A/N: This one shot is dedicated to sleepingprince . Thank you for the suggestions. Though I purposely didn't put it the way you said it but, I used your ideas to make a new one. Hope you like it.

I was planning to rest today because my roommate/best friend forced me to a general cleaning yesterday. I am so exhausted that I just want to lie on my bed the whole day. But of course, I can’t. Today is Monday, I have classes, especially my favorite, so I can’t take an absent now.

“Bye Fany! See you on the campus later.”

Anyways, she a lazy bum, so, I’ll text her again later. Her classes start before lunch and we still have lunch to meet in the campus. Then after lunch is my last subject, so I will be seeing her on our shared apartment later. So much for having our different schedules… I really miss my best friend. Colleges are .

I decided to stop thinking about the difference of our schedules and how I miss her badly. My first class is my favorite and I don’t want to be late. I love learning a lot on Arts and my teacher has some new things to teach us every sessions we have. Those color combinations that can make some magical creations. Or the smallest of a pencil can makes a sketch wonderful. And those mysterious meanings of different colors that I love to analyze on why those colors had such meanings.

Sorry, just an art freak. That is the reason that I was always bullied by my best friend. Yes, my own best friend is bullying me. But, not in a bad way or physical hurting. She just loves it when I got irritated and sulks in front of her. I love it when you sulk like that. She has reasoned out on me when I ask her if she will ever gonna stop bullying me.

I sighed after remembering that. My best friend is nice, and lovely, and thoughtful but a bully. But I am used to her so it doesn’t really matter. Actually, whenever she’s bullying me, I really am not sulking. Irritated a little but not sulking. I just want to make her happy that’s why I am doing that sulking. Her laughing at me sounds musical for me. It gives me energy whenever I am tired while she’s bullying me. I know that I have some special feeling for her and I feel she has too for me. But I don’t know how to tell her that for real. I can’t risk our friendship to something uncertain. I won’t take it if ever the relationship gone badly. They said friendship lasts longer than romantic relationship and I do believe in that. I am contented now on what we have to ruin everything if I confess to her. No, I won’t risk that.

I stop thinking about the girl who probably still sleeping on her bed, back on our apartment and proceed on entering our school. I took my art materials on my locker and went straight ahead on our Art room.

“Okay class, today we have this color.” Said our Miss Yoon, our Art teacher. And this is the second time she became my advisory teacher.

Our teacher presented us a board covered by color red. It will be our subject for today. Arts with color of red and the meaning of that color are some of what we are going to discuss. Sometimes she explains why the artists used the color we are discussing.

“Red is the color of love, right Miss Yoon?”

“That’s right Ki bum. What else do you know about this color?”

“Stop Miss!” Shouts Hyoyeon.

“Why should I stop Hyoyeon?”

“No Miss. I mean ‘STOP’ as in the red light on the traffic lights.”

And the whole class burst into laughter because of her answer. Who would have think that she will answer that? She was known for being so funny that she takes everything for fun.

“Well done Hyoyeon!”

“See, I can be smart if I want to.”

Again, a gorgeous laughter erupted in the room.

“Miss!”

“Yes Yoona?”

“Red means good luck and happiness.”

“That’s also right! Nice answer Yoona.” Then she looked at us expecting if someone will rise and give a meaning to that color. But none of us tried again.

I think she still has lots of things about our subject and she thought that we knew about them. But unfortunately, none of us did some research. I have one but I will not tell it to her because even I haven’t has that.

“I will tell you another one before we go to our next topic. It is courage. Red color was associated with courage. In western countries, they have used the color red as symbolizes of martyrs and sacrifices. In religion, churches used red to symbolize the blood of their Christ and the Christian martyrs. Those martyrs were called martyrs because they fight for their Christian faiths until their deaths. Have you guys understood how courage is important to a person?”

“It will take a lot of courage for a person to do something about his/her fears Miss.”

“That’s a great example Joohyun. Yes, it is not that easy to face our fears and we need a lot of courage to do that. Having courage to do something we first thought that we can’t do will help us to achieve greatness. Anyways, let’s stop about meanings now and we will now tackle about the Postclassical history in Europe where red was widely used.”

Then the class continued but I was stocked with the word courage. That was the thing I know about the color red and that I haven’t. But when they talked about facing your fear will take a lot of courage to do, it hit me. Maybe I need to find that courage to tell her. And as Miss Yoon said, it will help us to achieve greatness. I want her to be happy, the happiest I mean. I want to give her a relation that reassures our connection. I want us to end together. And I can do that. We can do that. I just need that courage.

After my art class, I texted Tiffany to wake up and prepares for her class. And I exactly know that she’s now planning to bully me when we meet at lunch.

Tae… you are buying us our food later! ♥

I’ll just pretend that it was a sweet reply.

Then the lunch came and I bought us food, all on me. I woke her up but she still bullied me. But like always, I will let it pass. When the bell rang that indicates the end of our lunch break, we bid our goodbyes but without her pinching my cheeks.

Great! I will look like I have put a blush on…

I texted her again when my last class ended and told her that I will head home first. She just replied me saying ‘Okay. And take care on your way. See you later.”

See, she’s still thoughtful and nice.

On my way home, I passed by to the art store near our area and buy some necessary materials for my plan. I am glad that she didn’t ask for a lot of food on our lunch earlier.

When I got back home, I just throw my bag on the couch and slumped on the floor in front of our center table. Then I put all the materials I bought on the top of it and started the plan I made ever since my enlightenment about courage and red.

Because I am a little good in arts, I finished my work after three hours. Enough for me to clean up and to prepare before Tiffany comes back.

True to my hunch, exactly 5pm, I heard the door opening and followed by a loud voice of hers.

“TAETAE! I’M HOME! WELCOME ME PLEASE! I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU!”

At least I am used to it now. It won’t be a problem anymore in the future. Without that loud voice means without Tiffany. I’ll settle to that.

“I’m at my room. I also have something to tell you. Wait for me at the couch.”

“Okay.’’ She said as I heard a loud plop coming from the contact between her body and the leather couch.

After making sure that I hide my surprise for her on my back, I open my door and face the couch where I saw her lying there on her stomach while her face was press on a pillow.

“Hey Fany~ah… what are you doing?”

I heard her giggled before turning around, stands up, and face me.

“’Nothing.” She answered with a sweet smile that if I don’t know her I will believe that it is really nothing.

“Stop the lie.”

“Hehe~ anyways, what are you holding at your back?”

“Changing topics. Fine! This~”

Then I present her my master piece. It is an abstract painting full of different shades of red. But there is something I made sure that will represent what I want to give to her and what I want to take from her.

“Wow! And there is a heart at the center. You really are a great artist Tae! Is this a project of yours? You’ll get an A+ for this. That’s for sure.”

“No, it’s not a project for school. It is a personal project for a special person.”

“What do you mean?” she asked me without taking her eyes away from the painting.

“I made it for you.” I look at her when I say that and I saw her looking back at me with confusion in her eyes. Then I continued my explanation to her when I realized that she doesn’t have anything to say. “That painting symbolizes what I feel for you and what I have done just to stand here now in front of you. Even the color made it easier to explain. I know that you knew something about that color. Yes, I am now confessing to you. I have this special feeling for you ever since we met back on grade school.” I paused to breathe some air and to ease my nervousness. “I used the different shades of color red because I don’t want to use other color than red. It means a lot of things, you know. They say in Russia, that red means beautiful like you. Chinese believes it’s for good luck which I really need right now. Myths have told that red colors can raise one’s blood pressure and quickens heartbeat that I am sure I am feeling right now. It can capture attention like I want you to give me that attention I am longing. Red means happiness and I want to give you that happiness. Red means passion and love. And that’s what I am feeling for you for the longest time. Lastly, red symbolizes courage. Courage that I muster just to tell you all of this and courage to take the risk and make everything I can just not to put us into a bad end.”

I need some air! I still have a lot to say.

When I look at her eyes, I also hold her hands then I saw her eyes glistening. Did I do something wrong? But I am not yet done.

“Fany~ah… I love you.” Then I took a deep breath. I feel the massive amount of loss air in my lungs. I felt like I will need an oxygen mask after that simple statement. But I still need to continue. “I took all the courage I have to say that to you and risk everything that we have. Can you also take that risk, with me?”

She put her hand on my cheek and I felt that my dear life was now depending on what she will say. Will she say the same or she will break all those I build just to stand right here? My heart finally makes its own beats and I can’t follow it anymore.

“Are you done with your speech? Can you still take it? Remember I still have something to tell you.”

“Yes!”

I don’t know where it came from. It sounds positive and exaggerating.

“I love you, too. But~”

Wait! Why there is a ‘but’?

“But as a friend only.”

“But I saw your eyes earlier…”

“The tear?” I nod. “Because I know that what I am going to tell you will hurt. After telling me all of those, I am sure it will really hurt you. Tae, I have a boyfriend now. I just got him earlier.”

Why they didn’t tell me this is so painful? Why there’s no one to tell me that I can be crushed but just a statement? I don’t know exactly what am I feeling right this moment but one thing is for sure, I feel like a dead.

“Hey Tae, come. Let sit here for a while.”

Then something warmth enveloped my body after I settled myself in the couch, with her help because I can’t really feel myself after that earth-shuttering truth that hit my whole world.

“I’m sorry, Taetae.”

And I felt her head placed on the nook of my neck. It is so warm yet I felt so cold.

“I’m sorry that I lied.”

Then I felt more stifled. SHE kissed me on my neck! Holy kiss!

“That was just a joke! I love you, too! We’re girlfriends now!”

I looked at her and she’s laughing her life out.

“You have to buy us our food everyday for lunch. Okay?” she said after calming herself.

I just nodded. Then she left me but placed a kiss on my lips before leaving.

Bully.

I hope I won’t regret this.