Ripped Pages (1/1)

Chapter SevenRipped Pages  He...knows."H-how do you know...?" I gave him a confused look and he backed up, looking at me and then he grinned. "So you were my first kiss. I didn't know before, but thanks for clearing that up." He crossed his arms and began to walk away. Wait...what?I caught his arm before he could set a foot into his room. Turning him around, I said, "Wait, you didn't know? I gave it all away?""You're terrible at acting, LaeJoon-ah." He said this like it was obvious. I thought I was doing okay..."But you said you didn't know. How come you--""I had my suspicions." He looked me up and down. "Was my first kiss really with you?" How come he's doubting it? He hates me now right? Oh, this is bad!Wait, why is this bad?Why do I care?I nodded, looking at the ground. "Yes, it was me. "I'm the girl with the donut that you fell on."He looked at me and blinked for a second. Then he laughed. Why is he laughing?"Why are you laughing?" I was getting super embarrassed right now. "You're so funny." He smiled and then yanked the picture out of my hand, taking me by surprise. "I know that wasn't you," he said, pointing to the picture of the little girl going under the table. Yes. It is.Why does he find this so hard to believe? Is it because he doesn't want it to be true?Why am I sad? Regretful? Mad? "Who do you think that is then?" I asked, giving him the look my mom usually gives me: one hand on her hip, her lips pursed, and her eyebrows raised. "HaNi, of course. I know it's her. It's got to be her."He looked like he was trying to convince himself more than he really believed it. It's not your friggin monkey lover, it's ME.I had enough and began to walk away. If he doesn't want to believe it's me, then maybe we should stick to that. That's cool..."Wait--" His hand touched my arm but I flinched away from his touch, making him stop talking. "I'm going out. Tell my parents, okay?" I avoided looking him in the eye as I walked out of the hall and down the stairs, ready to go to  HaHim's house and tell her what happened. "Where are you going?"I turned around and saw Daehyun coming down the stairs. He was upstairs the whole time... Did he see...?"Yeah, I saw," he said, answering my thoughts. How...?"You're like an open book, LaeJoon-ah." He disappeared into the kitchen for a second and then came back out with an apple. "Sometimes I think you need to close that book. Or else someone may start ripping your pages." He took a bite and then walked out the door.It closed behind him and I stood there like an idiot, thinking about everything. Pages, books, people. Ripped pages, open books, closed books, people ripping those pages...Why did he tell me that? What does 'ripping your pages' mean if I'm an open book? Does that mean I'll get hurt?After thinking for a minute, I ran out the door, looking for Daehyun. I saw him looking at out garden, his apple half eaten already. "Daehyun-ssi!" I shouted.He looked over and smiled, waving. I ran to him and sat down, looking at the flowers he was staring at. "Um...what does that mean?""Depends on you," he answered quickly. I didn't think he'd know what I was talking about. "Why does it depend on me?" "Because you're the book. The person ripping the pages aren't. They're just there to rip." Huh?"How do I 'close' this book," I said, putting air quotations around the word 'close'."I don't know. I'm not your book." He took another bit of his apple, chewing slowly and not taking his eyes off of the garden. "Come on, Daehyun-ssi. You've gotta help me out more than that..." I whined, hoping I'd get my way. He stopped chewing and looked at me. "You're an open book, meaning you give everything away. Open books get their pages ripped out." He stopped, letting me take it in.I nodded, showing him that I did understand it. "If you close that book, not a single page can be ripped, unless some tears the cover off entirely, right?"I nodded again."It's hard for someone to tear an entire cover off, so closing your book would be the best option.""How do I close this book of mine?" I asked, leaning in closer like this was some girly secret that no one could over hear. "That--" He swallowed. "--is up to you, since I can't close it for you.""What if I can't close it?" He had finished his apple by now and he got up, dusting off his pants. "Then you better be sure to have pages of steel."Steel?He walked away, leaving me blinking like an idiot. What did he just say?Did he just tell me some kind of fortune thing?I got up, a little overwhelmed with our conversation. I walked over to HaHim's house and told her what Daehyun had said. "Close your book: be safe. Keep your book open: pages get ripped out. Keep your book open but have pages of steel: you don't have to close your book and no one will rip out your pages," HaHim recapped. "Yeah." I nodded. "Which one?"She put her finger on her chin and furrowed her eyebrows: her thinking face. "HaHim--"She gasped. "I know!" She ran to her laptop and yanked it open. "What are you doing?""SHHHH!" She said really loudly. It was so loud a library would have kicked her out even if she was telling someone to be quiet. "Okay...?""Shh," she snapped, typing something on her computer. I put my hands up in surrender and leaned in, looking at what ridiculous idea she had now. The computer screen was blank for a second and then once it loaded I groaned. "HaHim-ah! Don't do this! This is so stupid!" I started to close the laptop but she held it open. "This will work," she argued, giving me the "I'm right" look that I hated. "How does this even work?""You don't know how to work an eight ball?"An eight ball? That's what they're called? All I know is that it's just a load of crap."No, I don't," I said, crossing my arms. "Well then come here and I'll teach you. Let's go it together." She patted the space beside her. "No. That's stupid." I stood up and began to leave until she said something. " 'That does not seem like the right path for you'," she recited.How can I not look?I ran back to the bed and laid down beside her. "For which one?"She grinned and I smacked her arm lightly. "Shut up," I mumbled. She laughed. "For closing your book, it said not to.""So don't close my book..." I took mental notes. "Let's do the next one." She typed in: Should I leave my book open?We waited as it virutally shook the ball and then showed us the answer. " 'Sorry, ask later'?" I said, repeating what was on the screen. I looked at HaHim with confused eyes. "What does that mean?""Just take it as a no-no.""Ah~" I said in realization.She smiled and typed in the last option: Should I keep my book open and make pages of steel?We waited eagerly for the answer. " 'That's what you shall do'," I said, looking at HaHim. "How do I make pages of steel then? And why do I need to make them?"She shrugged. "I don't know." She looked at her watch. "Oh--but I do need to get ready for church!" She pushed me out of her room with an apologetic look and then she shut her door. I walked out of her house and took my time walking back to mine. Make steel pages so no one can rip them. Don't close my book or keep it open. How am I supposed to do that? What will happen if one of my pages rip anyways?"Im home--" "Junhong-ah~" I looked around the corner and then hid, seeing HaNi sit of Zelo's lap. "Did you finally realize that I was your first kiss?" she cooed, stretching her long legs out in front of him. "Actually, I think it's someone else," he admitted. Yes, it is."Who?" Her voice had lost it's happiness and now it was ice cold. "Just...someone...""No, it was me, Junhong-ah.""I'm not so sure.""Why are you doubting me now?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and made him look her in the eyes. "Would it even matter if it wasn't me? I know you love me~""Noona--"She bent forward and planted her lips on Zelo's, making my eyes and his go wide. I swallowed, something clogging my throat and I began to breath heavier than usual as my body tingled and my palms began to sweat. Zelo gently set her back, making them break the kiss. "What are you doing?" he asked softly. Why aren't you screaming at her?"Junhong-ah...I love you." She batted her eyes.He blinked a few times and then looked down. That's it!I walked in, a fake smile on my face. "Hi~"HaNi scowled at me. "Who invited you?""This is my house..." Wow. What an idiot."Shut up," she said, her tone nasty. "Why don't you, you big--""Okay!" Zelo said, cutting in between us. "Why don't we--""Why doesn't she shut her big fat mouth!" HaNi said. "I am not fat!""Are you sure about that?" she said, looking me up and down. "At least I don't go around 'marking my terriotory' on every guy in Korea!" "I do not!""Yes, you do!"Okay, so I didn't know if she did, but I was pretty sure she did.Forgive me...?"I'm sure you do you big--""At least I don't lie just to get guys. That's pathetic! And low!" I said, but I soon regretted it. Even though she was mean, I do have a heart and I know it hit her's big time. Her eyes swelled up with unshed tears and she ran out. "Noona!" Zelo shouted. "Zelo, I'm--""Just get lost," he said, running after her. Why can't my heart stop beating? Why does it keep pounding? It hurts...Make it stop. Make it stop. Make the pain stop. Why won't it stop?I feel like I've been...ripped open. Now I know what it means. My pages have been ripped...Before I could make them steel.     Aigoo~ Zelo, you're so dumb...Her pages were ripped, too.I hope you all get what I meant by that. I just kinda came up with it on a whim XDAnyway, thank you for subscribing and commenting~ Keep on doing it since I'm not a big fan of silent readers. I love reading comments!I hope to update soon since this was kind of a double update, but kinda not...:)