“Unnie, how can you be so patient with him?” Soojung huffed after kicking Sehun, literally, out from the cooking club’s room and locked the door so the boy couldn’t bother them anymore.

“Because she’s a nice person, Jung Soojung, unlike you!” they still could hear Sehun’s shout from outside. “You crazy woman!” 

Bomi chuckled, preparing the ingredients they would use to bake a cake. “Because Sehun is cute.”  Soojung stared at Bomi with disbelief after hearing her answer, as if she’s wondering her sanity. “Isn’t he?” Bomi looked up to the younger with a slight smile on her face, tilting her head.

Soojung scrunched up her nose to show her disapprove, but said nothing.

The previous week, Soojung had personally asked for Bomi’s help to teach her how to bake a cake; Bomi’s chocolate cake. The one that coincidentally was the one Sehun liked so much. Bomi didn’t need to ask why Soojung wanted to learn how to make the cake. Sehun would have his first soccer match soon.

They spent the next hour with Bomi watched from the side, instructing Soojung what she should do and made sure Soojung did them right. Meanwhile Soojung never forgot to write down all of Bomi’s instructions.

“Soojungie,” Bomi called in the middle of Soojung’s solemn attempt at spreading the strawberry jam onto the cake. Soojung hummed. Bomi continued, “… You like Sehun, right?”

Soojung frowned deeper and muttered incoherent words, still not looking up to see the older girl.

Bomi grinned. That was enough for her. 

Finally the cake was done and Bomi tasted it first with Soojung looking at her anxiously, waiting for her comment.

“Oh!” Bomi covered after she swallowed. “This… Waah, this is even better than my cake!” she raised a thumb to Soojung, who smiled gingerly. “You’re talented, Soojungie!”

“Unnie, you’re lying,” Soojung’s tensed shoulders relaxed a little with Bomi’s compliment. After getting knew Bomi better, Soojung understood why Sehun liked the girl so much. “Don’t lie.”

“I’m not! Come on, try it!” Bomi feed her a piece of the cake and Soojung opened . “I’m sure Sehun will like it!”

“Why Sehun, it has nothing to do with him,” Soojung shook her head in denial, chewing her cake slowly. A smile started to show up in her face after that. 

They cleaned up everything, Bomi wiping the counter top while Soojung washing the bowls, when Soojung glanced at the older hesitantly. “… Unnie?”

“Hmm?”

“I… heard about you and Kyungsoo Sunbae.”

Bomi didn’t answer immediately, back facing Soojung, still wiping the counter until it’s as clean as before. “… Soojung?”

Soojung straightened her pose, a little bit startled when Bomi suddenly called her. “Y-Yes?”

“Don’t tell Jongin or Sehun about it, okay?”

Her eyes dimmed, but then Soojung went back to the dirty utensils in front of her. “… Okay…”  

***

“Jongin! Junhee-yah! Over here!” Bomi shouted and waved her hand to get her friends’ attention. Jongin found her at once, and he took Junhee’s hand to lead her towards Bomi. The girl scooted over to make some space for them beside her on the bleachers.

“He’s not playing?” Jongin quickly asked to Bomi as he sat, eyes immediately went to the field to search for his friend. He left with Bomi but then he had to pick up Junhee before, so he’s a little bit late into Sehun’s first soccer match.

“No, ugh, what’s the stupid coach doing, substitute number 9 with Sehun already! He’s on the far left,” Bomi grunted before adding, and Jongin saw him. Sehun was watching the game attentively from the side while biting his nails, a bad habit of his that only show up when he’s nervous. And Sehun was rarely nervous.

From afar Jongin could see Soojung came up to him and took his hand, stopping Sehun from biting his nails.

“Where’s Hyung?” Jongin asked again.

“… He’s… busy? You know, he has to study… and stuff.”

There’s something about Bomi’s tone that made Jongin glanced at her, but she looked exactly the same, so Jongin brushed the thought aside and went back to watching the match. Junhee nudged him softly, asking some questions about soccer since she didn’t understand the rules.

Sehun still didn’t play until the first half ended and Bomi was getting restless when the second half started. “Come on! That number 9 is totally ! Change him!” she shouted while standing, gaining attention from the supporters around them. Someone glared at her, probably number 9’s friends. Bomi glared back.

Jongin pulled her arm to make her sat down.

He realized a little too late that it’s probably not a good idea, Bomi’s back to soothe her with Junhee beside him. He cleared his throat and focused back to the game.

Ten minutes into the second half and it’s a tie for both teams. The coach signaled for players’ substitution, and Bomi jumped in her seat because it’s Sehun’s number that the coach flashed. The girl cupped her hands in front of and yelled, “GO SEHUN-AH YOU CAN DO IT!”

Jongin followed suit, shouting, “OH SEHUN, THE BEST!”

They didn’t able to sit calmly after that, immersed in the game, watching every move that Sehun made. Jongin didn’t even have the time to explain what happened to Junhee, why there’s a foul or why there’s a free-kick, why he shouted angrily or why he cheered loudly.

At one point, Sehun managed to make a long shot to the team’s striker, who headed the ball straight into the opponent’s goal.

“WOOAAAAHHHH!!!” the supporters from their school roared, standing up. Bomi and Jongin did, too, and they hugged each other in the moment of excitement. When Bomi let go she didn’t affected by it at all, went back to cheering and shouting Sehun’s name.

Jongin sat down and smiled sheepishly to Junhee, it’s rather unusual for Jongin to be that excited. She smiled back.

The three went down to the field to meet Sehun after the match, who got praises from the couch for his play and a promise to be a fixed player next match. Sehun nodded, bowing gratefully, and Jongin saw him holding a yellow, transparent food container in his left hand. It looked like there’s a chocolate cake inside it.

“You bake him a cake?” Jongin furrowed his eyebrows, didn’t remember Bomi baking a cake the previous day at all. Besides, usually Bomi would give him if she baked anything.

“It’s not me,” Bomi pointed at Soojung’s direction with her chin. Jongin blinked while Bomi giggled. Well, that was unexpected.

“Noona!” Sehun yelled as soon as he saw Bomi, turning to her with a huge grin on his face. “Did you see me before? Did you see when I kick the ball and that hyung made a goal—”

Bomi grinned back, nodding every time, not cutting Sehun’s endless ramble about the things he did, even though she clearly saw everything.

“You’re getting better,” Jongin ruffled Sehun’s wet hair.

“Ha! Of course! Did you see when I—”

“Yes, yes, they saw it, Oh Sehun,” Soojung pulled Sehun from behind by his uniform’s collar. “They have eyes, for God’s sake. Now let’s go and treat me to noodles.”

“What? Why?” Sehun frowned as he looking down to Soojung’s eyes.

“Duh, because I bake you a cake, that’s why.”

“I didn’t even ask you to—Aaaw!” Sehun cried out when Bomi flicked his forehead. “What was that for?” he pouted like a little child, hand immediately flew to his forehead.

“I teach you better than this, Sehun-ah! Now go and treat Soojungie to whatever she wants.”

“See? You should listen to your Noona,” Soojung batted her eyelashes in an exaggerated manner and Sehun scoffed. “Hurry!” she linked her arm with Sehun’s, starting to drag him away, ignoring Sehun’s grunts. “Bye Unnie, bye Oppa, see you on Monday!”

“Have fun!” Bomi waved to the pair. “They’re so cute together! Right?” she turned to Jongin and Junhee, asking for agreement from both of them.

“Are they… dating?” Junhee asked curiously.

“Well… Noooo…t, YET! I’m sure they will! Sehun just needs a little push… okay, a lot, maybe. Anyway, I’m sure you two want to go somewhere too, so I’ll be going first!” and without waiting further confirmation, Bomi walked away from them, waving excitedly until she’s a little bit too far to do so.

Jongin watched until the girl disappeared from his sight. He felt something was different with Bomi, but he just couldn’t say exactly what it was.

Junhee tugged on Jongin’s hand to take his attention. “Is she always like that?”

“… Bomi? Yeah… Since the first time I met her…,” Jongin briefly reminded about his first day at middle school, the first time Bomi called him as Seoul Boy.

“Hmm…,” his girlfriend let out a hum of acknowledgement. “I understand why so many people like her.”

“Mm? What’s that?”

“The boys. They talk about her, they say Bomi is nice, and funny, and since she’s always smiling, they like that. And I think a lot of girls admire her too, they want to be her friends,” Junhee swung their linked fingers lightly as they walked to the main road.

“Really? I don’t know. I’ve never heard anything like that.”

“Because you’re always with her.”

Jongin glanced. That’s probably true.

Suddenly, his eyes caught a familiar figure walked in front of them in a group of other third years, and Jongin called out immediately. “Kyungsoo Hyung!”

Kyungsoo turned his head, and he smiled when he saw him. He talked to his friends, telling them to go ahead without him.

“Hyung, I thought you don’t come, Bomi said you’re busy studying,” Jongin raised his eyebrows in confusion. “So you come with your friends?”

“Ah…,” Kyungsoo’s lips were making a forced smile. “I was studying… but then I had some times… It’s just the two of you today?”

“Sehun is with Soojung, and Bomi went home just now. If you call her, she probably hasn’t reached the station yet. We can go to eat together or something,” Jongin took out his phone, ready to call his best friend, but Kyungsoo stopped him.

“It’s fine, I was about to go home too,” Kyungsoo said. He looked like he was about to say something, but decided not to. In the end, he just patted Jongin’s arm, “Jongin, take care of her, okay?” 

Jongin was confused, but he nodded anyway, letting Kyungsoo went to catch up with his friends.

“Jongin-ah…,” Junhee opened hesitantly after Kyungsoo left and Jongin turned to her. “… I don’t know if it’s true, but… there’s a rumor that Bomi and Kyungsoo Sunbae broke up.”  

***

Jongin should take Junhee home, or at least walked her to the bus station. He should, but he didn’t, he really couldn’t, and he could only peck Junhee’s cheek for her understanding, forgiving Jongin for leaving her behind and stormed to the train station as fast as he could.

Luck was not on his side since his train left five minutes before, and he had to wait another twenty five minutes until the next one. While he leaned back to the brick wall behind him, Jongin tried to remember what happened the previous days, weeks, looking for the signs he might be missed out before. How come he didn’t notice that Bomi broke up with Kyungsoo?

But since Sehun hadn’t say anything – or do anything reckless like punch Kyungsoo on the face, Jongin assumed that the younger also didn’t know. He had a mind to message Sehun, but Sehun would probably run back home, just like him, and leaving his date alone, just like him.

Jongin chose not to.

He stopped by an inconvenience store and grabbed a bucket of ice cream with Bomi’s favorite flavor, and her favorite chips, and her favorite cookies, and her favorite drinks, and her favorite candies – anything that came to Jongin’s mind. He went home and changed his clothes into comfortable ones in a rush, stuffing a pajama into his backpack along with the foods he bought, and he went out again after telling his mother he would stay at Yoon’s place.

Bomi was on her laptop on the desk when Jongin came into her room.

“Jongin? Why are you here?” she looked surprised with his sudden visit.

Jongin didn’t reply, only pouring out the foods he bought into the carpet. He opened the bucket of ice cream and without a word gave the other spoon to Bomi before he dug in himself.

Seconds went by and Jongin still didn’t say anything, kept on shoving the ice cream down his throat. Bomi kept on watching him.

“… Did Soojung tell you?” finally Bomi asked from her seat, quietly.

At this, Jongin felt the burst of anger. “So Soojung knows and I don’t,” he gritted his teeth, the cold from the ice cream bit the inside of his mouth, burning his throat, but Jongin didn’t care.

“Jongin…”

He wanted to stop, but he couldn’t. The words just poured out. “You tell her but you don’t tell me?”

“Listen—”

“Is she your new best friend now? You don’t think of me—Sehun as your best friend anymore? Are you—”

“Why are you mad at me?” Bomi cut him off with a raised tone.

“I’m not mad at you!” Jongin yelled back, and for the first time since he walked in, Jongin looked at her. She looked sad, and angry, and hurt.

And Jongin was stupid.

“… I’m not mad at you…,” Jongin exhaled, pushing his fringe away from his face. “… I’m mad at myself. I should have known. You’re always there for me, and I don’t do the same.”

Bomi slid down and sat in front of Jongin. “… But I’m the one who didn’t tell you.”

“I never tell you anything too,” Jongin snapped, “… yet you always know somehow…,” he added in a whisper, swallowed down.

A silence ensued between them; it’s probably the closest thing they had as a fight over 3 years of their friendship.  

And Bomi was always the one who filled the silence that Jongin created.

“Are these for me?” Bomi took the spoon and started to scoop a spoonful of ice cream into .

“Yes…,” now that Jongin looked at it, he bought too much food. But he wasn’t thinking.

“Okay then, Seoul Boy,” Jongin looked up with the nickname, Bomi was already grinning, “… we will have a drama marathon this night. Shut Up Flower Boy Band sounds good to you?”

***

They stopped watching the drama at 2 in the morning, but not before Jongin promised they would continue watch the rest of the episodes after they woke up – because Bomi hadn’t finished fangirling over Yoo Minkyu, how tall he was and how cute he was and how deep his voice was.

The lights were already turned off and Jongin was already under Bomi’s spare blanket on the floor, but he didn’t close his eyes. He waited until Bomi’s breath got even, but it never happened, so he waited some more.

Until it came.

“… I’m the one who broke it off,” Bomi’s voice was barely above a whisper, but it’s so quiet in the dead of the night that Jongin could hear her clearly. “… Soo Oppa was against it. But he’s going to the university, he needs to focus with his study, and well… He’s going to leave isn’t he?”

“You don’t want to try…?”

He could hear her exhaling. “Honestly, Jongin? … I don’t want to go to university. You know I’m not smart. I would have failed more subjects if it’s not because of you. And…,” Bomi stopped for a while. “… And I’m sure there will be better girls at university, smarter girls, prettier girls… He will forget about me soon.”

Jongin didn’t know what Bomi wanted to hear from him.

“There will be,” Jongin closed his eyes.

“Hm?”

“… Smarter girls, prettier girls… There will be girls like that. But still, there’s only one Yoon Bomi… And I don’t think anyone can ever forget her at all.”

He cleared his throat, feeling the embarrassment of his words just now, so Jongin turned to his side with Bomi’s bed behind his back.

There’s a pause, and then a sniff, before Bomi spoke again. “… Thank you… Jongin.” Bomi’s probably crying, judging by her cracked voice.

“… Anytime, Bomi…”

He wanted to hug her, but he didn’t.

Jongin never told Junhee that sometimes he slept at Bomi’s place.

***

Since it was quite rare for the students from their school to attend the top university at Seoul, Kyungsoo being one of them was wide-known news. He also graduated with flying colors, top ten within their school.

At the end of the school year, Jongin accompanied Bomi to Kyungsoo’s graduation. After giving his bouquet of flower to the boy, Jongin gave them some space to talk and he waited on the side, out of the hearing range. He stole glances to the couple, though.

He couldn’t see Bomi’s face, but her head gradually hang lower and Kyungsoo’s expression looked so broken. In the end he pulled Bomi to his embrace and Bomi’s arms circled around his waist, hugging him tight. From afar Jongin saw Kyungsoo murmured to Bomi’s ear, probably something to calm her down.

He looked away, unable to look at the separation anymore. Instead, he looked up to the winter sky.

If Sehun asked Jongin once again if that’s love, Jongin might change his answer to ‘Yes’.

***

On his last year at high school, Jongin reunited with Taemin, and more importantly, with Bomi. Junhee was in a different class, though – their classes were at the opposite ends. They usually spent lunch together, sometimes just the two of them, sometimes with Bomi, Sehun, Soojung, and Taemin or with Junhee’s friends from her class.

Bomi went back to her old self, cheerful and smiley, but at the same time there’s something different about her and Jongin couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

Maybe because she let her hair grew and let it fell onto her shoulders. Maybe because sometimes Bomi didn’t say anything and just looked outside their class’ window with sorrowful eyes. Maybe because she studied more now, often reading books silently with a serious expression. Anyhow, Jongin thought she looked more mature now.

And now, now Jongin realized that Bomi was indeed popular. Now that everybody knew she’s no longer with Kyungsoo, she got several confessions. Bomi rejected them all.

Jongin wondered if Bomi still loved Kyungsoo. He didn’t ask. Sehun did.

“Do you still think of Kyungsoo Hyung?”

Bomi’s spoon stopped mid-air and she looked up to Sehun. It was very rare for him to talk about Kyungsoo, even after Sehun kind of accepted Bomi’s relationship with him. “… Why do you ask? You miss him?” she continued to eat, opening wide to eat her kimchi.

Sehun scoffed and Jongin nudged his foot lightly under the table. He didn’t know what Sehun wanted to say, but he did know he didn’t want Bomi to think about Kyungsoo and felt sad again.

“As if,” Sehun said. “One of my friends confessed to you? And he was upset because you rejected him, he asked me if you actually have a boyfriend outside the school.”

Bomi chewed her kimchi slowly, nodding along to Sehun’s words without really paying attention.

“And he asked me if you’re dating Taemin Hyung.”

Jongin, Junhee, and Soojung turned their heads to Taemin.

Taemin, who ate his lunch peacefully before, opened his eyes wide, pointing at himself with the chopstick in his hand. “ME?! Why me?” Sehun didn’t answer him, only stared back at Taemin impassively, leaving the boy looking around the table with furrowed eyebrows. Then, suddenly, he clapped his hands in a moment of epiphany. “AAAH! Because of this?” His pointed at Jongin and Junhee, then at Sehun and Soojung, and then at himself and Bomi.

“This,” Sehun pointed at Jongin and Junhee, “Yes. But this,” he pointed at himself and Soojung, who happened to be classmates once again, “ing no. There is no this.”

Soojung faked a smile at Sehun and Sehun made a disgusted face. “Aaaw,” she cooed, “Our Sehunnie is just being shy with this.” And then she rested her head forcefully on Sehun’s shoulder, gripping his arm tight.

“Yah! You! What the—Did you just call me Sehunnie?!” Sehun sputtered, trying to let himself go from Soojung. “And there’s no THIS, god-damnit!”

Bomi grinned at the two, nudging Taemin with her elbow and then pointed at themselves. She wiggled her eyebrows and tried to make it suggestive playfully, making Taemin burst off laughing.

They continued to chat and eat until the lunch break ended.

Jongin thought to himself about how Bomi never answered until the end.

***

“Oooh look at Chanhee, I bet he’s asking Bomi out,” Taemin whistled lowly and Jongin glanced up from his book. It was self-study time, and when Jongin followed Taemin’s gaze to the back of the class, Chanhee was leaning onto Bomi’s desk, talking to the girl.

At first Jongin wanted to argue that they were just talking, but then he saw Chanhee rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Bomi made an apologetic smile as a response of whatever Chanhee asked, and Chanhee laughed awkwardly, waving his hand to gesture it’s okay.

“Is it because she grows her hair?” Jongin looked at Taemin, genuinely curious.

“What?”

“Why the boys suddenly like her.”

“What are you talking about, she’s been on the radar since the first year.”

Jongin tried to remember their first year, before Kyungsoo asked Bomi out. He didn’t recall any boys making moves on his best friend. “But no one confess to her before.”

Taemin chuckled, shaking his head lightly. “Kim Jongin, you’re unbelievable. No one confess because of you, you dumb-head. Everyone thought you two were together. But now that you’re with Junhee, peace has been restored once again,” he said, laughing.

Jongin nodded and returned to his homework.

***

At night, Jongin realized he heard it several times over the years.

“Are you sure you two are just friends? You two are always together.”

“I always see you with her.”

“Because you’re always with her.”

“Everyone thought you two were together.”

Jongin closed his eyes and went to sleep.

***

Their teachers had given them the forms for their future plans.

Jongin found himself stared at lot at his own form, thinking of filling it with his dream dance academy in Seoul only to stared at it some more. He still didn’t know what Bomi would do after they graduate.

Jongin found himself started to look for various academies, both in Seoul or just around the town.

And he started to look for two cheap apartments in Seoul.

***

It was the night before they had to hand their form back.

Jongin, once again, stared at his form before he went to Bomi’s house, not bothering to take anything because he knew he still had his pajama and toothbrush there.

She was sitting on the carpet, only glanced briefly when Jongin came in into her room. In front of Bomi was her form and Jongin saw that it’s still empty. Jongin sat in front of her and put his own form between them, as blank as Bomi’s.

They were quiet for a while, before Bomi took a deep breath and looked at Jongin in the eyes.

“Let’s go to Seoul.”

Jongin had a fleeting wonder about the reason, but he said nothing.

“I already search for some academies,” Bomi continued, taking out another paper full of lists, “I’m thinking maybe a bakery and pastry academy? Or I can work at a bakery, this one accepted inexperienced worker and they even have a baking class. And…” Bomi grew hesitant, but Jongin nodded, encouraging her to continue,  “… I also look for apartments…”

Jongin felt his heart clenched at the confession.

Bomi looked at Jongin, unsure, but Jongin just took out a folded paper from his pocket. He opened it and showed it to Bomi; his own list of academies and apartments.

Her eyes widened at the list before she looked back to Jongin, eyes twinkling and smile wide.

They compared their list after that, between the prices and the facilities and the areas and the distances to Jongin’s academy or Bomi’s bakery. When their forms were already filled, they looked at each other again; there’s still one more thing that they should do.

“… I’ll talk to him,” Bomi finally said, and Jongin could only nod.

Sehun would probably punch him if he’s the one who did that.

***

“You want to go to Seoul,” Jongin leaned back to the wall behind him, thinking of how this scene was painfully familiar to him, overhearing Bomi’s and Sehun’s conversation. “You want to go to Seoul, with Jongin,” Sehun repeated, lower and bitter.

Jongin saw Sehun went to Bomi’s house earlier, and he followed not too long after, just wanting to make sure Sehun didn’t say any hurtful words to Bomi.

“You know I always want to go to Seoul,” Bomi said.

“You do realize that I’m not a kid anymore?” Sehun raised his tone and Jongin’s heartbeat picked up. “Do you think you can fool me again? Yoon Bomi, are you even thinking?”

“… What is that supposed to mean?”

A scoffed. “This is not about you, isn’t it? This is about Kim, ing, Jongin.”

“Sehun-ah!”  

“Ever since he came, it’s always about him! He’s cool, I get it, you choose K because of him, it’s fine! But then why Do Kyungsoo—,” there’s a short intake of breath from Sehun and Jongin prayed the boy could hold himself back. “… This is Seoul, Bomi! It’s not an hour train ride away! You can’t just—You don’t come home every day, and then what about me! … No, never mind about me, what about you?! I wish you—Just stop, stop and think about yourself!”

“Sehun, what are you talking about?” Bomi was yelling, too. “I don’t know why you’re talking about Jongin? I know that you’re upset but I’m not leaving you, not like that! And I do think about myse—!”

Jongin straightened his pose with the abrupt end of Bomi's words.

He quickly left after that, not wanting to confirm his thought about what happened.

Once again, Jongin pretended he didn’t hear Bomi’s and Sehun’s conversation.

Once again, Jongin pretended he didn’t know.

At age 18, Jongin realized he’s an even bigger selfish guy than when he’s 14.

10/05 I’ll explain about Sehun (and Jongin, and Bomi, and everyone else) at the end of this story, I swear. Meanwhile, feel free to figure him out. I made a mistake with their ages, please ignore it. And the ages in the trailer too -__-

Thank you so much for reading!