Upside Down

8. Outing

Those dimples. Deep dimples. And that stare. What was he even thinking? Yejin was at the library that afternoon trying to work on some files in the computer, but his smile and his eyes kept flashing on her mind. Yejinnnn wake up! It's just a smile. What's so wrong with you? And she heard Hali's voice in her head, Yeah, I believe you when you say you will never be his fan! "Yejin, can I borrow this book?" Dr. Lloyd interrupted her thoughts and transacted with her. He was her favorite professor in Psychology.

"Professor, when you suddenly thought of someone, what could that mean?" She asked, even before her mind can stop her tongue."What, like, you see his or her face flashing through your mind?" Dr. Lloyd replied curiously. "Yes, that kind of thing." She answered comfortably, as she considered him one of her professor friends. "Hmm..that person could have an effect on you in one way or another. Maybe he or she left a certain feeling or emotion that's why your memory recalls it. Actually, you don't need a psychologist for that. Haha. You're just having a crush Yejin!" Laughing, he shook his head and turned his back before she could even correct him. I will not think of him. Erase. Erase. Cannot be. This is not possible.

While walking home that night, she was still frenzied of what was going on with her. He has never been that affected with a smile or stare from any guy. She had experienced getting attention from guys during high school, but she was never affected by any of them. None of them passed through the friendship stage. It was never her priority. The only fluttering feeling that she experienced when was she watched her favorite actor in a movie, and so she knows how it feels. But this time, it's the same feeling, or more. She felt the world stopped when he talked to her this morning. Looking back at those stares and oh, that smile, with his deep dimples one could put a toothpick on and not fall..but ..it felt like she's the one falling..Kringggg...

Hali's number.."Hello, Hali?" The person on the other line answered, "Hello Yejin? This is Bin, I'm holding Hali's phone, I'm with them, she's driving so I have to be the one to talk to you."  Before she could even reply, he continued speaking, "She wants to ask three questions: first, have you gotten home? Second, do you want to come with us to The Villas next weekend, and third, Is Bin really not handsome for you? Okay, so that's the three questions and she's waiting for your answer." She couldn't help but grin at the third question, making her heart pound, "Hey you three, stop making a frank on me. I will really drop this call!" She can hear laughter on the background and Hali's voice, "Yej, answer the questions, otherwise you're a coward!! Bin's here, tell him what you've been telling me!" She dropped the call. A few seconds later, Bin was calling her. She ignored it. Then it rang again. Twice. Thrice. And she couldn't hold it anymore, she tapped the answer button. "Yes?" trying to be stern with her voice. She can hear laughter all around. "Where are you? We're here at the station. Come down. We're going to drive you home." Bin asked her. Hearing his voice, she started walking back to the entrance of the station and asked, "Is it Hali's car?" Bin replied, "Nope, mine, black, warning lights flashing." She hurriedly went down to see them.

"You crazy friends!" They were laughing as she sat at the back, with Bin beside her, Choi in the front and Hali driving. "Is this a peace offering for teasing me?" "Yeah, we felt guilty Yej, but is Bin really not handsome?" Hali stressed it out more and Bin pouting his lips like a boy beside her was a sight to behold. She's never seen a man being this cute. She wanted to take a picture of him, but if she did, she guessed, she is answering Hali's question, so she just frowned over him and rolled her eyes, to which he laughed out loud.

"So are you in next weekend to The Villas? Let's get some fresh air and vitamin sea after the finals week!" Bin asked her. She was hesitating because it will be out of her budget. Hali persuaded her more,"Don't worry Yej, you will just ride and be there. Please, for your best friend." Looking at her, she nodded and saw his deep dimples showing again as he looked at the windows.

The next weekend, she was still sitting beside him, but this time, in a much larger and spacious van, as they set out for The Villas, a resort 3-hour drive from the city. With them were her couple friend, Choi and Hali, Choi andBin's group, Chul and Ji-ho, and their other girlfriends Su-mi and Ina. They were in the third row. Everybody's sleeping because they left at such an early time. She also wanted to get some more sleep and when she tried to lay down her head, Bin gestured his shoulder for her to lay her head on. Those eyes. She felt her world stopped once more. As a ray of sunlight glimmered through his face, she couldn't help but stare back at those eyes. Those I-care-for-you-so-here's-my-shoulder-eyes. And she fell. Hard. That the only response she managed to do was smile as she happily laid her head on his broad shoulder. And she felt home.