Shim Changmin had always been an over-protective guy. I had always known that. He, himself, had admitted it to me many times before. Sometimes, it was over protective in the funny ‘cute’ (or what girls thought was cute) way but sometimes it was just annoying.

It was annoying now.

He was obsessed with his new girlfriend. It wasn’t anything new of course, but somehow this felt different. It just felt different to all those times when he had constantly rambled about his new crush or chick. He was a player. A self-admitted one at that, so he wasn’t that terrible. He never exactly broke girl’s hearts. Rather, he made it feel as if their relationship was never really there to begin with. He was just that type of person.

But he was still my best friend.

Our best friend.

Sooyoung, Changmin and I. We had been best friends almost the moment we had been born. Our parents had been friends and even when their friendship fell to pieces, ours grew until we were inseparable. We were closer than siblings but when we had hit puberty, we changed. Suddenly our friendship wasn’t so simple. Hormones got in the way and feelings. Those horrible feelings. But in a way, it was almost perfect when it turned out my feelings were directed to her. Sooyoung. It was easier. Easier, to communicate, easier to understand and most of all, easier to fall in love.

I couldn’t wait to meet her again. To wrap her up in my arms and take in the scent of her unique cherry blossom scented shampoo. And so, I tuned out Changmin and his ramblings on how I had to meet his girlfriend and just watched the scenery speed past me and remember the sad smile Sooyoung had given me before i had boarded the plane to Taiwan. Those five months apart from Changmin and Sooyoung were the hardest months I had ever endured. Suspicions and doubts had run constantly through my mind but I kept the faith that Changmin, my best friend would keep my love a secret. I kept the faith.

But really, what was the point of keeping it secret? I could make her happy, I knew it, and she would learn to love me, if she didn’t already. The past five months had been pure agony with only the sounds of her laughter on the line barely keeping me sane. And so after unloading my luggage back at the house Changmin and I shared, I quickly ran to the place where not only Changmin had decided for me to meet his girlfriend, but also the same place that Sooyoung had also decided to meet up.

I should have seen it coming.

I didn’t see them together at first but when I finally stopped to a sudden halt ten metres from them, the pieces fell together. Changmin boasting about how his new girlfriend was perfect, how she was nice, friendly but also close friends with both of us. Stupid Changmin. Didn’t he realise that this would not only break our friendship, but my heart?

And it was true. My stupid naive heart broke to pieces when I saw their fingers entwined with one another’s with a smug smile on Changmin, my best friend’s face. It simply broke to pieces. But then I saw Sooyoung’s face light up at the sight of me and she took the
first step towards me. She squealed slightly and I couldn’t help but smile. My smile grew wider as I saw her fingers leaving Changmin’s. Perhaps I should have felt guilt for feeling ecstatic when she had left Changmin’s side and was wrapped up in my arms. Perhaps I should have, but I didn’t feel any guilt at all. I just felt complete with her.

I could almost see the cogs in Changmin’s head shifting into over protective mode. Score.

I grinned as I buried myself into her long black hair; she had grown it out. This was how it should be; me and her together. Changmin - out of the picture. But it ended all too soon. Changmin cleared his throat uncomfortably and Sooyoung immediately released me from her grip, almost pushing me away. Guiltily.

And so it was that my stupid naive heart pieced itself together again to form a smarter heart. A better heart. For Sooyoung had let go of Changmin to hug me. Me, not him. Changmin would never be the perfect guy for her, he would only break her heart. On the other hand, I knew I was the one. And she knew it too, somewhere deep inside her. Sure she had chosen wrong this time, but i would show her the light.

I had hope.