Chereads / STIGMA : BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE / Chapter 6 - Sudden Interrogation

Chapter 6 - Sudden Interrogation

They were silent, busy with questions in their own minds. The only one who looked relaxed—too relaxed—was Hyunji. She acted as if she was in another world without noticing the eerie atmosphere around her. Straighten her legs to the table, leaning on the soft back of the sofa, and also with a glass of juice in her right hand. She kept muttering a series of compliments about how delicious the juice that Jimin gave her.

Meanwhile, Jungkyu looks uncomfortable because of Jimin's constant stare at him since ten minutes ago. Junkyu had to turn his gaze in another direction—wherever his eyes didn't meet Jimin's. Not out of fear, but he just didn't know what to say if the two of them accidentally made eye contact and he ended up being interrogated all the way through.

It would be good if the two could end peacefully. But the problem is Hyunji. There's no guarantee that Hyunji will help him—especially considering their relationship is far from good. Instead of helping, Hyunji could have preferred to side with Jimin. Acting like a victim, giving information that contradicts reality along with her fake tears, then ends with Jungkyu's position being cornered. It could happen, right?

Okay, maybe the last one is a bit too much. Seems like he's been watching too much of his hyung's recommended dramas lately.

Finally, in the midst of the silence, Jimin took the initiative to speak first. He snorted, turning his gaze to Hyunji who was engrossed in sipping juice using a straw. "Don't you want to introduce us?"

As if she had just been pulled back into reality, Hyunji blinked for a few seconds, then nodded in understanding. She put the juice on the table, then cleared her throat softly. "Ahem! So ... Jimin, that man over there is Jungkyu Yoon. And Jungkyu, this is Jimin Hwang—my senior in college."

Hyunji's explanation made Jungkyu moves his lips in an 'o' shape.

On the other hand, Jimin still maintained his unfriendly expression. He didn't understand why he felt the existence of the "rabbit-like man" in front of him seemed to pose a threat to him. Actually, Jimin also didn't know which part of Jungkyu that makes him threatened.

Noticing Jimin's stiff expression that had been on his face the whole time, Hyunji nudged his arm. "What's wrong with you? It's weird, you're not usually acting like this."

Jimin shook his head, choosing to remain silent because he himself didn't know the answer to Hyunji's question either.

Not wanting to make Hyunji ask further, he chose to change the topic. "So, where were you yesterday? You didn't come to campus, you didn't pick up my calls, you didn't even reply to my messages. Then now, when I decided to go to your house because I was worried that you weren't doing well, I found you together with a stranger in the bathroom." He squinted as he changed his sitting position, facing fully to Hyunji who was sitting beside him. "You owe me a lot of explanation, Miss."

Hyunji shrugged nonchalantly. "I was just helping him clean up the cockroaches in the bathroom. And for the reason why I disappeared all day yesterday, it's because I ran away from home."

Jimin stunned. "You-"

"Don't lecture me, Jimin! I know what's best for me. After all, you already know how things are in this house, so there's no reason for you to forbid me. Unless you want me to be mentally ill from holding on for too long here."

Hyunji's firm words made Jimin unable to move. He massaged the bridge of his nose.

He looks frustrated, even though he doesn't really blame Hyunji because she has the right to determine her own path. Especially when considering how bad the atmosphere was in this house, no wonder Hyunji decided to leave instead of risking her sanity here. "Okay, sorry. Then, where do you live now?"

"At Jungkyu's house." Hyunji looked at Jungkyu who glared back at her.

Jimin's brain was busy digesting Hyunji's words. Moments later, he opened his eyes wide. "Wait! You mean you live together with him?!" Jimin's forefinger is pointed straight at the person who can only gape wide.

"Oh, come on ... we're cousins. You can ask him directly if you don't believe me," said Hyunji casually. She has no idea how many lies she has told Jimin so far, but she doesn't have time to care about it.

Jimin squinted at Jungkyu, while Jungkyu reflexively nodded his head quickly.

Seeing that, Jimin slowly lowered his hand. "I don't think I ever heard you talk about him."

"Not everything I can tell you easily. Besides, you know it now, don't you?" Hyunji was busy again with her juice. Looks indifferent and makes Jimin snort softly.

"Tell me your address."

Hyunji raised one eyebrow. "What for?"

"Hmmm ...." Jimin put on a thinking pose. "To see you, maybe? Besides, I also need to come to convey the lecturer's complaint about your assignments that you haven't finished. Then-"

"There's no need to visit me. I'm not sick. If my professor complains to you, you can tell me over the phone. That's it."

"And let you reject my call again?!"

"Don't worry, I won't reject it again next time. I'll get my eyes checked after this so I can tell which button is green and which is red."

Jimin raised his eyebrows. "Since when did you become color blind?"

"My color blindness comes only at certain moments."

"When you want to reject a call from me you mean?"

"Exactly."

"You've been getting more and more annoying lately."

"Thank you for your compliment."

Hyunji and Jimin both gave death glares to each others. The atmosphere suddenly became tense. If humans could have super powers, their eyes would have emitted lasers long ago.

Realizing that neither of them had any intention of giving in, Hyunji narrowed her eyes even more. "What are you looking at?!"

"You too, why are you looking at me like that? Fascinated by my good looks?"

Hyunjin looked at him in disgust. Raising her hand, she took steps to splash the juice in her hand on Jimin's face. "You-"

"Give me back my juice!"

Hyunji's movement was stopped because Jimin snatched the juice from her hand. His actions made some of the juice spilled on the sofa as well as Hyunji's pants.

Hyunji flinched spontaneously. She even stood up from her seat. She shocked, surprised by the wet and cold sensation that felt on her thighs. "JIMIN, YOU ... FUCK!"

Jungkyu never thought that watching a fight in person would be this interesting. He chose not to interfere and sat quietly while finishing the jar of chips he found on the table. He will only intervene if there has been property damage or bloodshed.

On the other hand, Jimin was starting to get overwhelmed by Hyunji's scolding. His pursed lips formed a straight line. There's no ending every time he argues with Hyunji—especially if they are arguing about something unimportant like this. So, for the sake of each other's mental health, it would be nice if Jimin just relented for now. Moreover, he felt guilty for spilling the juice and making Hyunji angry.

Jimin corrected his sitting position after cleaning up the mess from their little incident earlier. "Ah, never mind! Let's get back to the subject. Now, tell me your address. What will I use it for, I'll think about it later."

Just as Hyunji opened her mouth, Jimin had interrupted her first. "No refusal!" he insisted.

Didn't answer right away, Hyunji just looked at Jimin probingly. Her fingers played with the juice straw in her hand, twirling it slowly with a suspicious gaze fixed straight on Jimin. She stared at that man from head to toe. Smiling crookedly, she said, "You like me, don't you?"

"W, what?"

Jungkyu's laughter almost exploded when Hyunji's words came to his ears. He couldn't believe the level of Hyunji's self-confidence that deserved a thumbs up. He even almost clapped his hands, appreciating Hyunji's courage as well as her overly blunt question.

Contrasting with Jungkyu, Jimin's face gradually turned bright red—though not too much. He certainly didn't expect to be attacked with such a question. It was too sudden to make his head go blank. The time around him seemed to stop for a moment. He chose to remain silent, not uttering a sentence of refutation or approval at all.

At that time, without Jimin knowing, Jungkyu caught the oddity in his behavior. Anyone who saw it would immediately know what the answer to Hyunji's question was. Jungkyu drew one quick conclusion—he realized that Hyunji's words were not just a form of self-confidence that was above normal.

Subconsciously, he sighed in annoyance.

Really, Jungkyu sighed not because he feels jealous or something. He sighed because he knew he was just a third wheel there. Been ignored all this time, then now he forced to be the third person among them.

Jungkyu just wants to go home soon. For real.

"Ahem!" He cleared his throat quite loudly. His efforts succeeded in distracting the two people in front of him. He turned to look at Hyunji. "We're going home. Now!"