I called and texted all night but Kris never answer, Dok2 texted me at the end of show to tell me that she never came back, she wasn’t at her dorm, it was my worst nightmare come to life. I sat in front of her dorm until 6am the next morning but still she didn’t appear, I was on the verge of going to the police station when a car pulled up behind mine. I started mine ready to leave when a head full of chocolate curls appeared in my rearview mirror.

My door was open even before she shut her’s, and I was in front of when she did.

“KRIS”!

She turned and looked at me like I was a ghost “Lina”?!

I slapped her, before my heart or my mind told me otherwise.

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR ING MIND”! I screamed grabbing her shoulders and shaking her violently “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN”!

“Let go of her”! A guy I didnt notice ripped me away from Kris who was holding her check staring at me through teary eyes well that was until he blocked my view of her. I tried to shove him aside but he stayed firmly planted in front of me.

“What the hell this has nothing to do with you, MOVE”! I shoved him again but with no result

“No, what right do you have putting your hands on her”! He was clearly losing his patience.

“Its…alright she’s my friend”. Kris’s voice cut the tension between us and the guy looked at her.

“Some friend”. He said almost as if he was disappointed at something, I could only assume Kris nodded because next thing I knew he stepped aside, told her to call him if she need any more help, shot me a look and then got in his car and drove off.

Leaving the two of us standing there in silence.

“I’m going in, I’ll call you later”. Kris finally said obviously fed up with standing around like a statue but I didn’t feel right as I watched her go, so many things were nagging at me to get an answer from her about this and that most importantly was…

“Why were you with him, better yet who is he”?

She turned in the doorway of her dorm, looking tried “just a classmate , Lina, just go home for now ok, I’ll call you”. With that she went inside and even though I knew that they next time we meet it would be like this never happened, because that’s how Kris dealt with conflict, pushing it away, I on the other hand wanted to hash out our differences but what Kris wanted mattered more than what I did so I let her go and got in my car and sped home.

2 days later

“Dad look, it’s not like that between me and D, we’re JUST good friends”. I sat in my car outside the restaurant waiting for Kris to arrive , locked in a fight with my dad about my future.

“He’s everything I think your husband should be”. My dad Seo Jung-kwon better known as JK tiger crowned on “I don’t see why you just don’t give dating a try, you haven’t brought any guys home”.

“First off dad because he’s my GOOD FRIEND and I don’t want to ruin that and second what does my love life have to do with you”? I whined rubbing my temples trying to stay respectful to my old man. Sometimes I wonder how my mother dealt with him day in and out.

“So it’s not that you don’t like him, your just afraid of losing him, honey, listen to me, your mom and me were like that too but look at us now. There nothing to worry about, just give it a try”. He was serious about this and once he set his mind on something it was hard to get him to let it go, I was not going to date my best friend no matter what he said and I was going to need my mom’s touch to keep him at bay until I could get him fixated on something else other than my future groom, not that I WANTED to get married.

“POPS, listen it’s not like that between us, I gotta go Kris is here”. Hanging up before he could say another word, I sunk back in my seat, closing my eyes.

A knock on my window made me turn my head, there stood Kris look absolutely beautiful in a sundress, motioning for me to get out I did as I was told.

Smiling she snuggled into my body mumbling sorry, patting her fluffy hair I assured her everything was fine between her and that I understood. Pulling back only to kiss my check, I smiled returning the gesture then linking arms with her and heading into the restaurant, small chat buzzing between us as the host showed us to our seats.

“So how are your classes”? I asked sitting down cross from her, Kris frowned her face taking a sip of water.

“It’s so-so, I like Sports classes but everything else, ugh don’t get me started”. Shaking her head she rolled her eyes.

“Yah, it can’t be that bad”. I laughed watching her give me the dirtiest look she could muster through her smile.

“Let me just say that I named one of my professors again-&-again because he says EVERYthing again and again”.

“NO, you LIE”! I exclaimed dramatic while putting my hand to chest and screwing up my face in fake terror, in a mournful voice Kris sobbed if only, reaching out I took her hand in mine.

“Oh, you pour child, oh we must drink until you forget about it”.

Kris pulled away from me laughing “Why are you always talking about getting drunk, you’re going to need a new liver soon”.

“Eh, YOLO”.

We laughed and joked until the host brought the guest of (dis)honor to the table, D walked up his hands stuffed in his pockets and his shades still. Standing in front of the table we looked at him Kris in disbelief and me for a greeting.

Dok2 ignored Kris all together and sat next to me without a word. The air at the table turn from great to horrible in two seconds flat, and I couldn’t think of anything to make it better, because D’s rudeness was even plucking my nerve so I could only imagine what Kris was feeling.

“Ah you finally made it”. Laughing nervously I elbowed D and smiled at Kris “He wanted to apologize for what happened a few days ago, so he ask me to set this up”.

Kris looked at me in obvious displeasure “Unnie”?

Ignoring her I elbow D and whispered for him to go ahead but not a single word came out of his mouth and Kris’ face grew tight.

“Unnie! Don’t do things like this, seriously! Do even know what this said to me”! I’d evidently pushed Kris past her patience and she was finally cracking open.

“Yah, Kris watch your mouth”. I scolded her softly trying to keep the situation under control, but Kris looked at Dok2.

“ma sorry bout before ya know dat I just wanted ya attention, Li is my girl but damn how much would I havtta pay to get those lips on me”. When she dropped her eyes down suggestively I in a breath and looked at Dok2.

“Oh hell no D,  thats not what you told me ”. I started but D was already on his feet

“It was a joke, damn, this I’m out Li”.

No one stopped him, I moved to Kris’s side   her back and chanting my remorse for my wrongs. She forgave me of course and we put D behind us, and life went on the two of us in Seoul, Korea. D eventually man up to me and apologized in his own way although I vowed to never bring females around him again.

1 month later

Kris had been hard to get in touch with recently and it worried me, it was her vacation week soon and we were planning to go to the beaches in Busan but there was still wasn’t sight nor word from her. Even when I dropped by her dorm she wasn’t there.

So while sitting in a coffee shop working on a concept for one of my dad’s label mates, I was completely and utterly and did I say overwhelmingly floor when miss MIA herself being guided Locco wearing a blindfold.

I watched the whole shocking screen play out…..

Kris was led to a table that had been sectioned off for what looked like some TV drama even, it was so cheesy flowers and a Teddy bear sitting opposite her that said “Be mine” that she gasped at when Locco removed her blind fold.

Then what I assume was every male waiter walked over and gave her rose, bending down on one knee while handing it over.

Then the shades were drawn down so that the whole café was dimmed to feel like it was sunset, and then flippin music started and my nails ate into my palm and I watched Locco melt away and be replaced with Dok2 who was Kris’s arch enemy the last time I checked.

He walked toward her holding a pair of fitted caps with “D’s gurl” and “K’s man” on a tray

“So we started with a fit, that wasn’t

But mama you cuzed a man tah c, I be needin u tah be wit me

Youa boss chick, you run you own

Iz respect dat, appreciate dat,

you compliment a cats sway, check dat

that’s y dem others cats be mad, u more than a dime, u’z one of a kind

so be mine, call me oppa, papi, zaddy, I’ll be anything you need”

Been down on one knee Dok2 presented the hats to Kris, who was looking at him in utter shock, there was a quick exchange between the two that I couldn’t hear but it must have been something because Kris took off D’s hat and replaced it with the one on the pillow and the put the other meant for her on to her head smiling shyly down at him.

My heart hurt and staring at the new couple I felt like crying, I was utterly betrayed and defeated but this was only the tip of the iceberg if only I knew what I know now. Maybe I would have smiled and gave them my blessing. But now living in this moment I knew I would never be able to go back to that time and the Kris and I, D and I would never be the same.