Chapter 9. You’re Mine, But… I’m Yours?

“Be in the library at 1. Will finalize papers to submit tom.”

She hit send and walked along the open hallway on her way to the cafeteria to meet Hara. Joohyun couldn’t help but smile as she recalled the other day’s bout with him at debate class. The topic was about ‘You can’t buy happiness,’ and Professor Kim stopped the debate when the argument ended this way:

Her: “You can buy happiness because you can buy the things that can make you happy. Love? You can buy love, figuratively speaking.”

Him: “If love can be bought, then show me your tag price. You’re sold.”

Shinwoo was randomly cute and sweet and she couldn’t deny that he didn’t tug her heartstrings. For the past days after his declaration that he was really serious on pursuing her, the cheesy, funny and sometimes icky things he was doing to woe her kept on coming. And truth be told, Joohyun had been seriously considering it. Only the fact that he would be her firstreal boyfriend kept her from caving in to his proposal. She was, after all, a closet hopeless romantic. She once told herself that if she would have her ‘first’, it would be someone she had really fallen helplessly in love with.

The ‘Shinwoo’ she saw at the park before caught her attention and her heart but the ‘Shinwoo’ she met in school totally blew her image of him in her mind and made her really disappointed and furious. Why couldn’t Shinwoo be as perfect as that image of him in the park? But, Shinwoo had this unexplainable charm that could easily but slowly melt her heart until her limbs would feel like gooey jellies and cause those butterflies to flutter excitedly in the pit of her stomach.

Joohyun smiled. He had always been in her thoughts lately… happy thoughts.

She crossed the small garden to avoid the sudden rush of students going out of one lecture hall. She was about to make another turn for a short cut when she noticed one group of students sitting by the lawn and one of them caught her attention easily. There he was laughing with a bunch of other kids who looked older than freshmen and sophomores. He was wearing his usual smirk but he looked engrossed at the discussion of the group. This was another side of Shinwoo she hadn’t seen yet; not with their other classmates where he would usually be the leader of mischief, nor with the Gang of Talls where he would be one of the rowdy guys.

There he was sitting and talking seriously then laughing with those people. A realization came to her: there was still so much she didn’t know about him and there were probably so much that she would grow to like or love about those other sides of him.

She felt her heart stopped the moment his gaze shifted to where she was standing. Shinwoo looked up but, to her amazement, he looked surprised. Joohyun chose to ignore his reaction, instead she waved her hand that was holding her phone, not like hey-I’m-here wave but more like hey-I-messaged-you wave. She didn’t  want to be misinterpreted. However, she didn’t expect his reaction. She should have seen it coming. Shinwoo tipped his head, stood then walked away from his group. He didn’t even bother to give her a second glance when she was so sure that he did see her.

Joohyun was pissed. Her happy, fuzzy feel about him a few seconds back was overshadowed by annoyance especially when she remembered the way he acted the other day at one of their classes together. Is he doing amildang act on her? Has the push-and-pull become a habit?

She made her way to the cafeteria, totally throwing Shinwoo and his annoying tendencies at the farthest end of her consciousness. Lunch was quiet until Yoona and Sooyoung joined them but she remained distracted no matter how she tried to focus. After lunch, she calmly went in the library and found the most secluded respite on that lone table almost hidden by another smaller desk with stocks of books waiting to be placed on their respective shelves. It was a perfect place to be alone with her thoughts especially since she wasn’t expecting her project partner to make his useless appearance.

She felt good. She felt very good.

“Is that a frown or a smile? And are you daydreaming of me again?”

Who else was it but Shinwoo dragging his arrogance on all four corners of the library and she was stupid to have  gone there, so she replied by darting a seriously angry glare at his direction, “That was supposed to be a smile and now that you’re here I couldn’t help but frown. And yes, I was daydreaming… about you… of the ten ways to keep you away from me.”

“Keeping me away from you is very weird considering you texted me,” he snorted as he sat on the chair across her.

“That…” Joohyun continued to glare with lowered eyebrows and answered back accusingly, “Was before you ignored me awhile back.”

Shinwoo’s jaw dropped for a moment then pointed to himself, “I???? Ignored you? You saw me and I ignored you? Wait, do you love me that much to see me everywhere even if I wasn’t there?”

“What?! Are you nuts? I was stupid enough to wave at you and you ignored me…” she snapped totally failing her attempt to control her anger, “You. Ignored. Me.”

Shinwoo laughed realizing that her nostrils were starting to flare but still felt confident that he could still handle the situation so he just crossed his arms on his chest, “No, sunshine… will… never ever happen.”

“Did happen… past tense,” she stood, gathered all her books and notebooks then moved to another table but he was fast enough to read her thoughts that he had already pulled a chair before she could even sit, “And yes, you’re not allowed to come anywhere near me!”

“When did I ever?”

“Lunchtime? Lawn? Outside the Speech Room? You were with this bunch of kids?” She compressed her lips together while Shinwoo just raised a brow, “Bells not ringing at all? Okay, you… have selective amnesia… and I don’t. Having said that, I don’t care about your amnesia. As for me, I’m done with you.”

Shinwoo fell silent. He finally realized what she was trying to say. He took a deep breath, “W-wait… okay… for starters, it’s good if I had amnesia, then I can fall in love with you all over again.” He pouted when she gave another piercing look so he nodded putting his thoughts back on track, “Okay, you saw me… probably. You saw me and I ignored you. And it was— I, probably, wasn’t myself—“

“Yeah, like you weren’t yourself the other day—“

“Ohh, that…” he stopped midsentence, sighed and stretched his arms on the table, “I’m so sorry. I’m a jerk. Joohyun, please, let me make it up to you.”

Joohyun contemplated her next move while looking squarely at him. That apology sounded and looked genuine and a silly part of her felt giddy inside. She sighed and shook her head, clucking her tongue to show her disappointment then pushed the folders and books in front of him. “Write the rest of the interpretations of the result of the survey. Fix the footnotes on every page. Check the bibliography if everything is there. And oh, the Definition of Terms is not yet complete. I expect it to be done in an hour or after I’m done reading this novel, whichever comes first.”

Shinwoo unconsciously gulped his thoughts in his throat while she was dictating. It has started, he told himself. Shinwoo nodded and pulled the papers without taking his eyes of her and noticed that tiny glint of satisfaction on her eyes. “Yes, master,” he said, somewhat listlessly, as she lounged on her seat, put on her earphones and started reading. It was time to prove to her again what he could do and it was a challenge well accepted. Thus, he worked seriously while she busied herself with her novel but he couldn’t help but chuckle when he recognized one song in her playlist as she was humming and singing along with it.

“I don’t need a man I don’t need a man… what? I hmmmmm… jinja? Hmmmmm… jeongmal?”

He put his chin on his hand, watching her with that little smile pasted on his lips then she lifted her gaze to meet his. Joohyun sighed and shook her head as she went back reading.

She bit her lips to stop herself from showing him the smile she was keeping inside. When Shinwoo looked at her that way, she felt beautiful— no, when he looked at her that way, she felt like she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And, no, she can never tell him her thoughts. Finally, she burst out laughing at her own reverie that he looked at her, perplexed. Batting her lashes, “Something’s funny in this book, okay?” she told him defensively.

Shinwoo just raised both his hands in surrender.

After more than two hours, she put her closed book in front of him, “Okay, an hour passed and I’m done reading.”

Shinwoo smirked and pushed the papers in front of her, “Done, your majesty.”

Joohyun checked his work, noted some parts she needed to fix and add, and after some moment of scrutiny, she closed the folder and nodded to herself but looking straight at him, “Hmmmmm… so what else do we need to do?”

“There’s only one thing left for you to do…”

“I don’t like that stupid grin.”

“Ya, you’re supposed to ask me what.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Either way,” Shinwoo shrugged his shoulder, “You will hear it so might as well ask.”

“No…” she said with conviction.

“Issshhhh… you’re no fun,” he hissed waving his forefinger at her then went on, “Let’s do it again. There’s only one thing left for you to do.”

She masked her amusement with a scowl but gave in, “Alright… what?”

“To love me back.”

“Heol…” she gave him a faked jaw-drop then shrugged, “You’re lucky we’re in the library.”

“You’re luckier…” Shinwoo smirked moving his body forward that his arms reached her books.

That expression and the unconscious invasion of her personal space made her a bit fidgety, “W-why?”

“I would have kissed you senselessly, you’re being feisty again and it’s .”

Her head tilted downwards towards him with eyes narrowing as if the mere action could give him massive injury, “You are the most disgusting, stupid ert I ever encountered in my life.”

“And soon you will love this disgusting, stupid ert for the rest of your life.”

“I hate you…” she said firmly, challenging him more with the way she was holding his gaze.

Shinwoo snickered slightly, “Sunshine, the time will come when you will beg me to never leave your side.”

“That time will never come, you’re my nightmare.”

“Soon enough, you will beg this nightmare to come to your dreams.”

“You’re creeping me out.”

“I’m making you mine.”

“Your way of making me yours is too off.”

“That’s because you’re trying to fight your feelings.”

“Ha!” Joohyun snarled with sarcasm, “You think you’re a mind-reader?”

“Did I just read your mind?”

“No! You egocentric maniac!”

“See? You’re getting mad again.” Shinwoo laughed and gave her a sideways glance with his sarcastic smile, “Are you, by any chance, seducing me?”

“Geez! You really are an epic jerk!” Joohyun took a deep breath as she closed her eyes to stop herself from raising hell. She started to gather her things, stood then calmly said, “Okay, you win… it’s my cue to walk out…”

Shinwoo knew he went overboard. He kicked himself upon realizing it and hurriedly followed her outside the library. He He caught up with her on the sidewalk , on her way to the parking lot. “Joohyuna, I’m sorry,” he said getting hold of her elbow.

“You are not,” she said under her breath while brushing his hand away, “You won’t stop saying things that annoy me.”

“Look, I only said those things for us to keep talking.”

“What? That’s the way you want to talk to me? To declare a word war every time we’re together?”

“Sunshine, I—“

“And stop calling me that! I’m not your girlfriend!”

“Then be my girlfriend,” Shinwoo boldly declared despite her snappy tone.

“So we will have this relationship where we do nothing but keep talking trash at each other?”

“No! It’s not that—“

“Then what, Shinwoo?” Joohyun spun around to meet his gaze.

“I like you…” he said gently noting the glint of tear on one side of her eye, “I like you a lot and I… I may be in love…”

She shook her head, “No… you’re not in love with me. You’re obsessed with me getting mad at you.”

“Alright, Seo Joohyun… from now on I will stop saying things that would make you get mad at me.”

“Thank you… Goodbye, Jung Shinwoo,” she turned to leave but he remained rooted on his spot.

“Don’t say that please.”

“Then what do you want me to say?!” she snapped with frustration especially when she noticed how they became the object of interest of nearby onlookers.

“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry… let me start again. Say you will give me a chance.”

She sighed and just turned away. She didn’t want any drama and Shinwoo was exactly that— nothing but a drama.

All of a sudden, as the wind seemed to blow heavier towards his direction, Shinwoo felt defeated. He ran his  fingers through his hair as he watched her leave and walk away.

Maybe to give up was the right thing to do. Besides,  it was his fault all along. He had every chance to be close to her in a nice way but he blew it by being a jerk. He should have listened to his brother when he told him to treat Joohyun right. She was, after all, different from the other girls he dated. Shinwoo knew that finally he found his match. He knew he found the one who could tame him. His brother was right. And if this was his punishment, then he was willing to accept it.

But he needed to get her to forgive him, then he would back off… he would leave Seo Joohyun in peace no matter how hard it would be.

Her short rapid breaths and the way she clenched her fist as she walked past some students showed how much she wanted to get away and cry alone in her car.  She decided that whatever she felt for Shinwoo must go away because it would take them nowhere.

“Awww poor guy!”

“He really likes her…”

“Ohhh! He’s sooo romantic!”

“What should I do to get a guy to do that for me?! Gosh!”

“Hey, miss… forgive the poor guy!”

She swallowed the lump in and brush off the dew that was forming on both sides of her eyes. The other kids around were looking at her and she couldn’t just ignore the sudden murmurs of the crowd. She felt suddenly nervous when she turned and found him on his knees looking at her with those sad eyes and an equally sad smile on his lips.

“Argh! I really hate you!” she muttered to herself and walked back to where he was kneeling.

It felt like heaven opened up a bit when Joohyun walked back and stood in front of him.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Please forgive me.”

“What?! Stop embarrassing yourself and get up!”

“I don’t care what other people think. Forgive me, Seo Joohyun, for all the Richard Simmons ways I did and said to make you like me. I’m really sorry; I just thought it would be the best way for you to notice me. I blew it. The very first time I liked somebody this much… I blew it… I’m a jerk. But forgive me…”

She knew that it just tug her heartstrings— him kneeling in front of her like a little boy. In his eyes, she felt his sincerity. She offered her hand, “Get up.”

“Please forgive me. Not because I’m kneeling here but because you do forgive me.”

Joohyun eyes narrowed for a moment until she nodded slightly, “Alright, I forgive you…. Now, get up.”

“100%?”

“200%,” she couldn’t help but gave off a soft laugh when he looked at her with his puppy eyes, “Get up now please. I forgive you.”

“You’re not mad anymore?”

“Yes.”

“You’re giving me a second chance?”

“Yes.”

“You can be my girlfriend now?”

“Ye—what?!”

“Please? Pretty please??????!!!”

“Ohhh my goodness, what did I get myself into?!”

Shinwoo seriously shrugged his shoulder,”Pushing my luck here….”

“Jung Shinwoo… you will never change, aren’t you?”

“Say yes…” he pressed his palms together.

“Oh for goodness sake, stop driving me crazy! What do you want from me!?”

“I said it, be my girlfriend!” he was chuckling when she noticed how their little scene attracted too much attention. Some were cheering him on, some were capturing the moment with their handphones and some were telling her to say ‘yes’. The odds were on his favor. “Just be my girlfriend!”

She shut her eyes tight figuring the best way out of that situation. She could run but it was most likely that he would run after her. “Okay! Alright! I’m your girlfriend now!” She finally declared with much frustration, “Happy now!?”

“Oh yes! Super!” the kid Shinwoo shouted as their small audience cheered.

“Then get up and stop this embarrassment!” Joohyun finally said, feeling the heat in her face and the cold sweat on her arms.

“We are now officially together?!”

“Yeah, what else do you want from me?!” She asked as he brushed his knees.

“Your body,” Shinwoo sneakily whispered as the other students dispersed and they started walking again.

“My what? And that was supposed to be a rhetorical question!”

Shinwoo laughed at her flushed face but waved both hands, “Your body... b-but I was just kidding."

“Oh, no you’re not because I’m breaking up with you, you erted jerk!”

“Heyyy, sunshine! We haven’t even been together for like one whole minute!”

“Then guess what? That’s a hard record to break!”

“Oh, Seo Joohyun, I was seriously kidding! Do you want me to kneel again? Please I’m sorry for that stupid comment."

“Wow, thanks for the threat but you can kneel there all year, the hell I care!”

“Ya! I said I’m sorry!”

“Then stop saying stupid things!”

“Arasso! I promise I will. I love you okay?”

She stopped and stared blankly at him for a few seconds. The overwhelming feeling of what just happened didn’t seem to have sunk in with her that well. It was a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. Maybe she would be glad of how it turned out later or she would fear the impulsive decision could backfire in the future. However, she must face the main issue at hand so she pulled him to the sidewalk. “You know, I said okay that I can be your girlfriend but it doesn’t mean that…. I love you… I like you… a lot… more than I should considering how much of a jerk you can be, but love…”

Shinwoo shook his head, silencing her, “I know and I understand. I will work every day to make you love me back, okay? I don’t expect you to love me right now but I’m happy you’re giving me a chance, giving this jerk a chance.”

“So you better…” she raised a finger to which Shinwoo laughed and nodded in understanding.

“I know… I know… so are we getting back together now?”

Joohyun finally smiled. What to expect from Shinwoo? She knew it well so she listlessly replied, “I get sick of you annoying me a lot so yeah, okay, we’re getting back together now.”

The afternoon ended with the ever so random couple walking side-by-side along the street.

He, feeling excited and hopeful. She, feeling unsure and doubtful.

Time is the only thing that knows what the future holds, though.

The hands started moving.

The clock began ticking.

The day ended. Their story started.

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okay, dear readers, i know i promised to post LTL first 

but I haven't finished it yet.

and I have so many things to do lately (too much backlogs and work commitments) 

so I stopped writing for awhile

I will just pm in case i suddenly update.

I'm just srsly lucky having ysa to write kismet with me

as for kismet, we will be back really soon

the story is starting to unfold...

hang on tight