Since Jiyong introduced me to the church, I always find myself sitting on one of the church benches. Sometimes, I would just sit there. Sometimes, I would pray. Sometimes, I would wander my eyes around and observe every person praying. It’s such a wonder how this old church lure too many people. Maybe it’s just the power of faith. Maybe I shall have that.

Being in this place makes me feel relaxed and calm, as if I’m not even an agent who has missions in the future. Sometimes, I even forget how horrible my past was. It’s just that, this church brings in too many wonders and miracles. Jiyong was right.

Once, I was already staying too long on the church that I didn’t even notice that my stomach was already grumbling. With that, I stood up and turned to leave. I was surprised to see someone who was praying silently on the farthest bench.

I quietly walked towards him and settled myself beside him. I waited for him to finish. Maybe it’s time for me to thank him. Maybe it’s time for me to show my gratefulness to him.

When he finally finished, he sat back on the bench. We were silent for a while as if we weren’t aware of each other’s existence.

“You always come here,” he said, matter-of-factly.

I nodded. “Thanks to you.”

His head snapped to me. “What did you just say?”

Instead of answering, I stood up. “Do you want to have a meal?”

His face was that of shock, it took him time to close his gaping mouth as he was looking up at me.

“I was supposedly going to treat you since you were-“

He stood up and grabbed my wrist. He pulled me out of the church enthusiastically and we drove off.

It was another weekend. No homework. No missions. I was just sitting on my sofa while watching a gag show. Once in a while, I would laugh. I was too preoccupied with the show that I haven’t noticed Jaejoong silently watching me by the doorway.

“Oh, you’re there,” I finally noticed when he chuckled once.

“Yes, I am,” he said, walking up to me. He sat beside me and rested his arm on my shoulder. “I missed you.”

I stared up at him. “We always see each other on this building you know. And not to mention, you always sleep here.”

“Aish…” he said as he went on sniffing on my hair. “You talk too much.”

“YA!” I protested. “You act like a dog.”

“Really?” he asked. He then went on his knees and stuck his tongue out. “Arrf! Arrf!”

I laughed at the look on his face. He was so adorable. “Ya! You’re an ugly dog!”

“Arrf! Arrf!” he barked again. He went on nibbling my hand.

“YA! That’s gross!” I complained.

But then he just continued nibbling on my hand. I stood up and ran as I laugh. He chased me around my apartment unit. At first, he was still on his dog position and then he suddenly stood up and chased after me.

He caught me by the waist and tickled me.

“YA! YA!” I protested while laughing. “Stop! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

I turned to him and tickled him too. He lost his balance and fell to the ground. I wasn’t supposed to fall too but he grabbed on my wrist and we both fell. I was on top of him.

We were silent for a while. But then we burst out laughing again. I stood up from him and offered him a hand, and then I pulled him up.

“I was watching a show, Jae!” I complained.

“I know. Sorry,” he said as he went to nibble on my shoulder now.

“YA! Stop that! Bad puppy!” I said.

He laughed as he went on to sit on the sofa. He patted the space beside him. I settled myself and we watched the show. We were silently watching for a while, except for occasional laughter and giggles.

“When did you learn how to laugh?” he asked out of nowhere.

I stared at him in confusion.

“You always rant on your past and-“

“You call it ranting?!” I raised my voice in disbelief.

“Oh,” he pouted. “Sorry, I used the wrong word.”

I rolled my eyes. Good vibes, Dara. Good vibes.

“Anyway, why are you so happy all of a sudden?” he asked again.

“I’m not that happy. I’m always like this.”

“No, you’re not. You’re always frowning,” he corrected.

“Okay, fine,” I gave up. “I don’t know really.”

“Is there someone-“

I cut him off. “No one.”

“I think you’re lying.”

I chuckled. “Well, I met someone-“

“Omo! Are you finally going out now? Why?! What does he have that I don’t?!”

I raised my brow. “What are you talking about?”

“I have been with you for years now. You know I like you since the first time we met. But then-“

“You know it won’t work out between us,” I cut him off.

“But-“

“You will always be my best friend, Jaejoong. That’s way better than being my lover,” I said, comforting him. But I guess I didn’t do a good job, because he was frowning already.

I went silent just like him.

After a while, he exhaled. “Who’s he?”

“I’m not going out with someone,” I said a little bit defensively. “I just met a co-teacher.”

I expected him to say something, but he remained silent. After a while, he broke it.

“I would like you to meet someone tomorrow, then.”

“Eh? Who?”

“You’ll find out tomorrow.”

I went to the restaurant that Jaejoong told me. I was thinking maybe he prepared another surprise birthday party like he does every year.

Yes, it’s my birthday today. And just like I do for the past twenty years, I don’t celebrate it. How could i? Birthdays remind me of my family’s murder.

Aish! I’m supposed to forget it right? Oh well, you know what they say, the more you try to forget about it, the more you remember it, right?

I exhaled and took a step inside the restaurant. The place was crowded. It took me time to look for Jaejoong. But when I finally saw him, I felt my feet freeze in their places. He was with someone else – a beautiful girl. She had a y figure and a youthful face. Her skin seemed to glow too.

I don’t know why, but I felt a bit jealous seeing him smiling with the girl. I’m not supposed to feel jealous, right? I mean, he’s my best friend. I was the always one who makes it clear to him. I was the always the one who clarifies it to him that we will always be and only be best friends.

But, I don’t know why. Maybe I was just being possessive. Maybe I was just being selfish. Maybe I just want him to be my best friend and not anybody else’s. Yes, that’s exactly it. I don’t have any romantic feelings for him, I’m sure. I just want him as my best friend. And seeing him laugh at whatever that y girl is saying makes me want to shout at her face and drive her off my best friend.

Because I was too angry, I roughly turned to leave. Because I wasn’t really looking, I bumped onto someone and I fell to the ground.

“YA! Don’t you have eyes?” I complained as I was still on the ground. I felt all eyes on me but I don’t care. Heck, I don’t even care even if Jaejoong notices me already. Angrily, I lifted my eyes on the one who bumped into me.

“Oh, Dara?” Jiyong asked. Obviously, he was the one who bumped me.

I frowned at him. “Aish! You’re so clumsy!”

“I’m sorry, let me help you.”

“Don’t touch me!” I slapped his hand away. “I won’t ask help from a clumsy jerk.”

“Wha-“

“Dara!” it was Jaejoong.

I turned to him. “YA!” I said pushing him on his shoulder. “What do you think are you planning? You invited me here to meet your lover?”

“Dara-“

“The next time you do that, I’m going to-“

“So, she’s the one you want me to meet?” Jiyong asked.

I turned to him. “What are you-“ I cut off when I finally realized that the question was actually directed to Jaejoong. “Do you know each other?”

Jiyong smiled at me. I stared at Jaejoong and he smiled too.

“What are you-“

“Hey, Jiyong!” the y girl greeted throwing herself to Jiyong’s arms.

I grunted. Without hesitation, I pushed the girl away.

“YA! I’m talking to Jaejoong. The two of you, cuddle on one corner. I’m distracted!” I complained.

“Don’t be jealous, Dara…” Jiyong said, draping his arm on my shoulder.

“Whoa… you already know each other?” Jaejoong asked.

I shook Jiyong’s arm off my shoulder.

“Unfortunately…” I said. I was about to turn to leave when two hands rested on both of my shoulder. I turned and found out that Jiyong and Jaejoong were holding me on my shoulder.  “Aish! What’s with my shoulder? Why do all of you love holding them?”

Unexpectedly, Jiyong burst out laughing. I know it’s inappropriate during this time especially right now since I’m still angry at Jaejoong for this setup. But I found myself smiling as Jiyong kept on laughing his heart out.

“Aigooo!” Jiyong said, pretending as if wiping a tear away from his eye from crying so loud. “Come, let’s sit,” he said, draping his arm on my shoulder again.

As much as I didn’t want to, I found myself dining with Jaejoong, his girlfriend, and Jiyong.

“So, you’re name’s Tiffany, eh?” I asked the girl.

“Yes,” she said, smiling. “I’m Jiyong’s cousin. And he and Jaejoong became friends when Jiyong migrated here from States just a few weeks ago. Then, Jaejoong had this crazy idea of setting up a date for you and Jiyong.”

I nodded.

“So, Jaejoong… I haven’t heard from you that you already had a girlfriend,” I commented.

“You didn’t ask,” he said casually.

I sighed. “Tell me why… just yesterday you were all too sweet with m-“

“Oh, did you know that today’s Dara’s birthday?” Jaejoong said, cutting me off.

I shot him a deadly glare. He perfectly knows I hate celebrating birthdays. But I think he panicked when I was about to say that he was all too sweet with me just yesterday even though he already has a girlfriend. I mean, yeah, we’re best friends, alright. But every guy would avoid being all so touchy with other girls if their hearts were already taken right?

“Omo,” Jiyong gasped beside me. “I don’t have a gift yet.”

“Don’t bother,” I told him. “I hate celebrations and gifts anyway.”

“Why?” Tiffany and Jiyong asked in chorus.

I glared at them.

“So, how did the two of you know each other?” Jaejoong asked, trying to make up for his mistake of telling them my birthday by avoiding that particular subject.

“Oh, that’s a very interesting story actually,” Jiyong started, a little too enthusiastically. “You see, she saved me from these bully students at school. She was actually really scary and strict. And that made me want to know her more.”

“You’re being ridiculous. We met first when you bumped into me that made me fall on my and you didn’t even bother helping me,” I said.

“Ya! Jiyong! You’re bad!” Tiffany gasped.

“I didn’t notice that I bumped into someone, maybe that time I thought she was a post in the middle of the school hallway. Just look at her stick figure,” Jiyong said.

“Ya!” I said, pounding my fist on the table. “I don’t have a stick figure. I’m actually y!”

“Tiffany’s ier,” Jiyong said, a little bit smug.

I was about to pound my fist again when Jaejoong and Tiffany laughed.

“They suit each other,” Tiffany commented.

“Yes, we do, right?” Jiyong said, draping his arm on my shoulder again.

“Aish! Quit doing that,” I said, trying to get his arm off me, but he held on to it tighter.

I stared at Jaejoong to throw him another accusing glare to let him know that this is entirely his fault. But the moment my eyes landed on him, I found myself actually worried. He has his eyes down on the table. I don’t know why he’s looking down. He should actually feel the happiest right now since he’s with his girlfriend, but look at him now. Maybe they have problems. But when my eyes landed on Tiffany, she was looking happy, she looked amused.

That was when I realized that Jiyong still has his arms on my shoulder. I gently got his arm off me.

“Dara… how about we celebrate your birthday tonight?” Jiyong asked out of nowhere.

“I already told you that I don’t like-“

“I think it’s a great idea,” Jaejoong said.

“Jae!” I gasped. “You know why-“

“So, let’s go?” Jiyong stood up offering his hand to me. When I just looked at it, he grabbed my hand and interlocked his fingers with mine. I don’t know why, but I found myself not protesting.

Apparently, Jiyong brought us to a university festival to commemorate the school’s anniversary. If I expected that this would be another boring trip, I actually found myself enjoying. Jiyong was with me. He said that Tiffany and he were alumni of this university and so they were welcome tonight.

We were walking hand-in-hand along the crowd of students. The school prepared many booths where students play games that are usually found on circus. Every now and then, Jiyong would tug me with him to play a particular game. He would then show off his ‘skills’, then he would challenge me only to be embarrassed with my ‘skills’.

“Whoa!” he gasped as I was able to hit two rotating cards with darts. “For a girl, you sure are good.”

“Who says only boys can be this good?” I asked him, smug.

“But, you missed one card, therefore we won’t be able to get the prize,” he said, pouting. “Let me try, I bet I’ll be able to win the prize.”

“Let’s see,” I said, challenging him.

He closed his eyes for a while and exhaled deeply. Seeing him like this, I chuckled once.

“Ya!” he gasped. “Don’t chuckle! It’s distracting me.”

How is my chuckle a distraction? Hmmph…

He closed his eyes again and exhaled deeply. He set himself up and readied the dart in front of him. Then he released it and expertly hit one of the cards. He looked at me smugly.

“That’s just one card,” I said.

Then he went back to his position and skillfully hit the second card followed by the third. I gasped in amazement. Wow! He’s actually good. The cards are rotating too fast that I haven’t even hit the third one.

He looked at me with crossed arms.

“That’s called luck,” I said.

“That’s called talent,” he corrected.

“Excuse me?” the man behind the booth interrupted. “Actually, you’ll win the biggest prize if you hit the smallest card in the middle. Are you up for the challenge?”

Jiyong stared at me.

“Let’s see your talent,” I told him.

“Fine! I’m up for it.”

He positioned himself once again. He inhaled and exhaled repeatedly as the smallest card in the middle rotated on a very fast speed. A smile curved my lips as I thought he wouldn’t be able to hit the card.

His fingers pulled back a little and he released the dart. In a matter of seconds, the card was hit with the dart.

I exhaled sharply. I haven’t even realized that I was holding my breath for a while now. I clapped my hands and jumped around happily.

“Here you go,” the man said with a wide smile as he handed Jiyong a big and cuddly pink rabbit stuffed toy. “Your girlfriend will surely like it.”

“Girlfriend?” Jiyong and I chorused. Then I burst out laughing.

He handed me the stuffed toy as I was still laughing my head off. We walked away from the booth after we thanked the guy. I was still laughing when Jiyong pulled me to him and hugged me tight.

“I’m so happy to see you laugh like this,” he said, as my laughter subsided.

I wanted to pull back but his body warmth gives me comfort. It was like I wanted to stay in his arms.

“I’m so happy to be able to make you smile…” he trailed off. “…girlfriend.”

Girlfriend?!

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poster credits to irish_27