T H E    N U M B E R    T W O

Han Sanghyuk    |    Eun Hyera

requested by cocoaLuv

I walked stiffly behind my teacher, following her as she made her way through the corridors of the office I was already so familiar with. I'd made this trip many times already; the same route towards the detention room.

I sighed. Just how long would this go on for?

But there was no going back. I'd chosen to take this path. I couldn't stop now.

I looked up from my feet, just in time to make eye contact with Hyuk. His face darkened when he saw me, smile turning into a thin line, eyes narrowing. It was almost...disapproving.

Sorry, Hyuk…

I looked away, breaking eye contact first. I was embarrassed that he saw me like this. But...this was what I wanted, no?

I had his attention.

But something about his expression told me maybe I could have taken matters in my hand a different way.

I walked past him, trying to ignore his gaze. The teacher gestured for me to enter the detention room, and I briskly entered, glad for an opportunity to disappear from his view. I sat in the same seat I always sat in.

The second seat to the left, in the second last row.

* * * * * * * *

"Ow!" I tugged at my hair, huffing in annoyance. I pouted, my four year old self getting fed up at my futile attempts at tying a pony tail.

"Hyera?"

Without even turning around, I knew who it was.

I mumbled a response, focusing more on the knot I had somehow managed to create in my hair. Groaning, I pulled one last time at the hair tie, and it came out, along with a bit of my hair.

"Oww…" I rubbed at the sore spot, glaring at the hair tie.

A light laughter sounded, filling up my bedroom with happiness and warmth. "Here, pass."

A pair of hands pried the hair tie from mine and they positioned themselves behind me. With gentle movements, they swept up my knotted hair into a perfect pony tail and secured it into place.

Exasperated, I turned around. "How come a guy can tie hair better than me?"

He laughed again. "Don't worry, you'll learn. Eventually." He reached out to fix a loose strand of hair, tucking it behind my ear.

He held out a hand to pull me up from my seat. "Let's go?"

I nodded, reaching out to hold his. Even when I was up and standing, neither of us let go.

* * * * * * * *

"Two."

I turned around to look at him. "Two? Why two? Of all the numbers in the world, why do you like two?"

"I don't know…" He let out a content sigh. "Maybe because everything comes in a pair."

"A pair?" I seemed to be repeating everything he was saying.

He nodded. "Like two lovers. It doesn't matter if it's a boy and girl, boy and boy, or girl and girl. It's always two. It doesn't work if there's a third person. The whole relationship comes crumbling down, or someone gets hurt."

I scowled at him. For a kid his age, he thought too much. "Can't you say something that I'll actually understand?"

He laughed, ruffling my hair. "Like us two, then. I like the number two, because it's always us two. Just you and me. And I want it to stay that way forever."

I nodded, satisfied. His answer made sense. "Okay! Then that will be our own little thing from now on. The number two!"

"Thing?"

I shrugged. "Our own secret."

He laughed until he was snorting. "S-secret! How is that a secret?"

I scowled again, punching his arm lightly.

"Okay, sorry."

I didn't say anything.

"Okay, okay. Then it'll be our own little thing."

* * * * * * * *

The bench was tall and our feet were suspended, swinging back and forth in sync.

"Hyuk?" I at my ice cream again. I was just nearing the last bits of my first scoop.

I started on my second.

"Yeah?"

"We'll stay best friends forever, right?"

"Of course!"

"You promise?"

He nodded dramatically. "Promise."

We sat in silence, enjoying our double-scooped ice creams.

"Will you marry me?"

I looked up at him from my cone. "We're only five!"

He gawked at me. "When we're older, silly!" He blushed.

"Ahh…" I grinned at him. "Of course!"

He clapped happily, as best as he could with a cone in his hand. "You promise to marry me when we're 22 years old?"

I nodded, holding out a hand.

"Promise."

He entwined his pinkie with mine before our thumbs extended to touch, sealing the promise.

* * * * * * * *

"Where do you want to sit?"

He shrugged. "You can choose."

"Hmm…"

I looked at all the empty seats. "Pick a number."

Almost as soon as the question left my mouth, I already knew his answer.

"Two."

I dragged him down to one particular row, and I placed my small bag on the end seat. He grinned at me when he realised what I'd done, but then momentarily frowned in contemplation.

Taking my things, he placed them on the next table.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

He nodded satisfactorily, quickly sitting in my seat.

"Hey!" I scrunched up my eyebrows and pouted.

"A true gentleman should never let a lady sit on the outside."

I giggled. "You're weird."

"Thank you. Now sit."

I sighed, taking the seat he'd chosen for me.

The second seat to the left, in the second last row.

* * * * * * * *

I kept my eyes on the scratch marks that had accumulated on the surface of the table over many years. I heard the footsteps pad lightly towards me, but I didn't look up. I wasn't interested in whoever had come to watch over me.

It was normally some random teacher who so happened to have a free period, and was unfortunate enough to be chosen to supervise the detention room.

I tapped my fingers pointlessly on the hard surface.

"Why do you do it?"

I froze, fingers mid-air. This was no teacher. I'd know his voice from anywhere.

Slowly, I looked up. "Hyuk…"

He sat down. In the seat next to mine, on the edge.

"You still remember…" I whispered.

His expression softened. "Yes, I do. I remember everything. From the time you stole my bag and ran away, only to trip and graze your cheeks on the sidewalk, to the time you cried so hard over a movie that your snot bubbled."

I gawked at him. "Hey! You promised you’d never bring that up again!"

"And you promised me you'd call me on my birthday and talk until the very last minutes were over!"

"I did!"

"Yeah, but you fell asleep before it was 12!" He placed his hands on his hips.

"Well...well...you promised me you'd buy me something for Christmas!"

"I was broke! Cause someone had promised to pay me back the money I'd lent them when we were shopping!"

"You promised to have lunch with me!"

"You promised to go to the dance with me!"

"You promised to audition with me!"

"You promised you wouldn't lie to me!"

"You promised we'd stay best friends!"

That shut him up. My chest heaved from shouting.

Pain flashed across Hyuk's eyes, reflecting my own emotions.

"Why? Why do you do it?" He asked me.

"Do...what?"

"Get in trouble all the time. You weren't like this before. What happened?"

Before...before when we were inseparable. When it was us two.

Scowling, I looked away. "Nothing. I'm just trouble."

"No. You're not. I know you're better than that."

I looked at him, scoffing. "What do you know about me? I've changed, Hyuk."

* * * * * * * *

"Hyuk! Let's get some lunch together!" I raced towards him.

We were in high school now. We were still friends, but we were nowhere near as close as we were before when we were kids.

I panted, trying to regain my breath as I stopped in front of him.

He looked at me, and then back at the people surrounding him. The guy to his left scanned me up and down.

"You know her?"

I smiled, proud that I was his friend. He was popular, despite being a freshman. He even said he was going to try out for the student council. I was sure he would make it.

Hyuk hesitated. "N-nah. I don't."

My smile faltered, and I looked at him confused.

Before I could say anything, he walked away with his new friends, leaving me to stare at his back dejectedly.

* * * * * * * *

"Hyuk!"

I grabbed his wrist before he could turn the corner.

I was fed up with his behaviour. Even since that day he'd stood me up, he'd been ignoring me. He didn't talk to me anymore. He didn't look at me anymore.

"What is wrong with you?!"

"Would you be quiet?!" He glanced around quickly, before dragging me into an empty room.

"What?!" He glared at me.

Then I realised. He was scared he would be seen hanging out with me. He didn't want me dragging down his reputation.

"W-why are you like this?" I asked meekly.

He just looked at me.

"What happened to us two? What happened to marrying me? What happened to you? Where's the old Hyuk?"

I tugged at his jumper, desperate for an answer.

Coldly, he shrugged off my hold. "He's gone."

I refused to believe so. I balled up my fists and slammed them against his chest. "No! He's not! Bring Hyuk back!"

With ease, he grabbed hold of my wrists. His tight hold made me wince.

"Hyera. It's best if you let go of me. I'm not the same person anymore, and you need to realise that. Did you really think we would grow up and get married? We were five back then. Give up, Hyera. I've changed."

Pushing me back, he walked out of the room. That was the last thing he ever said to me.

* * * * * * * *

"I'm sorry, Hyera."

I stood up abruptly, angered by his words. My chair shot out from under me, teetering dangerously on two legs.

"You're sorry? Sorry?! Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to say those words? Two years, Hyuk. Two years!"

"Two again…" He smiled sadly. "I know, Hyera. I made such a stupid decision, and I realised too late. I wish that I had said yes that day. If I had, then none of this would have happened. I wish I'd never let popularity ruin our friendship. It was so so stupid of me. I miss you so much, Hyera. I just wish everything would go back to how they were before."

"But they won't, will they." I spat out.

"No...they won't."

Despite my harsh tone, I missed him just as much as he missed me. I wanted everything to go back to normal just as much as he did.

But we both knew it wasn't going to happen. He was the president of the student council. The best student in the school. I was the person who visited the detention room the most. The worst student in the school.

Not a single soul would have ever thought we were once close friends. So close you'd have thought we were stuck together with glue.

"Maybe they could."

I looked up at him in surprise. "They could?"

"If we try. Hyera, let's give each other another chance."

As much as I wanted to say yes, I didn't want to.

"You're confusing me, Hyuk. Two years ago, you'd flung me away so easily. And now, with a few words, you want to be friends again? What do you really want?"

"Hyera! I know! I know how much I hurt you! And I regret it so much! I only realised that I didn't want to let you go after I did. And only then did I realise...I...I actually love you."

I blinked twice, staring at him incomprehensively. "Gosh, Hyuk! Would you quit messing with me?" I wasn't just annoyed. I was angry.

"I-I'm sorry…" He stood up so he was eye level with me, though I refused to look at him.

"Hye-" He started. "Never mind. Don't worry. I'm sorry, and I hope one day, you'll forgive me. Detention's over. You can go now."

He made his way to the door, leaving me standing alone in the second last row.

"Wait!" I stumbled after him. "I forgive you. It's just, it's a lot to take in at once."

"It's okay."

I sighed. "We can try be friends again. But...your confession...I don't have an answer right now. Let's just take it slowly."

It wasn't much, but it was a start.

"Okay. I'll wait for you." He smiled. The first, genuine one he'd given to me in two years. "No matter how long it takes, I'll be waiting."