{S u n h e e }

So far, today was one of the best days ever. Eunjae and I were friends again, still not yet best friends, but at least we were friends. She didn't hate me anymore, and I'm relieved. She offered we could start clean and fresh, I accepted her offer.

We talked about Jongdae too, and how sorry I was for not realizing that she liked him.

"No, it's okay." she said, waving off my apology. "I was a kid back then, Sunhee. And I was speaking out of anger. I'm over Chen, I mean, I still like him but not that much anymore." 

I was glad that she told me that, because I can breathe more easily now.

Even though Kyungmin still couldn't believe it, along with Eunjae's other friends, that still didn't stop me from having a great day.

A day with no hate. I finally got a day with no hate from Eunjae. It's like my soul is finally at peace. 

But, still, I can't really eat inside - I'm so used to eating out. In which, Eunjae is sorry for because she knows she's the cause of it.

"You can it with us, Sunhee," she said with a smile that I haven't seen in a long time. 

I shook my head. "No, it's really alright, Jae. I can eat out, and besides-"I pointed to the windows, where it showed a crystal clear, cloud-less sky. "-it's not going to rain any time soon, so it's really fine by me."

"Are you sure? Kyungmin's having a club meeting right? Really, Sunhee, you can sit next to me." she insisted. 

I nodded. "Yup, positive. I'm sure. So, no thanks, Eunjae." I said as politely as I could. 

"Oh, she won't be alone, she has me to eat with," Jongdae's voice said from nowhere, making Eunjae and I jump when we heard it. "Oops, sorry, girls." 

"Ch-Chen, you're-you're going to accompany Sunhee?" Eunjae asked as she looked at him with wide-eyes, her ears turning pink. 

Uh-oh. Not now when we just made up. 

"Yeah," Jongdae nodded with a smile. "So, you don't have to worry." 

But, I realized that Eunjae didn't really look angry or anything. She did give me a jealous look before going though, but she looked more positively jealous than negative - if you know what I mean. 

She looked like she was jealous, but at the same time, she was okay with it. 

I turned to Jongdae and raised an eyebrow. "You're really going to eat with me?" 

He nodded. "Ne, but where not eating under the cherry blossom tree."

"Oh? So, where are we eating then?" 

He smiled. "On the school's rooftop." 

It was a perfect day, and it was the perfect way to lunch on the school's  rooftop. No clouds, just the blue sky and the view of the city. Just me and Jongdae.

And I can't believe I was hesitant in agreeing. 

I mean, what if we weren't allowed to go up there? What if we'll get caught and have detention or some sort of punishment?"

"Relax, Sunnie," Jongdae had reassured me. "It's not technically a restricted area, students are allowed to go up but not all the time."

That was alright for me, so I joined him and I'm really glad I did. 

The first twenty minutes composed of us eating quietly, and not a word was uttered or exchanged between us. I was fine with that though, and I could tell Jongdae was too. 

I could also tell he was in deep thought, because when I glanced at him - his eyebrows were furrowed and his focus seemed to be on something else rather than the view. 

"What's wrong, Kim Jongdae? Something bothering you?" I asked, breaking the comfortable silence we had. 

Jongdae flinched and looked at me, his lips forming a smile as he lightly shook his head. "No, nothing wrong. I was just thinking." 

"About what?" 

"Nothing. It's . . . nothing," he said faintly as he turned to look back at the view in front of us. Oh, how I wish I brought my camera or even my phone so that I could capture the scenery and paint it. 

But, sadly, no. I just had to take it in and memorize it as best as I can. 

"Sunhee?" Jongdae said after a few more minutes of comfortable silence between the two of us.

"Hm?" I mumbled in reply, only glancing at him. He wasn't looking at me, he was still looking at the scenery. 

"Do you want to go now? It's almost time for the afternoon periods to start." he informed me. 

"Oh, really?" I checked the time on my wristwatch, to see that he was right. "You want to go now? We still have 21 minutes left," 

"Ani," 

"Hm?" I looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "What'd you mean 'no'?"

Jongdae turned to look at me, but his eyes weren't meeting mine. "Stay a little longer, I want to ask-err, tell you something."

I said nothing, I just faced him and wait for him to say the words he wants to. But, after five minutes of staring at his bent head, he just stayed quiet.

I sighed and shift on the box I was sitting. "Jongdae, is something wrong? You know you cna tell-"

"I like you, Sunhee," his words made me stop.

I raised my eyebrows up as I looked at him. He still had his head bent down. "I like you too, Jongdae?" I asked, not really sure what he meant. Of course he liked me, we were friends!

He snorted and shook his head, as if he read my thoughts he said; "No! Not that kind of like!" 

I blinked once, twice, thrice - several times as I process in what he said, and what he meant by that. Realization crashed onto me like a wave crashing onto a rock by the shore. 

"I-oh," I said in a small voice as I too looked down. "You-you mean that you like like me?" 

He nodded his head and I could almost gasp. "Since when?" 

Jongdae didn't hesitate to answer directly. "I liked you as a friend when we were kids, that was all. But, when we spent time with each other these past few days, I . . . I . . . you can say that I fell in love with you, Sunhee." 

I don't react, I try my best not to. I just in my breathe and close my eyes and opened them when he started talking again. "Wh-Why?" I  muttered as I frowned. "Out of all the girls, why me, Jongdae? Out of-"

"Because you're you," he said, a simple smile gracing his face. I never thought of this out loud, but I realized how simply handsom Jongdae is. His eyes, his cheekbones, his smile - that sweet smile. "In a good way, you're weird. You're . . .  unique?" 

"How am I, Jongdae?" I realized I'm starting to lose some patience with him. I can't help it, he just confessed. I don't want him to confess. I liked someone else. 

"Because . . . you're you," he repeated with a shurg. "You're different, and I've known you for so long, Sunhee. I developed these feelings for you only recently. And-and-" 

"Well, I'm sorry Jongdae," I said as I stood up and grabbed my bag, but I don't walk away. Not yet. I bit my lower lip as I glanced at Jongdae, the sudden action shocked him. "But, please, find a way to stop those feelings. I-I like someone else," 

Silence followed and I couldn't bring myself to walk away from him. But, after a few minutes, he stood up and faced me. "By any chance . . . " his voice cracked. "It's . . . Lay, isn't it?" 

"How did you-" I stopped and frowned as I nodded. 

"It's no mystery, really," he says coldly and bitterly. This isn't the Kim Jongdae I know. He never used that tone around me, evne when we fought when we were younger. "I see the way you look at him, Sunhee. It's the same way I look at you, I just know it." 

A small gasp escapes my mouth. Was I that obvious? Did I hurt him that bad too? "Jongdae, I'm-"

When he looked up, I stopped. His eyes . . . they conveyed the emotion and what he was feeling right now. He was extremely sad, hurt and bitter. A tint of anger was there too. "But, I have some good news for you," he said as he began to take big step forward towards me. 

I stepped back, but when I did, our shoulders had already touched as he leaned in and whispered; "Lay likes you back," before roughly pushing my shoulder with his. 

I stumbled back and my vision blurred as I heard his angry steps getting fainter. I didn't let the tears fall, not now anyways. 

Tch, talk about a 'great' day.