I sat at the café, hiding behind a menu. I peeked over the menu and observed the couple in front of me, my best friend was smiling foolishly at the girl, his 5^th romance this month. He had been played four times before and dragged me to drinking so he could drown his sorrow. But he managed to pick himself out fast. He had announced yesterday he found someone new. “This time it will be different,” my best friend, Gary had said.

Yeah, right. How can someone who had 5 romance in a span in a month knew it was the right girl. I needed to observe the girl and if needed to, end the romance before he did anything foolish. They stood up and left the café, I followed. A girl banged into me as we exited the door together. She gave me an annoyed look before running off. “What about excuse me?” I thought as I saw her disappearing, and so had my friend. “Argh, that girl.” I ran towards the direction my friend was heading and finally, he came into view. I sighed with relief, he was holding his so call girl friend’s hand. I rolled eye, isn’t it too fast. Then someone caught my eye, it was the girl that bumped into me at the café. She looked like she was observing my friend and his girl. I frowned.

I sat down beside her and tapped her hand, she brushed me aside, I tapped her again. This time she turned her head and gave me a frown. “What do you want?” she hissed.

“Why are you tailing my friend?” I asked.

“What friend, I was tailing my friend!” she answered.

“You mean that girl was you friend?”

“Yeah, you mean that man was your friend?” I nodded my head. She looked at me with interest, she took my hand and led me away from our friends.

“Ask your friend to leave my friend alone.” We said in unison, once we are sure they can’t hear us.

Seem that we had similar intent. “I am Kim Jong Kook, best friend of Gary.”  I introduced myself.

“I am Cheon Seong-Im, best friend of Jessica.” She introduced herself reluctantly. “ Look, my friend is an innocent girl. She believes in romance and will fall head over heels in love. Can you ask your friend to ease off?”

I couldn’t believe it, she was describing a female version of Gary. “Look, it the same as my friend. That’s why I am doing this stupid thing” We looked at each other and we both sighed in unison. We had impossible friends. “I don’t know what to do with him, I wanted him to be happy but I don’t him to be hurt. He was a simple and honest person. I do believe he would make a great boyfriend.”

“Me too, she was a good person. I wanted the best for her. She won’t hurt a fly. You think they will be happy together?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to destroy his happiness and yet I don’t want him to get hurt.” I had no idea what to do.

“Maybe, let’s observed them for a while. Tell me more about Gary.” She said.

I told her about Gary and she shared about Jessica. Both of them are very alike, they seem a good match and yet given their nature, they might got into more troubles than they asked for. We decided that we should observe them longer and make a pact. We will do it together and analyses the situation.

We had been following them for a month now, we are like their shadow, they would date and we copied, out of curiosity. It was quite fun, doing it with her. She was cuter than Jessica, and I found hard to contain my laughter when she make funny faces. I also got to know her better. After our tailing, I often sent her home, it was too late and I liked to see her reach her apartment safe and sound.

Actually, I had come to a conclusion that Gary and Jessica suited each other very well, but I wanted to go out with Seong-Im, I liked her company. I gathered my courage and asked her out without tailing Gary and Jessica. I was surprised she had agreed. That was our first date, I knew she like the aquarium from our conversation so I took her there. We had a great time together.

One date turned to two, and then three, we had the same conclusion about Gary and Jessica, therefore we decided to leave them to their own devices. I was getting more and more comfortable about Seong-Im, I wanted her to be my girl friend.  I asked her on our 10^th date and she said Yes. I was overjoyed. We even kissed in front of her door. She tasted so sweet.

Gary came to be me one day, asking me for a drink out of the blues. I was preparing to meet Seong-I but I saw Gary was perturbed. So I told him ok, and I called Seong-Im, she said the same about Jessica. After a few drinks, Gary poured his heart out, he was in love with Jessica, but he saw Jessica went out with another man and his jealousy burnt. He lashed out at her and they had a big fight. Now he didn’t know what to do. I saw he was getting drunk. I messaged Seong-Im about what he said.

Seong-Im said that Jessica was hurt when Gary shouted at her for going out with another man but he was just a team mate asking for help. She didn’t understand why Gary wanted to hurt her. She needed to accompany Jessica and I need to accompany Gary.

It had been two weeks we didn’t meet, we also didn’t get to message a lot, both Jessica and Gary was taking up a lot of our time. I needed a plan to get both back together so I can get my time with Seong-Im. This few days made me miss her so much and I know I needed her in my life. There was a huge void in my heart this two weeks and I couldn’t fill it up, the more I didn’t see or talk to her, the more insecure I get. What if she forgotten me and left me for another guy. What if someone chased after her. All these negative thoughts keep going through my mind.

I made Gary apologized to Jessica, it was his fault been a jealous man and also clarified with Jessica. Seong-Im was supposed to witness it with me but she suddenly messaged me she had something on and couldn’t turn up. After I was assured that both of them had made up, I went to Seong-Im apartment, I had missed her so much, I needed to see her again. As the lift door opened, I saw her kissing a man on the cheeks before waving good bye, my heart froze and my mouth turned dry. I couldn’t believe my eyes, did she really have another boyfriend. I felt a tear rolled off my eyes. I quickly turned and wanted to leave this horrible place.

A pair of warm arms embraced me, I could see it was hers. I turned around and she saw my whiten face. She held my face with her hands, “What was wrong my dear”, her voice full of concern. “Who is that guy?” I asked, after Gary incident, I felt that honesty is still the best way to avoid any unnecessary misunderstanding. I stead myself, to receive the impact of her answer.

“The guy who left just now?” she smiled mysteriously. “He cute isn’t he”

My heart was bleeding. I couldn’t say anything. I think my face registered the desperateness I felt in my heart.

She saw it and her smile stopped. She lowered my head and kissed me. Then she gave me a cuddle and whispered into my ears, “But you are cuter, my jealous boyfriend. He is my real brother”

My face turned from white to red. Red from embarrassment, from relief and happiness. I kissed her with all my might, claiming her as mine. “Don’t make this kind of joke. My heart could not take it” I made her promise. She did, but giggling half the time. She led me back to her apartment and I kissed her over and over again. I knew she enjoyed the kisses and she missed me too but each kiss help to reassure me that she was mine and mine alone.

A year later, I proposed to her, and she said yes. We invited both Gary and Jessica to be our best man and bride maid. You can imagine the surprise on their face. We even thank them for been our matchmaker but we refused to tell them the details. This was their punishment for taking up so much of our time.

Today, I am going to wed my beloved Seong-Im. I saw her walking down the aisle, she was beautiful. I took her hand from her father and we exchanged our vowed of love in front of all our friends and relatives.  I wanted to tell her My dear Seong-Im I will love you forever.