That Cliché Best Friend Story ~ Chapter Five

(Narrator Chen Chen)

Chen’s back which also means that there will be a lot of extra commentary, joy…

GUESS WHAT BABIES, CHEN CHEN IS BACK-

Chen, take the script and shut up. You can sprew your rant later in the author’s note.

Yes ma’am.

Anyway, what happened while I was gone? (I was doing a musical and girl let me tell you how fat that paycheck was!). Give me a second; I need to flip through this monstrosity-

Chen, the part we’re on is literally bookmarked.

Oh is that what the pink tab is?

Oh my god, I’m gone for a few chapters and y’all kissed already? WHO KISSES IN CHAPTER 4???

Chen!

This is a mess.

It’s a Jackson fanfic, what did you expect?

After prying Jackson off of her, Youngji shot up and slapped a hand over . “WANG JACKSON!!!”

Jackson stood there with a finger on his bottom lip. “Whoa…you really have soft lips, what brand of chapstick is that? Is it the egg looking thing? EOS? I bet it’s the egg looking thing…”

Youngji threw her hands up in disbelief. “That was my first kiss!”

Jackson nodded with a poker face. “And?”

She rolled her eyes and stomped down the street. “My first kiss…gone to waste…to…” She turned around and gawked at her best friend. “The village idiot..."

Jackson ran after her and pulled her back, grabbing her wrist dramatically as she spun around. If this was a k-drama, that scene would’ve been in slow motion, just saying.

He stared straight at her and with the most serious face, he asked. “But for real, what brand of chapstick is that?”

(A few minutes later)

Youngji stood behind him impatiently as Jackson marveled at the endless flavors of ‘Nivea’.

“A kiss of mint and minerals…refreshing lip care.”

She shook her head and scowled. “Do you have to read every single label?” Youngji tapped her watch. “We’ve been here for so long, what are you even doing?” She bent over and took a peek of what he was doing and there he was  balls deep in the chapstick container. Jackson flew up.

“I promise I will be done soon.”

She looked into the basket and gasped. “Why do you need so many?”

Jackson held the basket up in defense. “Because look, I like mint…and olive-lemon sounds good too. They have a cherry one and you know cherry is like the universal chapstick flavor. And then look, they got a pomegranate flavor!! And vanilla? And honey?”

“I regret asking.” Youngji said as she walked off.  “I’ll be in the nail polish aisle if you need me.”

Jackson watched as she walked down the aisles. “Fine, but if you need chapsticks don’t come for me.”

The setting was weird as Mrs. Wang walked into her house, she saw her son sorting out lip balms on the counter while Youngji painted her nails.

“Oh my…were these on sale or something?”

Youngji looked up. “Eh? Sale? Oh no, these are Jackson’s.”

Mrs. Wang furrowed her brows and then looked at her son. “Honey, why do you need tinted lip balm?”

Jackson looked up. “You see this morning Youngji and I were-“

She covered his mouth. “HE WANTS SOFT LIPS, THAT’S ALL.”

Mrs. Wang laughed and raised an eyebrow. “Alright…?”

Knowing that his mother was present, he took this advantage to ask about the camping trip that was held at his school annually- ah? Best friend fanfic with camping cliché? Totally saw that coming…

He knew that she would never refuse his pleads if a friend was present. “Mom, can I go on that camping trip this year? You never let me go…”

“The last time we went camping with you, you got lost in the woods tried to wrestle a baby bear.” Mrs. Wang said.

“But that was when I was 14! I’m a grown man now!”

Youngji looked at him and snorted. “Grown man…”

Mrs. Wang glanced at Youngji. “Have you ever been on a overnight trip?”

She nodded. “I went a lot when I was in Japan; my school liked the idea of bonding and creating memories together outside of school.” She explained. “I went to a small school and the principle was really into the friendship thing.”

Mrs. Wang put her hands on the table.

“Oh? You only do that when you agree with things…” Jackson grinned.

“I guess you’re experienced when it comes to overnight trips?”

Youngji nodded. “Kinda, a lot of teachers chaperoned so I didn’t have to worry about wondering off since there was practically one teacher every five feet I went.”

“How about this? Since this is your first and last year in high school here, why don’t you go with Jackson to the camping trip?”

Jackson shot up. “Really?”

“I’m going to ask her parents about it too, don’t get too excited. I don’t think Mr. Heo would be excited about sending his daughter off to the woods with strangers within one month of settling here.”

Jackson turned around and stared at his best friend. “Youngji, my life is on the line. Your dad better say yes.”

A couple days later at school, the lunchroom was alive and full of chatter. The permission slips for the overnight trip were due today and everyone seemed to be talking about it in anticipation.

They all sat in one table, Jackson, Mark, Hara and Youngji.

“Youngji, are you going?” Hara chirped. “Because Ms. Seo promised that we can pick our own roommates if we all get above a 90 on the last math quiz!”

“Ms. Seo is our chaperone?” Mark asked.

“Of course, idiot. All homeroom teachers are chaperones.” Jackson said.

Youngji chuckled. “Idiot? Look who’s talking…”

“So are ya?” Hara said.

“I handed in the permission slip but…” Youngji sighed and looked across the round table; she met Jackson’s playful eyes and her teeth. “I’m stuck with that idiot.”

Mark gasped. “What?!” He looked at Jackson. “But you were supposed to share a tent with me!”

Hara looked at Youngji. “Why Jackson?”

“Trust issues man, my parents want me to stick with her.” Jackson explained.

“Please, your mom told me to keep an eye on you so you won’t go and wrestle a bear again.”

Hara laughed. “Again?”

Jackson shook his head and held a hand up. “Don’t ask.”

Mark looked around the table. “W-What now? I told everyone I was partnering up with you and everyone chose their partners already…”

Hara cringed; the only person absent in their class today was the popular Im Yoona. “Oh God, I don’t want to share a room with Yoona…do you know how many makeup wipes she uses a day?”

“Please, she’s probably going to have her father bring a golden tent bedazzled in diamonds for her or something.” Mark said. “She said something about being with Kai, why do all the popular people want to date each other?”

“Who?” Youngji sat in confusion, being that she was the new kid wasn't aquainted with everyone yet. 

Jackson leaned over. “Long story short: Kai? Popular dude. Rich popular dude. Yoona? Popular dude. Rich popular dude. Yoona wants to bag Kai but Kai is like oh hell no.” He shook his head. “According to my knowledge of Boys Over Flowers, Kai is going to crush on a poor, flat chested girl who is a tomboy.”

Hara laughed. “Oh my god, if she heard that she would kill you.”

“Kai is probably rooming with his clan anyway.” Mark said. He looked at Hara. “I mean…if you don’t mind, do you want to…dorm?”

Hara looked at him. “Well…it’s better than dorming with Yoona…”

And there you have it! The first lead couple and the second lead couple have been established along with the rich and y side supporting characters-

What the?! Chen that’s not in the script!

I was just…enlightening…the people…about the…never mind. You know what? I bet one of the side hoe characters will get tangled with one of the leads, it always happens!

Dude, can you just finish chapter 5?

A-Ahem.

When the school day ended, the two walked home as usual.

“What happens during the overnight trip?” Youngji asked.

“Mark told me that they usually send people off to buy snacks, and then a group will put up tents with each other. Then there’s like campfire bonding, we get free time and stuff. Then on the second day, we all go hiking and fishing… Then we cook the fish…” Jackson recalled all of Mark’s words. “Oh if we have enough time, sometimes the school lets us go canoeing.”

“And we’re all in tents?”

Jackson nodded. “Well, yeah.” He said. “Why?”

Youngji frowned. “Dang it, sleeping on the floor is so uncomfortable.”

“Then you can sleep on me.”

“What?”

“What.”

[a/n]: comments are much appreciated!!! Anyone up for a camping trip with the village idiot? LOL