“WHAT ARE YOU, DEAF?” an angry DongWoo yelled at me after I had failed to catch the ball that was being thrown my way.

“Sorry.” I mumbled.

“Sorry? Sorry? That’s what you’ve been saying for the past 20 minutes! If you aren’t going to pay attention, sit out! ChanShik, get in here.” DongWoo said, practically deafening me in reality. He always got far too competitive when we would play 2 on 2 after school, a tradition we had kept up since the second year of middle school. Usually, I was into the game because it was the guy time we needed, and a stress reliever, but today, my mind was far from where I was.

Yang JiNa.

Her name kept ringing in my head over and over. Each time I remembered her face, it tugged at my heart.

And I still haven’t had a full conversation with her yet.

It made me seem like a creep, to be so infatuated with someone who I barely associated with. In fact, I had only seen the girl today. But once again, I was putting the blame on fate, and blaming fate for not letting her come into my path sooner.

I had to execute a plan to talk to her. I pondered all the incredible solutions in my head, and brushed them all off as soon as I reviewed them and realized how idiotic they were. Without thinking, I called the only experienced guy I knew over.

“Hey Jin?” I yelled out involuntarily.

“What’s up?” He called as he jogged over and sat his sweaty body next to mine. We both ignored DongWoo’s complaints and tantrums. JungHwan eventually found a way to calm him down by taking him on 1 on 1 while poor ChanShik sat down to watch. Why am I even friends with these guys?

“What’d you need?” JinYoung said, snapping me out of the only trance that hadn’t been related to JiNa since yesterday.

“Are you and SooJung happy?” I asked, not wanting to abruptly blurt out my true intentions. He made a face before answering.

“Happy? , I don’t know. I guess.” I nodded, pretending to understand why he wasn’t leaving her already if he knew that he wasn’t happy.

“Well, did she ever make you really happy?” I said, wanting him to think I actually cared about his ty relationship before dropping the question I wanted to drop.

“When we were first together, yeah. Before she started craving all the time.” He said, whipping some of the sweat off of the back of his neck.

“Oh.” I nodded, again. “You two aren’t even compatible anymore. How did you even start talking?” , I’m good. That sounded totally nonchalant. This question made him chuckle.

“Well, we were in the same class at first. One day, we needed to do a partner project. Back then, she looked so cute and innocent, I just walked up to her, smiled as sweetly as I could, and asked if she wanted to be my partner. The rest is history.” Hard to believe he was talking about that . “Why do you ask?”

“No reason, I just think we’ve been drifting. Just wanted to talk, you know?” I bullted. He patted me on the back and walked back to his game, leaving me with no help at all.

~

So here I was, locked in my room and writing idiotic ways to start talking to her on a piece of paper, like a little prick. What the hell was wrong with me?

There was a large amount of crumpled up papers on my floor; papers that were covered in scribbles.

“Yah, SunWoo, mom says come down to eat.” I heard my older sister yell while banging on my door. I angrily threw the paper off of my desk and walked over to the door, which, by the way, was still being banged on.

“I HEARD YOU.” I yelled as soon as I opened the door. At first, IU jumped back, but then she crinkled her nose at me. I ate dinner in a rush, almost choking in the process, and ran back up to my room. My nosey little prick of a sister followed me up, and opened the door before I had a chance to lock it.

“You seem tense” she smirked, knowing this situation must be juicy since I really don’t give a most of the time.

“I’m not. It’s none of your business anyway.” I said, walking back to my desk, realizing she wasn’t going to leave. She walked over and sat on my bed, and started to say something of no particular interest, but was stopped by her phone ringing. She looked at the screen and smiled. As if whoever the hell was calling could see her, the idiot smoothed out her hair and cleared before answering in the most annoying voice I have ever heard come out of .

“Oh, oppa!” she said, her voice raising up an octave.

“Who’s that?” I said, aloud, pretending to show even a hint of concern for what even happened in her life. She just waved me off as if I was some fly. I wonder if she even remembered who’s room she was in.

“Oh, no oppa, that was just my little brother.” She said. And the bastard swung her legs over and lay on my bed, making herself real comfortable. I gave her a look of disgust and “can you please get the hell out?”, but once again, I was swatted off as she giggled at whatever the hell her “oppa” was saying. She left me no choice. I walked over to my bed, took hold of her, and carried her out of my room, ignoring her protests. I threw her out in the hallway. Literally.

I was quick in locking my door this time and ignored her banging. Just as I was about to start on my project again, it was my phone that rang this time. I groaned and walked over to my bed where it was laying, in all its annoying glory. JinYoung’s name flashed on the screen. I groaned even louder and put the phone to my ear.

“What do you want?” I snapped at him.

“Hey baby” He answered. You could hear the smirk on his stupid little face.

“Ignoring that. Now I’ll repeat my question. What the hell do you want?”

“Now now, is that any way to talk to your baby daddy?”

“If I call you baby daddy, will you shut the up and tell me what you want already?”

“Yes, princess.” He said. He did this whenever he was somewhere and girls were hoping on his . Instead of calling his actual girlfriend, he would call me and throw disgusting, endearing terms at me.

“Okay. Baby daddy. What now?” He laughed his stupid pretty boy off before he answered me.

“Look,” he started in a hushed tone. “Come to the coffee shop.”

“No. I have to do.” I said, inspecting something under my fingernails. This conversation was really starting to bore me.

“No. SunWoo. You have to come to the coffee shop.” He repeated, as if he were my master or something.

“I said no already. Do you not understand that I have things to do?”

“Baro” he said, as if he knew that the name he gave me would soften me up. “Just do me this favor. Come to the coffee shop a block away from your house. Please?” I bet the bastard was even pouting to enhance his desperation.

“Alright. I’ll be there in like 20 minutes.” I murmured.

“No. Run here. I love you baby, bye!” He said and hung up before I could protest. I once again wondered why I was even friends with him.

I jogged down the steps of my home and told my mother that I was going out and left, still jogging, to the stupid coffee shop. I instantly saw Jin through the window, smiling his stupid charming smile at one of the coffee shop workers. They were all too immersed in him to even welcome me when I walked in. All except one worker who was sweeping.

“Welcome” she said promptly and bowed. I bowed in her direction too without really noticing her face. I had to take a double take though, because there was no doubt it was her. My eyes widened and I had to find somewhere to stare so I wouldn’t creep her out. Jin noticed me, thankfully, and he waved me over there. I clumsily walked over to him and sat down. He smiled so big his eyes were no longer visible.

“What did I say?” he beamed at me.

“Bro. What the hell. No one even knows about her.” I leaned in and whisper shouted.

“Please. I saw your little interaction at the vending machine earlier.”

“Oh, you mean while you and Krystal were cleaning each other’s esophagus?” He nodded. He said nothing to justify himself, and nodded. I shook my head at my him in disgust.

“Hey, new girl, go take the register.” One of the other workers took over the job of busing tables, no doubt to get better looks at JinYoung, while JiNa nodded and walked over the register.

“Suddenly, I want more coffee. Go get me some.” Jin smirked and threw a wad of cash at me. I stared at him in disbelief, took the money in my hand, and walked to the counter, almost tripping twice.

“Welcome. What would you like?” she said without even looking up. I stuttered before I realized Jin didn’t even tell me what kind of coffee he wanted. My lack of response caused her to look up at me.

“Oh, hey, vending machine guy.” She said and flashed me the most breathtaking smile I had ever seen in my entire life. I stuttered even more. After about 30 seconds of staring at her, she cleared . “So.. you want any coffee?” I nodded lamely.

“I want a caramel macchiato!” Jin screamed from behind me. JiNa laughed a musical laugh, and I swore I melted.

“Two of those I guess.” I chuckled, amazed at the fact that my voice didn’t quiver or fail me. She laughed again.

“Coming right up. I’ll bring them to you when they’re done.” She smiled as she handed me my change. I turned to leave, but her voice caught my attention.

“Well, I’m new around here,” she started off, rubbing her arm. “so I guess I should start introducing myself to people. You’re lucky enough to be the first. I’m JiNa” she held out her hand. I took it and smiled.

“SunWoo.” I stated and walked over to a cheeky JinYoung, He immediately started silently hitting me on the shoulder. He stopped as soon as JiNa brought over our coffee.

“Well, SunWoo, my shift ends now, so I’ll see you tomorrow?” I nodded and waved goodbye to her.

As soon as she left the shop, a very proud JinYoung started shouting and hitting me on the shoulder, not caring who the hell in the crowded coffee shop was looking at him like he was mad. 

~

I'm alive!