Start Again

Chapter Twelve

Joon Soo

I won't be able to make it tomorrow night. A friend has an assignment due and they've asked me to help tutor them in English, Audrey's text read. I had been laying on my bed all evening just waiting for Audrey to message me. As I read her text I could feel my heart drop. Why couldn't she come? She had finished her essay. Did she just not want to hang out with me? With the way this excuse came up it was like she was... avoiding me.

I dialled her number.

"Yeoboseyo?" she answered on the third ring.

"Kim Hye Ri is pretty much fluent in English. Why won't you really come?"

"I have more friends than Hye Ri, you know."

"I don't need to write any essays."

"Not you either."

"Who?" I racked my brain, trying to think of any other person I had seen her with. But I came up empty.

"There's this person. I ran into them just before when buying ramen and they asked for my help seeing as I'm the only fluent English speaker they know. I admit, we don't know each other well but... would you deny me the chance to make a new friend?"

Her excuse seemed weak. It sounded as if she weren't really sure herself. "Okay." Then, suddenly, a thought popped into my mind. Is she seeing another guy?

"I'm really sorry. I really wanted to go but they need my help. Maybe some other time?"

"Fireworks festivals aren't that frequent. I wanted to show you Korean culture some more. I knew this would be one of the only chances you have to see one." I was being a sulky little kid now who just got told they can't have a treat. I felt bad for guilt tripping her.

She went silent for a moment. She heaved a sigh and said sincerely, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

I sighed back, letting go of my anger. "It's okay... but you owe me. You have to agree the next time I insist you do something with me, okay?"

"Okay."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Joon Soo! Dinner," eomma called out.

"Good. I have to go have dinner, now. My eomma is calling me. Talk later, okay?"

"Okay."

I hung up the phone and fell back onto my bed. The moment Audrey said her essay was finished, I had planned all the things we'd do. And now my plans were ruined.

"Joon Soo!" my mother shouted.

"Coming." I got off my bed and headed out to the dining room, sitting down next to my sister. I picked up my chopsticks and started poking around at my food. But who was her friend? How did she meet them? Was she really tutoring someone? What if it was a guy? Did she have a date? Why wasn't she telling me? Was she scared I'd get upset that she has a date? Why would I get upset over that? I didn't like her anyway.

"What's wrong with my cooking?" eomma asked.

My eyes snapped up from my bowl as I looked at my mother. "Nothing. Sorry. Just day dreaming." I put some rice into my mouth.