☁️☁️

i looked at him weirdly. why did he bring that all of a sudden?

is it that obvious that i like taehyung?

it took me a while for me to realize that i haven't answer his question.

"so you like him...as a man." he concluded.

yes, he's right. but jungkook doesn't know the real story. maybe he just thought all three of us are just best friends.

and he thought it is okay for me to like taehyung when the reality is not.

"i think you misunderstood. taehyung and jennie are.." i looked down to my warm pasta. but before i could explain more, jungkook interrupted me.

"it doesn't matter."

"i'm sorry?"

"it doesn't matter who you have feelings for. you and me...we're adults that need to take responsibility for our action, and we've both agreed to try and become a happy family for doo-jool. so i plan on doing my best to make that happen. i expect the same from you as well." he said.

"i know.." i said, don't want to be a coward in this matter.

doesn't matter who i have feelings for, at the end of the day, i'm still attached to all these things.

"that's good to hear. then i assume you'll be agreeable to the following. we'll meet at least four times a week and the two of us should adjust our schedules as needed. does that sound fair?" asked jungkook.

i quickly looked up to see him again, to see his icy behavior. is he for real?

"yes." i agreed. he's so cold and matter-of-fact.

he's asking questions, but the answer are predetermined, so in actuality, i'm not given a say. he seems so different from before.

which is the real jeon jungkook?

"can i ask you one more question? did you sleep with me to get revenge on kim taehyung?" he suddenly asked again.

what should i say? there's no way i will admit it with an open heart.

"is this really relevant?" i asked. why would he want to know by the way?

"what if i say it is? as long as i'm seeing you, i'm going to give it my all and be faithful. you should do the same. don't think of putting me in between your relationship with him." he said.

i sighed.

"it was one-sided on my end. i was in the process of getting over him. what you're concerned about won't happen."

the most important thing is, how did he know that i had feelings for taehyung?

-

today is a bright day, the weather is so nice too. it seems like the flowers will be bloom soon.

i sighed.

two weeks passed since that day. two weeks since our first date.

in that time, we met six more times. we would usually eat dinner or go on a short drive. throughout each date, he would always be thoughtful and considerate.

he was the utmost gentleman, i said.

it wasn't bad, but i couldn't shake the thought that we weren't making any progress.

"since we both agreed to try, i'm going to try my best."

"we'll meet at least four times a week and the two of us should adjust our schedules as needed."

yeah, if we were like other regular couples, it would've been different. we're not going on dates, it's basically just business. he and i both don't contact each other unless it's to schedule a time to meet.

it just means that we're not a real couple.

we should be sending messages that we miss each other and want to see each other, maybe send messages that include hearts, but we don't do that.

and even before then, it's hard for me to get used to how rich he is since we come from such different backgrounds.

i sighed once again.

i'm not sure i'll ever get to the point of truly considering marriage.

"miss park." suddenly a voice approached me.

"oh, hi, ji-hyo! why are you out here? you should be in class right now.." i turned to look at her. a bit startled to see her here, at the school garden quite far from the main building. and to see her at this time.

"haha..i'm supposed to be in gym class, but i had a stomachache. i was resting in the nurse's office, but it was too stifling in there so i came out." she said as she sat beside me on the bench.

"i see.."

but then, both of us coincidently let out a long sigh.

"that was quite the sigh." i said to her.

"i should say the same, miss park."

"is something wrong?" i asked her.

"no, just things.."

suddenly, a football came rolling out of nowhere. probably from the school field not far from where we sat.

and there is mr. jeong yun-o walking to get the ball, while somehow flexing his muscle.

"did you know the gym teacher likes you?" ji-hyo suddenly asked after yun-o went away.

"hey, it's not nice to spread rumors like that when you don't know if it's the truth or not." i said to her.

mr. jeong likes me? indeed not.

"hm..but the teacher has made it so obvious that he has feelings for you.." she said, more likely to tease me.

i gently elbowed her hand.

"enough about that. tell me what's bothering you. you said you'd come to me to talk about your problems, but you never did. do you not trust me?" i asked once again.

"it's not that..miss park, do you know who kang daniel is? he's a third year." she asked me.

kang daniel? who doesn't know that charming kid? he is so famous, among the teachers too.

"yeah, he's in class 3-2. he's the one that likes you, isn't he?" i abruptly asked.

she looked so shocked, "whaat?! who said that?!"

"i mean nobody has said anything to me in particular, but i just see the two of you together all the time. you ride to and from school together on your bicycles." i explained, proudly. i'm so sharp, you know.

"miss park, it's not nice to spread rumors like that when you don't know if it's the truth or not. you have it all wrong!" she repeated by line, annoyed by my statement.

i just laughed it out.

"i wanted to go to school by myself, so i bought a bike. but he went out and bought one, too." she grumbled, as if i supposedly shouldn't hear that. but, i told you, i'm sharp.

"what?" i asked, eventually.

"it's nothing. anyway..do you know how to get someone off your back?" she asked.

"why? is someone bothering you? is it daniel?"

her eyes snapped open, "miss park!" and suddenly grabbed both of my hands.

wh-why?

"you're the first, miss park. the first person to ever speak badly of him.." she said, feeling overwhelmed.

"h-huh? that wasn't my intention.." which teacher will speak badly of their students?

"i know that wasn't what you meant, but you did think that daniel could be bothering me. that's enough for me."

"why?" i asked, still confused as why she is acting like that.

"that gives me hope. i won't give up! thank you!" she said as she hugged me tightly.

"chae!" but then, another voice approached me.

i sighed, that lee tae-yong.

i don't even know how many times i've sighed today.

"there you are. i've been looking all over for you. we should head in and get ready for class." he said.

with that, ji-hyo also got up and left both of us, "i'll head out, too."

i nodded to her.

"chae, that's jeon ji-hyo from our class, right?" he asked, eyes still on that kid.

"mr. lee, are you dumb or are you just being rude? if you aren't going to address me as 'miss park' like i told you to, don't call me at all." i scolded him.

at this point, i really will do anything to stop seeing or talking with him.

-

☁️☁️

i just looked at her as she leave for the class after saying that to me.

she really has brought down my dignity.

i smirked.

you're not leaving me much options, by the way.

let's see how long you can remain haughty.