A Round Of Jokes

Fizz

"Where are you taking me?" asks a girl with brown hair, dragged along by her hyper best friend known as Lee Jae.

Jae scoffs; as if it wasn't obvious enough.

"We're gonna visit Jin-ah," she says as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

"What!"

"Don't be like that Kwan, we all know you're head over heels for that boy, even if you don't admit."

Without wanting to, Kwan blushes.

She looks down, trying to hide her smile.

She really is, isn't she?

Kim Seokjin, what did you do?

This fuzzy feeling and hot cheeks are all your doing, and you should take responsibility.

"Here we are!"

Kwan snaps out of her reverie and realizes she's already inside the bar.

But something was wrong.

Something was terribly out of place.

She knew the moment they stepped in.

But Jae, sweet oblivious Jae, continued to chat with the baristas and ask for a table for two.

She ordered a cola, and Kwan automatically said "Sprite."

The older girl nods before walking away with those too high heels.

Seriously, how do they even manage that?

Jae was bouncing in her seat out of excitement but Kwan couldn't find the heart to tell her that something was missing.

"Yah Kwan what's with the long face? Missing Jin?" she adds wickedly, which only serves for Kwan's cheeks to heat.

Lee Jae laughs, amused at how just the name sends her normally quiet friend a blushing, stuttering mess.

Though her instincts then alerted her that something was very wrong.

So she pulls a young waiter aside, and asks "Where's the comedian?"

The boy gulps before answering "Oh uhh sorry miss but he called in sick today."

Both girls were surprised, but Kwan had expected it.

So that was why something felt fishy.

Kwan runs a hand through her face, feeling somewhat down and lost. Where was that boy?

Was she actually looking for him?

That's never happened before.

Rolling her eyes, she stands and bids a monotonous goodbye to Jae, who could do nothing but gape. Where the heck was she going?

Kwan leaves the quaint little bar and lets her feet lead the way, her mind occupied of thoughts revolving around that nasty Kim Seokjin.

Sure enough, she finds him hunched over a book in the public library, brows joined in concentration.

Her own meet at the middle because of annoyance and frustration, and she makes no point in keeping her presence subtle, choosing to stomp as quietly as humanly possible.

She's noticed immediately, both by others and the boy, but she doesn't care.

"Where were you?" she demands; not even a polite greeting. "Jae was looking for you."

Jin keeps his steady gaze on her as he clicks his pen close.

"Uh-huh, so why are you the one in front of me and not my cousin?"

Kwan's speechless. She's never been rash and impulsive before. She was always calculating the possibilities. She was always weighing the pros and cons. So why was she here?

She throws all thoughts aside as she blurts "None of your business." She falters a bit before adding "You didn't answer my question."

Jin rests more of his weight on the wooden chair.

For some reason he looks oddly tired and worn out. What happened to him?

"I needed some time to think," he says, "And I didn't feel like lying to myself that I'm fine." He shrugs helplessly.

Kwan realizes that she's been doing the same thing to herself for more than half of her life.

She just stands there, before Jin has enough of the silence and he's standing to grab her hand, leading a protesting Kwan behind.

They find themselves in a different bar, yet still quiet and having no petty fights or loud music.

Kwan stares deeply at her untouched soda, before a lightbulb brightens her sour mood.

"You know," she starts, Jin lazily turning to her, "My fizz is just the size of your heart."

Agh that was terrible.

Seokjin merely raises a brow in question, before chuckling a bit.

"Nice try Kwannie."

She pouts angrily; that wasn't the reaction she was going for.

"Well my fizz is prettier than yours," she tries again, in vain.

Seeing no other reaction than a side glance and a funny smirk, she stops, realizing that she will never be good enough in cracking jokes.

Never mind that.

But she didn't expect the warm weight of a hand on her hair, and a soft voice whispering "But I appreciate your effort."

Just that was enough to make her smile proudly at herself.