Part 2 of 3.  First Part here. ANOTHER COUPLE CONFESSION. 8D

When the couple returns to the school, Hyosung sees Jieun standing near the car parking lot, a little further away from the entrance gate.  She is waving with a sad smile on her face as Yongguk sits at the bench behind her, watching her sadly.  Hyosung wonders if Jieun had already broken up with him.  She parks her car, glancing at Himchan who is staring out into space, unsure of how to bring himself to talk to Yongguk.  Hyosung grabs Himchan’s hand and squeezes it gently, saying, “It’ll be okay, Himchannie.”  She moves to open her door when Himchan asks a question.

“Are we breaking up?”

Hyosung stops and looks at Himchan, biting her lip.

“Are we, Hyosung-noona?” Himchan looks at Hyosung with a defeated gaze.  Hyosung sighs before gathering herself to say the word.

“Yes.”

Interestingly enough, Himchan continues to look at her.

“Did you plan this with Jieun?”

Hyosung falters before continuing on, “Y-yes. I did.”

“Why? Are we not working well together?  Do you want us to still be friends after this?”

“Yes, Himchannie. I’ve told you before, and I’ve promised to you.  Even though we are breaking up today as a couple, we’re still best friends anyway.  To be honest, it was better being best friends with you than in a relationship with you, no offense.  You had Jongup to look after and sometimes I feel like I’m in the way.  As a best friend, I know that there’s nothing for me to interfere and that I’m still looking after you guys like a noona should.”  Hyosung chuckles weakly.

To her surprise, Himchan is also chuckling.  “I must have been a horrible boyfriend, haven’t I?”

“No, you haven’t.  You’re still young, you’ve been a wonderful boyfriend.  Maybe I’m not the right one for you.  I mean, who knows, maybe you’ll do great with Yongguk.  Come on, they look like they’ve been waiting for us.”  Hyosung and Himchan get out of her car before walking over to Jieun.

“Hi, unnie. Himchannie-goon.” Jieun smiles at the pair.  “Where did you guys go?”

“Café,” Hyosung replies simply.  “I think someone needs to do an apology and that someone over there needs to hear it.”  She glances at Himchan, who is staring at Yongguk.  She notices how his expression slowly fades from hardness to softness.  She assumes that Himchan must be letting the fact that Yongguk is biual sinking in deep to his mind.

Jieun nods and glances at Himchan, “Would you like to go on and meet Yongguk at the bench or should I bring him over?”  She looks behind to check on Yongguk, who is staring at the ground.  “I broke it off with him earlier, just before you guys arrived.  He took it alright; there was not much yelling or anything, hahaha,” Jieun chuckles weakly.  Hyosung smiles halfheartedly, getting the joke since Yongguk tends to be loud and brash sometimes, according to Jieun and Hana, but the gals know this is not the time for joking.

Himchan gives a faint nod, “I’ll just go over to him, Jieun-ah.  Would you guys mind giving us pr-“

“Privacy? No problem, we’ll be in my car, chatting about girl stuff you boys wouldn’t understand,” Hyosung smiles as she grabs Jieun’s wrist and the two girls head to her car, giggling, looking back at Himchan.  “We’ll be sure to check up on you guys though.”

Himchan nods and takes a deep breath.  Letting out a deep sigh, he makes his way to Yongguk.

“Yongguk?”

- - -

Yongguk is staring at the floor, brooding over the recent events that had happened between Jieun and himself. 

- A while ago -

Jieun was sitting next to him when she got the phone call, looking a bit puzzled.  Yongguk was watching her with concern, and was about to lean close to Jieun to see who is calling, but Jieun hid her cell phone away from his vision.  Confused, Yongguk blinks at Jieun’s hasty action, though Jieun herself looked regretful before answering the call. 

“Hello?”  Jieun’s eyes suddenly widen.  “Oh shoot, okay, Yongguk-ah.  Hold on, it’s my mom.”  Jieun stands up suddenly, about to move.

“But whe-“

“I’ll be right back, don’t go anywhere.”

“Are you sure?” Jieun nods, before turning around, cradling her phone in her hands as she hurries to find a private place.  Yongguk is confused, staring after her, but in the end, lowers his eyes to the ground, sighing as he waits for her.

Some time later on, Yongguk looks up to see Jieun returning, with a sad look on her face.  She seats herself at the bench, stowing her closed phone in her purse under the bench, and takes Yongguk’s large hands into her own.

“Yongguk, it’s time you need to stop torturing Himchan and end this.”

“Wha…what are you talking about? End what? What’s your mom got to do with this?”

“Huh? Oh, er…my mom…ran into Himchan the other day, and she wanted to check up on him today, because he was not feeling well yesterday.  Anyway, right, Himchan.”  Jieun tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. 

“Well, you see, it’s about us.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved you as much as you loved me, and I’m thankful that you found me and still stuck with me even when other girls were chasing after you.  But, I think, it’s time we need to end this.  Face it; even though you’re biual, although I’m a little older than you, I’m still your sister’s friend.  I have to admit, I still feel a little weird about the between us.

“When I saw Himchan with you, I saw how head over heels you were for him.  You were like that with me; no, we were both like that.  But that’s all in the past.  I heard from your sister when she said she could see how love-struck you were whenever you mentioned his name.  I saw the determination in your eyes wanting to get Himchan’s love.  The very same determination you had with me when I was just a noona to you.  I don't see that happening with me anymore.”

“Babe…is this about making me finish my project with Himchan so we can get it over and done with?”

Jieun feels affronted, bulging her eyes at her boyfriend.  “Wha…do you think this is a game?” – “What, no, I don’t!” Yongguk exclaims – “Well then, Yongguk, open your eyes.”  She snaps.  Yongguk falls silent.

“Himchan must have had a reason to kiss you.  He must have felt something between the two of you.  At that moment, you only saw what you wanted to see, whether if it was a bromance or Himchan falling for you, but you didn’t feel what Himchan was feeling at the moment.  You need to clear up on your feelings for him; you need to tell him your true feelings.”

Yongguk starts to feel irritated.  “Are you breaking up with me so I can get together with Himchan, for your sake?”

Jieun sighs exasperatedly.  “No, dammit, Yongguk.  I’m breaking up with you because you’re miserable and he is, too.  And both of your miseries are affecting Hyosung-unnie and I, too.  You two need to make up and move forward together, without us.  We’re sick of you two moping around in denial from each other.”  Yongguk deflates and frowns.

“That…wasn’t your mom, was it?  It was Hyosung-noona?”

Jieun softens her gaze before continuing, this time with a softer tone, “Hyosung-unnie and I thought it was best that you two talk it out and accept each others’ feelings, because it’s been so painfully obvious after all these weeks.  The notebook, the lunches, the interactions you guys have with each other at campus and at home…”

- Back to the present -

Yongguk stares at the ground, thinking back to the times he had with Himchan.  It is true that he enjoyed those times with Himchan; he has never been as daring with his flirtations to anyone, especially to a guy like Himchan in a public space, or made him feel more open and caring like Himchan does – not even, he admits, Jieun.  With Jieun, he felt like the world was handed to him.  He got what he wanted.  With Himchan, it was all twists and turns and ups and downs that he was not ready to expect.  He never expected Himchan to be so easy to tease, blushing one too many times, to be so dorky and yet so vulnerable…

“Yongguk?”

Yongguk looks up, widening his eyes at the sight of Himchan looking shy.

“Do…you mind if I join you there?”

Yongguk shakes his head quickly as he moves aside to make some space, not knowing that there is already more than enough space on the bench for Himchan.  He looks back at the ground.

“So…” Himchan sighs, staring at the ground.

“So…” Yongguk parrots him softly, not sure what to say.

“My girlfriend broke up with me today.”

“So did mine…”

“I heard…”

“Did you?” Yongguk shifts his glance to Himchan.

“Yeah, from Jieun…”

“Ah…”

This staccato dialogue between them feels so heavily awkward, with the two of them expressing as few words as possible.  Neither is ready to face each other just yet.

“Look, Yongguk,” Himchan shifts in his seat, turning to look at his friend, “I’m sorry for being…a butthole, or what