Chapter Text
"You know, sweetheart, you could always try out for the soccer team. You were so great when you were younger." My mom tried to make small talk at the dinner table. Her little suggestion was a mixture of 'make new friends' and 'do something with your life'.
"Yeah, when I was younger ." I rolled my eyes, picking up a piece of tteokbokki. Kkami immediately started to bark at the sight. "Kkami," I looked down at him, noticing the saliva dripping from his mouth, "you can't eat this." I shook my head at the continuous barking. "Mom, did you even feed him?" I was visibly annoyed.
"Watch your tone, Hyunjin." My father interjected.
"Yeah." I mumbled. With that, I picked up my dishes and placed them in the sink.
"Hyunjin, aren't you going to finish your food?" My mother asked.
"Nope." I walked right past the both of them and went straight to my bedroom.
Join the soccer team, she says. I'm in the art club, isn't that enough? Just because I'm tall doesn't mean I need to be a pro athlete. But I guess nothing will ever be enough for my parents. I've always had this theory that they didn't have another child because I was the complete opposite of what they wanted. Awkward, liked weird things, anti-social, not the brightest, not an athletic bone in my body, gay, and weird friends.
Speaking of weird friends...
"Wooyoung, what do you want?" I sighed, answering the phone.
Jung Wooyoung. One of my best friends. He's the only other junior I know.
"Don't be mean to me." His attitude was always sassy but playful.
"I'm sorry, Princess Woo. How can I help you?" I sighed with a smile.
"We need to go bowling tonight."
"Bowling?" My lips curled in disgust.
"Stop making that face. I know you're making that face right now."
"What face?" I acted oblivious, but he knew me too well.
"Shut up, you know the one." I laughed at his frustration. "But we need to go bowling because 'you know who' will be there." He started to do his evil giggle which could only mean one thing.
Choi San.
San was a senior at our high school. Super popular, intimidating, football player, every girl likes him. He's the 'it' guy. Wooyoung is also wildly obsessed with him. We're going on two years now. I think they've spoken maybe ten words to each other in that time. Maybe five. I'd say the other half would be inaudible squeaks from Wooyoung.
"So we're going to stalk him."
"Yes-I mean no!"
"We're just going to be in the same place as him coincidentally."
"Correct." He cheered.
Stalking. Still very much stalking.
"Alright, come pick me up."
"But I don't wanna drive." He whined.
"You can't be the passenger princess every time, Woo. I don't wanna deal with my parents so I gotta jump out the window."
"You're going to break your ankle one day." I could hear his engine turn on through the phone. "But I'll be there soon."
"Oh, is it just us?"
"I'll surprise you." There's that maniacal giggle again. Wooyoung is a social butterfly. Everyone loves him. I mean, how could you not? He's been trying to get me new friends since forever but to no avail.
"Please don't." I begged.
"Bye, Jinnie!" Then the line went dead.
Why me?
I tied my long, black hair back and put on a regular oversized navy blue shirt with black jeans. I nodded in satisfaction as I looked at my appearance in the mirror attached to my closet door. No need to leave my room thankfully.
But with that, my phone buzzed.
Woo
HEREEEEEEEEE
Without answering, I made my way to the window, then slid it up carefully and quietly. After a good four minutes of being in stealth mode, I jumped onto the grass and rushed into the backseat assuming someone was in the front.
"Jinnie!" Wooyoung cheered in a high pitched voice as he drove to the bowling alley. "You remember Yeonjun, right?" He pointed to his right at a guy with jet black hair and striking lips.
"You ask me that every time. This is like the seventh time we've hung out." I laughed. "Hey, Yeonjun." I finally greeted.
"Sup." He saluted. Yeonjun was a senior, but he and Wooyoung have been best friends since middle school. We say hi in the hallway, but that's about it. There's nothing wrong with him or anything, I just like to keep my circle small.
The car ride consisted of Wooyoung and Yeonjun obnoxiously screaming and singing while I covered my ears and cringed the entire time. Being around one loud person is hard enough, but two? I'll have to bring ear plugs next time.
"Okay, let's go! Vamos!" Wooyoung shouted, getting out of his car.
"Look at you paying attention in Spanish class." I laughed.
"I'm in English." He nodded with a smile. Not a thought behind those eyes sometimes, I swear.
Yeonjun and I jogged into the bowling alley to catch up to Wooyoung who was already picking out our shoe sizes for us.
"How did he know San was gonna be here?" I whispered to Yeonjun. "Actually, how does he ever know where San is?"
Yeonjun scanned the area and eventually landed on San at Lane 6 with three other guys. He pointed at a senior I recognized: Seo Changbin.
"Changbin is my other best friend. The three of us are kinda like a trio. But Changbin always gives Wooyoung the heads up." I felt somewhat jealous knowing that Wooyoung had other best friends, let alone a best friend trio. That's what I get for being introverted, I guess.
"So then why hasn't Changbin tried setting them up?"
"You know what, I'm not actually sure."
Wooyoung turned around and slammed a pair of bowling shoes into our chests.
"Lane 7." He nodded and began to march. But within a few seconds, he gasped, turned around and froze. "Guys, he's right there."
"You wanted to come here, so let's go." I waved my hand towards our lane as Yeonjun and I walked past Wooyoung. "Vamos." I whispered in his ear, then laughed.
"Hyunjin." He whined as we left him. Soon enough, he came stomping over and grabbed a ball. "Me first." Yeonjun and I waited for him because we both knew he'd have a heart attack if he had to go second or third.
"Yeonjun!" Changbin called out and waved hello. Yeonjun blew him a kiss as his friend caught it, making them both laugh. I'll admit, it made me crack a smile.
"Woo, did you go yet?" I asked.
"No. You weren't paying attention to me."
"Oh my god." I shook my head. "Go, Wooyoung." He nodded and walked up to the lane, lining up with the pins. A few moments later, he bowled a strike on his first try.
Yeonjun and I immediately started to cheer along with Changbin in the other lane...so was San. He smiled at Wooyoung and clapped in a sexy way if that's even possible. But somehow Wooyoung was oblivious and didn't even see him.
"Alright, you're up, Felix!" I overheard San say as I went and grabbed a ball for myself. When I looked up to see who ' Felix ' was, I couldn't believe my eyes. I even had to do a double take. He was beautiful. He had fluffy, blonde hair and the brightest smile I had ever seen. He seemed so tiny compared to everyone he was with.
"Alright, alright, I'm going." He spoke. I gasped dramatically, almost dropping the ball that rested in my finger tips. His voice was deep, but it sounded so soothing.
"Jinnie, go!" Wooyoung whined. "What are you..." He stopped as he noticed what I was looking at. "Are you looking at Lixie?" He teased, but only loud enough for us to hear. I'm not even sure how that was possible, but I'm impressed.
"Lixie?"
"His name is Felix. He's a sophomore."
"What is a sophomore doing with two seniors?"
"Well, that's his brother." He pointed to another guy that I noticed was with them earlier. He was walking back with a drink in his hand and his phone in the other. "Lee Minho. He's a senior too." I'm not sure if he heard us or felt my intense stare because he quickly snapped his head over towards me. I felt my skin grow cold at that very moment. "He scares me."
"I can see why."
I had a feeling this night was going to be filled with nothing but awkward eye contact.