A stranger. That’s how I felt walking up the familiar hallway to the nurse’s office, feeling all the familiar eyes gape at me. An arm slung over my shoulder as a boy twice my weight was draped over me to prevent him from collapsing on the ground. His face was bruised, his left eye was swollen, and his lip busted – dried blood forming on his lower lip.

I’ve known Jonign and Kyungsoo for years now, both my best friends – but one loved more than the other. Admittedly, I have been in love with Jongin over the years that the three of us had been best friends, and Kyungsoo knew that. Actually, everyone around me knew.. Except for Jongin. But it was fine with me; it was enough for me to be just best friends.

But that didn’t mean that it hurt any less when I would see Jongin going out on dates with different girls, when he would flirt with our classmates on the hallways, when he would bring his dates on our usual hangouts on the weekends. It didn’t hurt any less.

I would cry and clutch on Kyungsoo’s shirt, sniffling and sobbing as he caress my hair. He never failed to make me feel a little less hurt. He reassures me that even though Jongin was impossibly oblivious, they would always be my best friends and I took comfort knowing that he was right. They took care of me, growing up with them and going to the same school, same classes, I have never felt out of place because of them.. Except today.

I have never felt more of a stranger looking at both my best friends – one of them, fist held high and eyes filled with anger and the other, lying on the ground bruised and eyes wet from tears. We’re fighting over you! Who are you going to choose!?

I flinch at the recall of the earlier events; Kyungsoo sprawled on the ground, his navy blue uniform almost torn – Jongin’s fist clenching on it and straddling him to restrain his movements. But Jongin didn’t even have to. Hit after hit, Kyungsoo’s eyes grew darker but not once he returned the punch. His eyes pooled with tears from the pain he feels all over his body.

Jongin had Kyungsoo pulled out of the school holding on to the latter’s blazer. He threw him on the ground as a crowd of their schoolmates cheered for the impending fight. As Kyungsoo fell on the ground, he caught himself and propped himself up with his elbow – wanting to just get up, ignore his friend and leave.

But Jongin wouldn’t have any of that. He was angry. Of all the years that he had been best friends with Kyungsoo, he couldn’t help but feel the betrayal. His mind was clouded and his ego stabbed. He wanted to release this anger, so he started kicking – kicking at Kyungsoo’s rib cage which caused him to cough out in pain. Kyungsoo flinched and tried to prop himself up again but as everyone in the crowd expected, Jongin had kicked him again to push his friend on ground. The crowd cheered and Jongin could hear his friend say faintly, “Don’t do this. You’ll hurt her.”

And then Jongin’s mind went blank. His eyes darkened as he grabbed his friend by the collar and threw a hard punch on Kyungsoo’s jaw – which threw the latter on the ground roughly. Kyungsoo fell hard on his arms and he flinched in pain as he knew the fall had easily broken something.

Jongin grew aggressive, with rage clouding his mind; he threw punches and kicked all over Kyungsoo’s already bruised body on the ground. Kyungsoo curled up trying to block the blows and he tried hard to fight his eyes from closing, not wanting to give in to the comfort of passing out. He knew he could’ve fought back but he didn’t and it only hurt Jongin’s ego more. Jongin was losing his patience, he wanted a fight not a beating, he wanted to throw punches at his friend and he wanted the latter to do so too. He wanted a fight; a fight to know who the better man is. Jongin’s voice grew hoarser as he kept yelling down at Kyungsoo, “Fight back!”

But Kyungsoo never did.

He took all the punches.

All the pain.

“Why?” I asked looking at Kyungsoo, who was lying on the white bed which was tainted by his bloody uniform, with pleading eyes. He looks back me with weak eyes, swollen from all the beating, and even though his lip was busted and bruised, he smiled at me.

He sat up and he winces at the pain he felt on his arm, on instinct I walk up and help him. He smiles at me again, ignoring the excruciating pain all over his body. I sigh and sit on the edge of his bed, facing him. He brushes his hand over my cheek. “Kyungie, why..” I really don’t know what to ask but I need answers.

Kyungsoo pulls me in to warm hug, his chin resting on my shoulder and he whispers in my ear, “Because I have always been in love with you. The first time that you held my hand, I knew then how much I loved you. But I knew you were in love with Jongin, so I didn’t say anything. I kept it inside because I was already happy seeing you happy, I was happy that even though you were in love with someone else, you loved me too, as your best friend. But it broke my heart too, every time you would come to crying because of Jongin and I couldn’t take it anymore.”

“I talked to Jongin, I told him everything; how you felt and how I felt about you. And he just stood there and nodded, as if he already knew what I was saying and it made me angry. He knew that you loved him but he kept hurting you.” Kyungsoo’s arms gripped tighter around my body – as if protecting me, like he always did. “You don’t deserve any of that. He doesn’t deserve your love.”

My heart clenched at every word Kyungsoo said. I felt guilty knowing that I’ve been crying in his arms because of Jongin while he was in love with me. I was selfish that I didn’t even bother to know how my best friend felt. I was just like Jongin. I pull away and lock eyes with my best friend, tears starting to pool in my eyes, “I-I’m sorry..”

“I love you.” He said and he leans in closer; the tip of his nose brushing over mine. I feel his warm breath before his lips dipped on to mine. Slowly and softly he moved his lips, perfectly in sync with mine. He pulls away and cups my face with his hand, brushing his thumb over my soft lips. “I love you more than you can imagine. I’ll protect you and I will never hurt you. Please, let me love you.” His arms pulled me into an embrace as he kept whispering “I love you” in to my ear, holding me tighter – making me feel like I belonged.

My chin rested on his shoulder and my arm around his neck. Everything came back to me in a wave of emotions. All this time it was Kyungsoo that really loved me. It was Kyungsoo that will always be my best friend. It was Kyungsoo that made me feel that I belonged. Tears started to flow down from my eyes as I softly whispered, “I love you, too.”

A/N: This is dedicated to my daughter. Should I link your acccnt here? HMMMM. Ok, I won't. Well, unless she wants me to.

Who wants an alternate ending? One where I.. Err.. You? Whatever. One where the character chooses Jongin. ^^ Tell me, ok? I love you all.

/kisseu/