Chapter Seventeen:
I was still on the fence about Suga and I. This was my first real relationship so I didn't have any info on what regular relationships were like. It felt weird that we almost never saw each other and instead contacted each other on the phone.
I knew that Suga would be busy, I was too but it just felt that sometimes he wasn't making an effort. Then he would turn around and do something crazy and fun and change my whole view again. With all of the confusion I was getting from him I decided to stop by Ryan's place and talk with her.
"You know I don't understand dating," I said once we were situated on the coach.
She laughed at me, most people understood the fact that I wasn't someone who dated a lot when I was younger. "I know, so tell me about your worries," she said. It was nice that she was going to allow me to talk to her about this stuff and I knew she would at least pretend to be interesting.
"It feels like I never see him because of work" I explained. From there I jumped into what Suga had told me about his past relationships.
She sat and listened to me nodding along and asking me to go into more depth about some subjects. "I know this ain't what you were looking for but I think you should just sit down with the boy and talk to him," she said.
That would be the mature thing to do "I know".
"But you're afraid, I understand that a relationship is a communication," she told me with a small smile.
"Thank you. So we going to play or what" I asked motioning to her gaming setup. Of course, we weren't like average girls so our boy talk ended in shooting people through a computer screen.
It was good that Rya was my friend because I was sure that nobody else would want to put up with me. Girls like to talk about boys and fashion and I always did my best to stay away from those two scenes as much as possible. But now I wish I had friends like that, who have been through relationships so that I could talk to them about it.
"Alright well, you're clearly distracted, just please make sure you don't let this boy affect your playing in the future," Rya said. She had killed me three times in the game before realizing that I wasn't fully invested.
Letting out a sigh I pushed the computer away from me, "I don't know what I want to do" I said.
Rya laughed at me "You'll figure it out" she said giving my arm a slight pat.
"I know I just wish I would already have it figured it out," I said taking in a couple of deep breaths. "You know we're competing in the same tournament, we know how that will end," I said. Everyone knew cases of couples being pulled apart in tournaments and it was truly terrifying knowing that going into this composition.
"No, Rose," she said turning her full attention to me her mouth open slightly in surprise.
Shaking my head I said, "I know but it would be worse if one of us pulled out now."
"Just because it has happened in the past doesn't mean it will happen here. At the end of the game win or lose kiss him. That's it the crowd will still think everything's okay and he will be happy that he's getting somewhere" she said.
There was no way of knowing if that would actually work, but it was the only suggestion I got. "Thanks, I'm going to go meeting the boys," I said.
We were meeting to practice, as both V and I were in school we were busy during the week so we practiced at night and during the weekends. Suga and I had stopped communicating as much as we didn't want to mess with each other before the tournament.
Jin's app apartment was the same as it always is with my three friends surrounding the coffee table their computers set up in front of them. "Sorry I was with Rya I said pulling out my computer as fast as I could.
"How is that girl," V asked.
I shrugged not knowing how to answer before saying, "she seemed fine, we spent our time playing anyways".
"Well good at least your warmed up," Jin said joking causing the group to let out a small chuckle.
"Whatever let's play," I said starting up the game. I enjoyed that we were all close enough to joke around about whatever but the boys always seemed to laugh about stuff I don't understand. I usually brushed it off as something only boys understood but I was never positive.
We played for a while going over new techniques and old ones wanting to be prepared for everything. We knew this was going to be hard to beat Suga and his boys and I only hope we had gotten better to be able to beat them. I knew my boys wanted to beat Suga as much as I wanted to but we had no idea how much they had improved.
"Rose all I'm saying is just give Suga a little something and then find out how they're doing," Jimin said leaning back against the coach.
For the last couple of games, the boys have made awful suggestions to get me to convince Suga to give me insight into their tactics. "I told you guys Suga and I are not talking about the tournament until it passes," I said shrugging slightly.
The boys groaned slightly but it seemed like they were going to drop the topic. "How are you two anyway," V asked.
We were taking a food break so as Jin was cooking dinner I was stuck with V and Jimin. "Good I think we're both avoiding each other right now with this tournament coming up," I said. Suga and I weren't talking right now and it was driving me a bit insane, we were dating but never talked.
"Makes sense," Jimin said which made me feel slightly better.
"It is probably the smart thing to do, that way neither of you could accidentally screw the other" V agreed.
I nodded knowing that they had a point, "it's just annoying not being able to talk to him or see him" I said.
It was weird to talk to them about this, after all, they were my friend but they we also boys. Though if they ever had girl problems I knew I would be there for them so I assume it worked the same way.
"Don't worry Suga' stop stupid to let you go a second time?" V said giving me a thumbs up.
I smiled blushing slightly, I was okay with the boys knowing that Suga and I were dating it was just weird for them to know about everything. I wish that there were people who would be on my side no matter what and I wasn't positive if the boys would actually know.
"Alright well we only have a couple of days before the tournament so, hot chocolate," Jin said walking into the room with four mugs of the drink in his hand. For some reason, we all loved the chocolaty drink and seemed to always make excuses to have some form of it before the tournament.
"Alright so everyone ready for this" Jimin asked clasping his hands in front of him.
There was a nervousness in the air and we were all nervous about this upcoming competition. We were good we knew that but now there was another group that was as good as us or better. "Don't worry guys, our fans stuck with us after that loss they will stick with us through this one too?" I said.
It might be weird but because we did have a following we really wanted to be good role models people that they could look up to. We were all a bit nervous about losing the tournament last time that they might switch over to Suga's team.
They didn't think, V is still getting the same support on his channel and we all are still recognized wherever we go out.
Before anything else could be said in our group my phone rang causing all heads to turn to the electronic that was sitting on the table. "Try to get something out of him," V said as he saw that it was Suga that was calling.
Rolling my eyes at him, I grabbed the phone and walked into the other room to talk to Suga. "Hey what's up," I said smiling.
Even if we weren't supposed to be talking to each other it didn't change the fact that I wanted to talk to him. "Nothing got a free minute wanted to call you, I know we aren't talking but I couldn't help it," he said.
"Well if you didn't I was sure I would have cracked any minute," I said.
"How are you, I swear when this is over I'm never leaving your side," he said causing me to smile again.
There was something about the way he acted that was different than when he went to America. He was more confident he cared less about all of the social norms that were in Korea.
It wasn't like he was just a man from Korea anymore he knew a bit about another culture and he was embarrassing it slightly. "Well, i'm not going to complain," I said back, my voice was soft knowing that the boys were trying their best to listen in.
"So after this whole thing is over how about we ditch the guys and go out just you and me," he said.
It would definitely help what Rya said if we left together that way nobody would think that we were mad about the turn out of the tournament. "That sounds nice, the usual place," I asked.
"Yes, I'll see you then," he said before hanging up.
"Alright, how much of that did you get," I asked walking back into the living room. The boys were acting too perfect to just be sitting there the whole time.
"All of it, if we win are you seriously going to ditch us," Jimin asked sticking out his bottom lip for extra effect.
"I'm going to go out with my boyfriend, but we will hang out later don't you worry," I said giving a large smile to the group.
V sighed "fine leave us for you boyfriend we understand," he said dramatically falling backward on the coach. We all laughed but I knew they were all okay with it. "You didn't find anything out," V said whining slightly about it.
"I'm not going to do that, we're going to beat them fair and square," I said.
The guys smiled thinking that was going to actually win this thing. "That we are," Jin said restoring the boys even further. We were going to win and even Suga wasn't going to beat us.
We had to win we needed to prove to everyone that we were still the best and it was just a fluke. "Alright well everyone stays motivated," jin said.