Cold Daughter of Taekook

CDT 6

Min Park Yoonji took a deep breath before pressing the doorbell. The butler opened the door, revealing Yoonji with a large stack of notes and a bouquet of flowers.

"Make sure that none of these pages are wrinkled or out of order," Yoonji muttered to himself as he adjusted the stack for the umpteenth time.

Yoonji's hands were trembling slightly. He closed his eyes tightly for a second, as if to steady his nerves. Finally, he stepped inside, almost tripping over the threshold but managing to catch himself just in time. He sighed in relief, thankful no one seemed to notice.

Varisha, who had been watching from the top of the stairs, descended slowly, her expression as cold as ever.

"Good morning, Mr. Yoonji," Varisha greeted him with a frosty tone.

"Good morning, Madam Varisha! I'm here to see Jungsoon," Yoonji replied cheerfully, determined to stay upbeat.

Varisha fixed a piercing gaze on Yoonji, making him feel like a bug under a magnifying glass. Jungsoon, sitting on the couch with her leg in a cast, brightened up upon hearing Yoonji's voice.

"Yoonji! You came!" Jungsoon exclaimed, her face lighting up.

Yoonji moved swiftly towards Jungsoon, but in his haste, he knocked over a small table. The vase on it wobbled precariously before crashing to the ground. Yoonji's face turned crimson as he quickly bent down to pick up the pieces.

Varisha's eyes narrowed further, but she said nothing, her silence more terrifying than any reprimand.

Jungsoon giggled, trying to hide it with her hand. "Are those for me?" she asked, pointing to the flowers.

"Yes!" Yoonji beamed, presenting the bouquet with a flourish. "And I brought all the notes you missed."

Jungsoon's eyes sparkled with gratitude. Varisha, however, remained unimpressed.

"Yoonji, I appreciate your effort, but Jungsoon needs rest and minimal disturbance," Varisha stated firmly.

"Of course, Varisha. I'll be as quiet as a mouse," Yoonji replied with a playful wink, settling down next to Jungsoon and starting to go through the notes with her.

Varisha, still watching with a stern expression, couldn't help but notice the genuine care in Yoonji's actions, though she remained outwardly disapproving.

Yoonji sat down beside Jungsoon, carefully arranging the notes on the table in front of her.

"Did you know," Yoonji began with a playful grin, "that they say laughter is the best medicine? I guess that makes me your doctor today."

Jungsoon chuckled, not catching the flirtatious tone. "Thanks, Dr. Yoonji. I could definitely use some cheering up."

Yoonji leaned in closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Well, if you ever need a prescription for laughter, I'm always available for house calls."

Jungsoon smiled brightly. "That's sweet of you. Maybe you should consider a career change!"

Varisha, standing nearby with her arms crossed, rolled her eyes but stayed silent.

Yoonji wasn't deterred. He decided to up his game. "You know, Jungsoon, if you were a vegetable, you'd be a cute-cumber."

Jungsoon laughed, genuinely amused. "That's a good one! I should write that down."

Yoonji scratched his head, a bit flustered that his flirting was flying over her head. He decided to try a more direct approach. "So, Jungsoon, do you have a map? Because I just got lost in your eyes."

Jungsoon blinked in confusion, then laughed again. "Oh, Yoonji, you're hilarious! You should do stand-up comedy."

Yoonji sighed dramatically, pretending to be hurt. "You wound me, Jungsoon. Here I am, pouring out my heart, and you think it's just comedy."

Jungsoon patted his arm reassuringly. "Don't worry, Yoonji. Your jokes really do make my day better."

Varisha, watching this interaction, couldn't help but smirk slightly at Yoonji's failed attempts. She stepped forward, deciding to intervene.

"Yoonji, why don't you help me in the kitchen? Jungsoon needs to rest," Varisha said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Yoonji reluctantly got up, giving Jungsoon one last hopeful look. "I'll be back with more... medical advice," he said with a wink.

As Yoonji followed Varisha to the kitchen, he couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for Jungsoon to realize he was trying to flirt. Varisha, noticing his perplexed expression, couldn't resist a rare moment of teasing.

"You know, Yoonji, maybe you should stick to tutoring. Your bedside manner needs some work," she said, a hint of amusement in her usually stern voice.

Yoonji sighed again, more dramatically this time. "Maybe you're right, Varisha. But I'm nothing if not persistent."

Varisha shook her head, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Just don't break anything else while you're at it."

The Next Day at College

Varisha and Jiyoon walked side by side through the bustling college hallway. Jiyoon glanced at Varisha, her heart aching with unspoken feelings.

As they approached the entrance to the main building, Flora Evans, the foreign exchange student, appeared with her friends. Flora's eyes lit up when she saw Varisha, and she immediately made her way over, ignoring Jiyoon completely.

"Varisha!" Flora called out, her voice cheerful. "I've been looking for you. Do you have a moment?"

Varisha smiled politely, her cold demeanor melting slightly. "Sure, Flora. What's up?"

Jiyoon's heart sank as she watched the interaction. Flora's presence around Varisha was becoming more frequent, and it was clear that Flora was interested in her.

The other students in the hallway began to whisper and giggle, nudging each other and pointing at the trio. It was no secret that the college loved to gossip about Varisha and Jiyoon, often shipping them together as an unlikely pair.

"Hey, isn't that Jiyoon?" one student whispered. "I thought she and Varisha were a thing."

"Yeah, but look at Flora," another replied. "She's totally into Varisha. Poor Jiyoon."

Varisha, oblivious to the whispers, turned to Jiyoon. "I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

Jiyoon forced a smile and nodded. "Sure, Varisha. I'll see you in class."

As Varisha walked away with Flora, Jiyoon's smile faded. She felt a pang of jealousy and sadness but pushed it deep down. She couldn't let anyone see how much this was affecting her.

Later that evening, Jiyoon sat alone in her room, the weight of her emotions finally catching up to her. She glanced at a photo on her desk of her and Varisha, taken during a school event. They both looked so happy, carefree.

Jiyoon picked up the photo, her fingers tracing Varisha's face. "Why does it have to be so hard?" she whispered to herself.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about how close Varisha and Flora were becoming. The college might ship her and Varisha, but reality was different. Flora was slowly but surely becoming Varisha's girlfriend, and Jiyoon felt powerless to stop it.

She hugged the photo to her chest, allowing herself to cry for the first time in a long while. Alone in her room, Jiyoon let her guard down, showing the pain she hid so well from everyone else.

"I wish things were different," she murmured through her tears. "I wish you could see how much I care."

The loneliness of her room echoed her feelings as Jiyoon cried herself to sleep, the photo still clutched in her hands.

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Word Count: 1196
Date Written: 07/14/24
Date Published: 07/14/24
Author: Kheliyesh