for Danzz12

The Weekly Date

~flow19~

They were just friends

Really

                Her friends found the reason – or excuse, depending who was being asked – too overused by this point but Sooyoung stuck with it. Why shouldn’t she? It was the truth anyway. How could the two of them be just friends, they asked, considering how both of them seemed to go out of their way to meet for lunch, coffee, dinner or what have you every freaking week and it was just the two of them? Sooyoung would sigh exasperatingly yet again and simple insist one more time. They were just friends.

Can’t a guy and a girl who meet up every week be considered as platonic friends? Are all pairs who did that considered as dating right away? Sooyoung inwardly rolled her eyes. Her friends could be really, really ridiculous at times. So what if they had been doing this for nearly three years already? So what if they went out for dinner for a certain week, went to the amusement park the next week and then watched the last full screening of a movie the week after that? Just for the record, she and Lee Jonghyun were not dating. Nope. Nah. Nada. Not at all.

“Soo!”

She beamed at him as he flopped down on the seat across from her; her hands carefully nursing a warm cup of hot chocolate. “Hey, you.”

“Hey back.” Jonghyun grinned, gently putting his guitar by the window. “Did I take too long?”

The brunette shook her head, taking a sip of her drink. “Where’d you come from anyway?”

“I was hanging out with Changmin hyung and Kyuhyun hyung… the usual.” He grinned before standing up. “I’ll just get myself a drink. Want anything else?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

                Sooyoung watched as he went to the counter to order; her eyebrows raising in interest when she noticed how his mere presence caught the attention of many girls in the café. She wasn’t really surprised, what with his tall, lean frame, boyish looks, bright smile, twinkling eyes and – Ew, she just did not think about him that way.

“Are you okay?” His concerned tone snapped her out of her thoughts; Sooyoung starting slightly when she realized that he was seated before her again with a plate containing a cinnamon roll on the table before him. “Are you cold?”

“No. Why?” Sooyoung attempted to sound casual, taking another sip of her warm drink of effect.

“Huh.” The raven haired man shrugged it off. “I thought I saw you shuddering a while ago.”

She nearly choked on her drink, coughing awkwardly. “I’m fine. I’m fine.” She waved him off when he reached over to help her. “It went down the wrong windpipe. I’m fine.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive.”

“You got me worried there for a moment.” Jonghyun cut out a sizable piece of his cinnamon roll. “By the way, I have this new project I’m working on.”

“Oh?” Her eyebrow rose. “What kind?”

“It’s a secret for now. I haven’t really told anybody, except you.” He grinned. “Don’t tell anyone, okay?”

Sooyoung rolled her eyes good naturedly. “You don’t even have to ask.”

“Thanks, Soo.” His grin grew more pronounced. “I have a surprise for you next week.”

“You do?” That caught her interest more. “Was it?”

Jonghyun snorted. “I did say it’s a surprise, right?”

She pouted as adorably and as convincingly as she could muster. “Oh, come on, Jong. Just a clue?”

“Nope.” Her friend shook his head, popping the ‘p’.

Sooyoung gaped at him. “You can’t expect me to wait until next week!”

“You’ll live.” He snickered.

“Ugh, fine.” The leggy brunette pouted yet again, childishly crossing her arms over her chest. “Be that way.”

“You bet I will. Besides, it’s just a week, not a month or a year or a decade. It won’t kill you to wait. I promise.” His foot gently nudged hers under the table. “Oh, remember that French restaurant down the road? The one we haven’t tried yet?”

She nodded slowly. “Why?”

“Let’s go there next week.” Jonghyun popped the piece of cinnamon roll into his mouth, waiting until after he chewed and swallowed before he continued. “My treat.”

Her eyes widened. “But the food there is pricey!”

“Yeah, well… Still. My treat. He laughed.

Sooyoung shot him a suspicious look. “Is this part of your surprise?”

Jonghyun merely winked.

o-o-o-o-o

“I think he’s going to confess to you.” Kim Heechul declared without preamble.

Sooyoung shot him a look. “Remind me why we’re friends again?”

“Because I tell things as they are.” He answered without missing a beat. “Would you have me any other way?”

“Point.” The brunette conceded easily, absently taking the topmost folder from the pile on her desk. “But seriously, oppa. I doubt anyone’s going to be confessing anything anytime soon.”

“I agree with him.” Amber Liu chirped from her spot in Sooyoung’s office, raising her hands in surrender when the older woman glared. “Seriously, unnie. Anyone who’d look at you and Jonghyun oppa would think you’re a couple. And he’s taking you to one of the most romantic restaurants in the city next week for his surprise! That can’t be just any surprise!”

“Guys…” Sooyoung whined, exasperated. “We’re just friends.”

“But what if…” Heechul exchanged a look with Amber. “What if he really will confess to you? What will you do?”

She tried to shrug as nonchalantly as she could.

But her rapidly beating heart betrayed her.

o-o-o-o-o

                Sooyoung sighed for the nth time that day as she opened the door to her bedroom, flicking the switch and watching as light bathed her room. Dumping her things on a nearby chair, she went straight for her bed and sat down, burying her face in her hands. Heechul’s questions stayed ingrained in her mind long after he and Amber left the confines of her office and for the life of her, she didn’t know what to feel or think about it.

                If she were to be honest with herself, Jonghyun was perfect in her eyes – the kind of guy she liked. He was such a genuinely nice guy. He was a lot of fun to be with and could easily make her laugh and smile, too. He was sweet… and thoughtful, smart, talented, caring, witty, generous. Jonghyun made her happy, whether by surprising her with a gift or just by listening to her patiently as she ranted when she was pissed off. He made her feel special. He made her feel lucky to have someone who cared so much about her and well-being. Sooyoung realized she could go on and on if she wanted to.

Okay, fine. Maybe she did like Jonghyun.

But was she willing to trade their friendship for a mere possibility of something more? She knew better than that.

                He was a constant in her life – a truth that ran deeper than their weekly