Not Sober - Chapter3. Part 4

Chapter 3. Part 4

He tried to treat Jenna well, but it was challenging.

To shield his true emotions, he resorted to saying harsh things to her.

He didn’t want to reveal his feelings because it would make him vulnerable, like in his past.

He could not bear to beg for Min Jenna’s affection.

He promised himself repeatedly that he would make her depend on him. In his mind, the possibility of her being with someone else simply did not exist.

*.

As Jenna relaxed after a satisfying dinner, Sung-chan swiftly took over the cleaning duties, insisting that she stay out of the kitchen. With nothing else to do, Jenna idly played with her phone, her mind wandering to thoughts of her parents.

‘I wonder if I should give them a call?’

Jenna had blocked their numbers due to the threatening messages they had sent her. The idea of receiving another message from them made her uneasy.

[Sua: Are you dead? Where are you?]

Yenna felt overwhelmed and called Sua, but Sua hung up on her.

[Sua: Your parents visited us. [I’m glad you’re out of town tonight.]

Jenna’s heart started beating fast and loud in surprise.

[Jenna: What does that mean?]

[Sua: It seems like they are searching for you. However, I believe they are very upset. [I think they visited your school too.]

[Jenna: Thank you, and I apologize for my bad behavior.]

[Sua: No, my house was slightly off. It may be better if you don’t come to my house for a while, considering your parents’ behavior. They may wait in our neighborhood.]

Jenna was conflicted and unsure of what to do. She decided to call her parents, despite Sua’s warning about their potential anger. Jenna realized that her parents were probably worried about her not returning home.

‘I wonder if they have become less stubborn by now…’

Lost in thought, Jenna decided to unblock all her parents’ contacts and dialed her mom’s number. After a few rings, her mother’s scolding voice filled her ears, confirming her fears.

-“Jenna, where are you? Are you out of your mind? We haven’t heard from you! You’re being reckless,” her mother’s voice scolded through the phone.

After a moment of shock, Jenna cleared her throat and responded,

“I’m at a friend’s house. Have you thought about it?”

“A friend? Are you sure it’s not a man’s house? I’ve been taking care of Mom and Dad for a week. Just come back home, and I’ll pretend like nothing happened,” her mother insisted.

Jenna felt a whirlwind of emotions at her mother’s words. It seemed like nothing had changed from before—the same demands for obedience and forgiveness.

“Is that your final answer, Mom?” Jenna sighed, recognizing her mother’s stubbornness. She listened to her mother’s continued yelling but chose not to engage further. It was clear her mother’s words lacked genuine concern for her.

Jenna muttered to herself, ‘I shouldn’t have expected anything different.’ She ended the call and blocked her parents’ numbers again, her expression turning bitter.

Sung-chan, who had finished cleaning up, approached Jenna with a curious look. “Who were you talking to? Another guy?”

“No, it’s not like that,” Jenna replied, feeling a pang of frustration.

Sung-chan continued to eye her suspiciously. “You’d rather be with a guy?”

Jenna let out a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of her situation. “I won’t be able to stay at Sua’s place for a while. And I can’t afford to keep bouncing from motel to motel,” she explained, her voice tinged with worry.

“What’s wrong? Why can’t you stay at Sua’s?” Sung-chan asked, confused.

Sung-chan noticed the sudden change in Jenna’s demeanor and asked suspiciously, sensing something was amiss.

Jenna paused, considering whether to ask him if she could stay at his place for a few days. They had already spent two nights together, so why not? But she quickly dismissed the idea as unreasonable.

After all, they were still practically strangers, and it felt odd to ask such a favor from someone she wasn’t close to.

Forcing a smile, Jenna replied, “No, it’s fine. It’s not a big deal.”

“Don’t bullshit me. You don’t look fine,” Sung-chan replied, not believing her act. But Jenna was determined not to give in easily. Unfortunately for her, Sung-chan seemed quite invested in her situation.

“No, really, it’s not your concern,” Jenna insisted, trying to divert his attention.

“What’s the matter?” Sung-chan asked.

“It’s a family issue,” Jenna responded.

At the mention of her family, Sung-chan raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, I thought you said your parents were strict.”

He wondered if Jenna might get in trouble for staying at his house two nights in a row.

He offered her some washed grapes as dessert, trying to gauge her mood.

“Here, eat. It’s dessert,” he said generously.

Jenna took a grape, thanking him, but her thoughts remained occupied with her parents.

Jenna hesitated. She knew she had no other choice but to return home. The thought of facing her family filled her with fear. After much internal struggle, she reluctantly decided to ask Sung-chan for a favor. Feeling awkward, she mustered up the courage to speak.

“Um, I’m sorry. Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?” Sung-chan replied.

“I know it’s embarrassing… You can say no if you’re not comfortable,” Jenna said, feeling the weight of her request.

Sung-chan looked at her with surprise as she continued.

“I was wondering if you could let me stay here for a few days.”

Jenna blushed in embarrassment. She made a request, which took Sung-chan by surprise.

“Stay here? Just for a few days? Are you asking me to live together with you?”

She couldn’t believe she had asked Sung-chan such a daring question, especially considering how she had avoided him before. His enthusiastic response caught her off guard.

“Really? You’re okay with it?” she asked, surprised by Sung-chan’s immediate agreement.

Sung-chan was very excited. Jenna asked to stay over for a few days, but in his mind, it became a marriage proposal. He couldn’t contain his enthusiasm.

“Let’s just live together then! They say it’s good to try living together before marriage,” Sung-chan blurted out, caught up in the moment.

Jenna couldn’t help but laugh at his sudden proposal. “What kind of nonsense is that?” she replied, amused by Sung-chan’s enthusiasm.

“Hey, if you’re not cool with it, you can say no,” she mentioned casually.

“Nah, I’m good. I’m cool with sleeping with anyone. It’s not a big deal,” he replied, trying to sound casual.

The phrase ‘I like to sleep with anyone’ would have shocked his friends because he usually disliked people invading his personal space.

However, he said it on purpose and exaggerated, hoping to make Jenna feel uncomfortable. Unfortunately, she misunderstood his intentions and took his words negatively.

“You like sleeping with other people,” she remarked.

“You’re so easy to be around,” she commented.

Sure, he was good-looking, but he was the last person anyone should commit to.

He smiled as he imagined spending a few days living with her. He thought of many scenarios in his mind.

“I’ll make her breakfast, pack her lunch, take her out to dinner, buy her something nice… at school, and buy her clothes for her stay.

Jenna was unaware of Sungchan’s silly thoughts. She ate grapes and was thankful for a place to rest.