The Broken Hearts Care Club | (X1/BY9/ITZY/IZ*ONE)

five. jealousy

Koo Jungmo

Inside one of the many dorm rooms on the university campus resided two roommates that always seemed to find themselves stuck there while others were out and about. Much to their dismay yet they never seemed to do anything about it.

"Do you think she's out with him?" Jungmo asks from his side of the room, while scrolling through his phone. The boy's mind was swept away by many thoughts.

"Who?" His roommate asked, doing just the same as him just on his own side of the room.

Jungmo sat up straight and looked at the other boy with irritation. "Who do you think, Yunseong?"

His roommate rolled his eyes, still slouched on his bed and scrolling through his phone. "They're probably out snorting lines of cocaine in some back alley," he deadpans.

"Wow, some comedian you are. At least you now have a backup career if civil engineering doesn't fall through."

Yunseong reluctantly peered up from his phone, adjusting himself to see the other boy better.

"Honestly speaking Chaewon isn't your girlfriend, she's just a girl you like. So what's it to you if she's with that Wooseok guy or whatever?"

Although he was very supportive of his roommate's despairingly unrequited love for the quiet, pretty girl, Yunseong had more than enough of his jealousy over the older male. It's not like Jungmo was actually going to be with her anytime soon. Why should her love life be cursed just because a secret admirer can't work up the nerve to even talk to her?

"Because, look. Come here," Jungmo gestured him over. Yunseong groaned in annoyance before getting up to see what he was showing him. "He was with Lia just earlier today and now he's probably with Chaewon. That means..."

Yunseong started to tune him out while looking at the photo update on his phone. It showed both Wooseok and Lia at what appeared to be the local shopping mall. It was the place that contain some of the more 'high end' stores so of course that's where Lia would shop.

He began to grimace at the picture of the girl in disdain.

She was the perfect pretty little spoiled princess and everything that came with it. Vain. Inconsiderate. Selfish. Self centered. The list could go on for Yunseong.

"...he's cheating on all of them and I don't want Chaewon to get hurt. She's such a sweet girl. She deserves better than an asshole like that!"

Yunseong resisted the urge to point out that Jungmo had never really interacted with her so he doesn't know for a fact if she's sweet or not.

"Why are you following Lia?" was the important question on his mind.

Jungmo stopped his rant to glance at the boy in confusion. "I'm not. It's on Wooseok's account." He affirms.

"God, I can't stand that girl," Yunseong mutters, "wait, why are you following Wooseok?"

"Because sometimes he posts with Chaewon," Jungmo says like it's obvious. He scrolls down to find an old picture of the two at the school library. Yunseong stares at him.

"You know, sometimes I worry about you. Seriously. You are on a whole other level."

Jungmo stands up quickly. "I am just sick and tired of this guy," he goes towards the corner of the room with a mini fridge. "He comes out of nowhere. Sweeps Chaewon, Yeji, and Lia off their feet. And toggles between them like switching from one app to another."

Grabbing two beers, he tosses one to Yunseong who nods appreciatively.

"He doesn't even go here anymore! He graduated last year and now he's preying on these young girls."

"Okay," Yunseong stops him from going on, "he's not a pedophile. They're all adults they can decide what's best for them."

"I know, I know. He just bothers me so much. He follows the girls around like a stalker."

"Yeah, he's the stalker." Jungmo adverts his gaze from the sarcasm. "You don't even know for a fact if they're together. Maybe this Wooseok guy isn't her boyfriend."

Jungmo looked up, begrudgingly hopeful. "You think so?"

"Well, how are we supposed to know? I have an idea to figure it out but it may be just a little crazy." Jungmo stood up straighter waiting to hear the idea. "Why don't you just ask her?"

The boy shook his head. "I should've known," he said disappointingly.

Then he went go sit back down on his bed while Yunseong went back to his own. The two sat there scrolling and drinking in silence.

"So, Yeji too?" Yunseong asks, recalling what Jungmo said earlier.

"Yeah, he goes to the bar she works at. Weren't you listening to what I was saying?"

"Eh," Yunseong says with a shrug.

The minutes tick on by.

"Jungmo."

"Yeah."

Neither looked up from their phones.

"We really need to get a life outside of this dorm."

Status: edited
Written: Nov 23, 2019