You're My Target

Chapter 39

Troy walked back to his house from Eunjungs. Though he left on a good note, he still had a brooding feeling inside him. The same feeling that always lingers in the back of his mind. The one he tries hard to ignore. He was however surprised to know that Eunjung was acceptant to the fact Elementians may exist. He figured there would be no concern there, as long as she believed that Jang died the way Troy told her he died. No "devil man" involved. He knew Eunjung trusted his word. He was relieved but also guilt ridden over this. His hanging head bobbed as he walked up his street toward his apartment. He slid his hands out of his jacket pockets to open the gate to the complex.

"well look who decided to come home." Boram said greeting troy from his doorstep. He was startled as he paused at the gate. He looked to see Boram, Soyeon and Qri sitting there.

"uhm, hi?" Troy said to them. he closed the gate slowly behind him.

"we've been waiting here for awhile? where have you been?" Boram asked him.

"you know, just out. running some errands." Troy said making excuses.

"errands huh." Qri said. Troy sensed some skepticism.

"yea wanted to see about getting my moped fixed." troy explained. the girls looked at each other as troy looked a little suspicious at Soyeon. His eyes focused on the necklace he gave her. It rested softly between her collarbone. His eyes shifted upward to her face. a half smile on her face. she glanced out of the corner of her eyes back at him. She stopped whatever she was saying to the others and began to walk gingerly toward Troy.

"this is a nice surprise, though." Troy said as her steps got closer.

"it is isnt it?" she smiled playfully squinting her face. "did you get my message? i called you earlier." Troy said.

"i did get a message actually." she nodded.

 "good. yea, Hwayoung is alright. is that why you are here?" Troy asked.

"actually, no." Soyeon shook her head. "its not. I came all the way here.... just to see you.she tapped troys forehead with the tip of her finger. Troy smirked and raised his eyebrows. his spirits lifted.

"So, when did Eunjung become a moped mechanic?" Soyeon said folding her arms. she cocked her neck sideways. Troys smile turned to a grim look of despair. Behind Soyeon, Qri and Boram also had their arms folded.

"lets not, in front of them." Troy said timidly.

"I thought i talked to you about this troy. i thought we agreed." Soyeon said frustrated.

"listen, i had to talk to someone. I TRIED TO CALL YOU." Troy pleaded. "its not a big deal."

"big enough to lie to me." soyeon said harshly under her breath.

"because i didnt want to upset you. but really its nothing." troy tried to explain.

"are you saying i get upset over, nothing?" Soyeon questioned him.

"no. no. no." Troy shook his head and was visibly flustered. "listen ok. im sorry. i went to see Eunjung. but you know, only because i couldnt see you. we just talked. friends do that. im sorry ok. im sorry." Troy walked passed Soyeon and inbetween qri and boram. he unlocked his door hastily and went inside. He threw his coat down and went into his bathroom and slammed the door. "stupid. stupid." troy muttered to himself. "so fricking stupid." Troy looked at himself in the mirror. "stupid." the bathroom door opened beside him slowly. he felt a hand run up his arm onto his shoulder.

"Youre not stupid, Troy." Soyeon whispered to him.

"then why do i do all these stupid things?" Troy looked away from the mirror. "why do i....do.." he paused as soyeon touched his face and turned his head toward her.

"hey. its alright. i am really not that mad." Soyeon said to him reassuringly.

"Soyeon i want to tell you something." Troy said looking into her eyes.

"okay then tell me. You can tell me. i am hear to listen." she told him. Troy pressed his forehead to hers. his eyes closed tightly. he felt the breath she exhaled on his face. He could taste the minty zest on it as he inhaled.
"soyeon.. i, ....Jang..." Troy no longer felt the breath against his face. he opened his eyes. Soyeons eyes were closed, and her lips were slightly parted. He felt his heartbeat slow down, even the moves he made felt like he was going in slow motion. He closed his eyes took a deep breath and moved his mouth towards hers. His lips brushed hers and they both flinched a little..when a knock came suddenly from the door. Troy and soyeon both pulled away from each other.

"hey you 2. break it up in there." Boram groaned she opened the door.

"o hey. we were talking." troy said. his face was red.

"awful lot of silence for talking. Boram smiled. "you're a terrible liar troy. didnt Soyeon just make that obvious."

"i guess not?" he shrugged.

"excuse us." soyeon said. her face was as red as troys. she took his hand and they walked out of the bathroom.

"sorry, i just really had to go." Boram laughed as she went in the bathroom.  Troy cleared his throat awkwardly as Soyeon walked with him back out towards the kitchen where Qri was sitting on his counter. her legs crossed under a frilly skirt not unlike the kind she wore as part of her school uniform.

"there are chairs, you know." he said to Qri as he saw her choice to place her rear.

"its a Qri thing." soyeon said in troys ear.

"what, sitting on things other than chairs?" he asked out loud.

"im too cool for chairs." Qri smiled.

"you were just in that chair last night!" troy exclaimed pointing to his recliner. Qri hopped off the counter. her heeled shoes clacked as she hit the floor. she walked to Troys side, opposite Soyeon and blew a bubble then popped it.

"was she this minty fresh?" she said seductively in his ear. Troy turned his head so quick it could have snapped.
"you!." troy said shocked. "do your friends know that side of you?"

"that im cute, classy and lady like?" she said delicately batting her eyebrows.

"no, that you are very dark under that soft, quiet demeanor!" Troy said he turned to Soyeon.

"Troy. Qri is like, the most quiet reserved and precious girl we have ever had." Soyeon said. The sincerity in her voice indicated Soyeon has no idea what Troy was ranting about.

"yea dont be mad at me Boram interrupted your little love session back there." Qri quipped as she walked out to the living room and sat in troys recliner. "there im in the chair, happy?"

"so precious. so reserved." Troy rolled his eyes. He and soyeon sat together at his table, while Qri watched TV in the living room. Boram would eventually join her.

"im sorry for yelling at you earlier." soyeon said. she tapped her fingers on the table in succesion.

"its alright. i should have just been honest." troy shrugged.

"well yeaaa~ but you obviously had something bothering you. something you needed to talk to someone about. i shouldnt make you feel worse." soyeon said sympathetically.

"it's ok. and im sorry. it wont happen again." troy nodded apologetically.

"if you still wanna get anything off your chest. im here." soyeon said reaching across the table for his hand.

"well. i did but SOMEONE ruined the moment." troy emphasized loudly for boram to hear.

"and that someone is mother nature sweet heart. you cant deny natures call." boram said back to troy from his couch.

"well you can deny the call. but it would be a real mess to clean." Qri added.

"so classy. so cute." troy said rolling his eyes. boram chuckled from the couch.

"i actually stopped here to ask you something." soyeon said.

"sure. what is it?" she had his attention

"well. every year for the winter break me and my family go out and have a nice dinner. a family thing." soyeon explained.

"sounds ... well.. nice." troy said at a loss for words.

"and youre coming." soyeon said suddenly.

"thats how you ask?" he was shocked, leaning back in his chair.

"when a girl asks you something shes actually telling you to do something." boram chimed in.

"but, its a family thing. id feel like i was intruding." troy said trying to talk his way out of it.

"well. you are my boyfriend. Jun came last year so ..." soyeon said hesitantly. Troy grimaced when she mentioned his name.

"listen they know your situation. you live here alone. your family is back where youre from. people usually spend time with loved ones around this time of year." soyeon said to him. "they know youre a good guy and more than welcome. it would be a good chance for you all to know each other. "she smiled at him charmingly.

"i cant say no to that face." troy sighed. "fine."

"did you forget you didnt have a choice?" Boram shouted.

"yea yea yea." Troy said blowing her off.

"great, its this saturday night!" she said excitedly.

"yea well. im sure i can leave a better impression than that beefed up moron Jun." Troy smirked.

"actually i think my mom had a bigger attraction for him than i did. and my father is a huge football fanatic. he thinks hockey is, well. dumb." soyeon giggled into the back of her hand.

"do you want me to change my mind." Troy said getting up from his chair.

"stop it. come on Troy." soyeon said getting up with him. "youre gonna be there with me, itll be fun."

"ok ok." troy replied.

"great! i cant wait." soyeon was pleased.

"can we go now im hungry." boram said grumpily.

"you just ate." Qri told her.

"you know i have a high metabolism." Boram whined.

"do you want to come with us, maybe go grab something to eat?" Soyeon said holding troys arm.

"actually i ate earlier." Troy said declining the option. soyeons eyes squinted. "no, not with eunjung. i know what that face means." Troy said reading her look.

"so you dont wana come?" she asked a bit disappointed.

"do i have a choice?" Troy asked hinting at borams earlier remarks.

"yea. but it would be nice if you came." soyeon said swaying trying to convince him."i really do need to get that moped fixed though." troy told her.

"ok. i understand." She said with a single nod.

"we'll be eating together saturday remember." Troy smiled.

"right." soyeon smiled back.

"okay love birds. say bye before i lose my appetite." boram said sticking out her tongue.

"bye boram." troy said. "good seeing you."

"you too troy!" she said as she bounced out his door.

"bye Troy." qri said blowing him a kiss.

"i dont even know what to say to you anymore!" Troy laughed at her as she walked passed"bye!"

"ill see you later troy." Soyeon gave Troy a hug under his arms.

 "ok, have fun." he threw his arms around her. soyeon walked into the doorway and turned around before closing it.
"oh, Troy." she said. She stuck her head through the doorway

"yea? whats up?" he turned to her.

"no more surprise Eunjung visits." she smiled brightly. but Troy knew behind the smile soyeon meant business. "bye dearest!" she waved her fingers and closed the door.