The New Girl | 𝘈𝘛𝘌𝘌𝘡

About Damn Time

ELLAJIN

"You've got some serious explaining to do," Sunoh says the moment I step inside of my apartment.

"Someone's in trouble," Chris jokes in a sing-song voice behind me. He glances at Sunoh and gives him a wave hello. "Have a good night, EllaJin."

"You too." I close the door and lean back against it, not fully understanding the past couple of hours.

"First of all, who the hell was that?" Sunoh marches up to me with a look of disbelief. "And second of all, who the actual fuck was that Greek god that just brought you home?!"

"His name is Chris," I tell him. "He works at the bar that me and Uncle Yoongi go to, and we ended up talking and then we ended up kissing—"

"OH MY GOD, WHAT YOU KISSED HIM NOONA HOLY—"

"SUNNY!" I cover his mouth with my hand to get him quick long enough to finish explaining the situation. "Yes, he kissed me and I kissed back and then as we were getting up to leave, I saw Wooyoung."

"Oh my god, did he—"

"—yep...the whole thing." I groan and put my head on his shoulder. "I shouldn't feel guilty, right? I mean, it's not like I owe anything to Wooyoung after..."

"No, of course not. You have nothing to feel sorry for." Sunoh rubs my back with the palm of his hand. "Especially not when you've got a guy that looks like that."

"He is pretty cute," I admit.

"I need details," Sunoh insists as he drags my hand to sit me down on the couch with mint chip ice cream and soju already waiting.

JENNIE

This isn't working. This bar is too loud and too crowded and with Jisoo all up on her friend Minho and Roseanne lost in the crowd, poor San has gotten stuck with my boring ass. I thought that showing Kai that I'm not upset would make me feel better, but I really just want to go home and cry under my blanket.

"I appreciate you playing the part," I tell San, "but I'm honestly not in the mood to be around all of these people. I think I'm going to head home."

"Let me take you back," he offers with a hand outstretched.

"It's okay." I shake my head and put on my jacket, but San blocks my path towards the door.

"Sorry Noona, but I wasn't asking." He raises an eyebrow at me. "I'm not letting you walk back by yourself at this hour. I can't let anything bad happen to Rosie's sister."

"You really like her, don't you?" I smile slightly, relieved that the boy who is clearly lovesick over my little sister is such a sweet guy. If only there were more guys like him.

"I really do." He blushes and looks down at his feet. "I get the feeling that it's one-sided though."

Hearing that makes me sad. "I'm sorry, San. Roseanne can be a bit of an idiot sometimes. Any girl would be lucky to have you."

"You don't have to make me feel better," he chuckles disheartened.

"I'm being serious!" I insist. "You're a real catch. Don't let Roseanne discourage you from thinking that."

"Thank you Jennie noona," he smiles and guides me out of the bar by the small of my back. "To be very honest, you're much nicer than you come across."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I huff, even though I'm very aware of my aggressive outward persona.

"It's a good thing!" San giggles. "You're just intimidating, that's all. But you're really nice and fun to talk to."

"Thanks," I smile and hug him from the side. It's been a while since I've had a guy friend to talk to.

ANNA

"Can I make a confession?" Seonghwa asks me.

"Of course," I tell him, unsure of what could possibly be going through his head.

Is he finally going to tell me what happened between him and San?

Seonghwa looks up at the night sky, his platinum strands catching the moonlight as he considers his next words. "I'm starving."

I laugh at the unexpected confession. "That's it?"

"You don't understand, Anna," he sighs deeply and squeezes my hand. "I'm very careful to always carry myself well, especially around you, but something changes in me when I eat. It's far from gentlemanly."

Now, this is just ridiculous. "Seonghwa, I think I can handle it."

"I'm very worried about scaring you off," he says shyly.

"What do you want to eat?" I ask, and his eyes light up.

"Steak," he tells me while already dragging my hand toward the street.

"Seonghwa," I stop walking and tug his arm. "It's almost one o'clock in the morning. I think it might be hard to find steak at this hour."

His shoulders deflate a little at the grappling reality of the time, but then his smile returns. "Ramen it is."

Seonghwa starts jogging down the street, but when he realizes that I can't keep up in my heels, he stops and squats down. "Hop on."

"What?" I laugh as I catch up to him.

"Let me be cute and carry you," he offers, and it's too good of an offer to refuse.

I shake my head but climb onto his back anyway, grateful to have worn pants this evening. "You're ridiculous."

"I'm a prince," he corrects me with a kiss to my cheek. Seonghwa drunk is definitely not what I expected him to be, but I definitely don't mind the sillier side of him.

We move with the pace of turtles stampeding through peanut butter, but somehow we find a ramen shop that is still open. As soon as Seonghwa reaches the door, he returns me to the ground and giggles. "What's so funny?"

"You're short again," he snickers and kisses my cheek again.

"You're a goofball when you're drunk," I point out, to which he only nods. He opens his mouth to say something else, but suddenly his gaze is fixed straight ahead.

A beautiful girl with kitten-like eyes and high cheekbones is standing not even three feet away from us, and her expression is just as vacant as Seonghwa's. Her friend scowls at Seonghwa, but I have no idea who the hell these girls even are.

"Seonghwa?" The girl squeaks, clearly uncertain of how to react to seeing him.

"Hello Noona," he bows slightly, which leaves me completely shook.

"Noona?" I ask under my breath, which her friend manages to hear.

"I see you haven't changed a bit," the friend says with a glance at me.

"I didn't know you were back," Seonghwa mutters.

"I got back today," she mumbles, looking straight at me with an emotion that I can't quite place.

"Yeji, we should go." Her friend pulls her by the hand but stops in the doorway to look at me. "Do yourself a favor and stay far away from him."

The two girls are gone without another word, leaving me to look at Seonghwa to inform me of what the heck just happened. But he's completely and utterly silent, which irritates me to no end. "Are you going to tell me what that was about or should I follow that girl's advice and leave you here?"

Seonghwa sighs and reaches for my hand but after that display, I retract away from him. "Come sit with me."

"Not unless you tell me what is going on," I demand. "Who is Yeji and why was she looking at me like that? Is she why San hates you so much?"

He sits down at a nearby table and nods shamefully, and I almost feel relieved to finally be getting some information.

"Who is she?" I press, and Seonghwa motions for me to sit down at a table. I know that he's not going to say anymore unless I comply, so I begrudgingly join him in sitting.

"Yeji is San's older sister." Seonghwa sighs and sits forward, leaning in close with shame and fear swirling in his eyes. "I took her virginity."