Chapter Three

“I’m heading out now. Would you like anything?” Hee Soo called from the living room.

“No, thanks,” Eun Young replied as she looked at the creative writing notebook that she hadn’t written a word in, in the last thirty minutes.

They’d been given one week to write 1000 words on an interesting day they’d spent in their lives. So why was it that as she tried to think of fun incidents, her mind kept drifting back to the sailing ride she’d had a few hours earlier?

She cupped her face in anguish. “Okay, this doesn’t make sense,” she said aloud to herself.

“It just doesn’t make sense. It wasn’t that interesting. It wasn’t that fun, was it? I’ve had a lot more fun experiences!" Which was true. Like when her ex-boyfriend had gone out of his way to contact all her close friends from middle school and surprise her on her birthday. That was both fun and exciting. Even though she didn’t like most of those people anymore. But it was still fun. Or when she’d gone camping with Hee Soo and some friends and woken up next to a snake. Fine, that wasn't fun but it sure was interesting. So how come with all these other things that she could write about, her brain wanted to focus on this damn sailing thing?

She groaned. "Gosh," she said as her mind drifting to him. What an annoying guy. Why was he always there- bugging her and making her laugh? As she pictured his image in her mind, she couldn't help but think that if she wanted to be honest with herself, he really wasn't that bad-looking. Even with those glasses. And that little dimple at the side of his mouth. And she wouldn't even talk about what he looked like when he smiled. Lee Jin Soo's smile...

She shook herself vigorously to get out of the zone her mind her taken her. “Pretty smile or not, he still sucks,” she reminded herself as she picked up her pen, prepared to write about something that didn’t have the word “sail” in it.

“So what can I write, what can I write?” Maybe she’ll write about how she got hit by a motorcycle on her father's birthday. That was fun and interesting, wasn't it?



***

“Hello,” she said the moment he sat down. It was one of the rare times she got to class before him. How odd was it that when she saw him walk into the room she’d begun to practice saying that one word to him? How many ways could one say 'Hello' anyway?

“Hi.”

She gritted her teeth. After all that practice, that was all she got back? “I see you got home safely.”

“Did you expect me to get into an accident?”

She frowned. “This is what I get for trying to be nice.”

Seeing her reaction, he suddenly felt a little sheepish. It’s not like he wanted to talk back but it seemed to be the most natural way to communicate with her. “Sorry.”

“Whatever.”

They sat in awkward silence till the former owner of Jin Soo’s seat waved at him as she walked by.

Eun Young scrunched her nose. This again? “Jeez. Can she please make it a little more obvious that she likes you?”

Jin Soo was amused by her reaction because it matched his. “What? She can’t like me?”

“You steal her seat then she falls in love with you? This makes no sense.”

Jin Soo narrowed his eyes as a sudden thought crossed his mind. “Didn’t the same thing happen to you?”

“WHAT!” she said, her eyes growing to twice their size.

“Don’t look so shocked. Am I lying?”

“What da hell?” She gave him a questioning look then gave him the once over. “Did you eat something strange today?”

He wanted to continue with this line of discussion but he couldn’t help but burst out laughing - it was all so silly. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m channeling my sunbae, Han Ji Won. He’s completely out of touch with reality and thinks every guy wants to be his best friend and every girl wants to date him. I just wanted to know what it felt like to live in his world. So don’t panic.” He continued to laugh.

Eun Young sighed in relief. She was glad it was only a joke otherwise, she’d have begun to wonder if her actions had some how betrayed some of the thoughts she’d had about him. She gave him a lopsided smile of feigned contempt. “It does make sense that you’d have friends like that.”

Jin Soo shrugged. “You probably know him since all you rich people like to hang out together. He’s the son of Han Industries.”

“Han Industries?” The company was pretty well known. “I think our fathers know each other.”

“See?”

Having no response to that, Eun Young turned to her book and they fell into another awkward moment.

It was one of those silent moments that seemed to get louder with every ticking second. After they parted the previous day, Jin Soo had spent his walk back to campus wondering the real reason he’d gone out of his way to bug her when he’d seen her in line. She was pretty and funny and most probably had a boyfriend, all of which shouldn’t make a difference at all since Jin Soo had decided he wasn’t going to be interested in women for a while. Because in the last few years, all relationships had brought him was unnecessary drama. He’d always treasured a simple, peaceful life but for some reason, he only seemed to attract psychos. He looked her over, from her dark blue jeans to her light purple top and wondered if she was crazy too. He nodded to himself. Yes, she was definitely crazy but in a good way, he thought, chuckling to himself. She wouldn't call his mom up and tell her he'd given her gonorrhea all because he'd stopped taking her calls, would she? His eyes traveled from her shoulder to her face which was when he noticed a foreign look on her face – she was also clearly uncomfortable with the silence.

He had to say something. He looked at his watch. “When is the professor getting here? He’s late today.” He waited for her response but when he got none, reached into his bag and brought out the reason he’d gotten to class a little later than he usually did. “This is for you,” he said, placing the drink in front of her book.

She picked up the can then looked at him. “What’s this for?”

Suddenly feeling shy, Jin Soo looked away. “Just before class, I was getting one for myself and thought I would get one for you too.” And it was kind of true. He’d bought himself one and just as he was about to walk into the classroom, somehow felt it would be ungentlemanly of him to drink in front of her without offering her one too. It was weird and stupid but it seemed to make sense at the time. “Is that okay?”

She nodded. She held onto the can and rolled it in her hand. It was Coca-Cola. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. Perhaps it wasn’t the best time to tell him that she preferred Pepsi? “It’s fine. It’s just a little unexpected.” And Annoying Guy acting all nice was weird. She put the can right where he’d left it.

“It’s a little strange, isn’t it?” he said, smiling uncertainly.

Eun Young nodded and replied, her expression matching his, “A little.”

“So maybe I should take it back?” he said, reaching for it.

But Eun Young also reached for it at the same time so their hands crashed together, knocking the can off the table.

Without skipping a beat, Eun Young quickly took her hand away then reached down and picked it up, all the while thinking that he’d really gone and made things even more awkward. Where the hell was the professor? Sitting back up, she held the can up to him and said, “Well, thank you for this.”

“No problem.”

Awkward. Awkward. So Awkward. What could she do to change the mood? A thought popped into her head as an impish look overtook her face. “You’re not trying to hit on me, are you?”

“WHAT?”

“I’m just wondering. You steal from me and now you give me things. There must be a reason behind this.”

Why would he hit on someone with a boyfriend? “I got you a drink and now you think I’m about to propose to you? You’re reading too much into it. Okay, give it back to me,” he said, reaching for the can.

She held it to him and laughed. “You can take it back if you want.” She waited for him to take it but he took his hand back and turned away. “See? How will you take it back when you want me to have something you gave me? You really want me to have something you bought, don’t you?”

“You’re delusional.”

“You wish.”

She laughed, hoping it sounded real. “You’ve fallen for me.”

His eyes narrowed as a thought came to him. “Are you Han Ji Won?”

She laughed again, but this time for real. So he finally got it! Before she could reply, the professor rushed into class, yelling a bunch of apologies.


***


“So what are you going to do now?” Jin Soo asked as they walked out of the classroom together.

“Why do you want to know?” She stopped in her tracks. “You’re not trying to follow me, are you?”

Jin Soo rolled his eyes and kept on walking. “How can a person follow someone from the front?”

“I’m sure you’ll find a way.”

Jin Soo slowed his walking pace a little so that she could catch up with him. They walked out of the classroom and began to walk on the corridor. “I’m going to the computer lab. You?”

“Same.”

“Now who’s following who?”

She laughed. “It’s still you following me. Uhm… by the way, I was waiting for my friend.”

“Huh?”

“Yesterday. I was waiting for my friend. My roommate. A girl.”

Jin Soo chuckled despite himself. Then he quickly tried his best to make sure his face didn’t reveal the relief he suddenly felt. So she didn’t have a boyfriend? “Did I ask you anything about that?”

“Given your personality, I’m sure you hadn’t let it go.”

“I’d already forgotten about it. Why would I care?”

Eun Young chuckled as they turned the corner. “Says the guy who was so desperate to know yesterday,” she said in a sing-song voice.

“Whatever. I was just curious. It’s part of being a doctor.”

“Rubbish,” she said, chuckling. They kept walking together and after waving and saying hi to one of her old classmates, Eun Young asked, “What are you even going to do in the computer lab?”

“Check my email – one of my professors is sending out some notes today. You?”

“Same here.”

“Stop copying me! By the way, how are you doing on this week’s assignment?” He’d noticed was that she was finding the class a little difficult.

“Not well. Even though it’s a freshman class, one thing I’ve realized is that this writing crap is not for me.”

“Want to study together?” he blurted out before he could stop himself. He looked at Eun Young’s face with slight trepidation and registered her slightly surprised facial response to his question. But before he could hear her vocal response, he heard a loud voice yell, “Rascal.”

He groaned. He didn’t even have to look up to know who it was, but when he did, he found Ji Won a few feet away waving wildly at him. Of all times for him to show up.

“Lee Jin Soo, come here! Come here now, you rascal!”

Eun Young looked at the guy then back at Jin Soo who was clearly embarrassed as his friend had suddenly become a person of interest with a bunch of people openly staring at him.

“Why is he yelling like that? Plus,” Eun Young began, not bothering to stifle her laughter. “What’s that dance he’s doing? Or is that even a dance? Why is he acting like that? Is he on drugs?”

“I told you he was crazy,” he said in a small voice.

“You told me…? Oh,” she said as it finally dawned on her. “The Han Industries guy?”

“The one and only. I’d better go and talk to him. He won’t quit till I do. Catch you later.


***

“So who’s that girl you were with?” Ji Won said when Jin Soo got within earshot.

“Nobody.”

“Nobody? That is definitely somebody. Tall, slim, curvy and pretty.” How could this silly guy call her nobody? Now that girl was definitely his type. “She’s so hot!”

“You think everyone is hot.”

“No, she is definitely hot. And did you see the way she looked at me? I think she likes me.”

Jin Soo groaned. Not this again. “You must introduce me,” he mouthed at the same moment Ji Won said those words.

“Forget it. I’m not introducing you.” Jin Soo looked at Ji Won and sneered at him. He generally ignored his requests for an introduction but this time, the fact that Ji Won had the gall to ask him really annoyed him.

“Why? Why? Is it my fault that you’re practically gay and don’t notice all the pretty women around you? So why can’t you just let me show them a good time? Especially when she’s clearly interested. Did you see how she smiled when she saw me? It was like she’d finally found her prince. At least do it for her.”

Jin Soo hissed at him and began to walk away.

But Ji Won followed him. “What’s her name? Where is she from? Where does she live? Do you have her number?”

As Ji Won kept rattling out his numerous questions about Eun Young, Jin Soo looked at him and made a decision. “If you’re not too busy, why don’t you come with me to the coffee shop?”


***

Eun Young sat in the computer room, trying to do some homework. Her plan had been to print out the notes then head over to the drugstore and buy a few things before her next class began. But instead of leaving the lab the minute after printing out the notes, she’d found an excuse to stay sitting. First it was catching up on the news on Yahoo!. Then it was connecting with her relatives on ICQ. When she got tired of that, she decided that she might as well try to get some homework done. And the whole time, all she could think about was that he’d suggested they study together. And before she could leave the computer lab, she had to know what that meant. Did that mean he wanted to study right now? Or in the future? Or always? Would he ask for her number or not? She’d sat there for thirty minutes, hoping to get that answer and within that time, had looked at the door every time she’d heard it open. And each time, it had been someone else. So sat there as more minutes passed by, hoping that he’d show up and that they could finish their conversation. And when it was time for her next class and she shut the computer room door behind her, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed.


***


Hee Soo and Eun Young were sitting on the carpet eating popcorn and watching a movie. It had been over a day since she’d seen Jin Soo and Eun Young thought that maybe it would make sense to talk to her friend about it. She took a deep breath in and said, “So, Annoying Guy….”

“Yeah?” Hee Soo said, tearing her eyes from the television screen and looking at her.

Eun Young looked away shyly. “Don’t laugh but….”

“You like him?” Hee Soo yelled before bursting out laughing and clapping. “I knew it! I’ve never heard you talk about any guy this much! Not even when you were dating Goo Jae Hee and you were with him for almost a year.”

Eun Young frowned. This girl sure loved to exaggerate. “Come on, give me a break. It’s not like that. I just have some thoughts… and think that he might not be so annoying after all.”

Hee Soo shook her head and tapped her finger on her lips with an exaggerated serious look. “Not so annoying after all, huh? So no more Annoying Guy? What should his new name be? Sexy-mofo-I-want-to-screw?” She laughed at her own joke.

Eun Young rolled her eyes. Her friend sure knew how to be irritating at the wrong times. “He’s still annoying but maybe not in such a bad way.” She laughed. Okay, that didn’t make any sense at all. “Whatever. He’s kinda fun.” She shrugged. “I’m just saying that I might give him a chance.”

“Give him a chance? Is he interested?”

“Possibly. I kind of get that vibe. He did ask to study together. That must mean something, don’t you think?” And why did she suddenly feel like an 8th grader?

Hee Soo’s expression suddenly changed. “Of course he would like you, given your luck,” she said a bit more spitefully than she would have liked. It wasn’t that she resented her friend but sometimes it was just a bit too much.

“Gosh, not this again,” Eun Young whispered before sighing in surrender. Why did this always have to come up?

“I’m sorry but I can’t help it. Kill me because I’m jealous, alright? Seems like every guy you like likes you back. And even the hot ones you don’t like still like you. For me, the guys I like never like me. And only ugly guys I don’t like like me. I’m going to die alone!" She hit the carpet in anger. "I wish I had your luck!”

Eun Young watched her and finally understood. “Things are really not going well with Cute Guy?” she asked softly.

She shook her head. “Remember how I told you about the awkward conversation we had?”

“Yes.”

“Well, he showed up at the coffee shop yesterday with a friend and unless I’m imagining things, I think he was trying to hook us up.”

Eun Young giggled at the absurdness of the situation.

“Why are you laughing? It’s not funny.”

“I’m laughing because it doesn’t make sense. Why would he try to set you up with some guy when he doesn’t even know you?” she asked dismissively. “Does that even make sense?”

“I don’t know,” Hee Soo said, looking down dejectedly. “It just felt that way.”

“You must have misunderstood the situation. Besides, the fact he was introducing you to someone sounds like a good thing to me.”

“How?” Hee Soo asked skeptically.

“Maybe he wanted to get that guy’s opinion of you. You know what? Enough of this! We are two sexy, grown women who shouldn’t be spending their evenings wondering if this or that guy likes them or whatever. If we want something, we should go after it,” she said, raising her fist up. When Hee Soo didn't follow her lead and imitate the gesture, she put her hand back down and said, “You know your birthday brunch on Saturday?”

“Yes?”

“You must invite him. And I’ll also invite Annoying Guy.”

“For real?” Hee Soo said, her mood suddenly brightening. This might work. Then her face colored again. “What if he says no?”

“Don’t let him. You can’t accept no for an answer. Make him come here and I’ll make Annoying Guy come here too. And we'd charm their pants off." She chuckled at the idea of charming Jin Soo. Was that even possible? But maybe she could at least help Hee Soo with her cute guy. She looked at her friend. "Deal?” she said, stretching her hand out.

Hee Soo shook it. “Deal.”