Reply 1988

Off-Campus

Deok Sun sat at a table alone, glaring back at other students who were giving her dirty looks for sitting at a table for two when she was clearly alone.

The restaurant was packed, as it was a popular off-campus hangout. It had great food at an affordable price, which was exactly why Deok Sun chose this place.

"Hi Deok Sun." She looked up to see one of her classmates standing by the table.

"Oh hi," she greeted him coolly. She was friendly with her female classmates, but was always aloof to her male classmates so that they didn't get the wrong idea.

"Can I keep you company? I see you're alone," he said, and was about to slip into the seat across her when he suddenly looked up and stood up straight.

"Ahem."

Deok Sun looked up to see Jung Hwan standing beside her in his Air Force uniform. His eyes were narrowed at Deok Sun's classmate, and it made him look even more intimidating. 

She hardly noticed her classmate scurrying away as she took in how handsome Jung Hwan looked in his uniform. His hair was cut short, and he stood tall and strong, with a certain commanding air he must have picked up from training.

He slipped into the chair across her, "Sorry I'm late, it took me a while to find parking."

"That's okay," she smiled, then signaled to a waitress so they could get some menus.

As Jung Hwan studied the menu, Deok Sun felt eyes upon them so she looked around. To her annoyance, almost all of the girls in the restaurant were looking at Jung Hwan with interest. Some were even openly whispering amongst themselves and seemed to be trying to catch his eye as they giggled flirtatiously while looking at him.

Jung Hwan startled when Deok Sun banged her fist on the table and stood up.

"What are you all looking at?" she said hotly as she glared at the girls seated at the tables around them. "This is MY boyfriend. He's MINE."

Jung Hwan covered his smile as he tried to reach for Deok Sun's hand, but she wasn't done.

"How shameless can you all be, staring at a guy who is so clearly taken. Can't you find your own boyfriends? Gosh, I can't believe how shameless, how--"

Jung Hwan grabbed Deok Sun's hand and tugged at her. "Come on, Deok Sun, enough, they get it," he said, trying hard to keep the smile off his face. She stopped talking but fixed a glare on every single girl in the room and waited until they all averted their gaze before she sat back down.

He held her hand across the table, then suddenly the smile disappeared from his face.

"Hang on, it's my turn," he muttered, and Deok Sun watched as Jung Hwan narrowed his eyes at all the guys who had turned to their table, looking at Deok Sun with interest. His knuckles were white as he stared stonily at them until they, too, finally looked away.

She rubbed at his knuckles reassuringly until his hand finally relaxed, and they smiled at each other across the table.

"I missed you," she said, and he squeezed her hand in reply, "I missed you too."

They placed their orders then looked around. Some people were still stealing glances at them, but quickly looked away.

Deok Sun sighed, "We have a few more years of this."

Jung Hwan shook his head, "Not me. I'll have to worry about pilots hitting on you once you become a flight attendant."

He looked at her worriedly, "Deok Sun, can you promise that you'll tell me if something like that happens?"

She opened her mouth to reassure him that nothing like that would happen, but he shook his head at her. "I know, Deok Sun, I'm a guy. I know that these things happen. I want you to be completely honest with me okay?" She squeezed his hand and nodded.

Their food arrived and Jung Hwan was about to dig in when he suddenly stopped and stared at her.

"Wait. Has something like that already happened?" his chest suddenly tightened with fear.

She smiled at him reassuringly and shook her head. "No, don't worry," she replied, "I keep my distance from my male classmates so no one has even dared to try."

He exhaled with relief, "Good. Well, you have nothing to worry about on my end because there aren't too many girls in the Air Force, and you know that I'm not exactly approachable."

She giggled as she started to dig in to her food. "Why do I even love you?" she teased.

"Why, indeed?" he challenged her.

"Because you're you," she said simply, then dazzled him with that beautiful smile of hers.

He felt like he was just about to melt in a puddle, when she suddenly added, "Oh, and because you look great in uniform."

He rolled his eyes at her, "Great, I've been reduced to just a guy in a uniform."

She leaned across the table and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "But you're MY guy in uniform," she winked before sitting back down.

Jung Hwan's cheeks felt warm at that public display of affection, but his heart felt warm too. "Aaah Deok Sun," he shook his head at her with a wry smile, "Thank goodness you're you too."