EUPHORIA ¦ PARK JIMIN

Chapter 29

17th December, 2010

Under the freezing weather, Ha Eun stepped put of her house, her whole petites figure wrapped with layers and layers of coats to keep her warm. She tucked her hands inside the pockets of her coat and began make her way along to her car. She merely had nothing to do on her day off and surprisingly, Jimin had not called to assign her some useless tasks that she wasn't even paid for or perhaps drive him around the city like she did before. Heaving a deep sigh, Ha Eun observed her surroundings. She loved winter but at the same time she didn't. With the mist that would escape through her lips in every breath she took, she felt her cheeks getting colder.

Wrapping her scarf more around her neck, she entered her car and drove her way to the city to kill some time. With her first destination at the coffee shop, she parked her car in an empty spot at the side of the road.

'Gosh, I kinda regret leaving the house now,' She muttered to herself and stood on the line to the counter.

When it was her turn to order, she got herself a hot mocha latte and took a seat at the spot right beside the window and kept herself comfortable. People came in and out of the coffee shop and Ha Eun tried her best to be less awkward of being alone by playing with her phone as some had their partners with them.

'Is this seat taken?' A familiar voice then rang inside Ha Eun's eardrums made her halt from typing on her phone and look at the person.

Her mixed feelings made her speechless. Instead, she shook her head and didn't blurt out a word or make any sounds. He sat down across her and Ha Eun, regardless feeling more awkward than she already was, ducked her head and held unto her phone as if her life depended on it. He looked at her, confused. He noticed that her cheeks are as red as a tomato. Perhaps it's very cold. He thought. It was indeed cold for Ha Eun but the redness of her cheeks was nothing more than awkwardness mixed with her embarrassed feelings.

'How's it been?' He began.

Ha Eun lifted her head and forced out a smile. 'It's been good. How about you?'

'Likewise,' He replied then it was back tobeing quiet again.

Ha Eun felt extremely stupid and embarrassed as she recalled the incidents. She wasn't suppose to feel anything anymore since it had happened years and year ago and it was out of stupidity but the complete opposite was happening now.

'How's your arm?' He asked again.

He, himself was having a hard time trying fo inject a conversation to the woman had not spoken to for years. He had parted away from her a long time ago without saying goodbye or even making up with things.

'Oh, it's alright now,' Ha Eun replied with a smile which reminded him about the first day he had met her when they were only twelve.

'That's good to hear,' He said then nodded.

Afterwards, he averted his gaze to the window and so did Ha Eun. He was attempting hard to think of things to talk about to her and Ha Eun-- she was trying as well... atleast.

'Remember when I said that you should brush your teeth once a week and take a bath under the rain to save water and you believed me?' He began once more which made Ha Eun snicker the moment she had heard it.

It was one of her stupidity that would never ever forget. Ha Eun nodded and it was then that their eyes came contact with each other for the first time while they had sat there for 5 minutes. He had laughed as well, but when Ha Eun had noticed that she had made an eye contact with him, she averted her gaze immediately as if laying eyes on him was an unforgivable sin.

'Are you still thinking about that?' He asked her while observing every movement she made.

'About what?' She asked.

She hoped that it wasn't what she was thinking.

'About what happened to us 6 years ago,' He replied.

Then a laugh escaped her lips resulting to a confused look from Mark.

'What's so funny?' He asked.

'Now that I realised, that fight we had back in eleventh grade, that was really childish and funny,' She said, trying ber best to to not laugh at each word that came out of her mouth.

'You...' she began but was soo interrupted as she laughed and Mark merely stared at her trying to stop his lips from stretching into a grin while she giggle. 'You couldn't handle my confession and you just started ignoring me!'

'Shush!' Mark hushed quickly as soon as she ended then looled around to see if anyone had heard it. 'I know how I was such a cowaes back then, Ha Eun. You don't have to let the whole damn world know,'

'Ha Eun, I'm sorry but I can't have any relationships right now,' Ha Eun mimicked Mark's voice as she recalled the moment where she had confessed to him back in eleventh grade.

'Ya! Ya! Enough!' Mark shoved a napkin into her face and wrinkled his forehead.

'No, wait. I have more,' Ha Eun cleared her throat and planned another scene in her head. 'Ah, how about this: 'Will you just stay away from me and stop telling your friends or any soul that you like me? It's embarrassing?''

'Ya! Stop it already!' Mark whined feeling so embarrassed from his childish memories that were brought back so quickly by Ha Eun, her childhood sweetheart and best friend.

Ha Eun stopped from her teasing but still laughed as she sipped her drinks. Then, while she looked at Mark, she saw those things that she once had seen at him which were the reason why she had fallen for him and the way he stopped himself from smiling each time that he wanted to.

'Will you just laugh or smile already? You keep holding it in,' Ha Eun said then Mark had laughed that sounded like a melody in Ha Eun's ears.

Unexpectedly, Jimin had drove pass the cafe and spotted Ha Eun.

'Mwoga? Geuge nuguya (Who is that?)' Jimin asked to no one in particular as he scrutinised the man who was with Ha Eun.

Staring alittle longer he had recognised him. 'Mark Tuan?!'

He had stared more longer before he had realized that the lighst had turned green. When a loud and abrupt honk came from the car behind his, he jolted from his seat and had nearly stepped hard on the accelerator.

'Look, I know I was incompetent and an idiot back then but you have to understand, I had strict parents like you and you know how I had to do well in school and I can't afford any distractions,' He said. 'And yes, having a girlfriend or thinking about a girl liking me felt so different to me since I was always that unattractive nerd from the class that you hated and I didn't  really know how to react with your  confession and I couldn't handle all those since I was too occupied by studies. So, I'm sorry,'

After his explanations, Ha Eun smiled and. pinched his fist that was on the table with her long, sharp nails.

'Ah!' He flinched. 'What the hell was that for?'

'Nothing. It's been so long since I've done that,' She said and smiled bexore standing up.

'Where are you going?' Mark asked.

'I gotta get home before I get stranded here,' She said and brought her coffee with her.

'What? You always liked my company,' Mark said and held her back.

'I never said I hated it. I just have to go home. Plus, I have things to settle for the opening of the new branch tomorrow,' Ha Eun smiled and gently yanked her hand from his grip and left.