Don’t let this be one of your regrets!

Changsub’s words rang in Sungjae’s mind, as he laid in bed. The nosebleed he had when he was walking with Changsub and Hyunsik had taken more than half an hour to stop.

“Changsub-hyung was right. I shouldn’t let it be one of my regrets. What could I be worried about at this point?” said Sungjae to himself.

Sungjae reached for his phone and scrolled to Sooyoung’s contact, which he had saved after that evening.

SJ: Hey, are you free tomorrow afternoon?

Sooyoung’s reply came almost instantaneously.

SY: Neh.

SJ: Do you want to have lunch together?

SY: Sure! Where do you want to eat?

SJ: Do you eat spicy food? I miss having jjamppong. Shall we have that tomorrow? I know of this shop near our school that serves really nice jjamppong.

SY: That sounds great! I love spicy food! Okay, where should I meet you?

SJ: I’ll wait for you outside your place tomorrow at noon.

SY: Sounds great! See you tomorrow, oppa!

…

Sungjae stood outside Sooyoung’s house at five minutes to noon the next day, dressed in his navy blue slim fit jeans and a white T-shirt, covered with a grey sweater. Sungjae waited nervously after he rang the doorbell, as he went over in his mind what he wanted to say. His thoughts were interrupted, as Sooyoung answered the door.

“Oppa, you’re early!” exclaimed Sooyoung. “Have you been waiting long?”

“No, I haven’t,” replied Sungjae. “Shall we head off?”

“Sure! Kaja!” said Sooyoung.

They reached the jjamppong place in under ten minutes and ordered a set each. They ate and chatted so happily that Sooyoung forgot about her troubles with Dohwan and Sungjae almost forgot why he asked Sooyoung out that day. However, it all came flooding back to Sungjae as he sent Sooyoung home. Just as Sooyoung was about to enter her house, Sungjae reached out and held her arm.

“Sooyoung-ah, before you go in, there’s something I want to tell you,” said Sungjae, as he mustered up his courage.

“Oh, what is it, oppa?” asked Sooyoung, as she turned to look at him.

Sungjae’s ears flushed a deep red, as he plucked up the last of his courage and said, “I like you, Sooyoung-ah.”

“Bwoh?!” replied Sooyoung in a shocked voice.

“I like you, Sooyoung-ah. I know you just broke up with Woo Dohwan but I wanted to get this off my chest. I really really like you, Park Sooyoung, and I hope you will give me a chance to prove it to you,” said Sungjae.

Sooyoung stared speechlessly at Sungjae. After a long, awkward silence, Sooyoung lowered her head and replied, “Mianhe, oppa. I… I… I see you as a good friend.”

Sungjae felt his heart sink, as he let out a mirthless laugh and said, “Haha, I knew it. It’s okay, Sooyoung-ah. I just wanted to get that off my chest, before… Anyway, it’s not important. See you in school next week,”

Sooyoung looked up at Sungjae apologetically but her apologetic expression quickly changed to one of horror as she said, “Oppa! You’re bleeding again!”

Sungjae wiped his nose with his hand and his heart sank even further as he saw the crimson streak on it. Sooyoung reached into her bag and pulled out her handkerchief, before handing it to Sungjae.

“Don’t refuse it this time, oppa. I’m sorry I can’t accept your feelings but don’t reject my handkerchief. Your nosebleed looks serious!” ranted Sooyoung.

“I’m fine, Sooyoung-ah,” replied Sungjae thickly, as he held Sooyoung’s handkerchief to his nose. This time, it shocked him at how quickly his blood soaked through the handkerchief. “I’ll head home now. Thanks for your handkerchief.”

Sooyoung stared after Sungjae’s departing figure.

Mianhe, oppa.

…

Seulgi saw Sooyoung sitting alone at break in the canteen and walked over with her food.

“Sooyoung-ah! Why are you looking so glum?” asked Seulgi concernedly.

“Oh, unnie,” replied Sooyoung listlessly.

“What’s wrong, Sooyoung-ah? Are you feeling unwell?” asked Seulgi.

Sooyoung swirled her drink with her straw before she replied, “Sungjae-oppa confessed his feelings for me last weekend.”

“Bwoh?!” squealed Seulgi. “We were just discussing this the other day, weren’t we? This is great, Sooyoung-ah!”

“But I still love and miss Dohwan-oppa, unnie. I really don't think it will be fair to Sungjae-oppa if I accept his feelings while I still have feelings for Dohwan-oppa. I… I told him that I see him as a good friend,” replied Sooyoung.

Seulgi looked disbelievingly at Sooyoung for a while, before she said, “I