I GOT A STRANGER

CHAPTER 7 : GAME ON

One evening Jinyoung is sitting on the swing in their front yard and think hard.

How to solve this food waste issue?

If she stops cooking, her mom will surely strangle her. And it’s not she can finish all the food she cooked. She doesn’t eat much anyway. It’s not like she can give yesterday’s food to neighbour or a leftover food in the morning to them. And she can’t assume Mark will not eat, like, what if suddenly he decides to eat? (which is unlikely) She can’t give away the food right after she cooked it either.

She then take a walk down the street to take some fresh air. While she on her way back home, a white fluffy dog suddenly jumps in front of her and wiggles its tail.

“Oh! hello~” Jinyoung smiles while crouching to pat the dog. She then noticed the dog has a collar with a tag. It has address and a name.

“oh, you live just across the street from my place~!.....so…Angel huh?” Jinyoung raise her brows.

When the dog barks excitedly, she know she got the dog’s name correct and laugh. Just then she get an idea.

“Angel-ah, are you hungry?”

The dog barks again.

Well, better give it a try.

“Come Angel~” The dog follows excitedly.

Luckily, the breakfast today is fried ride with lots of chicken meat inside. Angel seems to enjoy it.

“Thank you Angel…you are sure an angel, my savior!. Hehe. Now I feel relieved. I’ll make sure to cook meaty menu after this so it’s easier for you okay? My fiancé won’t eat a bit anyway.”

Jinyoung is actually surprised how ‘my fiancé’ rolls out from her tongue so easily despite the issue that she is facing right now.   

It’s a routine after that, everyday she will give food to Angel after she back from work. It’s fascinating that Angel start to recognize Jinyoung’s car when she arrived from work too.

There’s one afternoon when Jinyoung steps out from the house while carrying Angel food bowl (she bought one just for Angel) she stop in her tracks.

There, she sees Angel playing and running around excitedly with non-other than her fiancé; Mark.

Seems like he’s home early today

Angel even leaps and jumps into Mark arms.

Of course, opposites attract. She thought and pouts a bit.

Then, she saw it again, the beautiful smile. And for the first time she hears Mark laugh. Unknowingly, that sound makes her lips formed a smile.

So she knows one fact about Mark today. He like, no, love dogs. Well, he like everything except a person name Jinyoung of course. And he smile and laughing to everyone and everything except to her. Wait, scratch that…

Mark Tuan even smile to a dog but not to a person named Park Jinyoung.

Another loud barks was heard and Jinyoung wakes up from her trance and walk towards them.

When Angel see Jinyoung and the food she barks excitedly again.

Well, it’s good you don’t forget me totally after you see Mark or I’ll be really sad Angel ah.

Mark turns his back and noticed Jinyoung with the food. And again, the smile disappears ‘quickly’.

“She is yours?” Mark frowned towards Jinyoung

“no, it’s our neighbour’s across the street. She always comes here late in the afternoon after I’m back from work.”

“oh….” he nods a little while watching Angel eating. He then stands up and go inside their house.

“you see, Angel, that’s Mark. You don’t get to see him that often since he’s working long hours. And he doesn’t like to be near me for more than few minutes. But at least he likes you.” Jinyoung pats the dog’s back.

“But promise me if you get closer to him later, you must still love me too okay? Don’t leave me alone. I found you first” she chuckled at her own childishness. But she don’t care, it’s true anyway.

*

          *

The following week Mark’s parents asked both Mark and Jinyoung to come over for a dinner. They invite Jinyoung parents too. So after they finished dinner, Mr Tuan somehow find some time alone with Mark.

“Son, you look distant with Jinyoung. Anything wrong?”

“Nothing.” Mark look away from his father.

“You two look even more awkward than before you live together.”

Maybe that is why you shouldn’t come out with this stupid idea in the first place dad.

“Maybe I’m still trying to get used to it.”

Mr Tuan can feel that Mark hates the discussion from his facial expression.

“You are not giving her hard time do you?” Mr Tuan stares at Mark seriously.

“Did she said that?” Mark look back at his father intensely as if accused his father back.

The fact that his so called beloved father blaming & accusing him for their awkwardness flamed him. So Park Jinyoung is the good image and he’s not?

“Well, no-“

“Then? Why are you accusing me? She looked fine didn’t she? If you are not satisfied, then ask her yourself.”

Mr Tuan blinks.

“Mark, I’m not accusing you. I only want you to get to know her that is all. Tell me, do you want to break off this engagement?”

Mark feels nervous suddenly. Of course he wants it. But his father will just blame this whole thing on him.

He’s the reason they separate.

He’s the the unfillial son

He’s the one who can’t handle the situation

He’s the evil one.

He’s the bad guy.

The bad guy. Hell no. He would not let that happen, ever. He has his own ego to hold up to. Yup, Mark has always been the proud of the family, his father’s favourite, top student in university both in sports and academic. There’s nothing that he can’t handle. A sissy stupid engagement will not crumple his image.

“W…well. No, it’s not that dad. Well, unless she wants it. I mean, I can’t stop her from wanting to break the engagement off.”

“So she wants it?” Mr Tuan looked worried.

“No!, I’m just saying, like IF you know. We never know what going to happen in the future right? Mark tries to sound indifferent.

His father nods slowly.

“Dad,” Mark look at his father with an innocent face. But deep inside he is as curious as hell. “..what if…IF..jinyoung tells that she want to break off this engagement? For example maybe she found that we are not matched… or she just doesn’t want to continue.”

Mr Tuan keep his silent for a while and he look very disappointed and sad about the idea that Mark just told him.

“then….. we, I , have no choice but cancel this whole engagement altogether. Although I do hope she will not make that sort of decision.”

“uh..yeah, of course… just asking dad.” Mark smile. “Come dad, its desert time.” His father hugs his shoulder and they both walk towards dining room.

Mark smirks to himself.

So, as long as I’m not the one who say it huh?  

As all of them having their deserts, Jinyoung’s mother decides to ‘check’ on Mark and jinyoung progress in their relationship.

“So how are you two?” Jinyoung’s mother sounded too eager.

“We are okay.” Mark replied

“uhm…Good? Omma, Why?” Jinyoung chuckles nervously.

“Oh just asking. Is it different? How do you two feel?”

Nothing different.  Jinyoung thought

“The normal… we go to work, back home-”

“Well, I mean, don’t you guys go dating, watching movie, holding hands like a couple do?”

Now how to answer that.

Jinyoung looked at Mark for a moment and when she noticed he looked rigid, she blurts out a reply.

“Well..we are kinda of busy omma. You know, work.”

“It’s over one month you two never go date yet?? Oh my… this is not good.”

“It’s work omma..”

“That is not an excuse! Gosh you two..“ Jinyoung’s father pats his wife knees.

Then Jinyoung mother turns to Mark.

“Anyhow, Mark dear, how’s Jinyoung’s cooking? Do you like it? Any favourite? If you have any complain, tell omma.”

Mark looked perplexed. He doesn’t expect Jinyoung mother will ask that question.

“uh…that..I don-“

“ah! He said it’s okay, but I need to improved certain dishes..” Jinyoung chuckles nervously.

“ah really? Jinyoung ah, omma thought there’s nothing that you can’t cook.”

“Uh…y..yeah…but I’ll just cook more delicious next time.” Jinyoung can feel Mark throws her a look, she ignores it.

Mark looked at Jinyoung.

Why is she covering it up? So she wants to save this engagement after all? Is it?

This is going to be so tricky. He thought Jinyoung dislike this engagement as much as he does. But by the look of it, it’s the other way round.

Fine, Park Jinyoung you wanna play? Let’s play. Game on.

*

          *

They both arrived at home around 11pm and jinyoung was about to enter her room when she heard Mark called her name.

She turns and raises an eyebrow. He can’t be still hungry and ask me to cook right?

“what are you playing at?” Mark look at her, stern.

“what are you talking about?” the tone of Mark’s voice doesn’t help with her nervousness that start to build up inside her.

What’s with him?

“you know what I’m talking about. Back there at my parents’, why are you covering up for me?”

“you mean about eating my cooking?”

“yes that. You sure know how to pretend.”

Jinyoung’s heart start to beat harshly against her chest. Mark has never talked much with her, and now he finally did, he starts it with an argument?

“no, I’m not, it’s just, my mom, you don’t know-“

“Don’t use your mother as your excuse. You can just said to her I don’t freaking eat your cooking, I was not friendly to you and what not.”

“But-“

“You freaking want to save this engagement after all don’t you?”

“It’s-”

“Did you forget that you told me you didn’t agree to this arrangement too?”

“Yes,I-“

“So what now?? You had a change of mind? Change of heart is it?”

Mark glares at Jinyoung so deeply sharp that she feels that there’s so much hatred in his eyes. This is even worse than stony-Mark that she live with few weeks back.

“You don’t get it, my mom, she’s-“

“What YOU don’t get is that I don’t have that kind of feeling towards you, okay? No feeling. We are forced into this, how you can suddenly act like you want all of this to happen? Park jinyoung, I don’t understand you.”

Mark quickly turned and storm towards his room.

Jinyoung just stand there, looking at nowhere but the air where Mark stand just now. She breathes heavily, lips parting in shocked.

Just what on earth is happening?

*

          *

“morning!~ ah I feel sleepy. Jinyoung ah. Can I take a look at your thesis’s draft?” Youngjae took a seat beside jinyoung.

“here.”

“oh thanks, this one-“ Youngjae look at Jinyoung again and widen his eyes.

“what happen to your eyes?? It’s bloody red! Are you okay?”

“ah. r..really?” aisshhh  “nothing, it’s nothing, I didn’t get much sleep yesterday…you know..our thesis and all.”

“Are you sure?” Youngjae squint his eyes at Jinyoung.

“Yeah of course. What do you want to ask me just now?” she pressed her lips together and look at her paper avoiding Youngjae’s eyes.

Youngjae can feel something is not right but he’s not sure. But by the look of Jinyoung’s face, he doesn’t want to press the matter further.

Jinyoung will tell if she wants to. So he let her be.

*

          *

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Hey :) .. I'm sorry I'm kinda late (a bit?) hope you guys like this update. To readers, thank you , to my beautiful awesome subscribers, thank you~<3 I noticed my readers are more of 'silent readers' type ㅋㅋ but I hope you guys enjoy reading. For those who comment, your comments are highly loved and appreciated by me. I'm glad I decide to join AFF, it releases my stress lol. 

P/S : I'm going to post my new Markjin fic tomorrow (cuz it's sunday yay) so I hope it will received lots of love. but my current 2 fics are my priority(cuz I'm slow), I post the new one cuz I want to know what people think about it. i love reading opinions. ^^

that's all, good bye for now

got7hugs gotnoona : Hagi.