The Answer - An Answer Me 1988 Fanfiction

Junghwan

April 1989, Ssangmundong

'Kim Jungpal! Kim Jungpal! Open the door! Open the bloody door or so help me I'll – '

Junghwan jerked awake from his feverish stupor and cracked his head on his bed rail.

For a moment he thought he had imagined her voice, but then it came again, followed by violent thumps on his door and his Hyung's voice begging softly. 'Deokseon-ah, don't shout, you'll wake my parents!'

Parents.

They will hear.

Junghwan leapt off his bed and pulled his door open, spilling in a disheveled Deokseon and his brother looking especially pink with nerves.

'I need to talk to you!' Breathed Deokseon, her eyes gleaming manically.

He was in for it.

'It's ok, Hyung, everything is fine. We. It's just us, no? You know how we are, right? Go to sleep, I'm sorry!'

He shouldered his brother out and locked the door on his plea. 'Please Deokseon-ah, don't hurt him he's my only little brother.'

Junghwan debated about turning around to face her.

'It's here,' She said in a small voice. 'The shirt. Then what? Then what was Oppa wearing?'

He turned.

She was holding the pink shirt. She had taken it down from the rack where he had it displayed so it was the first and last thing he saw every day.

'I...' He said eloquently and waved his hands about when no other words came out.

'This has its labels still on and everything. Did Oppa buy another shirt? Is that it? Why didn't you tell me?'

'I tried to.' He waved his hands some more and wished he could stop. 'But you didn't listen!'

'You should have said something you bastard, you should have mmmm – ' She lunged for him and he quickly covered her mouth with his hands as she rained volleys of punches on his shoulders and slaps to his head.

'I'm sorry ok, ow! Don't bite me, ow! I'm sorry I tried to say it then. Ok fine! It was my fault it was all me!'

She pulled away scowling.

'Still. You should have said something later on! Do you know how I – how I felt, what I – do you – ' She faltered and then attacked him again.

'Shh, don't shout for god's sake.' He covered her mouth again, muffling out her cusses, his other hand in her hair to make her stop squirming. 'Geez. Stop it! You'll wake the whole neighbourhood!'

They were tangled together.

His heart started racing when he became aware of the proximity.

He could feel her heart racing too, against his chest. He could feel heat emanating from her fingers. He could feel every single one of them where they touched his skin.

'Junghwan-ah?' She whispered.

He didn't let go.

'Hmm?'

'Taek said he likes me.'

Junghwan felt his stomach twist. He was going to be sick.

'He told me something else too. He said you have a photo of us in your wallet. You and me.'

He let go, stumbling back until the back of his knees hit the bed forcing him to sink into it.

'He said what?' His voice was so hoarse he couldn't hear himself.

She looked mildly interested, one eyebrow cocked as if they were talking about the weather. 'Why do you have a photo of us in your wallet?'

'I...'

'Hmm?' One eyebrow arched in question.

Junghwan cowered. 'I don't.'

Deokseon smiled. The sun rose in Junghwan's room.

'He said you'd deny it. He said it was because you liked me too. But that you aren't doing anything about it because of him. You're afraid you'll hurt his feelings!'

This was starting to sound like a nightmare.

Junghwan was sure it was.

A horrible one.

He needed to wake up. He needed to wake up now.

Deokseon marched over to his bed and plonked down beside him.

He remembered the last time they had been like this.

He should have kissed her then dammit!

'Gae Jungpal, do you like me?'

What am I supposed to say?

'Hmm? Do you like me? Because – ' She paused lapsing into a pretty, pink blush. Her eyes were twinkling when she scooted closer, close enough that he could see the wayward eyelash that was stuck on the bridge of her nose. 'Because I like you too!'

WHAT?

'But Taekie.' He croaked in a borrowed voice.

She looked sad. 'Taekie understands. We talked about it. He likes me and I like him but I don't love him you know, he's like a baby brother to me. Not like...' She blushed and looked at her pyjamas. Her tattered blue pyjamas that he loved, that she wore the last time she was here, disturbing his heart.

The minutes stretched past.

Deokseon removed some invisible lint from her pyjama pants.

'So?' She asked when she realised that Junghwan had been abandoned by his vocal chords. 'So what is it? Do you like me? Or don't you?'

He stared.

She pouted. 'You don't?'

'I do!' He burst out, tricked into shouting. 'I love you!'

She grinned. 'Shh you idiot!' She whispered putting a finger to his lips. 'You'll wake the whole neighbourhood!'

And then she kissed him.

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