“Thanks so much Youngjae oppa! I would never have gotten it without your help. See you tomorrow.” She waved flirtatiously while you smirked to yourself.

“Oh? Mm, it’s nothing much… See you.” He replied, scratching the back of his neck shyly.

She smiled sweetly at him before flouncing off, making you roll your eyes at the entire scene.

You waited ‘til she was out of earshot before commenting, “looks like your vocal club activities went well?”

Knowing you were teasing him, he explained, “I knew you were going to say something. Look, I just helped her out with her pitch, that’s all, alright?”

“Yeah, I bet all she wanted was your help with her singing.” You said sarcastically, sorting out the books in your locker before slamming it shut.

He looked at you oddly, “what is that supposed to mean?”

You sighed at your best friend’s innocence, “it means, she likes you, that’s what.”

The two of you walked down the front steps of the main building the same way you had done for the past 10 years and he scoffed at you, rolling his eyes, “yeah, I bet she’s totally head over heels in love with me because I taught her how to reach the C note.”

“It’s not just that Youngjae.”

“Then what?”

You turned to look at him, “you’re good at singing Jae, really good. And you’re older than her. There’s something about talented oppas that draws us girls to them like bees to honey.”

He laughed in your face, thoroughly amused by your words, not understanding that you were being totally honest.

“Yah, is that all?” He retorted when he stopped laughing. “That doesn’t mean she likes me. Respects… or even admires might be more appropriate.” He smiled, liking the thought and relishing the chance to prove you wrong.

You shook your head at his assumption, wondering how someone so smart could also be so dense.

A second later though, his smile disappeared and was replaced with a frown, “Besides, I’m not the only one that can sing in the school. Have you heard Deahyun? His high notes are to die for and he’s way better looking. If she had a crush on anyone at all, it’d be him.”

You stopped in your tracks, exasperated at your best friend, “Gawd, Jae, would you please.” He stopped too, stunned at your choice of words and your tone, wondering if he’d crossed you somehow.

“Please, go home, get a mirror and look yourself in it fully. And then maybe, just maybe, you’d notice you have a face of an angel? It’s your eyes, no, your lips, your cheeks, heck just everything that’s unbelievably attractive.” You threw up your hands to emphasize your frustration, then poked a finger at his firm chest. “Not to mention your body that drives practically every female student in our grade crazy, some even lusting after you like you were some kind of god.” You rushed along, not giving him a chance to protest and when you were done, he was paralyzed.

Feet glued to the gravel, cheeks aflame and mouth opening and closing like he was a fish. An adorable goldfish.

You blushed at the thought, and resumed your walk home, letting your hair cover your face so he wouldn’t see. Everything you had just described to him was exactly what had happened to you 2 years ago. He’d shown up at your doorstep on the first day of school looking all grown up and gorgeous. It was the first time you’d seen him in two months since he’d left for a music camp and you remember feeling as if the wind was knocked out of your lungs when he grinned at you and offered to carry your books.

Everything changed that year, Youngjae quickly rose in the ranks of the hotties in your school and became sought after by many girls and not a few boys. All throughout, he had remained blissfully ignorant to his rising popularity while you were painfully aware thanks to some jealous schoolmates.

That wasn’t the only thing that changed, however, as you had learned too. Learned how to put up a strong front, learned how to grow thick skin and ignore every hurtful comment thrown at you just for being his friend. You also realized that being in love with your best friend was tricky, you couldn’t avoid his touch, only learn to ignore the little tingles each one left on your skin. Nor could you spurn his company, because you would need and crave it more than air. It took you all of two months, but you learned anyhow, to live through the little sufferings in exchange for keeping his friendship.

He jogged to catch up with you, face still red but calmer now.

“Even if what you said was true, you still don’t know if she likes me. How would you know anyway, it’s not like she told you… did she?”

You scowled, why was he so caught up in whether she likes him or not?

Unable to take it any longer, you drew in a deep breath. People always said that keeping your feelings bottled up was unhealthy right?

“I know because I’ve been there, Jae. I have a crush on you Jae. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s more than a crush, I might even be in love with you. I see the way she looks at you and I know, because it’s the same look I have on my face when I see you. I know when she uses all sorts of excuse to be seen and to be with you because I’ve used them all myself.”

You saw the surprise in his eyes and you stopped, “anyway… that’s how I know.”

Turning away, you continued on the path, wiping frantically at the tears on your cheeks. Suddenly, you felt a hand on your shoulder, his hand, turning you around to face him. It was too late to cover up, too late to be ashamed, so you dropped your own hands and looked him in the eyes.

What you saw there surprised you and made your breath catch.

“That’s good,” He said, the tenderness in his voice matching the look in his eyes. “Because I feel exactly the same way.”

He leaned down to kiss you, slow yet passionately, leaving no doubt in your mind about his words, only to wonder who really was the dense one.