The One Behind the Pretty Girl

Chapter 5 - Pinky Promise

That took my brain a few minutes to process. He was as still as a statue, staring at me and waiting for my reaction.

"Jin-Ae... You don't have to reply now... I think it's best you know..." Dae-Joon said slowly. He slowly moved to the other side of the bed. "Is it... Okay for me to sleep here... Tonight?"

I was still in shocked so I slowly nodded my head. He slowly got onto the bed and pulled the blanket over him.

"I want to hear an answer with 24 hours okay?" He said with more confidence. "Goodnight," he continued without giving me a chance to say anything. He closed his eyes and turned to the other side, so his back was facing towards me. I was still sitting and watching him fall asleep. I knew it wouldn't take long for him to fall asleep. Within 10 minutes, I could hear his gentle snores. His snores aren't loud enough to wake you up, you would have to listen very carefully to be able to hear it. Cautiously, I moved my hand to his hair. I gently and slowly stroke his jet black hair.

"Dae-Joon... I like you too but... So does Chae-Eun... I don't want to lose anyone right now... What should I do?" I softly whispered to him. Part of me wished he heard this but knowing Dae-Joon, him knowing this information wouldn't benefit the situation at all. I stopped stroking his hair and finally laid down and pulled my blanket onto me. I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep.

"Chae-Eun! Guess what?" Younger me shouted excitedly towards my best friend as I ran towards her with open arms. We were in the park half-way between our houses. This was the park we would always tell secrets to each other in.

"Geez Jinnie! You're so loud! How can someone so beautiful be so loud?!" She complained but still greeted me with a hug.

"I'm loud because I meet this cute guy in a cafe yesterday and we talked on and on about... Well, everything," I told her.

"And?"

"And... I think I like him," I said shyly.

"Describe," She commanded.

"He's tall, handsome, older by a few years, smart, nice, funny, has dark brown hair, sharp brown eyes and a nice voice."

"What's his name?"

"Im Jae-Bum," I replied.

"IM JAE-BUM ?!?!?!?!?!" She yelled. "YOU...LIKE...IM...JAE...BUM?!?!?!?!?!?!"

"Uhhhh.....ummmmm... Yes?"

"I-I like h-him too..."

"Wait.. WHAT?!"

"He's in my art classes that I do out of school... I forgot to tell you..."

"So... What now?" I asked her.

"I think... I think you should go ahead. You can have him. I've never said anything other than 'hi' , he seems more interested in you anyways," Chae-Eun said. I could hear her sadness but my guilt pushed that to the back of my head.

"Are you sure?"

"Y-yes, I'm sure. BUT if we happen to like the same guy again... Then you have to give him to me, okay?"

"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!" I hugged her and planted kisses all over her left cheek.

"Ewwww gross!" She giggled. "Pinky promise?"

"Pinky-Promise." And we interlocked our pinkies.

* A few years later*

"Jin-Ae!! Guess what?!!!!!" Chae-Eun shouted excitedly towards her best friend as she ran towards me with open arms. We were in the same park.

"Geez Chae! You're so loud! How can someone so beautiful be so loud?!" I complained but still greeted her with open arms.

"There's something I want to tell you," she said excitedly.

"What could it possibly be?"

"I like someone~~~" she teased.

"OH MY GOSH!!! WHO?!?!?!?!?!" I screamed.

"Look who's being loud now," she muttered, "Guess young one, guess."

"Chang-Suk?"

"Nope."

"Jonghyun?"

"Nope."

"Youngjae?"

"Nope."

"Then who?!" I was praying that is wasn't-

"Dae-Joon, dummy!" She laughed.

"O-oh, yeah. I forgot about him..." I wished that she hadn't told me that. Now I know what she felt 2 and a half years ago. I didn't want to tell her about my crush on Dae-Joon too.

"Soooo, what do you think?"

"...I ship you guys!!" I said with the happiest voice I could make at that moment.

"It's a good thing you don't like him too. I wouldn't want to repeat what happened last time..." She said genuinely.

"Yeah, that's good," I agreed. I couldn't help but get even more sad and hurt because she had reminded me of him. I thought I had completely gotten over him but right now, I realised that I'm still holding on. I have very little hope in him but at least there is hope. "I have to go home and do homework, Chae," I quickly lied so I can leave.

"Hmm, alright then. Bye bye!!!" She waved. I waved back and walked home.

I woke up from my dream feeling even worse than what I felt before sleeping. That wasn't a dream, it was more like a recall of one of my important memories. Chae-Eun confessed about her crush on Dae-Joon 6 months ago. I confessed about my crush on Im Jae-Bum just over 3 and a half years ago. I wasn't sure if the Jae-Bum I dated was the same as the Jae-Bum in the next room. Their personalities are so different. But they have the same sharp eyes... I guess the only way to know for sure is to ask him. But I don't know if I'm prepared for the answer. I can't believe that I had forgotten about him.

My window was covered by my curtain so I couldn't tell if it was morning yet. I turned to my right and saw Dae-Joon facing towards me, still sleeping peacefully. I would love to wake up to this every morning for the rest of my life. I admired his handsome features for a few minutes.

"I like you too, Dae-Joon-Ah," I whispered. He opened his eyes and stared at me.

Wait a second... Did he hear me?!

He then grabbed the sides of my face and kissed me. The kiss was gentle but meaningful. I couldn't help but kissed him back. I hesitated to pull him closer but at that moment...my door opened and...

"Breakfast is re-" Jae-Bum interrupted but he had still witnessed the kiss.