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JUNGWON
Word had spread throughout the neighborhood that I was back. It wasn't long before the old group chat of my classmates was blowing up. Eventhough Jake was the only closest friend I had along with Sunghoon there were some others in our friend group.
"Heeseung!" "Sunoo!" "Niki!"
Jake did the honors of greeting all of them inside. "It's so great to meet like this again, now that we're all older." Heeseung voiced out while sitting down and Niki being the youngest scoffed out. "It's just you who's old, for all I know I came here promised that we would play games." The group burst into a fit of laughter and Heeseung couldn't help but tag along as well.
We were all engrossed in the game, eyes glued on the screen. Fingers violently tapping on the controller, munching on the food gathered. "Aw damn it! We lost again Sunoo!" Sunoo was unbothered. He only rolled his eyes and scrolled away on his phone. "This wouldn't happen if Jay, my actual partner didn't ditch last minute." Niki sulked in the corner of the couch, arms crossed over his chest.
"Why'd he ditch?" I asked and Niki sighed loudly. "He's on a date with his new girlfriend. My mouth curved into a 'O' in realization. "It's alright Niki, he'll come by next time." Niki chuckled shaking his head. He picked up the controller and started to look for a new game. "No Jungwon, Jay never hangs out with us anymore." "Even when I ask to go somewhere he'll always bring up some stupid excuse that always involves his girlfriend."
"That's so true!" Sunoo chortled in agreement while holding the pizza slice to his mouth. "I guess some people change when they get into a relationship." Niki grumbled under his breath. Heeseung dropped his controller onto the floor and click his tongue. "Hey, just wait till you get one." "You wont be saying that then." Niki stifled a laugh while rolling his eyes. He then nudges his shoulder against mine. "Whatever, what about you Jungwon?" "Do you have a girlfriend?"
I choked on my saliva. Aggressively coughing and heaving over my stomach, I felt tears prick at my eyes. Niki's nosy self couldn't leave anyone alone for once second. Just as I cleared my throat to answer, Jake cut me off, I dreaded his retort. This man also wouldn't do anything in my favour and would only tease more. "Jungwon?" "I'd like to see that nerd try to get one in a million years time." I gave him a glare but he was only persuasively smiling at me. "Cmon guys you agree right? With the way he ran off to college right after high school and since he never even chose to do anything but study during his school years says a lot." "I don't think he's interested in women at all."
Jake was reading me like an open book. It was true. Most of my life has been dedicated to studying but it doesn't mean I have no interest in women at all. Luckily, Niki came to my defense even when he was battling against Jake. "Oh Jake, you never know. He might be interested in someone for all we know." "Say Jungwon, there must be someone you think about often."
That wasn't the defense I was hoping for. I was pushed nearer to the edge with the newest assumption. The game controller grew loose from my fingers as my mind got occupied. The voices of my friends were drowned out. I felt numb to Niki's force pushing me. I felt like hanging off the edge off a cliff, each of my fingers slipping away. Someone I think about often? There wasn't many to list. Someone dear to me. Someone who I care about a lot. My pupils travel to Sunghoon. A fiery feeling engulfs my stomach. I remember the night I saw him with Jaeah. Seeing her smile, seeing her laughing with him. The way she made this fire ignite within me. My fingers left the cliff. The air is knocked out of my lungs as I fall down. I see the sky above me, I only let a sigh of relief pass. A wide smile gleaming on my face.
Someone I often think about? Sim Jaeah.
"Oh my god, you all suck at this." "Jungwon why aren't you focusing man! Jake just destroyed us." I blink up at Niki who was murmuring to himself in disappointment. Did I just say Jaeah? Jae? No way. I can't like Jaeah, it's just impossible. Having those kind of feelings towards her makes me— no I didn't even want to consider having such feelings for her.
This time I turn to Jake who was laughing and mocking Niki over our loss. I scoffed, content with my decision. There's no way. She's Jake's sister, and I've treated her like one too. So not developing romantic feelings towards her won't be a problem right?
"My bad Niki, let's rematch Jake." "I'll treat you to dinner if we lose this time to make it up to you Niki." Then I turned to Jake. "Jake if we win, you'll buy dinner tonight." Niki yells in excitement. "Game on."
