ah!”
In shock, Bom pushed Seungho away from her. She bolted up from her spot on the living room floor.
“Umma! Appa!”
---------------------------------------------
“I’m so sorry.” Bom pouted hoping to make Seungho feel better.
“It’s okay,” said Seungho with an amused expression on his face. “I like them.”
What had happened was Bom’s parents came home early, well for them anyways. Once they found out Seungho was in the room, they attacked him with endless questions. Seungho was being polite and Bom just watched. After her parents realized it was almost 1, they decided to let Seungho go.
Now, Bom and Seungho were outside. She walked him to where he parked his motorcycle. “Are you sure your parents aren’t going to be mad?”
Seungho nodded as he got on his motorcycle. “They don’t even know I’m gone.” Upon seeing Bom’s angry expression, he winked at her. “They’re used to it, don’t be worried.”
“Fine, but if you get in trouble you’re on your own.”
Seungho laughed. He reached for Bom’s hand and tugged her close. He smiled at her before reaching down and finally kissing her.
After a few seconds, he let go and pinched the apple of her cheek. “Goodnight.” He put on his helmet and drove off.
Bom began to make her way back to her building. She had this silly grin that she couldn’t wipe off.
“Finally, I’ve been waiting for over a ing hour now.”
Bom looked up to find Raemi leaning on her buildings wall, arms crossed, and with an annoyed expression. That silly grin? Was now completely erased.
“What are you doing here Raemi?”
“To talk to you.”
“And that couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”
“Obviously not. If it could, believe me I wouldn’t be here.” snapped Raemi.
“Alright, just get to the point. What do you want?” Bom asked coldly.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay away from Jungjin? Didn’t I say that if you didn’t I’ll make sure you pay. You don’t listen very well, do you Lee Bom? Instead, you’ve gotten my boyfriend beaten up and talking nonstop about you. Do you think I can stand another night of Bom this and Bom that?” Raemi sighed. “It’s getting annoying.”
“I told him I wanted space.”
“And that was the stupidest thing you could have done!” fired Raemi. “Now he’s frustrated and worried about you!” He’s not even thinking about me! He calls to discuss his stupid ing issues with you! , why didn’t you just back away from him slowly and quietly so that he wouldn’t notice!?”
“He has the right to know! I can’t just do that to him. That’s childish!” said Bom. “Look, what’s said is done. If you have nothing else better to say, I’m going to go inside.”
Raemi laughed. “Soon enough Lee Bom, you’ll get a taste of what I’m capable of. It won’t be happy days for you and Jungjin.”
Raemi turned around with the heel of her foot and began walking away.
“Do you even love him?!” called out Bom.
Raemi stopped in her tracks and turned her head around to face Bom. “Love is silly.”
Bom shook her head in disgust. When Raemi disappeared from her sight she walked inside. Raemi had some nerve.
---------------------------------------------
3 weeks later…
Bom rushed into her bedroom. Her phone was ringing nonstop. She figured it was Seungho, reminding her of their date that Saturday night.
She rifled through her school bag and finally found it. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me. I give up.”
Comments