Anyone But Him | JJK ✔️ (Completed)

Chapter 34

The driver broke into a superior grin, puffing out his chest. "So it is, isn't it?" he clarified, taking amusement in my unimpressed expression.

Glaring with the utmost irritation at the driver, I warned, "Sir."

"Oh, I think I've heard some news about Ahn Byeongcheol and his wife — What's her name again? — something I—"

"Sir!" I yelled. I would have stood up if I could, but sadly, the low ceiling level wouldn't allow me to do so. Sometimes, I'd have second thoughts about turning down my father's offer for hiring a chaperone with me to protect me against this kind of person.

"My identity is not worth your concern. You are here to drive, not by guessing who I am or about Ahn Byeongcheol's private life!" I confronted. "You can get arrested for harassment, you know," I added, for the sake of sounding deterring.

The driver turned the steering wheel, pulling us out of the driveway of the jjimjilbang. He fell unnaturally silent, as if my intimidating speech really worked. "Where to?"

I read off the name of the park on the map on my phone. "Busan Citizens Park."

The driver perked up again. "Oh, it just opened in May. I was just there last week with my wife and son! Good place, that park is."

I wondered who would fall in love with this unhygienic and busybody of a man. I nodded to acknowledge.

***

The entrance was right by the road.

There were a few flower beds, made up of smaller flower pots with a ring of green plants and another ring of magenta-looking plants, with a bigger pot of either magenta or yellow flowers in the middle. Behind those was a row of stone with plants overgrown on it. The name Busan Citizens Park was standing on it in as blocks in Hangul. Behind all these, there were more tiny winding paths with greenery on either side that stretched on as far as I could see.

The sky was a cobalt blue; a sign that today's weather was going to be great. The snow had surprisingly stopped; an odd weather pattern, but it was a good thing, or else the flowers would all wither. Even now, ice clung to them.

Changmin was looking impatiently at his watch as I approached him, who was standing by the road.

"Ya, why are you so late?" He turned his wrist in my direction to show me the time. "You're ten minutes late."

That wasn't the kind of greeting that I'd have wanted, but I wasn't bothered by it. Nothing could be perfect, after all. Not even Changmin, who had good looks, higher-than-average grades, and a good body.

I took a glance at the time. "It's only ten minutes. You're so petty." I added an eye roll, marching into the park.

"Ya, what do you mean by petty?" Changmin asked, breaking into a brisk walk to catch up, looking bewildered. "I haven't even blamed you for being late for ten minutes, and here you are, insulting me for being petty?"

I turned back at him, squinting because the sunlight was directly in my eyes. "Seol Changmin, firstly, you are petty. You should be grateful for my liking you. Secondly, are we here to argue about the time?"

I spread my arms. Families were roaming around, marveling at the huge variety of flower species and fascinating plants. Some professionally-looking people with cameras were snapping pictures with their cameras, or holding the flowers and squinting at them to observe them more closely.

The surroundings didn't suit such a pointless bicker. If we came all the way here, we might as well make the most of our time.

Changmin glanced around and nodded. "Yeah, we should stop. But I am not petty, okay? Also, I'm older than you. It's not right for you to call me by my name, and you even said my full name."