Chapter 24

"Jealous"

Namjoon's spirit nearly left his body when he was surprised with the sudden hug and once he came to, he quickly shoved away the woman, about to ask for an explanation until he took a closer look at her.

"Ye Ji-ya?" Namjoon asked as he felt like he was looking into a mirror of the past. Before he had time to ask any questions, his eyes took notice of a figure moving and when he turned his head, he watched Na Ri disappear inside her apartment. 

How long had she been standing there?

"Yes, it's me," Ye Ji said with a bright smile, "are you surprised?"

"W...well of course I'm surprised," Namjoon said, still trying to wrap his head around this weird situation, which happened so early in the morning, "why are you here?"

"I'm back in South Korea... for good," Ye Ji said, but looked a bit dejected, "you don't sound very happy to see me."

"I'm sorry, I just didn't expect you to show up all of a sudden," Namjoon said and tried not to sound angry, "of course I'm happy to see you. How have you been?"

"Fine. I worked in LA for around 2 years, but in the end I found myself missing South Korea," Ye Ji said, "so I started looking for a job in Seoul."

"Did you find a job then?" Namjoon asked.

"Not yet, so I'm living with my parents until I find something," Ye Ji said and hesitated a bit before she spoke again, "aren't you... going to invite me inside? I mean... we haven't seen each other for years." Namjoon let out a sigh.

"I'm actually on my way to work so I don't have time," Namjoon said, but looking at Ye Ji made him grow soft, "but I guess I could spare 15 minutes and make you a cup of coffee."

"Thank you so much! I won't stay long, I promise," Ye Ji said and followed Namjoon inside his apartment.

***

As Na Ri stood on the platform, waiting for the train to arrive, she felt her body itch from all the people around her. Her usual train left half an hour ago and this one was twice as crowded, but there was nothing to do.

She suddenly felt someone bump into her and she reached for her arm as she groaned in pain while looking around to see who was guilty.

"Na Ri-ssi, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there," Namjoon said as he looked down at Na Ri, "and good morning." Na Ri nodded her head.

"I guess we're both late this morning," Namjoon said, trying to make conversation, "looks like it'll be an uncomfortable trip with all these people."

"I guess so," Na Ri replied, making Namjoon feel like he reached some kind of achievement.

"Oh, the doors are opening," Namjoon said and moved towards the train, Na Ri doing the same while trying to avoid the other commuters. It was impossible to move on ones own accord. Instead you had to simply follow the flow and move to the place you were guided, otherwise it would cause even more discomfort.

As Na Ri was pushed inside the train, she suddenly felt her body lose it's balance, but in the last minute before she fell down on the dirty train floor, she was caught.

"Are you okay?" Namjoon said, still holding Na Ri in her hands. She quickly pulled away and wanted to take a step back, but more people had already invaded the space and made it impossible to move even an inch. She looked at Namjoon who was still way too close to her and both of them diverted their eyes.

"Beware, doors are closing."

Everyone moved even closer to each other, trying to fit the last few people inside, and Namjoon had to take another step closer to Na Ri, as the person behind him kept pushing for him to move.

"I'm sorry," Namjoon said as Na Ri had been pushed all the way up against the wall, Namjoon's body slightly touching hers, "I guess we have to remain like this until a few people get off the train." 

Na Ri felt trapped in the small space and unable to move, she decided to put her focus somewhere else. But there wasn't anything she could turn her eyes to, all around she saw nothing but people.

"Are you okay?" Namjoon asked and Na Ri looked into his eyes. Somehow her body felt calmer as she looked at him and Namjoon started feeling his cheeks turn red when she hadn't diverted her eyes for a few seconds.

"Ah... were you up early?" Namjoon asked while diverting his eyes, feeling like a complete coward, but Na Ri looking directly at him felt almost scary.

"I... just got home," Na Ri replied and Namjoon looked surprised.

"Were you out all night?" Namjoon asked and Na Ri nodded, "why?"

"Things... happened..." Na Ri said while trying to take her mind of the many people around her.

"Then you didn't sleep at all last night? You must be tired," Namjoon said, but Na Ri just shook her head.

"I'm okay," Na Ri said and looked at Namjoon with a hint of a smile, making Namjoon look away again.

"Who was she?" Namjoon looked at Na Ri once again when she spoke, but this time she had her head held low, definitely avoiding eye contact.

"Who was... who?" Namjoon asked, too distracted by Na Ri's weird behavior to remember a thing about this morning.

"The woman... who..." Na Ri stopped for a while, in hope Namjoon would catch on so she could avoid saying the rest of the sentence, but it seemed he was completely clueless, so Na Ri continued, "...who hugged you." Na Ri looked up, waiting in anticipation for a reply.

"Ah, her name is Lee Ye Ji," Namjoon replied, "she... she's my ex-girlfriend. I haven't seen her in a long time because she lived in America. I don't know why she would hug me like that, maybe it's a habit she picked up while she was abroad." Namjoon stopped talking when he realized he was rambling on and looked at Na Ri who looked right back at him.

"Why do you ask?" Namjoon then said and Na Ri suddenly felt her cheeks get warmer.

"I..." Na Ri stuttered while trying to avoid Namjoon's curious gaze.

"Beware, doors are opening."

And just then Na Ri saw her chance to escape the situation, so without any hesitation, she found a way through the crowd and ran out of the train. She was just about to find her way to the University when she suddenly noticed the station she was at. She got of the train way to early. There was no way she would make it on time unless she ran all the way.

What is wrong with me today? Na Ri thought to herself as she took out her phone and texted Min Ji, letting her know she would be late.

***

"Na Ri-ya," Min Ji mouthed without making a sound, when Na Ri sneaked into the auditorium. It didn't take long before Na Ri noticed Min Ji's hand discreetly waving in the air and quickly, before Professor Cho Kyung Sa took notice of her, Na Ri found way to the empty seat next to Min Ji.

"Good morning sleepyhead," Min Ji whispered and giggled, "did you oversleep?"

"No... I didn't sleep at all..." Na Ri whispered back while struggling to find her books on English Poetry.

"What?" Min Ji said a little too loud, which made Professor Cho look their way, but with 50 student in the auditorium it was almost impossible to find the source of a voice. Min Ji swallowed while trying to look the least suspicious and after a few seconds Professor Cho simply shook her head and moved on with the class.

"Sorry about that," Min Ji whispered, "but did you really not sleep all night? What kept you awake?" Na Ri looked at Min Ji whose eyes were the size of tea cups, filled with curiosity and worry.

"I had to... work..." Na Ri replied while trying to follow the class with one ear.

"Ah... is that so..." Min Ji said as she realized what she had done, "I'm sorry..." Na Ri looked at Min Ji again and watched her fallen expression. Carefully, Na Ri placed her hand on top of Min Ji's. It didn't last longer than a second but when Min Ji looked up, Na Ri smiled brightly at her.

"It's okay," Na Ri said while still smiling, until later her face tuned serious, "but... I really want... to listen to this class..."

"Oh, of course!" Min Ji quickly replied with an apologetic look, "we can talk more later." Na Ri nodded whereafter she turned her face directly towards Professor Cho and she took in a deep breath, ready to catch up on whatever she had missed.

As the day went by, Na Ri followed along with Min Ji and Taehyung as she kept looking for Jungkook, but he was nowhere to be seen. When the three of them reached the Cafeteria, Na Ri scanned the entire room, until her eyes fell upon a male student eating his lunch pack alone at a table.

Quickly, Na Ri reached out for Min Ji and pointed in Jungkook's direction, but to Na Ri's surprise, Min Ji had almost no reaction.

"Ah... it's Jungkook-a..." Min Ji said and looked in the other direction. As Min Ji slowly moved towards another table, Na Ri felt her feet freeze on the spot.

"Aren't we..." Na Ri said and Min Ji turned around, "going to eat with Jungkook?" Min Ji looked at Na Ri and opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her body started shaking as she again looked towards Jungkook, but in the same moment Taehyung stepped in.

"Not today," Taehyung said and looked at Na Ri with a calm expression. Na Ri stood for a while until she simply nodded along and followed the two to another table where they sat in silence eating their food.

Was this how it was going to be from now on? Na Ri wondered again and again as her eyes kept moving towards the direction which Jungkook was in, but just a few minutes later, he was gone. As if on cue, both Min Ji and Taehyung became alive and the talk became much more lively.

"Is Jungkook-ssi... still mad?" Na Ri asked and Min Ji and Taehyung looked at her. Again, Taehyung was the first to speak as he mouthed an "mm", with a sad smile.

"Then," Na Ri continued while looking at Taehyung, "aren't we going to work on the project this weekend?"

"I don't know," Taehyung said with a sigh and Na Ri looked down as if she was being scolded for her selfish question.

"Don't get mad at her," Min Ji then said and Na Ri looked up again, "I'm sorry Na Ri-ya, this is all my fault."

"It's not your fault!" Taehyung said with fiery eyes, "it's Jungkook-a who's being childish. He should just get over himself already, I mean you and Na Ri-ssi made up pretty quickly."

"It's not the same!" Min Ji yelled, making Taehyung draw back, keeping his mouth shut, "I didn't... I didn't even know he felt that way about me." Min Ji looked down, her eyes sparkling from the tears she had trouble holding back no matter how many times she blinked.

"Me neither..." Taehyung said and quickly swallowed the rest of his food before he stood up and took in a deep breath.

"Alright, that's enough sadness for today!" Taehyung said while looking at both the girls, "I have a free period now, what do you say we all go for a walk and get some fresh air?"

"That's a wonderful idea," Min Ji said and seemed to have gotten her smile back, "what about you, Na Ri-ya? We have a free period too after all."

"Ah..." Na Ri said as she hesitated, "I actually have... an appointment." Taehyung and Min Ji looked at each other and then looked at Na Ri again.

"With whom?" Min Ji asked and Na Ri looked down.

"Well..."

***

"Na Ri-ssi," Dr. Kang Ji Woo said when Na Ri entered her office, "I'm surprised to see you here again."

"You told me... to come back..." Na Ri replied and sat down on the armchair without a second thought.

"That's true," Ji Woo said, "but just because I tell you I would like you to come back, doesn't mean you're obligated to do it." Na Ri looked at Ji Woo without answering.

"Anyway, I'm happy to see you again, do you want a cup of coffee?" Na Ri nodded. If not for anything else, Ji Woo made good coffee and after a night without any sleep, she would never say no to caffeine.

While Ji Woo was busy brewing the coffee and Na Ri looked around the office like last time, the door suddenly opened and revealed a tall man who entered without any hesitation until he suddenly took notice of Na Ri.

"Na... Song Na Ri-ssi..." Namjoon said with eyes wide open, the same as Na Ri herself, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. Dr. Kang, I just wanted to return the book I borrowed from you."

"That's okay, we're just going to enjoy a cup of coffee together," Ji Woo replied and walked over to get the book.

"Then... I'll just see myself out," Namjoon said and let his eyes fall upon Na Ri one last time before he left the room and closed the door behind him.

"I'm sorry about that," Ji Woo said after he left, "he should really learn to knock, am I right?"

"Y... yeah..." Na Ri said while staring at the closed door.

"There you go," Ji Woo said and placed the cup in front of Na Ri.

"Thank you," Na Ri said and took a sip.

"So," Ji Woo said and leaned back in the two-man sofa, "did you talk to Min Ji?" Na Ri nodded with a faint smile.

"Seems like you two made up, am I right?" Na Ri nodded again, "well that's good news, but you don't seem happy? Did something else happen?"

"Well..." Na Ri explained the situation between Min Ji and Jungkook in as few words as possible, but when Ji Woo tried to start a conversation by asking her some questions, Na Ri answered them in the least interested way she could.

"Na Ri-ssi," Ji Woo said and caught Na Ri's attention which had been hard to hold onto during the session, "we can talk about this situation with your group members, or we can talk about whatever is making you look into the distance with a worried expression."

"What... do you mean?" Na Ri asked but Ji Woo simply lifted an eyebrow.

"I think we can both agree there's something else on your mind which is bugging you way more than this love triangle." Na Ri looked away for a bit, knowing it was too late to fake it now.

"So, why don't you tell me about what's on your mind?" It took a while for Na Ri to say anything, but Ji Woo wasn't impatient. She just leaned back in the sofa and waited in silence, until Na Ri finally looked up and took in a deep breath.

"I have... a neighbor..." Na Ri began, "we... I think we're... close."

"Is your neighbor a man?" Na Ri suddenly felt her cheeks turning red while she simply nodded.

"Yes..." Na Ri replied, "and this morning... his ex-girlfriend came by."

"Ah, I see," Ji Woo said, "and how did that make you feel?"

"I don't know..." Na Ri said, feeling her head hurt, "but... I can't... really focus. I should be worried about the school project... we can't do it if Jungkook-ssi and Min Ji-ssi aren't talking... I should be worried... but all I can think about is that woman... hugging him..." Na Ri stopped talking after what felt like the longest sentence she had spoken in a long time.

"Na Ri-ssi," Ji Woo began, "there's nothing you're "supposed to be worried about". We can't control our feelings. Anyone would feel jealous if someone hugged the man they're interested in."

"W... what?" Na Ri said with confusion all over her face, "interested... interested in? I..."

"Oh... I see I said too much," Ji Woo said while laughing quietly, "what you feel towards this man is for you to find out. It's not something I should dictate. Only you know how you feel."

"Do you... think I'm interested in... this man?" Na Ri asked and looked at Ji Woo.

"As I said," Ji Woo replied, "that's for you to find out."

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Remember to stay warm and eat healthy and take care of yourself. Stay safe.

Also, don't forget to leave a comment down below.

Love, Annalise~