a/n in this story, Jake is 7,10 and 15 while Aeyoung is 6,9, and 14
"What are you doing?" Jake's voice filled the air while the rest of the kids stopped dead in their tracks, including Aeyoung.
"I'm playing with you," Aeyoung answered. Her eyes didn't waver even though Jake put on his best angry face.
"No, you can't!" Jake's voice raised an octave, face all red while Aeyoung didn't budge.
"Why not? I can speak English and I know the game rule," she insisted. Earlier, Jake invited all the kids to play 'cat and mouse', but he soon realized that not all the kids spoke the same language and some of them didn't understand the rule. He spent more time explaining the rule in Korean and English several times before he gave up and decided to just play with those who could speak English. Then he made sure everyone knew the game's rules before resuming playing. However, he didn't say one unspoken criteria, he didn't want girls to play.
He didn't know when it started. Or maybe he did, but he didn't realize it. Maybe it started at school. Or at the playground. When the girls cried all the times when they lost the games. Or when they screamed too loud for such simple things like lizards and cockroaches. Geez, it wasn't like they appeared on cue to scare them, but the girls still screamed their hearts out. And it made Jake feel irritated. Their high-pitched scream irritated him the most. It hurt his ears when they did that. That was why he avoided playing with the girls. But Aeyoung wasn't just an ordinary girl. Their get-together holidays proved it. She was nothing like the girls from his school, but he wasn't going to admit that.
"No!" Jake repeated, fist curled, face red, even his veins looked prominent. But Aeyoung didn't back down either.
"Tell me one good reason!" she challenged and Jake seemed lost at words for a bit. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times before storming off, declaring that he had lost the mood to play and the rest of the kids groaned in disappointment but soon forgot the incident and went back playing by themselves. The others might seem to forget about it, but Aeyoung didn't. She felt crossed that Jake refused to play with her to the extent of leaving the playground when she insisted on keeping to play.
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"Ughh.. do we have to meet them?" Aeyoung groaned when her mother told her that they were going on holiday. The usual "family" holiday with the GOT7 families. "Can't we just go by ourselves? Maybe only appa that meets them?" Aeyoung looked up hopefully to her mother. But her mother only gave her a wistful look.
"You know what's the deal with this family holiday," her mother shrugged. "I think until you're in college, you'll be dragged to this family holiday."
Aeyoung rolled her eyes, "Then please tell me that the Wang family can't make it?"
Her mother frowned, "What's up with you and the Wang kids? I thought you're getting along with them?"
She scoffed, "Jane is alright, but Jake? He's .. uugghh.. He's insufferable."
Her mother raised her eyebrows, "Really? I thought he's rather cute when I saw him... Oh well, unfortunately for you, you can't bail on this holiday...., yet."
"Ughhh.. I wish I turn 17 soon," Aeyoung huffed an annoyed breath before retreating back to her room, starting to pack as they had to leave the next day.
"Aeyong! Come here!" her father's voice boomed as soon as they exited the arrival hall. She sighed, guessing that the other families had arrived and she had to greet them. She just wished that the Wang family hadn't arrived, but even she knew the chance was slim. Uncle Jackson was big on gatherings like this, he wouldn't miss the airport greetings. She dragged her feet heavy-heartedly and to her dismay, the Wang family was already there.
