Nerve Breakdown

 

 

"Be yourself and not your idea of what you think my vision of you should be like."

 

 

---

Park Chanyeol, the cutest college boy alive. With those awesome kicks and swag, there's no way girls will say no. He's the guy who knows how to secretly creep into a girl's heart and stay long enough to make her beg for more.

 

Accompanied by his stubbornness and handsome features is a charming smile that kills. These three elements will always find a way to make girls swoon and affirm regardless of how strong they think their conscious is. Just his entrance is enough to make heads turn and silence an ocean of people.

 

He's dated more girls than anyone can count with their hands and feet. To people, he’s still fly and sky high. But as experienced and slick as his friends describe him to be, he doesn't know how to love.

 

His friends think he is super egotistical, but they dare not say it. Say what you want, because he isn’t going to plant it in his brain. Watch it enter in one ear and out the other. With good enough grades, medium built, great fashion sense, filial, and handsome, everyone knows Park Chanyeol came with the whole package.

 

“Hyung-ah~” Mark sung as he plopped himself on the sofa.

 

Chanyeol made no move to indicate he had heard Mark’s call for him. He had been sitting on the couch all morning contemplating to himself about how he was going to get his one billionth girlfriend this Christmas.

 

“Hyung-ah~” Mark attempted louder this time hoping he was heard.

 

Jackson walked out of the kitchen and made his entrance to the living room. “Come on Mark. You know snapping Chan out of his thoughts is impossible.” Jackson said as he sat on the arm chair across from the two.

 

Mark sighed as he sat back completely knowing Jackson was right. If one wanted to get their hyung out of his own thoughts, they’d have to resort to violence. He leaned his back on the sofa and closed his eyes, getting bored of the situation.

 

Jackson grinned at him and reached for one of the many sodas placed in the center of the table. He popped it open and gulped down a good amount. He made an ‘ah’ sound to indicate how good the drink was.

 

“I got it!” Chanyeol abruptly yelled as he stood up with a finger pointing at the ceiling.

 

Mark sat up immediately and looked at him, wondering what he was talking about. Jackson merely glanced at him and continued his mission on finishing his beverage.

 

“No. That won't do.” Chanyeol said with disappointment before sighing and sitting back down in his thinking mode again.

 

Mark looked away from him and to Jackson, who just shrugged his shoulders and continued to drink the soda in his hand. Mark’s eyes squinted and motioned his head in Chanyeol’s direction. Jackson shook his head sideways and looked to the side, avoiding Mark's gaze. There was no way he was going to do the talking. Besides, Mark was older than him, he should do it.

 

A tsk slipped Marks lips as he glared at the maknae of their trio friendship. This one really did know how to act like a true maknae. Mark picked up a pillow on the ground that belonged to the couch and threw it at Jackson. His head jerked back due to the strength it was thrown causing his neck to make a cracking noise.

 

Jackson stayed in the position for a minute, trying to recollect his thoughts about what had just happened. Seconds later, he swiftly turned around and glared at Mark while rubbing his neck, hoping the pain would subdue.

 

Mark gave him an innocent smile and waved at him like a little kid. Jackson chewed the inside of his cheeks to help him hold back his rage. When he was sure he wasn’t going to strangle Mark, he scrunched his nose and stuck his tongue out at him for being such a mean hyung. Mark pulled his fist back and showed him a punch.

 

Jackson rolled his eyes in irritation. Mark could be such a kid at times. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily before placing the soda on the table and straightening out his shirt to ready himself for the bromance talk he was about to have with Chanyeol.

 

“Chan-ah~” Jackson sung as he turned his body towards Chanyeol's direction.

 

No response.

 

“Channie-yah~” He waved his hands hoping Chanyeol would somehow catch a glimpse of his hands shadow waving on the ground.

 

No reply.

 

“Chan. Hyung. Ah~” He slowly spoke in an aegyo voice.

 

No answer.

 

Jackson pouted as he slapped his cheeks with his palms, letting them rest there. He slowly turned to look at Mark, and then shook his head sideways sluggishly. Mark rolled his eyes as he slapped his forehead with his palm. Was there really no other polite way they could snap their hyung out of his thoughts?

 

Earlier, Jackson had already warned him there was no possible way besides Chanyeol getting himself out of it or using a violent method.

 

“What do you think Chan's thinking about?” Jackson asked as he finished up his soda.

 

“Well... if he's thinking that hard, it's got to be girls.”

 

“But when it comes to girls, Channie is the expert here.”

 

“Only if he’s dated that type of girl before.”

 

“Oh~ new species perhaps?”

 

Mark gave Jackson a what-the-fudge look. Who in the world makes a parallel connection with a girl’s personality to a type of species?

 

“No wonder he never gets laid.” Mark thought while shaking his head sideways. “Wonder who taught him his girl skills?”

 

Jackson furrowed his brows at Mark. “What’s that for?”

 

“What?”

 

“This.” Jackson shook his head sideways copying Mark’s earlier action.

 

Mark shrugged his shoulders pretending not to know. He sat back and leaned his back on the sofa. He leaned his head on top of the crest rail of the sofa and stared at the ceiling. Seconds later, he lifted his crossed legs to rest on the table while trying to push the violent idea out of his head.

 

Jackson crumpled the can in his hands to the best of his ability and tossed it in the recycle bin a couple of feet away from him. He propped his elbows on his knees and bent so he could rest his chin on his palms. He blinked his eyes a couple of times still not being able to come up with a solution.

 

“I got it!” Chanyeol stood up as he shouted the same exact words from before.

 

Mark and Jackson both looked at him then looked away totally knowing what he was going to do next; sit back down after realizing his plan won't work. But what Chanyeol did next surprised the two.

 

“I'll just walk with swag over to her and hand her a rose that smells like perfume.” He said as he danced around the room with his imaginary partner. “Then I'll ask her out to dinner.” He finished with a spin and a gummy smile. “Yeah. That’s what I’ll do.”

 

Jackson rose a brow as he tried to prevent his eye from twitching. What the fudge did his hyung just do? Mark smirked knowing whatever Chanyeol was thinking about definitely got him worked up.

 

“So who is this her you’re talking about?” Mark asked as he quoted the word her with his fingers.

 

Chanyeol whipped his head in the voices direction as his gummy smile grew bigger. He paused in that position for a couple of seconds before skipping over to the sofa and plopping himself down not caring his dongsaengs saw his silly dance with an imaginary female.

 

“Ahn... Soo... Jung...” He slowly said as his face became relaxed and dreamy.

 

Jackson shuddered and looked away from his hyung with disgust. Ew… he’s never seen him lovely dovey like this. Totally not like him.

 

“You mean Ahn Soojung as in the Ahn Soojung that is works in the Accessibility Center on campus?” Mark asked scooting closer to Chanyeol.

 

“Yup. That's the one.”

 

“You're finally admitting that you like her?”

 

“I don't like her. I just find her very interesting.”

 

Jackson eyed him suspiciously. There’s no way. Park Chanyeol never hand picks his girls. He gets a line of auditionees without even asking for it. He was just that good.

 

“Uh-uh…” Jackson spoke, waving his finger at Chanyeol. “I think you've passed the detective stage already.” He crossed his arms. “I mean you just said you were going to ask her out on a date.”

 

“Correction.” Chanyeol said pointing a finger at Jackson. “Dinner. Not date.” Chanyeol warned.

 

“Big difference hyung.” Jackson complained as he picked up the pillow on the ground Mark had thrown at him and aimed it at Chanyeol's head.

 

Chanyeol caught the pillow effortlessly and hugged it as he leaned his back against the couch, now entering into his dream world.

 

“Just how long are you going to keep this one if you succeed?” Mark asked suddenly interested in Chanyeol's love life.

 

“I don't really know.” Chanyeol said in a serious voice, now returning back to reality. “I mean the longest relationship I've ever been in was six months.” He sat crisscrossed on the sofa and rested his chin on the pillow he was still hugging.

 

Jackson noticed the sorrow in his hyung's voice. He knew Chanyeol wanted a long lasting relationship that had hugging, kissing, skin ship, trust, kindness, and slow progression involved. Not just talking and listening to problems and stories about how the day went or getting down with it.

 

Standing up, Jackson ran over to Chanyeol and sat beside him. “You know you got competition right?” He said successfully changing the subject.

 

“Psh~ there isn't a competition Park Chanyeol can't win.”

 

“Ha! That's only if you’re not talking about Mark and me.” Jackson teased as he wiggled his eyebrows at Chanyeol.

 

Chanyeol knocked him on the head and then head locked him. “You don't stand a chance. She told us she likes me best out of us three.” He ruffled Jackson's hair and then released him seconds later.

 

“Just because you're her favorite doesn't mean she'll say yes.” Mark taunted with a hint of jealousy.

 

“Well see about that.” Chanyeol replied smirking.

 

 

---

“Working hard again Soojung?” An elderly lady spoke.

 

Soojung looked away from her computer. “Ah~ Mrs. Nam, how good it is to see you. How have you been?” She asked as she stood up and walked around her desk to hug her elder.

 

“Oh you know me, always exploring around slowly.” She returned Soojung’s hug and pulled away. “Look at you honey. You grew up so well. I know you’ll make your mother very proud.” She smiled and lightly pinched Soojung’s cheek.

 

Soojung slightly smiled as the depressing memories of her mother resurfaced her mind. She was only eight when her mother died in a car accident.

 

Taking notice of Soojung’s happy vibe fading, Mrs. Nam patted her on the shoulder. “I’m sorry honey.”

 

Soojung shook her head sideways. “Don’t be. Everything happens for a reason.” She said before walking Mrs. Nam over to the sofa, across from her desk, to sit down. “Anyways, let’s talk about you.” She smiled. “What brings you here?”

 

Completely understanding the reason for her change of subject, Mrs. Nam decided to play along. “I just need a slip signed by the Accessibility Center, so I can get a reserved seat.”

 

“That I can do.” Soojung said happily as she stood up and walked over to her work station.

 

She opened the lower drawer of her desk and ran her finger through the tab of the folders and stopped at the tab with the word reservation on it. She pulled the folder out and took one application before slipping the folder back in.

 

Grabbing the pen out of her writing utensil cup holder, she filled out the office portion of the slip. “Alright, all I need you to do is sign here.”

 

Mrs. Nam nodded as she made her way over. She grabbed the pen from Soojung and signed. Soojung took the pen back and handed her the paper.

 

“Make sure you hand it to your professor, so he or she can send the Accessibility Center an email about receiving it. That way we can send him the reserve paper electronically.”

 

“Thank you so much sweetie. I will make sure to do that.”

 

Soojung nodded as she stood up. She walked Mrs. Nam to the exit. The two exchanged hugs and goodbyes before Mrs. Nam departed.

 

Jackson poked his head out, around the corner of a wall and looked left and right repetitively. Mark followed seconds later then Chanyeol. The three’s eyes search around frantically.

 

“There she is!” Jackson said loudly as he pointed a finger at Soojung, who was standing at the door of the Accessibility Center.

 

Noticing the turn of her head, Mark grabbed Jackson’s shirt and pulled him away from Soojung’s sight. Jackson pushed Mark away and glared at him not understanding why he did what he did. He looked away and poked his head out from behind the corner again.

 

Mark sighed as he thumped Jackson on top of his head. Jackson winced and scowled as he looked up at Mark and showed him his fist. Mark pinched him on the side for retaliation. Jackson grunted from the pain then pinched Mark's nose. This continued on for several seconds.

 

“Stop it you two or she'll hear us!” Chanyeol hissed before slapping their hands away from each other.

 

Getting tired of this, Mark pulled away from the two. “Come on. Let's go.” He said as he got out from behind the corner.

 

Chanyeol grabbed him on the shirt and pulled him back behind the corner. “We can't just go over there.”

 

“Why not?” Mark crossed his arms over his chest.

 

“Because...” Chanyeol's eyes scanned the area hoping to find a valid answer. “We just can't.”

 

Mark furrowed a brow at him and shook his head. Ahn Soojung has really gotten Park Chanyeol to second guess himself and was able to turn him into a very vulnerable, weak man.

 

“ it up and be a man.” Jackson encouraged as he patted Chanyeol on the upper arm. “Come on.” He motioned his head in Soojung's direction.

 

Chanyeol deeply inhaled and exhaled as he followed Jackson into the hall. Mark trailed behind and stopped when Chanyeol did.

 

“You see that beautiful girl standing over there?” Jackson said pointing to Soojung.

 

Chanyeol nodded his head.

 

“If you don't ask Miss. Alluring over there out on a date, then someone, like me...” He paused, pointing to himself. “Will.”

 

Mark slapped Jackson behind his head and pushed him away. “Are you helping him or yourself?” Mark wrapped one arm around Chanyeol's shoulder. “Look, all Jackson is saying is, if you don't take this opportunity, then someone else will.”

 

“Yeah. Like that guy over there.” Jackson uttered as he pointed at a random guy talking to Soojung.

 

Both Chanyeol and Mark looked at where Jackson was pointing at and blinked their eyes just watching from afar. When the heck did that guy get there?

 

“So~ Soojung, have you given it much thought yet?” Taehyung asked as he stuck his hands into his pocket.

 

“What are you talking about?” She asked confused.

 

“Oh come on.” He whined. “Don't tell me you forgot about the dance.”

 

“The dance? Oh shoot!”

 

Soojung had forgotten about it. For the past few weeks, she had been busy with class assignments and work.

 

“Oh~ that...” She trailed her words.

 

Ever since the dance was announced, she had been approached by some of her male classmate about being their date for the winter dance the university was hosting on December sixteen.

 

Not that she ever liked going to these kinds of events. She just couldn’t find Mr. Simplicity, so she tried to make up valid excuses to get rid of them. But Taehyung was just a little bit harder to convince.

 

She looked at him with guilt. “I'm sorry Taehyung. But I'm not sure if I’ll be able to attend. If I can I will let you know. Even so I might just appear dateless.”

 

“I know we just became classmates this semester, but please don’t feel intimidated by me.”

 

“I’m not. I’m just not positive if I’ll go or not. That’s all.”

 

“Okay~ but please let me know before hand, so I can make arrangements.”

 

”Arrangements? Who does this guy think he is?” She thought now understanding why he was so persistent.

 

She enlaced her fingers behind her back with an unreadable expression. Taehyung was just those type of guys who hopped from one girl to the other when he couldn’t get what he wanted.

 

“She doesn't look to comfortable over there.” Jackson said as his eyes squinted. “I think that guy is harassing her or something.” He looked back to his hyungs. “Her face isn't cheerful anymore.”

 

Mark rolled his eyes at the now Soojung expert. “Come on~ let's go.” He said with irritation as he started walking towards Soojung's direction.

 

“To where?” Chanyeol asked a bit lost.

 

“To your ray of sunshine of course, who else?” Jackson linked arms with Chanyeol and dragged him along.

 

“But wait! What are we going to do?”

 

“Act like we're blind and need a slip to reserve a seat in the front.” Mark spoke without turning around to look at them.

 

Chanyeol wasn't too sure about this. Sure the girl he likes is right in front of him and knows he exists, but she had no clue about what he felt for her.

 

Every other day he sees her in history class, and the other days in Psychology. He always sat two seats to her left and two seats down that column just so he could see her lovely face.

 

The way she thinks and sits in class got him going crazy. She was so perfect and attractive. He loved the way she interacted with her fellow colleagues that needed help.

 

She was different from all of the girls he had dated and had been the one and only to have ever made him feel this way. He has never found himself wanting to hide from someone he liked. He always wanted to talk to them and show off how great he was. But here he was, letting his friends tell him what to do.

 

Soojung looked at Taehyung and smiled at him. It was awkward for her. This silence. Him starring at her with a soft stare. His charming smile.

 

“Excuse me.” Jackson said as he stopped just two feet away from Soojung.

 

She turned her head to face Jackson. Boy she has never been so relieved to see Jackson and his friends.

 

“I'm sorry Taehyung, but I have to get back to work.” She politely informed.

 

He looked at the three pair of shoes and his eyes trailed up to their faces. He looked at them annoyed. They just ruined his moment with Soojung. He almost had her right where he wanted.

 

He turned back to face Soojung and smiled at her. “Of course. I'll see you in class.” He shot her a wink before turning away.

 

Soojung shuddered as she watched him walk away. He turned back around and waved goodbye to her. Being the well-mannered girl her grandmother had taught her how to be, she waved back at him with a halfhearted smile.

 

“Ahem!” Mark coughed on purpose trying to get her attention.

 

She turned around and looked at him. “Oh, sorry about that, please come in.” She said as she gestured her hands into the office.

 

Mark and Jackson walked in with confidence, but Chanyeol was more hesitant.

 

She made her way over to her desk and sat down. “What can I do for you guys?” She asked, scooting herself closer to her desk.

 

Quietness.

 

“Well…?”

 

Awkward silence.

 

Jackson lowly tsk-ed as he pushed Chanyeol forward and side stepped back to Mark. Chanyeol stumbled forward a little and pursed his lips. His eyes wandered on the floor as his nerves internally spread all around his body.

 

Soojung eyed him curiously as he stayed silent. “Okay~” She awkwardly murmured as she uncomfortably shifted in her seat

 

A minute of silence.

 

Not knowing what to do, she did what any normal person would do. She looked at Mark. He gave her a halfhearted smile.

 

“He has no clue.”

 

She returned his smile and looked at Jackson. He scratched the back on his neck due to the awkward silence.

 

“He’s just tagging along.”

 

She pursed her lips and looked back to Chanyeol who was still in his same exact state. What were these three really here for?

 

“Okay~ so what is your accessibility need?” she asked placing her enlaced fingers on her lap, under the table.

 

“Say something Chan.” Jackson murmured as he scooted closer to Chanyeol and poked him.

 

“Like what?!” He hissed as he lowered his head, not wanting Soojung to hear him.

 

“Anything.”

 

“Like?”

 

“Make something up.”

 

Chanyeol tsk-ed as he turned around. He wasn’t going to do this anymore. He was embarrassing himself. This was stupid. What was he thinking when he thought he could ask her out to dinner?

 

He sighed and started walking away.

 

Jackson’s eyes enlarged once he realized what Chanyeol was doing. He placed his hands on Chanyeol’s shoulder and forcibly turned him around. Chanyeol whipped around against his own will. Jackson lost his balance and let go of Chanyeol to prevent him from falling down on the ground. He stumbled over to Mark, trying to keep his balance.

 

“Whew! That was close. Stupid hyung.” Jackson thought as he ruffled his hair.

 

“Jjjjjackson.” Mark stuttered as he continuously pulled on Jackson’s shirt.

 

Jackson shrugged Mark’s hand off.

 

“Jackson.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Look.”

 

Jackson looked at Mark.

 

“No not me, him.”

 

Jackson followed the direction that Mark’s finger was pointing at. All he saw was Chanyeol’s back bending and his upper body was hovering over Soojung’s desk. He looked back at Mark with annoyance as he crossed his arms over his chest.

 

“What’s there to look at?”

 

Mark rolled his eyes and grabbed Jackson’s ear. He pulled him over to the side of Soojung’s desk and gestured his hand to Soojung and Chanyeol. Jackson slapped Mark’s hand away from his ear and turned around to look.

 

His eyes grew big as he pointed a finger at them. He looked back at Mark with an opened mouth that was quivering.

 

“Ttttthey…”

 

Mark nodded his head before knocking Jackson on the forehead. This was his entire fault. Had he not turned Chanyeol around with that much force, this would have never happened.

 

Chanyeol was so shocked that he couldn’t move. It was all too sudden. He didn’t have time to prevent it from happening. Soojung, on the other hand, had slow reflexes. She was too stuck into what she should do when the most obvious answer was move.

 

 

---

“OH. MY. GOD. I can’t believe Park Chaayeol kissed you!” Seujae exclaimed as she shook Soojung violently. "That's the biggest accomplishment you have ever done in your life. I'm so proud of you."

 

Soojung arched a brow at her. "Seriously Seujae?" She asked as she gently took her bestfriend's hands away from her. "It's not really an accomplishment... at least not from my end." She turned away from her friend.

 

"Oh come on. He kissed you didn't he?"

 

"Yeah but not by his own will." She grabbed a pillow and hugged it as she leaned her back on the couch. "Like I told you, it was an accident. Jackson was just a little too rough. That's all."

 

"Big difference. He still kissed you."

 

Soojung turned her head to the side and looked at Seujae. She was really worked up about this incident which was clearly unnecessary. The last time she remembered Seujae agreeing to her dating someone was in high school, and that was years ago.

 

After Yeowoong learned that Soojung was going to break up with him from a friend, he didn't handle the situation too well. He was enraged and out of control. During that time, she was so frightened. She even feared that she wouldn't walk out of that classroom alive. Thank goodness Seujae told the teacher, who got the campus police on time.

 

Since then, she became tramatized about dating. Sure her father tried talking her back into dating again because he believed it was a girl's responsibillity to bare children for her beloved to continue his line. But she was a little too terrified. So her father stopped pressuring her about it.

 

Seujae, on the other hand, had always been by her side and consulted her about what to do when a guy made a clear point that he wanted a relationship. That she was thankful for. But was she really being fair with the Chanyeol situation as she is a fan of his?

 

"So what are you going to do?" Seujae asked leaning in closer to Soojung.

 

"There's nothing for me to do really." She said as she pushed Seujae back a little.

 

Seujae smiled as she grabbed a pillow and mirrored Soojung's posture. "What do you mean by that?" She stared at the ceiling as her face expression softened.

 

"Well... after the accidental kiss, he asked me out."

 

Seujae tossed the pillow in the air as she was taken off guard by her answer. She sat up crisscrossed and leaned in once again. This was too good to be true. A fairytale? Most definitely.

 

"HE WHAT!? OH MY GOD! NO HE DID NOT. SHUT UP!" She excitedly shouted as she slapped Soojung hard on the arm.

 

"Ow... Seujae~" She softly whined as she rubbed her upper arm. "That hurts."

 

"Sorry bestie." She smiled eagerly. "Oh my god. What did you say?" She whispered trying to keep her voice low as they were living in an apartment.

 

"I didn't say anything."

 

Seujae's eyes widened. "And why the hell not?"

 

"I didn't get a chance to."

 

Seujae rolled her eyes at Soojung as she slept horizontally on the couch, putting her leg over Soojung's lap. "Let me guess. You were too frozen to say anything and ran off to the bathroom." She shifted around. "Am I right? Am I right?"

 

"Half right."

 

"Hm... then you said no and walked off on him?"

 

She sat up and reached for Soojung's pillow and took it away from her. She fiddled with it as she waited for her reply.

 

"You know I would never to that to anyone."

 

Seujae grinned as she placed the pillow on top of her head. "One option left." She placed her hands on her stomach as she tried to balance the pillow to prevent it from falling. "You said yes."

 

"Nope."

 

Seujae pulled her legs away from Soojung and sat up yet again. "WHAT! HOW CAN YOU SAY NO TO THE PARK CHANYEOL!?"

 

Soojung covered her ears and closed one eye. "I didn't."

 

"Then what exactly happened?"

 

"Well..." Soojung started as she faced her friend, sitting crisscrossed. "He was talking so fast. I couldn't even understand what he was saying. After that he ran off without waiting for my answer. Mark and Jackson didn't even wait either. They went after him. I waited at the Accessibility Center for him on my breaks, but he never came by. He didn't even show up to class."

 

"Wow~" Seujae said, placing her hands on Soojung's shoulders. "When did you become this intimidating?" She dropped her head and shook it side ways.

 

She lifted her head up with a gummy smile and wiggled her eyebrows up and down. "Did I just hear you say that you waited for him to show up in two places?"

 

Soojung looked at Seujae. "Huh? What?"

 

"Don't play dumb. You like him. You like him. Whooo~ Chanyeol and Soojung sitting on a tree. K I S S I N G. First come love, second come marriage. Then comes bab—"

 

Before she could finish the baby part, Soojung silenced her with a palm to the lips. Even so, Seujae still continued to mumble the song. Soojung sweatdropped and removed her hand.

 

"Hula hula dance." Seujae finished. 

 

"First off it should be Soojung and Chanyeol, not the other way around. Secondly, it should be then and not second."

 

"HA!" Seujae exclaimed as she pointed a finger at her friend. "I caught you."

 

"What?"

 

"You just said Soojung and Chanyeol." She formed a heart with her hands as she wiggled her brows.

 

Soojung smiled at her dorky and lovable friend. "Don't get your hopes up too high."

 

"Why?"

 

"Who knows if Chanyeol's being serious or not. He could be another Taehyung or Yeowoong for all I know."

 

"Uh-uh, uh-uh." Seujae said waving a finger. "The Park Chanyeol that Lee Seujae knows isn’t like Taehyung or Yeowoong." She cupped Soojung's jawline with her palms. "My friend, this one is a searcher."

 

Soojung placed her hands over Seujae's.

 

"I hope you are the one to put an end to his quest."

 

"Who said I was going?"

 

"Oh no missy. You are too going."

 

"No I'm not. I'm busy on the sixteenth."

 

"Don't give me a load of that crap. I taught that to you. Don't think that it'll work on me. Besides~ your not even going to the dance. Plus your work place closes that day too."

 

"But—"

 

"No buts."

 

Soojung exhaled deeply as her shoulders lowered. 

 

"Come on. If he's asking you out of a date on the day of the Christmas Dance, he's really trying."

 

Seujae reached over and hugged Soojung, who happily returned her hug.

 

 

---

"Are you sure she's coming?" Mark asked on the phone.

 

"She is. Are you sure he's coming?" Seujae said through the other end of the phone.

 

"Well I don't see her anywhere!" Jackson hissed at the phone he just stole from Mark.

 

"How would you know she's there or not? Plus I don't even see him either."

 

"Wait a minute. What do you mean see?"

 

"Over here."

 

Jackson turned his head around and scanned the restaurant. His eyes stopped at a waving hand in the air. His eyes trailed from the fingertips to the head. It was Seujae.

 

"What are you doing here?"

 

"Relax Jackie. I'm just making sure your boy Channie doesn't do anything to my baby girl."

 

"It's Jackson not Jackie." He turned back around. "Plus how do I know that your girl won't do anything to my boy?"

 

"She's a girl for goodness sake."

 

"A girl can break hearts too."

 

"Yeah? Well a guy can break hearts and bones."

 

"Why you little—"

 

"Let me talk to the more mature boy. The one across from you." Seujae said cutting him off.

 

Jackson took the phone away from his ear and tsk-ed. He turned around and glared at her. She just smiled and motioned her head, wanting him to give the phone back to Mark. He turned back around and handed him the phone. Mark arched a brow at him. He jabbed his thumb over to Seujae. 

 

He looked at her. "What?"

 

"Look... we're all here for the same reason. You want to make sure your boy isn't stood up and I want the same for my girl. So let's cooperate here." She crossed one leg over the other. "We don't need them to know that we're here do we?"

 

"Of course not."

 

"Good. It's settled then." She said peering at him.

 

"Just do your part and we'll do ours."

 

"They're here! They're here! Shh!" Jackson quietly hissed.

 

Chanyeol pulled out one of the chairs for a two table for Soojung to sit. She placed her purse on her lap before looking up at Chanyeol who still pulling out a chair to seat himself. The waiter came by and introduced himself before handing them the menu.

 

"What would Sir and Madame like to drink?"

 

"Water would be fine." Soojung responded.

 

"Yeah. Get this lady water and I'll get red wine." Chanyeol said coolly.

 

"What the fudge was that?" Jackson asked as he peaked above the menu.

 

"Not cool." Mark said lifting his menu higher as he noticed Chanyeol's head turn.

 

"This is a very fancy restaurant." Soojung started, hoping the conversation would progress into something more comfotable than the silence.

 

"Yeah. I thought a girl like you could use an environment like this." He smirked at her. "Anyways, you owe me a drink."

 

"Pft... hahahahaha... did Chanyeol just say what I thought he said?" Jackson brought the menu to the side of his face, so that he could see Mark.

 

Mark rolled his eyes at Jackson. "Come on dude. He's really trying."

 

"He's trying too hard. Hahahahahaha. Anyways, you owe me a drink." Jackson inmitated Chanyeol.

 

"Stop it would you." Mark knocked Jackson on his forehead. "Aish!"

 

"What? Owe you a drink? Why?" Soojung asked confused.

 

"Because when I looked at you, I dropped mines." Chanyeol eyed her, trying to start his flirting session.

 

"Um... we haven't even gotten our drinks yet."

 

As if on cue, the waiter came by with a silver platter with their drinks on top. He placed her cup of water down and set a glass jug of water in the center of the table. He placed the red wine near Chanyeol's plate and like the jug of water, he set the silver bowl with ice and the wine bottle in it adjacent to it.

 

"Is she playing hard to get?" Chanyeol thought as he ran a hand through his hair.

 

"Are you guys ready to order?"

 

"Give us a little more time." Soojung responded when Chanyeol stayed quiet.

 

The waiter nodded and left.

 

"So what are you having?" She asked as she flipped through the menu.

 

“You.”

 

Soojung stopped turning the pages of the menu and slowly looked up. Chanyeol’s face was beat red. When her eyes met his he looked away embarrassed and tsk-ed.

 

“What the hell was that Park Chanyeol?!” he scolded himself. “You just made a fool out of yourself.”

 

“What did you say?” Soojung wanted to make sure that what she heard the first time was correct.

 

“I didn’t say anything.”

 

Soojung rose a brow at him and pursed her lips as she set the menu down. “I’m sure you said something.”

 

“All I said was that if I can rearrange the letter U and I then I would put you and I together.”

 

“What?” Now Soojung regretted wanting to find out what he said.

 

He closed his eyes in embarrassment. “Aish~! I should of just stayed quiet!”  Chanyeol covered his face with his menu without uttering a word.

 

“What’s gotten into that guy?” Mark asked seriously.

 

“It’s not what’s gotten into him. It’s more of what is Soojung doing to him.” Jackson responded as he lowered his head and leaned over the table to get closer to Mark.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean just look at them. Chan is super nervous and she’s super cool.”

 

Mark rose a brow at the now relationship expert who, a couple of days ago, categorized girls as having different type of species.

 

Jackson tsk-ed. “The situation is reversed. It should be her being nervous and him being cool. That’s supposed to be the norm.”

 

“And your point is?”

 

Jackson closed his menu and smacked Mark on the head with it. “All I’m saying is…” Jackson stopped.

 

Mark wasn’t even listening. He was too busy rubbing the bump he got from Jackson. Jackson smacked him on the head again with the menu and sneered at him.

 

Soojung turned the page to the steak section and found the dish that she wanted. She closed the menu and looked up at her date. He was still in the same exact position, not saying a single word.

 

“This wasn’t the ideal date that I thought would happen with you.” Soojung honestly stated.

 

Chanyeol exhaled deeply as he put his menu down and knocked his drink over accidentally. “Sorry.” He grabbed the napkin and patted it on the table.

 

“What’s gotten into you? Aren’t you the great Park Chanyeol?”

 

His eyes lit up. “You think so?”

 

Soojung looked away. So that was it? Chanyeol needed reassurance… reassurance from her that he was what she has been looking for all these years in a guy.

 

“No I don’t think so.”

 

His eyes became sad. “Oh…” He took a deep breath and looked down at the table.

 

“You’re just like those guys. The ones who think they’re so fly, so sky high. You’re exactly like Taehyung and Yeowoong.”

 

Chanyeol flashed his eyes a couple of times. Was he really hearing this from Ahn Soojung? The girl that was soft and understanding. The girl he thought was going to end his search forever. No. She isn’t the one. She doesn’t understand anything. All she knows is just herself and that’s all that mattered to her.

 

As Soojung stood up, her chair scooted back and made a noise when it scraped against the floor.

 

Mark grabbed onto Jackson’s hand. “She’s leaving. She’s going to leave him hanging in… in….”

 

“Public.” Jackson slowly said shocked.

 

“We can’t let her do that.”

 

“But we can’t just go barging over there. Chan would be furious at us.”

 

“Too bad. I’m not about to let my bro get his humiliated.”

 

Seujae put her menu down when she noticed the situation changed. She leaned forward and her eyes squinted. What was Soojung doing? Why was she up? Was she going to leave?

 

Her eyes shot towards Mark and Jackson, and her eyes widen. She stood up and made her way to the two as unnoticeable as possible.

 

“What do you think you two are doing?”

 

“What do you think? Just look at how pathetic she’s making him look.” Mark answered.

 

“She isn’t like that.”

 

“No? Then why is she leaving him at his distress?”

 

“Calm down Mark. Don’t take your anger out on Seujae.”

 

Mark looked away from the two and at Chanyeol and Soojung. Chanyeol was now standing up. He could see the desperation in Chanyeol’s eyes. He liked her. He wanted her to be his friend. His girlfriend. His partner in crime. His everything.

 

No. This won’t do. Mark started making his way over to Chanyeol.

 

Jackson grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Don’t. They’ve already created a scene. We don’t need to make one too.”

 

Mark tsk-ed and yanked his arm away.

 

“Just give them a couple of minutes.”

 

“One minute.” Mark sternly said.

 

“Soojung.” Chanyeol softly called out to her.

 

She turned around and looked at him.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

She shook her head sideways. “I’m sorry too.” She turned around and started walking away.

 

Mark tsk not being able to take this anymore. He stepped one foot forward.

 

Jackson grabbed his shoulder. “You said one minute.”

 

“Are you just going to let her walk away?” an elderly lady asked.

 

Chanyeol looked to his left. “What should I do?”

 

“The answer is in here.” She pointed to her heart. “Sometimes it just takes a little courage to get Soojung to believe again.”

 

“Soojung? How did you know her n—“

 

“Let’s just say I’ve known her longer than you have.”

 

She winked at him then shooed him away with her hands.

 

Chanyeol brought his hand up and looked at his palm. “Courage.” He closed it into a fist and nodded his head.

 

“Soojung! Wait!” Chanyeol ran after her and stopped when she stopped walking.

 

She didn’t turn around.

 

“Look. I’m terribly sorry about what happened earlier okay. I know that I haven’t been acting like myself. I…” Chanyeol side as he looked back to the old lady.

 

She gave him a thumbs up and winked.

 

He inhaled deeply and walked over to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her around. He kept his hands on her shoulders and looked at her eyes. She seemed emotionless. He gave her a small smile.

 

All this time he was worrying about making himself into the perfect guy. All these stories that he’s heard from Mark, Jackson, and Seujae about the kind of guy that Soojung liked had embedded into his head and caused him to want to be that perfect guy.

 

If he wanted to keep her with him forever, he had to make her believe. Make her want to be in love again, and he knew that truth was the best way to get her to accept him.

 

“Hey. Don’t go okay.”

 

Soojung furrowed her brows.

 

“All I’m saying is…” Chanyeol paused.

 

Soojung sighed. “Here we go again. The excuses.”

 

“You drive me crazy when you’re next to me. I don’t know how to think, what to do, and what to say. I just can’t do anything when I’m around you.”

 

She was shocked. She didn’t know what to say. Chanyeol was definitely something else. His voice was so sincere.

 

He retreated one hand and cupped her chin to lift her head up. “I was too busy letting my judgment get the best of me. I kept thinking about who you wanted me to be. I wanted to be the perfect guy for you.”

 

Soojung halfheartedly smiled. Should she give him a chance?

 

“I couldn’t see that maybe by being me it might be enough. So Ahn Soojung will you go out with me?” Chanyeol removed his hands from their current positions and held her hands in his. “So what do you say?”

 

“OH. MY. GOD.” Seujae said as she placed a hand on Jackson’s shoulder. “Did he just… just…”

 

“Yes he just did.” Jackson said as he crossed his arms over his chest and gave Mark the I-told-you look.

 

Mark scrunched his nose. “It now all depends on what she’s going to say.”

 

The two nodded their head as they continued to watch.

 

“No.” Soojung said.

 

Chanyeol, Mark, Jackson, and Seujae’s face fell. Ahn Soojung just rejected Park Chanyeol.

 

“Oh no she didn’t.” Jackson and Seujae said at the same time as they started heading towards Chanyeol and Soojung’s direction.

 

Mark pulled their shirt and dragged them back. “Don’t be hasty. Ahn Soojung never says no.”

 

“Nnnnnno?” Chanyeol stuttered as he asked.

 

He slowly released his grip on her hands and looked down.

 

“No.” She said.

 

“What?”

 

She gripped his retreated hands as she smiled.

 

“No. You couldn’t see that by being you it will be enough.”

 

Chanyeol’s lips slowly curved into a smile. He let go of her hands and hugged her as he laughed. He was the happiest man alive.

 

“You know I didn’t say yes.”

 

Chanyeol pulled away and laid his forehead on hers as he locked his gaze on hers. “Well… that doesn’t mean you won’t.”

 

“SHE SAID YES!!!” Jackson and Seujae yelled as they hugged each other and started jumping around in circles.

 

The two stopped jumping when they heard an ahem. They looked at Mark who only point to a direction. The two looked over to where he was pointing to and there stood Chanyeol and Soojung with their arms crossed over their chest.

 

“We have a lot of explaining to do don’t we?” Jackson asked.

 

“Yes you do.” Chanyeol replied.

 

“We weren’t spying at all.” Seujae said as she scratched the back of her head.

 

“I’m sure you weren’t.” Soojung responded.

 

They all looked at Mark.

 

“What?” He said boredly. “I had nothing to do with this. I was just babysitting.” He turned around and started walking away.

 

“Yah! Get back here.” Jackson said as he followed Mark.

 

“Oh no you don’t!” Chanyeol yelled as he chased the two out of the restaurant.

 

Soojung smiled at the boys.

 

“So~ what made you say yes?”

 

“I didn’t.”

 

“Okay. If it makes you feel any better. Why did you reconsider?”

 

“Because he made me believe again.”

 

 

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Author's Note: I apologize for finishing this so late. I'm really sorry. I tried my best to get it finished but school was really a pain in the . I hope you like it and give it a lot of love. Thank you so much for requesting twice. I really appreciate it =]