Chris Madin - Jigsaw

There’s always a thing I didn’t understand from him though. It seemed like he likes me, well I don’t know if it’s just like as a friend or more than that. But in other day, it seemed like I was never cross his mind. It’d be easier if he said that he hates me though so I’m sure, to take a step forward or backward….

Changmin looked outside as he walked pass his professor room. He’d done the weekly consultation with his mentor for his final defense in the next two months. Couldn’t believe that his university year was about to end. He’s glad that he’s going to get his bachelor degree and maybe, he’d continue with his master or look for a proper job or get it both.

Walking to the nearest bench at the park, Changmin sat himself comfortably there as he breathed the cold autumn wind. On winter, he’ll be a graduate student and at the beginning of spring, he might start the new path of his life. No more classes or hang out lazily mostly every day with his friends, no more annoying laboratory assistant chasing him for the weekly lab report, or even surprised quiz held by his professor. He’ll be free from that.

And talked about his routine, he’s somehow a bit afraid of losing something though. Something that he used to feel sad about, because he’s once felt that he’s losing it but didn’t admit that he’s broken due to that. He’s looking down to his hand, one hand holding on a bottle of banana milk and the other one was holding a crème envelope, stamped with his university symbol.  He smiled to himself, knowing that whatever he chose, it’s all up to him. But it’s not a glad smile though, it’s a bitter one.

His thought was broken when he felt someone was knocking him down. Kyuhyun punched his arm lightly, taking a seat next to him. He’s smiling brightly because he’d just passed his final defense in International Business, earning him the degree. But what made him smile brighter was the fact that he’s accepted to take a master in Music major in Austria.

“Still smiling like idiot” Changmin commented.

“Still wandering around, like idiot” Kyuhyun replied.

They laughed together after that. Kyuhyun was one of hell smart student in the university and Changmin knew that he deserved that degree and his master scholarship. It’s not easy though. Kyuhyun’s father was a successful businessman, he wanted someone to inherit his large company but his one and only hope, Cho Kyuhyun himself, was refuse to be his successor. A deal was made, Kyuhyun will take the business major as his father wished, but his father also will allow him to take three years for him to study music and after that he’ll be back at the industry, following whatever his father said.

But things changed as his father saw him studying for his major seriously and he learned that Kyuhyun, however, has life on his own. That’s why he allowed him to learn music and do whatever he wanted to do, as long as he’s responsible for that. And there he was, getting prepared to continue his study in autumn next year. He’ll work for a while in his father’s company though before leaving for Austria.

“What are you up to?” Kyuhyun asked him, leaning his back to the bench comfortably.

“Nothing, just… I have too much of thought on my mind” Changmin said as he appointed his head.

Kyuhyun laughed along with him but then his eyes set on the envelope. “Oh I guess… This is what holding you back for a while?”

Changmin slowly nodded and sigh in content. He’s always a person with plan, but somehow, this one plan didn’t go well along with his other plans.

“You can always think about it again. Decide what you want to do, Changmin. What you really want to do… You’re the one who advised me 4 years ago about me thinking to take the master in music major. Remember?” he patted Changmin’s shoulder, smiling.

“It’s not that important though…” Changmin murmured words, playing the envelope in his hands.

“Oh come on…” Kyuhyun lightly punched his shoulder.

Changmin smiled to himself. What he really wanted to do, what he wished he could have done. He didn’t really want to answer it though, because once he knew the answer, he’ll have to take out one of the things he treasured the most. So yeah, today, he refused to do any thinking and just do whatever he wanted to do.

Changmin stood up, fixing his shawl and took his backpack along with him. He bid a goodbye to Kyuhyun who waved to him lazily from the bench. Kyuhyun watched his best friend walking, leaving the park and heading to the main building of the university. Kyuhyun looked at his back while tilting his head, had no idea where he’s heading to but judging on the way he took the banana milk on his hand, seemed like Kyuhyun had a clear guess on where Changmin went to.

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Sooyoung opened her eyes widely only to get it closed easily again. Her pen was almost falling from her grip, because she almost fell asleep in the library. Sooyoung tried to straighten her back and started to make the resume again, but still, she fell asleep again. Her pink pen was steady on the surface of her notebook, but her head and body slowly bending to the front, indicating that she’s clearly lost in the dreamland. Her forehead was about to hit the cold surface of the wooden library table when Changmin suddenly pulled her shawl to his embrace, awakened her.

“Almost” he said as he grinned at her, releasing her shawl. “For you” he gave her the banana milk.

Sooyoung face changed from sleepy to pouty. She pulled her shawl as fast as she could, taking it away from Changmin. She took her pen and ignored him, making Changmin annoyed.

“What’s with the silent treatment?” he complained as he adjusted his seat next to her.

“I’m not talking to you until you-know-it” she replied as she looked straight to her book, ignored Changmin.

Sooyoung totally noticed that Changmin was sighing, but she acted like she didn’t know. She slowly took her hoodie, covering her head. Silence for a while, Changmin sighing again.

“Stop it. I want to talk with you. Normally” he gave pressure to the word ‘normally’ as he looked at her hoodie.

She rolled her eyes, continued to highlight her textbook and put some notes. Sooyoung totally ignored Changmin, until he decided that things should be stopped.

“Choi Sooyoung” he called her.

“Let’s play fair and square. I’m not going to talk with you until you broke up with Kim Hyuna” Sooyoung replied as she glared at him.

Last month, Sooyoung and Changmin were having a fight. Sooyoung heard from Hyuna’s friends in the cafeteria that Changmin asked Hyuna to be his girlfriend. Nothing was worse than to hear that; not only because Hyuna was known as a relationship wrecker, her attitude was never related with anything positive. What on earth Changmin did by being in a relationship with her? The worst part, she heard it from other people and not from Changmin himself. It’s hard to explain, but she knew that this has to stop.

They’re arguing badly that time. Changmin thought that everyone need second chance, and no matter how bad Hyuna was, she might be in a point that she’s done with her bad attitude and looked for a time to change. But that’s nonsense for Sooyoung, not after watching herself the way Hyuna seduced a guy in a club at one of the college party she attended.

Sooyoung knew that she might be a little over about this. Changmin was a very good friend of her, but it didn’t make her had the right to control whom he can have relationship with. But still, she couldn’t tolerate if it’s Kim Hyuna. No, no, no. Sometimes, when she saw him with Hyuna, she asked herself. Is Hyuna’s attitude was the problem or her feeling that matter the most?

She had a good intention, not wanting Changmin to get the wrong girl, but the way she showed it was no different from a jealous girlfriend. And Changmin had noticed it. He sensed her jealousy when he went back from a party along with Hyuna, the day she got angry because he’s hiding his relationship with Hyuna, without telling her beforehand.

But the truth was, he’s never having a relationship with Hyuna. Hyuna friends had mistaken her joke about her being in a relationship with Changmin when they’re talking in the club, drinking. Hyuna was a good girl and that night, all she did was actually consoling Changmin though.

“You know what? You should go to Choi Sooyoung, Oppa” Hyuna said softly as she patted Changmin’s shoulder, laughing all the way due to the alcohol. “I could see in your eyes that all you had in your mind is her” she added.

Changmin chuckled at her words. “Since I was close with her in junior high school, there’re a lot of people telling me that. And for the nth time, I don’t think you all are seeing the same things with me. Me and Choi, we’re just friend. Got it?”

Hyuna shrugged at the thought of that. “Whatever. I believe what I see though… Both of you had a mutual feeling. It’s just you guys didn’t notice it and I think, I should help you to understand it”

Changmin stopped drinking and after that night all he thought was Sooyoung, especially the day after she heard about his relationship with Hyuna. Looking at how Sooyoung had worked up about this matter, Changmin was somehow enjoyed her jealousy. He loved it when she was definitely angry with him, but lost at the feeling when Sooyoung was not around.

When he was at the park earlier, he knew that he missed her presence; the sudden appearance of her at his department or when they unintentionally met up at the cafeteria for a coffee. But for a while, he didn’t feel that and he disliked it. It’s even worse compared to when Sooyoung was in a relationship with Kris. But Changmin was not really sure what kind of feeling that’s lingered in his heart.

“I’m not in a relationship with her anymore. So will you talk to me?” Changmin spoke, still piercing his eyes to hers. He noticed Sooyoung stopped writing and slowly turned her head to look at him.

“Really?” she mumbled.

Changmin nodded. “We’re just good as friend, nothing more”

“You broke her up or she broke you up?” she questioned him.

“Is that important?” Changmin frowned to her question.

“It is. If she broke you up, then you’ll be added to her ‘guy-who-fell-for-me’ list. But if you’re the one who break her up-“

“Then she’ll be automatically added to my ‘girl-I-had-adventured-with’ list” Changmin cut her. ”See? It’s just similar, me and Hyuna. I wonder why we didn’t work as couple” he said as he rolled his eyes, smirked over Sooyoung.

“Tch. So you regret to end your relationship with her?” she cynically said to him.

“No. I chose you over her. I don’t want to lose my dearest friend” he looked at her as he said that, earning a blushed on Sooyoung’s chubby cheek.

“Stop with the sugar-coated words” Sooyoung gave her palm to his face.

“Well, if we’re done with this quarrel thingy, accompany me for lunch, please” he said as he grabbed her hand, making Sooyoung gasped a bit, surprised with his action. She slowly took her hands from him.

No, no, no. He could feel my nervousness if he held my hand…

Changmin laughed at her. “You should really stop looking easily nervous whenever a guy approached you, Silly” he commented as he released her hand. “After all this time, you’re still thinking that I’m another guy?”

. Shut up, Changmin.

“It’s because you’re surprising me” she put her tongue out.

After the thing that happened in the school – where they stood up face to face with their lips almost kissing – Sooyoung found it hard to behave like there’s nothing between them. Well, she’s sure that Changmin felt nothing but she had to deal with her body who acted differently when he’s around. And no, she didn’t want to lose him as her friend just because she felt a bit in love with him.

“So, lunch?” he asked her again.

Sooyoung cleaned up her desk and stood up, putting her handbag on her shoulder while taking the banana milk. “Ok, but you have to treat me. And I choose the place. Let’s go” she said as she occupied the banana milk, drinking it like it’s the most precious drink in the world.

Sooyoung walked first, leaving Changmin on the desk. He knew at this rate she’s the one controlling him, but slowly he smiled and followed her, forgetting the idea to get angry on her. He’s happy, she’s back again with him. Although from the very start she’s not his and he would never claim her as one, he’s delighted to have her on his side again. Cheering up his day again, fooling around with him.

Choi Sooyoung has been a good company for Shim Changmin.

He’s watching her back as they exited the library to go for an Italian restaurant that Sooyoung had been talked about, trying not to look at it as a ert would. He’d experiencing years walking behind her, but the beat on his heart when they walked side by side with her smiling happily towards him might signal something else.

Maybe, maybe somewhere deep down in his heart, she stole a space on it.

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I'm sorry if this is too short, need a bridge for the story :) 

Love you comments, guys! <3