The graduation happened with Aecha feeling extremely nervous. Hana had told Aecha that she would also ask Chanyeol out that day. But Aecha had asked him out first and he agreed to meet her, and Chanyeol hadn’t said anything to her about the plan changing. Maybe, just maybe, Hana would change her mind and asked him on another day. Or, was there any chance that Chanyeol chose meeting Aecha over meeting Hana?

Oh, this sounded absurd.

They would have an entire month off after graduation to prepare for the entrance examination, so this graduation day was kind of a farewell for them. It was the perfect time for confessions.

What was waiting for Aecha? She was dying to know it. But whatever the result was, Aecha had prepared for it, she had her plan.

===

When Chanyeol was celebrating with his family, Hana came to him, tapping his shoulder to get his attention.

“Hey, Chanyeol!”

When Chanyeol turned to smile at her, Hana smiled back.

“Are you free later? I have something important to tell you.”

Chanyeol’s heart leapt when he heard the word important. Was that important thing what he was imagining it was? He grinned widely at her and agreed quickly, “Sure, I will meet up with you.”

“Ok then. See you later at the cafe in front of the school gate.”

Hana smiled and nodded at him. When Hana was about to turn around to leave, Chanyeol suddenly remembered about Aecha. That girl also said she had something important to tell him. He should meet her to see what she wanted to tell him, right?

So Chanyeol called Hana back, “Wait, Hana! You meant, later as in after this celebration party?”

“Yeah, you have other plan?” cocking her head slightly to the side, Hana regarded him curiously.

Chanyeol scratched his chin a little in thought. Maybe, he should tell Aecha to change her plan. It would be ok. He then smiled to assure Hana.

“No worries, I can manage. See you later!”

Hana smiled back and turned to leave. Butterflies started to swim in her stomach because of the nervousness.

Their meeting was set.

===

Chanyeol had agreed to meet Aecha first, but he could postpone it whenever he wanted, right? Aecha would never go hard on him, she would understand. She always agreed to help him get what he wanted, despite no matter how unreasonable it was. This time wouldn’t be any different. That’s what Chanyeol thought when he agreed with Hana. He would postpone his meeting with Aecha to another time. He really wanted to know what Hana would tell him.

===

Aecha was waiting for Chanyeol in the hallway liked they had agreed before. People were leaving and the school was becoming deserted. Chanyeol was ten minutes late. Her anxiety grew bigger as she waited for his arrival.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, he ran toward her, out of breath.

“You are late.”

Aecha stated the obvious, feeling disappointed.

“Yeah, I know, I know. I’m sorry.”

“Can we go now? It is getting dark.”

Aecha said and turned around, leading the way. She was ready to leave when Chanyeol’s stopped her.

“Wait, Aecha. You said you had something important to tell me, right? Can you tell me another time?” Chanyeol quickly grabbed her arm to hold her back and asked.

Aecha took in a deep breath to calm herself down before replying him.

Here it was. She knew it would come… She prepared for it to come, but it still stung her heart.

“No, I have to say it today.”

Aecha said firmly, dismissing Chanyeol’s idea. She had to tell him her feelings before Hana did. There was no way in hell she would win over Hana if they both confessed at the same time. So Aecha had to tell him first.

“Can’t we change it to another day? I have other plan.” Chanyeol pleaded with her.

“But I asked you yesterday, and you said you won’t have anything to do. You agreed!” Aecha countered back, feeling slightly irritated.

“I know, I know. I’m sorry about that, but can we change it? Please, Aecha…” Chanyeol whined, pleading Aecha in his childish voice. Normally, this voice would help him, so he hoped Aecha would soften when he used it.

“No means no. You have to go with me now.” Aecha turned away from him, refused to give in to him this time.

“Can you tell me right there? I mean the important thing that you want to tell me, can you tell me now?”

Chanyeol tried another solution. Hopefully, Aecha would say it, then things would be solved.

Aecha turned back sharply to glare at him, taking a deep breath to prepare herself, Aecha raised her voice.

“I said it was something important, didn’t I? Are you serious? You want me to say it right here? This is something important to me! I can’t say it in the middle of our school’s hallway just for the sake of your plan! Who do you think I’m? You call me when you need me, then you throw me aside when you don’t need me? Is that what I’m to you? I’m a person, I have feelings!”

Chanyeol whimpered at her harsh words. He didn’t mean to make Aecha feel like that, but he really needed to go with Hana.

“Aecha, please… You know I don’t mean it like that.”

Aecha turned her back to him and muttered to herself, “Sure, you don’t.”

After a minute of silence, Aecha still stated firmly, “You have to go with me. I won’t change my mind. You can go with me, or you needn’t care about me at all and carry out that plan of yours.”

“But… ”

Just as he wanted to protest, his phone rang. Chanyeol muttered something like ‘nice timing’ under his breath and answered it, turning his back to Aecha.

Aecha held her breath as she guiltily eavesdropped his conversation with whoever that was on the other line. Aecha had a feeling that she knew who was calling him.

“….sorry I’m late….”

…….

“….yeah, don’t worry…just a minute….”

…….

“…I’ll meet you soon.”

Aecha closed her eyes the moment she knew his answer. So he would go to meet Hana? After what she just said, he still went to Hana?

They both wanted to tell him one thing that was…they liked him. But Aecha guessed, Hana saying it was more important than her saying it after all. She had asked him since yesterday, and Hana asked him just now, he still ditched her to go to Hana. The answer was as clear as daylight now. She would never win over his heart. Time for her to give up on him had come. As painful as it was to her heart, Aecha should do it.

Even when Aecha had expected that result since the night before when Hana told about her confession, Aecha was still hurt so much. Aecha couldn't help the tears flooding her eyes. Turning away from him, she took in a deep, shaky breath. Aecha looked up to the sky and blinked, trying to keep her tears in. There was only a star shinning brightly on the dark sky, and Aecha wondered if the star was feeling lonely like she did. When Chanyeol went to Hana, Aecha would be alone, she only had the star as her company. Even the star was disappearing, it was blurry because of the tears in Aecha’s eyes. Biting her lower lip hard, Aecha shut her eyes and swept away some stray tears. She would make it easier for Chanyeol to go and meet Hana.

After a moment, when Chanyeol ended the call and turned to her, Aecha said even before he could open his mouth.

“It’s alright. You can go now.”

Chanyeol's eyes brightened up immediately at her words.

“Really? Thank you very much, Aecha. We’ll surely talk tomorrow.”

Shaking her head, Aecha offered him a small, tight smile.

“No need to do that. I have something to give you, but you can only open it after two days from now. If you opened it any sooner, I would know right away. I would know, don’t try me. And to let you know something, if you did that, I’d never look at your face again. You heard it?”

Then Aecha handed him an envelope, inside it was a letter from her. Her eyes bored into his as Chanyeol took it. She wanted to warn him off and to let him know that she was serious about what she just said.

“I got it.” Chanyeol quickly stuffed it in his bag.

“You have to promise me!” Aecha told him once more.

“I promise you that I won’t open it in two days.” Chanyeol said, he was slightly afraid of the aura Aecha emitted.

Something was really off with her.

“Ok. You can go now. By the way, don’t meet me or contact me in these two days.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

Aecha snapped, waving a hand to dismiss him, she walked away.

Go and get Hana. I hope you can be happy with her.

Even as Aecha wished him to be happy in her mind, she couldn’t be happy for him. Clutching a hand to her bleeding heart, Aecha couldn’t stop the tears that were streaming down her face.