Days in Nights. /Yuta, Wonwoo/

Chapter 5

Jiwoo smoked outside the usual minimart while watching the news from the screen. One news to the next, it was as if she was waiting for something to appear. It was weekend nights after all, and only God knew where her brother was.

"I see you're wearing my jacket today." Yuta's voice startled her. He sat across her.

"When did you come? I didn't see you." She puffed her cig.

"Maybe because you're too absorbed with the news." He smiled.

"How's the bank? Did it go well?"

"Ah, right." He took his wallet and showed her that it was quite thick with cash.

"You should have saved some, don't take it all out at once."

"But this is not much..." He put his wallet back into his backpack. Jiwoo started to focus on the screen again as Yuta had something in mind. "Jeon Jiwoo."

"Hm?" She didn't mind him calling her without 'noona'. It's not like he was her brother or her student.

"Since I have enough cash.... Do you want to eat with me?"

She stared at him through the smoke of her cig. "You mean, like right now?"

He nodded.

"I'm not hungry."

"Can't you at least help me to pay back? Please?"

Jiwoo finished her cig and put it off on the ashtray. "Sure, I can. But I'm not hungry, so I can't help you."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

She tilted her head, thinking. "Umm... let me see... Movies?"

Yuta almost smiled super wide as he heard that. "That sounds much better."

"With popcorn." She teased him as she got up and took her bag with her.

Chuckling, he nodded. "You said you're not hungry."

"We have couple tickets promo for today. It includes two tickets, one big popcorn and one large drink to share." The girl explained to them.

"Should we take that?" Yuta asked Jiwoo.

"You're the one who pays. I'm fine with anything." She leaned on the counter and checked the films that were showing.

"I probably can't say this in front of you, but eonni's boyfriend is so cute." The ticketing girl said to Jiwoo.

She snorted. "Him?"

"One couple package, please." Yuta was flustered as Jiwoo studied his face closely.

Jiwoo nodded. "I think I can see why you think he's cute... his chin? Right?"

"Having fun?" He asked.

She chuckled a little. "Maybe...?" Tapping his shoulder lightly, she excused herself. "I need to go to the bathroom."

"Here's your ticket. I'll be back with the popcorn and drink."

As Jiwoo entered the ladies bathroom she saw some girls were fixing their makeup. She went into one of the stalls at the back.

"Ishh, I hate it when my makeup is not looking great on me. Like today." One of the girls complained.

"It must be the late night snacks. I told you it will make your skin worse."

Jiwoo couldn't help but overheard the loud convo.

"But it's my 100 days anniversary today~ I want to look pretty~~~"

While Jiwoo was washing her hands, she stared at the girls. To her, there's nothing wrong with their faces. Either girls looked pretty. And young.

The makeup pouch was on the counter. Three types of lip paints, some round cases of blush in different shades, a cushion with cute case, pencils that look like normal pencil to Jiwoo but she had a hunch it was for eyebrows.

"Ya! What are you looking at?" The girl with the pouch noticed and immediately put away her makeup pouch from the counter. "Weird eonni..."

"No, I just think you girls are pretty, that's all." Jiwoo dried her hands and went outside.

On her way, she kept seeing couples here and there. Every couple looked beautiful to her. They wore couple clothes, the guy would look super stylish with their hair done, and the girl would have the sweet makeup look with cute outfits.

She checked her outfit that day. Worn out ankle jeans, navy shirts, and a pair of ochre vans. With plain white ecobag she bought two years ago, and denim jacket which wasn't even hers. She didn't even wash her hair that day, it smelled nothing but cigarettes. She sighed.

'This is why dating is not for me...'

"You're done?" Yuta's voice made her looked for the source. He was few feet in front of her, with a bucket of popcorn and a cup in his arm.

Jiwoo froze and now noticed that he was not that bad. Pretty, if she had to comment. He did look stylish and all.

He walked toward her. "Why? Did something happen?" He asked. "Here, you hold the ticket."

"Okay." She had the ticket in her hand.

"Let's go."

___

On their way home, Jiwoo kept staring outside the bus. She kept thinking about how did she spend her youth that it felt like nothing happened in particular.

"Are you okay?" Yuta, who sat next to her, started to worry about her.

"Why did you want to go with me?"

He smiled. "Just because."

She leaned back and sighed. "That's quite nice to hear. 'Just because'."

Wonwoo was on his way home with a can of beer on one hand. Strange enough that he went home sober on weekends.

He then spotted her sister and wanted to make fun of her being alone.

But she wasn't alone.

'Eyyy, did she go blindating today?' He excitedly thought about it, as his steps were getting closer.

Not until he recognised the guy next to her.

'Isn't that...?'

Wonwoo then stopped and turned into the nearest corner to take his phone out. He called someone.

'What?'

His eyes were still fixed on his sister. "Uh, Taeseong hyung? The transferred student... what was his name?"

'That Japanese prick? Yuta?'

"Ah right, Yuta." His eyes looked around as if someone could overhear him.

'What is it? I'm busy.'

"...nothing. I just thought I saw him on the street earlier."

'You're ruining my mood, really.'

Wonwoo just nodded. "Mm sorry, I'm hanging up."

'Come join me at rooftop on Monday.'

After the convo was ended, he leaned on the wall and sighed. Ruffling his hair, he kicked free air in full bitterness. "What does she have to do with him? How did they even know each other??"

2019/03/27