Love or Lust ?

Chapter 02 – Jaejoong’s POV:

Man, does it feel great to be back in the States. Don’t get me wrong, Korea was fun, but I needed to get back to my home country.

I never realized how much I missed my best friend Donghae, until I actually saw him, and no I’m not gay. And not to mention Donghae introduced me to his other friend, Jikyong, who looks mighty fine.

I walked around the neighborhood by myself after eating with Donghae and Jikyong. Donghae had to take Jikyong back to work; and me? I just felt like reconnecting with the States.

Staring at the familiar streets, I smiled to myself. It felt so good to be home. I walked along the park, where I saw an awfully familiar looking girl sitting on the bench by herself. Walking up to her, it finally hit me.

“Dahjung?” I asked.

She looked up at me, with a confused face, and then realized who I was “Jaejoong?” she asked with the same interest in her eyes.

“It’s so good to see you again!” I smiled at her and gave her a hug, while sitting next to her. “Why are you here by yourself?”

She gave me a laugh, that sounded a little bit sad, but I pushed it away “I don’t know. There’s nothing better to do… When did you get back to the States?”

“Just now.” I replied, still looking at her.

Choi Dahjung and I have been best friends for the longest anyone could ever imagine. Longer than Donghae and I have been friends. Even though I lost contact with her sometime while I was in Korea, it didn’t mean that I forgot her.

She looked as well as ever, maybe a bit skinnier, and paler, but still herself. The only thing that threw me a little off was that she was wearing all black. It looked fine on her, but… Dahjung never wore all black. She was always a colorful person, not to mention she was wearing a sweater in the middle of summer. Isn’t she hot?

“Aren’t you hot, in that?” I asked.

She quickly shook her head as if she was hiding something and didn’t want me to know “Oh, no, no! I’m fine. Really!” she said quickly and then gave me a weak smile.

I awkwardly looked at her “Uh… okay…”

“Hey, listen,” Dahjung said suddenly “I need to go now, I’ll catch up with you another time alright? Bye Jaejoong!” And she rushed away out of the park.

“Um… bye?” I said, basically to the air.

Was it something I said?

---
“So, how does it feel to be back in the States?” Donghae asked, sitting in front of the TV at 7AM in the morning”

I yawned “Why in the world are you up this early? I have a reason to be, I’m jet-lagged, and you aren’t.”

Donghae laughed “I always wake up early. I call Jikyong before she works, or sometimes we’ll go get breakfast.” He looked at me “Wanna go get breakfast?”

“Sure.” I nodded as my stomach grumbled “Breakfast doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”

Donghae called out Jikyong while I got ready. WE went downstairs to the café down the street, Jikyong was already there waiting for us.

“Hi guys!” She chirped bubbly with a sweet smile.

I smiled back at her “Good morning to you too!”

Donghae opened the doors “Come’on, let’s eat, Jikyong has work later!”

Breakfast was such a good time to catch up with everything. Apparently, Donghae was a lazy bum and didn’t work, whereas Jikyong helped out at her parent’s restaurant all the time. She was my age, maybe a few months younger, but it doesn’t matter; and this girl has the cutest smile! Especially when she blushes, it’s so cute!

Sadly, she had to go back to work. But it was still really nice getting to know her. I might be going crazy, but I was getting that ‘butterflies-in-my-stomach’ feeling every time I talked to her.

“So where do you want to go now?” Donghae asked me, as we waved bye to Jikyong.

Suddenly, an image of Dahjung flew through my mind “You know, I think I’m gonna go catch up with Dahjung.”

Donghae sighed “She’s so different now, from the Dahjung we used to know…” he murmured under his breath.

“Huh?”

Donghae sighed “Ever since you left… like a few months later, Dahjung became so anti-social. I tried hanging out with her, but she never wanted to… I don’t even know, but if you want to go find her, I’ll drop you off at her house.” He offered.

“That’ll be nice.” I said, still wondering what Donghae meant.

---

I stared at her front door debating if I should go in or not. Finally, I rung the bell and waiting for her to open the door.

“Oh… Ahjumma, ahnyounghaeseyo!” I said a little shocked that her mom opened the door. Didn’t she live alone? I mean, she was old enough too, and I remember her complaining about how she was going to move out the minute she turned 21 and had a job.

“Oh... Jaejoong sshi, Ahnyoung.” Ahjumma said to me “Come on in, Dahjung isn’t home yet. When did you come back?” She asked me.

I stepped in the house “I came back yesterday.” I answered “Ahnyounghaeseyo Ahjusshi.” I bowed respectfully to Dahjung’s father, who was sitting down in the living room.

“Ahnyoung Jaejoong.” He replied “Come on in… We don’t know when Dahjung will be home.”

“Oh…” I said a little disappointed; I wanted to see how she was doing “Where is she?”

Dahjung’s mom and dad looked at each other with unreadable expressions. Ahjumma faced me “Dahjung… She’s at her therapist.” She finally told me.

“What?” I asked, a little shocked, why did she need a therapist? Dahjung was always a happy girl. “Why?”