Chapter 21: Kim Tae-hyun and Kim Soo-jin's First Date

Joon-ho was on cloud nine seeing Soo-jin visit him again, and moreover, peeling apples for him. An indescribable warmth filled his heart.

While Soo-jin was peeling the apples, Joon-ho spoke in between bites.

"So, how was your day, Soo-jin?"

As she heard him, she continued what she was doing and spoke.

"Regular, as usual. Nothing eventful, except today I wanted to thank Kim Tae-hyun for the other day, but he seemed off. He just ignored me and left. I don't know what happened to him. By the way, how was your day?"

Joon-ho clenched his fists upon hearing Kim Tae-hyun's name. Ever since Kim Tae-hyun had broken his phone in anger after seeing Soo-jin's caller ID, and shouted, "How do you have her number?", Joon-ho had suspected Tae-hyun had feelings for Soo-jin.

That suspicion was confirmed when Tae-hyun told him to stay away from her. Tae-hyun wasn't the kind of guy to help a random girl in distress without a reason.

Joon-ho, gritting his teeth, firmed his resolve thinking. I am not going to let you take Soo-jin willingly. Soo-jin is the person I love, and I will definitely make her mine at all costs.

Soo-jin noticed Joon-ho wasn't responding to her and saw him gritting his teeth. Concerned, she asked, 

"What happened, Joon-ho? Did something happen today?"

Hearing the concern in Soo-jin's voice, Joon-ho quickly smiled, not wanting to worry her, and spoke. 

"Nah, nothing happened. I was just bored, bored to death. There's nothing to do here except to stare out the window. You know, I miss my anime and manga. I haven't watched any since I was admitted. It's been days."

Soo-jin chuckled at his words, forgetting his earlier gritted teeth, saying,

"So, you read manga and watch anime? No wonder you look like an introvert. I bet you don't have any friends, right?"

Hearing Soo-jin, Joon-ho was embarrassed as he spoke, defending every anime lover. 

"No, I am not an introvert, and you are wrong about not having friends. I have one friend."

Soo-jin was curious hearing Joon-ho say he had a friend. She wanted to know who his friend was besides her, as she spoke, tilting her head. 

"Oh? Who is it? Tell me!"

Joon-ho wanted to shout, You! but hesitated. He'd never had any friends before and wasn't sure if Soo-jin considered him one.

Still, finding courage in the corner of his heart, he closed his eyes and said softly, 

"You."

The one word, "you," was hard for him to speak because he was thinking, What will she think of me if I abruptly made her my friend without considering her feelings? Will she hate me? Will she decline to be my friend?

But to his surprise, as Soo-jin heard Joon-ho, she laughed and smilingly flicked his forehead when she saw that Joon-ho had closed his eyes, saying: 

"I'm not talking about me, you idiot!"

Joon-ho opened his eyes, rubbing his forehead where Soo-jin had flicked him. Seeing Soo-jin not angry, he felt a surge of happiness. For the first time in his life, he had made a friend.

This was a day of celebration for him. As his smile widened, his previous anxiety vanished. Rejoicing in his head, he even made a small victory sign, feeling as happy as if Soo-jin had confessed to him.

Soo-jin, seeing him smile so widely, didn't know why he was so happy, but nonetheless, she was happy to see him in such good spirits.

And like that, the day passed. After arriving home, Soo-jin remembered that she hadn't talked to him about the short film script.

I'll show him the script tomorrow. Thinking like that, she fell asleep peacefully.

In the hospital's VIP room, Joon-ho remembered that he still had to thank Soo-jin for the cookies she brought him. He decided he would return the favor by baking his best cookies for her. With that thought in mind, he too slept soundly, dreaming of Soo-jin enjoying his cookies heartily.

The next day, after class, Kim Tae-hyun, regretting his actions from the other day, approached Soo-jin while she was leaving and spoke. 

"Sorry for the other day. I was having a bad day yesterday. I am really sorry for ignoring you."

As Soo-jin heard Kim Tae-hyun apologizing to her, not minding his mistake, she said with a friendly smile: 

"Oh, don't worry about it. Yesterday, I just wanted to thank you for helping me that day when I wanted to visit Joon-ho in the hospital, that's all."

Kim Tae-hyun, hearing Joon-ho's name from Soo-jin's mouth, was fuming mad. Clenching his fist, he was only repeating one thought in his mind: Soo-jin is mine. Mine alone. Soo-jin is mine. Soo-jin is mine and no one else's.

However, not wanting to ruin his image with Soo-jin, his expression never changed. Maintaining a gentle smile, he spoke: 

"It's fine, but if you really want to thank me, why don't you take me out for coffee?"

Soo-jin hesitated. Drinking coffee with a guy she barely knew? She had only just started talking to him. 

But after all, he didn't seem like a bad guy. He had helped her before, hadn't he? Thinking like that, she wanted to speak, but she saw Tae-hyun backing off.

Seeing Soo-jin not answering for a long time, Kim Tae-hyun backed off, not wanting to discomfort her, and spoke with a soothing voice: 

"It's fine if you don't want to. I was just kidding. Don't worry about it. So, let's see each other tomorrow."

Kim Tae-hyun wanted to kil himself for rushing ahead and making her uncomfortable. But just as he was thinking that, he heard her voice from behind. 

"Kim Tae-hyun, it's fine. I will go, go for coffee with you."

Kim Tae-hyun, hearing Soo-jin agree to his coffee date, was overjoyed. He was happier than he had ever been, even more than when he had won a major car racing championship. Her acceptance made him feel like he had won the greatest prize.

As Kim Tae-hyun gestured for her to walk beside him, they headed out together.

Behind them, Soo-jin's friend, Park Ji-eun, was shocked after seeing Kim Tae-hyun being so gentlemanly and elegant, different from the cold and fierce-looking Kim Tae-hyun from class.

Beside her, Seo Jin-woo, Kim Tae-hyun's friend, was also pleased. Finally, they're going on their first date, he thought, smiling to himself.