31. lets go out

2,500,000 Million Won transferred to Kang Soojin Account No. 58741XXXXXX525.

Total balance: 5,520,000 Won.

Kang Soojin scanned the screen for a minute. It was getting closer, the days which were numbered are finally getting closer to the finale and she could not wait for the count down. The plan she was had was solid, and execution would not be difficult if she stuck to it rather than being involved with other things.

And by other things, she meant the really charming Han Seojun. 

"You told me to not waste time, and yet you are on your mobile. How is that fair?" Han Seojun pointed the pencil towards her, whilst Soojin typed something in her cell. 

"Well, because I am not the one who will fail in the exams." She said without a single glance at him and Seojun frowned, raising his hand at her almost hitting her but retreated it when Soojin looked up at him. "Han Seojun, were you always this childish?" 

"Well, there is nothing childish in having fun." Seojun replied, hands on the table where lay their books. It was day two of their studying together and by now Seojun had solved a bunch of sums on his own, although he still needed a lot of guidance and Soojin was more than happy to accompany him. Which of course was a question of worry since Soojin was doing this by skipping her tutoring and that was odd for the boy. "Also, why are we back in this stupid study cafe?" Seojun hated the comfy cafe, mostly because the man behind the counter could not stop interacting with Soojin at intervals.

"Do you guys need anything?" 

Seojun groaned, sitting back when the same guy approached them. Soojin looked up at the guy with a smile, "Ani, gomawo Oppa." She nonchalantly replied while Seojun pressed his lips in distasted.

"OPPA?" He asked, staring at Soojin and then at the boy who stood besides her, "He has a name... whatever that is."

"HAN SEOJUN..."

"Ani, ani," The boy interjected, whilst Soojin was embarrassed by Seojun's behaviour whilst apologising to the tall guy. "He is right, Soojin-ah, we have been friends before, you can drop the honorifics with me." He smiled, Seojun noticed how he had not looked anywhere but at her. "Just call me Chi-won." 

"If you say so, Chi-won-shi," Soojin nodded, keeping her mobile on the table, looking up at the guy. "Well, we don't really need anything at the moment." 

"You heard her," Han Seojun sat back, arms folded across his chest and his messy hair falling on his forehead. "Also, we are studying, a little privacy would do us good." He grunted, only for the guy standing besides them to laugh it off. 

"Seojun..." Soojin kicked his foot from under the table, ignoring his groaning, "mian, Seojun does not have manners, AT ALL." She gritted her teeth at the annoyed Seojun, "did you want something?" She stood facing the barista, Seojun was sour the entire time but Soojin did not understand why. 

Chi-Won rubbed the back of his head with his hand, nervous whilst Seojun tilted his head, noticing the very evident signs of a boy trying to ask a girl out. He was sure that Soojin was going to reject him and that he did not want to miss. So he sat back, a smirk playing on his lips. This was the entertainment he was missing by all the studying sessions. 

"Is it okay... I mean... can we go..." Chi-Won was a tall guy, handsome features and had his hair neatly tucked. Soojin knew him as the brilliant senior and had worked with him for a science fair and ever since, they had mutual respect for the other. Although they lost contact when he graduated, it was nice for her to meet old friends again, she did not know how much time she had left after all. "I mean..."

Han Seojun scoffed, "he is worse than me..." He muttered under his breath, he had been nervous of asking out Jugyeong since forever but Chi-Won was actually stuttering here. "What a loser..."

"Yes." 

Han Seojun immediately sat back, eyes darting between the two of them who faced each other and almost pinched himself to get out of this weird nightmare. What in the world was happening? Soojin was kind, helping him in studying, smiling and happy, accepting dates with random people and not being sarcastic at all. And why did it matter to him, he does not care who she goes with and why, right?

Right?

"Alright then, I have you number, I'll text you." The boy smiled and walked away, and Soojin sat down. Seojun however was still gawking at Soojin, he did not know how Soojin agreed but he knew something was wrong. This was all beyond his understanding, he snapped to get her attention and she looked up from her book.

"What is the matter with you?" Seojun asked, leaning in with a anxious whisper. "Are you okay? Does he have anything against you? Is this some sort of advantage to you? Why are you..."

"Ya Han Seojun," Soojin tilted her head, meeting his eyes, "someone might say you are getting jealous."

That did the work, Seojun sat down rather annoyed at that false accusation. "I am not jealous, why would I be?"

Soojin shrugged, "that is exactly why your childish behavior is pissing me off right now." She always had a rough edge to her threatening voice and this one, well this one was straight up intimidating. 

"I am just concerned..." Seojun covered up his hesitation, while Soojin continued to work on the math problem. "I mean, are you not more focused on studying? I did not know you are the dating type..." Soojin stopped writing at once, eyes darting back at Seojun. "I mean..."

"Yes, I do not date, and yes, studying is important to me." She cut him off sighing, and watched his expressions softened from the upset madman he was before. "But after what happened with Lee Su..." She paused, habituated in calling him by the nickname, "Suho... I guess a little coffee would do me no harm. I want to take my mind off things that do not matter." Soojin did not know why explaining herself to Seojun was important, she honestly deserved to take a break, go out and have fun like literally everyone in her class and she would. 

"You could have..." Seojun was picky in the words he was choosing, this was a sensitive matter for the both of them. "I could..." He stopped whilst Soojin waited for him to speak. "Let's go out on a date." 

_

Kang Soojin was hungry, but her appetite was lost when her father and mother sat across from her on the dining table and all they did was speak ill about her. More so her father said stuff about her lower marks, her skipping lectures and her late remarks and her mother did nothing but eat her food in peace. How were these two people worth being called parents? How was she so fortunate to get such an insanely sweet support system.

Kimchi seemed tasteless and the soup lost its flavour that evening even when she knew it was ordered from one of the top tier restaurant. Soojin sat back on her chair, playing with the food with her spoon and not a single morsel touched her lips. She seemingly craved for ramyeon that evening, but more than that, she missed eating with Mrs. Han and Seojun, and the little comfortable setting they had back at home. 

"Terms are right around the corner," Her father said aloud, his voice made Soojin's ears bleed and his face made her want to break it. "If you do not score first this time, no medical school in Seoul would accept you. And frankly, I would not recommend you to my hospital either." He even had the nerve to scoff, as he took a bite of the rice. "Would not want a disgrace of a daughter at my workplace."

Soojin stared at the food in her plate, her hands now on her lap rubbing against the other and the will to live slowly vanishing. She wanted to yell, scream, tell them that she was not going to any medical school, and that her plans were much different than theirs but she did not, because clearly she would be digging her own grave. So she sat still, silently staring at the nothingness of her life and what she had become over the years. 

Soojin never enrolled herself in sports, even though she loved playing softball. Soojin never attended house parties, even though she wanted to have fun with her friends. Soojin never watched dramas or movies, even though they all seemed interesting to her. Soojin never inculcated hobbies of her own, even though she missed pottery and painting. 

All because they would take time off her studying and becoming a doctor.

She was not allowed to do any of the things that would even cause a slight inconvenience with her studying schedule. So no breaks, no movies, no karaoke, no hobbies, no sports and she was not permitted to like a guy or fall in love. The consequences of failing to stick to the rules would be painful, and Soojin was always the good girl who loved her parents and obeyed them. But, lately the realisation that her parents did not love her was dawning to her and hence she started breaking the rules.

Playing soft ball with friends, going to karaoke bars with Su-ah and Jugyeong, goofing around with them or watching movies, hanging out and even liking Suho, the boy she always considered a friend. She broke all the rules, and Soojin loved each moment she did. Sure, things did not turn out exactly the way she hoped it would especially with Suho, but atleast she got those butterflies girls spoke about, or those giddy feelings and blushes. 

Not regretting any of her rule-breaking moments was the exact reason why Soojin had agreed to go out for coffee with the senior boy from school. And why she agreed to scrap that plan and go with the one Seojun asked for instead.

"Let's go out on a date."

There was silence for the next one minute. Nothing but the duo staring at each other, Soojin wondering whether or not she heard what she heard and Seojun wondering whether or not she heard what he said. 

"Huh?"

"You heard me." 

"Did you just... Did I just... What?"

"Come on Kang Soojin, you said it yourself, you wanted to go out with some random weirdo to let go of the feelings you have for Suho... and I would keep worrying for your safety so why not go out together for a cup of coffee."

"Firstly, he is not a random weirdo, I know him. Second, why would you worry for my safety? I can clearly take care of myself."

Seojun chuckled, resting his arms on the table, "we both know the things you do when you get drunk on caffeine." Soojin clenched her jaw at that wink he gave her, "plus, I don't want anything to happen to you before we submit our project. Extra credits are way more important than you."

Soojin knew why he was asking her out. Of course it was for the plan, the very interesting plan he had to make her fall for him and then break her heart. She could have said no, denied the entire date and laugh it off but she did not. Rather she nodded, tilting her head and accepted the proposal he put forward with an amusing smile.

"Aaraseo, let's go out on a date." 

What Soojin did not know that nothing of this was planned, especially not the falling in love part which would soon take place.

_

a/n

reminder for people to drop your comments if you like the story. would not take a lot of time. please and thank you.