Chapter 8. You and I

"It’s a mystery of human chemistry and I don’t understand it; some people, as far as their senses are concerned, just feel like home."

-High Fidelity, Nick Hornby

That afternoon, she drove in silence thankful for the last kilometers they needed to travel to get home. During that time (and for the past thirty minutes) Shinwoo was enjoying his nap and she had been enjoying the peace of mind it caused her until he started to stir and when she took a quick look at him, he was grinning like a retard.

“Joohyun, Seo Joohyun…”

A moment of peace was indeed a commodity if you’re Seo Joohyun and you sit three feet away from Jung Shinwoo. “What?”

“Seo Joohyun… Joohyun-ssi, Seo-seo, Seo Joohyun,” he lilted, crossed his arms on his chest and closed his eyes.

“Ya, stop saying my name… it’s going to wear out.”

“I don’t care… I love saying your name.”

Joohyun raised a brow and commented rather calmly, “And it’s starting to get into my nerves.”

“It does?” Shinwoo sat up and smiled gently at her, “But I promise you, when we get back I will stop getting into your nerves.”

“Gee, thanks,” she spoke with obvious sarcasm, glaring at him when he suddenly moved a little closer to her.

“I’m going to start getting into your heart instead,” Shinwoo winked then settled back to his seat unaffectedly.

Joohyun couldn’t stop from chuckling but shook her head, “Good luck to that.”

“Thanks for cheering on me.”

“No, it was a warning, you delusional fool.”

“You are so going to swallow your insults once you realize that I’m the one for you.”

 “Oh Romeo, I can’t wait,” Joohyun laughed out loud and stepped hard on the accelerator. She needed to drop him off as soon as possible orhe would drive her crazier than him.

~~~

From the moment she walked in the lecture hall, Joohyun knew that her classmates started dividing the earnings of those who won the bet. She could only hope that Shinwoo was honest about the result. Joohyun pretended to be unaware of the giggles and playful looks thrown at her but suddenly became conscious of what could Shinwoo have beentelling them so she marched and sat on the seat beside his.

“Hi…” Shinwoo turned to her with a little smile.

“Hi yourself,” she muttered opening her book and started leafing through it. Her mind was trying to tell her to concentrate on the page they were told to read but she couldn’t help but wonder why Shinwoo was not doing anything. It was a good thing, of course, but it was all too weird. She slowly rested her elbow on the table, leaned a bit closer as she rested her chin on her hand but Shinwoo didn’t even move. It was really weird considering the professor wasn’t in yet and most of their classmates were chattering.

Suddenly, he reached out under his desk, pulled a book and read. Joohyun couldn’t take the silence anymore so she looked at him with a glare, “What now?!”

“What?” Shinwoo looked at her quite perplexed.

“What are you doing?”

“N-nothing?”

“Ya, are you planning something? Why are you so quiet? What have you been telling these people?” she demanded but he just looked even more confused than moments ago. That irked her further, there must be a reason why he suddenly ignored her and pretended that he didn’t do anything.

“Joohyun-ssi, first of all I plan to study that’s why I came here. Second, I am quiet because there’s nothing to talk about. Lastly, you are the first person I’ve spoken with since coming in this hall a few minutes ago so I haven’t told anybody anything.”

Joohyun blinked twice, she was stunned by him. First, because of how serious he sounded. Second, because it was his first time speaking jeondemal to her. Lastly, it was because it seemed likea divine spirit possessed Shinwoo’s body. “Hmp!” she flipped her hair and tried to focus on the book while he seemed to lounge coolly on his seat.

The hour passed quickly and their class ended without Shinwoo doing or saying anything. Nonetheless, for Joohyun, everything was unusual and she couldn’t explain why she hated the fact that he wasn’t doing anything to annoy her. She gathered her things snappily, stood facing him for a couple of seconds but he didn’t seem to mind her so she strode out passing him by (and kicking his knee on the way) though her other side was an empty aisle. Just the other day, he was declaring his never ending admiration for her and that morning she woke up from his stupid text message that said, ‘Wakey wakey, sunshine!’ and now he was acting like she caught a contagious disease.

She took a big sigh upon reaching the hallway. Joohyun freed her mind of negative thoughts called Shinwoo.

But she couldn’t and she found herself marching back into the room, slamming her books in front of him and muttered, “What is your problem?!” Her heart drummed in her chest as her anger heightened but all she got was a confused stare. She waited for him to say something—anything! -- and ignored the weird glances they were both getting. Finally, Shinwoo rested his arms on the desk, missing her hand an inch then lifted his chin up to meet her glare.

“I’m sorry if my silence offends you. I am not really myself today. I’m sorry,” he stood and smiled, “I will call you later.” Shinwoo took his bag and slung it over his shoulder. With slight and gentle bow, he went out of the lecture hall leaving her in wonder especially the way he smiled at her.

It was something too familiar yet so much new.

~~~

She grumbled to no end of how stupid she must have appeared when she confronted him. It has always been his fault because he continued playing with her emotions and having the pleasure tormenting her. Now, he appeared t be oblivious of her and there was something awfully wrong with that. Maybe he was planning an attack or he was just really irritating her.

Joohyun parked her car outside their apartment building. When she unbuckled her seatbelt, a red and black plaid jacket stuck at the corner of the passenger’s seat caught her attention. At one glance, she knew to whom it belonged. Heaving a sigh, she pulled it out, buckled her seatbelt again and decided to drive to his apartment building.

Only when she got out of her car that she realized she didn’t know his apartment number. She complained to herself as she dialed his phone number and listened to what seemed to be its never-ending ringing.  “Aish, Jung Shinwoo! Answer your stupid phone!” she whined out loud but bit her lip and looked down when an older looking girl passing by gave her a second glance. “What am I doing to myself?” she cried silently and started to walk away.

“Excuse me? You’re looking for a Jung Shinwoo?”

Joohyun turned to find the older girl with fake honey blonde hair called her back. “Ahhh yes…” she timidly answered as the other one walked towards her beaming a pretty smile.

“I’m Hyoyeon and I happen to be his sister,” the friendly girl said and motioned for her to follow inside the building till they reached the elevator.

“Oh, nice to meet you, I’m Seo Joohyun, I’m sorry about the—“

“Yeah,” Hyoyeon waited for the younger girl to get in the lift then keyed her floor, “I complained to my mom about that too…”

“ Huh?”

Hyoyeon laughed, “The phone… you see, Shinwoo and I have the same kind of phones… stupid phones.” She rolled her eyes then asked casually, “So you are my brother’s girlfriend?

Joohyun’s eyes widened as she vigorously shook her head, “Oh no! No! I am not his—“

The elevator dinged and opened, “You’re a girl…” Hyoyeon got out and Joohyun followed closely then she stopped in front of the first door on the right, “And he’s your friend… so technically you are his girl,” she typed the password on the door lock and pushed it open, “…friend.”

Joohyun thought for a while then replied, “Well, uhm, pro—“

“So yeah…” Hyoyeon smiled at her then yelled, “Umma, I’m home… I’m with Shinwoo’s girlfriend!”

Joohyun was about to protest when a middle aged woman shorter of a few inches from Hyoyeon came out from a hallway wiping her hands on the apron that was wrapped around her waist.

“Oh!!! Shinwoo’s girlfriend?”

“N-no… I—“

“Mom, this is Seo Joohyun. She’s Shinwoo’s girl,” Hyoyeon interjected with a wide grin as she took the younger girl’s hand to shake with her mom’s, “friend.”

“Yeah, you said that already,” she said then turned to the confused looking girl, “I’m Yejin. Wait here, I will put out some kimchi pancakes I just made.”

“Oh that won’t really be necessary I just—“ she raised the jacket but another girl with a boy’s haircut came running loudly down the stairs.

“Oppa has a girlfriend? Hi, I’m Sunny! Oh you’re so pretty, Unnie!!!!” the teenager beamed then crossed her arms on her chest with a sudden serious expression, “But you better have your eye checked, you’ve got the wrong gu— OUCH!!!”

Mrs. Im laughed at Sunny’s pout when she smacked her behind, “Don’t listen to her.” She smiled and took Joohyun’s hand, “Come and join us for dinner. I’m just done cooking.”

Joohyun smiled while she was led to the dining room where a generously sized eight-seater table rested on one side. They are a big family, she noted. Shinwoo’s sisters looked very carefree like him and their mother seemed very gracious and nice. She sat on the chair the other girls’ mother pulled for as they took what seemed to be their designated places. Mrs. Im started putting out the side dishes. “I really must not trouble you, I just came here to bring his jacket he left in my car.”

“Huh? He undressed in your car?” Hyoyeon asked before filling with the kimchi pancake.

“Ya, Hyoyeon, it’s just a jacket,” Yejin said mouthing a sorry to Joohyun. From the moment she saw this girl, she approved of her being her son’s girlfriend and told herself that at last Shinwoo found a decent girl.

Hyoyeon raised a hand, “What did I say? Doesn’t  undressing mean taking something off? So he just took off his jacket in her car…”

Sunny giggled beside her sister and Joohyun was still trying to get the perfect timing to tell them that she isn’t Shinwoo’s girlfriend. Yejin glared at her older daughter then smiled at their guest, “Don’t mind her, so Joohyun tell me about yourse—“

“I’m ho—“ Shinwoo stopped the moment he saw Joohyun beside her mother on their dining table, “…home…”

“Oh, you’re here! Why didn’t you tell me you have such a pretty and sweet girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend?” he looked from his mother then to the girl in question, “You told them you are my girlfriend?”

“Oh! I di—“ she stood and deliberately shook her head.

“You aren’t?” Yejin asked.

“That was what I was trying to tell you…” Joohyun said softly hanging her head low in embarrassment then heads turned towards the eldest daughter who was slowly sneaking out of the room but was pulled back to her seat by her mother.

“Oh, did I say that…? I said she was his girl…” Hyoyeon smiled sweetly then opened her arms wide as if gesturing a distance from the two words, “Friend…”

“Yaaaa!” Yejin yelled at her daughter then looked back at Joohyun, “I’m sorry for the confusion!”

Joohyun smiled and nodded gently but suddenly a hand clung on hers.

“So you aren’t really his girlfriend?” Sunny asked sweetly then started dragging her somewhere, “Come here I’ll introduce you to someone better than him…”

“Ya!” Shinwoo protested then noticed the jacket Joohyun was gripping hard with her hands as if her life depended on it, “Oh, you brought back my jacket?” Joohyun nodded as she handed it to him, “Thanks. Let’s talk somewhere.” He looked at the other women and rolled his eyes, “Come on, let’s talk in my room.”

“You’re taking her to your room?!”

Hyoyeon and his mother said together much to his annoyance, “No! I mean… I was only, Aish!” Shinwoo scratched his head in frustration then took Joohyun’s wrist, “Come on, let’s get out of here!”

“Yah! Where are you going?!”

“Only outside, Umma,” Shinwoo answered almost annoyed by how his mother looked at him, “Oh mom! She’s my project partner!”

“Babymaking project?” Hyoyeon interjected again but was answered with loud ‘Yah! from her mother and brother to which she just rolled her eyes and slumped on the nearest sofa and opened the TV, “What? I was just asking, chill people!” She then smiled sweetly at Joohyun before giving a small wave, “Nice meeting you, Shinwoo’s girl… friend!”

~~~

Moments later, they were at the park near his apartment building, it was almost twilight walking side-by-side but she kept a good distance to avoid their arms from bumping into each other.

“I’m sorry, as you’ve probably noticed, I have a crazy family,” Shinwoo finally broke the awkward silence and noticed her shaking her head with a little smile.

“Not crazy, probably just loud happy one…”

“Well, yeah, thanks for bringing in my jacket.”

“No problem…” she replied gently. The early evening breeze was starting to pierce in her skin.

“When you could have just given that to me in school,” Shinwoo winked but chuckled when she tried to appear listless as she nodded.

“And get the same reaction from your family?” she smiled, “Besides, I just noticed it and decided to drop it off…”

“My bad…” he replied softly, catching her gentle expression.

Joohyun took a deep breath as she clasped her fingers together. She shot a glance up in the sky and noticed the first tiny glimmering star. “You know, this is nice…”

“What is this nice ‘this’?” Shinwoo asked playfully.

“You not trying to fight with me,” she laughed softly.

“Correction,” he raised a finger and waved it on her face, “I am not trying to fight with you.”

“I beg to differ. You always do, you always try to push me out of my senses.”

“I don’t… but if you think I do, then I’m sorry…” Shinwoo looked at her casually then gave her a tiny wink, “I just want you to notice me…”

It made her laugh, “And why would you want that?”

“Because…” he shrugged his shoulders.

She rolled her eyes, pursed her lips and crossed her arms on her chest, “But this is really nice, I hope we can really be friends.”

It was Shinwoo’s turn to laugh while he walked steps away from her then turned, “Friends?”

“Yeah,” she ignored his reaction.

“I have enough of them, I don’t need one.”

Joohyun stopped walking and dropped both her arms back to her sides and turned away, “Fine…”

“Hey, sunshine! Where are you going?”

“Home? Where else?” She called back still composing herself despite the rush of annoyance she suddenly felt, “Sorry for trying to want  to be on the good side of someone. Sorry for trying to make amends when I really don’t need to be cause you just proved  to me I don’t ever want to be friends with jerks.”

“Whoa, slow down, tiger. I’m just kidding you,” Shinwoo laughed as he jogged to where she was.

“And do you ever think I appreciate you always kidding me?”

Shinwoo raised both hands, “Okay, fine… I’m sorry but I can’t be your friend, Seo Joohyun.”

She gave him a sideways glance with an eyebrow down-turning, then snapped rather mildly, “I thought so too…”

“Because I want to be more than that… I want you to be my girlfriend, without the space in between girl and friend, you know what I mean, right?”

“No, I don’t,” she deliberately shook her head and pushed him off her way.

“Psh! You’re too smart not to know what I mean.”

“Yes, I’m too smart so I know what you mean and the answer is a big bold no…”

Shinwoo strode farther to keep pace with her, “Come on, be my girlfriend… what’s wrong with me? I mean I’m handsome…” he appeared counting with his fingers while keeping an eye on her reaction, “Errr… I’m pretty… creative? Okay, I’m not really book smart but if I focus I could, you know, I can sing well…!”

“Again, the answer is a big no! And please stop following me!” Joohyun stomped and turned towards the other direction.

“Can’t and won’t…” he smiled but stopped walking.

“Please give me a break, I don’t want a boyfriend, especially you…”

“I’ll give you time, you’d come around…” he called back.

“No…” she kept walking.

“Come on, heyyy…” he started following her again until she stopped and glared at him.

“I’m leaving.”

“I’ll follow you.”

“Stop,” she said with finality and watched as his expression softened.

“Well… go on now,” Shinwoo smiled and started walking backwards, moving slowly away from her, “But I’m telling you the chase is definitely on!”

~~~

“I can’t even tell if he’s really serious….” Joohyun complained as she twirled the straw in her tall glass of iced tea, “He isn’t always serious.”

Sooyoung shook her head. She couldn’t believe Shinwoo would actually do those things to Joohyun. She knows him and the younger girl seemed to be way out of his league. Not to mention, the two seemed to belong to each side of the magnetic pole. Neither attraction nor repulsion could bring those two together. But she smiled hoping for a big change, “I think he is… it’s just Shinwoo being Shinwoo. That’s his charm.”

“Even though he’s  a jerk…” Joohyun smiled as she recalled some of his silly mischief.

“Most of the time,” Yoona nodded with a smile seeing that faraway look on Joohyun’s face but her gentle grin meant something.

“Yeah, most of the time, but Shinwoo is a good guy, I can vouch on that,” Sooyoung added.

Yoona nudged Joohyun, “Give the guy a chance, who knows he’s someone worth all your trouble…”

“I don’t know, but there’s something I can’t understand, it’s like I’m waiting for someone… I can see it in him, I won’t deny that… but at times it doesn’t feel like him,” Joohyun revealed.

“Then discover that feeling with him, if it doesn’t work, then break up,” the doe-eyed girl suggested.

“Yeah, sometimes relationships are just that—a dry run for the real one,” Sooyoung said.

“Sheez! Did they turn off the wifi?” Hara suddenly broke the dreamy atmosphere as she raised her phone. Yoona laughed but Sooyoung glared.

“Ya… do you, like, need to communicate with your boyfriend 24/7? You were just together the whole day! Take a break, will you?!” The tallest girl nagged while Hara just hang her head low and nodded as Yoona went on laughing and Joohyun still wondered if she should really test the water with him.

~~~

“I told her I will call her.”

“Why?”

“She seemed to be mad about something.”

“What? What did you tell her?”

“That was the problem; I didn’t do or say anything. She was probably expecting me to and it irked her that I didn’t.”

“She’s one feisty woman.”

“You can say that again.” He smiled and stared at his guitar at the far corner of his massive bedroom. It’s true that an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. Yes, it was probably the devil messing up with his mind and feelings.

Maybe it was time to go on another faraway trip.