Chocolates and Beer

XI

After the confession, Jacob and I started going out more often than usual. He’s busy with his work, but he’s making sure that he will have time to see me, even if it’s just for dinner. Making sure to send me good morning and good night messages. Checking on me. I appreciate all the efforts that Jacob is giving just to prove that he’s serious about pursuing me. It had been two months and Jacob was consistently making me feel wanted and loved.

‘Would you still be like this if we got into a relationship?’ I asked him while we were sitting at the bar. Sipping cocktails and whiskey.

‘Try me.’ Jacob teasingly said. We were having fun when a woman approached Jacob.

‘Jacob? Wow, I haven’t seen you in ages. Good to see you,’ the woman said as she kissed Jacob’s cheek and hugged him.

‘Hi, good to see you, too.’ Jacob just casually replied.

‘I missed you. I miss playing with you.’ The woman flirted and then teasingly slid her finger on Jacob’s chest.

‘I don’t have time for that,’ Jacob said, but didn’t react to her actions. Oh Jin, you said that your brother doesn’t go out. But it looks like your wrong.

‘Call me. When you get the time, okay?’

‘Nah.’ Jacob smiled.

‘Oh, is she with you?’ the woman pointed at me. I don't know if she's mocking me or just acknowledging my presence.

‘Oh, yes, she’s with me.’ Jacob quickly replied, switching his position towards me.

‘Hi.’ I casually greeted the woman.

‘I didn’t see you. I’m Ilona.’ She said and offered her hand.

‘Jean,’ I replied and shook her hand.

‘Is she your girlfriend? Oh my, now I’m embarrassed.’ Yeah right, she doesn't look like she's really embarrassed though.

‘No, I’m not. We’re just friends.’ I said quickly.

‘Oh, I see. Good, good. So, do you mind if I take him? Just want to catch up.' Her fingers playfully caressing Jacob's chin. The nerve! Jacob seems to a popular guy. He didn't even flinch. Maybe he's enjoying it.

'Sure. I'll be going home after I finish this, so you better keep him company.' This woman is somehow getting into my nerves. If you want to flirt, then flirt somewhere else.

'Jean!' Jacob protested. 'Sorry, Ilona, but I went here with Jean. You should go back to your friends now. Let's enjoy the night separately, okay?'

'Okay.' The woman just agreed. It looks like she still wants to protest. I'm not sure how Jacob shooed her away, but it seems like he tamed her somehow. 'Nice to meet you Jean, I hope to see you again. Bye.' She finally left.

‘The pleasures are all mine. See you around.’ I smiled at her while trying not to catch Jacob's gaze.

Jacob drank his whiskey in one shot and turned to me. ‘An old friend…’ he finally said.

‘You completely forgot me there,’ I said, cutting down his words. ‘Play? "I wonder what kind of games you play?’ I continued, not giving him the chance to talk. I then looked at him and smiled. ‘Just joking. "She’s pretty,’ I said before taking a sip of my drink and turning my head to the front as if I was focused and curious about what the bartender was doing.

‘Look, Jean. Please don’t get me wrong. It’s not what you think.’ Jacob tried to defend himself.

‘What? What do you think I’m thinking?’ Eyes locked on her drinks and playfully shaking the glass. I don't want to meet his gaze.

‘I’m not a player. Well, I won’t come clean and pretend that I’m not before, but I am not anymore. I’m serious about you,’ Jacob explained, as if his life depended on it.

‘I didn’t say anything. Why are you being defensive?’

‘Jean, at least look at me when we talk.’ Jacob said, trying to keep his calm, but there was a touch of desperation in his voice.

‘Jean?’ A guy from somewhere suddenly shouted my name.

‘Jean.’ The guy said loudly when I looked his way. ‘Of all places, I never thought I’d see you here.’ He said as he finally approached and stood in front of me.

‘Change of atmosphere.’ Oh, it's Oli. My high school classmate.

‘Good to see you. God, you’ve gotten prettier.’ How long has it been? Boyfriend. Do you have one? Or are you married now?’

‘No and no.’ I replied, but Jacob suddenly coughed to make his presence known.

‘Ah, who’s he?’ Oli asked.

‘A friend,’ I replied.

‘Hi, bro. I’m Oliver.’ Oli said and offered his hand.

‘Jacob.’ He replied but ignored the handshake. Oliver just let it pass and put his attention back to me. ‘So how are you? Where do you live now? Are you a pianist now?’ he asked.

‘Slow down, Oli. You’re asking too many questions. Well, I live somewhere else now, and I did not pursue the ‘pianist’ thing.’ He's still the same. Asking questions like a kid.

‘Sorry to interrupt, but who are you in her life? Are you, his ex?’ Jacob interrupted our conversation.

‘No. But I can say that we’re pretty close to high school. Jean never entertained guys back then, and she’s stronger than most of the guys in our class, but I am her first kiss.’ Seriously, just like the old times, he doesn't know when to shut his mouth. He discloses information to anyone, regardless if they just met.

‘Too much information. Nobody’s asking, Oli.’

‘Haha. Sorry. I just thought he should know.’ He then shook my chin, but I abruptly brushed off his hands. If we're still in high school, this would be nothing. But we're adults now and Jacob is here. ‘Ah, don’t be like that. That’s why you’re still single.’

‘It’s a choice. Don't you think you’ve been here too long? That girl is obviously getting impatient,’ I said while pointing to the tall gorgeous lady at the door.

‘Oh, you’re right. I totally forgot about her when I saw you,’ Oli said.

‘I know someone who did the opposite,’ I replied.

‘Oh? Haha. I’ll be going now. Really, Jean. I’m happy to see you again. No kidding.’

‘Me, too.’ Yes, Oliver is a playboy, but he is a kind person. He was good to me in high school, and he’s one of the friends I hang out with.

‘Bye, see you around,’ Oliver said and gently patted my head like I'm a little puppy and hugged me.

‘Yeah.’ I smiled. It's nice to see an old friend.

‘See you around too, bro.’ Oliver said to Jacob, who was being quiet. I waved goodbye to Oliver as he went to the girl and left the bar. I then returned my attention to my drink again and asked the bartender to give me a glass of whiskey.

‘Why would he hug you?’ Jacob asked, as if he'd questioned all the things that happened earlier.

‘Why not? I’m huggable.’

‘So, can I hug you too?’

‘No. Go to Ilona for that.’

‘I told you, it’s not what you think. So, childish. Are you jealous or what?’ He was angry, but his voice still sounded gentle.

‘Why should I be jealous? It’s just a joke, okay? Why are you so defensive? Are you guilty or what?’

‘I’m not guilty of anything. Yeah, I played before. Not anymore. That was just me as a kid.’

‘I can see that you’re still a kid.’

‘Jean, really? Why did you let him hug you?’

‘He’s a friend. Your old friend hugged you too. Old friend things, I guess.’

‘And he kissed you? First kiss. He’s not even your boyfriend. You just let him do that?’

‘Did you ask all the girls you’ve kissed before why they let you kiss them even though you’re not in a relationship?’

‘It’s different.’

‘How is it different? Stop with your double standards, okay.’

‘Jean…’

‘I’m pretty sure I gave him a good number of punches and kicks right after he kissed me. Happy now?’

‘Well, you still look friendly after those punches and kicks.’

‘He had already apologized for that, Jacob, a long time ago. That was in high school.’

‘What if there’s more than just a kiss?’

‘Seriously Jacob. I don’t know what kind of girls you’ve met before, but don’t group me with them. Oliver kissed me. He apologized for that. Many times, before. I forgive him. End of story. What do you want me to do? Curse him, send him to jail? Hold a grudge against him?’

‘What if he did more than that? You’re just going to forgive him?’

‘If he did more than that, what do you think I'd do? It’s case-to-case, Jacob. You don’t approach one thing the way you approach the other. Why do I feel that this conversation is becoming so sensitive yet so nonsense?’ This conversation made be chugged on my drink and the heat of the whiskey crawling into her throat made my head dizzy and I felt like throwing up. I put down some paper bills on the table and left.

‘Where are you going?’ Jacob said as he quickly grabbed my arm.

‘Home.’

‘I’ll take you home.’ He then stood up, took the bills and put them in my bag.

‘No need.’ I shook my arm so that Jacob would let go.

‘Jean, you’re drunk.

‘So are you.’

‘I’m not. I just had 2 glasses.’

‘So am I.’

‘No, you had four, and we have different alcohol tolerances.’

‘C’mon, I can drink a dozen beers like water. Don’t follow me.’

‘Jean.’ Jacob said as he tried to stop me, but I was quite fast. I quickly grabbed my bag and walked outside. Jacob immediately put cash on the table and followed me, but I caught a taxi quickly and all Jacob could do now was to stare at the car moving away from him.