It all started in sixth grade.
I shut my umbrella and stepped inside my house. I had just gotten back from the library with new books in hand. Yes I was a nerd and I had no problem in admitting it. I loved reading books, especially on rainy days like today. I enjoyed getting comfortable on the couch with a comforter and begin my adventures. My favorites were mystery and thrillers, with occasional romantic comedy. I was about to change into some comfy clothes when, my mother called out my name.
"Jaehee we're going to Jaesung's house."
I looked at my mother confused, we had never been to Jaesung's house . As if she could read my expression , she explained that we had to go over to his house because his grandma was sick and she had just gotten better. We were going to make sure she was doing well.
"Can't we just not go?" My little sister, Saeron asked. She was doing cartwheels around the house. Ever since she learned how to do them she thought it was the best thing in the world.
"No! We can't leave you two girls at home, you're too young", I rolled my eyes. All the kids in our extended family and my friends were allowed to stay at home by their selves, we were not. I sighed, I wanted to stay at home and read but I didn't have a choice but to go with them. I took one of the new books I got with me.
On our way there we picked up my cousin, Haechan. We were the closest out of all my cousins since we had always stayed over at each other's house while growing up. His mom was my favorite aunt. In the car we played thumb war and rock paper scissors. Finally we reached his house. I felt a little weird. I didn't see Jaesung that often. I only saw him at family gatherings or events and during our yearly family reunion that lasted three days each summer. It was a family tradition of ours.
My relationship with Jaesung was weird. He wasn't my cousin but a close family friend. We didn't really talk but yet whenever my other cousins would mess with me he would tell them to knock it off. I had a couple of fuzzy memories of him and me of when we were kids but I wasn't sure if they were legit memories or dreams. I had always admired him while growing up. He was a cool guy.
We all got out of the car, I was the last one. We walked towards the front porch when suddenly we heard a dog's bark come from the inside of the house. Haechan, Saeron, and I all booked it to the car. We were all afraid of dogs since we were kids, for pretty good reasons too. Haechan had gotten bitten by one, I was chased by a drugged up pit-bull, and my sister was almost attacked by one...yupp we had pretty terrifying experiences. None of us was expecting to hear a dog, Jaesung had never told any of us he had one. All of us decided to stay in the car until further notice. It was cold outside since it was raining, and not knowing any better, I turned on the car heater and some calming music on the radio.
I opened up the book I had brought and began reading. I was so into the book that when my sister and cousin decided that it was safe to go inside the house, I ignored them and remained in the car. The book I was reading was a mystery, it was called Max Cassidy : Escape From Shadow Island by Paul Adam . I was half way into the book when the music and heat turned off by itself. I was a little freaked out. I took the key out of the ignition and tried turning the car back on, it didn't work. Crap I thought to myself. It was getting cold in the car but I refused to leave it. I took the spare jacket my dad always kept in the car for himself, and wrapped it around myself. I continued to read the book.
Five minutes went by when Jaesung's dad came out and knocked on the window. I opened the car door to see what he wanted to say. Bad idea. He dragged me outside and to the house. While being dragged I decided to tell him that the car wouldn't work. Even worse idea. My uncle (that's what I called Jaesung's dad. His mother aunt, and his grandma, my grandma) yelled at me and explained to me that I just finished off all the fuel in the car. Oops? Looks like uncle and father would have to go drive to the nearest gas station and get some gas for our car. I was still being scolded and dragged inside the house when I saw Jaesung, his little brother Jin Goo, and Haechan, sitting on the floor and playing GTA(GRAND THEFT AUTO FIVE) and Saeron on a couch against the wall. They were all staring at me. I sheepishly smiled and waved to them all. Haechan and Saeron tried not to laugh at the sight of me being dragged. I realized that earlier there was a dog inside the house and I began to look around for the dog.
Jaesung noticed. " Don't worry Hayangi is locked up in his cage".
"Hayangi who?" I questioned.
"Hayangi is our dog the one you're scared of and responsible for locking up in the cage" Jin Goo responded.
I heard whimpering in the corner and I shuffled around the sofa that Saeron was sitting on and saw a white Pomeranian locked in a cage. It looked up at me. I suddenly felt bad. It got locked up because of me. It seemed to look at me with annoyed eyes. I turned away and sat next to my sister. I had left my book inside the car and had nothing to do. I watched the guys play their videogame. It was awkward in the room when Jaesung turned to me and asked " Do you want to go take a look upstairs ? I can show you around?".
Having nothing else to do I thought why not. "Sure, I'd like that".
Leaving the other three in the living room we went upstairs to look at all the rooms. Jaesung was in front leading the way. He was humming a tune that I recognized from the GTA soundtrack. I grinned. It was a catchy tune. He showed me all the rooms and saved his room for last. He plopped onto his bed and patted to the space next to him. My heart jumped a little. Even for a sixth grader I had heard enough stories and seen things to have a little color flush into my cheeks. I hoped he didn't notice. I pretended to ignore him and asked him what school he went to and how he liked it. We talked for a little bit and headed back downstairs. I took my spot on the couch again.
Somewhere between the time we went upstairs Jaesung's mom had ordered pizza for us all. She told us all to wash our hands. I was the last one to wash my hands. I went to the bathroom and was putting the soap onto my hands when I hear Jin Goo and Haechan talking amongst their selves.
"Man it's so weird, he acts different around her" Jin Goo told Haechan.
" Haha what do you mean, he seems normal to me".
"Jaesung never puts Hayangi away...and I mean never. He's had friends come over who were scared of dogs but he told them to get used to him. He even made dad go get her from outside. Don't tell me that doesn't seem weird to you".
"Didn't he say he liked her that one time too?" Haechan asked.
"Oh yeah I forgot about that! He did...he probably likes her." Jin Goo responded back.
I froze...Jaesung liked me? He put Hayangi away ...just for me? I shook my head, what did it matter. He was probably just being nice. I went back to the living room and avoided eye contact with either of the guys. I looked at the television screen and focused my attention on the guys playing. Jaesung was playing and he was really good. I thought about how he would look if he were driving actual cars. My mind wandered off and I became mesmerized.
Jaesung's mom snapped me back to reality handing me a plate with a slice of pizza on it. I said thank you and took it. I looked at the guys and Jaesung was looking at me. I felt weird. I didn't want to eat in front of him. Out of the blue I started to worry about what it would look like to him if I ate. Would he think I was eating weird.? What if I got something on my face? I didn't want to get embarrassed in front of him. I took small bites when he didn't look and chewed slowly. After a while once we finished eating they went back to playing GTA. Jin Goo came up with the idea of a challenge. They would see who would get a higher score by taking turns. I found myself rooting for Jaesung. Whenever he would score high, my heart would flutter. It was an unusual feeling but I enjoyed it.
Once his turn finished he started singing Justin Timberlake's Until the End of Time. I noticed that while singing he had his eyes on me. I felt myself getting red. My heart started beating faster and I felt warmer. I looked around to see if anyone noticed and everyone else seemed occupied with the game. I felt as if I was being serenaded. Dang...he was a good singer. I felt bubbly. Once the song finished his eyes returned back to the screen. Had he been singing to me? Why would he be singing to me though....and a love song at that? I think I had let Jin Goo and Haechan's words get to me.
I took another look at Jaesung, how come I never noticed how cute he was. Oh my god..I thought. Did I just really think that? This was an awkward feeling for me. Was I falling for him?
