Blog

Chapter 2: The Girl with the Sad Eyes – June 23, 2019

“Tae, are you hanging out later today with Yunseong?” Jungkook asked casually as he defeated Tae yet again at their newest video game.

Tae grumbled.  “I suppose.”

Jungkook’s eyes slid towards his friend.  “I don’t know why you can’t see how adorable she is.”

“I never said she isn’t adorable.  She isn’t Eunji.”

“No, she certainly isn’t!” Jungkook agreed emphatically.

Tae took exception to both his tone and his words.  “Hey!  What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just that Eunji wasn’t the girl for you.”

Tae frowned.  “What?  Why do you say that?”

“Because you never kissed her.”

Tae just stared at him.

“Right?” Jungkook quirked a dark eyebrow.  “You didn’t, did you?”

Tae shook his head.  

“How about the lovely Yunseong?”  Jungkook waggled his eyebrows.  “Have you kissed her yet?”

Tae’s face went blank.

Jungkook was the only one who could read him during those moments, but, unfortunately for Tae, Jungkook could read his blank face like an open book.  His round, midnight eyes flew wide as both of

his eyebrows now dueled with his bangs.

“You have?!” He was astounded.  “I was just teasing you.  But you really kissed her, didn’t you?”  A wide grin split his face.  “When?!  Man, you are one lucky dude!”

Tae swallowed.  He wasn’t about to kiss and tell.  Not even Jungkook could unearth this secret.

“Come on,” Kook coaxed him.  “Was it any good?”

Tae just stared at him.  But Jungkook’s words were reminding him that it had been good.  Really good.  But instead of making him feel good, the taste of Yunseong’s lips had made him feel guilty.  Like he was cheating on Eunji.  Which was preposterous!  He couldn’t cheat on a girl he’d never had.  Who did, in fact, now belong to his brother.

He sighed.

“You’ve still got it bad for Eunji, don’t you?”

Tae’s eyes were now locked on something Jungkook couldn’t see.

“I think, my dear friend, that you are turning water into whine.  Passing up an excellent opportunity for romance with the lovely Yunseong to complain about the loss of a girl who was more like a sister to you.  What a waste.  I’m all about redeeming opportunities.  Would you mind if I ask Yunseong out?” 

It was just a murmur, but it got Tae’s attention.  His head snapped up.  “What?”

Jungkook shrugged.  “Well, if you don’t like her, then I’d like to ask her out on a date.  She’s super cute, and she’s funny.  I had a really good time with her last night.”

Tae stared at his friend.  What did it matter?  It wasn’t like he had a crush on her or anything.

“Whatever,” Tae responded noncommittally.

Jungkook beamed.  “Do you have her phone number?”

—

Yunseong picked up her phone.  An unknown number was calling her.  She declined it.  A moment later, the same number sent her a text.  She read it.  And smiled.

“Hi, Yunseong.  This is Jungkook.  Tae’s friend.  Are you busy today?”

“Yes,” she responded just to see what he would do.

Jungkook was gorgeous.  And super sweet.  But he wasn’t Tae.  She sighed.  

Tae was clearly still heartbroken.  How long would it take him to get over Eunji?  Was Yunseong willing to wait that long?  

Would Tae be more willing to confide in her if he thought she was into someone else?

But she couldn’t lie to Jungkook.  She couldn’t lead the sweet guy on.  She would have to be honest with him.  From the beginning.

“Oh.  Ok.  Have a great day!” Jungkook responded.

She could hear his disappointment as she read his words.

“What are you doing?” she replied.

“Hanging out with Tae.”

“Is that fun?”

“Extraordinarily.  I just beat him at MIRᴙOR ImageN.”

She laughed.  “I love that game!  Wanna come over and see if you can beat me?”

“I thought you said you were busy.”

“I was testing you.”

“Were you?  

“Did I pass?”

She grinned.  “What do you think?”

Jungkook laughed as he read her response.  Tae glanced at him as Jungkook typed his reply.

“I’ll be over as soon as you give me your address.”

She texted it to him.

“You’re going to see her?  Now?”   Why did Tae feel a tremor of unease?

“She wants me to beat her at MIRᴙOR.”

Tae rolled his eyes.  “No one wants you to beat them, Jungkookie.”

Jungkook scrunched up his nose and laughed.  “I’ll leave you alone so you can practice.  Maybe you’ll beat me tomorrow.”

Tae glared at him but said nothing.

Jungkook breezed through the doorway.  Whistling.

—

Why was Yunseong so nervous?  Jungkook was just coming over to hang out.  And to try to beat her at her favorite video game.  He had a rude awakening coming.  No one beat her at MIRᴙOR ImageN.

A few moments later, she opened the door and sighed inwardly.  The boy was even more beautiful than she’d remembered.  Why on earth couldn’t she have met him first?  He seemed to be into her.  Unlike Tae.  Who was still drowning in his feelings for someone else.

“Hi!” she greeted Jungkook as she swung the door wide open to allow him to enter her house.  “So,” she glanced at him sideways, “you like MIRᴙOR ImageN?”

He nodded emphatically.  “It’s my favorite game right now.”  

He beamed down at her.  She was so cute.  Tae must be dead inside.  Or blind.  Deaf.  And dumb.

“Let’s see how good you are,” she challenged him with a grin, her unusual, green eyes glowing.

He would happily follow her anywhere.

An hour later, he leaned back in frustration.  “How did you do that?  I was leading the whole game!”

“That’s what you thought,” she quirked a chocolate eyebrow at him.  “But you were putty in my hands the whole time!”

He shook his head.  “I must bow to you, my queen,” he intoned in deference as he tilted his head towards the floor.

“Jungkook…”

His head came up at the hesitant tone in her voice.

“I —”

She didn’t want to hurt this precious boy.

“You know that I —”

He smiled ruefully.  “That you like Tae?”  A puff of air escaped his nose.  “Yeah.  I know you like Tae.  I saw the way you were looking at him before I approached you last night.  I’m trying to wake him up.”

Puzzled, she furrowed her brow.  “What?”

“It’s time Tae realizes that Eunji has always belonged to Namjoon.”

“What?” she repeated.

Jungkook sighed.  “I could always see it.  The way Namjoon looked at her.  Long before Tae fell for her.  And when Namjoon returned, I saw them together once.  Something changed.  She looks at him differently than she did when we were kids.  Except…she was always on guard around him.  Even when she was tiny.  Like she was super aware of him, you know?”

Yunseong nodded.  “You think she’s in love with him?”

“Well on her way if not quite there yet.  Besides, she and Tae have always acted more like siblings than love interests.  I know they believed themselves to be in love.  But neither of them ever acted on their feelings.  Maybe if they had, they would have learned how incompatible they are.”  Jungkook sighed.  “Anyway…I hope Tae wakes up soon.”

Yunseong smiled at him.  “You are so nice, Jungkook.  But why are you rooting for me?  You don’t even know me.”

He grinned.  “I’m an excellent judge of character.” He surveyed her.  “And Tae must have seen something in you to—“

She frowned.  “To what?”

Just then, Yunseong popped her head in through her doorway.  Jungkook did a double take as his head swiveled from Yunseong to Yunseong.  And back again.

“Yun, I’m headed to the library.  Are we still going to the pizza place for dinner?” came a quiet voice from the identical Yunseong.

Yunseong nodded.  She glanced at Jungkook and grinned at the look on his face.  “This is my twin sister, Yunyeong.  Yuni, this is my friend, Jungkook.”

Yunyeong glanced at Jungkook and froze.  But he didn’t notice.  He was marveling at how much she looked like her sister.  Except…the eyes were different.  Soberer.  She didn’t smile at him.  She tipped her head his way.  

“Nice to meet you,” she mumbled.  Then she glanced at her twin.  “I’ll meet you and Seokie at the pizza parlor.”

Yunseong nodded her head.  “See you in a couple hours.”

“It was nice to meet you, Yunyeong,” Jungkook called after her as she turned towards the door.  She glanced back furtively before disappearing down the hallway.

Yunseong glanced at him.  “Don’t mind my sister.  She doesn’t really care for guys.”

Jungkook frowned.  “What?”  He glanced back towards the doorway as though Yunyeong had left some clue behind.  “Why not?”

Yunseong sighed.  “You promise not to say anything to anyone?”

Intrigued, Jungkook nodded.  

“A guy mistreated her when we were younger.  Ever since she’s been leery of anyone she doesn’t know really well.”

Was that the reason her eyes had seemed so sad?

Jungkook grimaced.  “I’m sorry.”

She smiled at him.  “You’re such a nice boy, Jungkook.  I’m glad we’ve become friends.  Want to go out with us for pizza tonight?  It’s just us and our brother.”  Then she squinted at him before admitting, “We’re actually triplets.”

Jungkook’s eyebrows popped up as his luminous eyes grew huge.  “Wow.  Really?”

She nodded.

His gaze slid over her golden brown hair before delving into her green eyes.  “Sorry if I’m too nosy, but how are your eyes green?  And your hair – I’m assuming that’s your natural color?”

She nodded as she grinned.  “My mom is British.  With blond hair and green eyes.”

“Ahhh,” he smiled.  “It’s nice.  Your hair is beautiful.”  He wanted to reach out and touch it.  “So are your eyes.” 

She smiled at him.  “Thanks.”  

Jungkook’s obsidian ones were pretty too.  

But I love Tae’s chocolate eyes.  

Yunseong queried, “Want to play another game?”

“Gonna give me a chance to defeat you?” he asked with a smile in his eyes.  

She grinned at the cute crinkles around his eyes.  “Never!  This is another chance for you to learn to never underestimate a girl!”