12th➳

"Why are we here again?" I asked Joshua as we entered a bakery near the convenient store.

 We took the day off, which meant Sunggyu had to manage everything in the store by himself. I pity the guy. Keeping his eyes open were already a problem itself.

"We're here to buy you a cake for passing your English exam," Joshua replied, examining cakes in their cases. "You know, as a congratulatory gift."

"You know, it crossed my mind that you keep showing your money off to me," I said, looking around the bakery. "You really shouldn't do this, Jisoo."

"Welcome!" a bright girl greeted with a gummy smile which reminded me of jelly beans. She was short, though. Very short. She looked approximately 150cm or more. "Is there anything you're specifically looking for?"

On her uniform, she wore a pin with the name Cheon Sarang. I gave her a smile in return, "Well..."

"Are there any good cakes? We'd like to see them," Joshua said, giving her a smile.

"Nae, sunim. Right this way." Sarang lead the way.

Joshua held me back a little and whispered, "I'm sorry if I offend you with my money. I just... want you to have the best."

Joshua walked ahead, giving me space to think. Those were the words you'd usually hear from parents. But I was hearing this from Joshua. Unable to fully respond, I just walked over to where they displayed the cakes.

"...this one's good too. It's perfect for any celebration," Sarang was saying.

"Nae. I'll take one," Joshua said, taking his wallet out. Okay, he was serious about the cake.

"Oh, Jisoo-ah? What are you doing here?" There was a sudden voice coming from behind the both of us.

When we turned around, it was as if I encountered a nasty plagueㅡHong Jiae was here in the bakery. 

"Oh? Noona?" Joshua sounded surprised when he saw her waltz into the store. He gave her an easy smile and asked, "What are you doing here?" 

"I was just going to buy some cake for my friend's birthday party today," Jiae told him, then noticed me. My whole body started panicking and I was just frozen in place. "Have we met? You look so familiar."

Clearing my throat, I laughed a dry laugh and said, "I'm Jung Eunji. I was Joshua's date to that party."

"Ah, so it's you! Nice to finally see your face. You're very beautiful," she complimented, giving me a handshake.

With a nervous smile on and a charade I'll be playing to stay safe, I bowed at her. "Nae, kamsahabnida. You're pretty, too."

Jiae laughed as she brought up an embarrassed hand up to her face. "Oh, aniyo! I'm just okay." She looked at her watch then let out a gasp. "Omo! I'm going to be late. Great meeting you today, though, Eunji-sshi. Annyeong, Jisoo-ah!"

"Annyeong, noona!" Joshua greeted, waving at her happily like a little kid. He turned his attention back to me and asked, "Do you want the chocolate one? Sarang here says it's very yummy."

I glanced at Sarang who was giving me a thumbs up and a huge smile. She was adorable and looked like she was fourteen but she's actually sixteen. "Call. I love chocolate!"

After we purchased the cake, Joshua took me to Hangang Park, where people were talking walks together. From dramas, you would see that whenever a lonely person talks a walk outside, they'll come across a lot of couples. But when a couple walks around together, there aren't a lot of people. Maybe it's the just way they the scenery because it's a drama.

"Aren't you cold?" Joshua asked me as he fed himself a piece of cake.

I took a big piece and stuffed it inside my mouth, surprised it was even able to fit. Turning to him while covering my hand, I shook my head. "Aniyo. The weather is nice today although it's still cold. Though the weather now is the refreshing type of cold."

"Jinjja? But still... Ah, chakaman." Joshua brushed his hands together and stood up from the bench we sat on and removed his coat. Before I could protest, he had already put it over me. "There, now you're warmer!"

"But, Jisoo, that just makes you feel colder," I protested. I tried to remove the coat off me when a hand reached out and stopped me. I traced the hand and found Joshua's sincere face staring at me. "Jisoo..."

"A man shouldn't let a woman freeze," he said.

"But you're the one freezing. You know how cold I'll feel if you're cold? This won't do. I'm taking this off." I was about to remove the coat once again but Joshua was firm about me wearing it.

He gave me a smile and immediately, I felt like he hacked into my mind and changed my intentions. "Guys sometimes have to suffer a little for girls because they're not as strong as they look."

"Guys too," I said, frowning at him.

"If you really want me to get warned up, how about a hug?" he offered, his eyes twinkling and it looked adorable.

I laughed at him. "What are you, Olaf? Come on. Let's go somewhere warmer then."

"Oh? Nari-ah?"

As I was about to stand up, a voice then called my name. Then a familiar figure walked to where Joshua and I were sitting and a smile immediately stretched across my face. "Jiyongie!"

Jiyeon ran towards me and gave me a bear hug. "Nari-ah! What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with my friend." I stepped aside, revealing Joshua. "His name is Joshua. But you can also call him Jisoo."

"Omo, omo," Jiyeon muttered next to me. When I turned to see what's up, her cheeks immediately reacted before she couldㅡthey were turning red. I looked as if Jiyeon got possessed.

Joshua smiled his signature sweet smile and bowed. "Annyeonghaseyo, nan Hong Jisoo ibnida."

"Daebak," Jiyeon muttered again before shaking his hand. She was just staring at him with no words I'm surprised Joshua wasn't weirded out by it.

Clearing my throat, I pulled Jiyeon away for a second, excusing the both of us from Joshua. Once we were far from earshot, I asked Jiyeon, "Yah, neo gwaenchana? You look so weird just staring at him like that."

"Y-y-yah! You said he's your friend? Are you sure? He's not your boyfriend?" she asked me almost frantically. She even grabbed onto my shoulders it gave me a heart attack.

"Aniyo, he's just a friend. Waeyo?" I still didn't get what was going on.

"I... I think I've fallen for him, Nari-ah. Oddeokhae? Is it possible to just fall in love with someone after just seeing their smile?" Jiyeon was panicking now it made me even more confused.

"Yah, wae geurae? Did you really just fall in love with someone at first sight?" I wonder how that even works.

Jiyeon turned back to me. "Yah, Nari-ah, can you introduce me to him? Huh? I'm begging you! I really want to get to know him."

"I don't really understand how you fall in love but okay," I said, shrugging. Jiyeon's eyes sparkled up as she dragged me back to Joshua. "Err, Joshua. So, this is my friend, Oh Jiyeon."

"Yeah, hi," Joshua greeted with another smile. Before Jiyeon could say something, Joshua turned to me and asked, "Want to go now, Nari?"

I was speechless. Wasn't love supposed to work like two people talking and bam! They're in love? I must not know love enough to understand and see the signs. My only hope is dramas on TV but I find myself watching Disney movies instead of dramas.

Jiyeon glanced at me with the same shocked expression as mine. "N... N... Nari-ah! C... c... can I talk to you before you go?"

Joshua threw a hand into the pockets of his school's pants uniform. "I'll wait for you by the bridge over there, Nari. It was nice meeting you, Jiyeon."

Once Joshua left for the bridge a little farther up from where we were enjoying our chocolate cake, Jiyeon looked at me with a surprised face. "Am I over thinking things?"

"Wrong person to ask here," I chimed in, letting out a giddy grin because I saw a kid holding a balloon pass by. I love those type of balloons filled with helium because they could fly!

"I've fallen for him but why do I have a feeling he likes you?" she asked, her eyes moving up from the floor to look into mine.

"Nah, it's just that we're close. He's a gentleman who takes care of everyone. Once you're close with him, I bet he'll start treating you differently," I encouraged her, giving her a light pat on the back.

"Are you sure?" Jiyeon asked for confirmation.

I gave her an exaggerated nod. "Geureom! I may not understand love like everyone do. Well, everyone has an idea but I'm below those who don't understand love. I'm the underling. But I know that every boy who meets Jiyeon will fall in love with her jjak! (Instantly)"

Jiyeon blushed out of embarrassment. "Oh, Nari-ah! You're too honest, just like a kid! My dear chingu, I love you!"

I gave her a funny smile and tugged the coat closer, only to realize I was still wearing Joshua's coat. "Oh, I forgot this was still on me."

"Why are you talking about your coat that way?" Jiyeon laughed. "You are one funny girl, Nari."

I forced a laugh but it sounded nothing but awkward. "Well, I wouldn't talk to my coat like that. Or maybe I would. But the point is, it isn't my coat. It belongs to Joshua. He put it over me despite my protest."

"Still suspicious," Jiyeon whispered to me. "Are you sure he doesn't like you?" 

"He hasn't met you fully yet," I reasoned out. "Come on, chingu! Don't be disheartened because a guy is acting differently towards a girl. You'll never know why until you use words to solve the mystery."

"Woah, Nari. That's the first time I've heard you speak like that," Jiyeon said, staring at me with bewilderment. She must be perplexed.

I laughed nervously and said, "Yeah... Anyway, I have to go. I'll try to text you, arasso? Annyeong!"

After saying goodbye to Jiyeon, I ran to the bridge, where Joshua was waiting, probably for a long time. I bowed my head in apology for making him wait so long in the cold but Joshua just smiled and said, "It's okay, Nari. You wanted to talk with a friend you haven't met in a long time. It's understandable."

"Well, a gentleman will always be a gentleman, huh?" I asked as we began walking.

"It's a benevolent act, Nari. I'll always try to be the best guy everyone has met," he reasoned out. Turning his head to face me, he asked, "What about you? What kind of girl do you try to be?"

Before I could even answer, something caught my eyes when I looked up ahead of the walking pathway. Two boys walking without leisure because they were being taken care ofㅡmore like strictly supervisedㅡby a big man who looked like he took judo. Before Joshua could stop me, I ran towards them, blurting out, "Kwon Hoya! Kwon Jaemin!"

~Author's Notes~

Oh my gosh, this is a lame chapter, I'm sorry! But I hope you still enjoyed it anyway, despite the lack of melons in my head (I call ideas melons, don't ask why, I just do)

S.E.L.C.A! (share, enjoy, love, comment always!)

xoxo

Byun Sang Kyung