The Introvert

Chapter 4

LALISA

"Aaaaahhhhh!!!!"

He had an umbrella on his hand and was about to attack me when I screamed at the man in front of me.

"N-Nuguseyo?!" He demanded. "How did you get in?!"

"Lalisa-imnida. I'm Jin oppa's yeodongsaeng!" My arms were crossed, shielding myself from his possible attack. "I have a key!"

I waved the spare key Oppa gave me. He slowly put down the umbrella and it was then I realized he was half naked. His bare torso was lean but he had abs like... yum.

"Yah~ Do you go to the gym?"

"M-Mwo?!" His face turned red like ketchup when he realized that his upper torso was naked. I tried to contain my laughter as he shields his body from me. He then tried to grab a frying pan but unfortunately stumbled.

"Carefu--" I was about to help him when I too, slipped. "Aigoo..."

"E-Er..." He began to speak. I looked at him then realized that I landed on top of him and our faces were just an inch apart. Looking closely, the guy was freakishly good looking! "U-uhhh, c-can you..."

I immediately stood up and looked away. I felt my cheeks burn. "Sorry!"

"I-It's fine..."

Slowly, I turned towards him. "Ya!"

I pointed at his lower torso while looking away. His towel dropped.

A few minutes later...

"Thanks for this," I said, brushing all the awkwardness away. Even though Jeon Jungkook--he told me his name a while ago, looked like an idol, he didn't have that confidence judging by his actions. He's not clumsy but he tends to scramble and stutter a lot. But one thing's for sure: he had potential. "Why are you alone, btw? I thought oppa went out with all the ambassadors?"

"I-I'm only 20," he replied, digging into the ice cream tub. "I'm not allowed to enter the club..."

"Me too!" I raised my spoon and clinked it with his. He was taken aback. I just smiled at him 'coz I know--by the way he's acting, he still ain't comfortable around me. I hated that.

He cutely scratched his nape then smiled.

"Omo~! You're more handsome when you smile~ And you have bunny teeth! Cuuuuute!" His eyes widened as I pinched his cheeks.

"So how did you exactly ended up in our kitchen?" He asked.

"Well... Since my unnies went to the club with Rosé--who just turned 21, and left me alone in the dorm, I called Jin oppa and asked if I could stay with him for a while. I was also feeling hungry and I know very well that he cooks all the time. Unfortunately, he said he went to the club with the ambassadors. But he did say I could get some leftover kimchi rice in their fridge. He also told me where he placed the spare key." I was breathless.

"Oh, I see..."

An awkward silence broke. He got busy eating ice cream.

"Ya..." I called for his attention. "Since your hyungs and my unnies left us alone, shall we go on a little adventure tonight?"

His eyebrows furrowed as I grinned. "Are you familiar with this neighborhood? You just got here."

"That's why I asked you to come, didn't I?"

"But we might get scolded--"

"Dude, we're in college. Why would we be scolded? We're not small kids anymore Kookie."

I saw him blush as I called him by his nickname.

"Bring me to the best place in the city--with no age restrictions of course."

"Call."

"Call!" I raised my spoon then dunked it into Jungkook's ice cream. "But first, let's finish eating. It's bad to waste perfectly good food."

LATER THAT NIGHT...

"Here." I handed him a helmet as I rode my Ducati. "Safety first, right?"

"We're riding that?!"

"Of course!" I chuckled. I know it's not a girl's usual ride but, I like big bikes. "Hop in!"

"So you're well off?" Kookie asked as he sat behind me. "Ducatis are expensive."

"Didn't you know? Jin oppa's parents own YK Pharma."

"Mwo?! He never told us. Even in the university, it's not known..."

"Well, Jin oppa doesn't like bragging much but he is filthy rich. And since they kinda adopted me, they spoil me with things like this baby right here," I explained while patting the motorcycle.

"Kinda adopted? So you're not Korean?"

"I'm half-Thai, half-Korean. I'm actually oppa's cousin. His mom and my mom are sisters."

"Then where's your mom?"

"In heaven," I smiled. But it was a painful smile. It's still fresh to me given that it had only been 3 years since my parents passed away. "Mom and Dad died in a plane crash..."

"Mian..."

"Oh don't worry about it." I assured him with a smile. "It's already been three years and I'm thankful to auntie and uncle for taking me in. Being with them makes me feel like mom and dad didn't pass away. Oppa's been very sweet too. He's like a second mom, actually."

"Yea. Jin hyung is the dorm's mom."

Kookie's toothy laugh made smile. He's like a kid everytime he smiles and laughs. "It suits you more."

"Huh?"

"That. Laughing and smiling. It suits you more."

He turned crimson red. "Kamsamnid--aaaaaaah!"

We took off. He almost lost balance making him hug my waist tightly. I felt my cheeks burn again. Aigoo.

"Make a stop here," Kookie said and I followed. "Welcome to my kingdom!"

"Woah! Daebak!!" I said as I hopped off my bike. "This place is amazing!"

We stood by a cliff with a scenic view of the city. I was at awe with all the pretty lights that glistened.

"How come I haven't seen you in the campus before?" He asked.

"Well, I don't go to school that much." 'Coz she only took exams. "I don't like school. I was homeschooled in middle school back in Thailand. My first school experience was in an all girls' school so that doesn't count as much since I used to bail out. So the real social thing I experienced was during my first year in the university. And boy it was not good."

"Waeyo?"

"I got suspended."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Did you do anything bad?"

"Well, I jumped out of the window."

"You what?!"

"I know, I know. It's not lady like to jump off windows." I waved him off. "Jin scolded me endlessly. But it was worth it."

"How long was your suspension?"

"A week. Then I got another suspension etchetera etchetera. I just don't get the schools regulations so to avoid getting more suspensions, I just go to school when I needed to take an exam."

Which got me accelerated from first year to third year in a span of one year.

"So enough about me and my weird school schedule. Do you come here often, Kookie?" He nodded.

"It feels nice to be in a quite place once in a while. This is the place where I can think and make important decisions on my own."

"Woah. That's deep, man. But I understand. So do you also bring all your yojachingus here? This place is the perfect make-out spot."

There's that shy smile of his again. So far, I've seen three types of Kookie's smile: the awkward smile when he's uncomfortable but tries to be nice, his toothy smile that shows when he's genuinely happy and his shy smile. I don't know which one I like best.

"I uh... er..."

"I'm just messing with you." I nudged him a bit. "There's one more thing this place is perfect for."

"What is it?" I grinned.

"It's the perfect place to scream--- YAAAAAAAH~!"

Kookie laughed.

"IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU KOOKIE CHINGU-YA~!!" I was giggling as I screamed. "ANNYEOOOOONG!!"

"NADO! ANNYEONG!!"

We laughed together, side by side. This might be the start of a beautiful friendship.

They vandalized the guardrail.

LIS + KOOK '97