A/N: This chapter is quite short, and I'm really sorry about that. At least it's progress. :)

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You Picked Me [2/?]

But I know I never wanted anything so bad ―

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Krystal Jung's forehead crinkled in worry, her eyes focusing on Taemin. “Is my unni crying?”

“Krystal,” Taemin said brightly. “No, she isn't crying. She's just...” Jinki shot him a warning look. “Everything's fine.”

Krystal only raised an eyebrow. “She doesn't look very fine to me.”

Jessica lifted her head and managed to smile at Krystal weakly. “I'm fine. You don't have to worry.”

This seemed to only make Krystal raise her eyebrow higher. “You're sure, unni?”

“Yes.”

“Well then,” Krystal started, and Taemin was glad that she was smiling now, albeit shyly. “I have a question to ask you, Taemin.”

“And that is?” Taemin asked, smiling back at her.

“Taemin...” she started. “I was wondering if you'd like to go to the ball with me.”

Taemin's mouth fell open and Krystal stared at him expectantly. Jessica and Jinki were staring at him as well, anticipating his reaction.

Did she just ask what she just asked? Taemin cleared his throat.

“The ball?”

Krystal's smile faltered. “Well... that is if you haven't asked anyone yet.”

“But...” Taemin muttered. “How about Minho? Isn't he your boyfriend?”

“Haven't I told you? We broke up three days ago.”

Geez, Taemin thought, this girl moves on really fast. If he remembers correctly, Krystal has had five boyfriends (Minho would be the sixth) ever since they had entered high school, all of them older than her. It's also a wonder to him why all of her relationships never last, and why it's so easy for her to happily go out to eat ice cream with her friends, including Taemin, after every break up. If Jessica is the stick-to-one girl who's been dating Jinki for almost three years, her sister Krystal is the complete opposite.

But she has the right to date anyone she wants to, Taemin added in his thoughts. He never would have admitted it to anyone, but he'd always thought that Krystal was very pretty, a kind of pretty that was different from her sister's kind of pretty. She was still a little bit childish, of course. But it doesn't change the fact that she's very pretty. Boys have noticed, apparently.

“Oi, Taemin, she asked you something. She's waiting for your reply,” Jinki said, still looking somewhere in between mad and sad.

“Er...” Taemin felt his face heat up. “Actually, Krystal, I'm going with Jessica-noona.”

Krystal turned to her sister, confusion written on her face. “But you're going with Jinki-oppa, aren't you?”

Jessica shook her head, eyes downcast. “No,” she said, voice wavering. “I'm going with Taemin.”

“It's okay,” Jinki put an arm around her shoulder consolingly. “I don't blame you.”

He looked at Taemin, making it clear who he did blame.

Jessica smiled, although she still continued holding on to Jinki as though she was frightened he was going to disappear.

“Krystal,” Jinki said, giving a strained sort of smile. “Maybe you'd like to go to the ball with me instead?”

Taemin sprayed soda all over the table again.

Jessica looked at Jinki incredulously. “What?”

Jinki only shrugged, still looking at Krystal. “So how about it? You and me?”

“Hold on, hyung,” Taemin said. “You can't possibly go with your girlfriend's sis—”

“And you think you can go with my girlfriend?” Jinki cut in. He asked Krystal calmly, “What do you think, Krystal?”

“I'd love to go with you, Jinki-oppa,” Krystal smiled and turned to Jessica. “Would that be alright with you, unni?”

Jessica nodded weakly, looking down on her lap.

“I have to get going then. Seohyun-unni and Yuri-unni are waiting for me. See you later, Jessica-unni, Jinki-oppa, Taemin.”

Taemin and Jessica stared at Jinki as Krystal made her way out of the cafeteria.

“You're going with Krystal?” Jessica said, almost in tears.

“Yes,” Jinki answered, shoveling a spoonful of mashed potato into his mouth.

“But, Jinki...”

“It's settled. You're going with Taemin, so I go with Krystal.”

Taemin could feel Jinki's stare even when he's looking down at his plate.

“I'm sorry, Jinki...”

“I didn't want this, you know. I wanted to go with you.”

“You and Krystal...”

“It doesn't mean anything, Jessica. Like what you've said about you and Taemin. It doesn't mean anything.”

Taemin's annoyance was bubbling up the surface. “Seriously, hyung. It's not a big deal.”

Jinki stood up. "I have to go somewhere. I'll see you in class, okay?” He stalked off, leaving Jessica staring after him helplessly. He almost bumped into a girl who was holding a tray of food in her arms. He bowed and apologized profusely, then went out the door of the cafeteria. 

Taemin sighed and went back to his lunch. "He's not only clumsy, he's awfully sensitive too."

Jessica frowned. "You can't blame him, you know. It's you who started this."

"Noona, it's just a stupid ball!"

Jessica dumped her things inside her bag and stomped off, leaving Taemin alone and staring after her.

"Why is everybody making a fuss about something so irrelevant?" he mumbled as he went on to finish his plate.