Disclaimer: _
Hi! It's me again! With a brand new chaptered story...:)
And so, this story started small in my mind and I just had to post it up. I don't know how long this story would be but I promise it will have an ending. And so, this is another chaptered story by me. And I know, I bubbled up my own words. Mianhe...
Please do enjoy reading...
Chapter 1 - Maybe I'm in Love With You...
Jieun walked up the main street pulling her luggage behind her until she saw the house number she had been looking for. She pressed the bell and waited until a voice spoke out from the intercom.
"Yes, may I know who's there?" A female voice called out.
"Ne, anniyohaesayo! I'm Jieun, I called up earlier about coming here today to rent the room?" Jieun replied towards the intercom nervously.
"Ah! You're Lee Jieun is it?"
"Ne."
"Give me a moment."
Jieun stood back and waited again. Suddenly the front gate to the house was opened, revealing a tall young woman in her late twenties. She had long wavy brown hair which was tied up in a single pleat. She had a fair complexion and slightly chubby pink cheeks. Jieun thought she looked beautiful.
"Hi Jieun! I'm Joori, Kim Joori." The woman introduced herself, holding out her hand.
Jieun accepted the handshake rather shyly. "Hi, I'm Jieun. Lee Jieun."
"Come on in! I'm the owner of this house." Joori said as she grasped Jieun's hand and pulled her inside.
Jieun clumsily followed Joori in. She tried to match with Joori's hurried walking pace especially with her luggage trailing behind her. They passed the front yard which was big enough for a swimming pool (but too bad there was not any) before entering the main door which led them to the living room.
"Wah! Your house is big!" Jieun said in awe, as her eyes feasted on the interior designs of the house. She did not even realize that her jaw was dropping.
"Is it?" Joori asked shrugging. "I don't really care. Living in a big house all alone is boring actually. That's why I want roommates!"
"I see." Jieun nodded her head in understanding.
"How old are you Jieun-ah?"
"I'm turning twenty this year."
"Ah sinchia! Then you can call me unnie. Easier for you right?" Joori grinned as she pulled Jieun down to sit on the sofa beside her.
"N-ne." Jieun smiled.
"Okay, your room's on the second floor. The rules are simple, we will always have breakfast and dinner together. All of us will be responsible for our own mess and the most important thing is we must always keep the house clean. I am so particular about cleanliness. But if you want to mess up your own room, then I'm totally fine with it, it's your privacy so I don't really care." Joori said. "And every Saturday morning, we go for a jog together. And on Sunday morning, we will have to go to the supermarket to get out weekly supplies of food. And we shall take turns to cook unless you are really busy of course."
"Um, when you say we, is it just us two?" Jieun asked, confused.
"Oh mianhe. I forget to tell you that I already have two other tenants living here." Joori explained. "But don't worry, they're all females. They are your unnies too."
"Jeongmal?" Jieun said, her voice slightly nervous.
"Don't worry. They're all good people. One is a journalist. Her name is Goo Hara and the other is a book editor, Seo Joohyun. Hara is like a wildcat and Seohyun is a bookworm. Hara is too noisy whereas Seohyun is too quiet. But they are good friends though. They get to know each other since they rented a room here."
"Wow! I bet they'll feel awkward with me around." Jieun said, her voice almost toned down to a whisper.
"Don't worry. They adapt well to strangers!" Joori grinned again. "So are you still interested to stay here?"
"Ne. Of course." Jieun nodded. "How is the payment of the rent like?"
"You need to pay for the first three months of rent the moment you move in. Then starting on the fourth month, you just need to pay your monthly rent on fifth of every month. Is it alright with you?"
"Ne unnie. Don't worry. My appa will be transferring the money to you later." Jieun said. Joori nodded.
"Sorry. But why are you not staying with your family? Your parents chased you out?" Joori asked.
"Ani unnie. It's just that I wanted a place which is near to my school." Jieun said. "I usually tend to stay out late in school doing my assignments and studying. So it'll help if the place which I stay is nearer to the school. And so appa found this place for me. At the same time, I could learn to be more independent."
"Aigoo! You must be a bookworm as well. You and Seohyun can click well."
"I hope so unnie."
"Ahrasso. Come, let me show you to your room." Joori stood up, pulling Jieun up as well before gesturing the younger girl to follow her upstairs. Soon, Jieun found herself standing in front of her room. Joori left her alone to sort out her things and organize her stuff before reminding her to come down in half an hours time for breakfast.
******
Hara felt like dragging herself back to the house. She was inwardly cursing Seohyun for forcing her to go for a jog early in the morning. She remembered clearly Joori unnie had said that she was not going for the routined Saturday jog last night as she had to meet with a new tenant. So Hara had thought that the jog will be cancelled and had stayed up the whole of last night watching variety shows. She only started to fall asleep at five a.m. in the morning only to be roughly woken up at six by Seohyun to go for the jog.
And now, after a good two hours of exercising, finally they are walking back slowly towards the house. Hara groaned, trying to hold her tired body up.
"Yah! Why must we go jogging when Joori unnie didn't have to?" Hara complained.
"She has to meet her new tenant! She told us that yesterday didn't she?" Seohyun replied as she shook her head.
"The next time, if she can't go for the jog, then the two of us do not need to go as well okay."
"Ne? Andwae! She has a perfect excuse for missing this jog, but not us." Seohyun shook her head in disbelief. "Besides, jogging is a form of exercise which is good for the body!"
"Aigoo! I won't be able to win this debate with you aren't I?" Hara groaned.
"You know, that's right!" Seohyun smiled victoriously. "Pali! I bet Joori unnie has prepared breakfast for us! You don't want to be late for breakfast do you?"
"Yeah! You know me very well Hyunnie-ah!" Hara finally grinned. "Come, race you there!"
Hara ran quickly, leaving the surprised Seohyun behind. "Yah! Wait for me!"
******
"Unnie! We're home!" Hara called out as she entered the door followed closely by Seohyun.
"Hara, Seohyun, come to the kitchen! I'm here!" Joori replied.
Hara and Seohyun walked into the kitchen to find Joori standing next to a petite girl. Both of them were preparing pancakes for breakfast.
"Ah, anniyohaesayo." Jieun greeted the moment she saw the two women whom Joori had casually mentioned earlier.
"Finally! Hara, Seohyun, this is Lee Jieun. The new addition to the family!" Joori exclaimed. "Jieun, this is Hara, and this is Seohyun."
"Anniyohaesayo." Hara and Seohyun greeted back, smiling widely.
"Jieun is only twenty, so you both better show her a good example. Ahrasso?" Joori said grinning.
"Ahrasso unnie. What do you think we are?" Hara said as she stepped forward to hug Jieun. "You're so cute! Are you still schooling?"
"Ne unnie. I heard that you're a journalist. It's such an interesting job!" Jieun replied smiling.
"It is fun. But very tiring. You should ask our book editor here. Her job's interesting as well." Hara nudged Seohyun.
"Ne. Both of your jobs are absolutely cool. I really like jobs which requires reading and writing!"
"Sinchia? Let me show you some books which I've helped to edit before." Seohyun said excitedly.
"Jeongmal? Gamsahamnida unnie! I would love to!" Jieun bowed towards Seohyun who just chuckled.
"Show the books to her later. It's time for breakfast first." Joori interrupted as she pushed the three ladies out towards the dining table.
******
"Is she there? Did you see her?" Yonghwa asked excitedly.
"Ne. She's there! Take a look!" Onew passed the binoculars to his friend who accepted it willingly.
Yonghwa looked into the binoculars and sure enough he saw her. She was there doing her usual weekly jog. And as always, she looked refreshingly beautiful. Yonghwa grinned. Saturday had always been his favourite day eversince six months ago.
"Yah! Are you done yet?" Onew asked impatiently. "Let's go down."
"Aish! Can you wait? Let me enjoy this view first before it lasts." Yonghwa replied.
"You're just impossible!" Onew groaned.
"Yah! Can you just be silent for a while?"
"Whatever you say my dear chingu. But I'm getting off the roof this instant!" Onew said.
"You go down first, I'll follow in a while." Yonghwa said, still concerntrating in watching his dream girl via the binoculars.
Onew shook his head as he looked at his friend before he slowly made his way down the roof, towards their room balcony. Every Saturday morning, he and Yonghwa would always climb up to the roof of their rented house to catch a glimpse of Yonghwa's crush. She lived only a few houses away but in actual fact, they were never fated to meet. Onew had suggested to his friend to just introduce himself to her, but Yonghwa was always against the idea. One day, Wooyoung, another one of their housemate, came home running to say that he accidentally bumped into Yonghwa's crush causing her to drop the things that she was carrying in her hands. One of the things that she was carrying was a book. So, during the process, Wooyoung actually saw her name which was written on the book that made him ran all the way home.
Seo Joohyun. That was her name. Yonghwa had spent a week of sleepless nights just thinking about that name, causing Onew to have his own fair share of sleepless nights as well due to Yonghwa keep bugging him int he middle of the night.
"Yah! Come down already!" Onew called out in a hushed whisper. "Hyung's going to kill us! Please hurry!"
"Ahrasso! I'm coming now." Yonghwa said as he slowly climbed down towards the balcony as well.
"Tell me, why am I doing these things for you again?" Onew asked.
"Because you care for me?" Yonghwa grinned as he batted his eyelashes towards Onew.
"Aish! Sinchia!" Onew pushed his friend away from him. "And go get a shower! You stink!"
"Yeah right! Have you smelled yourself recently?"
"Well, yeah I did. And I thought I smelled better than you." Onew smirked playfully. "I bet Seo Joohyun would faint if she were to stand next to you right now!"
"Yah! Who gives you the right to just say her name so casually?" Yonghwa punched Onew playfully on the shoulder.
"Even Wooyoung is saying her name casually. And who are you? You're not even her boyfriend."
"Someday. I'll be her boyfriend someday." Yonghwa grinned.
"Aigoo! How are you going to be her boyfriend you tell me? You're even too shy to approach her!"
"Well, I'm going to approach her soon." Yonghwa said a little timidly.
"I'll be looking forward to that day!" Onew grinned widely. "I bet you would freak out!"
"Fine! I'll show you what I can do!" Yonghwa said, suddenly feeling a bit threatened by his friend's teasing. "This is Jung Yonghwa! I'll never back down from anything!"
"Ok, fine! Next Saturday. How about it?" Onew held out his hand towards his friend who was shuffling his feet nervously.
"F-fine! Next Saturday it is!" Yonghwa accepted Onew's hand in a promise handshake.
