It's Definitely You | | j.hs

05

Jinae

After we go to the restroom, I pull Misun to the side.

"I honestly didn't see them with you when I ran up to you," I say, looking at the ground.

"It's fine, Jinae-ssi," she says, laughing. "They won't remember by the time we get back. They're just being kids." I nod and she gives me a smile. "Promise." She takes my hand and leads me back to the rest of them. 

"Guys," she says and they all turn to face her, "this is Jinae-ssi. Jinae-ssi, these are my brother's friends, Seokjin Oppa, Yoongi Oppa, Hoseok Oppa, Namjoon Oppa, Jimin Oppa, Taehyung Oppa, and Jungkookie Oppa." I watch who she points out and they each wave when their name is said. I try to memorize faces to names, but I'm not usually very good at that, especially all at once.

"Nice to meet you," the one I think is Taehyung says. I smile and say a small "you too" before looking down at the ground.

Just then the door to the front of the shop swings open. The bell rings violently on the top of the door and everybody turns to look at the person walking through the door. A girl who looks around my age walks in carrying a huge stack of books, genres varying from books on scientific theory to manga to philosophy books. The books vary in size, too, and when she steps through the door I see they have to be about half her size. 

She seems to be unable to see over the stack and almost drops it a few times before getting to the desk to turn them in. She drops the stack onto the floor next to the counter and glances around the store before spotting us and stomping over. 

"Joonie oppa!" she yells, stepping in front of one of the boys, the tallest it seems. "I can't believe you managed to forget all your books at home this weekend!"

He smiles, showing off dimples anyone and everyone could drown in. "Sorry, Soyoungie," he says, patting her hair. She isn't much smaller than him, but he has a good four inches on her. "Want to pick out a few books and I'll buy them for you?"

The girl, Soyoung, I assume, mulls it over in her mind. She eventually gives a smile much like her brother's, deep dimples and cheeks rounding on top. "I don't think so," she says in a singsong fashion.

"Lunch?" he offers with a sigh. She smiles again and nods excitedly.

"I like your style, Oppa," she says and turns to the other boys. "Hey guys." 

There's a chorus of hellos before she turns to look at Misun.

"Misun-ah!" she says and immediately wraps her up in a hug. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Misun responds with a bright smile, showing off her bunny-like teeth. Her eyes almost disappear when she smiles and it's very adorable. "Soyoung Unnie, this is Jinae-ssi. I met her yesterday when I was reading at the tea shop."

We greet each other and talk a little bit while the boys all go off to find books they want to get. I find out she's going to be going to college where I'm going and she's willing to show me around whenever I'd like. When the boys come back from finding the books they want I quickly rush to find the book Eunkyung wants and pay for it, everybody just about to leave. 

They all rush into their cars and I look to Daehyun to see what we're supposed to do. Just when Daehyun was about to say something, one of the boys walk up to us.

"Jinae-ssi?" he says and I hum, turning to face him. He smiles and it's the brightest smile I've ever seen. His energy levels seem to be so high that even his smile seems brighter than the sun. "Would you like to ride with me? I have more than enough room."

One half of my brain keeps screaming DANGER! STRANGER ALERT! ABORT MISSION! But then the other half is reasoning with Well Misun trusts him and he isn't giving any bad vibes, then why not? After standing in one spot with my mouth slightly open for a few minutes, I finally just close my mouth and nod. 

He leads me to his car and I notice Daehyun get in the car with Misun and her brother, leaving me with this adorable boy. He opens my door for me and I bow as a thank you, getting in and buckling my seat belt. He appears in the driver's seat just a few moments later and he starts the car, turning on the radio and leaving it on a low volume.

There's a small stretch of awkward silence, so I probably decide to do the stupidest thing ever.

"Um," I start, my voice coming out more squeaky than I'd like it to. I feel my cheeks heat up and I suddenly start to feel really embarrassed about what I'm going to say. "I'm sorry, I forgot your name..." The boy laughs and faces me for a second with a huge smile, then turning back to the road.

"Hoseok," he says. "But you can call me whatever you want, really. Misun-ah and Soyoung-ah usually call me Hobi, and the other boys call me whatever they want in that moment."

I smile and nod, turning to face the road again. The next couple minutes are quiet until a song comes on the radio Hoseok seems to know. He starts to rap along with the rapper in a certain part and I stare at him in awe.

He turns to look at me for a second when he stops rapping and chuckles a little. "What?" He seems amused and I don't think twice before answering.

"You know that song so well," I say, shock evident in my voice. Hoseok really starts laughing now. I give him a confused look, but he just laughs again, his smile never faltering.

"You really don't know?" he asks, turning to face me for a second before pulling into a parking spot in front of a grocery store. I shake my head and he turns to look at me. "That's my song. I'm in that group. That was my part."

My eyes widen, making him laugh even more. He reaches into the backseat of his car and pulls out a black mask. I suddenly understand. The bookstore seemed to be relatively unknown, so he didn't wear a mask there, but now that he's going in a place teeming with people, he has to wear it so he won't be recognized.

In that moment I feel completely stupid and I bang my head on his dashboard a few times before the surface suddenly isn't hard anymore, but soft.