Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Tae Joon walked into his room; there were more presents in there now than ever before. His new roommate Won Bo Gun,was snoring on the top bunk, a normal kid who was actually more interested in girls than any thing else. The amount of top-less posters that abounded his space was amazing. But at least he kept the common area clean and never troubled him- not too much. After all… how was he to know that Tae Joon’s last roommate was a girl – one who he had passionately fallen in love with.  The kid just thought that his sunbae was a cranky, athletic type.

But today even Bo Gun was excited, waiting to see all the new goodies. Tae Joon’s eye went to the corner. It was a small parcel from America.  He just stood, lifting the box carefully. Inside was a bottle filled with lemon slices in honey, tied with a familiar card full of funny cartoons - all of them saying.... Fighting!!!

          Tae Joon’s memories came flooding back, the pain he felt seemed almost physical. Heart pounding he just sat heavily on his bed. Kid roomie wandered over “Yah!!I love these” he said and tried to take one, but froze at the glare that he received in return.

        Composing himself Tae Joon gestured over the room “any and all are yours if you want - not this, this I cannot share” ….

“Oppa are you there?”   Saying this Han Na breezed in to the room, immediately rendering his girl crazy roommate speechless. She barely glanced at him; wrinkling her nose at all the presents littered over the room. She sat with Tae Joon and glanced what he was holding. The look on his face told her whom it was from, 

Love..was so complicated, she thought to her self, and clearing her throat, spoke about his father and how she met him yesterday. After that, she made her way to Seung-ri’s room.  She saw him trying to change a light bulb, but he took one look at her and crashed into the floor…. making her laugh again, ...Maybe this was better, thought Han Na. Someone who loved her more and only thought of her -wasn’t it a better option than the other way round……

Almost a year passed..... Jay’s parents were no longer angry with her for living in a boy’s dorm. They were content because their flighty daughter was so matured that she was studying with out any problems, no dating or boyfriends and the only thing that made her happy was the time she spent with the dog. She had become so serious and pretty, face glowing with all the promise youth gave her.

Even in her school Jay was pretty happy. Being in a boy’s dorm had changed her! She found that she was more comfortable with them around and her genuine interest in sports made her more like a guy. Suddenly her popularity increased. And dates began to float around her.  But how could she explain she was in love, so deep that no one would guess the depth of it. Her soul mate was across the land and she was waiting for him, as she had promised.  But until then she had a goal, a purpose to accomplish and that kept her from sinking into depression and thinking negatively.

So however much people flirted around her, she just laughed about it and never let anyone close to her at all.  Besides she was discovering how very difficult it was to study pre med.

One day as she was surrounded by books and half asleep in the library, some one sat beside her and said “Hey messy”, her head shot up - reminded of Tae Joon.who she was dreaming of moments back calling her messy-messy ,gugil -gujil .. But it was just a guy who she did not immediately recognize, then placed him as a fellow student in pre med class of hers, she had seen him sitting in front. “What are you doing? Making this place so messy!!” he asked, stretching out beside her.

 “Working out the problems, she answered. “It is very difficult to follow these theorems, and normally Eun gyol and I solve these together. So I am having a difficult time time”, Jay answered. Without thinking she banged her head on the desk, looks very adorably rumpled. Duke looked at the fair girl beside him, Jay. She seemed so interesting he thought....He remembered her from the athletic meet where she had run better than most girls in school. The last year had improved her stamina, mostly due to Genie High - where she was in constant competition with boys instead of girls her age. Now looking at her slim figure, she was very different anyone he knew. Most of them were more interested in what to wear than studies - that was for sure.

Tae Joon had emailed her a while back and thanked her for the lemon slices, he was trying to get over another 10 cm in his training. In the email he had added “dont forget what I asked you on that day” he was trying his best and wanted her to do her best. The rest they would leave to fate....

             

Duke observed Jay for some time before he made his move; he was convinced that she was free, as she was not interested in any one in school. Jay was usually a silent spectator in class. She did not hang out with any one or any group but just floated around the fringes of the class. He found out she was struggling in some classes and as a pre med major he thought he could help her. After some time Duke couldn’t take his eyes of her any more, she was sweet, funny and there was something about her that made him want her - she would do very well as his next girl friend, he decided.

So for the next couple of weeks Jay was bombarded with Dukes attention, he was there - trying to help her, or sit with her when she was eating. Most every one knew he was trying to go around with her and sly remarks and titters followed her nowadays when she walked into class.

Poor Duke, how could a cup that was full to the brim take any more water. And Jay's heart was full only of Tae Joon. She had a constant heart and so did not even notice that Dukes attentions were going in a different direction.

But these things don’t stay hidden for long….