What Can I Do

Chapter 9 ~You should smile more, I know it's there, I saw it just 2 seconds ago

Back at the fair, Sungjin was walking around, trying to get to the drop tower.

It wasn't that hard to find as it was the tallest attraction in the fair. He instantly spotted Haru and called out to her, waving. She turned around and smiled at him. His breath hitched because she looked so beautiful.

Her hair was a dark brown, shimmering in the sun, and the dress she wore complimented her perfectly. Sungjin was completely taken with her, heart beating wildly. He walked up to her calmly, however, and greeted her.

"Oppa!" She smiled.

"So, food?" He asked.

She laughed and started walking in the direction of the food stands. He fell into step beside her and took a moment just to stare at her. She turned to him, questioningly, and he turned his eyes back in front of him.

"So, where's Jae?" He asked.

"Oh," she said, her cheeks colouring slightly. "He's with Brian."

Sungjin tried not to grin, but he was secretly glad that Jae was hanging out with Brian so he wouldn't hang out with Haru as much. He had nothing against Jae; he actually liked the boy a lot as a friend. He was funny, and able to make friends with almost everybody. However, Sungjin could never talk to Haru alone when Jae was there.

They walked mostly in silence to the food stands, but Sungjin didn't mind. He didn't talk much in general. When he did it was mostly with Wonpil, who knew when Sungjin wanted to talk and when he didn't.

His thoughts wandered to Wonpil, wondering what his best friend was doing today. He had texted him yesterday, saying he couldn't go to the fair with him.

Truthfully, Sungjin had forgotten they were supposed to go together, too excited about getting Haru's number and maybe being able to spend the day with her.

He had felt a little bad he forgot about his best friend, but since he said he couldn't make it anyway, he might as well spend it with Haru.

All thoughts of Wonpil were brushed aside, when Haru began speaking to him again.

They chatted lightly about school and the fair before getting their food. Two stalls next to them, Sungjin saw Brian and Jae, laughing as they bought popcorn. Evidently, Haru saw them too, because she had a look in her eye as she stared at them.

"Haru?"

"Oh, yes? Sorry, I just spaced out for a minute." She said, laughing.

She had actually been captivated by Brian's smile once again, staring at him while he laughed with Jae. But she wasn't about to tell Sungjin that.

Sungjin looked at her for a moment before turning back to the food. After a moment, she did too. Sungjin studied Haru closely and saw she was always sneaking glances towards the two boys, who had now sat down on the grass to eat their popcorn.

Brian was pelting it at Jae while the other tried to catch the kernels in his mouth. They were laughing so loudly, Sungjin could hear them from where they were standing.

Haru had continued to stare at them, making Sungjin notice in the frequency. Sungjin suddenly remembered what the two girls in study period had said about Jae and Haru.

He looked back at Haru staring at Jae and Brian, and came up to the conclusion that the rumours might be true.

Dejected and slightly jealous, he tried to focus her attention more on him, and engaged her in a conversation about her family.

~~

Brian had been having fun. It sounded ridiculous even to him. If you told him that he'd be having fun for the first time in his life, with his very first friend, at the school fair to boot, he would've scoffed and told you to see the school psychiatrist. Be that as it may, here he was, laughing loudly at a story Jae was animatedly re-enacting.

"And then, I turned the corner and there she was! She was wearing that green dress she always does -the one that makes her look like a piece of celery, and I was panicking, but I wasn't going to let that show. So she was all like, 'Young man, what are you doing in this hallway when you're supposed to be learning in a classroom?' So I said, 'Not so young woman, what are you doing in this hallway when you're supposed to be teaching in a classroom?'" Jae retold, folding his arms over his chest acting serious, and pitching his voice to perfect his impressions.

"And that was how I got my first detention." He finished with a flourish. 

Brian burst out laughing. An open mouthed, scrunched eyed, full body laugh. He hadn't laughed like this in who knows how long. He was having so much fun, he didn't notice when Jae had stopped laughing with him. Across from him, Jae sat with his elbows on the grass, lazily gazing at Brian with a smile.

"What?" Brian asked, starting to feel self-conscious.

Jae grinned, "Nothing, just never seen you laugh before."

"Yeah, well." Brian grunted, trying to dim down his smile.

Jae sat up, "No, no, don't stop. I like you're laugh. And your smile."

Brian couldn't stop his ears from heating slightly, and stared at the grass in front of him. He grabbed another popcorn kernel to munch on, just to avoid smiling stupidly at Jae again.

"C'mon where's that smile? I know it's there, I saw it just two seconds ago. Where could it have gone?" Jae scratched his chin, in fake contemplation, even turning his head, as if looking around.

Brian had to crack a smile, grinning at Jae's childishness.

"There it is!"

"Dude, I'm not two years old."

"I know. I'm just messing with ya. Hey, race you to that basketball game? I bet I'd win, no problem. Loser buys the other ice cream." Jae suggested.

"But I've already had ice cream." Brian said.

"Guess you'll just have to let me win then!" Jae cackled, already up and zooming towards the game.

Brian chuckled but instantly got up and raced after Jae. He wouldn't mind purposely losing if he was honest.

~~