ROAD RAGE | Jaywon

Chapter 26: Plump lips

JUNGWON

The final day of the school fair had arrived, and I was busy setting up our booth's display. Despite the hustle and bustle around me, my mind kept drifting to Jay. He hadn't shown up yesterday, and now, with only a few hours left before the fair will end, he was still nowhere to be seen.

I tried to focus on arranging the flyers and ensuring everything looked perfect, but my thoughts were elsewhere. Where was he? Didn't he said that he's showing up today ? The question gnawed at me, despite my attempts to brush it off.

As I finished adjusting a banner, I felt a tap on my back. I turned around, expecting to see one of my friends, but instead, I found myself face-to-face with a tall, Japanese guy. He had strikingly plump lips and an easy-going looks that seemed familiar, yet I couldn't quite place him.

"Hey," he greeted with a friendly smile. "Do you remember me?"

I stared at him for a moment, my mind working to piece together where I'd seen him before. Then it clicked. It was Ni-ki, the guy from the party where Jay and I had our confrontation.

"Ni-ki, right?" I asked, feeling a mix of surprise and curiosity.

He nodded, his smile widening. "Yeah, that's me. We met at Heeseung's party. You and Jay had quite the showdown."

"Yeah, that was... something." I winced at the memory, feeling a flush of embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it. Jay has a way of getting under people's skin." Ni-ki laughed, his demeanor easygoing and lighthearted.

"What brings you here?"

"I heard about the school fair and thought I'd check it out. Plus, I figured I'd see some familiar faces," he replied. "Speaking of familiar faces, where's Jay?"

"That's what I'd like to know. He said he'd be here, but he's missing again." I sighed, my frustration evident.

"That's not like him. He's usually pretty reliable, even if he can be a pain."

"It's weird for him to just not show up without pissing me" I replied.

"I'm sure he'll turn up. Jay's tough. He can handle himself."

"Yeah" I nodded, appreciating the sentiment even though it did little to ease my concerns.

Ni-ki looked around the booth, clearly growing bored. "You know, these dart balloon games are fun for a bit, but they get old fast," he said, tossing a dart half-heartedly.

"Wanna grab something to eat? I'm starving and bored out of my mind."

I hesitated, glancing around to see if there was still work to be done. But the thought of getting away from the booth for a while was tempting, especially since Jay wasn't here yet.

"Sure, why not?" I said, shrugging. "I could use a break."

"Great," Ni-ki said, his smile returning. "I know a place with some amazing street food. Let's go."

As we walked through the busy fair, Ni-ki's presence turned out to be a welcome distraction.

"So, how do you know Heeseung and Sunghoon?" I asked, curious about his connection to them.

"We're close friends," Ni-ki explained. "Met through highschool and just clicked. They're good guys."

"Yeah, they are," I agreed. "Heeseung's been a great friend, and Sunghoon... well, he's something else."

Ni-ki laughed. "Yeah, Sunghoon has that effect on people. But he's a solid friend, always there when you need him."

We settled into a cozy booth at a nearby café, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the scent of pastries and savory dishes. Ni-ki and I placed our orders, and soon enough, the table was set with an assortment of delicious looking food.