Can't Stop | HoonSuk [✓]

04

“Hyunsuk hyung. I bought you some bread,” Jihoon said while still trying to catch his breath. Seems like he just ran here. He handed me a familiar paper bag. It’s from the bakery where we, I mean, I frequent, but because he has been hanging out with me, he has been there as much as I have.

“Thank you,” I said. Then, I just remembered something. “Yah! You told me to go to school alone because you’re waiting at the bakery?”

“Hehe,”

“Don’t hehe me, Park Jihoon,” I said. This guy is really unpredictable. Is it because I'm his first real close friend? He tried so hard to please me. He gives me and buys me a lot of things. He takes notes on what I like and dislike. It's not like I hated it. But it just makes me like him even more. I was trying so hard to be just his friend.

“Hyung. I’m late now. I need to go to my classroom before Mr Kang takes attendance. Bye. See you later,” Jihoon said before he ran toward the staircase. Our classroom is on a different floor. Mine, the second year classrooms are on the 4th floor while Jihoon’s, the first year classrooms are on the second floor. He really did come to the fourth floor to give me the bread before he went to his classroom? This guy is really unbelievable.

“Is that Park Jihoon?” Yeonjun asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “He bought some bread. Wanna share?”

“Eh? Isn’t this bakery open at 8? Like did he wake up late but still decided to stop by that bakery to buy it?” Yeonjun asked.

“Nah. He woke up early but decided to wait for the bakery to open for him to buy it,” I said. “I’m still impressed at how he always manage to get in when the Dragon is guarding the gate right after 8 am,”

The Dragon I’m talking about is our Discipline teacher, Mr So who will never let any kids be late for school. At 8 am sharp, he’ll wait at the gate and stop any kids who’s late and give them punishment. It’s not the first time Jihoon was late because he stopped by the bakery to buy something. But I never heard or see him getting any punishment from the Dragon ever since we decided to be friends. Without me noticing, it has been over 5 months since the first time I decided to talk to him and be friends with him.

“You guys are best buddies now, huh? What happened to your ego?” Yeonjun asked while taking one of the breads from the paper bag that Jihoon gave me earlier.

“I decided to talk to him and surprisingly, he’s easy to talk to. And just like that we’re friends now,” I said.

“And you’re okay with that?” Yeonjun asked.

“Am I supposed to not be okay?” I asked him back.

“You know. I’ve told you about it before. About the rumors. And it seems like you have a potential to get a girlfriend now that you are starting to have a crush on someone. Are you not afraid if he someday will snatch your future girlfriend?”

“I’m not planning to have any yet,” I said. Because I never even plan to have one. I have a crush and that person is a guy. It’s Park Jihoon. Since the first day I decided to be friends with him, he doesn’t seem like someone who is even interested in any romantic relationship. That’s why, I just decided to stay by his side as a friend. Because it’s the most efficient way for me to stay close to him.

“But still,” Yeonjun said. “You know. After we won the high school soccer summer cup, there’s a lot of girls who starting to get interested to our team players,”

“Well. There’s a lot of attractive kids in our teams so it’s not even surprising,” I said.

“That’s including you, dummy,” Yeonjun said.

“What kind of dummy would like this dummy?” I giggled.

“That one doesn’t seem like a dummy to me,” Yeonjun pointed at something. I turned to look at the direction he’s pointing at. It’s Somyi sunbaenim. She's in third year and one of the top 5 in their grade on last exam. She's definitely not a dummy. She looked at me and waved. "She has been around for weeks. I'm positive that she like you,"

"In your dream," I said.

"Make sure that you buy me lunch if you ever go out with her," Yeonjun said. I just ignored him and walked toward Somyi sunbaenim who's waiting for me in front of the door.

"Yes, sunbaenim?" I asked.

"Here. Thank you for lending me this. I really appreciate it," she handed me my dictionary that she borrowed a few days ago. I took the dictionary and nodded. "By the way. I have something to tell you. Can we meet at the gym after school?"

“Sure. I’ll go there before my practice,” I said.

“Thank you,” Somyi sunbaenim said. I can guess what she’s going to tell me. She likes Park Jihoon. The very first time we ever talked was when she nearly got hit by the ball during soccer practice. She was there talking to our manager who’s one of her friends and I managed to kick the ball away. I noticed that she has been around a lot ever since before. And I know what her actual deal is for being there. Not just because her friend is our manager, it’s because she has a crush on Jihoon.

I caught her looking at Jihoon many times already. The way she’s looking at Jihoon is probably the same way as I did toward Jihoon. The way she has the adoration but wanted to keep it secret at the same time. She’s probably too shy to talk to Jihoon too. After I saved her from getting hit by the ball, she started to talk to me a lot. She even asked me once if I’m close to Park Jihoon. I told her yes. After that, she looked like she tried to be present whenever I was with Jihoon. She is always at the field during our practice and always gives me water after we are done, especially when I was with Jihoon.

Just like that, I know what her intention is. I’m a little upset at first but I don’t ever think that Jihoon will ever want to date anyone. Not this time around at least. If she told me that she likes Jihoon and asked me to arrange for her to meet Jihoon, I’ll just tell her that I don’t want to. It’s as simple as that.

The bell rang. It's time for our soccer practice. I got a message from Somyi sunbaenim telling me to not forget. I told the other to go first to the field and walked toward the gym. She is already here. I just walked toward her.

“Yes, sunbaenim?” I asked.

“I want to say something but first, promise me not to laugh at myself,” she said.

“Okay. What is it?” I asked.

“I like you. I want you to be my boyfriend,” she said.

“Eh?” Not Park Jihoon? Because I know and it is obvious that she likes Park Jihoon. And why the hell did she ask me out? Me? Choi Hyunsuk. Not Park Jihoon. Really? “Wait. I think I misheard it. Can you repeat?”

“Can you not play with me?” Somyi sunbaenim asked while trying to hide her face.

“No. I’m- It's my first time getting a confession. So. I don’t really know what to do,” I said. “I’m not as cool as my teammates. I’m not handsome like them,”

“Who said that? You are the coolest,”Somyi sunbaenim said. “You even saved me from the ball, remember?”

“Oh. About that,” I nodded. That is probably the reason why she decided to ask me out, right? Even after that, I can still see her looking in Jihoon's direction. As if hoping that Jihoon will look at her. Should I give it a try? Like she probably just likes Jihoon as a crush. Like those celebrity crushes and nothing more.

Then, what about me? Did I like Jihoon more than that? Or I just like him just because I find him cool and talented. And handsome and attractive too. Maybe if I go out with someone else, I might get rid of my feelings toward Jihoon? And we can really be actual friends without me trying hard not to cross the boundary and make him uncomfortable because I like him. Yeah. Sure. Let’s give this a try.

"Or are you taken?" Somyi sunbaenim asked.

My heart is taken. By Park Jihoon. It's not like I can say that out loud.

"No. Let's try it," I said. "Please take care of me,"