Jeon Jungkook and Kang Aesira used to be best friends back when they were kids, but things changed. He turned into a different person, someone that Aesira couldn't recognize.
Having to see him at school every day was already tough for Aesira . bu...
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We found ourselves on the road, the journey to my Grandma's house stretched out over an hour, and I marveled at how we had managed to cover this much distance. The surprising realization struck me – I was still here, alive, and not facing some unforeseen calamity.
"Jungkook, I swear to God, if you don't shut the heck up, I am seriously considering pulling this car over, tossing you out, and making you walk," she hissed with escalating frustration.
I sensed that I had pushed her patience to its limits. My attempts at conversation had been met with silence, leaving me with no choice but to resort to desperate measures. In a misguided attempt to fill the void, I began listing the names of girls from school with whom I had supposedly hooked up. It wasn't entirely my fault; if she had engaged in conversation, I wouldn't have needed to explore alternative topics.
"I think it's only fair if you share the details of the guys you've hooked up with at school," I propose.
To be honest, I can't recall ever seeing her with a guy from school, or perhaps I haven't been paying enough attention.
"None of your business," she retorts firmly.
"I don't think I've seen you with anyone," I observe.
"That's because all you guys are the same, immature assholes," she asserts.
"Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment," I reply sarcastically.
Aesira nonchalantly shrugs, seemingly concluding the conversation. However, my curiosity lingers, and with the safety net of her being behind the wheel (and unable to slap me), I press on.
"Can I ask you something?" I inquire.
"Even if I say no, you're still gonna ask," she remarks, giving me permission to proceed.She's got a point; my curiosity tends to override any restrictions.
"Are you still a virgin?" I pose the question.
"Yes," she responds simply.
Her answer doesn't entirely align with my assumptions, given the attention she receives from admirers. It's a revelation that manages to surprise me, considering the line of guys seemingly vying for her attention.
"Why?" I inquire, genuinely curious about her perspective.
"Why not? Just because you screw around, it doesn't mean I need to," she asserts. "I'm not wasting my time on guys from our school. I'm not ready, and just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean I have to follow suit."
A smile creeps across my face as she speaks. Aesira has always been true to herself, never conforming to the expectations of others. It's a quality that has consistently earned my respect.
"Good for you," I commend her choice.
"Do you have some sort of death wish?" she hisses in response to my approval.
"No, I'm just being honest," I assure her.
Aesira responds with a smile before redirecting her focus to the road map. Once again, silence settles in the car, the hum of the engine providing the backdrop to our individual thoughts.
"But hey, if you ever change your mind about it, you know where to find me," I said, smirking."I would never lose my virginity to you if you were the last guy on earth because I know where you've been, Jungkook," she asserts.
"Ouch, that's a bit harsh," I laugh. "You just wounded my ego."
While her words could be offensive, I find myself laughing, and surprisingly, so does Aesira. I welcome the banter, considering I already claimed her first kiss. However, I decide not to push our playful exchange further, wary of triggering another bout of annoyance from her.
"We should head down to the lake when we get there. I wonder if the tire swing is still there," I suggest, shifting the conversation.
"Maybe, we'll see," she responds.
Memories flood back as we reminisce about spending time at the lake during our visits to my grandparents' place. Harabeoji (grandpa) had crafted the tree swing before he passed away.
"Okay," I sigh, a hint of nostalgia in my voice.
Perhaps I should reconsider my efforts. It's unclear why Aesira has made up her mind about me, but I don't hold it against her. Deep down, a part of me wishes we could at least be friends again. While I acknowledge that we can never return to the past, I yearn for any chance to restore some semblance of what we once had.
I turned my attention to the window, deciding it was best to keep my mouth shut for the remainder of the ride. I wanted to avoid the risk of annoying or irritating Aesira, or worse, setting off an argument. This weekend had to remain pleasant, especially with Halmeoni around. I couldn't afford to let things go sour.
I knew Halmeoni would attempt to mediate and encourage Aesira and me to patch things up. However, I harbored doubts about the effectiveness of her efforts. Our closeness had waned, and I wasn't convinced this weekend could magically mend what was broken.
"Maybe we could take Nari down to the lake. I'm sure she would love it," Aesira unexpectedly suggested, breaking the silence.
"I think she would absolutely love it," I responded, a genuine smile forming on my face.
"We can go there tomorrow!" she proposed eagerly.
"Sounds good," I replied, sensing a glimmer of optimism.
Perhaps this weekend wouldn't be as awkward as I had initially anticipated. The prospect of spending time by the lake with Nari seemed like a positive turn of events, injecting a sense of hope into the air.
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