Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Dear Jaebum,

It's your new friend Jinyoung! I'm really happy that we started talking in class last week. It was nice to make a new friend this year.

I would have never thought that we would have been friends. I mean if you look at the two of us, you're far more popular than I could ever be, and most people don't even know who I am. I mean you're cool, funny, athletic, and smart. I'm just smart, and often too quiet for anyone to notice me. But I was so surprised when you commented on the book I was reading.

I know it's stereotypical, but with you being so popular and athletic I just didn't peg you for a reader. But we actually have similar tastes in books, and that's so cool.

Hmmm... That might come off weird and kind of mean, and I don't want it to. So maybe I won't give you this note. I don't want you to misunderstand what I'm trying to say. I just think you're so cool and I'm just amazed that a simple conversation about books could make you want to be friends with me.

I'm really happy that you do though, because I really like hanging out with you and your friends. Mark and Jackson are both athletic like you so I can see how you became friends with them, but Mark can also be really quiet (unlike Jackson, but that's okay. He's really nice.) so I think he and I will get along really well also.

It's been really nice to get to hang out with people and get away from the library for a change. But maybe I can show you my favorite spot in there sometime, and show you some of my favorite books.

I know I changed my mind about giving you this note, but now I just can't stop writing to you even though you won't ever read this one. I guess I can stop here and try again later or in a few days and hopefully not make a mess of the next note. Haha well, I'll see you at lunch then. Bye Jaebum!

Sincerely,
Park Jinyoung

P.S. I wonder how many Jinyoungs you know... Did I need to include my surname? Oh well. Bye!

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Dear Jaebum,

How has your weekend been? Did you do anything fun? I mostly just stayed at home reading that book you lent me on Friday. It's really good so far! Augustus' character is really interesting, and I really enjoy his interactions with Hazel Grace. They're quite a funny pair.

It's going to be really sad if Hazel Grace dies… Is she going to? Wait! Actually no, don't tell me! I don't want to ruin the book.

Thank you for letting me borrow it, by the way. I really appreciate it. It makes me happy to know that you trust me with one of your books. I'll have to bring you one of my favorites so we can share with each other. I want to bring you a good one though, so I'll have to really think hard about it.

Well, I guess there's not much to say this time. I really just wanted to say thank you for the book and that I am reading it. I don't know…. I feel really nervous about giving you a note… I'm not even sure why…. Will you think it's weird? Would you even write back? Maybe I'll just keep these to myself. I don't know. We'll see.

Anyway, that's it for now. I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning at school. Bye Jaebum!

Sincerely,
Park Jinyoung

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Dear Jaebum,

How are you today? I hope you're well. I didn't see you yesterday at school. Were you out sick? I think you must have been. I hope everything is okay and that you aren't terribly ill or injured. I would bring you some soup or something but I don't know if you would think that would be weird or if we're even close enough for that to be an acceptable gesture. My mom always makes some really good cabbage porridge for me when I'm sick. It's one of my favorites and it definitely helps me feel better. I would have asked her to make some for me to bring you, but like I said, I didn't know how you would feel about me doing that. Plus there is also the fact that we haven't spent any time together outside of school so I don't know where you live. I could have probably asked Mark, but that would have just felt weird to me. "Hey Mark, can you tell me where Jaebum lives so I can bring him some porridge after school even though I've never been to his house before..." Just too weird.

Anyway, I had wanted to return the book you lent me. I finished it and it was amazing. It was so sweet of Augustus to use his wish to take Hazel Grace to Amsterdam to see that author she likes. I hope one day I get to meet one of my favorite authors… But hopefully under better circumstances than they did.

Would you ever want to meet your favorite author? I think it would be really neat to get to just talk to them and see what they are like as a normal person. Doesn't that sound cool? Maybe if there is ever a book signing or something for an author we both like we can go? Would you want to do that? I'll keep my eyes open for anything like that, and if something does happen then I can see if you'd want to go with me. I like spending time with you and I think this would be really fun to do together.

I hope you're feeling better and are in school today. It was weird not hanging out with you guys yesterday. I just went back to the library during lunch because I wasn't sure if Jackson and Mark would want me hanging around since you weren't there. I thought it would be too awkward to be there just the three of us since we've never hung out without you around before. Hopefully, as more time passes that won't be the case. Your friends are nice and I hope that one day they'll consider me a friend as well.

Well, I should probably finish getting ready for school. I hope I see you today. Bye Jaebum!

Sincerely,
Jinyoung

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Dear Jaebum,

Wow! Two letters in one day! Haha it feels a little strange that I'm writing this letter so soon after the one from this morning. I guess I can't help it though. I'm really happy that you were in school today. Is it weird to say that I missed you? I know it was just one day that we didn't see each other, but it wasn't the same without you around. I'm really starting to get used to hanging out with you everyday at school.

I was quite surprised that both Mark and Jackson were upset that I wasn't around yesterday either. It was pretty embarrassing having to explain that I hung out in the library by myself during lunch. Luckily I said I was working on some homework and you guys didn't question me on it. It would have been even more embarrassing to have to explain that I just felt too awkward and didn't think I was wanted around. But I feel a bit better now knowing that I'm not just some pest to them… That they actually notice if I'm not around.

It makes me happy knowing that there are other people that care about if I'm around or not. I don't know if you realized it yet or not, but I didn't really hang out with anyone else before we started talking. I mean yeah I would talk to people sometimes, but I was mostly by myself. I didn't have a group of people to hang out with at lunch everyday. So thank you for changing that. I wouldn't say that I was unhappy before, but I'm definitely happier now than I was before. Having you guys around makes me happy.

Wow… This got sappy real quick. I'm sorry. It's a good thing I don't give you these letters. Haha even I would cringe reading this.

Well I suppose I should read a bit before bed. If I finish this book soon I'll let you borrow it! It's kind of similar to the book you lent me, so I think you'll like it as well. It's called "Me Before You", and I heard it was really good as well. So far I like it a lot.

But yeah. I'm just really happy that I got to see you today, and I just wanted to get that out of my system so I could focus better. Getting through my homework earlier was pretty difficult since I was so distracted.

I guess I'll get going now. Bye Jaebum!

Sincerely,
Jinyoung

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Dear Jaebum,

How are you doing? You seem a little distracted lately, I hope everything is okay. You don't seem upset or anything, just distracted, so I hope it's nothing bad.

I saw you talking to Ha Jisoo earlier today at lunch when you walked into the cafeteria to meet Jackson, Mark, and I for lunch. I wonder if you guys had a class together or something, since I've never seen you with her before. I wonder what it was she said to you before you two parted ways that made you laugh on the way over to us. You wouldn't tell Jackson anything when he asked you why you were laughing. He didn't even see you with Jisoo, neither did Mark, since they had their backs facing the cafeteria doors. I didn't want to bring it up in front of them since I know you value your privacy, but now it keeps bugging in the back of my mind. I want to actually ask you, but I don't want to upset you by prying or anything. So I hope you'll tell us soon.

I hope you enjoy the book I lent you. Like I said in the last letter, Me Before You is kind of similar to The Fault in Our Stars. And I know Jackson thinks we're weird for liking these books, but I don't think it makes us weird to like books where one of the main characters dies. Do you think it's weird Jaebum? Hmm, I hope not.

Well, I should be going now. I promised my family that I'd watch a movie with them tonight. I think one of my sisters is choosing from her Netflix soon, so I need to hurry. I'll see you at school!

Bye Jaebum!

-Jinyoung