“ c’mon, dude, ” kai mumbled as he rode back in the other’s direction, other board in hand. “dizzie’s may wait all night, but i won’t. ”
Anger has always been Jaehwa’s major flaw and it was safe to say that everyone who was close to him knew that. Or, you didn’t really have to be familiar with him to know about the ‘blond twerp who got into a screaming match over something trivial’—it sounded cooler when someone else said it. Therefore, when you have a couple of kids laughing at him for accidentally falling on his face, it wasn’t exactly a welcoming tea-party. No, it just shortened his already short ass temper further.
He was ready to follow the group of strangers with an aggressive intent before Kai called over to him. Jaehwa, still embarrassed and pissed off, turned to look back at the cluster of friends and chucked his empty bottle of whiskey at them with a small stumble. Luckily, they didn’t pay any mind but, man, did he wish that the bottle struck one of them on the head.
His board was retrieved from his friend with an audible ‘tsk!’. It was, then, placed on the ground whilst he brushed off any dirt. “Yeah, yeah,” mumbled Jaehwa. “Startin’ to sound like a dude I banged with last week, anyway.”
“ sure, that makes everything easier. ” kai returned, his tone flat and monotonous. teasing sarcasm and downright nihilism was about as much as he could handle. at least, until there was more alcohol in him. “ where are we even heading, dude? ” kai hadn’t meant for the question to sound half as existential as it had as he was merely interested for their first destination, but he didn’t take it back, either.
Jaehwa hummed in acknowledgement whilst he guzzled down the rest of his whiskey, relishing the abrupt warmth and faint buzz it immediately brought. He tapped the tip of the bottle against his chin and pretended to think about where the actual fuck they were going tonight. Unfortunately, he was not one to have a set plan about, well, many things.
“Bro,” he said with a huff, manoeuvring a bit closer to Kai. “I didn’t invite you out to ask me where we’re heading, like, you know me. Just go with the fucking flow.” Jaehwa was silent for a while, hands rummaging through his pockets only to pull out two more small-scale whiskey bottles and tossed one to his friend.
This time, he downed the liquor in one go and took the boost to playfully punch Kai on the shoulder. “But, I’m going to tell you where are we going anyway,” he paused to take a deep breath. “First, I was thinking we hit up Dizzies for more of a pre-game ritual type of thing and then to Cosmo, like, to really loosen our ties, you know? From there, we can enjoy each other’s company at Noraebang.”
A smile crept onto his face, most likely due to inappropriate thoughts about inappropriate things in the most appropriate way—but anyway. “By the time we’re done hopping and shit, it’d be time to eat, I guess. We can crash at Mingles or Sunny Side… Better yet, Mingles and Sunny Side, dude. I’m getting hungry just—“
His sentence was cut off by another hissed ‘fuck!’ as his board got caught on a crack in the street. Jaehwa tumbled to the ground, skateboard rolling pass him whilst he brushed at his damaged knees. He glared at a group of friends who snickered at him not too far away. “The fuck y’all laughing at, assholes?” He threatened, bouncing up on his feet.
eyes focusing on jaehwa’s, hyojin finds he doesn’t really give a shit either way. and so he’s placing a hand on the other’s thigh, leaning in and pressing a chaste kiss to his best friend’s lips. there’s no fireworks or anything, but it feels nice. jae’s lips soft to the touch.
“does that clear things up for you??”
First of all, Jaehwa did not make it a habit to make out with all his friends if that is what Hyojin was trying to get at. However… all right, yeah, he did make it a custom but it isn’t as bad as it sounds. We can poetically talk about that later because it was not something presently on his mind. No, he was still wrapped around the ‘I don’t wanna make it any worse’ bit said by his friend, which made him moderately inhale in excitement; his seemingly woeful expression completely turned around.
Jaehwa studied the other curiously, slightly heedful because he was not sure if this was a playful (yet, cruel) jest or a serious remark. Deep down, he kind of hoped Hyojin was just fucking with him—until a hand was placed on his thigh; then he wished that he was not being fucked with. His friend leant closer, jeopardizing the point of no return and it was crossed when an innocent kiss was placed on his lips. Now… Jaehwa was feeling a lot of things.
He had closed his eyes instinctively at first and opened them as an inquiry was directed at him. “Clear things up?” Jaehwa echoed, trapped within the thoughts of how soft Hyojin’s lips were. His eyes glanced down at the hand on his thigh, taking it in his own to interweave their fingers together before he brought it up to his lips and gave each of Hyojin’s knuckles a peck. Perhaps you can say he was soft and touched that his friend kissed him after all this time and it was because of that he did not want this moment to end.
Well, that and he did not really expect this to happen today or any days. Maybe not even in this fucking lifetime.
“It was a cute attempt to clear it up, yeah,” Jaehwa said between pecks and peered up at Hyojin through his eyelashes, mostly hidden behind disorderly strands of hair. “But things are still fuzzy, dude.”
He scooted closer and cradled the hand in his own. “It felt like you just kissed me so I can shut the fuck up about it. Which, you know, is all good but,” Jaehwa tilted his head, leaning closer. “Don’t you think we’re both worth more than that? No use ruining our friendship. Isn’t that what you said?”
By inclining forward, Jaehwa mimicked a mixture of his actions from earlier and brushed their noses again whilst reaching up to sweep away some of Hyojin’s hair from his face. “Don’t you think we need a kiss that is based on our friendship?” He asked, pressing another chaste kiss on his friend’s lips as imitation. It was probably a bad idea though because he did it again—and again and again—causing the faintest blush to paint his cheeks.
“What do you think, baby?” If you want a pro-tip, if Jaehwa calls anyone ‘baby’, then he’s most likely caught in the moment and he was very caught indeed. Fingertips glided down the side of Hyojin’s face: down his jaw, the curve of his neck, bend of his shoulder and rested on his chest. He threw away the platonic kisses to turn it over into something more, well, real.
It was a deeper one, not too over the top but it felt familiar. Delicate yet prominent with certain emotions—like those kisses ladies gave him when they were satisfied for the night (before kicking him out). When he pulled away, Jaehwa licked his own lips and shrugged, trying his best to tell his dick it was not the best time to get riled up.
“See? Now you have choices,” he whispered against Hyojin’s lips. “Doesn’t matter which one you like more or if you fucking hate kissing me in general. It’s up to you, babe.”
with that, hyojin scoots a little closer himself, eyes giving jae a once-over and deciding yeah, if he had to pick a guy jae would definitely be one of his first choices. so naturally, he places a hand near jae, leaning his weight onto it and increasing the proximity between them like he does with the ladies at work.
“you know…if you wanna kiss me bro just go for it. what’s a little kiss, right?? ”
Start celebrating anniversaries? Now, that deserved an eyebrow raise to which Jaehwa had to admit he liked the idea. Maybe they could exchange gifts on that day: their favourite foods, memorable trinkets, maybe a few sex toys here and there for their sensual endeavours. So, yeah, perhaps he did want to commemorate their anniversary… if either of them knew how long they’ve been pigs in a blanket.
“Every fucking day, dude. I’ve had it bad for you ever since we met,” Jaehwa cooed, noting the stimulation of interest. He rolled his eyes at the mention of ‘for a straight guy’ comment (what does counterintuitive even mean, bro) but could not help to straighten in position as Hyojin inched a little closer. “I’m pretty sure handjobs are the new rites.” He whispered.
If you wanna kiss me, bro, just go for it. Well, that certainly made his jollies ring—it cannot be this fucking easy, though; especially with a question of ‘what’s a little kiss’. Jaehwa leant forward, closing the propinquity between them just a bit that their noses brushed against one another. Then, he kissed the tip of Hyojin’s nose and laughed.
“There’s your little kiss, my friend,” he stated sarcastically; yet, smoothed a hand down the length of the other’s arm alluringly. His teasing mien softened as blond tresses tickled his eyelids, an appearance that looked almost sad whilst he spoke again.
“It’s not a question of if I wanna kiss you, man. It’s if you wanna kiss me,” Jaehwa said. “The only reason why I haven’t crossed that road yet is because I know you don’t swing that way. Don’t wanna make you uncomfortable, you feel me? But, if you’re down for it, then I’m down for it. A little kiss can go a long way, you know?”
he was slow at first, assessing how the board itself moved, then he allowed himself to match pace with jaehwa. getting out of bed and jumping straight into a night full of tequila never felt like a better idea.
You know that proud expression parents usually give their child for something amazing they have done? Cut and paste that countenance on Jaehwa’s face and you will have his look once Kai stepped on the fresh longboard. It brought a figurative tear to his metaphorical eye and he grinned rather childishly at his friend when their paces were equally matched.
“Do you feel that Mr Test-Dummy?” asked Jaehwa, loudly enough in order for the other to hear and expanded his arms as if he was soaring. “The breeze in your face, the effortless sailing on your board. It’s the feeling of freedom and excitement, dude! Tell me that this is better than being in your room.” He laughed.
Hands dug through his short’s pockets for a moment, soon pulling out two bottles of miniature whiskey. “Now, did you really fucking think we were going to get drunk without being a little tipsy first, bro?” He sarcastically inquired, unscrewing one bottle with his teeth whilst weaving by pedestrians and closer to Kai. A hearty sip was taken before it was offered to his partner-in-crime for the evening.
“Drink the fuck up, handsome,” Jaehwa cooed. “I’m more than willing to loosen you up a bit, my dude. Makes it easier that way, you feel me?”
“she told me to bring you some, but they got all crushed up ‘cause i put ‘em in my pocket. they were real good though, honest. maybe i just gotta ask her for the recipe…”
Now, of course, Jaehwa smiled frequently when he was amongst friends but during recent days—weeks, maybe months, who the fuck knows—he had been smiling a lot whenever Skip did; even if it was a simple grin. There was always that statement of how smiles were contagious and it seemed like a load of hogwash at first, though maybe who came up with this theory had something going for them.
With an arm over his chest, Jaehwa felt some type of way that was a mix of contentment and horny, leaving a faint ringing in his ears. “Well,” he started. “If you’re inviting me over for next year, I guess we’ll die together, bro. Stuffed with food… A fine way to go, if I don’t say so myself.”
A chuckle. “Don’t sweat it, man. I’m surprised you even thought about bringing some shit for me,” he teased. “Really makes me feel like part of the family.”
he yawned and looked on, watching the skater lazily as kai on his decent away from the share house, in favor of moving to their first destination. kai highly doubted that there would only be a singular bar in the particular late night endeavor between them. the most enjoyable part of drinking with jaehwa was not simply the drinking itself — but their means for transportation between destinations. which reminded him, fuck.
“ i forgot my fucking board, ” he hissed, clearly annoyed with himself. he turned to jaehwa, “ go ahead, dude. i’ll catch up. ”
“Listen,” Jaehwa said and reached up to completely undo his top’s uniform, shrugging it off. “We’re both young, bro, but I’m not ready to die anytime soon. Rather shit out my liver before I make my grave. It’s not gonna hurt us, yet.” Yeah, he definitely knew what he was talking about—being a few years older than Kai and all meant that he had more liquor in his system, you know? He was doing just fine.
In the midst of stuffing the shirt in his bag, the other had insisted he’ll catch up… so, what the fuck? He peeked up, betrayal written on the crinkle of his brows as he looked at Kai once, twice and thrice for ‘good measure’ before he realized the issue. “Wait for a second, dude,” Jaehwa scoffed and was actually glad he brought his backpack today.
“You know I’m an impatient man so if I gotta wait another second for your ass, I’m really going to fight you,” He mumbled, squatting down to dig through his bag. “Luckily, I’m also a good fucking friend.” With that said, Jaehwa pulled out what appeared to be a folded longboard and proudly presented it. If this was a movie, please cue the enchanting music and sparkles, thanks.
He stood up whilst throwing his bag back on. “Check out this bad boy, man. We just got these in stock today at the shop!” Jaehwa said, unfolding it on the ground and gently kicked it towards Kai’s direction. “It’s called Board Up or some shit, perfect for the traveller, you know? Boss wanted me to try it out but since we’re in a fucking crisis right now, why don’t you use it for the night?”
He hopped back on his own board, gliding slowly back down the street so they can finally get the night started. “It’s only temporary and I hear the tequila shots calling our names so let’s fucking go already.”
although lighthearted banter found the two of them, kai’s tone hadn’t changed with all he had said; nor had he cracked the smallest hint of a smile. he was still too fucking tired. his expressions would likely have little function until he had a drink or two—or six.
“ rain-check on that one, bro— i’m sure the answer will come to me with some tequila. ”
Jaehwa arched an eyebrow at the ‘put together’ comment and took a moment to look over them both. Okay, sure, Kai was a little dishevelled and wore the same shirt for who knows how long; but he was still pretty fucking handsome if you don’t mind him saying so himself. In fact, he did: “Dude, you’re fucking handsome, you know that?” Jaehwa smirked and looked over his own appearance.
It wasn’t bad—not really, anyway. His uniform’s top was badly buttoned, making it lopsided, and he was wearing the same pair of shorts for about… five days? They’re still clean. Don’t even get started on his dodgy limited edition, spring collection and worth two paychecks pair of Vans. Seriously, they were pretty fucking horrible. Sue him. However, you know what? Jaehwa knew he was still pretty fucking handsome, as well.
Look at them. Two handsome dudes about to drink the fuck out of the night together. A beautiful sight and Jaehwa neared teared up at the thought—well, that thought and another small one of it Kai would be cool with a kiss on the cheek. Now, that was his dick talking: don’t listen to him. Sue him, again.
Jaehwa skated around Kai in a circular manner, laughing loudly. “Some tequila or all of the tequila, bro?” He chuckled but then stopped abruptly, hopping off of his board. “Actually, we might die if we do that. So, let’s not do that.” He nodded.
“But I get you, man. I fucking feel you, you get what I’m saying? We’ll have some tequila, then some vodka, then some more tequila, then some rum and whiskey,” Jaehwa moaned in excitement. “I’m getting the tingles just thinking about it, dude. But, are you sure you’re up for it?”
he took a beat, brows furrowed. “…s’gotta be hard for her though, right? you too, dude. everybody else got these big ‘ol family reunions goin’ on, and it’s just you two.” another beat, head moving into a tilt. “y’know, next year? you guys should just come celebrate with my family, bro. my grandparents definitely got enough food, and your mom won’t even have time to think about that asshole, for real. it’s, like, constant chaos.”
No lie, Jaehwa was a bit enviously ticked off at the other’s brief comment about family reunions. What was the big deal about them, anyway? An excuse to eat free food and talk to other family members (who was basically strangers, like what the fuck). Yeah, it was just the two of them: that’s all that he needed.
He softened at the extended invitation for next year’s celebration, mouth wide in mid-bite and his fork held high. Offers such as Skip’s was not one he frequently received, so he felt like a dumbass for not knowing how to respond. “Dude,” Jaehwa said but then sighed. “Thanks. I’ll think about it and let you know, bro.”
Suddenly, he wasn’t really hungry. “What about your holiday, man?” He asked, pushing away his food away to lay on the floor. “It had to be better than mine.”
“ dude, shut the hell up, ” kai yelled out to the other, already scrambling for a pair of jeans and a decent enough smelling shirt. jaewha wouldn’t mind the lack of effort, would he? kai could only hope. “ i’ll be down in a minute. ”
Dude, shut the hell up. Ah, how fucking poetic. Jaehwa smiled, giving a passerby couple a nod in response to their brief stares at his loud utterance. “A friend and I are gonna get shit-faced tonight,” He said to them out of amusement. “Wanna join? Been wanting a foursome.” They walked away. Guess that was a no—their lost.
He threw his board back onto the ground, absently rocking to and fro on it as he waited. Maybe he should have thought this out a little bit more. Jaehwa knew that his friend worked god-awful shifts at the convenience store that made him sleep for most of the day. So, perhaps, he was just missing Kai’s company since their days were, quite literally, night and day. Well, that and he just wanted a fucking drink. He wanted a fucking drink with his best friend because he missed him dearly. How’s that for a romantic plot idea?
Once Kai had emerged from the house, Jaehwa clapped at his arrival, also, very loudly—a personal standing ovation for his truly. “Welcome, good sir. I see you are wearing the same shirt you have worn for the past two days, hm? A classic, bro.” He commented, entertained. Coasting closer to the other, he laughed.
“How you doing, sleeping beauty? Or, do you want to answer that after a few shots?”
he did quick mental math, something like confusion rising to the surface as he deducted that, yes, jaehwa was asking him to go to a club on a monday night, but he decided to ask to be sure, an eyebrow raise and something near disbelief in his voice, “on a monday? i mean… i don’t know.” he ran a hand through his hair, a sort of shrug on his shoulders, still trying to find the most polite way to turn him down, reeling for an excuse in the form of more questions which was probably inadvertently an offhandedly dangerous way to edge jaehwa on. “how many people are gunna be there? like the whole house?”
If there is anything that Jaehwa had learnt over the (four) years of residing at the share house, it was the little quirks the tenants did when they were in certain situations. Idle taps of their fingers, strands of hair aimlessly tucked behind an ear. Wonho’s pursed lips and peculiar expression was noted, signifying a bit of uncomfortableness by the invitation and Jaehwa felt as though he lost even before he began. Good thing he was incredibly stubborn, am I right?
He gave an acknowledged nod at the other’s mention that parties were not his scene. Jaehwa respected that but it was not as if he was requesting the man to attend an orgy. That was for the afterparty—the party after the party. Next, the dreadful Monday was brought up, causing him to mimic the look also on Wonho’s face. Oh, right: his birthday was on a fucking Monday, this year, of all days. People had to work, to get ready for the rest of the fucking week. He scoffed inwardly. Shouldn’t be a problem, though.
“Yeah, on a Monday, my man,” Jaehwa replied and took his hand back, placing it in his pocket. “How many Mondays have you told to fuck off because they were so fucking boring, bro? Think of this as a sexy bang to start off your week,” He nodded four times, prideful. “And I wouldn’t say the whole house is invited, even though they’re free to come but just… people, I consider to be friends, you know?”
For a moment, Jaehwa thought carefully about his next set of words. “Look, dude,” He began again. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to. Even if you do come, I wouldn’t mind if you, like, just left ten minutes after. If it’s too out of your comfort zone, then I understand. I just thought it would, like, be good to let your hair down.”
“so, how was your holiday, bro?” he asked, shoveling up a massive forkful of noodles. “i know we texted about it ‘n stuff, and that it’s only been a couple days, but honestly? feels like i haven’t seen you in forever, for real.”
Chuseok was always a hit or miss for Jaehwa. Either it was a chill holiday with just him and his mother, spending quality time with each other over a home cooked meal whilst he reassured her that he was alright. Or, an annoying holiday when some of his relatives decide to drop by after an eon and a half, making remarks about how he should quit acting like a damn fool and get married so his mom can relax (their words, not mine).
However, this one was… a bit awkward. Jaehwa noticed that his mother was slightly out of character, serving him meals with a distant expression and brought up so-called fond memories of his father. It left a bitter taste in his mouth. This had never been an issue during previous years but it was, unfortunately, something that he did not need to rekindle the hate he had for his old man.
“It was fucking shit, that’s what it was,” Jaehwa scoffed, resting on his side while playing with the food. “Mom kept talking about my pops. Like, I don’t want to hear about his fucking ass when I’m trying to enjoy time with my actual family.”
↘ mornin bro↘ da momz is bringing over some food later if u want some↘ i asked her to make a few more fish pastries as well u get what i’m saying
send ♔ for an angry text
( *:・゚✧ msg ↯ skippity doo dah day )
↘ MAN THIS 12 YR OLD FUCKIN KICKED ME IN THE KNEE↘ LIKE WHERE ARE UR PARENTS LIL MAN↘ KIDS DO HAVE PARENTS RIGHT WHERE THE FUCK ARE THEY
send ♠ for a drunk text
( *:・゚✧ msg ↯ skippity doo dah day )
↘ cjaptain sokip skioppy skipper skimp↘ have i bever ntold u that sur fuckin beautiful man↘ like i woulpd have a ldot lot zlot lot of babie with wu bro ui aint even shmittin around
send ☏ for a vague text
( *:・゚✧ msg ↯ skippity doo dah day )
↘ is what the fuck even a question like why do people ask that↘ what is a fuck even↘ … what does fuck even mean bro i’m trippin out
send ⁇ for a worried text
( *:・゚✧ msg ↯ skippity doo dah day )
↘ dude are u ok↘ u seemed a lil off today yk do u wanna hang out or smth?↘ pls txt me back soon
send ♣ for a text not meant for you
( *:・゚✧ msg ↯ skippity doo dah day )
↘ i mean idk it was pretty hot cause like↘ she was giving me a blowjob while i was giving her boyfriend blowjob as well it was fuckin awesome↘ wait a minute
send ✺for a sassy text
( *:・゚✧ msg ↯ skippity doo dah day )
↘ no man idk what ur talking about↘ you? hot?↘ yeah i’m always sweating when i’m with you
send √ for a long-winded confession text
( *:・゚✧ msg ↯ skippity doo dah day )
↘ to be real i rly hate that i even think about my dad sometimes and they’re rly random thoughts too like ‘is he still alive’ or ‘i wonder what he’s doing at this moment’ but the more i think about it they’re prob just in mind bc if he is still kickin i’ll have a chance before I die to jab him in the balls maybe jab him more than once but
send ☠ for a misguided advice text
( *:・゚✧ msg ↯ skippity doo dah day )
↘ next time someone rips u off punch them in the throat↘ or call me and I’ll punch them in the throat for u↘ i should start an advice book
send ☢ for a desperate text
( *:・゚✧ msg ↯ skippity doo dah day )
↘ Skip, I hate to ask this but↘ Do you think you can meet up with me at 7/11↘ I have something I need to get off my chest.
send ☼ for a congratulatory text
( *:・゚✧ msg ↯ skippity doo dah day )
↘ ARE U FUCKIN SERIOUS↘ CONGRATS MAN I’M PROUD OF U↘ lets go out tonight its my treat bro
send ✘ for a text that should never have been sent
( *:・゚✧ msg ↯ skippity doo dah day )
↘ yeah he is cute and i do enjoy being with him like we spend every second together↘ he’s actually my type u feel me↘ o shit
First endearments are always the worst; yet, also a lesson to be learnt. He was sixteen at the time, young and reckless like most individuals of the similar age. Finding it better to rarely make appearances in his classes, Jaehwa would merely omit them for they were uninteresting enough to keep his motivation and attention. Math? He had his fingers to help count. English? That is what translators were for. No, he would much rather ditch his uniform at the first opportunity given and meet up with his friends at the skate park; perfecting his tricks and flips to impress those such as Daewon Song and Tony Hawk. Who the fuck needed education when he could make a wondrous life doing something he actually loved, right?
That was the second question he asked, right after inquiring her name—Lee Eunbyul. She had taken Jaehwa by surprise at first: ambling over to sit beside him during one of his break intervals, insisting that he should take a sip from her water bottle whilst she gave an alluring glance over his sheen figure. The first question he asked was, “You didn’t put anything in this, right?” Eunbyul laughed and shook her head, reassuring him that she had just bought it minutes before. Jaehwa took a sip.
She questioned his years of skating, noting that he was pretty good, better than most of the guys she has seen all week. “A few years,” he said and gave back the bottle of water. She hummed contently, attention averting to the other skaters momentarily and leaving Jaehwa to stare dumbly at her. She looked beautiful—the brown hue of her hair vivid, sun-kissed skin further basking in the light, her expression soft and unbothered. Perhaps he was in love or maybe it was just lust. Lustfully in love.
“What’s your name?” Finally, the third question he asked, for which he blushed at in hopes he was not too forward. She didn’t mind and told him as if it was second nature. He told her his own name, sparking a chuckle in response. “What’s so funny?” Eunbyul pointed out that Jaehwa was considered a feminine name and truth be told, it kind of pissed him off a bit. His mother gave him that name, fully aware of what it may have been perceived as and he wore it proudly, even if he thought a name was nothing more than a name. It meant to respect and beauty. She seemed to like that answer.
It started off slowly, a gradual expanse that Jaehwa enjoyed. Idle talks about the future, mutual disagreements with the education system, exchanges with tricks they had up their sleeves. (“I’ve never met a female skater before.” — “What’s that supposed to mean?” — “It’s pretty hot.”) It moved to become a blur, a swift movement that Jaehwa could not tell if he enjoyed or not. Late night calls that eventually left them panting for more, secret kisses that made them yearn for more, ruffled sheets in shitty motels that had ultimately become a ritual. More calls, more rituals. (“I need you, Jae.” — “I’m kinda busy, baby.” — “Now.”)
How was he feeling? Jaehwa did not know for he was never asked by her. He was not asked how he felt when he broke his ankle trying to practice a flip, only if he was better to have sex. He was not asked how he felt when he was scared to death by a group of clowns on Halloween, only if he was up to having sex. Sex, sex and more sex were taken, given and honestly, he was alright with that.
Without knowing the actual dynamics of intimate relationships, Jaehwa felt as though this was normal—to give pleasure as a hope for something more in return. Too bad his kindness was never repaid. Initially, Eunbyul had stopped texting him. Okay, she must just really be busy, he thought. She did not return his calls, did not reply to emails—never made appearances at the local spots they liked to frequent, not even at the skate park. Everything was radio silent and it persisted for quite some time. It was not until the week before the New Year that he saw her at the park again, chatting with another guy. Must be a friend.
“Eunbyul?” Ignored by laughter. Let’s try again. “Baby.” Another so-called friend pointed out him and his pet name, resulting in her to ultimately turn around. That is when it hit him, leaving him with the assumption that this is who he is now. Do I know you?
Jaehwa does not fall in love, because when he does, it just ends with a four worded question and then nothing.