Third person's POV:
They were back at home now and Ji-ah was going through her social media page, it's still not progressing as it should be, it was easier in the US but here it's like no one is interested in arts. She was scrolling when Han go -woon's recent post appeared on her feed it was a picture of her painting, she even mentioned her page along with the photo.
Han go-woon herself didn't have many followers but still, her friends and other people seemed to like that painting. Her mind went back to the time she spent at Go woon-ah's house, she didn't feel unwelcomed at all, she got to experience a proper normal family gathering after God knows how long
at first she felt sad for herself, why didn't she had it all, she dwelled into a state of self-pity and loath but this time she was not staring at some random family on the streets of US spending a quality time together, this time she was a part of it and it made her so so happy, all the smile that lit up her face they were not bitter or forced they all were genuine and effortless. She smiled at her thoughts and continued to scroll till she fell asleep. ---------------------------------------------------------
It's the day of the school field trip and currently, han seo jun is at ji ah's a place, grandma wanted him and Ji ah to go together for the school field trip but the scene here is beyond what he expected. Ji ah is still in her pajamas, her hair up in a messy bun, big round glasses sitting on her nose
and she continues to eat her serial as grandma is trying to persuade her to go on this trip "I'd rather work on my paintings and take care of you than go to this dumb trip!' Ji ah speaks calmly, she really doesn't want to leave halmeoni alone, she already thinks that she isn't doing enough for her and halmeoni has not been feeling well lately, she is having pain in her left shoulder and high blood pressure has been somewhat constant.
'But I'm perfectly fine Ji ah ya! Han seo jun tell her to go, I want you to go on this trip and enjoy yourself like all other kids"
"I'm not a kid grandma ' Ji ah replies with a heavy sigh, she is tired of this discussion"
Finally, han seo jun joins in the conversation "Yah! you're just 18, not 80, stop behaving like an old man and get ready, why are you giving my sweet Minju a headache!" he says smiling at Halmeoni, enjoying himself as she pampers him and it pisses ji ah off, this jerk, always buttering her up.
"Old woman not a man you're so dumb" she retorts in a disinterested manner
"I said that intentionally, old man" he teases her, enjoying himself too much
" Watch your mouth!' Ji-ah told him, on the verge of losing her calmness.
"If you want to prove me wrong then get your ass moving and enjoy this trip like a teen" he challenges her, rubbing his tongue against the inner side of his cheek trying to stop himself from laughing at her flustered state
"Fine!' she mutters through clenched teeth "I'll be ready in 5 minutes"
"See!? you're a man, girls don't get ready in 5 minutes" he smirks, this ticks her off and she stomps her feet on the ground.
"Seo junah! you look so frail are you not eating properly ?" halmeoni enquires while gushing seo jun's face in her hands, cooing at him like a baby ." Ani! I'm perfectly healthy, you should take care of yourself, who else am I gonna date then? " he gives her a side hug, ji ah glances at them from the corner of her eye while making her way to her room and smiles at how cute they look.
"You can date my granddaughter" halmeoni was trying to tease him now. This statement caught him off guard, he cleared his throat at this "You are much prettier, I have high standards" he said and ran his fingers through his hair trying to show off his looks.
Halmeoni noticed his uneasiness but didn't press the matter further, It may seem like a joke to him but it wasn't a joke for her, she sighed heavily unsure of how long she's gonna stay with Ji-ah.
Ji ah enters her room, her luggage is already packed cuz she knew this will happen eventually she was just trying for the very last time but to no avail ." I'm a man right!? I'll show you how masculine I am!' she thinks with a mischievous smirk on her face as she gets ready for the trip
Han seo gun is just mushing grandma with his hugs when the door to Ji ah's room opens, he glances at the wall clock and mutters "Right after 5 minutes" he turns to look at her and freezes, Ji ah is walking down the stairs towards him, dragging a mini hand carry with one hand and fixing her hair with the other.
She looks different, he's always seen her in school uniform or her baggy shirts and hoodies, white really compliments her skin with her hair pitch black hair falling on her back in ringlets, and she's wearing hoops and a locket.
She is wearing that bold eyeliner again which she always does, looking at her eyes now made him realize how warm they looked a couple of minutes ago without that eyeliner on. Han seo jun can't help but stare at her.
Ji ah approaches him with a knowing look on her face, she knows that she caught him by surprise and she's satisfied with it, he brings out an adventurous almost witty side of her that she didn't even know existed, and quite frankly she is enjoying that.
****This is her outfit****
"You look so pretty Ji ah ya!!" halmeoni squeals like a girl, but Ji ah already knows that, she had to give han seo jun a piece of his mind so rather than wearing a baggy shirt or putting her hair up in a messy bun like she always does she let her hair loose today, applied mascara along with her iconic eyeliner to make her already long lashes look even longer and added accessories.
"Do I look like an old man?!" she pouts and asks her grandmother.
"Ani! You look gorgeous, I'm so happy to see you like this" halmeoni gets emotional, and Ji ah hugs her. On the other hand, han seo jun is still quiet
Ji ah turns to face him, her eyes sharp and taunting "Cat caught your tongue? Han seojun!" She says her cold black eyes boring into his cat eyes they make eye contact,Han seo jun realizes this proximity and clears his throat to get out of this dazed zone.
"Let's go we're already late because of your tantrums " he says looking anywhere but at her face Ji ah hugs her grandma "Please take care of yourself if you again feel sick call me, I'll be here right away "
"Don't worry omma and go woon will check up on her ' han seo jun says. After exchanging farewells they set off to Saebom High. Their ride to the school was a silent one, it wasn't an awkward silence but a comfortable one Han seo-jun recalled the brief eye contact he shared with her,
he couldn't help but wonder why are her eyes always so cold and dead like you're staring into a lifeless soul No matter how much she talks back which she only does around her grandmother, she hardly talks or expresses what she's thinking or feeling.
On Go woon-ah's birthday, her astonishment at little things like having a meal with everyone didn't go unnoticed by him. How she looked at everyone with longing and then the other moment she was laughing along and enjoying, it was strange how such simple things made her so happy her eyes almost looked alive.
Han seo-jun considered himself a good reader he could comprehend what the other person was up to just by paying a little close attention but with Ji-ah it's harder, he barely knows her.
They reached their destination and grabbed their luggage, Ji-ah struggled a bit to drag her hand-carry since the path was steep, Han seojun stopped for a moment and looked down at her, He's not that bad after all, that's how we met for the first time, him and his chivalry she thought he was about to carry her luggage for her because she was struggling but he just scoffed
"Ahh! you really are an old man" shaking his head he started walking ahead of her, not sparing her a single glance again. She scoffed at this "Really! what was I even thinking?" she dragged her bag all the way with all the huffing and panting she finally walked up the steep path and crouched down to catch her breath.
After panting like a constipated dog she regained her breath and looked up to see han seojun standing there "Are you done?' He didn't leave her behind, she smiled internally but didn't show it on her face, getting up she grasped her hand-carry but it wasn't there, she spotted it in his hands, who was dragging it ahead.
She smiled widely this time and ran to catch up with him "Aww! you're such a softy" she nudged his shoulder "I felt pity for this poor hand-carry" he said with a straight face and she just ignored him.
They made their way to the buses where their classmates were already gathered, "Why are you guys coming together? Are you announcing that you are a couple? Omo! Han seo-jun is even carrying your baggage" Su ah said excitedly.
"Ani ani!! we are neighbors that's all!" Ji-ah said immediately, she glanced at han seojun but he was not listening to this conversation as he was busy staring at Lim ju gyeoung,
Ju-gyeoung came up to ji-ah and hugged her "Oh! you are here but why did you say that you were not going to make it?" she pouted at ji-ah "My halmeoni was not feeling well earlier but she's fine now so here i am " ji-ah said smiling at her.
"You look so pretty with your hair open" Su-ah said with so much excitement that it made ji-ah chuckle "So are you" Why are you guys matching? Is it a surprise announcement about you guys dating?" Su-ah said loudly catching everyone's attention.
All of the students started teasing Lim jukyung and Han seojun for being a couple, ju-kuyng kept denying but han seojun didn't bother to correct anyone he was enjoying it.
Ji-ah felt something weird but she ignored its feeling and started looking around for Kim chorong and the others, she really enjoys their company, since she gave him her bento box they became friends, she asked halmeoni to make her an extra box daily and she shared it with han seo-jun's gang.
She even bought some snacks for them today, they are always spreading smiles with their clumsy, goofy jokes and she almost feels like a boy herself when she is with them.
She spotted them from afar being scolded by the principal for hiding liquor, "Yah! chorong-ah!" she called out and ran up to him, he looked at her with a stunned expression on his face, stared at her from head to toe "Yah what are you looking at" she punched his shoulder, "You look pretty today" he said shyly,
she chuckled and hit him with the bag full of snacks in her hand "Yahh ! stop flirting with me or I'll snap your neck" his cheeks turned pink "Here - she threw the bag of snacks at his friends standing near by- I brought these for you guys, it's your compensation for the next few hours in the bus to keep me entertained araso?!, let's go"
she locked her arm around chorong's neck, dragging him to the bus, ignoring that she was choking him. To everyone else it seemed very weird that she was behaving all cheery today which is so unlike her, running up to others herself and starting conversations, but in reality, she was just trying to ignore the stingy feeling she was having due to han seojun's absence or his presence beside someone else.
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