I walked to school in the cold. Fall had come and my jacket had come out of the back of the closet. Jongin went back to Jae Ha’s house. I haven’t seen Jae Ha at school much since we broke up. I was nervous to see him.

I found Min Hee along the way to school. I haven’t told her everything that happened yet so I told myself I would tell her today during lunch. We walked and she took a look at me.

“Something happened” she stated.

I simply blinked in shocked as she continued to look at me.

“I have always known about Jae Ha”

Before I could ask what about him, she continued,

“You love Jae Ha, but not in the same way he feels about you. You have always looked at him the same way you do know but something has changed about you, and it is not because of Jae Ha.”

At this point, we were no longer moving but static in the middle of the road leading to our school. All around us, people were walking, laughing, chatting, but in the moment, all I saw and all I heard was Min Hee.

“You have someone you love Soon Hee. I’m not sure who it is nor can I really give you advice on it, but you need to tell Jae-”

“It’s his cousin.”

Min hee looked at me stunned with agape and before she could get another word out, I continued,

“And he knows. We broke up already. And his cousin…”

I had to take a breath as I took in the information clearly for the first time myself. It all happened so fast and so muddled. I did not have a chance to take it in. I stared at the ground beneath me, looking into my memories of the past few weeks that I found myself smiling.

“He’s amazing. He understands me in a way no one can. He makes me laugh but he always keeps me on my toes wondering what is next. He’s the perfect adventure for me.”

Min Hee places her hand on my arm and smiles back at me with warmth.  

“You love him?”

“I barely know him”

“That does not mean you can’t love him.”

I look at my friend and I see the truth for what it is. I love Jongin. Yes I do not know him very well and I still need to learn a lot, but I love him so much, I gave up my routine for him. I gave up my heart to him.

I turned to face the road and continued on my journey to school. Sitting in our seats, the day went on as every school day does. Once lunch hit, Min Hee brough a chair and sat next to me. After a few moments, we heard the shuffling of another.

We looked up to see Jae Ha with his eyes covered by hair. I did not question the probability of a sleepless night and red rimmed eyes, I knew him enough to just know by his stance and the way his breathing changes when he is under stress. Min Hee saw this silent interaction and did not know what to do or say, but she didn’t have to; I did.

I grabbed a hair tie off my wrist and threw it at Jae Ha’s direction and claimed,

“Yo you look like a mop with that head, tie it up and look presentable for once.”

I saw the smile creep up on him as he picked the hair tie off the ground and began to make a slingshot out of it. Unfortunately for him, I was quicker. With the other spare hair tie I had, I hit him straight on the shoulder.

He bounced back dramatically in pain gripping to his shoulder and proceeded to fall to the ground.

“I have been hit. Oh fair maiden, how could you cause a man to befall?”

I dramatically rose from my seat with the back of my hand on my forehead lunging to the ground at Jae Ha’s side.

“Oh kind sir. I mistook you for a beast. Please forgive me for the treachery I inflicted upon you.”

Jae Ha rose his head and proceeded to pinch my nose and move my head violently from side to side. Min Hee is just chickling as I see a blurred vision of Jae Ha smiling. As soon as he let go, he stood up extending his hand for me to take which I did. He helped me to me feet and we ate lunch in laughter and happiness.

I don’t know why I was scared of facing this person in front of me. He is my best friend and I love him more than I love myself. I stare at him laughing with Min Hee and he locks his eyes.

They say, ‘I love you too, no matter what happens. You will always be my best friend.’