Is it Love? (Choi Young Do)

~Chapter 12~

Korea couldn't get any better after Choi Young Do. Sounds like something he'd say about himself. I just saved him the trouble of being arrogant and saying it myself. Let's be honest, it truly wasn't so bad as long as he was around. I'd rather be bothered by him than to not be bothered at all.

Part 12~
(1 month later)

   "Come on, just pick up the phone already. Please pick up." I stood behind the counter of my job and waited to see if Young Do would actually answer me today. I hadn't heard from him and multiple things have happened. He left for America and has been gone for at least a month. Since his father is in jail, he has a lot of business sitting on his shoulders. I was mainly upset since I wasn't sure what to consider us at the moment. At least I could say friends. I also ended up getting a job at the noodle shop instead of the café. I couldn't risk working there and having Young Do come bother me AND Eun Sang at the same time. On top of that, school has become a lot worse since he left. At one point and time, Eun Sang convinced me that it was better to tell my social status instead of having it hanging above my head as guilt or blackmail. After I did that, everyone started to bully me more than before. The worst person to do so is Rachael and her group. Only 5 people in the entire school are nice to me: Eun Sang, Kim Tan, Chan Young, Myung Soo, and Bo Na. However, I have been seeing a girl from Rachael's group start to break away from her control. I believe her name was Kang Ye Sol? Either way, that is how things have been going. Also...not a single call or text from the idiot for at least a week. Had he ended up getting hurt? Was I going to have to drop my program and go back to America just to check on him? Sure he could be reckless from time to time, but had he really gotten into so much trouble in America that he'd have to abandon the whole reason he went over there in the first place?

"Aisssh, that idiot always does this." Just as I said that to myself, I heard a familiar voice from the other side of the counter say "I'm sorry." I quickly turned around to see Young Do smiling at me. Everything was the same, except he had his hair up again. I tossed my work apron off and headed to the other side of the counter to give him a tight hug. Then I pulled away from him to give him a firm slap in the face. "Yah! Choi Young Do! Why haven't you texted me in a week?! When did you make it back to Korea?!" He simply laughed and rubbed his cheek. "You don't like it when I tease you about being oppa, yet you treat me like you love me when I don't text you back. My father was right...women are confusing." I rolled my eyes and pulled him into another quick hug. "What is all of this? Why are you working?" He asked me as I started to slip my apron back on and head back to my post. "Because I need money to pay for your expensive hotel room. Only the first month was covered by the exchange program. I'm in the Social Care group at school. You should know that I'm not a rich kid." I shrugged as if it were nothing. After admitting it to the entire school, it wasn't hard to admit it to him. "Why didn't you tell me that? Aisssh, never mind it. If you eat jjanjmyeon with me, then I won't tell the entire school." He tried to blackmail me. I smirked at him and replied "It doesn't matter because I already told the entire school myself. Jokes on you Choi Young Do." He seemed even more surprised at my response than when I admitted to him about my social status just now. "But since I'm almost off of my shift and it's a lovely Sunday morning, I guess I'll have some noodle with you anyway." I said with a light smile on my face.Just as I promised, when my shift ended, I warmed up some noodles for the both of us. We sat in our usual spot and ate together. "Did you get a boyfriend while I was away from you? You're skin looks brighter as if you're happier." He dropped words out of nowhere. I smiled and decided to tease him. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. That's none of your business, is it?" I smiled at him and he stopped eating. The serious face he gave me was riddled with concern, anger, and a small amount of pain. I laughed it off and rolled my eyes.

"No, I'm not dating anyone. I was just messing with you. Nothing has happened since you left except for me getting this job and my life getting worse at school." I admitted. He sighed and stopped eating again. "Who is making your life hard at school? Tell me their names and I'll handle it." I rolled my eyes and ignored him. "Quit your job too. I'll waive your hotel fees as long as you're in Korea." He said as if it were nothing. "Waive my fees? Why would you do that?" I asked with an awkward chuckle. "Because I like you." He said without even looking at me. I suddenly thought back to the time I had told him I liked him in my room. Was he finally returning the feelings? "Young Do, you shouldn't have to spend that money on me. Just let me work peacefully." I told him as I finished up my noodles. "What happened to the wine I got you? When I was packing to leave for America, I slipped it back into your room with you. Did you drink it yet?" He changed the subject.Before he had left to America, we had spent a long time talking and watching TV. When he had left, I found the bottle of wine in my room under the bed. "I sold it to someone." I lied to him. What I had actually done was donated it to the hotel staff for an employees going away party. "I don't care what you did with it, as long as you accepted it. Besides, I already brought you something back from America." He finished up his noodles. Then he reached in his pocket and pulled out a box. He opened it up and walked to the other side of the chair where I sat before slipping the necklace around me neck. When I looked down, it was a silver cat pendent with a diamonds for its eyes. "Young Do..."

   "Don't say thank you. This wasn't just a gift to give you. It's to remind you that you'll always be the mouse and I'm the cat. I'll be the only one to bother you...so now tell me who is it at school that is bullying you? They're stealing my job from me." He said to me. I rolled my eyes and chuckled at him."Never mind all of that. Just come with me. I'm bored and I want to see my friends." I said to him. Eventually I walked out because I was sure he'd follow behind me. I was right. He followed me into the cab and all the way to the café. When I went inside, everyone was sitting at the table. They all seemed to groan when they saw Young Do's face. I laughed and pulled up a chair to sit with them. "Don't worry, I tamed the beast." I whispered before he sat beside me at the table. Eun Sang picked the conversation up again. "Did, you ever call back that guy that gave you his number at the concert last weekend? He seemed so nice and friendly." Eun Sang asked me. I chuckled and shook my head. "No, he's not really my type. I'm not too into complete strangers, but I guess I kept his number just in case." I fumbled in my bag to pull out the wrinkled piece of paper with a number on it. "Before I could lift it high enough, Young Do had snatched it away and ripped it into pieces. Then he put the ripped up pieces into my bag. "Someone change the subject before I get angry." He said in a firm voice. There were nervous chuckles around the table before Bo Na complied with the request. "So, Chan Young and I are planning a couples excursion at the base of the mountains next weekend. Are you coming?" She asked me and Eun Sang. "I'm not sure..." Eun Sang answered before me. "I might have to work sometime next weekend." Kim Tan had cut into her response to give his own saying "Yes, we'll be there. I'm sure Cha Eun Sang can miss at least one day of work." Everyone chuckled and Bo Na turned to me. "What about you, Lilly? Will you come?" She asked me with a hopeful expression.  "Lee Bo Na, didn't you just say it was a couples excursion? Why would I come to that single?" She ignored me and kept pressing on. "Even though I said it was for couples, it's not the same if you don't come. Just invite Myung Soo or something. He's really nice to you. Maybe you two should come together to see if something would happen?" Bo Na started to joke with me near the end.

Young Do placed his hand firmly on the table and seemed as if he were trying to keep back some anger. Then he spoke up in my place. "Don't dare invite Myung Soo. I'm closer to her than him so I should be the one to go." Before I could reject the offer, Bo Na had nodded and continued the conversation without my opinion. "Alright! So its me and Chan Young, Eun Sang and Kim Tan, Lilly and Young Do. That's plenty of people for the trip. Everyone pack Thursday because we'll be leaving Friday after school gets out." Bo Na explained to us. How did I end up roped into this with Young Do?