Chapter 7
"Jealousy"
Jimin and Hoseok danced for at least one hour, if not two, and Ha Na had eagerly clapped her hands every time they finished a routine. Unlike other days, Jimin was the one who insisted they called it a night, since he had to make sure Ha Na got home before her family would begin to worry. Hoseok understood completely and waved goodbye to both of them as they left the dance studio together.
"I will follow you home," said Jimin when they got outside.
No, it's okay, I can walk home on my own.
"If you are afraid your family will see, how about I just follow you most of the way?" Ha Na looked at Jimin for a while, trying to figure out what to do.
Alright then.
Ha Na sent Jimin a smile after she had put her phone back in her pocket and they slowly started walking alongside each other. Even though it was late and Ha Na was looking forward to a scolding when she got home, she still walked in a very slow pace. The same applied to Jimin. Even though he had a lot of homework and hadn't even started yet, he also walked very slowly. They didn't talk or even looked at each other, they just enjoyed each others presence and tried their best to make the journey to Ha Na's house become longer so they could spend more time together, even if that time had to be spend in silence.
As they were walking, Ha Na spotted someone walking towards them and she tried to focus her eyes on the person to confirm it was indeed the person she thought it was. Jimin noticed her sudden change of focus, since she suddenly started speeding up her pace as well. And then her face lit up and she started waving her hands happily in the air, and the person nearing them did the same.
The man was now right in front of them and Ha Na was speaking with him in sign language with a huge smile on her face. He was also smiling, but once in a while Jimin felt his eyes on him and he suddenly looked less happy.
He was much taller than Jimin, probably much older too. He had broad shoulders and dark mesmerizing eyes. Jimin couldn't help but notice his hands as well and when he looked at his own to compare he felt a little sad inside.
While Jimin was standing there, almost admiring the man in front of him, he suddenly noticed that the man had removed his eyes from Ha Na and now looked directly at Jimin.
"Hello, it is nice to meet you," said the man and extended his hand, "my name is Cha Hakyeon." Jimin immediately shook his hand and then introduced himself.
"Yes it is nice to meet you," said Jimin, "my name is Park Jimin."
"I know," said Hakyeon without emotion, "thank you for walking Ha Na home, I will walk her the rest of the way if that is okay with you." Jimin was a bit startled, but quickly pulled himself together.
"Yes! Yes of course that is okay," said Jimin a bit nervous, but then he looked at Ha Na who had this big happy smile on her face and he couldn't help but smile as well.
"Thank you for today," said Jimin and looked at Ha Na, "get home safely."
"I will make sure she will," he heard Hakyeon utter behind him.
I had fun, you get home safely too.
"I will," said Jimin and he watched Ha Na and Hakyeon leave together. He kept standing there for a little while until he also turned around and started walking back towards him dorm.
Ha Na and Hakyeon walked for a bit without talking, but then Hakyeon suddenly stopped and turned to face Ha Na.
"Why were you alone with him," signed he with a concerned look in his eyes.
"It just turned out that way," replied Ha Na.
"Weren't Jung Hwa supposed to be with you?"
"She had to do something so she left."
"I am going to kill her when I see her later," said Hakyeon with rage burning in his eyes, but Ha Na was able to read his lips and waved her hand in front of him to get his attention.
"Why are you mad? Nothing happened. We just had fun. We talked and then I went with him to watch him practice," signed Ha Na.
"Practice what?" asked Hakyeon.
"Dance. He is a dancer too! I think you two could become really good friends." Ha Na tried to show a huge smile, but Hakyeon didn't look happy at all.
"He is a dancer? That shorty?"
"Oppa, Why are you calling him a shorty?"
"Because he is. He is only a tiny bit taller than you."
"Then are you calling me a shorty as well?" Ha Na looked at Hakyeon with furious eyes.
"No of course not, you are a woman."
"So if it is a woman she is allowed to be short, but not a man?"
"Come on he is barely even a man, didn't you say he is 22 years old."
"Yes?" signed Ha Na with a lifted eyebrow.
"He is practically still a boy. Why are you hanging out with him?" Ha Na didn't answer. She just looked at Hakyeon. She didn't blink, she didn't smile either, she just gave him a deadly stare. And then she spun around on her heel and liften her chin so her nose pointed to the sky and she walked away from Hakyeon without looking back.
"Ha Na!" Hakyeon called out while trying to catch up to her. He grabbed her shoulder to make Ha Na turn around but she just diverted her eyes from his.
"Ha Na look at me!" said Hakyeon while waving his hand in front of her eyes.
"Ha Na come on you are being childish," signed Hakyeon.
"I am being childish?" signed Ha Na and she almost hit Hakyeon while doing so because of her agressive hand movements, "you know, I expected this kind of behavior from my brother, but I at least thought you would be happy I made a new friend." Hakyeon looked at Ha Na whose eyes were red and full of anger and sadness.
"I am sorry," signed Hakyeon, "I am just scared, I think."
"Scared of what?"
"Of losing you."
"Why would you lose me? We are best friends, I have known you for who knows how many years. Just because I get a new friend doesn't mean I will forget about my old friends." There was a moment of silence while Hakyeon tried processing what she had said, processing the whole situation overall.
"You are right, I am sorry!" signed Hakyeon, "can you forgive me?" Ha Na hit Hakyeon with a flat hand on his arm.
"Ouch!"
"Of course I will forgive you," signed Ha Na, even though she still looked a bit angry.
"You promise you are not mad at me anymore?"
"Yes," signed Ha Na, but then Hakyeon suddenly grabbed her hand.
"What are you doing?" Ha Na managed to sign with only one hand.
"If you are not mad at me anymore then hold my hand until we are home," signed Hakyeon and pouted.
"Are you a kid?" Hakyeon just pouted even more.
"Alright, but hurry up," signed Ha Na and started walking, still with Hakyeon's hand in hers. Hakyeon happily jumped along with a smile on his face and Ha Na couldn't help but laugh and smile a little.
When they reached their houses they said their goodbyes and went separate ways. Ha Na walked up to her house and went inside, prepared for the scolding she would get. And sure enough, she didn't get to take more than two steps inside before her mother came running from the kitchen.
"Where have you been?" signed Eun Ji.
"I was out with my friends," replied Ha Na in hope that her mom wouldn't ask for more information.
"What friends?" Ha Na felt the cold sweat slide down her back and she was trying to think of what to say, but then her savior arrived.
"Let her come inside first!" said Byung Ho and Ha Na ran into his arms.
"Alright then," said Eun Ji while signing, "did you eat?"
"Yes, but I can eat again," signed Ha Na and Byung Ho laughed.
"Great, then let us eat a late night dinner together." Ha Na nodded.
"Where is Namjoon?" asked Ha Na.
"He is working late tonight. He is going to court tomorrow so he needs to prepare the last couple of things," signed Byung Ho while Eun Ji began setting the table. Ha Na nodded along and then went over to help her mom.
After eating a nice and peaceful family dinner together, they all went to relax in the living room. Eun Ji did try one or two times to get more information out of Ha Na, but Byung Ho just shushed her, saying he was tired and just wanted to relax with his family.
Then, after a long argument, Byung Ho got Eun Ji convinced that tonight was football night and he got permission to use the TV. That meant that Eun Ji needed to do something else so she wouldn't die from boredom, so she went to get her iPad and started playing games on it. Ha Na was just happy she was able sit and read a book in the peaceful atmosphere present in the living room.
She didn't know how much time had passed but she had read at least 3 or 4 chapters when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She took a quick glance, without her mom noticing and then put it right back in her pocket. She kept sitting with her book for a while so she didn't seem suspicious but she didn't read a single word after looking at her phone.
Then she got up.
"I am a bit tired," signed Ha Na, "I think I will go to bed."
"Alright," signed Byung Ho without much further thought, "goodnight."
"You are not sick, right?" asked Eun Ji.
"No I am just tired, don't worry mom."
"Okay then," signed Eun Ji, "goodnight, sweet dreams."
"Goodnight."
Ha Na walked up the stairs and after that, she practically ran to her bedroom and jumped into her bed. She took out her phone and looked at the message with huge eyes.
From: Park Jimin🐨
Did you arrive home safely? I hope you didn't get into trouble because of me...
Reply to: Park Jimin🐨
I didn't get into trouble thankfully.
Thank you for walking me home and for hanging out with me today ☺️
From: Park Jimin🐨
I hope you had fun and it wasn't too boring to watch me and Hoseok dance for so long?
Reply to: Park Jimin🐨
Not at all! I loved watching you dance. Hakyeon is a dancer too ☺️
From: Park Jimin🐨
Hakyeon, the guy from earlier? Just by looking at him I know he must be a good dancer 😊
Reply to: Park Jimin🐨
He is. But so are you!! And you look so happy when you dance ☺️
From: Park Jimin🐨
Well dancing is one of the things I love the most 😅🙈
From: Park Jimin🐨
I'm sorry I keep messaging you, I must be a disturbance.
Reply to: Park Jimin🐨
You're not disturbing me. I'm not doing anything right now 😄
From: Park Jimin🐨
Then can I ask a question?
Reply to: Park Jimin🐨
Of course 😊
From: Park Jimin🐨
I know you work at the library and now I know Hakyeon is a dancer, but what about your brother? And what about Jung Hwa? I forgot to ask her earlier today.
Reply to: Park Jimin🐨
My brother is a prosecutor. He works a lot and if he's on a big case then he can sometimes have a lot of overtime. But he loves his job.
Jung Hwa took a break after high school and worked part time for a while until she decided she wanted to study psychology. She'll have her master degree next year and start working as a psychologist.
From: Park Jimin🐨
They must be really smart, both your brother and Jung Hwa Noona.
Reply to: Park Jimin🐨
They are! What are you studying? 😊
From: Park Jimin🐨
I'm studying law but to be honest I don't really want to become a lawyer. I wish I could spend all my time on dancing 😊
Reply to: Park Jimin🐨
Maybe you can some day, who knows. You're such a talented dancer!
Jimin and Ha Na texted each other back and forth for a long time until she fell asleep in the middle of their conversation.
It was around midnight when someone gently opened the door and stepped into Ha Na's bedroom. Namjoon sighed deeply when he saw his little sister collapsed with her hand still wrapped around her phone. He walked over and took away her phone to put it to charge. When he plugged in the charger the screen lit up and he saw the last message she had received from Jimin. Just as he was about to feel the rage built up inside him he looked at Ha Na. Even while sleeping she was smiling so brightly and he couldn't help but feel himself soften a bit. He reached for her blanket and pulled it over her so she wouldn't be cold and then kindly stroke her cheek.
"I will let you get away with it this time," whispered Namjoon, "but only because you look so happy."
Hello everyone!
Apparently I didn't make an outline for this story before this chapter, so everything before this, was writing purely from my in-the-moment imagination. Nowadays I always make the entire outline before writing a single chapter. This just seems to work better for me.
Writing with a clear goal in mind always made me more motivated and having an outline has made it possible for me to stay clear of writer's block for years now. So fellow writer's, if you don't have an outline; MAKE ONE!
Please remember to take good care of yourself and don't forget to leave a comment down below before moving on to the next chapter.
Love, Annalise~