Aaa I'm starting to get a few people reading and it makes me so happy
Idk how I suddenly got sucked back into fic writing so hard but here we are
Also EVERYONE PRAY TO THE LORD OF BANGTAN AKA BANG PD FOR JINTRO IN LY:ANSWER TO BE CONFIRMED JIN IS THE ONLY ONE TO NOT HAVE DONE AN INTRO AND I NEEEEED IIIIIITTTT
Bruh I have no idea how to follow up on the last chapter but I wanna write so ima wing it lol
P.s. mad long chapter broskies. Literally like 4k words. Buckle up bc ur in for a ride
Chapter Twelve: Eventful
I was too embarrassed to share my troubles with my friends at school on Monday. It was more than embarrassing, in fact. It was mortifying. I'd had no further interaction with Oppa on Saturday, not daring to leave my bedroom, but I'd run into him Sunday morning when heading to the bathroom and it had been just dreadful. My eyes had been really red and swollen from the night before, and it was really obvious. He'd mumbled out a brief morning greeting, but I hadn't been able to force out a reply. I'd slammed myself in the bathroom with a pounding heart and stayed in there until I heard him leave through the front door.
And then I'd spent the whole of Sunday trying to distract myself with homework and exercise. I'd attempted to clear my head with a run, but wound up tripping and skinning my knee. That made me cry, not because it hurt, but because the last time I did that a certain somebody (I was trying not to think his name at the time) had cleaned me up and put a plaster on the wound. Then he'd told me off for not being careful... but watched movies with me after.
What if I'd ruined everything? It was so awkward now. There was no way we could just... go back to the way we were. Not now. We'd had an almost sibling-like relationship until this point. Siblings don't want see each other romantically! The further my brain wandered down this path, the more deflated I felt. I pressed my head into my desk.
We were in self-study again, and every so often my neighbour, Yeon-il, would glance over at me in concern. Each time, I'd straighten up, trying once more to focus on my chemistry textbook. I'd fail, of course, but at least I was managing to keep ahold of my persistence. It was one of my few redeeming qualities.
However, to counteract that, was my worst quality; overthinking. This was indeed behaving as my achilles' heel right now. The same thoughts swirled around my brain again and again, transforming the situation until, to me, it was almost life and death. I'd fallen into a vortex of anxiety, and the silence of the room was not helping.
I couldn't have been more relieved when the bell finally rang, ending class and allowing my friends to talk to me. Thankfully, I'd already made it a point to say that I didn't want to talk about what was wrong, so none of my friends bothered me about it. During lunch, I had a short period where I felt almost normal.
Classes wrapped up, and club rolled around. I was looking forward to it- I'd missed several days last week, after all. The first few minutes were overrun by various degrees of questioning, related to my days off sick and my passing out. It had all been very exciting to them, especially the first years. Coincidentally, the same first years who had gone insane over the whole "Car Door Guy" thing. They'd pestered me a great deal, and I was cursing my sickness even more, because it had caused my babysitter's volleyball club debut. They were now even more convinced that he was my boyfriend, due, for the most part, to the fact that he had apparently carried me out of the gym. There was a great deal of dramatisation on their part, of course, but regardless, it was embarrassing. Especially given the current circumstances.
Luckily, they still respected me enough that when I got strict, they quieted. Everyone wound up doing diving drills around the circumference of the gym.
When Coach whistled for us to start clearing up, I ran to fetch the broom to clean the floors. The others did various tasks, and then we all went to get changed. I showered, the day having been pretty mild but warm enough to make this rather more gentle level of exercise cause me to work up a sweat. After all, I had something to do after this.
I had hoped that I could wriggle out of the group date, but Yun-ji was not budging an inch. Rather than being understanding, like friends were supposed to, when I told her I'd been having a tough time, she just told me that I could either fill her in on the details or come with. Since I wasn't willing to do the former, she wouldn't let me out of my commitment.
I caught the train to my place full of dread, contemplating simply not turning up, but when I reached my house I started getting changed nonetheless. I couldn't do that to her. What kind of awful person would I be to stand up my best friend?
I slipped into the dress that Yun-ji had helped me pick out (which, I had to say, had been more to her taste than mine), and into some sheer tights. The black off the shoulder number was considerably more short and tight-fitting than I was used to, but I did, at least, feel somewhat confident. I may have been something of a glutton, but I exercised so much and so often that my body remained lean, toned. Underneath the fabric, my legs were muscular, my abdominals defined. It wasn't very effeminate, but it was the product of years of hard work, who knows how many hundreds or even thousands of days of sweating, muscle ache, and laboured breathing. It would be nice to be slender, and maybe even have a thigh gap like the girls in commercials, but what good would those kinds of legs do me in a volleyball match?
I straightened out the kink that my ponytail had left in my brunette hair, and applied my minimal makeup. I hardly wore it, so my eyeliner-drawing skill was next to nothing. I couldn't be bothered with it.
With that, I collected my things into my purse (which I had been goaded into purchasing), pondering why I couldn't just use my backpack. Then, I checked my phone. Yun-ji was almost here. My house was closer to the station than hers, so she and the other two girls were going to come here first, and then we were going to all walk to the station together to travel to the venue the boys were meeting us at.
I crept quietly into the hall. I knew Oppa was somewhere in the house, tomorrow was his weekday off (I'd checked the schedule) and did not feel prepared for another awkward run-in. The wound was still relatively fresh. It would probably stay that way for a while; each new awkward conversation was more salt. I wasn't feeling very optimistic.
My luck seemed to have run out by the time I reached the front door. "Ah, Ju-eun... are you going somewhere?"
Crap. I kept my hand wrapped around the door handle, not turning, contemplating just opening it and sprinting out, shoeless. I pulled in a deep breath.
Forcing a smile onto my face, I turned around. He looked awkward, and there was the pain. Salt. "Ah. Yeah. I have... a thing." Why didn't I just call it what it was? A date. Who was I fooling? "With Yun-ji. I was... going to text you."
I waved the phone in my hand in the air as if words weren't enough. Stupid. "Oh, okay... what time will you be back?"
"Umm..." I was trying to think of the answer to his question, but all I could really think about was that he wouldn't look me in the eyes. "Probably like... eleven? I don't really know."
"All right..." where was the nagging? The bossiness? The you better be home by such-and-such time, it's dangerous for girls at night? More salt scrubbed into the ache. "I'll leave the door unlocked, then."
"Okay." My phone buzzed, the caller ID telling me that my best friend was here. I could hear some muffled giggles outside. The doorbell rang. "Well, I better go."
"Have fun." He said, sounding hollow. Further away from me than I remember him ever being. I turned, but his voice stopped me. "Ju-eun?" I looked back over my shoulder, expression guarded. His eyes met mine for the briefest of seconds, then dropped again. "Never mind. Be careful."
"Will do." I stepped into my low-top vans and exited the house, stepping out into the warm summer evening air. I vaguely wondered if Oppa would rat me out to my parents. I'd said eleven without thinking, but in reality, that was past my curfew. I had to be back by nine. In all the excitement, I'd forgotten about the rules my parents held me to.
"Ju-eun?" I snapped out of my reverie at my best friend's voice. She was waving her hand in my face. I batted it away. "Good, you're with us."
"Sorry." I mumbled, following her back down the steps. She grinned at me wolfishly.
"Don't sweat it. I'm just disappointed you didn't let us in." Her tone was teasing. "The other girls were hoping to meet the illustrious Car Door Guy."
I winced at the nickname that even my friends from another school had adopted to pick on me about it. "Yeah..."
The grin dropped. Suddenly serious, she stared at me. "What's wrong?"
I shook my head. "Let's just go. I'd rather not talk about it."
She stared at me a little longer, then sighed. "Alright. You better be prepared for some major cheering up, though."
I managed a half smile. I somehow wound up with a great best friend.
"Okay!" My fellow volleyball captain announced as we began walking, "Introductions are in order!" I rose my eyebrows, bemused. The other two girls grinned, evidently used to her antics. They were girls I vaguely recognised from Yun-ji's team lineup. One of them had an impressive serve. I believed she was their pinch-hitter, if my memory served. "Ju-eun, this is Sunmi," Sunmi was blonde, hair down to her waist, in denim shorts and a printed blouse, "and Mina." Mina, the pinch-hitter, had smooth black hair that almost touched her shoulders and wore a lot of leather. Her skirt was red and the crop top black, with a jacket slung over it. She'd perfected the art of the cat-eye. "Guys, you probably recognise Ju-eun."
"Of course," Mina said coolly. She seemed like the more laid back type. That was, until she finished her sentence. "I'd recognise those thighs anywhere."
At my dumbfounded expression, she burst into peals of laughter. "Sorry. That was a weird thing to say. But I always think it whenever we play you. How long have you been doing volleyball? Must have been a while, for muscles like that."
I laughed. This was my territory. "Since elementary school. I do a lot of running and other muscle building exercise, too."
"It's the only thing she's good at." Yun-ji said, and I hit her, grinning.
"My grades are above average, thank you!" My best friend giggled.
"I wish I could say the same." Sunmi cut in miserably. "I'm so close to flunking Math..."
"Math is pretty awful." I agreed, "I always get my friend Hyunseo to help me. Really, with all the time he spends explaining things, he should start charging me tuition."
They laughed at that. I was glad that these girls seemed like people I could get along with.
The venue we were headed to was a karaoke bar, the kind with booths you could rent for a few hours. So, basically, this group date was pretty much a shoujo manga stereotype. I might as well have begun referring to it as a Goukon.
I could see a small group waiting by a lamp post outside the establishment (It was painted red, with a neon sign reading "Sopebox") as we approached, but I couldn't be sure it was them. We were a little early.
But then, I was greeted by the face of Jimin, turning to look at us, and I knew they were our companions. I nudged Yun-ji with my elbow, and hissed at her, "I hope this isn't you trying to set me up with Jimin.". We were far enough away from them that we were out of earshot, but I could still see his pearly white grin, "First Taehyung, now this? You're obsessed with setting me up I swear."
"It's not!" She exclaimed back, "He's earmarked for someone else, don't worry. You can just... go with whoever. Chill."
I sighed, relieved. Jimin was my friend. I didn't need more awkwardness in my life than I already had.
The three other guys in the group were unfamiliar to me. When we finally reached them, Jimin greeted us cheerily, grabbing me in a hug. I wondered briefly why he didn't ever extend this courtesy to Yun-ji when we hung out... then saw the evil eyes she was giving him as he approached. Gotcha. Warning signals. Yun wasn't the most touchy-feely of people. She hugged me, but that was only because I'd more or less desensitised her to it over the years.
"Wahh, you girls clean up nice!" Jimin complimented, flirtatious as usual. He wiggled his eyebrows at me. "Who knew you actually had a butt, Ju-eun?"
For that, I punched him. "Are you gonna introduce us?"
Rubbing his now dead arm, he shrugged. "Wouldn't it be easier if we go inside first? Then we can all introduce ourselves."
So that's what we did. By the time we got through introductions, I could already tell I wasn't made for this kind of thing. Predominantly because I had already forgotten all of their names.
"So, you go to a different school, Ju-eun-ssi?" Nameless guy #1 asked. He was sat across the table from me. His hair was carefully styled into a middle parting. He had way too much forehead. I couldn't help comparing him to Jimin, who's hair was styled the same way. I winced, feeling bad. I wasn't normally this critical.
"Ah, yeah. Seoul West." I said, feeling like I was being short but not really sure what else I could say.
"You play volleyball too, right? Seems to be a theme with you girls." He said. At least he knew how to keep a conversation going. And the forehead wasn't really that bad. It was hard for any average guy to look attractive next to someone like Jimin. Heck, it was hard for girls, too. Jimin had been confessed to by boys, before. There was just something inherently alluring about him.
"Yeah, I'm the Captain, just like Yun-ji." I smiled. "We were on the same team in middle school."
"Yup!" Yun-ji, who was sat to my left, leaned briefly against my side, joining in. "Course if we were still on the same team, you'd be vice captain, not captain."
I grinned, challenging, "In your dreams! Pretty sure we beat you in the last match!"
She rolled her eyes, leaning backward, "That was a practice match, we took it easy on you."
"Sore loser as always." I mocked. She hit me.
"You guys really are competitive. Jimin was right." Nameless guy #2, who sat opposite Yun-ji and thus adjacent to me, laughed. I giggled.
"Well, y'know. Healthy dose of rivalry and all that. Keeps us on edge."
"Speak for yourself." Yun-ji teased, "We'd still be the best, even if you weren't around."
I just laughed at that, and took a sip of my soda.
Conversation flowed easily, the booth developing a relaxed atmosphere. As people got up to go to the bathroom or get more drinks, seating positions got switched around. I wound up sat next to Nameless guy #1, engrossed in conversation, while Yun-ji and Mina sang a duet, Jimin and #2 operating as their cheer squad. #3 had made himself comfortable next to Sunmi, while she looked anything but. Jimin promptly plonked himself on her other side, still cheering. It seemed I didn't need to concern myself.
"Ah, well, I'm planning on attending Sungkyun U, but it all depends on my grades." I said to #1, discussing what we had planned after graduation. "I can make it if I work for it, but... well, easier said than done. What about you?"
"Wow, Sungkyun U as well!" He said, brightly. "What a weird coincidence! I'm planning on doing law, and the program there is good, apparently."
"Oh, really? That is a weird coincidence." I said, laughing slightly. "I'm hoping to get into biomedicine. Both are pretty high intensity, huh?"
I could feel my throat getting dry from all the talking and singing, so I fumbled in my pocket for my wallet. "Sorry, one sec, I'm just gonna go get another drink.."
He stopped me, standing up. "Don't worry, I'll get it. Orange soda again?"
I smiled, a bit taken aback. "Ah, yeah. Thank you."
He gave me a warm smile and headed out, the booth door closing behind him. Yun-ji gave me a dramatic thumbs up in time with her verse of the song. I rolled my eyes.
It was beginning to get late, so after a while longer we decided to call it a night. We split the tab, it working out more expensive than planned because of the extra hours, but still not too bad divided among eight people. Three of the four boys were on the same train as us girls, including #1, who I had been talking to all night. I was kind of glad. He'd been good company, I wanted to talk more.
It was late, so Yun-ji got off at her own stop with the other two girls, who were spending the night at her place. Jimin's stop was the same. #3's stop was way after mine, and #1's the same. We walked together, talking easily. The atmosphere was much more relaxed than in the Karaoke booth. I felt rather light.
"It's dangerous for a girl alone at night." He had insisted, earnest, when I told him I could make it back alone. The familiar line had struck warmth in my chest, so I agreed. I remembered his name, then. Jongin.
That is, until I began to feel odd. My stomach twisted. I'd definitely drank way too much soda, because it was coming back to bite me now. I felt sick. Dizzy.
Jongin steadied me with strong hands. "Whoa. Are you okay?"
I breathed in cool air rapidly. "Y... yeah. Just feel a little... sick." Please, please, don't throw up on this guy who has been so nice to you. "I'll be okay." Suddenly wanting to be alone- in case I was sick- I said, "Look, I can make it back from here. You can go, I've troubled you enough. Your parents must be worried."
"It's fine, Ju-eun-ssi. How can I leave you like this?" He was still holding me up. Cold washed over my skin. "Didn't you say your parents aren't home? What if you pass out?"
"It'll... be fine." I mumbled, woozy. He hooked my arm around his neck.
"Come on. Let's get you home." I could see my front door from here.
"Honestly, it's fine..." I said. "I'm okay."
Or not. I thought, as another wave of nausea washed over me.
"Please, I'd... I'd rather go by myself." I tried to pull away, feeling kind of weak but terrified I was really going to vomit. Suddenly, I felt pressure around my wrist. His grip had tightened. "What..."
"Oh Ju-eun. Stop arguing. I'm taking you home, and getting you inside, safe." All warmth and softness had vanished from his tone.
"What?" I blinked, blearily. "Get off of me."
His fingers were digging into my waist. I began to pull away harder, but my strength wasn't with me. My heart began to pound with adrenaline. He looked at me in annoyance. "I'm trying to help you. Why are you being like this?"
"Get off me!" I raised my voice, panicking now. He wouldn't let go. Fear crept into my body, along with darkness in the corners of my vision. Don't pass out now. "Let go!"
"Why are you suddenly being so crazy?" He asked, calm. "I'm a good guy, trying to do you a favour."
I tried to force my voice to be strong, and calm, but terror was seizing control of me. "I want you to let go." My voice betrayed me, trembling slightly. I managed to withdraw my arm from around his neck, but his hand only came down to grasp my waist. He held me there. "Let go of me and leave."
"You're being really stupid, you know?" My breathing was quickening in my panic as I tried to move away, toward my house, toward the place where Oppa was waiting. Even if things were bad, even if I'd ruined our friendship, he'd still help me. He had to. I couldn't get away on my own. "You're lucky it's me with you, and not some creepy, predator guy."
"You're delusional." I cried, weakly, tears beginning to well up in my eyes.
Abruptly, his hands left my waist. My brain tried to slowly figure out what I should do now. "What are you staring at? Move along."
Next thing I knew, Jongin was only the floor. He groaned in pain, blood trickling from a split lip. The fist that had delivered the damage retracted, knuckle shining with blood too- it had probably hit his teeth. It's funny the things that stand out when your mind is in a haze. I knew that hand. Immediately, I felt safe.
The door to my house slammed behind us, and Oppa refused to look at me, striding to the kitchen instead. He tossed words carelessly behind him, short. "Go clean yourself up, you're freezing."
I remained in the entryway, still enveloped in what had just happened. There was blood on the floor. My mind was still trying to catch up.
Next thing I knew, tears were pouring down my face.
My breath caught in my throat, causing loud sobs, despite my efforts to stop them. I couldn't seem to control my body. Everything seemed distant, and yet, so real. So awful.
Seokjin came running. His stern, angered face transformed, and he stared at me, stunned. "Ju-eun...!" Gritting his teeth, he crossed the room, and pulled me into a hug.
And I just cried. He seemed to be in pain, too. "Ju-eun, why on Earth- how could you let a strange guy walk you home? What happened to Yun-ji and the others?!" He sounded distraught, anxiously running the fingers of one hand through my hair as the other held my shoulders securely. I couldn't answer, my throat too thick with the terrified sobs that had consumed me. "All the times- all the things I've said to you! And it's so late!" He gave a grunt of frustration, then sighed. His chin came to rest atop my head. "I shouldn't be scolding you. Just... I was so worried..."
I just kept crying. I felt it now more than ever. What good was me going on a date? What good was me getting my hopes up over a guy, just because he said something relatively similar to how this man here talks to me? Between sobs, I managed to squeeze out some words. "Oppa, I like you..."
He froze, momentarily, then sighed again, rubbing my cold arms. His hands were warm. "Ya, Ju-eun... what am I going to do with you..?"
- - -
HOO BOY
THIS TOOK A TURN
This wasn't even where I was intending to go with this chapter. I swear, I get too into it and then write the most dramatic ass shit
Lowkey I'm fuckin jealous of the love story I'm writing holy heck I need me a Shoujo-style man like fake Seokjin over here gadamn
Also. Might be a little late for warnings but. If you don't like bad language, probably best to skip the author notes. Bc while I'm trying my best to keep the actual story PG-13, the A/Ns are free game. So yah. You gotta deal w my vulgar mouth lmao.
Gosh tho I'M SO LONELY WHY DID I WRITE THIS I SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON MY OWN LOVELIFE