“You’re home quite early,” Gongchan says as I hang up my coat.

                “Not really,” I say as I step over him since he’s lying on the floor reading a book. “I think you’re the one that’s home early. Normally you’re not here when I come home.”

                “Well…I just had nothing to do after school today,” he nonchalantly says as he adjusts his position on the floor.

                “You mean you had no girl to walk home?” I joke with him, but it doesn’t seem like he takes it as a joke as his face turns dead serious. “You mean to say that you actually walk someone home each day?”

                “No,” Gongchan says as he gets up off of the floor. “I’m going up to my room.”

                “Gongchan,” I say reaching out to him. “You can tell hyung everything. I’ll even help you. I’ve had my share of relationships here and there.”

                “Hyung, you were a player.”

                “So?” I ask pretending to be hurt. “I can help you with relationships.”

                “You can help me destroy one, but not form one.”

                “Why not?” I ask. “What’s so bad about me? Tell me.”  Reluctantly, Gongchan sits down next to me on the couch. “Now, tell me what’s this girl problem and do I know who she is?”

                “You don’t know who she is,” Gongchan starts off hesitantly. “But I’ve been walking her home for the past couple of weeks now.”

                “Everyday without fail?” I curiously ask.

                “Everyday without fail,” he says nodding his head. “Then today she says that she has something to do. I don’t know if she likes me or not.”

                “I’m sure she likes you, just look at your good looks that you inherited from your hyung,” I say patting him on the back.

                “That’s what I’m worried about.” I give him a confused face. “I’m worried about looking like you.”

                “Hey,” I say immediately putting him into a headlock. We fight like that for a minute or so before I finally decide to let him go. “But you should confess to her.”

                “Really?” he asks with wide eyes.

                “Really,” I say nodding my head. “If you really like her and she’s your friend, confess before she gets away.”

                “Thanks, hyung,” Gongchan says getting up off of the couch and dashing upstairs. “Oh, and before I forget, Jessica called looking for you. I think she wants to go out tonight.”

                “Okay, thanks,” I say giving him a smile as I get my cell phone to call her.

                “Hey, babe,” Jessica says when she answers the phone.

                “Hey, Gongchan told me that you called here looking for me. Why didn’t you call my cell phone?” I ask.

                “I didn’t know if I would be disturbing you in work and I just thought that calling your house would be easier,” she explains.

                “Well, do you want to do something tonight?”

                “What do you have in mind?”

                “You’re the one that called first,” I tell her.

                “Why don’t we go out tonight and meet up with some friends?”

                “Sure, I’ll pick you up in an hour? Unless you need more time than that.”

                “An hour is perfect, I’ll see you then.”

                I hang up the phone and go upstairs to change out of my work clothes. “Channie,” I say going into his room. “I’m going to go out tonight. If you have any problem, just call me.”

                “Got it,” he says nonchalantly pretending like he’s not paying attention to me when he’s probably not. He’s still probably thinking about that girl that he’s been walking home and has an interest for.

                I manage to take a shower and get dressed in some proper clothes to go out for whatever occasion, just wearing a pair of jeans and a shirt with a jacket. I remember to grab my keys off of the hook before leaving to get into the car to go pick Jessica up.

                “Hey,” she says as she opens her door.

                “Hey, babe,” I say as she hugs me. “Ready to go?”

                “As always.” With that, we set off into my car and start driving.

                “Where are we going tonight?” I ask her as one hand is on the steering wheel and the other is interlocked with hers.

                “Just out to the usual spot,” she says flashing me a smile. “I’m sure you know where that is.”

                “I do,” I say nodding my head.

                Our usual spot is a restaurant that she frequently meets her friends at and that we tag along to go with. After a year and a half of dating, it’s become frequent for all of us to meet together and for us to be somewhat good friends. I mean, at least her friends don’t hate me or anything. They all think that I’m a pretty decent boyfriend to her and I would say that myself, too.

                “So, I here there are new trainees in the company now,” Jessica says as I continue driving. “It’s that time again.”

                “What time?” I ask.

                “Of weeding out who’s good and who’s bad,” she says with a sigh.

                “You mean there’s a weeding process?” I ask. This is the first time that I’m hearing about such a thing.

                “Of course there’s a weeding process,” she says giving me a light slap on the arm.

                “And what do you necessarily do during this process?”

                “We see who’s a good fit for the company and who’s not.”

                “But I thought you already did that,” I ask confused.

                “Well, yeah, but now it’s time to see who’s actually going to enter the company.”

                “I’m confused,” I admit to her as I pull into the parking lot. “But let’s not think about it now, you can tell me later, alright?” I ask as I whisper into her ear.

                “You guys came,” Tiffany says as soon as we enter the familiar back room that’s always reserved for us. I guess being a president’s daughter does have its up sides.

                “Why wouldn’t we come?” Jessica asks as she slightly leans into me.

                “I don’t know,” she says shrugging her shoulders as she moves over so Jessica can sit next to her and I sit on the other side.

                “Where’s your boyfriend?” Jessica asks Tiffany a seeing the empty space.

                “He’s busy tonight, so that’s why I asked you two out.”

                “I don’t want to seem like a third wheel,” I admit.

                “You’re fine,” Tiffany assures me. “In fact, I invited someone else to come join us.”

                “Really, who?” I wonder.

                “Just a friend and his girlfriend,” she simply says. “Speaking of, there they are now.”

                I turn around and see the people that Tiffany invited and my jaw drops a little bit, but I quickly put myself back together so Jessica and Tiffany don’t see my reaction. I’m sure that if either of them saw it, they would question it later.

                “Jessica, Himchan, I’d like for you guys to meet Yongguk and Jaime,” Tiffany says introducing them. Awkwardly, Jaime and I stare at each other without saying a word.

                “Hello,” Jessica says greeting the both of them brightly. “I’m Jessica, Himchan’s girlfriend and friend of Tiffany.”

                “Hi, I’m Jaime,” Jaime says giving Jessica a smile.

                “I’m Yongguk,” the guy standing next to her says. Unmistakably, that’s her boyfriend. He looks like a decent person, well…he doesn’t look like one of those indecent people that are seen on the streets.

                “So, how do you and Yongguk here know each other?” Jessica asks as we’re all seated.

                “We both work at a company,” Tiffany explains. “I work with the female trainees and also help with learning some English while Yongguk teaches rap and some occasional dancing.”

                “That’s awesome,” Jessica says. “Himchan here only works at a company.”

                “It’s not that bad,” I tell her. “I have interactions with idols.”

                “Sure you do,” she says rolling her eyes, but it seems like she’s more interested in Yongguk and Jaime than anything else. I’m not sure whether I should be afraid of not about this. The waiter comes into the room and we order food and drinks.

                “We already ate,” Yongguk says.

                “Then just order some drinks,” Tiffany says pushing the menu towards him. “You don’t have to eat; we’ll just get some snacks.”

After the waiter leaves, Jessica starts up the conversation again. “So, Yongguk, how long have you and Jaime been dating?”

                “Three years,” Yongguk says as he confidently puts his arm around Jaime.

                “Three years? That’s quite a long time,” Tiffany comments. “Even I didn’t know that you two have been dating that long.”

                “You’re really lucky,” Jessica says looking at Jaime.

                “Ah, thank you,” Jaime hesitantly says. I can tell that she’s nervous in this setting and I think I should attempt to try and ease her nervousness, but would that look suspicious to Jessica and Tiffany? I don’t even know why I’m so concerned with Jaime when Jessica, my girlfriend, is right next to me. I guess not seeing her for a very long time has gotten to me.

                “Why the awkward atmosphere?” Tiffany comments. “We should be hanging out and acting like we’re good friends with each other, well, or at least get to know each other better. Well, I know Yongguk and I know Jessica, but Yongguk, you and Jaime probably don’t know much about Jessica and Himchan and the same the other way around, right?” I look at Tiffany and I don’t say anything, no one else says anything either. “Himchan, this is different than your usual self, why aren’t you speaking?”

                “Is something wrong?” Jessica asks as she puts her hand to my forehead.

                “I’m perfectly fine,” I say to them, but mostly to myself in an attempt to pump myself up. “I’m just tired from the day of working.”

                “Ah, how is that going?” Tiffany asks me.

                “Perfectly fine,” I say taking a quick glance at Jaime who still won’t meet my gaze. Is she that afraid and scared here? No one here will bite, but maybe she didn’t know that her boyfriend was friends with Tiffany and is afraid of that?

                “I have to go to the bathroom,” Jaime says standing up.

                “I’ll show you the way,” I immediately offer as I stand up from where I’m sitting. Why did I do that? I look at Jessica and Tiffany, and even Yongguk, and they’re both giving me strange looks. “Because it’s your first time here and that way Jessica can get to know Yongguk more.”

                “You aren’t going to be jealous?” Tiffany asks giving me an evil eye.

                “Why would I be jealous?” I ask. “I know that she loves me, right” I quickly lean down and peck Jessica on the cheek. “I’ll be right back.” As soon as I’m out of the room and the door closes behind me, I call out to Jaime. “Jaime? Jaime, where are you?” I ask.

                “Boo!” Jaime yells as she emerges from around a corner.

                “What was that?” I ask as I stumble backwards a little bit.

                “I just remember how I used to scare you all of the time,” she says as we begin walking.

                “So, let me show you to the bathroom,” I say attempting to move the conversation on.

                “I actually don’t have to go,” she confesses.

                “You don’t?” I ask looking at her.

                “I just wanted to get out of there, it seemed totally stuffy.”

                “Well, it was,” I admit with a light laugh. “Should we just make it seem like we’re going to the bathroom?” I ask.

                Silently, Jaime and I begin walking next to each other and I get the feel of being in middle school once again when almost all of our classes were together and we had no choice but to go with one another. Sometimes I wish to go back to those times, back during school where nothing really mattered except for homework and personal lives.

                “So, Jessica’s your girlfriend? She’s pretty,” Jaime comments as we’re nearing the bathroom.

                “You could say,” I say with a nervous laugh.

                “I’m serious, you really picked a good one,” she says patting me on the back which takes me back to the day that I moved schools.

                “She sort of picked me.”

                “Still, you guys make a good couple.”

                “And so do you and Yongguk,” I tell her. “He seems to make you really happy.”

                “He does,” Jaime says as she nods her head.

                “Well, here’s the bathroom,” I say looking at the sign. “Should we spend a couple of minutes here before we had back to the room?”

                “Yeah,” Jaime says nodding her head.

                We stand next to each other in silence as we both lean up against the wall to the bathroom. I guess neither of us know what to say since we just met again today after a long time, but it shouldn’t be this awkward between us, right?

                “Hey,” I say starting up the conversation. “Can you say nothing about knowing me?”

                “Why?” she asks.

                “Because,” I say attempting to think of an excuse as to why I necessarily said that. “I just don’t want anyone to get jealous, you know?”

                “Sure,” she says giving me a smile and nodding her head. “Um…I think we were at the bathroom too long, should we go back?”

                “Yeah,” I say as I start to walk back to the room.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How is the rest of the time spent together going to go? Will the rest of them find out that Jaime and Himchan know each other?

Here is Chapter 4. Hope you enjoyed :D