The Return

Behind the Thick-Framed Glasses

 

✻ chapter thirtyfive:
the return
l.joe's pov
 

The next morning, I woke up in a sprawled-on-the-floor position. I got up and stretched, breathing in the aroma of breakfast being made in the kitchen.

I froze with my arms still in mid-air. The aroma of breakfast? Who was making breakfast?

I went downstairs as quickly as I could and saw Eun Mi in my kitchen. She had on her school uniform with the sleeves rolled up, revealing her scars, her hair was tied up, and her glasses were at the very tip of her nose. She was making something and whatever it was, it smelled good.

"Oh, L.Joe! You're awake!" She exclaimed as she saw me. "I was just making some breakfast."

"You're the guest, Eun Mi! You don't have to do this."

"I know. I doing this because I want to." She set down the plate. "It's my way of saying thank you for letting me stay over. Changjo-oppa is lucky to have a friend like you."

"But still..."

"Please?" Eun Mi gave me a pout. I sighed and she smiled as I took a seat. "Do you go to...?"

"Yes, I go to the same school as you." I said before she could finish. "I've always have."

"Oh..." 

I finished eating and went to change. "Thanks for the food, Eun Mi."

She gave me another smile. "You're welcome."

I went into my room to change. Eun Mi was acting perfectly normal, despite what had happened last night. Maybe she didn't want to talk about it? I didn't know.

I grabbed my bag and headed out front where Eun Mi was waiting for me. "Let's go!"

My feet haven't fully healed after what had happened yesterday, so halfway to our destination my feet started to hurt.

"L.Joe-ssi, are you okay? You're sweating..." Eun Mi said.

"I'm fine." I replied, ignoring the growing pain. "L.Joe-ssi? Why the formal talk all of a sudden?"

She eyed me skeptically before answering. "I just realized I was informally calling you L.Joe. I'm sorry for being so rude..."

"It's okay. you don't have to call me that." I said. "Call me... oppa."

"O-oppa?" She squeaked out shyly.

"Come on, we don't want to be late." I was about to take her hand and pull her with me but I remembered how she reacted last night. So instead, my hand dropped to my side and I continued walking in the direction to our destination. She followed me and we walked in silence the rest of the way.

I didn't have my morning classes with her, so we said goodbye and parted ways. The morning hours dragged itself as long as it could just to annoy, I know. 

When lunch came, I went to our usual lunch table where Teen Top and the others were sitting. I smiled when I saw Eun Mi laugh at something Ricky and Niel did. I had missed that laugh.

As soon as I sat down across from Eun Mi, someone appeared at our table. Eun Mi saw them, jumped up, and ran over to give them a hug. 

"Changjo-oppa! You're back!"

Everyone looked up and indeed, it was out red-and-black-haired dancer. He looked surprised at the sudden skinship. 

"Where did you go? I missed you!" She said, clinging onto his arm.

He gave me a confused glance but all I did was shrug, hoping my face didn't show any emotion. "I was in Japan for a dance program. I thought you knew that...?"

"You didn't tell me, how could I have known, oppa?" She pouted cutely. "Anyways, you have to tell me how your trip was."

"Um, okay..." Changjo looked at me again. "But I have to talk to L.Joe first. There's something I need to ask him..."

"Arasseo." She smiled. 

Changjo motioned me to go outside and I followed him. Teen Top looked as confused as ever, but being the carefree dorks they were, just went along with everything. 

"Okay, I know something's wrong. Even an idiot would know that." Changjo told me as we were outside. "Why is she calling me oppa?"

"About that..." I started. Now was the time to tell him. I took a deep breath and said the longest sentence in probably AFF's history in one breath. 

"EunMilostpartofhermemorybecauseshewasgoingthroughtoomuchemotionalstressandshewasforcedoutofherapartmentbecauseofthosetwotwinsYooJinandJiYoobecauseofgettingrevengeforSeohyunsfatherandyeahrememberthemyeahyoudowhywouldntyousoanywayssheforgotwhoIwasandshethinksyourherboyfriendandplusunicornsarefluffy."

Changjo's eyed widened at what I just said and then kicked me in the shin. "Ya, you think I understood all of that?"

I rubbed my shin and finally told him everything, and I mean everything, at a normal speed so he could understand. He didn't interrupt me with questions or comments, and just listened. The playfulness in his eyes disappeared and his lips pursed into a thin line of worry. 

"So you're saying she thinks I'm her boyfriend instead of you? And she doesn't remember you at all?"

"Yeah... pretty much."

"Those two twins.... Watch the news because I gurantee you, there will be reports on two murders tonight." He said evilly. 

"I want to kill them too, with own bare hands, but that wouldn't solve anything." I said. It was weird, because I didn't see the twins at school today. "Anyways, what should we do?"

"What else is there to do? We have to wait until Eun Mi remembers. Until then, we play along, I guess." He eyed me. "Is that alright with you? Because if we try to convince her with everything that happened in the past, she could be overwhelmed and then something bad might happen to her memory again."

"...Yeah. It's fine." I replied. "If it's for her own good, then I'm alright with it."

He nodded. "Arasseo. Let's go back in."

I followed him back inside and watched Eun Mi tug on his arm again as he sat down next to her. "Oppa, did you hang out with any pretty girls while you were in Japan? You didn't, right?"

Changjo played along and smiled mischievously. "Maybe I did..."

"Oppa!" She cried and smacked him on the shoulder. "How could you?!?"

He winced and rubbed his shoulder. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! That hurt, you know."

I watched them bicker with each other like a couple. It made me think of the time Eun Mi got jealous when I took a picture with the two foreignors in Jinan. But now, I was the jealous one. I was jealous how Eun Mi still remembered Changjo and gave him a hug and called him oppa without any hesitation. 

 

Please remember me soon. Remember me...

 

After school, Changjo and Eun Mi told me they would go and look for a new place for her to stay. "Can I stay one more night at your place? I'll be back before it gets dark."

"Of course." I replied. "You're welcome any time."

"Gommawo, L.Joe o-" She said shyly. "O-oppa."

With that, she took Changjo by his hand and they went on their way, looking for an unoccupied apartment. I watched them walk away, holding hands and smiling and laughing with each other. 

 

 

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✻ author's note the dorky me
Well, well, well... haven't made an author's note in a long time, I hope you guys are still alive, breathing, reading this, and willing to comment for me! I updated today as a celebration of C.A.P.'s birthday ^^
        
~Ljjang창조♪
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Comments

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KarmaYangzom #1
Chapter 50: Author-nim, I just can't even right now... Why you do dis to me????
theexotica #2
Hey there, did you by any chance publish this story on wattpad. Because i saw a story with the same title, poster and chaps on wattpad.
http://www.wattpad.com/30435713-behind-the-thick-framed-glasses
hottestvip_
#3
Chapter 41: Daebakkkk~!
syubwi
#4
Chapter 44: OKAY. I FINISHED CHANGJO'S SPECIAL CHAPS. (Finally, I haven't able to continue this last time. ><)
Omg, this is the most weirdest thing I have ever read in my entire life. Fork. You made me laugh my out and choke on my food. What the hell, I'm so speechless. O.o
syubwi
#5
Chapter 41: AGSHKDLAJAHDKGLSL. Okay!!! I finished this one! ^_^
How adorbs. You were great, never regret reading this. C:
Tinkle_Star
#6
Aw, that was a very cute story c: I didn't even know who any of the characters in the story (Ljoe, Changjo, etc.)but even still, I liked it as a story.
AsianInvasion97
#7
Chapter 16: "The first animal I saw was a white dog with a blue tail. And its owners looked really weird. They said they were Canadians and were really famous, but I've never heard of them." SIMON AND MARTINA WITH SPUDGY AHHHH!!! HELLO MY FELLOW NASTY!!!!!!!!!!
ahn_sunghee26 #8
Chapter 41: Awesome storyy !! :)))