You're My Target

chapter 47

Troy walked slowly through the mall. In a bit of a daze, he was oblivious to the passing island vendors trying to get his attention to make a sale.

"troy!" hwayoung yelled.

"Are we going to enter a store and buy something or just walk around all day?

"troy took a deep breath and put his hands on his hips. he looked around at the stores.

"remind me again why i decided to do this with you?" troy said a bit aggitated.

"because you secretly have a crush on me. oh and boram and qri are both hanging out with your girlfriend who isnt speaking to you because you kissed her friend behind her back..."

"see its when you say those things that make me wanna pick you up and throw you out a window." troy shook his head.

"hey you could have asked hyomin, jiyeon or eunjung to come." hwayoung suggested.

"i would have rather took my chances with Hank and Pryor and their constant drooling over jiyeon." troy said with a small smile.

"its always Jiyeon. whats wrong with me? im tall see, in heels im taller than you..." hwayoung stood on her tippy toes. she was barely taller than troy.

"well, guys tend to go for girls shorter than they are...." he said cutting her off.

"well duh im out of your league Troy, im just saying league or not guys should still like me just as much as jiyeon. im cute and stuff too see?" hwayoung distorted her face making kissy faces and googly eyes. "tehehe" she mimicked a girly laugh.

"i want to look away, but i cant" troy admitted.

"see my charms are already putting you under a spell. and i mean i have a nice body too, youd know all about that walking in on me in the shower and all."troys face turned red.

"hey that was an accident. and if im in Soyeons league, im certainly in yours." he cleared his throat awkwardly "now lets hurry and find something that will make soyeon forgive me and make everything better."

Troy marched ahead of hwayoung, but she scurried to catch up. He entered a gift shop full of all sorts of knick knacks, cards, candies, flowers wrapping paper, bows, pictures and crystal figurines.
"this is a good place to start." troy said confidently.

"i was going to suggest buying her a car." hwayoung whispered.

"im a freshman in high school without a car of my own. how would you like me to afford that." troy replied. hwayoung didnt answer. "now quit being a smart-mouth and help me out here." troy took hwayoung through the isles as they looked for something soyeon might like.

"im not seeing any Love or 'Please Forgive Me' potions." she said sarcastically.

"ha ha ha. then find a card instead." Troy replied

"you think a card is gona cut it?"

"maybe if i buy alot of cards? some candy.... throw in some flowers..." troy thought.

"thats all cliche stuff." hwayoung brushed his suggestions off.

"well she already got jewelry. she aint getting anymore of that."

"the car idea is still an option." hwayoung said cheekily. Troy shook his head and walked away. he found himself in front of the glass display full of various little crystalline statues. he browsed through them. There were frogs, hearts, angels, flowers, penguins, gnomes, horses. just about everything. he was going to give up, but one caught his eye.

"that one!" he said as he pushed his nose into the glass in awe. a small crystal sculpture of a girl on a stage holding a red crystal microphone in her tiny crystal hands and there were 2 tiny yellow colored crystals above her, like spotlights.

"soyeon wants to sing. its perfect!" troy exclaimed.

"i thought you said no more jewelry?" hwayoung reminded him.

"this isnt something you wear. this is something meaningful. her hopes and dreams. a symbol to encourage her." troy said grabbing hwayoungs shoulders. "dont you get it?"

"yea, i get it. its a good idea, i admit it." hwayoung smiled.

"so its settled then." troy said happily. Troy purchased the figurine and clutched the bag close to him. As if the fate of the world depended on it.

"so are you going to buy me something now?" hwayoung said making a pouty face.

"ill pay you to stop making that face, and to go home. now." Troy replied.

"youre so nice. its hard to imagine why soyeon would want nothing to do with you." she stuck out her tongue.

"ok fine. thank you for doing this with me. i just have my guard up right now." troy apologized.

"see that wasnt so hard. and maybe youre right. ill hold off on the sarcasm for awhile... 5 minutes sounds good." she smiled, troy glared at her in response. "ok fine. ill hold off until soyeon starts talking to you again.

"we have a deal. oh and you can cut back on the Jang and the devil man stuff too. it wouldnt hurt." troy said slyly.

"ill think about it. but for Eunjung, no more favors for you."

"i can live with that i guess." troy shrugged.

"now can we get back to what youre going to buy me as thanks?" hwayoung said bobbing her shoulders.

"how about some food?" troy suggested.

"thats great, we havent eaten yet." Hwayoung said happily.

"and it will plug up that big mouth of yours." Troy said under his breath.

"what was that? i didnt hear you.." she asked.

"i didnt say anything." troy looked at her funny. "lets go eat!"

Troy and Hwayoung walked to the food court and got food together and sat down at a table. The large sky light over the court beamed light down on them. various potted plants decorated the otherwise crowded and loud eating area where they sat.

"so, whats up with you?" Troy asked her.

"nothing why?" she replied with a confused look.

"i mean, whats your story. i feel like i dont know anything about you." he told her.

"you know plenty about me... what do you want to know? my blood type? favorite color? birthday? siblings? ex boyfriends? bra size?"Troy choked on his soft drink. "you ok over there?" she asked him as he coughed.

"im good. im good." he said hitting his chest with his fist to clear it. "wasnt expecting that last one."

"i assumed you wanted to know more personal things." she shrugged.

"i meant more like, where youre from. where youre going. just making conversation."

"im from here. well not here-here... but you know all that already. as for where im going. i dont know. not anymore anyway." she took a sip of her drink.

"o yeah? why is that?" troy asked, leaning forward.

"because, things have really changed since i met you, Troy." she put her glass down on the table and also leaned toward troy, causing him to lean back. "relax, im not confessing my love for you or anything." she said realizing troys discomfort.

"this better not be what i think its about then." he mumbled. hwayoung giggled with a smug face and picked her cup back up, when they were greeted unexpectedly by Jiyeon and Hyomin.

"Hwayoung, we've been looking for you!" Jiyeon said running up to their table.

"here i am. whats up?" she asked troy looked on concerned.

"Have you heard from Eunjung?" She asked desperately.

"cant say that i have." she replied casually.

"And what about you?" JIyeon looked to troy.

"yea, i dont think talking to eunjung is a good idea for me right now." Troy said putting his hands up.

"you.. jerk!" Hyomin shouted at him suddenly. Troy was startled by her outburst."Eunjung ran away, she just left and didnt say anything to anyone. and it's all your fault!" hyomin said sticking her finger in his face.

"yelling at me for hurting soyeon, now yelling at me for hurting eunjung! thats not very fair on my behalf is it? oh, and it isnt my fault!" Troy said tilting his head to get hyomins finger out of it.

"it is your fault, since you came here you have been putting on this show, this charade and im tired of it. youve crossed a line now. im not just gona sit back and let you hurt anymore of us you slimy jerk!" she took hwayoungs cup and threw the contents in troys face.

"hyomin, relax!" hwayoung jumped up to calm her down.

"if anything happens to eunjung its all on you troy!" Hyomin yelled as jiyeon and hwayoung tried to drag her away. Troy wiped hwayoungs drink from his face, remaining silent.
"and everyones is gona know about the real you on monday! youre game is over!" she continued to shout.

Later that night, Troy sat outside someones house, hidden by darkness and shadow in their yard. he watched the passing silhouettes in the houses window, silently and expressionless. One of the figures, stopped in front of the window for a while. Troys eyes fixated and his breath halted as the figure became more visible. The girl in the window, was Hyomin. He watched her every move before she was no longer by the window, walking out of view. The light from inside turned off, and troy was left in almost complete darkness. he stood there for awhile, before heading back down to the street and walked a while, back to his moped, which he had hidden a few blocks away. he rode back to his apartment and went inside quickly and grabbed the phone. he dialed a number and waited for an answer.

"Mou, its me." he said. "remember that.. slight problem i thought i had... well. it's name is Hyomin Park." Troy stayed on the line for not much longer before hanging up without exchanging another word..