That Day I Said I Love You

Egg Tarts

Yoo Ae's POV

knock knock knock.

"Yoo Ae-yah. You have a visitor." I heard my mother who knocked at the door.

"Visitor?" I asked myself. I am not expecting anyone today, and besides, I don't have a lot of friends in school. "Nugu-eyo?" I asked loudly without even standing up from lying on bed.

But my mother did not answer. She might have left already.

I lazily stood up, fixed my hair a little and put on my glasses.

As I went out of my room, I could hear my mother's voice from the first floor.

"How are you? I haven't heard from your mother for a while. How is she?"

My mother's talking loudly on the phone again. Well, my mom's getting old and it's getting hard for her to hear stuff especially when talking over the phone so she tends to shout as well.

But I was wrong.

When I went down the stairs, I was shocked to see that my mother wasn't talking over the phone. Instead, she was talking with..

"Jaebum sunbaenim!" I almost jumped in surprise.

He smiled brightly hiding his eyes again and waved. "Annyeong!"

"Why didn't you tell me you were in the same university as Jaebum, Yoo Ae-ah?"

But I didn't care to answer my mom anymore. I was so shock by his sudden appearance inside our house. "Sunbae.. w-wae-waeyo?" I was even stuttering. Yugyeom! Haist!

"Why are you asking your oppa like that? Of course, he can visit here anytime he wants!" My mother intervened.

Jaebum sunbae was bowing and smiling towards my mother. "Kamsahamnida eommoni. But I just went here to fetch Yoo Ae."

My mom's eyes widened. "You two are going somewhere..? Together?"

C'mon! I know what my mom is thinking about. She used to pair us up when we were young. She even talked to Jaebum sunbae's mom about it. Haist! Jinjja!

"Eomma! It's Jaebum sunbae's birthday today and he has a party in his house." I answered to stop her from thinking of other unrelated stuff.

My mom clapped her hands. "Ah! Mian mian. I forgot. Saengil Chukha Jaebum-ah."

"Ne. Kamsaheyo." Jaebum sunbae bowed.

Jaebum sunbae then looked towards me. "Yugyeom told me you didn't want to come, so I personally went here to--"

"You didn't want to come?!"

Haist! My eomma's voice is just so irritating in times like this!

"Sunbae.." I smiled awkwardly at Jaebum sunbae. "Chankamaneyo." then I pulled my mother towards the kitchen. "Eomma.. come here.." I hissed.

"Wae? I still wanna talk with Jaebum."

I locked the kitchen's door. "Eomma!"

"Wae?!"

I sighed. "Just stay here. Don't join in our conversation please.."

"And why wouldn't I? I'm your mother!"

My mother is just so hard headed. Help me, Lord!

Then this brilliant idea came to mind. "Eomma.. didn't you want Jaebum sunbae to be your son-in-law?"

My mom's face brightened.

"That's why you have to leave me alone with him.. you know.." I even moved my eyebrows up twice and acted silly.

Smile was drawn in her face. "You should have told me earlier!" she looked so happy. "Okay.."

Then she suddenly opened and pushed me out of the door. Formed a fist and said, "Fighting!" and closed it again.

"Why is your mother cheering for you?"

"Ha! Kapjagiya!" My heart almost jumped. Jaebum sunbae is already in front of me, a meter away from the kitchen door.

Omona! Did he hear my conversation with mom? I smiled at him awkwardly. "Nothing. You know, my mom's very random."

He nodded. I wonder if he really belived in what I said.

"Uhmm.. by the way.."

"Ne?" I walked towards the living room. I am sure my mother is eavesdropping in the kitchen door right now so we need to go farther.

Jaebum sunbae followed me in the living room. "Are you coming along?"

Oh right! "Uh..." I would be really rude if I won't come since he really went here for me. But wait! "Why did you have to come all the way here to fetch me?"

"Ah! Yeah! Well.. I was nearby when Yugyeom called so.. I thought.. if I'll come here I might be able to convince you to come."

"But.. sunbaenim.. Why do I have to come?"

Jaebum sunbae looked flustered by my question. Was that offensive? Yah Yoo Ae! You don't really know shame with your questions! Now, I have to scold myself. Mental slap.

"Well.. you know.. you were a childhood friend and now a hobae so.." he answered.

Oh~ "Don't worry about me, sunbae. I'm fine."

"So let's go?"

"Huh?" Ah! He thought I'm fine means I'll come! "Aniyo. I mean, I'm fine even if you don't invite me."

His facial expression became serious. "You don't really wanna come?"

So he haven't change. When we were young, he becomes serious everytime he doesn't like something. So does that mean he really wants me to come?

Deep breathe. "Okay. I'll come since it's your birthday. But can your birthday gift be delayed?"

His cheerful smile is back. "Good. No need for gifts. Kaja!"

We were about to exit the house when I remembered, "Aigoo!"

He stopped and look at me. "Something wrong?"

"I am in my pajamas."

Theb we burst into laughter.

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Good thing I got some decent casual clothes in my closet. Just a white longsleeve shirt and a black knee level skirt.

When we arrived in his house, it was chaos.

Familiar people from school are everywhere already eating and drinking. How could they start the party without the celebrant?

Jaebum sunbae lead the way and let me seat in their large living room. Jinjja! Their house is no joke. It's huge! Like a palace!

"Ae-ah. Wait for a moment there. You can get food from the table. I'll be back." He said then left.

There are a lot of people in the living room as well and loud music is all over the place. I really felt uncomfortable.

My stomach growled. I'm hungry.

I stood up to get food from the buffet table. I really wanted to eat rice, but all I see is finger foods. Hai.. then I should just eat than starve.

After putting all I can eat on my plate, I went back to the sofa where I was sitting but.. Mwoya?!

I closed my eyes immediately and left. I saw a couple almost making out on the sofa. The world is just so liberated already! Don't they know the word 'embarrassment'?!

I left the living room and looked for a quiet place to eat. The kitchen is full of the guys from the Engineering department. The pool side is full of people wearing swimwears. Most of them were acting and dance majors.

"Kim Yoo Ae-sshi!"

I turned to see who called me. It's my classmate from Philosophy class, which I am classmates with Jaebum sunbae as well, Park Jin Young. "You're here!" he said cheerfully. And we are not close, by the way. We don't even talk. Why is he talking to me now?

I smiled awkwardly. How many times do I have to force myself to smile today?

"Uh.. ne."

"Jaebum hyung invited you?" he asked with a disbelief expression.

I know, right. I don't belong here.

"Wow!" he continued. I think he doesn't care if I answer or not. "You will eat all those? WOAH! Jjang! Daebak!" like his eyes are going to pop out from its socket.

"Ne. I will." I faked a smile and left.

But as I was walking away, he shouted, "Yoo Ae-sshi! Are you a monster?! JJANG! CHOEGODA!"

I didn't mind him and walked straight towards an empty yard. "Hai.." I sighed in relief. "At last! A place where I can eat silently."

I sat down the bench near the beautiful line of orchids. But even before I took a bite of my favorite egg tart,

"Looks like someone uninvited just crashed in the party."

Woah! Can't my life be peaceful? Can't I eat with silence?

It's the school's Girls Generation. They don't even look like Girls Generation at all for me. Not all nine of them. Just four of them. The one who talked was their leader Jaekyung.

I looked around to see if they are talking to another person, but there was only us in the garden.

"Are you talking to me?" I asked with a full mouth. I'm really hungry, you know.

They laughed mockingly.

"Are you dumb? Do you see anyone here?" Jaekyung said with crossed arms and eyebrow raised.

This is what I am talking about! I was just a nobody in school, and I am perfectly living as a nobody though people know that I am from a not well-off family, I was just doing well not getting attention, and here I am now.. What in the world did I put myself into?!

"Uhm.." I tried to smile modestly to avoid danger. "I'm sorry, but I'm invited. Uhm.. you know, Jaebum sunbae was the one who invi---"

They laughed so hard. Like what's funny with what I said?

Jaekyung went near me, leaned down towards the table. "Who invited you?" And I don't like that b*tchy tone. "Jaebum?!"

And the other members laughed again.

"You are something!" Then she picked up one egg tart from my plate. "You're making up stories just to eat egg tarts? Huh! You're funny!"

And once again, they all laughed with very loud voices. Are they sick? This isn't even a comedy skit.

But what shocked me more was..

Jaekyung suddenly threw all the contents of my plate on the ground and step on them. She faced me smirking and said, "Why don't you try eating those? They now fit your status. Dirty."

And those irritating laughs filled my eardrums.

Huh! How dare she do that with food?!

My mouth was left hanging open while they still feast on the laughter and contentment they felt.

"Ya! Can't you transfer somewhere? It's so noisy."

They were put in a halt. As well as I. We all faced towards the one who just spoke.

He didn't even scream but it has much authority.

"Omo! Mark Oppa!" the girls exclaimed, and became tamed.

Woah! So they change feathers immediately if there's a handsome guy?

They bowed in apology. "Mianhaeyo Oppa.." and left.

I dunno but I'm thankful that he interrupted the scene. I could have already pulled that girl's hair by now and they might have cornered me and I might have went home with wounds and bruises.

I bowed gratefully, "I'll transfer as well. Sorry for disturbing you." and started to pick up the fallen food from the ground.

He turned his back. "Just leave it there. And you better leave the party as well. You won't be able to have a peaceful night here." and lied back on the bench behind the line of orchids. So there was another bench there.

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