“Can I ask you something?” Wendy piped in. 

“Shoot!” said Wonwoo, averting his attention from the tv to the girl sitting beside him. 

She didn’t mean to interrupt his engrossment in the movie, but she was utterly bored, and had the urge to speak.

“In your opinion,” she began. “how do you really know you’re in love?”

“Well, I’ve never been in love, but my mother once told me something about it.” The boy flashed her a bashful smile. “She said that you know when you’re in love, you don’t necessarily like them for the reasons others do. You like them for the little things that they aren’t aware of. Like the way a smile explode on their face, the way they burst out laughing, the way they talk, how they act around people, or any other things that makes you drawn into them. They have no idea of these things, and it’s the same with you. People watch you and notice all your good and quirky qualities, but you can’t notice them because you can’t see yourself, yet others can. So for example, when you say you’re not beautiful, or not strong, or not good enough, how do you know when you’re not the one who sees yourself everyday. You don’t see yourself talking, laughing or acting weird, but to someone you might just be their definition of perfection even if we aren’t perfect.” 

“I agree with your mother’s theory.” said Wendy, beaming lightly. 

“So do I.” Wonwoo mirrored her with a grin. “Why’d you ask though? Don’t get me wrong, but I mean, you’ve been in a relationship before.” 

“What I had for Mark doesn’t deserve to be called a relationship. It wasn’t love even when I thought I was in love with him.” Wendy flinched at her own words. “It was just a glamour because I was too blind to see through the truth, and glamour or infatuation is nothing compared to love.”  

“I’m sorry about that,” The boy frowned. “and you still haven’t answered me yet.”

“I have someone in my heart.” The girl fidgeted with her slender fingers, feeling anxious, and when her friend didn’t comment, she in a huge breath before exclaiming. “I’m in love with Vernon.” 

“You’re in love with my best friend?” Wonwoo beamed, seeming happy of what he just heard. 

“I am.” A wave of giddiness washed over her.

She didn’t want to talk about it, but she’d been keeping it inside for so long, and if she kept it much longer, she thought it would only destroy her.

“I really am. Yet I can’t get myself to confess, not because I’m scared to ruin our friendship, but because I’m terrified that I might hurt him. Imagine if the feelings are mutual? People would only humiliate him for being with a pathetic girl like me. Heck, I’m not even the type of girl that guys fall in love with.” 

A pair of warm hands hovered on her own.

“No, you’re not pathetic, Wendy-ah. You may look at the mirror and only see imperfections, but to others they see beauty and much more than that.” Wonwoo said, smiling softly at her. “To begin with, it’s not about having a beautiful girlfriend or an attractive boyfriend. It’s about accepting their flaws, and loving them for who they are.” 

* *

He makes me happy, and it scares the shît out of me.

I knew I was in trouble whenever I see him smile, my heart dances at the sight of it.

Somebody asked me if I’m looking for love, I said no, I’m looking for happiness but I want love to find me. 

Have you ever been in love? A bit horrible isn’t it?

It makes you so damn vulnerable. It rips off your chest, and opens up the deepest part of your heart, and it mea