Crush or Admiration? (1/1)

It was Saturday night and that meant grocery shopping. Sujin and Soo-ah liked shopping for grocery at the local night market so that was where the girls went. Gayoung liked how similar the girls were. First, their names almost sounded the same, they both graduated from the same high school, they loved shopping cheap (not that she didn’t, of course), and best of all they were best friends.          “Could I become best friends with Cha Eunwoo?” Gayoung asked herself. She thought that perhaps because the two girls were best friend who liked the same things, she could be like that with the boy as well. “I mean what could go wrong?”          “I miss my mom’s kimchi,” Soo-ah whined, picking up the can of kimchi that was stored at the front of a stand.           “You always used to complain about how much vinegar she puts in it, look at you crying now.” Sujin replied, giving her the side-eye. Gayoung looked at the two and laughed when Soo-ah glared at the taller girl then proceeded to say some other things that were irrelevant with the conversation. They were always so fun to be around with, not once had she stopped laughing when she hung out with the two. She really loved how they never made her feel like she was being left out.          “What about you, Gayoung? What do you miss most from your mom’s cooking?”          The girl thought for a moment, not really processing the question because she hadn’t been listening to their conversation at all for the last minute or two. Her words seemed lost in her mouth, but it was only for a second as she was able to word out the word ‘Kimbab’. That’s right, out of all her mom’s cooking, she missed Kimbab the most. For some odd reason, her mother’s homemade Kimbab just tasted better than anywhere else.         “Kimbab?” The two girls said in union.          Gayoung only nodded her head, “Yes, Kimbab. I’ll have you guys try it out one day when she brings it to me.”           Soo-ah thought for a second before replying, “Okay!” with Sujin following, “It better be as good as you said it to be. I shall be waiting for it patiently.”          The three girls continued on with their shopping after that topic. After a while, they came across a small hidden bookstore that didn't seem like anyone would want to go inside. Of course it caught Gayoung’s attention immediately, making the girl stopped in her tracks with her friends doing the same.          “Um, is it okay if I go in here for a bit? If you guys are ready to leave then I’ll just meet you guys at home.” Gayoung turned to look at her two friends with desired eyes. She really wanted to go inside.            “I’m okay going inside,” Sujin replied nonchantly.          “Yeah, I don’t mind either even though I don’t really like reading.” Soo-ah stated.         Gayoung’s smiled widened, excited that her friends were so supportive of her. She quickly rushed inside with her hands still full of grocery bags on each side. The other two just followed, shaking their head as they did so.          Once inside, Gayoung quickly rushed to the poetry section. She was a little disappointed to see that there weren't very much options to choose from, but was nonetheless happy that the store even had some. And really good ones, too. As she skimmed through some pages of a book that had caught her eyes, she could hear her friends talking amongst themselves. It was only for a brief moment though because she soon heard another voice talking with them as well. One, that she knew too easily.          She slowly set the book back in its place and peeked through the small crack to the main area. There, she saw Sujin and Soo-ah’s faces but the other person’s head was turned towards her. She could almost tell that the voice belonged to the boy in her book club, but she didn’t want to put her hopes up. Either way, Gayoung began walking closer to the trio.          As she got closer she could hear that they were laughing amongst each other as if they had known each other for a long time. And even though she didn’t like the feeling, she was super curious about their relationship; so she moved in closer. It was only when she was in their sight did her friends called for her which made the person turn his head around.          Gayoung felt her heart flip-flop when the person turned out to be the boy who she knew it would be. She was flabbergasted. Who would have thought she would be this lucky to see him again so soon. And to think that it was none other than in a book store.           “Ah! Eunwoo, meet our new housemate, Moon Gayoung! She’s a first year just like us.” Came Soo-ah’s chirpy voice. Eunwoo smiled at her charmingly, waving as he said, “Hello.”          “I know her,” the boy said casually, turning back to the two girls. “We are in the same book club.”          “Oh? Really?” Inquired Sujin.           “Yes, we were so afraid of being late to the first meeting that we both went to find the room to make sure we didn't get lost later. That's actually how we met, too. I can't help but think how much of a coincidence that was.”          If hell was a real place, Gayoung was there. Her face was burning so much that not even ice could cool it down; she couldn’t believe how casually he was speaking of her. It was as if he considered her a close friend already. But it was what she wanted, right? It was what the inner her wanted from the boy; to be his friend. Was it really that, though?           “Wow, who would have thought that you two would end up knowing each other.” Soo-ah commented, her eyes going back and forth from the two.           “Yeah, Eunwoo is a book freak. Back in high school you would never see him without a book.” Sujin responded, smirking at the boy when he gave her the side-eye.          “You guys all went to the same high school?” Gayoung finally spoke. And for a minute there, she felt a little jealous. She wished she had gone to the same high school as them, too. Maybe then she could have met Eunwoo sooner and been his friend as well.          “Not just high school, middle school as well,” replied Soo-ah, oblivious to Gayoung’s hidden jealousness. “This guy may look like he’s this cool person who is too nice and all but he's not. Deep down he’s annoying. He jokes around a lot and teases people too much. Just ask us, we know. Sujin and I were his main victims.”          “Yes, I still get nightmares about them ‘till today.” Sujin agreed, shivering at the thought. “Who would have thought we would all end up at the same University?”          Eunwoo could only laughed at their comments, unable to answer back. If he had to be honest, they were exaggerating. He wasn’t even that bad. The days when he pulled pranks on the girls were just days when he was bored, which may have been a lot of days. But still, he didn't think they were all that bad. High school had always been a little too easy for him, therefore, he constantly got bored and needed to do something to kill time.           Needless to say, he was happy that there was Sujin and Soo-ah there to help keep him company.           “Stop laughing,” Soo-ah barked. “It’s not that funny, you’re lucky you’re a friend. If you were just some random guy, I would have fought you all those years.”          Gayoung chuckled at the girl’s banter. Although they were saying all those bad things about Eunwoo, she couldn’t find herself to see him that way all. Like before, she still thought of him as a very reserved person, someone who was extra mysterious to her. Even so, she became more curious about the boy, thinking maybe he really wasn’t the person he'd show her that time they met at the club meeting.          “Alright, alright,” Sujin announced, stopping Soo-ah and Eunwoo from furthering their little bickering session. She walked over to Gayoung, hooked her arm to hers and turned back to the two. “I’m ready to leave and I think Miss Moon Gayoung here is, too.” She stated firmly.           Soo-ah nodded her head yes as well, but Gayoung only stood in her spot, actually not wanting to leave yet. She slowly looked away from the younger girl to Eunwoo and saw that he was already looking her way. He had on that same soft smile again.          “I guess I’ll see you girls at school, then,” Eunwoo confirmed, and left the book store before Gayoung was able to say anything. Not that she had anything to say anyway. She was basically mute the whole time he was there.           That night Gayoung found herself sitting at the dining table zoning off.  If it hadn’t been for Sujin, she might have sliced her hand from aimlessly cutting the broccoli that was supposed to be for the Alfredo they were gonna eat for dinner. “Ya, what’s gotten into you these past few days? You keep zoning off, you did that during lunch as well the other day.”           Gayoung tried to play it off by changing the subject but this time Sujin didn’t let her. She pushed the cutting board away and snatched the knife out of Gayoung’s hand then sat herself down right next to the girl. Soo-ah stood over at the stove, still stirring the pot of chicken but listening to the two girls as well. Gayoung only sighed.          “Tell me, what are you thinking about? Did something happen? Are you being bullied at school? Who would do that, though? We’re in college now, got dammit,” she grunted, not realizing how much she was getting angry all by herself.          “What? Someone is bullying you?” Came Soo-ah’s roaring voice.          Gayoung had to sush the two girls before they got out of hand. When she was able to calm the two down, she slumped back into her seat and let out a sigh. She struggled about telling the truth by telling them how she couldn’t stop thinking of their friend or just lie by making up a story. She wasn’t too sure if they were going to be okay with her mentioning Eunwoo's name though.         “Well…” she began staring at her two friends whose eyes were burning their way through her. She fumbled with her thumbs out of nervousness. “So recently I met this guy, right? And for some reason I can’t seem to stop thinking about him. I want to think that it’s due to the fact that we have very similar taste, but that doesn’t feel right.”          Gayoung looked up from her hands to her two roommates after a while, wondering why they hadn’t said anything to her yet. She looked back and forth from the two trying to guess what they were thinking of but failed. She tried to get up when the atmosphere got too awkward but Sujin sat her back down real quick. She gasped out of shock.          Gayoung jumped when Soo-ah screamed and ran to the table after turning off the stove, forgetting about the chicken completely. She worried about the pot for only a second before her attention went back to the two girls. They suddenly had smirks on their faces as if they knew what she was hiding, which they probably did.           “Gayoung, please tell me you’re not just playing dumb.” Soo-ah accused, her hands still gripping tightly to the wooden spoon that she had use to stir the chicken.         The girl nervously laughed, afraid of her friend’s sudden demeanor. “What – what are you talking about?”         Sujin tut as if annoyed, “Don’t play with us right now you silly girl. You’ve got a crush on this boy, huh?!”         Gayoung gasped again, “What?”         “You like this boy, huh? Who is he? What is his name?!” Soo-ah demanded.          "When did you start feeling this way?" Asked Sujin, who was trying really hard not to look so desperate for more information. She had to keep calm or Gayoung would pull away from them, which she did not want happening.          Gayoung thought for a moment, she knew it began since the first time she'd met Eunwoo, but she didn't know if that was the day she also began to have a crush on him. Whatever that meant. Soo-ah called it a crush, but Gayoung wasn't too sure if it was even considered that. She mostly felt like it was just admiration​​​​.          "I met him just a few days ago. He goes to the same college as we do. He seemed reserved and calm, but I don't think that's his true self. I mainly feel like I just want to be a friend of his, not anything else so I don't think I have a crush on him." Gayoung replied, trying to defend herself but the other two thought otherwise.          "Be his friend my butt," Soo-ah teased. She leaned over the table and slightly pushed Gayoung’s forehead, making the girl frowned.           “I think you see him more than just a friend,” Sujin commented, putting one of her hands on the girl’s shoulders as if telling her that her secret was spilled. “But you see; that is okay… It’s normal to have crushes, everyone gets them.” She assured.          Gayoung only sat in her spot. She didn’t want to admit it. She didn’t want it to be true. She couldn’t have possibly built a crush on Cha Eunwoo. She barely just met him a few days ago. Of course she thought he was tall, handsome, smart, and just all of the above, but she didn’t have a crush on him. She probably thought she wanted to see him more, or talk to him more, or get to know him more, but she couldn’t possibly have a crush – Gayoung’s eyes grew larger each time she thought about the non-possibilities.           “Maybe I DO have a crush on him!” She mentally screamed. “But – but…”          “No buts, Missy.” Soo-ah interfered, shaking her finger.          “Believe it or not, Moon Gayoung but you have a crush on that boy.” Sujin said, her hand still on the girl’s shoulder.   Eunwoo’s POV          Cha Eunwoo was out eating with some friends when he saw from the corner of his eyes three girls that looked too familiar. One of them especially caught his eyes. He didn’t know how or when it happened, but he couldn’t seem to get rid of the girl’s face from his mind. He’d never really felt like that towards anyone before, but this girl was definitely changing that.          Without finishing his food, the boy stood up from his seat and tried to squeeze pass his friends who were seated beside him. "What? You’re not eating anymore?” Sanha asked, food still in his mouth.          He looked at the younger guy, unable to tell him that he just saw the girl who had completely taken over his head. “I’ll be right back; I’ve got to do something.” He promised, still trying to push through his two other friends.           “Ya, your ass is in my face!” Jinwoo grunted. He scooted farther back in his seat, letting the Eunwoo rush pass.           “Gee, I wonder what he just saw to make him be in such a rush.” Myungjun inquired but not really caring either.           Moonbin snorted, “You mean WHO he just saw to make him that way.” He continued to eat away his food while the other guys watched in shock, wondering if he knew something they didn’t.          Outside, Eunwoo rushed behind the girls. He thought he had lost them until one of the girl’s pigtails caught his eyes. He saw them enter a bookstore and quickly followed suit. As he made his way towards the store, Eunwoo couldn’t believe what he was doing. It was odd of him to want to get to know someone so much, but it couldn’t be helped. It was as if he was bewitched.          Once inside, the boy tried to hide his suspiciousness. He saw the girl at the poetry section and smiled. “Of course she would be there,” he thought and slowly made his way towards her. He was just about to enter the poetry section but was stopped abruptly when he heard a voice that sounded too familiar. He turned around and met none other than two of his old high school classmates.          “I knew it was you, you jokester.” Soo-ah huffed.           “Ya, why did you apply to this University, as well? Are you trying to make our college life a living hell, too?” Sujin accused, her hands on her hips. Eunwoo could only laugh nervously as he stood in his spot watching the two girls glaring at him.          He was just about to defend himself when the girls burst out laughing, Soo-ah snorting as she did so. “I was just kidding, you idiot.” She stated.           Sujin smirked, “Really though, I can’t believe you applied to this college as well. I thought that with your grades you would have gone to Hanyang or Yonsei University without trouble.”          “I could say the same for you, Kang Sujin.” Eunwoo replied. He felt happy seeing the two even though he knew they kind of weren’t. All those days in high school when he used to pull pranks on the girls came rushing back to him. And even though he dreaded those school days, now he was missing it. Life was really so much easier when he was a child.          Eunwoo was just about to say something again when he saw Soo-ah’s eyes widened. She then began waving her hands and yelled out the name he had been thinking of this whole time. “Oh, Gayoung! Come here for a sec."          He turned around after the call and came face to face with the girl who he had been chasing after this whole time.           He couldn't help but smile.  Hey, guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you all for subscribing and enjoying this fanfic of mine.