Here is the new update. How do you like the story so far?
AshuX
***
"Do you like anyone?" May asked. We are videocalling again, only the two of us. Ah Rin was having a busy day. So Mi is sleeping in my bed, so damn tired after munching on all of my snacks. Mitch said he'd join soon.
I shrugged, "Not really, why?"
"So Mi was texting about how you were getting along with Kim Joo Hyun is all," She grinned.
I wanted to kick So Mi off the bed for filling in May with all this. I don't know, Joo Hyun and I are just friends but my friends are desperate to throw me to the wolves. I'd say I'd come back leading the pack or ruling but I fear stray dogs even.
I glared at So Mi's sleeping form. How peaceful she was, sleeping like she isn't giving her friend out on adoption. Okay, I'm being dramatic but the only interesting drama after completing 'The King' was my life. I didn't know, I might end up falling for a cat like the female lead from 'Meow, the secret boy'.
My life is one cliché drama where the breakup feels easy and then the female realises that she wasn't over her lover. But I was in the process of getting over my oh so sweet lover who turned so damn cold.
"No, we are just friends."
"Chance and you were just friends too! Who knows if it works out this time too?" She pouted.
I sighed, "Why don't you girls understand that I'm not ready for a relationship yet?"
"We are just concerned, we are all in our mid twenties, if not now then when will you be dating?" She had a point but I had my reasons. My reasons were keeping me bound to the walls I've created.
I shrugged, "Besides, he doesn't see me in that way, as a lover. He is a good friend, fun to be around and I can talk to him the whole day- but I don't want to rush anything."
"I got it, I got it."
"Chance is dating again, isn't he?" I asked. I didn't have to know about him but my curiosity always gets the best out of me.
"I heard from Mitch that he is seeing Linda, that brunette from the other day. Boys are shit-"
I cut her off, "Exactly, my point."
"I can't argue with you, you stubborn bitch!" She groaned.
"Who asked you to?"
"You're impossible!"
"I get that a lot, we lived together for five damn years and you realised it now?"
She coughed, "I knew it, I just remembered it."
I was about to reply her when my mobile chimed with notifications. I grabbed it to see texts from Joo Hyun.
Joo Hyun:
You know what? Just check Dreamcatcher's songs now.
Me:
They're amazing, I have been stanning them since forever. They don't get the support they deserve, they deserve more views and all :(
Joo Hyun:
I know right!
"Who are you talking to with that big smile on your face? Joo Hyun?" I forgot that I still haven't logged off of my skype.
I rolled my eyes, "Why? So you can tease me?"
"The sole reason we exist is to torture you though!" May grinned.
"Oh shut it," I stuck my tongue out.
Mitch soon joined and I've narrated him how I found another person who stans Dreamcatcher just like us. He was excited to know who the guy was and you all can guess what May did. She teased me to the point, I logged off groaning at my best friends. It was half of the trouble because the other two idiots didn't join them.
Later that evening, Joo Hyun dropped by my house. It became common to him to come to our house, my parents adored him and Ji Hun was a fan of his music knowledge. Ah Rin and So Mi tag along and we spend the weekend nights watching dramas, sitcoms, movies and what not.
Witn Joo Hyun by my side, I didn't notice how the time flew by. It was already September. Chance's birthday was in a few days, on 18th of September. I was busy with my work too, I was getting more and more tired day by day over the amount of work I get assigned.
Joo Hyun and I were in the noodles shop near my house. We meet alone sometimes when our friends ditch us. We got closer because of the fact. I got to know more about him and he basically became family in very less time.
"I'd take the same, ajhumma (old woman)!" I said my order and she smiled at me.
Joo Hyun turned to her, "I'll have the usual too!"
My usual order was hot pot and his was chicken noodles. I turned to face him, "Now, tell me what you wanted to tell."
He said, "You have to design a room for my neighbours who are moving to the chaebols (rich people's) area."
I nodded, "I'll look into it. I am barely getting time with all the projects thrown at me."
He put his hand on mine, "Don't stress, take days off when you can."
"I know, I'll try."
"Also, you're still coming to the fair, right?"
I grinned, "Of course, I've been dying to go!"
"What a nice match you found, Ji Hee," The old woman came to us with our food.
"We are not- we are just friends!" I said, digging into my noodles.
He shook his head, "I believe in love and all but that's exactly why I'm single. Waiting for my soulmate."
"Ah? Don't try too hard, you might end up not looking at what's in front of you-"
"Ajhumma!" My face was red, I couldn't help but blush at her words. I was searching for my soulmate too but I'm not a rush. Just because we are good friends doesn't mean that we end up marrying each other. I don't believe in it anymore because of Chance.
I know that not every man is like Chance but even so, I need time. Joo Hyun wasn't someone who'd fall easily because he's an overthinker, just like me. Overthinkers like me, think about a thousand reasons not to fall for a person but we end up falling for them because we think too much.
And that scared me because lately all my thoughts are about Joo Hyun. I keep thinking about him playing the piano, how his day was and if he was skipping meals. I didn't want to name our relationship as something advanced. For now, just friends looked better. I don't want to end up crying over another ride which ended too quick.
He cleared his throat as the old woman walked away giving us looks. We came here almost every other day, I even work here as I wait for him. Him and I are a sight, we are always seen together if we are seen at all.
Ah Rin and So Mi think that Joo Hyun is the right guy for me. May thinks the same but then these three want me to run and chase. I didn't want to chase after love anymore, I want love to knock on my door. And when it does, I want it to come with a big suitcase so that I'd know that it would stay for a long time.
"Do you have anyone you like, Ji Hee?" He asked as he slurped on his noodles.
I almost choked on the soup when he suddenly asked me that out of nowhere. He handed me a glass of water and patted my head. My cheeks flushed and I didn't know what to say.
When May asked me if I like anyone, the answer came so easily. But with Joo Hyun in front of me, all my words seem to have dissolved along with the soup. I didn't know how to speak for a moment.
Finally, I came to my senses. I shook my head, "You know me, I am not really looking for anyone."
He nodded, "Ah Rin said you have someone in mind."
I swear to God, I wanted to kill my friends with chopsticks but they aren't as sharp. Reminds me of their brains. I snickered mentally over how dumb my friends can be while talking. But then, I knew Ah Rin would say something about my love life.
It wasn't a secret or personal, I just am not in the best of my minds to choose one person to stay with for the rest of my life. I didn't wanted to be cheated on or grown out of fond. I wanted to be cherished, cared and loved for who I am. And that wasn't how men viewed love as. Having a lover is a trend, just like having a SNS account.
"Ah Rin was probably talking about Kim Soo Hyun," I mumbled nervously, not looking him in the eye.
His eyes widened, "So Mi's brother?"
I shook my head violently, "His name is So Hyeon not Soo Hyun- you don't know Kim Soo Hyun, the cameo in the last episode of Hotel Del Luna-"
He cut me off as he chuckled, "Arasseo, arasseo (got it, got it)."
"Do you have someone that you like?" I asked him back.
I swear to God I saw his hold on the spoon loosen as if he's thinking about what to answer. I think it would be Ah Rin, he is always nervous around her. Boys are always nervous around the girls they like unless if they're a little confident. Joo Hyun is confident but shy, I don't understand him at times but then I'm the same.
"Can I guess?" I grinned.
He looked up to me, his sea green eyes drowing me suddenly. He had such beautiful eyes, the moment I met him I knew that my favourite colour changed from sky blue to sea green. He had such beautiful eyes, my brown eyes felt jealous of the colour.
"Go ahead, you'll never guess right." He threw a challenge.
I snorted, "Don't try me, I passed my entrance test for college by guesses!"
He burst out laughing, "You what?"
"I didn't know what to read!" I defended myself as I gulped down a big sip of water.
"You were that confident?" He was still laughing and even though I wanted to look annoyed, I had to fight back my smile.
"I was hoping that I would not get selected to be honest." I said him.
"Why not?"
"I didn't know, I was just scared that I would have to study more and become responsible. I didn't want to be, I wanted to be reckless. I wanted to skip classes and go to noraebang (karaoke), go to movies- just free and wild. College was a boundary, I had limits and I didn't want to be limited." I explained, throwing my hands in the air and moving them animatedly.
He smiled, "I guess everyone had a moment in their life where they wanted to do all those."
"Did you?" I asked.
He shook his head, "I had to practice a lot of music and I wasn't that familiar with anyone in my class. I was rather alone, my friends and I didn't have similar tastes but I miss them so much."
"Do you miss Milan?"
He shrugged, "I always wanted to go far away after getting older."
"You should've chosen northern European countries instead,"
"I did consider them, I wanted to but something dragged me here. I thought I would regret but I don't." He smiled.
I smiled wider, "Feels just as if you're home, right?"
He leaned in to ruffle my hair, "It does."
"So any lover from Milan?" I asked.
"You said you'd guess!"
"I am, is she?" I asked again.
He pretended to think but then winked at me, "You guess and tell me tomorrow."
We got up and as we walked towards my home where his car was parked, our hands brushed slightly. It was just for a moment but it felt magical. I don't know why I was having these thoughts. We were just friends, we have to stay as just friends if we don't want to break each other's hearts.
"Why can't you just tell me?" I pouted at him once I was back at my porch.
He shrugged, "No fun in that, you try guessing, I'll give you as much as time you want."
I rolled my eyes but I waved him as he got into his car. I got inside my room but my head was roaming through the people who he could be loving. I wanted to know it so badly, I was too curious. But then, I didn't want to know it on second thoughts. I kicked the air like a mad girl as I plopped down on my bed. I had to know who it was, afterall friends have the access to most secrets.