The two of them ended up sitting right across each other as they quietly sip on their bubble teas. Haerin wasn’t really planning on staying but it looked like Sehun needed company though he didn’t say. She watched him look at his bubble tea and take small sips at a time.

“So…” She broke the silence that filled the air as Sehun lifted his head and looked at her.

“Are we just going to sit here and drink or?” She asked as she met Sehun’s gaze. She wasn’t sure what his look meant but she felt a pang in her heart when she saw how vulnerable his eyes has become.

“D-do you want to talk about it?” She asked with a cautious voice since the last time she dared to talk to him about something else, he got mad and she still felt guilty about that.

“About what?” Sehun arched a brow.

“Whatever that’s bothering you,” She smiled but he looked down on his drink and took a sip. She knew he was being evasive again, “My mom said that if you’re feeling down, it’s alright to vent it out. It’s healthier telling someone than keeping it to yourself,”

Her words made Sehun to look up at her and this time Haerin was the one looking down as she took a sip on her bubble tea. Somehow he was touched that she was encouraging him to open up. Usually the people who dared to ask him about whatever was bothering him would give up the second he tries to be evasive about it. But Haerin wasn’t like that. She was different. She was willing to listen.

“What makes you think something is bothering me,” Sehun muttered, not allowing himself to break his own walls and let Haerin see his vulnerable side. He just thinks that there’s no need for her to see that part of him. Besides, they’re not even friends.

“You might look cold and glare at everyone but your eyes can’t hide your true feelings. Like they say, it’s the window to your soul,” She spoke nonchalantly as she took another sip from her drink. He blinked twice as he couldn’t believe that she was making sense again. And he…likes it.

“Was she a dancer too?” She asked as Sehun shot her a confused look. Haerin looked up at him and met his gaze, “Youngmin—did she love dancing too?”

Sehun was a bit taken aback for Haerin suddeny asked him about her.

“Y-yeah,” He hesitantly replied, “She used to dance a lot with me. She was my dancing buddy,” He added as he looked at a blank corner and reminded himself of the times when he was happily dancing with Youngmin. The way they moved in sync and how beautiful she looked even though she was sweating so much from all the dancing they did.

“How long were you two together?” She asked again, nonchalantly this time like it wasn’t a very big deal.

“Um, 3 years?”

“You mean you’ve been in a relationship since you were in your freshmen year?” Sehun nodded as he took a sip on his bubble tea, “Wow. No wonder it’s been really hard on you after she…passed.”

And so silence filled the air again. Haerin was being hesitant whether or not to go on because the last thing she wants is to hurt him by trying to bring Youngmin up in the conversation and anger him if she keeps asking too much.

“Listen,” She spoke.

“What?”

“About what I said yesterday…I didn’t really mean to piss you off. I was just trying to comfort you in the way I know. And I meant everything I said, wholeheartedly.” He looked at her in the eyes and she was indeed sincere with her words. Sehun could see through her look and the way she looked back at him. It was something.

“Don’t worry about it. Now that I think of it, I shouldn’t have lashed out on you like that. You weren’t at fault,” He said making Haerin to finally breathe in relief again.

“It’s normal for people like you to lash out,” She shrugged as he arched a brow and gave her a look.

“People like me?”

“Yes. People like you who don’t open up, don’t let out some steam and keeps everything to themselves,” Sehun only gave her a look, “Like I said, keeping everything to yourself isn’t healthy. You’ll keep lashing out on random people at the wrong time and for the wrong reasons if you keep a huge wall around you,”

He hated the fact that she was making so much sense. She’s making more sense now than she was the last night. Somehow Sehun was amused but he didn’t like where this conversation was going because he knew this would end up pretty badly.

“I like it this way.” He bit back.

“You don’t have to like it this way,” She spoke making Sehun look up at her, their gaze met and he could see her look as if she was looking through him, “You don’t need a wall around you. I’m pretty sure there are a lot of people trying to reach out for you but you just won’t let them,”

“Are you a therapist?”

“No. But what I am willing to be is your friend,” Her lips curved into a smile.

“I don’t need friends,” He stubbornly interjected as Haerin sighed and rolled her eyes at him.

“Shut up. Friends are the ones who can help you get by when you’re in distress. You can talk to them when you’re lonely so you don’t lash out on random innocent girls who was only trying to be nice to you,” She grimaced as Sehun scoffed. Their gaze met again and this time Haerin laughed at his reaction.

“I’m not really the friendly kind. I’ll just piss you off and you’ll give up on me like everyone else so why bother?” Sehun said nonchalantly as he sipped on his bubble tea and avoided the look she was giving him.

“The only reason why they give up is because you’re giving them a reason to do so. Why don’t you try being a little friendly?”

“I told you I’m not the friendly kind.”

“Just try. Try eating with someone during lunch and start small conversations. That’s not too much to jump-start a friendship right?” She smiled encouragingly as he sighed and looked away before looking back at her.

“I don’t have anyone else to eat lunch with…” He muttered lowly almost a whisper but Haerin heard it clearly. She chuckled as his lips pressed into a thin line.

“It’s because you keep declining when people offers you to join them for lunch,” She answered.

“Because they’re annoying!”

“Oh please Sehun, what’s not annoying to you?” She gave him a daring looking as he sighed and rolled his eyes, “How about this, let’s eat lunch together tomorrow. Sounds good or sounds very good?” She beamed a hopeful smile as she leaned forward, waiting for his reply.

“Yah, are you always like this?” He arched a brow.

“Always like what?” She furrowed her eyebrows.

“Always straight-forward and talkative. You always smile and you always look happy.”

“Because I am. And you can be happy too…” This time her smile was warm and sincere. She suddenly reached for his hand and lightly held it, “…if you allow yourself.” She beamed another sincere warm smile as their eyes locked together. Sehun was contemplating whether or not to hold her hand too but just when he was about to take action, she removed her hands and chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

“Sorry,” She said and bowed, “Anyway, so…friends?”

He didn’t answer back. She chewed her lower lip and nodded slowly in understanding that maybe he just doesn’t want to be friends. Haerin looked down and silently sipped on her bubble tea, focusing on just finishing her drink so she can leave.

Sehun kept his gaze on her. He looked away, sighed and then looked back at her. He shook his head slowly and then looked down on his drink, “I guess it won’t hurt to try.”

His statement made Haerin to look at him as he nonchalantly sipped his bubble tea. Her eyes twinkled with so much happiness as her lips stretched into a huge smile. She looked at him happily.

“Make sure not to be embarrassing or else,” Sehun threatened as Haerin nodded enthusiastically, “If I get on your last nerve don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’m probably going to at it,”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m really happy we’re friends now!” She exclaimed happily, clapping her hands together as the lady from the counter looked at them. Sehun immediately stopped Haerin by holding her hands between his own and they shared a moment of silence just gazing at each other.

“Yah!” Sehun reprimanded as he pulled his hands back to himself, “I just told you not to be embarrassing,”

“Sorry. I was just excited.”

That afternoon, Sehun and Haerin walked home together. He almost insisted about walking her all the way to her apartment but Haerin said she needed to stop by somewhere so they went separate ways later on.

As Sehun got home, he felt a little light. It’s like a little weight has been lifted off of him. Maybe it was the effect of accepting his friendship with Haerin though he isn’t planning on being all out about it since he knows that he isn’t the friendly kind. Deep inside him he was flattered and overwhelmed with the fact that someone like Haerin befriended him.

Sure people tried and people gave up oh so easily on him but none of them reached out this much. Other than his family, no one like Haerin ever tried to talk to him twice after being cold around her, after expressing his annoyance towards her and even after offending her with his cold thoughtless words. No one he pushed away tried to befriend him except for her.

-

The next morning, Sehun arrived at school and as usual girls were greeting him. He was contemplating whether or not to greet them back, reminding himself of Haerin trying to make him as friendly as possible. Instead of saying a morning greeting back, he just looked at them for a moment and decided to walk ahead. For a second, the girls let their hopes up but ended up getting disappointed becaus