“Goodness! I’m starving. Let’s go eat after this.”

Sooyeon stated with a slight pout, with with her arm on the laying on the counter lazily.

Jimin stole a glance at her with a smile, before looking back at the worker who was wrapping the hoodie he bought.

“Okay, just wait for a while, okay?”

Sooyeon helplessly hummed as a response, with that loom face of hers. Jimin cracked a laugh seeing her face. She was always like that when she was hungry.

After the worker done with wrapping, they immeadiately left, searching for a restaurant. But in the way, something in the store they were passing by caught his attention. He stopped, at the same time grabbing her hand, stopping her with him. She turned to him immeadiately, wondering what stopped him. He pulled her towards the store, the display rack, particullarly. The rack was filled with couple jewelries. Sooyeon glanced up at the store’s sign, and later figured out it was the store that sell cute stuffs for couples.

Jimin pointed out a couple silver ring. It was just a plain and simple ring, without any carving or stone. But the way it sparkled, reflecting the yellowish light of the display rack make it look outstandingly beautiful, compared to the other rings, and jewelries.

“Pretty, isn’t it?”

Jimin peered at her, with gleaming eyes, excited. She noodded in agreement.

“I want to buy this.”

“It looks expensive.”

Jimin turned to her, staring right into her eyes with unreadable expression.

“Why you always care about the prize?”

Sooyeon scratched the back of her head.

“No.. It just..”

Her words trailed off, because she didn’t know what to say.

“Do you want this?”

She looked up at him in hesistant. Hell yeah, she wanted it. But she didn’t really care if Jimin didn’t bought it for her. She didn’t want him to troubled himself, spending a lot of money for her. Jimin just spent a lot for Jungkook’s present. She knew, money would never be a concern for him, but she didn’t want to be a ass opportunist.

“I don’t mind..”

“I want this.”

Jimin said with a bright smile, and he called over the shop worker, asking him to take out the ring for them to try on. She just stared at them as the worker did so.

Jimin picked up one of the rings and put in on his index finger.

“Woah, it fits me just right..”

He took the other one, and handed it to her.

“Try it on.”

Instead of doing so, Sooyeon just stared the ring. In the end, Jimin took her hand and put it on for her. He then gently pulled her hand closer, to take a good look at the ring.

“It fits you well too. I guess these rings are destined for us.”

He stated happily, before chuckling.

“We’ll take this.”

The worker nodded with a light smile, before asking Jimin to pay for it inside.

“Wait here.”

He said before following the worker towards the counter to make the payment. Sooyeon sent him off with her gaze, mixed feelings stirred up in her chest. She held up her hand, studying the ring.

***

From the restaurant, until the moment they were heading back home by bus, Sooyeon still hadn’t said a thing. Jimin noticed it. Everytime he asked something, she only replied him with  light gestures, or one word replies. His mind was filled with questions. He didn’t know what had he done. He turned to her, who had his gaze fixed outside the window.

Unable to hold in his feelings and curiousity, he finally parted his lips to ask the question he was dying to ask.

“What’s wrong?”

Sooyeon finally pivotted her eyes away from the bus window, looking straight into his eyes. But soon after, she shook her head, and continued looking outside the window. There was an audilble itake of breath from Jimin, and before she knew it, Jimin already had her hand, firmly in his grasp.

She abruptly swung her head, turning over to him.

“I’m sorry if I’ve done anything wrong.”

As soon as those sincere words penetrated her eardrums, remorese and guilt piled  up in every inch of her, somehow stiffling her with her own feelings. It was not even his fault, but he was truthfully apologizing. Even she didn’t know why she was acting that way, but whatever the reason was, Jimin shouldn’t be apologizing. Staring into his clear eyes, she could obviously see the regret and guilt, as if he really had done something wrong. Heck, why in the hell should he feel guilty. Her face softened as she returned his stare.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Then why are you acting like this?”

Sooyeon hung her head low for a while as she drew in a long, deep breath.

“I have a wish.”

Jimin eyed her, longing for her next words.

“Next time, don’t buy pricey things for me.”

His eyebrows furrowed deeply at her wish. Seeing his reaction, she continued talking.

“I felt uncomfortable. I’ve been living with your parents, and they spent a lot of money on me. If you do the same, it makes me.. I don’t know. I felt wronged.”

Jimin kept on staring at her after she finished talking. His eyes were binking repeatedly, confused and puzzled. He never knew Sooyeon was disturbed with that kind of thing. It had never crossed his mind.

“Will you?”

She voiced when Jimin was not responding. Soon after, a bright smile overtaken his confused face as he squeezed her hand tighter.

“If that what you want.”

His reply carved a smile on her lips.

***

Sooyeon was fiddling around with her phone, when a call came in. It was from Hyojin. Without a second thought, she swiped across her screen, answering it.

“Hello, Hyojin.”

“Hello..”

“Why?”

“You are coming to Jungkook’s birthday party tomorrow, right?”

“Yes.. Are you going, too?”

Hyojin replied with a clear hum. There was a brief moment of silence before Hyojin continued talking.

“Can I ask you something?”

“What?”

“Jimin.. He..”

Upon hearing his name, Sooyeon stood up straight right away. Her heart pumped irregularly for no reason. Hyojin didn’t even finish her words yet, and was still stuttering, but fear already occupied Sooyeon. She didn’t even know why. She just sat still, gulping hard on her own saliva, waiting for Hyojin’s next words.

“Did you know, what kind of dress should I wear tomorrow that Jimin will find attractive?”

Sooyeon remained silent, her mind and chest was messep up. It hurt Sooyeon to know that Hyojin was still on holding strong on her feelings towards her, and was trying hard to get his attention. It not that she was upset and miffled because Hyojin liked her boyfriend, but it was made the guilt that was embedded in her chest grew wilder. It hurt Sooyeon, a lot. For real, she felt like a at that time.

“Sooyeon..?”

Hyojin’s call  snapped her.

“To be honest, I don’t know either.”

There was an audible sigh of dissapointment heard from Hyojin.

“Don’t worry, you’ll look pretty in anything.”

Hyojin scoffed, and Sooyeon somehow could detect sorrow alongside her scoff. Like she was mocking herself.

“What’s the point if Jimin don’t like me.”

Her plain and dull tone ripped a hole in Sooyeon’s heart. She sounded really wounded by the fact that Jimin didn’t like her back. Just how hurt Hyojin would be if she knew that Sooyeon was dating the guy that she had be holdong feelings for 5 years?

“I really sounded desprerate, right?”

A gloomy chuckle followed her words, and that just made Sooyeon’s feelings worse.

“I just don’t know what to do anymore. When I failed getting his attention, I tried to forget him. But why is it so hard?”

Hyojin’s voice starting to cracked, Sooyeon knew that Hyojin was about to cry. Well, she was too.

“Sorry.. Again you have to hear about my stupid feelings again.”

“No, it’s okay.”

Sooyeon didn’t know whether she had the right to say that.

“See you tomorrow at the party.”

Sooyeon just hummed to response, because she was starting to tear up.

“Sorry for bothering. Bye..”

Instead of replying, Sooyeon just waited for Hyojin to hang up. And when she did, Sooyeon burst out crying, as she recklessly let her hand with the phone glided down. She sobbed into her hands and the tears dripped between her fingers, raining down her arms. As much as she tried to hold in, she couldn’t stop crying. She was confused, upset, troubled and so much more. She simply didn’t know what to do with her feelings anymore.