Mysterious boy

7.

He should have accepted my phone number.

How can I be so stupid?

"You look worried, what's on your mind, honey?" my mom asks me as she serves me a plate of noodles for diner.

I sigh deeply, take a bite of the noodles and speak: "I made these plans with a classmate to work on a project this Saturday, but I totally forgot I leave to dad's house tomorrow."

Clearly, my mom is disgusted with me talking with my mouth full, but she doesn't say anything about it. Instead, she calmly speaks: "Can't you just reschedule?" And then adds: "By the way, who's your new friend?"

"Jun," I speak, grabbing another bite. "He's in my class. But I can't reschedule."

"Why not?"

I sigh. "Because I'm afraid then he may never want to meet up again."

My mom frowns, not getting it. "Chan, what do you mean?"

She probably wouldn't understand. How do I even explain this whole Jun-situation to anyone?

But before I can answer, my mom grabs my hands and rubs the back of it with her thump. "Just call Jun and tell him you've mixed up plans. What's the big deal?"

"I don't have his phone number," I mutter

"Then you'll tell him tomorrow at school."

I look at her. The way she says it, it sounds as if it is dead simple. But it isn't. I've just had my first actual conversation with Jun, what will happen if I turn down yesterday's offer?

Or my mom is right and I should just tell him... What's the big deal?

So, that's what I do the next morning the second I enter the classroom and approach his table.

"We need to reschedule."

Slowly, he lifts his head and faces me with the most cocky look I have ever seen on somebody's face. Raised eyebrows, mouth a little bit open and I could tell his tongue is rubbing against the back of his teeth.

But he doesn't say anything, he is just watching me. It makes me nervous, but I hold up my guard and repeat: "We need to reschedule our plans of working on the project tomorrow."

Again, no response, just some more intensely staring from Jun.

I sigh and place down my backpack as I sit down next to him. "I forgot I already had something planned this weekend, so we can't meet up this Saturday. But Sunday will do."

"I offered you Saturday," he speaks.

"Yeah, I know," I mutter. "But I'm sorry, I can't."

"Why not?" Jun says as if I just turned down the best offer ever. As if he is deeply offended.

I think I was right when I figured this would ruin everything I've worked so hard for the past few days.

I bite my lip, not really want to talk about my other plans, but I need to give Jun an honest answer. I feel like lying would only make things worse. "I'm visiting my dad tonight and will stay there until Saturday."

With narrowed eyes, Jun slowly speaks: "You don't seem so happy about that."

"Great analysis," I scoff and look away as I lean back in my chair.

We don't say anything to each other after that and just grab our stuff as mr. Min starts his first lesson of today. I try to keep up with the lecture and scrabble down some notes, but my mind is elsewhere. I feel like I messed up my whole plan of figuring out Jun. Now he probably will never speak to me again, let alone meeting up with me after school.

Or so I thought.

"I'll come with you."

My eyes widen and I look to my left, into his hazel brown hawk eyes. "Wha...? You want to come with me?"

"We can work on the project at your dad's house," Jun states.

"But..." I stammer quietly, making sure mr. Min would not be disturbed during his lecture. "But he lives all the way across the country."

Jun shrugs. "I can stay the night."

"... I'm leaving directly after school, you don't have a bag or anything prepared."

Jun shrugs again. "I don't need to bring anything other than myself to do a project, right?"

The way he smirks, as if he is speaking the most logical words ever spoken. Is he? No, this doesn't make any sense! Why? Why is Jun, the one I have forced into talking to me, now the one forcing me to let him join my trip to my dad? Why?

"Why?"

"What is there to why, Chan?"

I look at him, at that cocky look of him, and sigh. "Why do you even want to come?"

He tilts his head before slowly speaking: "You don't seem comfortable visiting him, so I figured you maybe need some support or something like that."

My heart melts at those words. Is he actually saying that? Since when does he care about my feelings? What changed in Jun yesterday that he is now talking to me and even wanting to comfort me?

"But..." Jun raises his index finger. "Also because I just want this damned project to be over."

Biting my lip, I face the front of the class again, still stunned by Jun's words. I almost feel like I'm about to cry, almost.

"And sorry for using the word damned. I know you don't swear."

Scratch that almost.