oppa! • #jungri

Chapter 12: "So I Hope You Do The Same, Sunbae"

YERI

"What should I order for us?" Joohyun-eonni asked as soon as we arrived on the cafeteria. When I found us both a space, I immediately sat on the chair before I looked up at her and responded, "Anything's fine. Just add a carton of milk for me."

My sister nodded before drifting off the queue of students. I sat quietly as I stare at my fingers tapping slightly on the table creating a soft sound.

I sighed. It has been two days since the incident where Jungkook denied me as his acquaintance and I'm still hurt.

I tried focusing my thoughts elsewhere like concentrating on my subjects and channel all my energy towards the betterment of my grades but whenever I'm left off, all alone with my thoughts, it all just comes back.

I am angry but the pain still outweighs the ire I feel that instead of feeling warm and hot, I just felt cold when remembering the incident. I wanted to shout at him and reprimand him and tell him how different he has become since childhood but I knew that it was unfair because his memories were taken away from him. And instead of being angry, I just felt something cold embracing me.

I was busy feeling the gnawing pain in my chest when suddenly, the front chair in front of me was occupied by someone — it caused a thud loud enough to kick me out from my thoughts.

I looked at the man in front of me. He wore his long sleeves weirdly, with the first two buttons open and his tie was loosely hanging around his neck, it's not even placed under the collar. He wore around five chain necklaces around his neck - all of which were gold and silver in color, it made me wonder if his neck kinds of feel heavy with all the stuff hanging around it. His hair was disheveled and instead of looking like a mess, he actually seemed charismatic.

"Sooo...," he started, "what's our lunch for today, Kookie-ah?"

He looked up which made me look up too. I was so focused gawking at the man in front of me that I hadn't even noticed that Jungkook is standing beside him. My eyebrows furrowed, suddenly getting weirded out of the situation.

"Taehyung, I swear to God, let's just go," I heard Jungkook whisper, his voice was deep and deadly that I feared he might punch the man he called Taehyung but Taehyung just shrugged his shoulders.

"The entire cafeteria's full! I guess this junior — Yeri, is it? — wouldn't mind! Besides, we'll keep her company," Taehyung raised his eyebrows alternately as if teasing Jungkook. I looked around me and realized that the cafeteria's indeed full, maybe because they're serving something delicious today?

"Here, sit here! I'll buy the both of us food!" Taehyung volunteered, tapping the chair he's sitting on and stood up, pulling Jungkook and forcing him to sit in front of me. I sat there, just staring at the both of them, at loss for words.

I wanted to say that I don't like somebody - especially Jungkook - on my seat but the words seemed to scatter in my mind.

"Hyung! I'll come with you!"

"No, others might take our seat. Just wait," Taehyung said finally and disappeared in a glance.

I just stared, my mouth slightly ajar at how did things escalate quickly.

Jungkook cleared his throat, his eyes looking at something else except mine. I stared at him, unlike Taehyung, his hair was swept clean and he wore his uniform in a virtuous manner.

Finally, I seemed to got ahold of myself. I straightened in my seat and looked elsewhere. That seemed to surprise the man in front of me that he looked at me, except that I was not looking back anymore, his brown eyes boring a hole in my face.

He collected himself and redirected his glance somewhere else.

Despite the noise in the background, awkward silence loomed over the both of us.

I thought no one would speak but I heard him sigh and said, "Yeri-yah, look..."

I looked down, wanting to avoid him. His voice from how he spoke with Taehyung earlier was very different now. His tone became softer yet still filled with depth.

"I'm sorry for—"

"If you're talking about what happened that day, don't. I won't be bothering you again starting now so I hope you do the same, sunbae," I said, not looking at him. My voice shook at calling him a senior but I managed not to have a meltdown. I could feel his stare lingering but I don't know which reaction was painted in his face. I just bowed down, spewing the words that I know would hurt.

I realized...I was angry. I was angry to extent that I just wanted to be indifferent.

He let out a shaky breath and I feared he would utter a word once again but he did not. Instead, we let the silence loom over us again.

I actually jumped from my seat when Joohyun-eonni brought down a tray of food she ordered for the both of us. She looked at me and Jungkook alternately before taking a seat beside me.

She elbowed me, getting weirded out by my sudden stillness so I just gave her a look.

Taehyung brought down his tray minutes later, his voice was loud enough to brighten the atmosphere around us but his quirkiness halted when he saw my sister sitting beside me.

"O-oh, Joohyun-noona, annyeong," Taehyung blushed and bowed in front of my sister. I could see Taehyung's ears reddening and I felt embarrassed for him. My sister is actually the Student Council's president, it's normal that everybody would feel intimidated by her presence.

My sister bowed from her seat and offered the seat in front of her. Taehyung's lips were tight as he took a glance at Jungkook and whispered, "Why didn't you say she's with her sister?!"

I wanted to chuckle but I held myself. Jungkook just shrugged and began eating, his eyes avoiding my direction even though we're literally seated across each other.

Taehyung suddenly became shy, he even recomposed himself and buttoned the opened buttons in his uniform. My sister ate, not minding the man in front of her.

"Eat your meal before it gets cold," my sister said and handed me the chopsticks herself. I just nodded and forced myself to eat even though my appetite left me moments ago.