"Say, what if I burn that notebook. Will you go out with me?"
"Huh?"
After swallowing her last bite, Lisa let out an unintelligible response. For a moment, she didn't understand what Jungkook was saying.
"If the reason you keep refusing me is because of that notebook and its contents, I was wondering if burning it would change your mind..."
He said so with a clear expression and Lisa couldn't help narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
"Even if you burn the notebook, you'd still remember its contents, won't you? No, the problem doesn't lie there."
"Then, what's the problem?"
Jungkook cocked his head in confusion while Lisa stared at him with her elbows on the table.
"What I'm saying is, I can't be your ideal type. More accurately, I don't want to be. Just like how I know I need to change my habit of regularly cleaning this room, but I don't want to. I don't want to change my personality. That's why..."
"In that case, it's fine as long as I won't you ask you to change?"
"Huh?"
Lisa was taken aback as she didn't expect to hear those words. Jungkook continued speaking without checking her reaction.
"Didn't you say so earlier? That 'the way I am now turns you off'..."
"I did say that..."
If you just filter that out, the words seem like a confession. Lisa frowned at the thought.
"Until now I was fixated at the idea that I should only date a woman who fits my ideal type. If I liked someone who isn't my ideal type, even if it's troublesome, I thought it'd be okay to change her. Otherwise, I was convinced that neither she nor I could be happy..."
"Huh?"
"And that's why, when I realized I was interested in you, I was utterly confused. Everyday you dress up in a manly fashion and work hard more than anyone else. At the end of the day, I always worry if you've gone home safely. It was an unexpected occurrence in my life plan. Honestly, I was in despair because you're just too far from my ideal..."
"Huh? What are you saying? Are you trying to pick a fight?!"
Lisa's veins almost popped in anger at Jungkook's rather insulting words. Even so, Jungkook hollered on.
"But despite that, I thought it was fine as long as I groom you into my ideal type. But earlier, I realized that I still like you just the way you are. Of course, my ideal type remains my ideal type and I originally prefer a woman like that, but it doesn't matter as long as it's you..."
"STO-P!" Lisa yelled as she covered Jungkook's mouth with her hands. Her cheeks went bright red.
"Jungkook, don't you feel ashamed saying such things since a while ago?"
"Should I feel ashamed of expressing my feelings?"
Jungkook calmly said while avoiding Lisa's hands. With a slightly angry face, Lisa crushed his cheeks with both hands. "Well I'm embarrassed so please cut it out!"
"Okay."
After Jungkook answered, with cheeks crushed from both sides, Lisa let go of her hands in defeat. When he was trying to sit up straight, Jungkook caught sight of Lisa's face. Her cheeks were still tainted red.
"Let me ask you again, Lisa. If I promise not to force you to change in the future, will you go out with me?"
His usual calm expression looked a little serious than normal and Lisa fought the involuntary urge to say no.
YOU ARE READING
Chased By Him
Short StoryThe company's infamous "Iron Mask of the Sales Department", a perfectionist man known for his poker face, confessed to Lalisa Manoban. He said he liked her but his face somewhat carried a hint of dissatisfaction. When she asked him for the reason, h...