Final
Trouble With The Crackpot
When Ms. Park assigned her with the crank Lee Taemin for her upcoming project, Soojung froze on her seat. She turned her head to the red-haired boy. He was busy stuffing his belongings to his backpack and didn’t pay attention to other people who watched him in horror.
He slung his backpack over his shoulder as he made his way to Soojung’s desk. Her stomach churned unpleasantly. She had known him since she was a kid, when she was the new girl in elementary school and he was the boy that nobody would want to talk to Soojung remembered how he always chased the sun before it set. It was funny at the first time but as it became a habit, Soojung found it endearing and cute to see someone so determined on something that would never happen.
Of course, at that time, she couldn’t say it straight to his face.
It was like killing a puppy; she couldn’t break someone apart just because they did something that normal kid wouldn’t do. After all, she liked seeing him running out of the house with his hoodie on and drove his bike to where the sun would disappear. It was a secret that she would keep forever.
Taemin placed his backpack beside Soojung’s and took a seat on the vacant chair. He gave her a small smile. “Please treat me well, little princess. I might be a burden for you in the future.”
“Don’t talk to me.” She said through her teeth, annoyed by his presence. The boy only laughed and let the princess got mad. It wasn’t his problem, after all.
. . . . .
Soojung widened her eyes as she looked at the boy before her in shock. She didn’t know what had gotten into his mind today but one thing she knew is: he had lost his insanity.
Ms. Park gave her students a project that needed two people in it. As we know, Soojung just got paired with Taemin for this project. The young english teacher asked them to write their friends’ biography for their last assignment in high school. She also told the students that they should get to know each other by asking, or hanging out together like friends would do on weekends.
But Soojung would never do that. She wouldn’t hang out with her partner just because she was told to. She could ask Taemin about it by phone or in the middle of their english class when the teacher wasn’t looking.
When Soojung told Taemin that she would do the interview by phone, he had another plan.
From the tone of his voice she already knew that this wouldn’t be a good idea.
She shut her locker and leaned against it. “I’m not going,”
“You’re going. Believe it or not, I take this project seriously.” He said while chewing a gum, gaining a hard stare from the princess.
“It’s against the law, okay? And I don’t want to be seen with you...” She whispered the last part but Taemin could hear it. He knew what kind of a guy the whole school think he was. And Soojung wasn’t an exception.
“Nobody will see. Who would want to go to that place at 12?”
“But—“
“I’ll pick you up at 11.45,” he said with finality.
. . . . .
It was 11:37; she had checked on her family two times and convinced that they were already asleep. She put her leather jacket on as she looked at his window. It was so dark in there, but she could see a silhouette walking to the balcony.
He opened the balcony door and dazzled his boyish smile to Soojung. He wore a blue hoodie with jeans and the Converse that his mother gave him a year ago. Taemin could see how reluctant she was to follow him when she finally climbed down to the yard.
She didn’t give him a smile. She didn’t greet him either. But he liked it, nonetheless.
They walked in silent for a good few minutes. Soojung didn’t want to converse with him while Taemin didn’t know how to start a conversation with her. He had known her since they were a kid, though. It’s just... They never really talked to each other before.
Seeing how her friends always scared of him and said nonsense things about him, he knew he couldn’t be friends with the Jung Soojung that everyone loved. He backed off instantly and never tried to get close to her even if he wanted to.
After all, he enjoyed the rumors they made about him.
They arrived at the park near their school at 12. The park was quite huge to have a lake. Taemin started to run to the lake after they climbed the fence and ditched Soojung who’s picking the leafs off from her head. She followed Taemin afterward while cursing in two languages under her breath.
Taemin waited for her to come so they could begin the fun. She was frowning when she faced him, and her cheeks were a little bit pink from the cold. He started to peel off his clothes from his body and jumped to the water. He could hear Soojung’s girl-ish scream when he pulled his boxer to his knees; he thought it was cute.
“Come here!” he yelled; laughing as he saw her shaking her head furiously. “I’ll tell you the information you want to know!”
“Come back here you jerk! It’s cold!” She went closer to the shore, rubbing her arms repeatedly.
Taemin shook his head. “I won’t give you the information if you don’t come.”
Frowning, she took her clothes off from her body but still put her bra and underwear on. She jumped into the water; swimming to where Taemin was as she felt the cold water on her skin.
Taemin smirked. “You’re no fun, Soojung.”
“I don’t care.” She said. “I just want to get over this project and stay away from you,”
He smiled knowingly. He knew what kind of person Soojung was, and he knew exactly how to drive her crazy.
Soojung started to ask the boy basic questions like when he was born and what kind of family he had at home. He often gave her a hard time by giving witty answers and splashed on her face. It didn’t affect her, though.
“Where do you want to go after high school? College? Or work, maybe?” Soojung asked him, staring straight into his eyes.
He smirked. “Wherever Soojung goes, I’ll follow.”
“It’s not funny.”
“It is not.”
Soojung sighed and continued with her interview. “What do you want to be when you grow up?
“Soojung’s husband.”
“Stop it.”
“You ask, I answer.” He said triumphantly.
Soojung shook her head. “What is your biggest dream?”
“I want to kiss you.”
. . . . .
They didn’t talk for a few days.
. . . . .
It was a day before the due date of their assignment.
Soojung hadn’t finished his biography yet, and she hadn’t talked to Taemin since that... confession. She wanted to ask him the real answers (of course she couldn’t write what Taemin told her that night). But she never got the chance.
She even asked his mother if she could meet Taemin to finish their assignment and she always gave her the same answer,
Taemin is outside, dear. He won’t be back until 10.
Disappointed and frustrated, Soojung tried to approach him the other day when they had P.E class. She pushed aside her pride and asked him about their assignment.
“Write everything you want – I don’t care, okay?” He said while placing a towel on his head.
Soojung sighed. “Believe it or not, I take this project seriously.”
“You copied my words.”
“I don’t care. Just do as I said.”
Taemin smirked. “Who are you to tell me what to do? You spoiled brat only know how to order,”
“Come on!” She groaned in frustration as she watched him left the gym. She realized she had done so many horrible things to him, but she didn’t mean to.
Soojung swum back to the land after Taemin told her that he wanted to kiss her. She didn’t bother to wait for him and just left the scene without any word – she left him broken-hearted.
She didn’t know how hurt he was that night. She didn’t realize that all these years, she had been staring at Taemin from afar but too afraid of what people think if she ever approached him. Soojung was ashamed of herself for abandoning someone that was sincere and loyal – she smiled as she remembered the boy who chased the sun.
A knock on her window woke her up from her thoughts.
It could be a burglar since it was already night. But then, she heard that familiar voice and immediately, she rushed to her window where he found the red-haired boy standing on her balcony.
Taemin stepped into her room once she opened the door. He smelled like peppermint and cigar – she wondered if Taemin was a smoker.
“It took you long enough to forgive me.” She chuckled. Smiling as she sat on her bed.
Taemin shrug. “I’m not mad at you,”
“Yes you do. You were avoiding me, weren’t you?”
He didn’t answer and took a seat beside her (she could feel her heart beating faster than it normally does; it scared her since she never felt this way before).
“I want to study in Japan after we graduate. My parents told me that I could start a new life by studying abroad, so I applied to this university in Hokkaido.”
He continued, “I thought that university wouldn’t see me as a potential student, but I was wrong.”
“You got accepted?” Soojung asked, turning to him.
Taemin nodded. “Yeah. It’s a medical school.”
“I’m happy for you,” Soojung grinned. “Your dream will be come true sooner than you thought, huh...”
“I didn’t say it was my dream. “ He said calmly.
She furrowed her eyebrows. “What’s your dream then?”
“This,”
He finally had his first kiss.
But he didn’t get his first love.
The did I just write.
Comments