The light was quite dim but you can still see many people gather around in the ballroom. People’s wear any kind of dress and suit chattering with a glass of wine in their hand. The bride and groom are mingling in between their colleagues.

 

Seo hyun walks in the room quietly, wearing those blue dress that show off her perfect body curve, with her wavy hair and simple make up, she truly looks like a goddess.

 

She's late for her high school friend's wedding, she knows. But what can she do when her client ask for a job revision in weekend. She isn't a girl with no responsibility, she never be one of it. She is always an upright girl, a stubborn one people always said, a determined and competitive one. She hate it when she do something wrong, she hate it when she lose.

 

She is perfectionist that way, or that was what she thinks she is.

 

She walked to the left side of ballroom to meet Yuri and Hyoyoeon, her bestfriend since high school.

 

"Hi," said seohyun.

 

"Oh, seohyun ah, come here. We were just talking about you."

 

"About me?"

 

"Ne, we thought you won't come." Hyoyeon answered.

 

"I already said I will come, won't I?"

 

"Seeing how hard we convince you to come from last week, of course we really thought your job is just a reason you make to not coming. Really seo hyun ah, we don't get it why you don't wanna come in the first place, this is shin hye's wedding, our high school friend. Is it because of him?"

 

Suddenly Yuri nudged Hyoyeon and glared "don't bring the topic" at her.

 

Seohyun knows who they are talking about.

 

It's him, Jung Yong Hwa.

 

By then the MC are start to ask the guest to toast for the happy bride and groom. Seohyun take a glass of wine from the waitress that pass by her and give a sigh.

 

She remembers clearly of what happen in high school like it was happen yesterday.

 

 

She was always a class president in high school. She is hardworking and full of responsibility. Her mark is always something she can be proud of, she always get a high rank since elementary school.  Their high school is one of those school, that put the student in one class base on rank and she is in the best rank class.

 

He was her competitor. He is Jung Yong Hwa. They always compete in everything. Unlike her, he is an easy going person, he is witty and funny. People adore him, by his choding-ness and handsome face. Many girls will swoon over him by just seeing his snuggle tooth and cheek bursting when he smile.

 

But she hates him.

 

She hates his guts, she hate it when he doesn't need to study to earn the best ranking.

 

She hates it because she always loses to him, even without his concern to win over her. She hate it because he always gets everyone attention, that makes the class become noisy by their chat and laughter and makes her can't concentrate to study.

 

 

There is one time in her first high school year, when exam is almost coming, and their math teacher is sick so he asked them to study by themselves in class. Instead of study, the students run, play and chat. As a class president, she tried to tell the class to study as the teacher asked.

 

But there he is, Jung Yong Hwa, the center of attention is trying to show his magic skill using some play card, making the class noisy by their laughter.

 

"Come on, seohyun. Let’s just have some fun. You can't see the real world in those books. You need to experience it."

 

That's what he always said to her whenever her upright stubborn personality strikes.

 

She ignored him and started to open her math book to study. That time he succeeded his changing card magic, the class start to uproar and cheers at him. She can't describe how annoyed she feels at that time, closing her book she walks out of the class with an angry face.

 

She hates his outgoing personality.

 

 

But what makes her hate him more is because he was always a considerate person to her, he is nice and always find a way to help her when she needed helped.

 

 

One day, the teacher ask one of her classmate, Yuri, to bring pile of books to his office after school and because of her late part time job, Yuri ask her for help.

 

She always loves to help people so she agreed almost immediately.

 

Besides, it is an easy task to do.

 

But she doesn't know that there is so many book that she must carry alone, since her other classmates are already come back home, she can't ask for help.

 

She almost can't see the floor. Her hand felt numb already by the heavy books in her hand. Teacher’s office is in the first floor and her class is in 3rd floor.

 

She almost fell in the stair. By then, she felt a pair of hand in her waist, preventing her to fall. When she was steady enough to stand, she saw Yong hwa taking all the books from her hand and start to grumble. Angry with her as to why she was agrees to help Yuri when it is not her duty to do so and how can she ever think to bring those heavy books alone.

 

"I'm the class president, so it is one of my duty too actually," she reason. "And why are you still here? I saw you left the class already."

 

"I did left, but then I realized there is something I left behind, so I came back."

 

"And what is it? Did you already take it? Should we go back to class to take it?"

 

"No. I got that already."

 

"What is it?" she frowned.

 

"It's you," he mumbled softly, not loud, so she can’t hear it.

 

"Ne?"

 

He just shrugged his shoulder and continued walking down the stairs leaving her confused.

 

She hate it when he is nice and then leave her confuse.

 

 

It was her second year of high school when Shin hye move to their school. As a class president, Seohyun accompany her touring the whole school at lunch break. They passing through the school yard, a couple of student playing basketball there.

 

And there he is, Jung Yong Hwa, enthusiastically playing, full of sweat.

 

Seohyun hate sweat, but at that time, she just can't take her eyes away from him.

 

Shin hye poke her and ask her his name. Clearly, she can't hide her amusement to him.

 

"He is so handsome and hot. Is he already has a girlfriend?" she asked.

 

"I don't know."

 

"He is a great catch, you know. I hope he was still single."

 

What Shinhye said make her dumbfounded.

 

The truth is she never interest in that kind of thing so she never paid any attention, until the moment Shinhye ask her that, she felt something stir in her stomach.

 

But she thinks she must be eating too much at lunch earlier.

 

 

When P.E class has started, the instructor divided the student into group. Boys play soccer and girls play basketball. Seohyun and Yuri are in one team, while Shin hye on the other.

 

Sweat drenched on their forehead, concentrating on the game. Seohyun received the ball from Yuri and start to dribble the ball to the ring. One of the other team are fat and a little bit clumsy try to snatch the ball from her, but she end up stumbling on her own feet and fall on Seohyun.

 

 In a blink of an eye, Seohyun fall beneath that fat girl and hit the cold floor in the forehead. Everything become blurry, she felt a pair of hand took her then she start to lose her consciousness.

 

 

When she was awake, everything was white, she realized she is in the infirmary room. Yuri is sitting beside her and holding her hand. She felt pain in her forehead and realize there is a bandage in it.

 

"What happen?"

 

"Mi yong fall on you and then you faint. Are you okay?"

 

"I'm fine."

 

"The class turns to chaos when you faint. Mi Yong was crying because she feels guilty."

 

"It was just an accident. Ehm.. How I end up in infirmary?"

 

"Yonghwa took you here. When he knows you fainted, he looks so worried and immediately took you here. He scolded Mi Yong for her clumsiness. That was the first time I saw him like that."

 

Seohyun frowned. So it was his hand.

 

"Why should he get angry at Mi Yong?"

 

"I don't know. But you should thank him later. I think I will go back to class, I should change to my uniform first. Are you really okay?"

 

"Yes, thanks."

 

 

After Yuri left, she try to stand but Yonghwa's hand stop her.

 

"What are you trying to do? You should rest more" He frowned.

 

"Why are you here?"

 

"Are you okay?"

 

"Of course, now can you please excuse me? I want to come back to class."

 

"No. You should rest here."

 

"Look at me yonghwa, I'm fine." She tried to stand up again but a sting of pain coming from her feet. Yonghwa take her hand and help her to sit in the bed.

 

"Must we argue in everything, Seo Hyun? Let's save energy and just for once listen to what I said, okay? You hit your head and twist your ankle. You can't go anywhere, not until the nurse allowed you too."

 

There is this gentle feeling in the way he speaks but there is a bit hint of command in his words make Seohyun don't want to argue anymore. Besides, it is for her owns good.

 

"I know you would act like this, that's why I'm coming here to see you. Don't be too stubborn,  Seo Joo Hyun. You're not made of steel. Now, rest! The class can still running without the class president, you know."

 

Seohyun sigh and pout.

 

For a while there is some comfortable silent until Seohyun start to speak.

 

"I heard you took me here.. Thank you."

 

"So you knew?" She saw him smiling wide showing his snuggle tooth.

 

"Yuri told me. Sorry for troubling you, I'm a bit heavy."

 

He chuckled. "Yes, you are."

 

She gasped. Oh, it's so embarrassing.

 

Now he's laughing out loud. "You are cute. And no Hyun, you aren't heavy at all."

 

If the curtain doesn't close the window right now and the sun can fill the room with enough light, Seo joo Hyun believe Jung Yong Hwa can see her cheeks turns red when she blushed.

 

 

With her bubbly personality, Shinhye can make the whole class her friends in short of time. She was beautiful, funny and very honest girl, she can say whatever in her mind out loud and doesn't feel embarrassed at all.

 

One afternoon at lunch break, Shinhye sit in front of her seat and said something strange.

 

"Seohyun ah, are you and Yonghwa are secretly dating?"

 

"What are you talking about?"

 

"I can tell that there is something between both of you. Like the way you guys keep bickering over small things, and in his gaze whenever he saw you. And the way he was so concern when you faint that day. I'm confidence that even right now I can feel he is secretly gazing at you from her seat."

 

Seohyun glanced at him who standing in the corner of the window and chatting with his friends. For a split second their eyes met, but she immediately turns away back to Shinhye.

 

It must be just a coincidence, right? That was when I saw him, he saw me too.

 

People tend to realize if there is somebody who's staring at them.

 

I can't be that dense, right?

 

"I don't understand what are you talking about shinhye-ah. We are not even that close. If happen we always bickering and coincidentally doing things together, that was nothing more than obligation because I'm the class president and he is the vice class president whose having very different personality that makes us always arguing."

 

"Are you sure there is nothing going on between you two? You know that I like him, right? You don't mind if I tell him?"

 

And there she goes again, those butterflies in her stomach.

 

"Definitely."

 

"Thank you, Seohyun-ah"

 

 

After Shinhye blunt confession to Seohyun about her liking Yonghwa, Shinhye being boldly to chase after him. She cheers him when he played basketball whenever he played. It's not like there are no other girls who cheers on him because there is so many of them, but Shinhye's affection is more than just a fangirl. She likes him, she shows it in every action she did, boldly, and Yong hwa seems doesn't mind at all.

 

They become closer, as Seohyun often see her and Yonghwa eat lunch, walk in the corridor together, laughing, joking to one another. Rumors start to spread that Shinhye and Yonghwa is an item.

 

 

When the school hour is finished,  Seohyun found Yonghwa lean in front of the door waiting for her. She try to avoid him and walk pass through the door but Yonghwa's hand and feet are blocking the exit.

 

"Excuse me." She said.

 

"Let's talk."

 

"I want to go home."

 

"We need to talk."

 

"I don't think there's something we should talk about. If this is about the school festival next month, we will talk about it in our class meeting tomorrow."

 

"Why are you avoiding me?"

 

"I'm not."

 

"Yes, you are."

 

"No, I'm not."

 

"So why did you always find excuses whenever I try to talk to you? Or when we met at the hallway, you always act like I'm invisible."

 

"It's just your feeling."

 

"Seo Joo Hyun."

 

Oh how she hates when he call her with her full name.

 

Actually ever since Seohyun heard the rumor, she is indeed start to avoiding him. Whenever he tried to talk to her, she will find any excuse to avoid him. She doesn't know why she did that, but just seeing them together makes her feel uneasy.

 

She hates how he can make her feels that way.

 

"What do you want exactly, Jung Yong Hwa?"

 

"I want to know why are you avoiding me?"

 

"I..I.. I just don't want to interrupt your lovey dovey act, so I.."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Well, everyone already know that you and Shinhye are dating, so it's fine to act such a lovey dovey couple but this is high school and I want to study here, not seeing both of you act lovey dovey." He smirked.

 

"So.. you are jealous.."

 

"What? No.. It's just that I don't want to see any PDA act when I want to concentrate to study."

 

"I'm not dating with her. We are just close friend."

 

"You don't have to explain it to me."

 

"But you misunderstood my relationship with her."

 

Why he think that she will believe all his explanation when she saw how they act around each others with her own eyes? 

 

She became irritated and annoyed by Yonghwa's explanation and raised her voice.

 

"It's not my business.  And why would you care anyway of what I've been thinking?"  She's mad, but she doesn't know why.

 

She just doesn't want to hear more about their relationship even though she felt a bit relieve knowing that Yonghwa's said they are just close friend.

 

 

"Because, I love you."

 

"Eh? Don't joke with me, Yonghwa. "

 

"I'm not joking. I mean it. At first I just see you as a girl who really was ambitious and arrogant. But after I know you, I know you are not like what I think before. You are very responsible, caring and hard worker, that's why you always want to achieve what best because you always try the best. And I don't know since when I start to fall for you."

 

"I..I.."

 

This is not the first time someone confessed to her but every time that happen, she can always say no immediately to them but this time.

 

"I don't know, Yonghwa."

 

"I'm not rushing you to answer me. I know you are not ready yet for having a relationship but I want you to at least consider it."

 

She is speechless.

 

Being in a relationship is never be her focus, She never fall in love, she doesn't even know what is love.

 

"Shinhye likes you, like really really likes you. I think you should be with her instead of me. She will treat you better. I don't even know what it feels of liking someone, I don't think I deserve your feeling."

 

"Is this the way u rejecting me? If you think I will back off just because you reject me once, I'm not going to love you in the first place, Hyun. I won't force you to like me now but just don't ignore me, okay?"

 

 

A week after his confession, Seohyun still doesn't understand her own feeling. She tried not to ignore Yonghwa but whenever their eyes met, she always roll her eyes. It's not like she avoid him completely, she just doesn't want to have any eye contact with him even though Yonghwa treat her indifferently.

 

 

 

She was waiting for the bus when his senior Cho Kyuhyun called her name. "Ah Sunbae, what is it?"

 

"You use this bus to go home?"

 

She nodded.

 

"Me, too."

 

"You use this bus too? But why I just seeing you here today sunbaenim?"

 

"Just call me oppa. My family just move, so it's nearer with this bus."

 

Just then the bus arrived and they sit side by side and talk until they didn't realize that the bus has arrived to their destination. Talking to kyuhyun is different,  there's this little awkwardness at first but it change easily to comfort, maybe because he gives her some warm feelings like a brother.

 

But the butterfly isn't there when she talk to him nor the fluttering in her heart.

 

Since then, Kyuhyun always fetch her to go to school and waiting for her to go home after school. She doesn't mind of course, they just coincidentally live in the same neighborhood.

 

 

Shinhye talked to her some day, ask her if she likes Kyuhyun or Yonghwa more. She just averts their topic hoping that Shinhye won't insist her to answer it. But every effort become failure attemp, Shinhye's determination is no joke.

 

"Both are my friend, I can't tell which one is more than the other." That will always be her answer whenever Shinhye ask.

 

"If I tell you that Yonghwa and I are dating, what will you say?"

 

Was he lie when he said he and shin hye are just friend? What about his confession to me earlier?

 

Was it his other lie?

 

"A.. Are you?"

 

"Not yet, but I'm planning to confess to him today after school. And this time, after we got so close as a friend, I have confidence he will say yes. Would you help me?"

 

She felt something strange again in her heart. But instead of tears and cry and hurt, she is mad. She felt cheated and being used.

 

How can he say he loves me, but always spent time with Shinhye and say that they are just close friend? If he doesn't give her hope or sign that he like her, how come Shinhye can be that confidence that he will accept her confession?

 

She is mad, and now she knows why.

 

She was always in denial of hating him when the fact is otherwise.

 

She is jealous.

 

She is in love with him.

 

Is his feeling is true?

 

She wants to ask him but her pride won't allow her.

 

So when Yonghwa ask her to talk in the rooftop at lunch break if she and Kyuhyun are dating because he always saw them come and go to school together and if she had feelings for Kyuhyun, she got mad.

 

How dare him, when he is the one that act so close with other woman even when he said that he loves her.

 

How dare him, when he is the one who gives her a false hope when she thought he is sincere to her but give another woman this kind of hope too.

 

It didn't help at all that Shinhye ask her help to confess to Yonghwa, the guy that she loved too. Should she be selfish or give up her own feeling.

 

This feelings is new to her, she doesn't know what to do.

 

She is furious and for the first time she lose her calm.

 

"It's none of your business. He is a good sunbae."

 

"Do you have any feelings for him?"

 

She stands there still silent.

 

"Answer me Seo Joo Hyun, do you or do you not?"

 

"Of course I have."

 

He is my neighbor, my senior.

 

"Dammit, Seo Joo Hyun. So you love him?"

 

He rakes his hair in frustration.

 

I love you.

 

Seo Joo Hyun never selfish, she is not born to be one. So it is hard for her to be honest to her own feeling when she knows someone will be hurt if she does.

 

"Please, Yonghwa. Don't waste your time anymore. We are never meant to be together." it is hard for her to pretending that she's okay when the tear was threatening to fall from the corner of her eyes.

 

"No way. I love you, and this is not gonna change anything, I don't care whether you love me back or not. This is my own feelings."

 

"There is someone who loves you so much, you don't have to do this."

 

"Do you want me to be with that someone instead?"

 

She hesitate for a while and answer.

 

"Yes."

 

Her voice stuttering but he can hear it clearly.

 

"You lie. You are not good at lying, so people can see it clearly if you lie or not. All the things you said to me now is a big lie. I know you don't love Kyuhyun sunbaenim, and you don't want me to be with someone else, too. You love me, I can feel it."

 

She gaped. "I'm not lying."

 

"You lie again."

 

"No, I'm not."

 

"So that's really what you want? Me, with another girl, and you with Kyuhyun?"

 

He raises his voice in frustration, angry with her dishonesty and stubbornness.

 

She is shock, she never saw him raise his voice like that before. He is always the playful and friendly one.

 

"Yes"

 

"Fine. If you want me to be with another girl, I will follow what you want"

 

He left.

 

When she doesn't heard his footsteps and convince that he already left, she let out all the tears. And for the first time she knows that she will regret her own decision.

 

 

 

As her thought wander around back to the past, Seohyun saw the bride and groom now walking side by side mingling in the crowd. They look happy, smiling and laughing, receiving bless and congratulatory from their close friend and family. The affection by the groom is obvious by the way his hand linger in her waist all the time, not wanting to let go the bride even for a second. At that time, Shinhye's looks shining, not only her wedding dress.

 

If only..

 

TBC.

 

 

 

A.N: So this story just contain 2 chapter. But i guess I will add an epilogue. I just cut it here so it won't be too long and make you bored. Tomorrow I will add chapter 2. I hope you like it..leave your comment and upvote or even subscribes if you don'y mind. I upload it in a rush, I'm not even finish making the poster. haha..let's see if i will make the poster for this one..

Thank you for reading..