stranger ‣ y.jw

012

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              "I heard Jay's returning tomorrow." Sunoo delivers the news to Jungwon.

Jungwon's eyes lit up after hearing one of his closest friends was returning to the country. Jay had to leave to America for quite some time but he promised to return and really did.

"Oh you probably don't know Jay, Jihee! He's one of Jungwon's closest friends, they were basically inseparable during middle school." Sunoo explained to Jihee. "But he left for America after our first year in high school."

Jihee pretended to be surprised because she already knew about Jay. "Really? I think Jungwon mentioned him once."

"I'm sure you'll get along with him as well. I have to go now, there's a school council meeting today. Bye!" Sunoo smiled widely at the two as he strolled away from them.

When he was far from their sight and they have finally passed by the gate, Jungwon gazed at Jihee. "How do you know Jay? Is he in the movie?"

"Nope, but I saw him at the premiere. I saw his fate with my own two eyes, I think that was the first time I caught a glimpse of your face." Jihee said, remembering the familiar good looking man that stood next to Park Sunghoon. "I think my heart skipped a beat when I saw him, definitely one of the most good looking guy I've seen."

Jungwon slightly smiled teasingly. "You're not going to act weird when he gets here, right?" He said because he could clearly tell she had a slight crush on his friend.

She crossed her arms. "Do you think this is the first time having a crush on someone? Plus, who knows if he even looks as good as he does in 10 years?"

When the next day arrived, Jihee immediately ate the words she said the past day because Jay looked just as good as he does in 10 years. Jungwon for the first time, had to witness Jihee act indifferently since meeting her.

"You're a new student?" Jay asked Jihee and she gives him a shy nod, something Jungwon fought the urge to snort about. "I'm Jay. Let's be friends." He extends his hand to her.

She smiled. "Sure. I'm Jihee." She replies, grabbing his hand and shaking it softly.

Jungwon and Jay talked whilst Jihee remained quiet by the side, gazing away to avoid meeting any of their eyes. Something she doesn't usually do since she never backs away from eye contact.

"We should play basketball sometimes! I'll introduce you to Sunghoon and the others, I'm sure you'll get along with them." Jay enthusiastically says, evident that he missed his friend's presence very much.

Jihee snorted when Jay said he'll introduce Jungwon to Sunghoon. For that she earned a soft harmless nudge from Jungwon. To which she replied with a glare.

"Sure that sounds like an idea." Jungwon smiled.

"Great! I'll get going now to catch up with the others. Clear your schedule, okay?" Jay waved at them, even sparing a kind smile to Jihee.

"Well this is a sight." Jungwon crossed his arms, looking at the girl next to him with a teasing smile. "Do you always act this way when it comes to your crushes?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh stop acting as if you don't act like a puppy in front of Byeol."

He laughed and refused to fire back anything because he felt like she had a whole list of come backs to him. "What are you going to do tomorrow? It's the weekend after all."

She hummed as she thinks of what she has in store for the next day. "Not boring stuff. Why?"

He shrugged. "Just curious."

"Do you want go with me then?"

Her offer caught him off guard. The last thing he expected was to earn an invite from her. But honestly, he wanted to go with her only because his curiosity never ends when it comes to her. He wanted to know so bad what goes on in the life of a stranger, or why she's even called that in the first place.

He wanted to know what keeps her preoccupied now that he ruined her only chance of having fun.

"Sure."

"Great, get ready. We're going to be spying on someone!"

But she failed to warn him that she was going to show up in his house at six in the morning, in her bike that he didn't even know she owned. She also failed to take into account that he was living with his grandmother and a visit from an unfamiliar woman would sure arouse curiosity.

"Jungwon your friend's here for you."

"Tell Jay it's too early for basketball." Jungwon says with his morning voice and one of his eye half open. He then puts the blanket over his face and closed his eyes again, allowing himself to return to his relaxing sleep.

"It's not Jay. It's Jihee."

What?

He immediately got up his bed. "What?" This time the words actually came out of his mouth.

His grandmother smiled. "Yes now go get ready. Don't make the kind girl wait."

She didn't even need to tell that to Jungwon because the moment he realized it was Jihee downstairs, he quickly gets ready. Descending down the stairs after minutes of preparing himself, he sees his friend talking to his grandmother earnestly in the couch.

Her hair was tied into a ponytail and she was wearing a white shirt. A color she usually wore so he guessed it was her favorite.

She looked to his direction and her golden eyes met him. "Oh there you are. Morning sleepyhead."

"Morning." Jungwon said.

"Do you want to eat anything for breakfast or are you eating outside?" His grandmother kindly asks them.

She shook her head. "We're going to eat outside."

"We'll get going now grandma." He smiled at his grandmother.

"Oh of course of course! Have fun the two of you!" His grandmother says, basically shoving them outside the house.

As soon as they were outside, Jungwon sees a white bike parked in front of their house. He never knew she owned a bike and if he did, he would've just asked her to ride a bike with him instead of riding the bus everyday. It was more cost-friendly that way.

"Pretty, right? I bought it online and it arrived yesterday!" She happily says. It was really evident she loved spending money but it was understandable, she had no worries because unlike everyone, she wasn't a normal person.

But that didn't make her any less of a person for Jungwon.

"Which reminds me, bring an umbrella. We're going to need it later."

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