Punch Drunk Love (Jongkey/2MIN)

Twenty Eight

ONEW

The next morning, Onew decided it would be best to talk to Ji-Min. He hadn't spoken to her since the phone call before he left Korea, and even if she wasn't worrying over him, he was worrying over her. The truth was, he missed her. And he wanted to tell her about all the things that were bothering him, because he knew that she was the best at listening. 

"Ayo, Onew!" Ji-Min waved from the other side of the computer screen. "How are you?"

"You're not angry with me?" Onew asked, surprised to find a smiling face instead of a lecture on his manners.

"Onew-ah, why would I be angry with you?" Ji-Min replied, a questioning look on her face - almost as if she had forgotten their last conversation. Or maybe she just wanted to forget, like Onew did.

"Ah, never mind." Ji-Min shrugged in response.

"Why did you call me?" She wasn't being rude in Onew's opinion, simply curious.

"I realised something," Onew started, to which Ji-Min responded to by raising her eyebrows. "Ji-Min, there's something I need to tell you--"

"Onew!"

It was Taemin.

"Damn," Onew cursed, motioning for Ji-Min to wait while he dealt with the maknae.

"What do you want?" Onew asked as he opened the door to his hotel.

"I just wanted to ask if we had any food. Minho and I are really hungry, especially after last night," Last night? "And I was wondering if there was anything we could, y'know, munch on?" Taemin asked, walking into the room with a funny limp in his step.

Oh, Onew thought, last night must mean something dirty.

"Yah!" Onew shouted in realisation. "Did you two have sex in a hotel room? That's gross, do you know how many people have probably done that here? You've just added to the list! Have some respect!" Onew yelled, half teasing, half scolding.

Taemin chuckled, "So, do we have food or not?" He smiled, ignoring Onew's outburst.

"Yeah, there should be some in the cupboard over there," he said, shaking his head and gesturing for him to hurry.

"Wow, I didn't expect for them to be doing those kinds of things so soon." Ji-Min laughed along with Onew once he had pushed the boy out of his apartment and locked the door once more.

"Yeah, well, unfortunately they are doing it right next door to me," he grumbled, though he was still smiling, shaking his head.

"Anyway, what were you going to tell me?" Ji-Min inquired.

"Huh? Oh yeah! Um, I was just going to say that... I was wondering if you wanted to go out on a date sometime? When I get back of course." He hesitated slightly while waiting for an answer.

"A date?" Ji-Min echoed, a look of disbelief on her face. Then she was laughing, much to Onew's dismay. She doubled over and laughed until tears came to her eyes.

"Ji-Min?" Onew said cautiously, trying to smile as if he was in on the joke.

But all of a sudden she was serious again, her eyebrows furrowed and her gaze averted.

Onew wasn't sure what to expect, but nothing good. 

"I can't. You know that."

Onew blushed furiously, trying to come up with something - anything - that would change her mind.

"It doesn't even have to be a date then!" Onew blurted out but he had already dug his own grave. "Just as friends! I'm not even sure why I said date..." he trailed off, pushing his hair away from his face in frustration.

"Can we talk about this when you get back? I have people arriving any minute to help plan the--"

"The wedding." It was more of a statement than a question - Onew knew; he wasn't totally oblivious to what was going on with Ji-Min while he was away. Besides, this wedding was inevitable. Even if Ji-Min didn't actually love the man she was due to marry, there was no way she would disrespect her parents by calling it off.

"Yeah," she confirmed, all of a sudden looking embarrassed and awkward. "Sorry. I have to go."

"No problem," Onew muttered, saying his goodbye and waving at the computer screen as Ji-Min ended the call.

So far, he had been completely unsuccessful when it came to romance, and this was no exception. And Onew was only becoming more and more depressed over the fact that he would never be able to have Ji-Min the way he wanted.

--

A/N: short chapter just for Onew ^-^ gotta love Onew