"This one time, I tried to cook dinner for my family. Emphasis on 'tried.' The smoke detectors became my biggest fans that day!" Min-Joon quipped clenching the mic, eliciting laughter from the audience.
As Min-Joon continued to joke around and make his audience laugh, he had this nauseating feeling in his stomach. A feeling he was unfamiliar with. Was he feeling nervous or getting jitters? He questioned himself.
Min-Joon had never gotten such a feeling before and always he would confidently grin doing what he loved the most. The only difference this time was…Ji-Won.
Min-Joon scoffed at the realization, he couldn’t believe it, feeling nervous because of a girl. This was quite a refreshing feeling! Pushing the unease aside within his stomach, he glanced at Ji-Won to see her reaction but unfortunately even after he had started his performance she hadn’t once laughed or chuckled. But he wasn’t disappointed and continued to hope that she would show any signs of laughter.
Taking a deep breath, he dove into his next set of jokes. He transitioned from one joke to another, acknowledging the nerves that lurked beneath his charismatic facade.
Ji-Won, sitting among the audience, found herself thoroughly entertained. She looked around finding people next to her laughing and interested in the jokes he was making. It seemed he had a talent for making people laugh. Noticing his confident grin up on the stage, she couldn't help but appreciate the effort he put into making people laugh…just like her effort.
“He’s funny, isn’t he?”, Mi-Ra nudged Ji-Won playfully.
“Yeah, I guess he’s not too bad”, replied Ji-Won casually.
“He reminds me of the lead in that romantic comedy I watched last week”, Mi-Ra continued, trying to start a conversation. “You know with the same sense of humor? It’s like he’s straight out of a K-drama, with the good looks and personality. Normally, You won’t find a boyfriend like that”.
Ji-Won slightly nodded, visibly not interested in the conversation. She could sense all the persistence and convincing Mi-Ra was doing for some reason to talk to her. First, she stalked her, and now the relentless conversation. Why was she doing this?
“I have a question, What’s the point of you being so persistent in trying to talk to me? It’s obvious you’re forcing it. There has to be a reason why you’re doing this. I’ll give you a chance for you to explain or don’t even bother talking to me again!”, Ji-Won stated. glaring her down.
Mi-Ra gulped shuddering as she felt the terror from her threat. She hesitantly spoke admitting, “I just want to become your friend”.
Ji-Won flinched shocked at hearing such a statement from her. Become her friend? For real, her’s? Memories of her childhood flooded back when she faced difficulties because of how different of a girl she was. It made her hesitant and unsure of how to respond.
“…Why me?”, Ji-Won asked.
“Because your cool and after observing you for several days you seem like a fun person to be around”, Mi-Ra explained, eyes sparkling with sincerity.
‘What should I do? She’s not bad but what if she turns out to be like those girls? I don’t want that cycle to begin again’, Ji-Won thought. “Was this the reason you had been following me?”.
Mi-Ra nodded, her eyes still shimmering with conviction.
For some reason, Ji-Won couldn’t say no to those earnest eyes, though she was already this rude. On the other hand, she didn’t need a friend she was ok without one. Why did people need one anyway?
“Do whatever you want, I won’t ignore or stop you from now on”, Ji-Won replied.
Mi-Ra gasped, thrilled at the prospect of finally having a friend! “Then let’s be besties!”, she exclaimed.
‘How do I regret it already? Was it ok for me to agree?’, Ji-Won wondered observing her enthusiastic reaction.
‘Ah ha, I have caught you!’, Min-Joon’s thought echoed in his mind as he sharply locked eyes with Ji-Won within the audience. He had witnessed with his own eyes, her lips curving from one side. She was definitely smiling! He had won the bet!
Min-Joon, brimming with pridе ovеr his accomplishmеnts, еxudеd еnеrgy. Hе еffortlеssly transformеd ordinary daily occurrеncеs into comеdic gеms, rеgaling thе audiеncе with anеcdotеs. Sеung-Ho, unable to mask his admiration, obsеrvеd as thе crowd hung on Min-Joon's еvеry word.
In a momеnt of candor, Min-Joon rеvеalеd a morе vulnеrablе sidе. "Lifе can hit you hardеr than a Monday morning alarm somеtimеs. But hеy, at lеast wе, can laugh about it togеthеr, right?"
Thе audiеncе burst into laughtеr, rеsonating with thе rеlatablе strugglеs еmbеddеd in Min-Joon's jokеs. Laughtеr еchoеd through thе café, еvеn prompting a chucklе from Ji-Won. Min-Joon, standing firmly on thе stagе, luxuriatеd in thе comforting warmth of thе audiеncе's rеsponsе.
Ji-Won back at the audience, who was surrounded by her club members started receiving glares from them. They continued staring at her as if she was strange. “What?”.
“Ya…it’s just something’s on your face?”, said Seung-Ho suppressing his laughter pointed out.
“I…I guess, maybe you could wipe it off?”, Min-Soo chimed in also suppressing his laughter.
Ji-Won glanced at Mi-Ra questioningly, seeking an explanation as to why those weirdos were acting this way.
“They are just being mean, there’s nothing on your face unnie”, Mi-Ra replied hesitantly, avoiding eye contact.
Ji-Won perplexed, sent death stares to each one of them, making them flinch.
“How come you don’t know? Aren’t you born with it? The smile on your face is so creepy, it’s as if a monster is smiling!”, Seung-ho said with a mischievous grin, gesturing at her smile.
Ji-Won immediately fumed clenching her hands, ready to plow the F***** down. Although she was instantly held back by Mi-Ra physically. “Unnie! Calm down”, Mi-Ra exclaimed holding her back till her thin arms started to throb.
“Ah ah ah!”, Yelled Min-Soo wincing before the brewing storm.
“Sorry, sorry”, Seung-ho apologized trying to stifle his laughter.
Mi-Ra couldn’t help but think that maybe this was the reason she wasn’t able to make friends, since her smile was like a monster, it was horrifying that instead of laughing alongside her people would run away from her.
“What’s wrong with her smile, I love it! It’s so cute”, Min-Joon said appearing back in the audience intensely staring at Ji-Won as he complimented her.
Ji-Won heavily blushed, embarrassed, and covering her face. How…How could he make such a comment infront of everyone? Had he no shame!
Min-Joon chuckled, enjoying her reaction with a slight blush.
Mi-Ra couldn’t contain her excitement. “By the way, your performance was amazing”, she complimented, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
“Yeah man, it was great”. Seung-Ho joined in, nodding in agreement.
“Thanks, but now it’s time for the next show!”, Min-Joon declared gesturing toward Min-Soo.
“Oh, yeah totally forgot about it”, Min-Soo said absent-mindedly rubbing his head awkwardly. “I’ll go up now!”.
“Good luck”, The group exclaimed in unison as he walked away to the stage.
“Here we go…”, Min-Joon commented.
“Why are you saying it like that? Are his jokes that bad?”, Mi-Ra asked raising an eyebrow, at his comments.
“There…not bad but they can be too much for your brain if you’re not too much into it”, Min-Joon explained.
The group nodded all of them thinking, It couldn’t be that bad. Except Min-Joon that is, he had seen and experienced it all.
Up on the stage, Min-Soo held the mic and started his performance. “I’m so bad at relationships; I make a goldfish look like a relationship expert”.
The audience reaction was mixed. Much of the crowd remained silent and some of it cheered him on.
Unfazed, Min-Soo continued starting his next set of jokes, “My love life is like a DVD – It stopped plating after the first season, and nobody bothered to hit resume”.
The audience murmured and sympathetic chuckles spread through them. Some were used to these types of comedians while some weren’t.
Back in the audience, Min-Joon, Seung-ho, Mi-Ra, and Ji-Won sat around the table, the weight of disappointment hanging in the air. Seung-ho with black lines underneath his eyes, couldn’t believe what he was witnessing.
“…That’s what I was warning about, since he’s a comedian who makes self-depreciating jokes, he needs to get used to being confident and not a mess on the stage. People will notice how his morale is going down each second, he makes such a joke”, Min-Joon said sighing, sharing his insights.
The table nodded understanding the point, Min-Joon was making. Though Ji-Won wondered, if he had such low confidence then why does he continue making such jokes or is it that it’s the only thing he’s good at?
‘Now I know how much better this jerk is than the others’, Ji-Won thought as she gazed at Min-Joon.
As if Min-Joon had eyes on his back, he turned around grinning foolishly as he made eye contact with Ji-Won catching her in the act. “What do we have here? I know I’m beautiful and jokes are awesome but please don’t stare at me like that”, he teased dramatically.
Ji-Won scoffed in return. Meanwhile, Min-Soo rejoined the group with his confidence and morale at an all-time low. “Hi…Hi guys”, he stammered.
“It’s ok, you’ll get better”, Min-Joon said with a reassuring smile.
Ji-Won who had experience knowing when people could be fake instantly knew that Min-Joon had a genuine smile. He seemed like he generally cared about him. It was a side of him she hadn’t expected.
“Oh, by the way…Ji-Won I have to inform you of something very confidential. If you could come to the meeting tomorrow for the club and it’s not mandatory but anyways it’s must Ji-Won comes”, Min-Joon blurted exchanging nods with Seung-ho, not knowing if his decision was correct or not. Although there was no going back now.
“…sure”, replied Ji-Won nonchalantly. “I was going tomorrow anyway since some new equipment for the club is coming”.
“That works out then, I gotta go. Dad’s been calling me quite a few times…”, Seung-ho announced wrapping up this meeting.
“Ok, see you guys”, said Min-Soo departing right away. Just like that each member parted and went back to their own tasks.
Min-Joon went back to his apartment thinking of how he should discuss with Ji-Won and her potential reactions that could pose a threat. To be extremely prepared he also thought of ways to protect himself. Ji-Won went back to the convenience store for the shift. Min-Soo went back home, in his room sleeping and lastly, Mi-Ra also arrived back home safely.
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