"Give me the project." Onew stretched his hand out to his dongsaeng. Jonghyun took a folder out of his backpack and handed it to him.
"You don't want to come with me?" Onew was hoping Jonghyun would go with him.
"Nah. That'll just be awkward. Jaeji and I dont really talk." Jonghyun answered while texting.
"This is Jaeji's house?! Onew, can I go with you?!" Thunder was in the back seat of the car messing around with Eli. He stopped goofing off when he heard Jaeji's name.
"Who's Jaeji?" Eli looked out the window at the house.
"No, Thunder. You stay in the car." Onew spoke sternly.
"Yah dont be like that. I just wanna say hi." Thunder tried to convince him with aegyo but Onew just slammed the car door instead.
He walked up to the front door and knocked. "Coming!" He fixed his clothes nervously, making sure to look presentable to Jaeji's mom.
She opened the door and he bowed. "Annyeonghaseyo, Jaeji umma." "Ah, Jinki. Are you here for Jaeji?" "Yeh. I have an assignment to turn into her." "Okay. Jaeji!!! Come down!!! You have a guest!!!" She suprised Onew with her sudden screaming.
"Tell them I'm sick!!!" Onew was even more suprised when he heard Jaeji yell the same. "He can hear you!!!" "I dont care!!!" "You're gonna embarrass yourself!!!" "Mr. Guest, who are you?!!!"
Jaeji's mom nudged Onew, signaling him to yell back. Onew chuckled and screamed loudly. "It's oppa!!!"
Jaeji recognized his voice and rushed to change out of her pajama pants and into her jeans.
"Jinki sunbae!" Jaeji ran down the stairs towards Onew. He smiled at her and stopped her before she could reach him. He faked a frown. "I said it's oppa."
Jaeji laughed. "Mian. Annyeong, OPPA!" She emphasized the word, earning a goofy smile from him.
Jaeji's mom left for the kitchen and Jaeji led Onew to the chairs on the front porch.
"So, what brings you here?" "I brought your Chinese project. Minho put it together last night." "Oh, gomaweoyo." She flashed him a bright smile.
"Are you feeling better?" Onew noticed her face was pale.
"Yeah. My fever went down so I'm okay now."
She was about to ask him about Jonghyun when a loud noise came from the car. She turned her head and saw Jonghyun in the passenger seat on his phone.
*Jonghyun... on my driveway... Am I dreaming? Is he really here, in front of my house?"
Onew caught her staring at him and pouted. "I told him to come with me but he refused."
"It's okay. Why would he? It'd be awkward..." Jaeji's expeession saddened.
"Well, I gotta go. I have plans on this Friday night." Jaeji laughed. "What plans?"
"Sleepover with my boys!!!" He screamed getting the attention of a neighbor walking by. He glared at the two teenagers, but they laughed in response.
"Just with Eli and Thunder? That wont be much fun." Jaeji said in a teasing tone. "Oh yeah? Well, if you get anonymous phone calls at night, you better answer!" "What? Now I'm not gonna answer any phone calls at all!" She stuck her tounge out at him and he did the same.
Jonghyun looked up from his phone and saw the two mocking each other. He let out a sigh and went back to texting.
Thunder and Eli were having some sort of wrestling match in the back seat. Thunder wanted to get out and Eli wasnt letting him.
" I wanna say hi!" "Onew hyung said to stay in the car!" Eli tightened his grip on him as he continued to struggle.
"Bye Jj!" "Bye, Jinki oppa!" She stood by her door and waved until he got into his car.
As he was backing out of the driveway, Jaeji saw Jonghyun with his phone facing her.
*Is he taking a picture?! Of what? Me?! No way.*
She looked straight at his eyes and suprised him. He widened his eyes and his cheeks turned pink.
The window in the back rolled down and revealed a tired Thunder. He stick his hand out and waved. "Hi Jaeji!!!"
She looked away from Jonghyun and at the person yelling. She didn't know how to respond so she just waved, causing Thunder to show off a goofy grin.
"Bye Jaeji!!!" He yelled as the car left the street.
*What just happened? Thunder being like that, and Jonghyun blushing. Omg. Again with the eye contact. But... this time he blushed... What does this mean?!*
When the boys got to Onew and Jonghyun's house, they helped their mom prepare for dinner and watched t.v. with their dad.
Jonghyun's off on his own, away from his brother and his friends. He seems a bit annoyed with Eli for being a junior and hanging out with seniors.
Onew, Thunder, and Eli have a sleep over once every two months on Fridays and rotate who's house they stay at. They eat food, play video games, watch movies, and whatever other things guys do.
Onew had to wash the dishes after dinner, so he sent them to get ready for bed. Eli decided to take a shower first. Thunder was left alone in Onew's room. He took his phone out and decided to call Jaeji.
The ringing made him feel anxious.
"Hey Jaeji." Thunder spoke as soon as she picked up.
"Hello. Who is this?"
"It's Thunder." He pouted to himself. "You still have the same number, but you didn't save your old contacts?"
"W-what? Oh... I thought you changed it..."
There was silence. Niether of them knew how to get rid of the awkwardness.
Thunder broke the silence, remembering why he called in the first place. "I noticed you didnt come to school today. Are you ok?"
"Oh yeah... I didn't feel good in the morning, but I'm better now."
A shy smile appeared on his face.
Curious of what made Thunder so shy, Onew and Eli walked into the room. Thunder was sitting in front of a desk facing the wall. He didn't notice them sit down on the floor behind him.
"That's a relief. Yeah, um... I took notes in French and Bio, do you want me to send them to you?"
"Oh, uh... yes, please. I was worried about the notes. Thank you for sharing yours."
Thunder chuckled. "No problem. Text me your e-mail, I'll send them through there so you can start looking over them right away. We're continuing with the lesson on Monday. I think reviewing the notes over the weekend will help you catch up."
"Okay... Thank you, Sunbae!" Jaeji cheered, finally sounding sincere.
"It's nothing..." Thunder blushed.
Onew and Eli held back their laughter, trying not to get caught.
"Okay then... goodnight Jaeji~" Thunder hung up the phone quickly feeling embarrassed about his aegyo. He had a bright smile on his face, but it quickly faded when he turned around and saw Onew with Eli. They were sitting there silently and staring at him with a questioning look on their faces.
Thunder spoke first. " What?" Eli smirked and responded, "Aren't French and Biology the classes you sleep in? You don't care about your own grades, but you take notes when that Jaeji girl doesn't show up. Why is that?"
Thunder laughed awkwardly. "Hahaha... I was... Just being nice? She's having trouble with French and she needs to maintain her grade in Mr. Heechul's class. It doesn't hurt to take notes one day."
"Jaeji doesn't care at all about Biology or French. She's just trying to make it to the 11th grade." Onew's face showed displeasure.
"She doesnt need your help. What's with the sudden kindness towards Jaeji, anyway? I didn't even think you knew she existed and recently you've begun to stick yourself to her causing her to be uncomfortable." Onew was upset and he sounded like he was scolding his friend.
"Don't worry, Onew. I'm really just being nice. I've been mean to her for so long, it's the least i can do for avoiding her like that."
"Avoiding her?!" The two boys were completely confused by his statement.
"I'll tell you the whole story from the beginning."
"Story time!" Onew and Eli threw themselves onto the bed, grabbing for pillows. They got comfortable and looked up at Thunder, waiting for him to begin his story. If someone were to see them right now, they'd think they were kindergardeners instead of highschoolers.
"Jaeji and I went to the same middle school. Back in 8th grade when I had just returned from the Philipines, my parents put me in her school. I didnt know anyone, so at lunch or during break I just sat at an empty table. Kids would sit there sometimes, but they never paid any attention to me. I was very lonely.
One day Jaeji comes by and sits next to me.
'Can i sit here?' I looked at her as if she were some strange creature.
'You're a 6th grader, right? Dont bother me. Why dont you go sit with the other little girls?'
'Geez! I'm just trying to be nice. You've been sitting by yourself everyday since you got here so I wanted to come over and keep you company. I didn't think you'd be like this. Be a little more grateful.'
I was suprised by the way she spoke to me. At first, I thought she was ugly looking. Once she opened that mouth of hers and spoke, she seemed cute to me.
'Sorry. You can sit.' I moved to my left, making room for her. We just sat and ate silently. From time to time I'd glance over and she'd be staring at my face. The wierd thing is, I wasnt creeped out at all and I actually stared back. I liked her, I thought I finally made a friend.
The next day I was kind of expecting her to come again, but I saw her sit with her friends instead. I was slightly disappointed and I felt lonely again. I walked up to the table hesitantly and asked if I could sit with them. Her friends were suprised that the new 8th grader wanted to sit with them. Jaeji just smiled and nodded while making room for me.
We sat together everyday at lunch. Her friends thought I was wierd and they each left the table one by one. Eventually, it became just me and Jaeji at the table. We became real close friends. We were fine just the two of us.
One time when we hung out outside of school, some kids from my grade saw us and made fun of me for sticking with a 6th grader. I started to feel embarrassed that Jaeji was my only friend. I forced myself to make new friends. I befriended the first guys to talk to me the next day and I immediately distanced myself from her.
Towards graduation, I recieved a call from her even though we hadn't spoken a word to each other in months.
'Sang Hyun oppa.. it's Jaeji.'
'Oppa? We're not close anymore, you cant call me by my real name. The correct title is Thunder sunbae.' I was being cold since I didn't wanna talk to her.
'Oh... Sorry sunbaenim. I was calling because you're going off to high school in a few months and I wanted us to hang out before you leave. You know... Like when we were close?'
'What?' I was suddenly very excited, but I tried my best to remain cool. I hadn't gone out with her in so long because of my new reputation with my new friends. 'What do you wanna do?' Oh yeah, I kept my cool.
'The m-movies?' Was she nervous?
'Sure.. I guess. I'm not doing anything Saturday. I'll see you at our usual meeting place? Same time, okay?'
'O-okay. Bye.' She quickly hung up.
I had gone to movies with her before but I was extremely anxious this time.
When I got there I was suprised to find Jaeji dressed up. She usually wore jeans and t shirts all the time. I was nervous and it felt like a date. I was seeing Jaeji as a girl for the first time. Inside the theatre, while we were watching the previews, she turned to face me. I was worried because it meant she was going to say something serious.
'Sang Hyun oppa. I have something to say to you.' I turned to face her.
'I.. I... l-like you. I know we WERE close friends, and you're going to be a high schooler now.... but I thought I should let you know why I felt so bad when you stopped talking to me.'
I was thinking about how to respond, when we heard laughter coming from behind us. It was two of my friends from school.
'Waa Thunder. So this nerd isnt a friend, but a GIRLFRIEND! Oooooo!'
'No shes not! She said she likes me that doesnt mean I like her! You guys know i like Mina!'
I heard a whimper and turned to see Jaeji running out of the theatre. I didnt even go after her cuz I didnt want my friends to think I liked her.
I never met with her after that. I realized that I was special to her and she was to me too, but not in that way. I felt awkward. Freshmen year I heard from a friend of hers that she hid and cried in the bathroom until her mom came to pick her up. She regretted telling me she liked me. Junior year when she came to Mance, I still felt awkward and told myself to avoid her. This year, I found that very hard.
We're in a lot of the same classes and clubs. I'm regretting my behavior from then. I wanna be nice to her to get the chance to apologize before I go off to college. She's really uncomfortable around me now though."
Thunder looked up and found Eli and Onew teary eyed. Eli suddenly smiled. "Just ask her out now." "No!!!" Both Thunder and Onew screamed. They looked at each other awkwardly and silently for a while before Thunder spoke. "I want her as a friend. I still have never thought of her... in THAT way. But... I think Onew has." Thunder gave Onew a big grin and Onew threw a pillow at him.
"Yah, dont put me in situations like that with my hoobae! I just dont want her going out with you because you're not her type."
"Then what is her type, hyung? Hmm?" Eli asked in a mocking tone. Thunder waited attentively for his response.
"Her type? It's... whatever Jonghyun is!"
Thunder pouted. "What about Jonghyun does she like?"
"How the heck would i know?! Geez, let's just end this here. Please. Poor girl has no idea we're talking about her." Onew succeeded in changing the topic and the boys started to goof around with play with each other.
Eli was the first to fall asleep, like always. Thunder took the oppurtunity to ask Onew about his feelings for Jaeji.
"You and Jaeji seem close. What kind of relationship do you guys have?"
Onew layed down and looked up at the cieling. "Honestly, I dont know. We have a good friendship thing going on, but sometimes, she makes me feel wierd. Like, I want to be near her and I dont want anyone else around her. I guess I see her as a younger sister or something." Onew shrugged and closed his eyes.
His response made Thunder worry.
"You said she likes Jonghyun. What if they actually start going out?"
"That'd be good! I mean, she likes Jonghyun so she'd be happy, right?" Onew his side to face Thunder.
"You wouldn't feel jealous or anything?"
"I think I would." Onew smiled and Thunder's chest felt like BANG.
"Jaeji's great. I'd want a girl that likes me as much as she likes Jjong. I'd get over it though. Seeing her and my brother happy together would be the best thing in the world." Onew's smile grew wider and he closed his eyes again.
Thunder wondered why it hurt him to hear that Onew might like Jaeji as more than a friend. It pained him even more to hear about how much she likes Jonghyun.
His thoughts were interrupted by Onew's yawn.
"Let's sleep, cheondung-ah...."
They cuddled together and fell fast asleep.
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Told you guys I'd update soon ;)
I'd like to thank my friend Krissy for helping me out with grammar. I was having trouble...
Gracias mi gringita, te amo <3
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