"I-I see you as Tae." Her words stumbled, but he shook his head. He could barely finish the conversation; there were too many things going through his mind. Jennie was unsure of what was going on, but she was trying to help. "Tae, just tell me." She begged, wanting to help him in any way that she could.
"What's wrong with me?" He was demanding with the words, moving forward. "I've been waiting all this time for you to see ME as a man." She was completely shocked, and he knew she was completely off guard. He stared into her eyes, waiting.
But there was no response from her.
"Have you really not known?" He waited, but she had no idea what to say. There wasn't much that she could say in response, but there was no guarantee that she would keep him from getting more upset. "I've liked you ever since we were little. Have you really not known?" His expression turned to a pleading one. He just wanted to know if she knew. Had she really not known this whole time? She tried to keep her demeanor straight, but there was nothing that she could do. He leaned in closer, his face shifting.
Time began to tick slowly, the tension between them being thick. His head fell, his eyes looking up into hers. She took a final breath, watching his face grow closer. His heart sped up as he watched her eyes grow, becoming bigger. He felt like he was caught for a second, feeling his body stop for a second. The seconds went slower for Jennie, and her brain wasn't sure of what to make of this moment. The person in front of her, the man in front of her, what was she supposed to think? She wasn't sure what she thought of him, and the thought that walked into her mind at the moment was Kai. She had not thought of Tae anymore than the boy next door, and here he was, but this wasn't her doing. When? She didn't want this confession, and this was the last thing he needed to get off his mind. His pitiful attempt to sway her heart, he wanted the chance.
"Can I not sway-" Time went from this slow speed to a blink of an eye.
It was such a rush of movements, and she had forgotten where she was. Falling to the ground, she looked briefly to see the two wrestle on the floor. The grunts she heard echoed after loud thuds, and her eyes wouldn't allow her to process. She had thought of Kai, and as he popped into her mind, he walked into the home. He had been calling to tell her 'Good Night,' something that helped both sleep well at night. The yearning to hear her voice before going to sleep was something he had grown fond of. Having someone to talk to, share some secrets, and joke with was something she had grown to enjoy. Kai had called a few times, thinking that his calls were going unnoticed because she was showering or busy. He had been doing so well with his healing that he thought he would take a walk and surprise her.
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He even went through the trouble of stopping by the local market nearby to get her favorite banana milk. He thought instead of being on the phone, they could sit out and drink. Eager to see her, he quickly walked to her house and stood outside the gate. He called her phone, excitement building as he waited for her to answer. After two calls, he went ahead and pushed through the gate. When he pushed through, he felt his heart racing as he thought about her reaction. When he got to the door, he took a final breath and lifted his arm to knock, and that was when he heard.
"I've been waiting all this time for you to see ME as a man." He knew there was someone in there with her, but how did he react? His instinct told him to check on Jennie. His hand dropped to the handle, pulling the door open. He walked into the home, the bag in his hand and one thing on his mind. As he rounded the corner, his body turned hot. He was watching Jennie, finding her face immediately. Kai's eyes flicked to the guy in front of Jennie. He tried to figure out who it could be, but no one came to mind.
"Have you really not known?" Kai's eyes flicked, and he was now watching Jennie and waiting. "I've liked you ever since we were little. Have you really not known?"
The moment he heard the final sentence, he knew who it was. His body was ready to spring, and his foot flinched forward while his brain was trying to catch up. And it was at this moment that Jennie's eyes flicked to the side of Tae's face. The moment she thought of Kai, there he was, walking towards them. Kai's arm reached out as Tae began to utter his rehearsed confession and grabbed his shoulder. Tae was thrown back, falling back as a fist hit his face. Tae's reaction sent him into a fury as he rammed his body into Kai, sending him back. As Jennie lay there on the floor, frightened and unable to force herself to watch, they fought.
Kai stood firm after stumbling back, and he pressed himself against a wall for support as his fist interacted with Tae's back. One after another came the hits while Tae worked to force Kai to the floor. After taking enough, Kai pushed him away. Tae stood firm, glaring at Kai, angered and ready to take him down. Kai was frustrated and more weirded out at the fact that he was here this late.
The last time that they interacted, Tae had pulled on his shoulder. The words were exactly the same, but this time, it was Kai who would say them.
"Why are you after another man's woman?" Flashes of the moment when Kai chose to run after Jennie in the restaurant. Kai held out hope and thought nothing of it. Tae wanted to scare him off, but the moment Kai laid his eyes on her, she was the only one. Kai still went to her home, spent the night on the floor, and was there the next morning. And even though Tae continuously argued about his presence, he knew. Kai knew that she would belong to him, and that was what he was going to make sure of. When he left Jennie's home that morning, Tae followed behind him. Those exact words he would utter once again, the stories convincing Kai that it was the truth. His moment with Jennie in the classroom had proved otherwise, and he knew that was the moment he had the chance.
"Why are you after another man's woman?" Kai yelled once again, and this time, Tae looked toward Jennie, who finally paid attention to the two.