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Few days later,

*No matter what happens, I have to confess to her today. Myungsoo thought as he eyed Maeri who was drinking strawberry juice beside him.

He breathed deeply and turned to her.  “I have something to say.” Myungsoo  told her as he hid his shaking hand inside his pocket. He was nervous.

Maeri observed him. He looked tensed. 8What’s wrong with him?* She smiled. “I have something to say too.”

“Oh yeah? Okay. You go first. Then I’ll tell you what I have to say later.” Myungsoo nodded. “Go on. I’m listening.”

Maeri turned to him and smiled. “I noticed your efforts. Always sticking by my side to make sure that I’m not alone, and always trying to cheer me up. And always making sure that I’m alright. I can see those.”

Myungsoo studied her. *Does that mean she already knows that I love her?*

“And I want to properly thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I haven’t done much for you but you were always there for me whenever I needed you. I’m so thankful that we were able to meet.”

Myungsoo smiled. He couldn’t help but feel happy by just listening to the words coming from her.

“But you can stop now.”

*Stop?* His heart turn to a halt in alarm. *What’s she talking about?* He blinked. “W-what? Why would I stop? Stop what?”

Maeri gave him one of her sweetest smiles. “You can stop looking after me. I’m not your responsibility after all. You should just think of yourself and have fun.”

His eyes widened. “What?” He shook his head. “Look, I’m here beca---“

She patted his shoulder. “You don’t have to care about me so much. I’m already okay. So maybe you should start caring about yourself then.”

Myungsoo frowned. Maeri misunderstood him. Up until now, she’s been thinking of him as a friend. “So you think I’m just being by your side because I think you’re alone and you’re not okay?”

Maeri blinked at him innocently. “Isn’t that it?”

Myungsoo placed his palm on his forehead. “Are you really that dense?”

“What?”

“I’m always at your side eversince we met. When you liked l.joe I was there. When he is in coma, I was there. When he woke up and forgot about you, I was also there. when you got hurt, I was with you. Don’t you get it? I care for you so much because….”

He suddenly noticed the look on her face. It didn’t look good. It was like she was telling him not to continue what he was saying. It was like she knew that he was going to confess to her.

And the look in her eyes says that she won’t be accepting him.

Myungsoo gulped as he looked away. With the look in her eyes, he knew. She was still in love with him.

“Because?” Maeri asked him. Worry was apparent in her voice.

Myungsoo closed his eyes shut before turning to her with his famous smirk.“You’re my bestfriend.”

And when he said those words, he saw that Maeri smiled. She looked relieved. Maybe she was relieved because she didn’t have to reject him.

Maeri was about to speak up but Myungsoo stood up. “I’ll just go to the wash room. And I’ll throw this at the bin.” He said as he took his empty box of orange juice.

“Myungsoo, I----“

“I have to go. See you later!” He said as he walked away without even looking back. He was afraid that if he stayed longer, Maeri would’ve seen him cry. And he wouldn’t want that to happen.

“Aish. Why is that guy always so fortunate?” he mumbled to himself as he choked in between his sobs. His tears flowing out from the corners of his eyes.

Maeri watched him walk away. And she knew he was hurt. “Minahe Myungsoo, you’ve been very nice to me. But I don’t think I can accept your heart.” She knew that her message was able to get across him. That was why he didn’t continue his confession.

…

“You did that?!” Sulli exclaimed at Maeri. Just a few minutes before, she called her asking if she did really reject Myungsoo. Maybe Myungsoo told her. And she wasn’t totally happy with the result of what Maeri did.

Maeri pouted . “He’s special but not that way.”

“Why did you reject him?! He loves you so much! He loves you more than L.joe does!”  Sulli complained. She has always hated L.joe and has always shipped her with Myungsoo.

Maeri felt her heart skip a beat when she heard L.joe’s name. Yes. she is still in love with him despite the fact that he had hurted her so many times, she just can’t simply stop. If she could, then she would. But she couldn’t.

“What now? Do you still have feelings for L.joe?!”

Maeri’s eyes widened. “No way!” She denied.

She heard Sulli sigh in relief. “You better not. That guy is horrible. I don’t want you to end up with him. I can take it if you don’t end up with Kim Myungsoo but if you end up with that guy.. I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

Maeri bit her lip. She didn’t know what to say. She can’t possibly tell her that she is still in love with him. Her choice to leave, thinking that she’s going to forget about him made everything worse. She didn’t forget about him. It was the complete opposite. She was denying her feelings for him, thinking they’d just go away. But it didn’t. It even became stronger each day.

And when she saw the Pororo mascot the other day, it reminded her of him.

“Are you still there?”

Her thoughts were interrupted by Sulli. “Yes. I’m still here.”

“What are you going to do when you see L.joe?” She heard Sulli ask.

See him? Just the thought of it makes her heart skip a bit. *I don’t know what I’m going to do when I meet him.*

“How will I see him? He’s in Seoul. I’m in Cheongju. There’s no way he could find me. So why are you asking?” *Is he looking for me?* She thought hopefully.

“Just… just asking. Uhh.. I better hung up now or my dad will scold me. I’ll talk to you soon.” Sulli immediately ended their conversation.

Maeri rolled in her bed and stared at the ceiling.

“What are you going to do when you see L.joe?”

What am I going to do when I see him? She thought with a frown. The she sat up. “Well, it’s not like he’ll show up in your doorstep next morning Maeri. You won’t see him ever again. So you should sleep now.” She told herself with a forced smile.

And with that, she drifted off to sleep without knowing what will happen to her next morning.

..

Next morning,

Maeri was eating her breakfast when she heard the doorbell rang. “Who is it? So early in the morning.” She mumbled to herself as she stood up and dusted off the bread crumbs from her shirt. She was eating a toated bread and pancakes.

She was about to drink her milk but her doorbell rang again. “Coming!” She shouted with a bit of irritation. *Can’t he wait?* She thought with a frown as she reached for the door knob and turn it open.

As Maeri opened the door, she saw the person she thought she would never meet again.

L.joe.

He stood there with his well-known arrogant smirk. “It’s been a long time. Maeri.”

And from that moment on, she knew that all of her efforts to forget him were wasted. In an instant, she felt her heart being stolen by him. Again. For the nth time.

*How can I forget all of those just because of that one smirk?*

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3

Yes. I feel bad for Myungsoo too. But I like L.joe more. :]