"Introduced"

As the rain stopped, Jongin and Soojung continued their walk around the university. There they passed the library on which he remembered as his least favorite place in the university since all he remembered there was only about the studying time or the day when he realized that his favor to play the game all night resulted in F on his mid semester test. But of course, he likes the library also because there, he always accidentally met Soojung.

Funny, he thought, how he always thought that it would be another bad day in the campus when Soojung appeared and his short talk with her somehow made his day way better than he thought it would be. Although they just talked about random things, like the latest episode of How I met Your Mother that they watched together, still it made difference. Her presence was like a mood booster for him and he’s thankful that he has a person like Soojung to be his friend.

Sometimes he couldn’t believe that she would stay, not with all of his annoying and harsh attitudes that mostly made others chose to be away from him, or his boring jokes. Oh yeah, his jokes were most of the time lame and not funny at all, people couldn’t laugh along with him because they didn’t get it. But Soojung did. And according to Jongin, she has plus point compared to all of his friends combined. This girl surely a good companion for him and he wondered why she never had boyfriend during their time being close as friend.

Sehun likes her though, Jongin could see from his eyes whenever Sehun talked with her or when Jongin accidentally saw Sehun stood still with his eyes fixed on her while Soojung answered her phone, not acknowledged his intense stare towards her. Sehun never said this to him, but Jongin could notice in a glance that this once cold guy was in love with his classmate. And not to mention the amount of eyes pairs that landed on her when they walked together in the boulevard. Who wouldn’t want Soojung as girlfriend?

Soojung walked next to him and Jongin listened to her explanation about the area she’s working on at the advertisement agency. She gave a brief of the things she has to sell, television show, on which not that easy to be sold to the director as well as to the investors. Using her hands to give a clear explanation, she immediately changed her moody and shallow mood into something brighter, typical Soojung. He knew whenever she got to talk about things she likes; she would never look grumpy or moody. It would always be happy and cheerful, just like now.

Jongin couldn’t hide his wide smile upon hearing her words as he watched her. She didn’t always look at him, but when she did he caught her glowing eyes. Jongin knew she’s happy with her current life. The more they walked, the more she talked but he has no intention to stop her. He just giving his feedback with a nod, a hum in agreement, and of course, a smile to reassure her that he listened to every single words she said.   

And as he stared at her, a tingling feeling suddenly came as it reminded him about the past time, the day he saw her as a woman and not as just his mere friend.

Of course, how could he forget that day?

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It was sometimes on the Saturday around fall when they just started the new semester on their second year. The university held its annual running day and as one of the committee, Soojung and her friends joined the event. As for Jongin, since he dislikes any outdoor activities, he just came to support his friends. The two promised to meet around the finish line for they haven’t met during the summer break when Jongin went to Tokyo to spend summer with his family there.

Sporting his jeans and sleeveless shirt, he stood at the huge Flamboyant tree with his arms crossing. The time Soojung started her morning run, he had just awakened and as he counted the time she might be finished the laps, Jongin made himself ready on the finish line. He didn’t know exactly why he wanted to wait for her, but he kind of wants to see her so he guessed that’s enough reason to leave his comfortable bed and deal with the slightly cold autumn weather.   

A breezy wind greeted Jongin’s tanned skin. He wrapped his arms closer to each other and waited for the participants to come to the finish line. He spotted several of his friends and greeted them. Most of them were the girls in his class, waiting for their boyfriends to come. Jongin looked around and a smile appeared on his lips, probably rather than waiting like him, Sehun enjoyed his running time with Soojung. Once he heard that Soojung joined the running event and Sehun participating also, Jongin knew that Sehun was trying to make his chance with Soojung. Jongin was happy though, his overly good looking friend finally opened his heart for a girl after being a constant jerk who always rejecting girls who confessed to him. He thought he might need to help Sehun to get Soojung, but seemed that Sehun already prepared and went on his way.

Claps heard along the way, awakening Jongin’s wandering mind. Runners started to arrive at the finish line and he was looking for the particular person he’s been waiting for. The finish line area getting crowded but he had not yet seen Soojung. Jongin started to look around, but all he found was only Sehun who came to him sweated.

“You’re alone?” Jongin asked Sehun, handed him a bottle of mineral water. Sehun nodded, lips dried due to the exhaustion after running. He noticed that Jongin must have been looking for Soojung. A part of him dislikes it, but another part of him believed that there’s no way Jongin going to betray his girlfriend with Soojung; so he just ignored whatever Jongin’s motives to be present at the finish line.

While Sehun relaxing next to Jongin, the latter still looking around for the girl but she was nowhere to be seen. As he checked around, he met with several of his friends and in the end, chatted with them asking if they had been seeing Soojung. Since she’s nowhere to be seen, Jongin just continued to talk with his friends. Right when the last person ended their chat and Jongin turned his back to check on the finish line again, she’s there.

Walking slowly as she felt tired after running with her body sweated, Soojung headed to where Jongin stood. He acknowledged that Soojung did has a nice body and pretty face, plus a pretty long brown hair that framed her face perfectly; but Jongin was not ready to see whatever presented in front of him right when he saw her. Soojung wore a sports shirt that revealed her flat stomach and body line, paired with a dark short and jacket that’s tied on her waist. She made her long hair into a messy bun, revealing her white neck. He knew she has a nice figure, her everyday clothes always looked great on her- Jongin even once hugged her waist and he noticed the curve on her sides- but he didn’t know that she would breathtakingly looking beautiful just like that.

It was not about the clothes that revealed her body lines; she didn’t have to go that far to show her body. It was not also about how she looked y according to Jongin who once touched her. It was all about Soojung being herself in her modest self, no makeup no hair do, sweated while smiling as she walked towards Jongin. And for the first time, he felt his heart having a change on the way it beat when Soojung’s around. She looked at him and smiled again, but right before she could say anything to him his cellphone rang and Jongin turned his stare from Soojung to the phone on his pocket. Soojung locked her eyes at the view in front of her, but since Jongin decided to look away from her, she gradually looked to the other way too. She made a mental note that they had all day; it was not a problem to be away from him even though she craved to talk with him, face to face.

Once Jongin saw the caller’s ID, he knew why he could never saw Soojung as a woman. He’s owned by the caller, the one his heart acknowledged as the trigger of the beat. And it wouldn’t change for quite a long time. Jongin slide his phone and was greeted by the familiar voice he had been spending the past summer with.

“Hello, Love”

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Soojung fixated her eyes on the screen in the dark room. She couldn’t stop looking at how Lucy, played by Sandra Bullock, looking anxious as she’s being honest to everyone in the Callaghan family that she’s lying about being Peter’s fiancé. Her heart was just beating quite fast on how panic Lucy was; somehow she could relate it to her own feeling. Could she be honest about her own feeling to Jongin?

The girl slowly turned her head to her left, finding Jongin sat next to her and watched the movie as he munched the potato chip. They were spending Saturday afternoon together at Jongin’s place. He found the movie she loved the most, While You Were Sleeping. It was old movie, they’re even still baby when the movie released. It was a romantic comedy, telling a story of Lucy who has a crush on Peter whom she saw every morning at the train station. Turned out, one day Peter was pushed to the rail and went coma. Things got messed up since Lucy helped her and being thought as Peter’s fiancé by his family. She couldn’t do much to explain it to the family who loves her already, so she continued to lie. But things happened, and rather than being happy to be Peter’s fiancé, she found herself fell for Peter’s brother, Jack. When it came to Lucy to be honest about what happened truthfully, Lucy couldn’t come up with her own feeling to Jack.

Just like how Soojung to Jongin, she couldn’t be honest with him about her feeling. Sometimes she randomly said things in front of the mirror, practicing the words she ever wanted to tell him about her feeling, how she likes him so much that it hurts. But imagining that Jongin would turn his back to her if she ever told her real feeling to him, Soojung chose to hide it as well as possible. She couldn’t afford to lose Jongin, no matter how wrong it sounds. They kept talking as a close friend, bickering to each other, and did the late night phone call, whenever Soojung couldn’t sleep at 3 in the morning or when Jongin stayed late and thought that Soojung might be a good company to talk to. But their label was still the same, friend. She’s not satisfied, but what she could do?

Soojung unknowingly stopped watching the movie and chose to land her gaze to Jongin. He’s never fond of romantic comedy movie, he’s more like to superhero or sci-fi genre, but for the girl next to him, he’s willing to step down watching the movie she likes. The guy sometimes laughed when funny dialogue appeared, making Soojung smiled to him because his laugh was just precious like that. She loves it when his eyes made a wrinkle and his mouth opened widely when he laugh, and Soojung drown to his laugh, forgetting anything else. But nothing last forever; as she enjoyed the sight in front of her, his phone rang suddenly. Without looking, he just took his phone and once a quite Jongin changed into a lovey dovey one.

“Hey, Pumpkin”

Pumpkin. Soojung’s heart flinched upon hearing the word slipped from his lips. Ever since the moment she decided to stay with him, until she decided to let go, she knew that this would be one of the consequences. Lately she realized that Jongin’s girlfriend called him often and most of the time, whenever she’s with him, he constantly talked to his lover. And Pumpkin is her nickname.

Soojung couldn’t help but feeling a sting of jealousy. She’s wrong, she knew it; but she couldn’t help but feeling envy to the girl. She might not be spent most of her time with Jongin, like Soojung did, but for sure Jongin left his heart with her. He was being playful with Soojung and she loved it, but hearing how sweet his words to his girlfriend was enough to make her feeling jealous to the girl who owned his heart.

She wondered how it would feel to be loved by Jongin. What would it feels to receive the amount of love Jongin gave? Would he treat Soojung like that if he’s single when they met? Would he ever love her if Soojung met her earlier than his current girlfriend? Soojung couldn’t stop wondering, but the more she asked herself, the more she hurt. She would never get the answers, because she couldn’t even be honest to Jongin let alone asking those questions to him. And there she was, watching the movie mindlessly while trying her best to ignore Jongin’s conversation with his girlfriend.

She knew nothing about her though. It was her who limited her knowledge about his girlfriend. Soojung didn’t want to know more about her and Jongin was never really tell her though about his girlfriend, unless Soojung asked him, which she never did. Whenever the topic of his girlfriend appeared, Soojung would casually change the topic so in the end, she didn’t have to know how her opponent looked like. All she knew was that his girlfriend was a painter and that’s all. Soojung didn’t know anything else, well she didn’t want to know though.

“Ok, I’ll call you again later. Take care on your trip. Text me when you arrive there”

Soojung noticed that their phone call was about to end. Jongin looked at the ceiling and let out a smile, she wondered what his girlfriend told him to make his face smiled widely like that. Screw it, she couldn’t handle this feeling.

Before Jongin really ended his phone call – and even before the movie end, Soojung stood up, brought her back as she opened the door of his apartment abruptly, making Jongin furrowed. He quickly ran to the door, finding Soojung’s back leaving the floor.

“Soojung!”

The girl heard it very well how he called her as he ran towards her, but her annoyed mood couldn’t be tame just like that. She continued her fast steps as she went directly to the bus station, hoping that Jongin won’t be following her. On her back, Jongin ran as fast as he could but he didn’t made it to the first intersection when Soojung already took the bus and sat there, not even once looking back.

Trying to control his breath, Jongin looked confusedly at the bus that already left with Soojung inside. He didn’t understand it. They were watching movie together and he just answered his phone, but when suddenly Soojung left he totally had no idea what made her left him just like that. He looked at his phone and realized that his girlfriend just ended their call, maybe when he’s running for Soojung. Chuckling, Jongin walked back to his flat as he placed his hand on his nape, still trying to get a hold of things that just happened.

“What is wrong with that girl?”

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“Hey Soojung. Are you going to see Sehun?” Zitao, one of her classmates, asked as he stood across her after their Business Risk Management class.

“Yes, I’m going to work on our Finance homework. Why?” she replied.

“Please help me to give this book to him” Zitao handed her a notebook. “I borrowed his notes since I was joining Wushu competition last week. Please say thanks for me. I should take another make up class today. So, help me?" he said as he gave her a warm pleading look. Soojung nodded and smiled at Zitao. He waved quickly at her before ran to his next class.

Soojung went to their building but she didn’t see Sehun anywhere. She tried to call him several times, but still, he couldn’t be contacted. After checking on Jiyoung, Soojung decided to wait for Sehun to do their homework together on their building. Ten minutes passed with no news from Sehun. Soojung decided to call him again only to be greeted with the mailbox. She’s totally clueless on Sehun’s whereabouts. He usually the one who called her, but today seemed that Soojung should try her luck to find him.

Her phone suddenly rang and quickly Soojung answered the call. “Sehun?!” she called his name.

“Err… no. This is Jongin, Soojung”

Soojung put away her phone and realized that it’s indeed Jongin calling her. “Jongin?”

“Are you looking for Sehun?” he asked her back.

“Yes… We’re supposed to meet. What’s up?”

“Can we meet?” he asked her casually.

Soojung could feel her cheeks blushed just by hearing Jongin’s words. She really wanted to slap herself whenever her heart doing a maneuver everytime Jongin talked to her like that, but the joy of experiencing it just shut her mind off. She’s feeling too happy just because of his small act towards her.

“Why?”

“I also need to meet Sehun, so let’s just meet together” he said.

Of course, Soojung. Why would he meet you because he missed you?

“Oh. Ok. I’ll be heading to Campus Center, so let’s meet there?” Soojung suggested. Jongin agreed and both of them promised to meet at the appointed place.

On her way to Campus Center, Soojung still tried to call Sehun but the result was negative. She started to get annoyed by Sehun. They promised to work on the Finance homework, which Sehun understood better than Soojung and she needed his help on that.

“Soojung?”

Soojung turned her head to her right and found Hana, her classmates, on the alley near her building.

“Hi, Hana” she greeted her.

“Where are you going? Don’t you take Business Risk Management?”

“Oh, I took it already on the first class. Heading there?”

Hana nodded. “Are you going somewhere?” Hana asked her.

“I’m going to Campus Center to see Sehun there. He’s missing apparently” Soojung replied rolling her eyes in annoyance but still smiled towards Hana.

“Sehun? I saw him at the Campus Center”

“Really? It’s good then, I’ve been calling him like crazy but he didn’t answer it” Soojung happily responded.

Hana let out a giggle. “Yeah, probably because he’s busy dating?”

Soojung’s eyes grew wide. “Dating? Sehun?”

She knew Sehun is handsome. She also knew that Sehun caught so many girls’ attention in their university. But she never knew that Sehun dating someone.

“I think she’s not coming from here. Sehun took her for a walk around the school and if I’m not wrong, they’re in Campus Center now”

After hearing what Hana said, Soojung decided to check on Sehun. Well, she didn’t really care if Sehun dating someone or not, she just need his time to tutor her. But Soojung thought that it would be great to know what kind of girl Sehun likes, so she headed directly to Campus Center.

The building located at the middle of the university, functioned as information center for visitors and also for studying place for students. Once she stepped in, Soojung decided to wait at the bench in the lobby as she looked for Sehun while waiting for Jongin also. There were other people in the lobby though, two boys sat across them while talking about IT and a girl who sat on the same bench as Soojung, playing on her cellphone.

Soojung noticed that the girl next to her seemed to be coming outside their university from the way she looked confused all around. Soojung decided to call on Sehun again, still, no answer.

“Sehun…please answer…” Soojung muttered as she tapped her feet impatiently.

“Hi, Sorry. Are you looking for Sehun?” the girl next to Soojung suddenly spoke as she smiled at Soojung.

Soojung nodded and smiled back to her. She noticed how the girl has short hair that fell on her shoulder and has a pretty eye smile.

“Well, yes…”

“Is it Oh Sehun from the Business Faculty?” the girl asked her again.

“Yes, he’s my classmate” Soojung claimed.

The girl made an ‘O’ with her lips and again, Soojung found it cute. Was this girl the one that Hana mentioned, the one that went with Sehun?

“Oh, it’s good then! Sehun’s phone is dead and I was lost here, I didn’t know how to contact him, and-“

“Jinri?”

A familiar voice heard and both Soojung and the girl looked at the owner of the deep voice. Jongin stood right behind Soojung and he looked totally surprised, he didn’t even look at Soojung.   

“Jongin!” the girl looking equally surprised as him.

Jongin moved closer to the girl and they’re smiling at each other. “Hey” he said, still surprised upon seeing her.

“Surprised?” she asked him.

“Totally” Jongin replied, as he let out a chuckle.

Soojung seemed to be the clueless one now in front of them. Her confused look screamed “please anyone tell me what happened here?” but she just vaguely smiled along with Jongin and Jinri. She tried to look at Jongin, but he didn’t even once look at her.  

And then Sehun appeared out of the blue. Soojung was about to talk to him but then Jinri, the girl, waved at him. Sehun made his way there and stood near the two. Great, Soojung felt totally outshined by the presence of this girl for Jongin and Sehun ignored her. Who is she?

“Thank God we meet here, Sehun!” she said excitedly. Sehun could only form a small smile; he eyed Soojung who gave him a questioning look. As Jongin also noticed Soojung’s presence, he took Jinri’s hand and walked closer to Soojung.

“Jinri, I think I’ve mentioned Soojung’s name for several times. And there she is…” Jongin said, smiling to both Jinri and Soojung.

Soojung gave Jongin a confused look. She didn’t recall that she ever knew a girl named Jinri, and moreover, he mentioned her name to this girl?

“Hi Soojung” she gave her hand to Soojung who accepted it. “I’m Choi Jinri. Jongin’s girlfriend” she said as she gave her brightest smile.

And whatever Jongin and Jinri said after that couldn’t be heard clearly by Soojung as she’s still surprised with what happened. It’s her, the girl she’s been constantly feeling jealous to, the girl who owned Jongin’s heart, presented right in front of her. Jongin naturally placed his arms around Jinri shoulder, patted it several times as they talked. Nothing Soojung wanted currently than vanished into the thin air.

“What are you doing here anyway?” Jongin asked her. He’s totally had no idea too that his girlfriend would be just appeared in front of him without any notifications.

“I’m having a free week, so I’ll be staying here for a while. Sehun is so nice to bring me around your college, as I’m planning to surprise you” she smiled affectionately to Jongin. “I did surprise you, I guess?”

And that’s enough for Soojung. She couldn’t see it, not when Jongin looked back at her with a very loving stare. There’s this feeling when she felt something punched her stomach so hard that her heart started to feeling hurt. Sehun seemed to be the only one who noticed what Soojung felt, so he initiatively came closer to her and made an excuse to do their homework together.

“So you’re leaving?” Jinri asked Sehun and Soojung, looking a bit disappointed.  

“Well, yeah. I still have to do my homework with her” Sehun appointed Soojung who seemed to lose all her will to live. “I’ll talk to you again, Jongin. And Jinri, see you around” Sehun plainly said.

Soojung only nodded and held on her book tighter, she didn’t even look at Jongin who looked at her. She felt numb; she didn’t know what to do.   

“Mmm.. Soojung?” Jinri called her. Soojung was taken aback to hear her calling her name, but still, she turned back and saw Jinri again. No matter how much she wanted to hate this girl, she appeared so pretty and cute that Soojung couldn’t do anything.  

“I hope we can spend some time together later on” Jinri said, giving Soojung another cute smile. “See you again!”

Soojung smiled bitterly and after that followed where Sehun brought her. She didn’t bother to look again at the couple who talked right away when Sehun and Soojung left them. She knew she’s wrong, she knew this was the consequences, but Soojung couldn’t help but feeling more and more jealous to Jinri. Now that she saw her, she knew why Jongin chose her over Soojung. Ah... she’s wandering again. From the very start, Jongin never have to choose, because he’s already with Jinri. It’s her who made the situation looked like she has a possibility with Jongin. Stupid.

And even though she didn’t want to see it, in the end Soojung turned her head to see Jongin again. They turned around already while Jinri and Jongin talked with her fingers intertwined with his, and as they talked they looked into each other’s eyes with a bright smile and laugh following. What an enviable sight.

Once again, Jongin made Soojung feeling sad and hurt.

She really has to stop liking him.

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Any of you ever experienced this kind of things?

Wanting to stop liking someone, but still continue to like that person? 

Love sometimes know no logic. 

Extra Note:

so many messages and comments regarding why Sulli being put here. I hope you al remember that this is the reason I wrote this story:

Thanks for enjoying this story, I'll try my best to update and finish it asap :)

xoxo, 

yuriyaa