(i)
It's a so-called flower day of the month, or the fundraising team of the student body committees just made it all up to gain more income for the upcoming event.

Sehun sighs, being dragged by his backpack with his so-called best friend, to put the so-called message into the so-called colorful box at the corner of the canteen.

"Fine, damn it." He shrugs off the hand from his body. "Here, happy now?" A slightly crumpled paper being dropped into the hole.

He doesn't know when he wants to clean the grin off Zitao's face with a smack, he probably should've done that for real.

- 

"." 

Sehun's eyes widen as Jinri suddenly bursts into the room while sending daggers that penetrates right into his heart. He can feel his heart is pumping way too fast than the usual as the blood rushes leaving his face pale.

He gulps. "Listen, okay--"

"Fine then, spill." She crosses her arms and Sehun swears the curious stares from his classmates are also making holes on his back.

"Let's talk outside."

An hour or so passes and what Jinri says with a sigh is 'okay i get it now stay away unless you're being serious with this business because man you're playing with an innocent girl's heart and that's not what a gentleman does' which Sehun replies with 'okay i'm sorry i'm sorry tell her i'm sorry on my behalf fine i'll say sorry to her directly too wait how do i do that please type me the message jinri stop glaring at me.'

Eventually, messages are being sent that night and Soojung is still contemplating to trash away the flower when another paragraph of regret and guilt pops on her screen.

The corner of her lips perk up, and the flower is left laying on her night stand.

She looks at the message one last time and rolls her eyes.

'Hello :)'

(ii)
"Where is he?" Jinri huffs, annoyed. "Call him, won't you?"

"Why don't you call him yourself." Soojung states, not interested and having her full attention on the flapping bird on her screen.

Five minutes pass and Jinri is now sleeping on the backseat, leaving the two in an uncomfortable silence. 

Sehun coughs. "I'm sorry about the other day." His palms are sweating and he can predict how Chanyeol would scold him about the sticky steering wheel. 

"I even already forgot about it." Soojung snorts.

He rolls his eyes and snickers. "Oh really. Now someone said to me that you were fuming that day into tears."

Soojung is caught off guard when he lets out a laugh as he points at her crimson cheeks. "It's-- my cheeks have nothing to do with this. Okay. I've been always like this! Ugh, forget it."

He glances side way as his laugh is stiffled down. "You're mad again?"

"Shut up, Sehun."

Soon, the car ride back home is filled with light talks, and even if there's silence somewhile, it is no longer unfomfortable.

And Soojung isn't so surprised to find another message on her screen that night from Sehun.

(iii)

New messages from Choi Jinri (11)
New messages from Huang Zitao (3)
New messages from Oh Sehun (7)
Missed calls from Choi Jinri (23)
Missed calls from Oh Sehun (34)

Soojung bawls her eyes out. The TV is no longer stiffling the sound of her cry.

Jinri is at the door, punching it while begging her to open up.

"Soojung, please." She's almost given up on knocking when a click is being heard.

She's a mess, Jinri must admit. But asides from that, she engulfs her in an embrace and takes her back inside with take-away meals.

"I'm staying the night. Just go home for now." She tells the other line. "Yeah, she's eating well. Told you she would never waste sushi, right, Princess?"

Soojung narrows her puffy eyes to her which she replies with a chuckle. "Who's that?" She mouthes.

"Yeah, yeah. Yes, I will, Sehun. I can hear that, Zitao. You're not allowed to eat my one and only Milka bar." Jinri groans. "I'm hanging up. Bye." She walks to lay her body on the bed and closes her eyes.

"Who was that?" Soojung asks again, nudging her side.

"I thought you already knew." She replies, not opening her eyes. "Wake me up when you're finished eating. You owe me a story."

Soojung snorts and continues nonetheless.

"Anyway, he is pretty concerned about you. Reply his texts, at least." Jinri says again, before finally drifting off to slumber.

Soojung finally touches her phone that day and a laugh escapes her lips when she reads Sehun's stupid messages that go from 'soojung i've heard about it', 'maybe it is better this way', 'i heard somewhere that god has planned it all for us so... ugh forget it' until 'SOOJUNG DONT U GET YOURSELF KILLED' and 'SOOJUNG!!!!!!!!b!!bb!' and 'soojung :"""""""( if you die today i swear he'd live in misery for his whole life'. 

Her tears are all dried and Jinri is far in her dreamland when she dials a number. 

"Sehun? It's me." She chuckles, "I'm all fine now."

(iv)

"Sehun's right there."

"Thanks!" Soojung immediately goes away without missing to take a piece of his french fries.

Zitao scowls but he's too immersed with the game he's been playing to beat up Jinri's score to care, so when Sehun arrives, it's all fine for him to explode in frustration because he has snatched his phone off his hands.

"I'm. Only. A digit. Behind. Jinri. For 's sake, Oh Sehun."

"Where's Soojung?" Sehun asks, not meeting his eyes but his at his fries. "Oh, she's calling. Bye."

Then he leaves, leaving Zitao staring numb at his phone which Sehun just threw to the edge of the table.

"You'll get wrinkles all over your face." Jinri notes, putting down her plate into the table.

And Zitao's phone falls freely.

"Oh."

(v)

Jongin, Soojung's ex, comes into the frame again. 

Sehun has the right to fume, hasn't he? He asks himself when he finds Soojung is taking him back, happily.

"Is she mental or something?" Sehun grumbles, fiddling with his phone to keep Soojung in touch by texting her nonstop.

Jinri and Zitao look at each other every single time Sehun nags that Soojung doesn't reply his message, when barely a minute has passed.

"Then why don't you go after her?" Jinri mumbles, eyes on the screen before she bursts out laughing. "Man, that woman really looks like you!"

"She does not!" Zitao retors back and they fight over the remote.

Sehun falls silent and another message pops on his screen.

'He just said that he's still in love with me!!!!!!!!!!'

(vi)

Years pass, and this particular boy can't seem to love anyone but her.

"You'd end up alone." Chanyeol notes.

Jinri nods. "Learn to love someone else or take her back, Sehun. It's not too late."

And Sehun hasn't fly his eyes up when someone hops into their table, with a box being put perfectly into his vision.

"Guess what." She excitedly asks, hopeful.

Jinri gasps and reaches for the box but Sehun's faster. 

"Congratulation, Soojung." He says, eyes focusing on the glistening ring. Looking up to see the girl he loves for the lifetime smiling even brighter than the sun, he could only smile along into the hug she's giving. 

He pats her back, caresses her hair, and tightens the hug, thinking he probably could no longer do that soon in the future.

"Thanks, Sehun." She pulls back and pecks his cheek. "I love you!"

Sehun glances at their other two friends, and everyone knows.

Maybe, it's kind of late.

(vii) 

Jinri has been busy for the whole month, being responsible as the chief of her own event organizer company for the upcoming event.

Chanyeol lazily lays on the sofa at the corner, earplugs hanging on his both ears.

"Move aside." Zitao comes and rests his tired body. He pulls his phone, "Okay, pictures for the lobby, check, slideshows, check, bouquet... Wait," he blinks and looks at the lifeless boy besides, "it's Sehun's part, right?"

"What." Chanyeol is busy with his phone that Zitao is annoyed enough to smack his head. Chanyeol is seated up straight and whines in pain. "Fine, what is it?"

"The bouquet, it's Sehun's, right? He said he's the one who's taking care of it, right?"

Chanyeol nods. "Yeah," and somehow it rings a bell for them.

"Of course it's Sehun."

They look up to see Jinri, all a mess and tired eyes. She laughs bitterly and falls her limp body in between them. They fall silent for a moment when Jinri chokes a sob.

"Is that friend of yours stupid or something?" Her voice cracks and Zitao is starting to sniffle also. "Why? What's wrong with him? Did you, Yeol, punch him in the face not hard enough that day that he decided to stay at home instead of pick her up at the airport?" She stares up at him. "Because it wasn't him who pick her up. It wasn't Sehun."

Chanyeol doesn't reply, and Zitao's eyes are even redder than before. He tugs her sleeve. "Jinri.."

"Oh, maybe you. Zitao, you sure you make him feel guilty enough when she fell sick and he didn't want to see her because he's afraid that she'd get angry at him?" She shakes his shoulder lightly. "He didn't come, Zitao. He was afraid. He said he made her sick because he granted her ing wish to see the freaking comet at freaking 3 in the morning. But then it started to rain and they were on the rooftop."

She exhales and Zitao can't take it any longer that he leaves for the washroom.

Chanyeol wipes her stained cheeks and another tear that's rolling on her cheek. "Sehun does this for Soojung's sake. He does this for Soojung's own good."

"How could it become Soojung when they're supposed to be together?" Jinri retorts back. "They're meant for each other, Yeol. I knew it since the first time and I don't know how and why everything went like a plot twist. It could only be for Soojung's own good if she's with--"

"Stop crying your eyes out, maam." A voice interrupts her. He's looking straigjt at them flat and like the other day, he's expressionless. 

Zitao comes out and immediately halts to a stop to see another person in the room.

"The bouquet, it'd be here by tomorrow morning." He says, looking back to see Zitao.

"What did you buy?" Zitao asks, more like a whisper.

"White rose." 

Sehun looks away and the other three could only stare at him. 

"Come on." Sehun clears his throat. "Are you guys all done? She's probably already waiting there." His chuckle then comes out so bitter. "You know she's that punctual."

"Sehun." Jinri whispers. "Why are you being like this?"

He doesn't reply.

"Sehun." She calls again and when Sehun doesn't reply again, Chanyeol stands up to give him knuckles. Zitao widens his eyes and Jinri shouts.

"Are you already out of your mind?" Chanyeol glares and pulls him by the collar. "Tell me, you love her, right? You're ing in love with Soojung, right?"

Sehun lowers his gaze, and falls back again to the ground as another punch strikes him on the face.

His nose is bleeding and Jinri rushes up to him. "Chanyeol, stop." She quickly pulls out a tissue. "Here, Sehun--"

"Yeah." Sehun lets out a voice. "Yeah, I do love her. I'm ing in love with her." He holds the tissue to his nose and stands up, staring straight at Chanyeol. "Then, what?"

"Sehun.." Jinri whispers and she swears she's afraid of crying. Zitao helps her to stand up and keeps her with him from getting any closer to them.

"She's getting married, Sehun, if you don't remember that. And you're still asking what?"

Sehun keeps on staring until he breaks the eye contact moment later to walk out of the room. "I'm waiting at the car. Don't take too long."

(vii)

Soojung looks breath taking. 

Her eyes are glistening, her cheeks are crimson, her lips are perfectly in sync with her smile, and she's just that flawless -- much to his liking.

She walks down the aisle with that wedding dress of her, hair loosely falls on her back, and she's radiating warmth in this chilly morning.

Jinri's eyes are red, but she's smiling nonetheless. So is Zitao, who's sitting by the front row with the others. Chanyeol's there too, forcing to let go of Soojung to the man who's been standing in tux before the priest.

And there's Sehun, a light bruise on his left cheek which is so visible under the daylight from the window. He keeps an excuse that he fell from his bike when Soojung gasped in horror the day before.

She's now arrived at the hand of her soon-to-be life partner, and Sehun's eyes twitch at that.

It's not him who holds her hand that day.

Can he at least imagine how wonderful it will be if he's the one standing there?

He'd hold her hand so tight that he doesn't care if her hands get all sweaty like usual and how she would send him glares instead of loving gaze.

He'd smile all along when the priest is stating all the lines of the vow and he'd somewhile glance her way, to witness her beauty every single time he could.

He'd probably already practiced the vow he had to say a month before the day so when the priest is asking him, he'd answer him, loud and clear, so the world knows that the girl besides him is forever his one and only, from that time, through every upside downs they'd be facing, and that he's Oh Soojung's life partner.

He'd promise to be a no longer reckless, ignorant, lazy person and to sell his motorbike because she wants a puppy in the house. They'd discuss the name with tangling feets and hot chocolates with marshmellow in hands. 

He'd work hard and buy her a big house with a rooftop and a big big telescope, just for her liking so they could stargaze everytime the want. And if she'd ever get sick, he'd be the one who will take care of her and won't leave her side even it takes him to skip work.

He'd drive her, in a car, because she has been afraid of falling from motorbikes, to everywhere she wants. He'd take her to work, he'd take her to her parents' house, he'd take her everywhere and he'd be the one who'd pick her back home again.

He'd promise to be everything and to do everything, just to be in Jongin's place, who's staring back at her who has a joyful tear in the corner of her eyes, saying, "I do."

"Jung Soojung,"

No. Soojung, don't.

"Do you take Kim Jongin for your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Maybe it's not too late.

Maybe he still got a chance.

Maybe if he runs there and takes Soojung's hand, they still could be together somehow.

Maybe they could have their wedding some day, and he wouldn't be desperately in love because Soojung loves him back. They'd be happy -- Soojung'd be happy with him.

Sehun feels himself smile, as the others clap their hands at the sight of Soojung nodding while saying, "I do."

And they kiss, and the ring is beautifully shining on her finger, and Jinri is hugging him while crying. Zitao and Chanyeol are there too, congratulating the couple. Sehun secretly wishes they'd smile wholeheartedly instead of putting a forced one. He just hopes Soojung won't realize.

Soojung smiles all along and she walks up to him.

"Congratulation." He smiles and receives the hug she's giving. Tightening the hug, he closes his eyes and cherishes every moment. "Be happy, okay?"

She laughs but not pulling away. "I will."

Somehow, people in the room can see the missing part of the wedding as they see the infamous pair are hugging each other at the corner.

Jinri ignores the whispering around her saying 'i thought she'd end up with him' by laying her head on Chanyeol's shoulder. Zitao comes and lets out a sigh.

"You're coming tonight, right?" She asks, eyes showing hopes. "You're giving the speech."

Sehun looks away and shakes his head. "I'm sorry, I can't."

He swears he doesn't want to see the disappointment that's now showing on her face. "Huh? Why?" She nudges his chest. "But you promised me."

"I know." Sehun sighs. "I'm sorry. Something's coming up."

"What is it?" She pushes. "Is it that important that you had to leave my important day?" She mumbles. "I mean, can't you do it another day? It wouldn't hurt anyway. I'm asking you only this one time. Pretty please, Sehun?"

He chuckles, bitterly. "I've been with you for 8 years in total, and the whole 8 years is filled with me granting your complicated wishes." He looks at her in the eyes. "So will you let me go this one time?"

She pouts and sighs. "But this one compared to the others is just.." She looks at him one last time before nodding. "Fine then. Just don't regret if you can't be with me as much as you want like before because I'd be busy playing wife."

"I'm already regretting things, Soojung." He says. 

Soojung looks up and somehow she looks the hurt in his eyes. But Sehun's fast enough to replace it with his stupid remarks which makes her laugh and think, 'he's okay'.

- 

Sehun stays in his bedroom for the longest time, staring at the bouquet he got earlier.

The same white roses from the same store from 8 years ago, except it is a bouquet now when it was a single flower back then.

He traces the outline and his eyes widen when a paper is seen. He quickly takes it from the bottom of the stalks and a tear streams down his face.

Hi, moron.
Thank you for keeping up with me these past 8 years, although our start wasn't that good. You really played all too well as a best friend, even like a brother or a lover. You've probably got tired of people thinking you were my boyfriend that you're dateless up until now.
So, well, I might love you from the start, and I might still love you up until this day.
Not as a friend, if you're confused, but more than that.
But then I realized, maybe we're not meant to be after all.
I'm happy enough to know that I got someone like you that I can lean on every single time, as a best friend of mine.
I'm looking forward to see the lucky one who can spend the lifetime with you, and our children can play together later, just like us. Can you imagine how cute is that?!? ><

Thank you, Sehun. I love you.

---