𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎. halloween is cool

IT WAS NO SURPRISE TO ANYONE WHEN THEY found out that Jieun Kang was absolutely, positively, unquestionably, beyond any doubt, in love with love.

She found it so interesting how two minds can become infixed with raw love and tender affection, and how that can be experienced for the rest of that person's life.

She wanted the long late-night talks, diner dates, running in the rain, and picnics shared in the sun.

She didn't just fall in love with the idea of having these one day but the feeling. The feeling she could imagine in her stomach when she would think of her name escaping their mouth, how her heart would flicker at the sight of their eyes and lips. The feeling when they would look at her with full admiration.

She fell in love with the idea of love. The idea of her significant others' arms around her and showing her off like they were insanely happy by the fact that she was finally theirs. The idea of them never getting bored of kissing her, the thought of them comforting her.

Unfortunately for Jieun Kang, she was extremely picky because of these expectations.

So, here she was, at the same cafeteria table, along with Sam, Yasmine, and Moon, gossiping over Sam's newfound interest in Kyler.

"Hey Jiji, how come we never hear if you're interested in anyone?" She asked.

"Everyone here is boring" Jieun set her magazine down. "No one's caught my eye yet."

"Hmm, y'know, Kyler mentioned he wanted to go on a date, before the Halloween dance." Sam glances at the girl, an exasperated sigh leaving her lips. "I'm too shy to go alone." She side-eyes Jieun.

She wasn't completely lying. Sure, Kyler hadn't actually asked her out on a date but she knew if she asked she really would be nervous about the whole thing. The company of the Korean girl would definitely help her with that, and vice versa.

"Oh well. Too bad."

"Oh, Jiji, please do this with me!"

"I don't think so. No, thank you, no." She pulls the magazine back up to her face, if she avoided Sam's eyes long enough she wouldn't give in. God, when did she get so good at the puppy dog eyes? Jieun exclaimed in her head.

Sam slipped her paper into her book, among a few other things from school, takes her pen, hovering it over a notepad that sat on her lap. Her horrible attempt at drawing sad faces and broken hearts. "You know what this is a lot like?" She drew a crying cat. "Like when you asked me to help you host the bake sale. Only it's different because I said yes." She says under her breath as she continues to draw sad objects, letting out yet another harsh sigh.

Jieun stopped and pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth. The thought of dressing up in a beautiful outfit wasn't so bad to her ― she loved dressing up. It was the dating part of it all.

Call her old school, but she'd instead meet someone in a way she could tell stories about. Not by a blind date. As appealing as it may seem.

"I can't," She mumbles, turning her head quickly to meet the blue-eyed beaut. "I'm not even going to the dance."

Sam groans and squeezes the girl.

"I still can't believe you're not going," Yasmine said.

Jieun squeezes her eyes shut. "You know October is my month." She simply replied.

"I'm sure you can start your insane Halloween decoration shopping a day late," Yasmine announced.

"I have to keep my reputation of having the spookiest home ―" She pauses, taking a quick glance at the table where Eli Moskowitz, Demetri Alexopoulos, and the new kid, Miguel Diaz sat. Who seemed a little too preoccupied with paying attention to her table rather than his group. "Besides, shopping is way more fun than some sweaty gym."

"Will I ever live in a lifetime where the Jiji Kang attends a high school dance?" Moon exasperated.

"Senior year when I'm crowned prom queen." She smiled triumphantly.

"Now wait a minute ―"

Yasmine was fuming. Which Jieun found hilarious.

"Okay!" Sam dragged out, changing her seat to settle between the two bickering teens. "I think you two need a little separation."

"She started it," Yasmine grumbled in response.

PULLING ONTO RHE STREET NEXT to a seasonal Halloween shop, she bit the corner of her lip.

Arlene Thatcher was about the only mother figure she had in her life. Her bond with her was scary to her.

She was kind of like a bonny teddy bear, in gentle brown hues, that childhood dreams of night and day are made from. In her eyes was warmth, ever a sparkle in their loving black. ❨ despite being grumpy all the time, she had that soft side Jieun had the pleasure of seeing ❩

"You alone are the master of your own destiny and responsible for the keeping of your humanity in the harshness of life. Do that and, no matter what happens, you will be proud of who you are." She remembered her words.

Jieun straightened and made her way to the entrance.

Arlene, immediately noticing her, grabs a pile of boxes. "I thought you'd appreciate these," She spoke up.

"Are these all the weapons used in the Chucky movies?" Jieun grins.

"Replicas obviously, been getting an unusual amount of people coming in. Thought I'd hold off on putting these on the floor."

Exhaling a breath, she brings her head back. "This is totally awesome." Jieun waited all year for October, the pumpkin picking, the costumes, the decorations, the scary stories, and especially the candy. She thrived on spooky fun. "It's about time the people around here really appreciated the best holiday ―"

"Long overdue."

"― it's always Christmas or Thanksgiving." She crossed her arms over her chest, "what's so great about them."

Arlene raised an eyebrow at her, a hint of a smile in her eyes. "Maybe they appreciate family bonding rather than blood and ghosts." She piped up over her shoulders, a boy walked in who Jieun didn't care to greet. "Come back for more treats?"

Robby's eyes shined. "No one makes them as good as you, Ms. Tatcher." He mumbled.

"Of course not." The old woman paused. "Tomorrow I'm making monster candy bark."

Robby ran his hands down his face and then shook his head. "Can't wait." He said. "What's this?"

"Hands off!" Jieun exclaimed, slapping his hand away. "Can't you see she was saving it for me, shit-for-brains?" Jieun calmly said. Robby twisted his head only enough so that she could see the side of his face.

Robby was a Grade-A asshole in Jieun's eyes. She couldn't ignore the scene that took place minutes before she went inside the store ― him and his two other ❨ who she can only assume ❩ friends pickpocketing some old man on the street.

She was convinced that Robby didn't care what people thought of him. He stalked around like a weird cross between a jock and a delinquent. Popular ❨ well, not actually, but he could be if he tried ❩, and foreboding. Dark but extremely coveted.

Jieun, on the other hand, cared what everyone thought.

Her father. The teachers at West Valley High. Most of the student body. She loved being loved, and she hated any association that differed.

"Why are you so obsessed with this stuff anyways?" Robby shot back, sliding his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

"Halloween is cool," Jieun commented. "I'm going for a slashers and madmen theme this year. You got anything else?" She turned to Arlene.

She nodded. "Robby here can help you." He rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you'll be getting a lot of stuff today." She stands. "You have no problem with that, right Robby?"

"I would rather die," he sneered, "what? None of your friends wanted to help the wicked witch of the west?" Robby zeroed in on her with a playful half-smile and teased.

"Shut it, Hobbit." She shot back. "If you must know, I have plenty of friends who would love to help." He rose an eyebrow, "but the dance is today."

"Let me guess, no one asked you?" He leaned in over the counter. Jieun glared, commenting a quick 'of course people asked me' Robby stifled a laugh. "They have my sympathies."

"I don't like you." She scowled.

"Fun. I don't like you either." He smirked, smoothing an arrogant hand over his shirt.

Jieun talked a lot of shit, truth be told it was more for her own ears than anyone else's. Sometimes Yasmine, but only on rare occasions ❨ big mouth, that one ❩ Moon sometimes didn't care enough and Sam wasn't even a contender unless Jieun wanted an earful of lectures.

Jieun was designer. Robby was hand-me-downs. She was Godiva, he was Snickers.

"Jiji here enjoys shopping alone." Arlene cut off their bickering. "Robby will help you."

"Jiji?" Robby snickered, taking a step back. "Hmm, I don't like it." When she said nothing, she started backing away slowly from the pair.

"I'm getting a cart. Don't follow me."

The two watched her go, "Go." Arlene said sternly.

"But I don't want ―"

"Go and I'll make extra treats for you."

"Fine by me."

"Seriously?" Jieun exclaimed. "Could they move any slower?"

Robby sat in the passenger seat of Jieun's 2018 Porsche Panamera with his hands locked on the top of his head. He didn't want to admit it, but it was a really nice car.

Jieun twisted around in the driver's seat, her eyes sharp. "The signs say fifty miles an hour, not thirty!" She yelled. Every muscle in her face was tight as she chewed the drivers around her out.

Robby dropped his head back and let out a sigh. "Road rage doesn't look good on you, Laurie."

Jieun kept quiet. "Laurie?"

He turned his head but not enough to meet her eyes. "I thought you said you liked Halloween?"

"Clever." Jieun blurted, her eyes widening. "You... you..." She stuttered, catching sight of Robby's triumphant smile from her peripheral vision.

"You nothing," Robby barked. "You like my nickname."

She wanted to smile, but she didn't. Instead, she just rolled her eyes. "Never said I liked it, I called it clever. Don't let it get to your head." She parked the car. "Get out."

The zing of adrenaline shot through her at the prospect of decorating her home.

The Kang estate was welcoming from the open door to the wide hallway. Upon the walls were the photographs of those who came before her, as well as portraits of herself and her parents. All the newest features were built into the home with no sentimentality for the old ways. The windows were large to let in maximum light but fashioned so well that the home stayed warm in the wintertime. Every line was clean and straight, the color scheme brown and gold.

The roof line didn't peak in the center as was the fashion in the previous decade but instead sloped to the left. peaking a couple of meters from the edge. Inside was a large open plan, a floating stairway leading to the upper floor, and every floor was smooth, polished, and concrete.

There was a banister that was a twirl of a branch, tamed by the carpenter's hand, its grain flowing as water might, in waves of comforting woodland hues. Under the lamp-shine, it was nature's art, something that soothed right to the soul.

And with all of that, it was eerily quiet. The silence of the home made Robby's blood as cold as the air that crept through an open window. Bereft of any wind the leaves outside hung limp until they fell of their own accord, there was no whispering noise or rustling. It was as if nature conspired to keep him in the dark, not daring to whisper.

"Cancer stick?" It was Jieun. "If I knew you weren't gonna help I would've never let Grumpy convince me to bring you here."

Casting his eyes to the side, Robby responded. "You're very well off."

Jieun grimaced. "Just help me with the Michael Myers figure." She mocked, raising her voice.

"Quit whining. You sound like a twelve-year-old."

"God, you're so annoying," She shouted through the door, a smile flashed across Robby's face from beneath reems of hair, creating slight dimples and creases that moved his light freckles.

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄

no karate ass kicking yet trying to decide a way to have jiji meet miguel first TT

would've added some cute robby and jiji decorating together but decided to hold off or else this ch would've been like 3000 words omg

much love,