Chapter 2

Eunji’s POV

I waited in front of the gate for thirty minutes. I had no idea why I was so early. I looked at my watch again and saw it was a minute passed 1. “He’s late.” I muttered.

“I’m here.” Daehyun arrived wearing a white sleeveless shirt which was covered by a polo that was ed. His hair held up and disheveled in a good-looking way. What was he trying to do? Model?

“Are you auditioning for Korea’s Next Top Model?” I asked.

“Isn’t that a show with girls in it?” he said.

“You watch it.” I said in a suspicious tone.

“Because there are pretty noonas.” he pointed out.

True fact. 
He held my and said, “Enough talking, let’s go.” We paid the entrance fee and went inside. The amusement park was huge. When we went in, some girls stared at him like he was a celebrity. I looked at myself and stared at the clothes I was wearing. I wondered if I looked to plain. Nah, I’m bound to look beautiful. I should be. I spent hours on my make-up.

“Where shall we go first?” he asked. 

“Ferris Wheel!” I answered.

“Why?” he asked in puzzlement. 

“I want to conquer my fear of heights!” I told him.

A smile quirked his lips. “Alright. The Ferris wheel then.” 

The Ferris wheel was higher than I thought. How am I going to survive this? 

“Don’t worry, if you fall, I’ll fall with you.” He said.

“Was that supposed to be reassuring?” 

“Are you reassured?”

“No.” I said.

“Then it wasn’t.”

We went inside the empty cart and sat across each other. I was still shaking. Why did I even suggest this? I think I’m going to be sick. “Close your eyes first.” He said. “I’ll tell you when to open them.” 

I did what he said. Both of his hands held mine as I struggled to keep my nerves calm. He hummed me a tune as the Ferris wheel started to move. I gripped his hand tightly. I probably hurt the guy.

“Open them now.” I opened them and looked at the view from below. Somehow, it wasn’t as scary anymore. 

“See,” he said. “It ain’t that bad.” 

I noticed that he was still holding my hand. I smiled at the thought. I know he didn’t feel anything for me but I was sort of contented with this moment. 
When the ride stopped, we walked around the amusement park, still holding hands. “Where do you want to go next?” he asked.

“Where do you want to go?” I asked him back.

“Haunted House.” He answered.

I smacked him in the head. “MAH! Why the hell would you want to go there?” 

He chuckled. “Come on, don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

We went inside no matter what I told him. He was probably planning something. The nerve of the guy. It was totally dark inside, I could barely see anything. I heard spooky noises and other haunting whispers. Why the hell did he bring me here?! This was not romantic at all! Suddenly, I felt something fly in. 

“Ah!” I squealed in horror. 

“Are you alright?” he laughed.

“Yah! Let’s get out of here” I pleaded. “Please, I think I can no longer walk.” 

Daehyun positioned himself, offering me a piggy back ride to which I agreed. “Wanna run?” he smirked.

“Yah! What are you talking abou--“ he didn’t let me finish and dashed off towards the exit. 
I sort of really enjoyed it. I wrapped my arms tightly over his neck as he ran his way through white ladies and bats. “This is fun.” I smiled.

When we were outside of the haunted house, he offered to buy me ice cream.

“Here, ice cream.” He handed me my favorite chocolate ice cream.

“Thanks.” I said. We wandered around the amusement park after finishing the haunted house. Daehyun wanted to take a break since he was tired of carrying me the whole time. He even commented I was heavy. The jerk. 

I spotted a cute stuffed toy in a gift shop and decided to take a closer look. The teddy bear was so cute with its brown color and ribbon tied around its neck. “So cute.” I said in admiration.

“It really is huh?” a pretty unnie approached us with a proud smile on her face. 

“Yewon noona?” Daehyun gasped. 

“Oh Daehyun, I didn’t know you were here.” She approached him and ruffled his hair. “You’re on a date huh, when you told dad you were going to be at Youngjae’s place, you little liar.” 

“Aish,” he complained. “You were the one who said you were out with friends. Once he finds out you actually have a part time job, he’ll ground you.” 

Yewon smirked. “Should we keep this a secret then?”

“Gladly.” Daehyun agreed. 

Yewon then turned to me, her eyes wandering from head to toe. “She’s cute. Your girlfriend?” 

“No.” I denied. “Just a friend. Jung Eunji” 

“Oh…she even denied for you. I’m Kim Yewon. Daehyun’s step sister-slash-ex girlfriend.”

“You didn’t need to add the ex-girlfriend part.” Daehyun murmured angrily.

“Forbidden love?” I said in astonishment.

Yewon laughed. “No…hey Daehyun, why don’t you get me some ice cream as well. I feel hot.”

“I’m sorry.” He quirked a cocky smile.

Yewon punched him in the stomach in annoyance. “Cocky bastard. Just do as I say!” 

He swore in dialect and went on his way.

Yewon flashed a suspicious smile and I wondered if she was scheming. “So..” she started. “I wonder why Daehyun likes you.”

“I don’t think he likes me.” I said a matter-of-factly. “I’m just his next target, someone to pass his time with.”

Yewon’s eyebrows rose at my answer then her expression looked amused. “Smart girl. You know, Daehyun and I used to date but it was probably just for fun. When we found out we were going to be siblings, BOOM! Total weirdness. We broke up.”

“Do you still love each other?”

“LOL no, I told you, we weren’t serious. How about you? Are you serious about my brother?”

“I don’t know. We’re not even together.” I laughed.

“Well, if it all came down to my decision, I’d pick you. I want you to be the person to tie my brother down.”

“Why me?”

“I don’t know. With just our conversation, I already like you. You can call me unnie.”

“Thanks unnie,” I smiled.

Daehyun arrived with the ice cream in his hand looking bitter as ever. He handed the ice cream to his step sister and said, “Here, ahjumma.” She kicked him right in the crotch which left him to crouch in pain. “MAH!” he sweared angrily in dialect, leaving moms covering their children’s ears and grandmothers looking at him in distaste.

I laughed seeing this side of him. He doesn’t act like this in school. He was always the cool guy who always keeps his cool around girls. Yewon unnie must be very special to bring out this side of him.

“Daehyun, you alright dude?” I tried to stop laughing.

“This is not funny, Jung Eunji.”

“I say it is.”

“I’ll leave you two now. Oh and..” Yewon unnie took the teddy bear I adored from the shelf it was displayed and gave it to me. “I’ll be taking that on Daehyun’s allowance. Take care.”

Daehyun’s POV

Aish, that witch. How dare she! Now I practically look like a loser in front of Eunji. Why am I even conscious? Oh right, reputation.

As we continued our walk, a large crowd stood in front of the stage, booing the person singing or more like squeaking with the microphone. Eunji was curious and wanted to see what it was so we decided to go closer and take a better look. It was a singing competition for guests. The person who earned one hundred points on the videoke machine got a chance to get a free entrance to any of the rides in the amusement park. Eunji tugged my shirt and told me I should sing in front.

“No.” I said.

“Why?” she pouted. “Meanie. Come on. Sing!”

“I want you to do it.” I smiled.

“Me? Why?” she said.

“Come on, you’re the one who wants it. Go and get it.” I smirked.

She rolled her eyes and went on stage. Bold girl. She typed the song she selected and the crowd turned silent. When the music started, she fidgeted and looked at the ground. How cute. When the intro ended, she faced the crowd and began singing. I could tell she was nervous because I heard flats in the melody but as she progressed, she felt comfortable afterwards. The crowd stood in awe as she sang. I was probably in awe too. She looked like she was dazzling when she went up on stage. Her voice was really pretty. I don’t know why I’m saying this now. The way she connected with the audience made them fall in love with her. She smiled as she performed and looked at the crowd as if she was singing to them. I couldn’t help but get my cellphone and snap a picture of her. Hopefully, she didn’t see that. Hopefully.

The machine gave her one hundred points which made the crowd go wild. She bowed in humility and thanked the crowd. The announcer gave her the two tickets and walked to back to me.

“See?” I told her. “I knew you could do it.”

“Lies.” She said and flashed the tickets in my face. “What should we ride?”

Its weird how I looked at her differently when she smiled now. Stop, heart.

“Hmm….The Viking.” I pointed at the viking boat that swung back and forth.

She blinked then agreed with another smile. Ok, why the heck am I not breathing? /breathe in breathe out/

I held her hand and led her to the ride. Truthfully, I’m totally afraid of viking rides. The ride makes me sick to my bones but I wanted to face my fears you know. Like her.

We sat down and buckled ourselves. “Daehyun, why do you look pale?” she asked.

“Me?” I brushed her off with a snort. “I’m not pale.”

“If you say so…” she said.

I held her hand and probably gripped it. I looked at her and she looked at me. “Scaredy cat.” She teased. The ride moved and my worst nightmares came. It moved back and forth. My insides….

“DAEHYUN’S A SCAREDY CAT!!!” she yelled.

I turned to her trying to shoot a glare but I probably didn’t have the energy or the mindset to make it look intimidating. She just laughed and said. “You try.”

“AAAAHH I HATE THIS RIDE! WHY THE HELL DID I TALK MYSELF INTO RIDING THIS!!! AAHH LET ME OFF!!!” The ride stopped and the person who was in-charge of the ride told us to get off and find something else to ride and scowled. We didn’t hesitate to get off and when we were farther away from the ride, we bursted out in laughter.

“What the hell was that?” I said in between chuckles.

“I should ask you the same thing.” She said.

It was actually fun being with her. I could be myself around her. Suddenly, my phone rang. I checked who the caller was and saw it was Haebyeol.

“Hey Haebyeolie, what’s up?” I asked.

I could hear her crying from the other line.

“Oppa…”

She told me that the guy she was supposed to meet, ended up ditching her and told her he already had a girlfriend and he just went on this date to make her jealous. Scumbags.

“Alright, I’ll be on my way.” I ended the call and turned to Eunji. “I’m sorry, I need to go.”

“I understand” she nodded. “But when are you going stop being these girls' second option?”

I stood frozen. Second option? When was I ever like that? I never thought of myself as only a second option but then I realized, these girls only came to me whenever they had trouble with their boyfriends. Did they ever consider me as their first? I really had no idea. I didn’t know how to respond to her and ended up leaving her there.