A/N: Dedicated to @pink7jin, thanks for the 'Jinbi' ship LOL I like you.
Before anything, I want to share you that I got this private message from a 'reader' about this book and I don't really like it. I want people to hear me out. I hope you know who you are.
Like out of all comments I get I hate it when someone calls my story 'cliche' when they don't know how much I've worked hard on making a storyline. They judge based on what they think it's going to be about even if they haven't opened that book and read it. For the love of God, how can people be so insensitive? So superficial and stuff I couldn't take. Well obviously, just because you think a little part is unoriginal doesn't mean it's cliche. Just because you only think this has been done by someone else it's cliche. And even if IT IS cliche people still need to understand and respect people's efforts. It's rude pointing out such thing.
But.. for 'My Richest Secret'? I don't know if I could accept it when someone calls it cliche. :( I'm sorry for being so affected by this. I'm only expressing my own opinion.
Maybe I'm too sensitive lmao sorry fam ;u; And to think that this person told me that it's constructive criticism, I literally have no words.
Han Bi's POV
"You obviously like him, there's no denying it." Ye-eun told me as she closed her locker door. I exhaustedly leaned on the lockers beside her and shook my head really hard to myself.
I think she's talking too loud and too much. The students walking around us are looking at me like I'm crazy.
I could hear nasty whispers around us with one saying, 'What the hell is wrong with this girl's confidence? Does she think that if she likes our Jin, he'll like her back?' and many other nasty things you wouldn't want to know about.
Everyone else also seems to agree with what Ye-eun's saying. Apparently, someone spread gossips saying that I like Seokjin. I can't believe it, how can they even say that? Now, people are calling me delusional.
"You must be kidding Ye-eun, this situation isn't anything to joke about." I replied with a scoff. It's too weird to think about all these.
Considering the fact that almost everybody has been death-glaring me every single day and it was really fishy.
It kinda started again, the bullying. The bullying stopped the first month because probably they knew that I wasn't that defenseless because I could keep sass-talking and hurting the pride of the people around me. But now, I think I'm being mentally tortured by these gossips.
Gossips that I like him.
And these Kim Seokjin fans are just making up reasons to hate on me.
It's not my fault that they're the ones who are delusional here. It's kind of understood how he doesn't like them, and I can't belive they all still think that they're going to be married to him. There are like three people in a typical fangroup who think that polygamy should be practiced in Korea since they all want to marry Jin at once.
Well, it's not that there's more chance I'll get married to Kim Seokjin than them anway. In fact, there's a less possibility.
"It's alright to like someone so unexpectedly, Han Bi. Why do you seem so scared? Just because people spread the gossips and call you foul words? You shouldn't care about those things, I know that you know better than that." She said sincerely.
It felt so different talking to her alone without Soojin and Hanna around. It makes me feel how serious she was about what she's saying.
"It's not what people think and say about me. I don't really know.. just because I'm aware he likes someone else? Wait, why am I even saying this? I'm not even sure if I like him." I said, it's really true.
I suddenly remembered how yesterday ended, he threw me the ball and asked for a 'confession'. I didn't know what to say so I threw the ball back and apologized that time. I went away right after that because I didn't want to spill any unnecessary things coming right from my mouth.
But thinking about it..
I probably don't. I think I really don't.
"Alright, but I know that there's something going on between you two." She replied. I just rolled my eyes, can't think of anything to reply with. I suddenly thought of something.
"Ye-eun," I called. "Yes?"
"Um.. Do you talk to Taejun? Are you friends with him?" I asked her suddenly. I watched her bite her lower lip. Seeing her reaction, my heart started beating fast and unable to pace itself.
"Yes. We're friends." She breathed.
My heart dropped.
"Okay then, but I really think it isn't a good idea. There's so much things I don't want you to put yourself into." I said with lots of concern.
I don't want the possibility of her liking him get bigger, because I don't want her to get hurt. Out of all people why would she be saved by Taejun anyway? I don't know what happened and why Taejun would even bother.
She heaved a deep sigh. "I'm starting to worry about you, Han Bi-ah. Why are you being like this? Why can't you tell me anything?" She asked in a defeated, a little irritated voice.
"I told you, I'm trying to prevent you from getting hurt. He's not really what you think. You don't know what he'll do next to you." I honestly replied. I don't want Ye-eun to get affected by his ways too.
"It's alright, Han Bi. I just want to make a friend, okay? I'm not crossing the line, ever. Besides it won't work if you're trying to make me avoid someone like that." She said with a forced smile.
Now what?
"Alright, you can be friends with him. But can you promise me something? That you won't cross the line? Trust me, it's for your own good." I said with so much uncertainty.
"Of course I trust you. You're my friend after all. And I'm your friend too, so I'll help you get noticed by Kim Seokjin." She seriously said and winked at me.
I hit her slightly in the shoulder and roamed my head around.
"Thank God no one heard you that time. Do I need to tell you right in the eye and with extremely high volume that I don't like him?" I said, quite irriated. She shrugged.
"I don't know Han Bi, maybe countless of times. Besides, I need to go now. Soojin might be finding me." She said and gave me a slight wave.
I mentally sighed.
Why is she always trying to make me doubt about my feelings everyday?
~
I got out of the room immediately when we were dismissed. Hanna waved me bye because she needed to go home early. I walked to the volleyball court for a change, alone.
Well, Soojin and Ye-eun said they needed to go somewhere but I couldn't stop thinking whether or not they went on a date. But I didn't bother to ask, after all they need some privacy.
"Hey." I heard someone call. I turned, my eyes making out an unwanted face. My heart dropped, hard. "S-Stay away." I nervously commanded and pointed at his feet.
After all that had happened, he resembles a monster so much right now. I'm getting more scared than I was.
He, Taejun stepped back, obediently following my words. My eyebrow rose. "That's good, don't ever come nearer that distance. What do you want?" I asked in an icy cold voice.
He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up a little. "I messed up a lot didn't I? Well, I'm here in your school because.." I wanted to block my ears when I heard him talk. But I didn't.
"I missed you so much and I still like you, quite a lot. If possible I would change everything I've done before so we could start again, and be together. I regret everything, seriously." He said, full of emotion.
I rolled my eyes and faced my back at him. "Why does everything seem so easy to you? Nothing's easy. Why am I even spending my time on a jerk like you when I could just walk home alone and have some peace?" I insolently said.
"Han Bi, look at me and listen." He pleaded, I didn't look until I heard him walk towards me, about to hold my hand. I immediately stopped him.
"Don't go past that line, I told you." I said, eyeing him from head to toe. "You have a minute." I said.
"Okay. I started studying here for you so I could try and fix all of my mistakes, mainly. It doesn't matter how much time I'd take to do that but as long as it includes winning you back, I'm fine. I'm really really sorry, if I could turn back time I want to change everything." He all said at once as if he just memorized lines from a script.
"If you like me so much, then why hurt me, huh? You don't know how hard my heart breaks everyday before just because of you and your selfishness." I lectured.
He was caught speechless and stayed still. "I-I don't know."
I scoffed at what he said. He sounds so pathetic.
"That's clearly not doing anything. You know Taejun? I know this guy. Let me tell you how he's like and what happened if you want to get a share of what I could say." I said and slightly cleared my throat.
Taejun's eyes were both on me and he listened quietly.
"This guy insulted me alot, bragged about everything, and made me look defenseless and dumb. He talks to me like I'm not any similar to him and he was so boastful that he thinks he's better than everyone." I narrated.
I gulped a little because it's quite unexpected for me to talk about someone like this.
"It was pretty funny how he's a little impenetrable, that he's sometimes nice and sometimes a jerk. We recently spent time with each other's company for about a week and I found out how nice he actually was."
My fists clenched tight.
"He cared about me a lot during that time and I admit I thought there was something in there but there was none. I thought I liked him, really."I stopped midway and looked at his expression, examining each side of his face.
He gave me a sad smile.
"I really thought there was something because I felt like I was so welcomed into his life and I thought I've made an important role in there but.. finding out by myself that I'm probably just nothing, I stopped. I then found out that I don't like him."
I flinched in the last sentence of what I was saying.
"And what I want you to know is that I don't fall in love with people easily anymore. No matter how different you are from others I think that doesn't make you so special. So, don't act like you're any special right now in this case because it still won't work." I muttered, looking at the ground.
"Who's he, Han Bi? That guy?" He finally managed to say something. I simply shook my head.
"I can't tell you but I can probably tell that he's right here, probably eavesdropping." I said and cleared my throat after that.
"You need to leave, Taejun. I'm so sorry but I badly want you to. It's too hard for me to listen to you after everything you've done." I said and pushed him until he gets a lot further from the volleyball court.
When he's out of sight, I immediately sat down on the bench. "If you were there Kim Seokjin, then feel good for yourself since you've now heard that confession I should've made yesterday." I said, not too loud.
I slapped my cheeks and stood up immediately, starting to walk slowly. I called ahjussi to pick me up today because I was so tired.
I was interrupted by a hand holding my wrist tight and made me face this person.
Kim Seokjin, of course.
I quickly tried my best to remove my hand but his grip was too tight. It loosened when he found out how I wanted to go.
"I'm going now, Jin. We could talk next time." I said, he stood and stared at me and didn't let go of my hands. He smiled and leaned closer.
He then tackled me into an unexpected hug and put his chin on top of my head. "You were right, Han Bi, I was there listening. I was mentally celebrating your victory of making him go away." He started.
"Wait, what? You want that to happen?" I asked, puzzled. He laughed a little.
"Are you stupid, of course. Why would I ever not want that to happen? I mean, I just had to care you know, I mean you don't like him and stuff." He pulled away and scratched the back of his head.
"Right." I shortly said. "Just tell me you hate him too."
"I don't know.. but talking about what you said earlier in front of him.." He said, stopping midway. I immediately turned to look at him.
He lips almost met mine for a second until I pushed him away. I just realized his lips landed near the corner of my lips. I touched the part he kissed, thinking that this is being too much for today. I was turning into a tomato. He smirked.
"Honestly, I was really about to kiss you on the cheek, but look how that ended." He said, sending me chill.
I was about to hit him but then he grab hold of both of my wrists, tight. He pulled me a little closer and looked at my face.
Too much, I think I'm going to get a heart attack. My heart is at its crazy phase again.
"Not fall so easily, huh Han Bi? Let's see about that." He gave me a smug smile. "And one thing, I already think liking Jung Hanna is pointless."
What?
~
It was late at 7pm when I heard the news that Sang-mi jumped off the building after Seokjin ran away when she asked him out. That was yesterday. No one knew a thing about that except for the few witnesses.
I was in a great panic when I knew about that, I was feeling very sorry for Sang-mi and my blood was boiling. How could he make such careless and insensitive move?
Thank God that building wasn't so high.
She'll be confined for about a week or two, they said, confined with the person who tried to save her that time. For some reason when she jumped off, some guy tried to catch her but in the end they both got injured. I kinda salute that person for risking his safety just to save her. If he hadn't, then maybe events would turn out to be worse.
But don't get me wrong, I don't want her be injured. In fact, both of them. I can't believe what Jin just did. I thought I could just shrug it off yesterday but it's inevitable.
Sang-mi literally fell off the building just because she was too scared of rejection., the news said.
My footsteps were very heavy when I reached school. My hair was completely down since I had no time to do anything with them. I felt someone, which I looked was the very beautiful Soojin who slung his arm around my shoulder to greet me.
(A/N: Alright, Soojin is Seventeen's Jeonghan okay? I can't believe how he suits the character. I made Soojin way before I knew about Seventeen, actually.)
"Good morning~" He said in a singing tone. "Have you heard what happened yesterday?" He asked as he put his hand down immediately.
"Yes. I don't know, Soojin, I feel like there's this weight on my chest that's pressing me down. I'm too bothered by it and I feel like I'm somewhat involved with Sang-mi's reason." I explained, eyes on ground.
I felt him tap my head. "I'm sure it has nothing to do with you, Han Bi. Maybe, it's just in her personality. After all someone left her hanging." He shrugged and flashed me a heart-warming smile. I smiled back.
When I heard the last sentence from what he said, I immediately got flustered. My fists clenched and I had so many things in mind. I felt so mad at what he's done.
It looks like it took Sang-mi took so much time and courage to have the balls and stand in the building, shouting out her feelings at Jin.
Urgh, I want to punch him in the stomach.
I saw Jin walking towards my direction. I quickly got into my senses amd told Soojin to leave me for a while. My fists clenched harder and gritted my teeth. I immediately ran to him and pushed him hard in the chest with both hands. His face looks so confused.
"Have you seen what you've done to Sang-mi? Oh wait, it's not only her who you've gotten into this. What's wrong with you? Were you thinking at all that time?!" I shouted loud in an angry tone.
He didn't speak a word.
"What do you have to say for yourself? Come on, tell me! What you've done yesterday is completely not a way to reject someone. Do you still seriously think so high for yourself that you could do that to her? It's obvious how long she took to have the courage to say those and ask that to you!" I scolded.
"I'm sorry." He bashfully said to himself. I fought the urge not to slap him at the spot.
"Idiot! Tell her that! I'm not the one who's confined in a hospital for two weeks here!" I shouted again, not caring about how I look to others at all.
His pride dropped and his head bowed down low.
"I will, I regret it but you should refrain caring about everyone around you. You know how much Sang-mi doesn't like you, right? You know that she talks about you so much behind your back, right? Oh wait, you don't." He said.
I couldn't help but agree, I care too much. She glares at me all the time as if I've done something wrong to her even if I haven't. She never said anything to me and just kept on pushing me away, leaving me confused wondering why.
"I can't tell you that she deserved that but she did that to herself. She was too desperate and I don't really like her to begin with. I couldn't say no right away or else she might do self harm and hurt her self. I know her that well since she's been around me ever since middle school. I really can't think of anything to say and just left her in there, bringing you with me." He continued.
My mouth was about to open my mouth to say something. Familiarity existed since a long time ago.
His hand landed on my shoulder. "I don't like her because of her personality. And now, I don't know what she can do to you.. but I know what thing she might do. She knows how I'm fond of you," He said, trying to give me caution.
"And she knows what she can do to ruin you. And that involves something you might be hiding." He continued, freezing me in the spot.
~