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chapter 45:
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"i'm sorry what now?" the tall boy raises an eyebrow at his cousin's request. seonghwa had driven all the way to youngmin's apartment unit after jihyun told him that's where she wanted to go.

jihyun sighs, exasperated. "can i stay here? i don't want to talk to my parents for the time being." youngmin looks at the girl, confused. "why?"

"father told ji that he's marrying her off after she graduates." seonghwa explains. "he what?! he can't just break that news to you right when you're about to take your finals! this is gonna affect you!" youngmin exclaims worriedly.

"i know, that's why i don't want to go back home now. he might just keep bugging me about that and i really don't want much distractions for the next month. please, youngmin oppa?" jihyun gives the tall boy the puppy eyes, something he was weak for.

"okay but if i get scolded by him, you're gonna have to take the blame okay?" he ruffles her hair and jihyun jumps up, pulling him into a hug while profusely thanking him. youngmin chuckles as she lets go and he looks at seonghwa.

"what about you? you staying here too or what?" he asks seonghwa and the boy shakes his head in response. "he's making me quit working with you so i can start training to work for the company."

"god, that old man and his company," youngmin groans. "i know right." seonghwa scoffs, jihyun also nodding her head in agreement. "alright hyung, take care of her for me please? i'll come by soon to bring some of jihyun's stuff over. i'll get going now," seonghwa grabs his car keys from youngmin's dining table and waves at them before leaving.

youngmin then turns to jihyun. "you hungry? i can make something for you if you want," he offers. jihyun shakes her head, giving him a soft smile. "no, i just want to shower and go to bed."

"you left some of your clothes the last time you and hwa stayed over so i put them in the dresser in the guest bedroom," he says as he leads jihyun to the guest bedroom. "hold on, i'll bring you a towel." he goes to his room to grab jihyun a towel.

jihyun plops down on the bed, sighing out loud. she felt light-headed. she was overwhelmed. she had been waiting for graduation for so long. she thought that after graduation, she'd finally be able to officially confess to san. she wanted to get finals done and over with quickly so she could graduate and finally be free. but now it's graduation that she dreads.

"hey kiddo, here's your towel. if you need anything, i'll be in my room, okay?" youngmin says softly, smiling at his cousin. jihyun nods, returning a small smile.

youngmin pitied her a lot. her parents always pressured her about their business and how they wanted her to work for them as soon as she can but this time, they went overboard.

furthermore, how could they announce this a month away from her finals? couldn't they have waited until she finished them first? this was going to take a toll on her and it'll be a huge distraction for her.

jihyun, on the other hand, immediately broke down when youngmin closed the door. she was overwhelmed. she didn't know what to do and for the next thirty minutes or so, she was letting out uncontrollable cries. youngmin heard her but he chose not to interfere, knowing that all she needed right now was some alone time.

when she's finally calmed down a bit, the only trace of her half hour breakdown was her puffy eyes. she grabbed her towel, along with a pair of t-shirt and shorts from the dresser before going to the bathroom. she then took a quick shower before going back to her room, feeling fresher than she did a while ago.

she plopped down onto the bed, ready to drift off to sleep when her phone dinged, indicating a text. she lazily reaches over for her phone and checks it.

2 missed calls from idiotsan ‼️🥴💗

2 text messages from idiotsan ‼️🥴💗

idiotsan ‼️🥴💗
call me when you're back

idiotsan ‼️🥴💗
i've got something exciting to tell you!!!

unknowingly, a smile worked its way across her face and into her eyes. no matter how bad of a day she had, san always knew how to cheer her up and right now, she really needed it. she clicked call on his contact and waited for him to pick up.

when he picked up, she could hear shuffling from the end of the line. "hold on, ji. i'm trynna get comfortable under my blankets. give me a a few seconds," she heard him say from the other end. she chuckles, muttering a quiet 'okay' as she waits for him to be done.

"okay, i'm done. anyways, you won't believe what just happened, ji!" the boy exclaims, his excitement showing from the tone and volume of his phone. jihyun chuckled once again, just a few seconds of talking to san and she's already feeling a lot better, almost forgetting about the awful news she received today.

"what is it, san?" she asks him weakly, her voice cracking from all the crying she did previously. she curses to herself when she heard her own voice. she hoped san wouldn't notice it but san being san, of course he noticed.

"ji, are you okay?" jihyun sighs. of course he'd notice if something was wrong. he always knew whenever she was feeling down. he's her best friend, after all. "do you wanna talk about it?"

"it's fine, san. you said you had exciting news. what is it?" the girl asks him, genuinely wanting to know what made her best friend so happy. "no. i'm not telling you anything until you tell me what's wrong," she could practically hear him pouting and crossing his arms as he says that.

"okay, fine. but you're telling me your exciting news right after, alright?" san nods, then realises that jihyun can't see him so he immediately tells her okay.

"so my dad arranged a marriage for me after grad." she tells him straightforwardly. for a short while it was silent before a loud "what?!" was heard from the end of the line. "y–you can't be serious, right?"

"i'm serious, san. i ran away to live with my cousin for the time being but the marriage is something i know i can't do anything about. i just.. don't want to see my parents for now," she admits.

"no but, you're not even an adult yet! how could he do this to you?" san exclaims exasperatedly. "san, didn't you say you were gonna have to be married off after grad? " jihyun asks, confused as to why her best friend is so enraged about this. he has the exact same fate yet he's speaking as if he doesn't.

"that's what i wanted to tell you, ji. i was so happy because yesterday, i managed to convince appa to cancel it. he just called the company owners this morning and they agreed. so now i don't have to marry off to some stranger after grad," he says disappointedly. "but now you tell me this, it doesn't seem to be such exciting news anymore."

"why do you sound so disappointed? san, this is great news!" she tries to lift up the mood but fails as she hears san sigh from the end of the line. he went through so much to convince his father to not marry him off because he wanted to confess to his best friend after graduation.

he wanted to upgrade their best friend status to something more but now he's nothing but devastated because instead of him, it's now jihyun who has to marry off to someone else. he can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, he and jihyun aren't meant to be.

"i don't want to think much about this so uh well on the bright side, i'm staying at my cousin's starting from today so we can go to school together because my brother won't be sending me. plus, your house is pretty close to youngmin oppa's place." she quickly changes the topic.

"that's great then. we can go to school and go back together. wait, more like me sending you to school and back home but," jihyun laughs, hugging her pillow. "i'll pay you for gas if you want."

"nah i'm kidding. just pay me with your love," he jokes, earning another laugh from jihyun. "like i don't already shower your annoying ass with my love everyday."

"if flicking my forehead everyday is showing your love then yea i guess you do shower me with lots of love." he retorts. "hey, i only do that to you so you're special, okay?" she reasons out.

"yea and you attack the rest with hugs and you pinch jongho's cheeks whenever you see him. i don't get that kind of treatment," she hears the pout in his voice once again and smiled to herself.

"hey, i hug you a lot too! i hug you the tightest out of the rest if that makes you feel better. but for the cheek pinching, you gotta admit jongho is the cutest little bean ever and you just can't help but pinch his cute cheeks, yknow?" jihyun explains to him.

"i'll let that one slip because i do agree. anyways, text me the adress and i'll come pick you up for school tomorrow." san says, yawning as he stretches. this makes jihyun yawn too before replying him.

"okay, thanks for hearing me out, san. i'll see you tomorrow. night, love you." she says. "love you too, ji. sweet dreams." he tells her before hanging up.

a/n: yall really thought it was gonna be san huh 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡