I Hope You're Wrong

A Chance of Happiness Chapter 6: I Hope You’re Wrong

Jin and Vernon sat against the fitness room wall as Jin finishes explaining what happened earlier. Vernon’s expression was one of visible distress and disbelief.

“You did WHAT?!” Vernon finally spoke up after processing all the information. “To Mina?! The Mina Yuriko?!”

Vernon got up and started pacing, muttering to himself and making fast gestures with his hands as if he were having an internal conversation with himself. Jin kept silent, scratching the back of his neck, clearly ashamed.

“I cannot BELIEVE you said that to her. Are you absolutely positively 1000% positive that's what you said to her? You’re not just exaggerating it?”

Jin nodded slowly as Vernon placed his hands over his eyes as his meltdown continued to spiral.

“Idiot, idiot, idiot! You know you’re an idiot right?! Honestly, I would have probably preferred if you had killed three men in a bar with a pencil! What compelled you to say something like that?! To her of all people?! She’s so kind and outgoing! Pretty much the ideal friend for anybody!”

“It… wasn’t intentional.”

“Wasn’t intentional?! How do you manage to say that unintentionally?!”

“I didn’t mean to say it out loud. It was just meant to be a thought.”

“Oh? Is that so? News flash, thoughts are meant to be THOUGHT and not SAID OUT LOUD! How does a thought like that even cross your mind?! About someone you’ve met for let’s see… not even an hour!”

Vernon’s pacing quickend with his hand gestures. Jin slouched a little, eyes facing towards the ground.

“There was just something about her…”

“That was what? Funny? Charming? Intelligent? Or–”

“There was an emptiness.” Jin cut him off.

Vernon turned back to Jin as if about to retort at his friend's remark, but stopped upon seeing Jin’s expression.

“You’re serious.”

Vernon’s meltdown stopped in an instant as he stopped pacing.

“I’ve only known her for that single class, but you were in the drama club with her last year. Can you honestly tell me there was nothing that felt off to you?”

Jin raised his head so his eyes met Vernon’s.

“I… I’m not sure…”

Jin lowered his eyes.

“But I don’t have the same intuition you do about others. You see things others don’t, things I wouldn’t even consider. The thing is, Mina and I are both actors, and she’s an amazing one at that. On stage, it’s our job to make our act as believable as possible. I never considered that she could be putting one on even off the stage.”

Jin quickly looked back up at Vernon. “So you’re saying–”

“I’m saying there’s a chance you’re not a complete idiot. You’re still a partial idiot for saying that outright to her.” Vernon scratched his head. “The only thing I can remember was the one time I saw her mother come pick her up after the club. I didn’t overhear anything they said, but it was easy to tell from her expression that it wasn’t anything positive. After that, she started showing up to the club less and less. At the time, I didn’t really think anything of it.”

“Was it some kind of argument?”

“Most likely, what it was about I couldn’t say.”

Vernon walked back over and took a seat beside Jin, raising his knees up to his chest. He looked as if he were deep in thought remembering something.

“Can… you tell me why you thought she was fake?”

“What?”

“You hardly know this girl and yet during your time in class you came to the conclusion that she wasn’t being herself. That she was fake. Why?”

“There… wasn’t any one thing about her that stood out. It was just the subtle things I noticed. The way she’d act and talk felt…”

“Familiar.”

“I didn’t say–” Jin tried to lie.

“Maybe you didn’t.” Vernon cut him off. “But you definitely thought about it. Because I know you. And if what your intuition told you about Mina then you two aren’t so different. You’re both fake. When you told her she was fake you didn’t analyze all the possible outcomes of the situation, how they'd react or respond. You just said what was on your mind regardless of how she might react.”

“It wasn’t my intention…”

“No, I think it was. The only time you don’t think things through is when you talk to me. Or when it’s something you honestly feel needs to be said, no matter what it is. Like when you spoke up for Sakurai-san earlier. In other words, I think you were hoping for her to react a certain way. The fact that you spoke so honestly towards her means is proof of that. You felt something so familiar in her that you tried to help her without even realizing it, or maybe you did and you just won’t admit it. You were worried for someone you just met because you already knew where hiding behind a mask would lead her. To become another version of you.”

Vernon got back up and stood in front of Jin.

“You can deny it all you want but I can already tell I’m right. The fact that you seem so concerned about this to ask questions about her. You’re trying to make this the best possible outcome for her.”

“You… you’re reading too much into this.” Jin stammered.

“Am I? You always try to help others, even if they don’t ask for it. Trying to change her mindset, distancing yourself from her, trying to change seats, everything you’re doing is proving that you care. So, what are you going to do now?”

“I… I’m changing seats tomorrow. I’ll ask the teacher to have me moved somewhere else. And that’ll be the end of it, odds are I won’t have anymore classes with her. After what I’ve said it’s not like she’ll ever talk to me again.”

“Doubtful.”

“... What? You just got done telling me how stupid I was for telling her all that.”

“Under the assumption that you’re wrong about her. But if you’re right, which I hope you are, you might be mistaken.”

Vernon sat back down in front of Jin.

“When you looked at her and saw her false self, what do you think she saw when she looked at yours? If you were able to see straight through her mask, what makes you think she didn’t see straight through yours? I already know you’ve grown used to this “zero expectations” attitude, but if you have none to begin with, they can be exceeded that much easier.”

“You know it won’t change anything, that’s not how it works. Not for me.”

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Jin grabbed his bag and began to pack up.

“You’re usually right, aggravatingly so. But just this once, in this instance. I hope you’re wrong.” Vernon spoke softly, muffled by the sound of the bell.

The two get to their feet, walking out the door of the fitness center.

“Did you say something just now?”

“Hm? Don’t think so.”

“Oh, well… thank you… for listening.” Jin mumbled.

“Sorry, what was that?” Vernon replied sarcastically, jabbing at Jin’s arm.

“You heard me.” Jin scoffed, placing his hands in his pockets.

“You’re right I did, but you could say it again y’know? A little more appreciation never hurt anyone.”

Vernon continues his sarcastic remarks as the two headed towards their next class.