ROAD RAGE | Jaywon

Chapter 18: arcade

JUNGWON

The mall was buzzing with activity as I walked alongside Sunoo, Jake, and his lover Heeseung. The vibrant energy of the place was a welcome distraction from the stress that had been building up over the past few days. We were on the hunt for a restaurant to grab some lunch, our stomachs growling in unison as we wandered through the various levels.

"There's that new restaurant near the cinema," Sunoo suggested, pointing to a restaurant with a sleek, modern design.

"Looks good," Jake agreed, and we all followed his lead.

We were seated at a table near the glass wall, giving us a clear view of the shoppers below. Sunoo and I sat on one side, while the lovers took the seats across from us. The sunlight streaming through the glass made the atmosphere bright and cheerful, an opposite that had been plaguing my mind.

As we waited for our food, I found myself zoning out, my thoughts drifting back to the endless confrontations with Jay. I was jolted back to the present when Heeseung's voice cut through my reverie.

"Jungwon, how's it going with Jay? Sunghoon said he was hard on you at the booth," Heeseung asked, his tone gentle but curious.

I blinked, not having caught what he said the first time. "What?"

"Jay," Heeseung repeated patiently. "Sunghoon mentioned he was giving you a hard time at the booth."

A flood of emotions surged within me, and I suddenly felt the need to vent. I had been holding everything in for so long, and the pressure was becoming unbearable. Taking a deep breath, I began to recount the numerous incidents that had occurred.

"Jay has been a total nightmare," I started, my voice tight with frustration. "He's been bossing me around, making me do all the hard tasks, and just generally being a jerk."

Sunoo and Jake exchanged concerned glances, while Heeseung leaned in, listening intently.

"He's always finding ways to make my life miserable," I continued.

"Like yesterday, in the library, he yanked my earphones out and then just sat there staring at me. We ended up fighting over a dish at dinner because he wouldn't let me take any. It's like he enjoys pushing my limits"

Heeseung frowned, clearly troubled by what he was hearing. "That sounds really tough, Jungwon. But why would he be acting like this?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It all started with that road rage incident, and he got jailed for it. Ever since then, he's been holding a grudge."

Jake raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. "Wait, so all of this is because of that one incident?"

"Yeah," I replied, feeling exasperated.

"And he even snatched my parking spot at the university parking lot."

Heeseung's confusion deepened. "Really? Jay has a reserved parking spot. Why would he snatch yours?"

"That's what I don't get," I said, feeling exasperated.

Sunoo, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. "Maybe he's just really messed up inside and doesn't know how to express himself. People do weird things when they don't know how to handle their emotions."

Jake nodded thoughtfully. "It's possible. But that doesn't excuse his behavior. You shouldn't have to put up with this, Jungwon."

We continued discussing the situation, each of us trying to make sense of Jay's actions. The conversation provided some relief, a way to unload the heavy burden I had been carrying. Eventually, our food arrived, and we shifted our focus to eating, the mood lightening as we enjoyed our meal.