The wedding was lavish. It was held in the largest banquet hall in one of Seoul’s prestigious hotel.  Many guests came including the baseball team whom Shi Won’s father trained, the prosecutors from Yoon Jae’s office and those who were working with Tae Woong hyung.  (Yoon Jae’s brother was competing as South Korea’s president). Many influential and higher class people came as well for the sake of Tae Woong hyung.

Shi Won was beautiful when she walked down the aisle with her father. Her long flowing wedding dress swept across the floor as she walked gracefully. Shi Won was a lively person and she moved agilely. It almost took Joon Hee by surprise that she could walk so elegantly. Joon Hee could discern the happiness in Yoon Jae’s eyes. He watched Yoon Jae and Shi Won saying their wedding vows. He watched Yoon Jae slipped the wedding ring onto Shi Won’s finger. He watched Yoon Jae kissed Shi Won as the attending guests cheered for the newly-wed couple. Soon, they proceeded to the wedding dinner and it was time for Joon Hee to give his best man speech. The guests applauded him when he stood in front of the standing microphone at the stage. He cleared his throat a few times before starting.

“I am not good at these, so I’m sorry if this bores you.”Shi Won shook her head with a big smile. Yoon Jae’s mouth twitched into a grateful smile.

“I grew up with Yoon Jae and Shi Won. There was not a day in life that they aren’t squabbling or quarreling.”Joon Hee dramatically sighed.

Everyone laughed indicating agreement with Joon Hee’s words. Everyone who knew both Yoon Jae and Shi Won are aware of the fact that Yoon Jae and Shi Won practically screamed at each other’s heads off with every chance they had. Although it was peculiar, it was perceived as their way of communicating.

“They were constantly beating each other up and yelling each other’s head out. Shi Won was always teasing Yoon Jae for being afraid of reptiles and Yoon Jae always made fun of Shi Won’s idols and calling them ‘monkeys’. I am sure we all know who is Shi Won’s ‘oppa’.”

“Tony An!”The crowd chorused and Shi Won blushed.

“Despite that, they were still best friends. Best friends that were there for each other.  People said it’s the best thing to fall in love with your best friend.” Joon Hee paused, taking a breath. He ignored the pain of his heart that was tearing apart. “They love each other and the love they shared cross the boundaries of childhood friends and siblings. Yoon Jae may be the brightest student in school with an IQ of 200 but he was painfully dense when it comes to love. It was so obvious that he was in love with Shi Won but he was constantly in denial. And as for Shi Won, she claimed to be an expert in love but was equally oblivious when it comes to the real deal. She was helpless when the realization hit her.”

“There was a time when something happened and separated Yoon Jae and Shi Won.” Yoon Jae, Shi Won and Tae Woong hyung smiled in retrospect of the memory. It wasn’t a good memory but one that was worth remembering. “It was a time when Yoon Jae tried hard to avoid Shi Won. They hadn’t talked for years. All of us were worried but not me. Somehow, deep within me, I knew that it would work for them. They would be reunited and they would have their happy ending just like any couple in love deserve to.”

“After everything they’ve been through, I’m glad that they are finally together. Yoon Jae, Shi Won, in this world occupied by billions of people, it is not easy to find someone who truly loves you and whom you love back. I hope you will love and cherish each other.”

“Shi Won ah, Yoon Jae may not say this much but he loves you so much. He is a good man and he will take care of you very well, I’m very sure of that. You are a lucky girl. Make full use of your luck.”

Last but not least, I wish you both much happiness and joy as you go forward and begin your official lives as a married couple. Congratulations!”The crowd applauded for the great speech. Shi Won came forward and gave Joon Hee a hug.  Yoon Jae looked at Joon Hee with deep gratitude and pulled him in for a tight embrace.

“Thank you so much.”He whispered in Joon Hee’s ears. Joon Hee nodded as he tried his very best to hold back his tears.

**

Dong Woo heard the sound of someone fuddling with the keys at the front door. He waited and saw Joon Hee swayed his ways into the house. His face was red and he was reek of alcohol.

“Hey, Dong Woo!”Joon Hee waved and nearly tripped but luckily Dong Woo managed to catch hold of him before he fell flat on the floor.

“I’m so happy today, Dong Woo! I’m so happy!”Joon Hee giggled as Dong Woo helped him into his room and onto his bed.

“Joon Hee…”

“I’m so happy that my two best friends are getting married. I’m…so….happy…”Joon Hee’s voice began to crack and he started to sob.

“It’s so painful… It’s so painful. I cannot breathe. Why I love him? Why?”Dong Woo’s grip tightened around Joon Hee as he remained silent.

“I am so stupid. I don’t even stand a chance. I’m not even a girl. How do I even compete with her?”

“You don’t need to compete with anyone, Joon Hee. You are special. You don’t need to be anyone else.”Dong Woo comforted him.

“I am an idiot.” Joon Hee cried bitterly in Dong Woo’s arms. Dong Woo rubbed his back up and down.

**

Dong Woo watched Joon Hee who fell asleep after exhausted from the crying. He gently brushed his fringe aside, being careful not to wake him up. Joon Hee’s eyebags were prominent and his chiseled cheekbones were signs of him losing weight. Dong Woo pondered how much sleep had he been losing these few days. It broke Dong Woo’s heart to see Joon Hee so shattered.

Dong Woo hasn’t known Joon Hee for the longest time but he saw that Joon Hee was always holding back. He was always smiling but Dong Woo knew exactly when he was really smiling and when he was not. He realized that Joon Hee was always mentally distancing himself from everyone. He did not understand why Joon Hee was closing himself from everyone else. But he finally knew the exact reason when he saw Joon Hee’s gaze at Yoon Jae when Yoon Jae and Shi Won visited him. 

Joon Hee got his heart broken. He was hurt. He wanted to protect himself. He bottled his emotions within, not letting any of them to surface. He built up walls that were so high around his heart, not allowing himself to give his heart away.

Dong Woo wondered whether Joon Hee ever got tired of suppressing his own emotions. Dong Woo was an expressive person and he never bothered to hide his emotions. His mother always told him to cry if he needed to because they are human and they have the right to express their emotions.

Joon Hee was the first person that he encountered that buried his feelings so much. Dong Woo felt sore to see him such way. He vowed to make Joon Hee to open up himself. He wanted to break the walls around Joon Hee’s heart. He wanted Joon Hee to be human once again and not a cold walking zombie. He felt a great sense of overprotectiveness towards the boy. Dong Woo had no idea when he fell in love but he knew he was falling hard and fast for the lonely boy.

**

Joon Hee never asked what happened when he was drunk and Dong Woo never told him to spare him the embarrassment and awkwardness between them. The next day, Joon Hee was back to his own cheerful façade. Seeing Joon Hee like this made Dong Woo was even more determined to remove the mask that Joon Hee was putting on.  

Joon Hee never spoke of Yoon Jae and Shi Won anymore. Joon Hee pretended but Dong Woo could see right through his disguise. He was not healing. He was still broken and this time, he couldn’t be bothered to fix himself. People said time could heal wounds but what if time did not heal? Dong Woo thought it was time he did something about it.

Tuesday was Joon Hee’s turn to do the household chores. As usual, he did the dishes and took out the trash. Dong Woo waited until he was done. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest. The prospect of confessing to Joon Hee made his lips dry and palms sweating. “Joon Hee?”Dong Woo called out when Joon Hee returned to the house.  

“Yes?”Joon Hee answered. Dong Woo swallowed his saliva. It was nerve-wrecking to execute what he had planned to do and it did not help that he had to look at Joon Hee’s handsome face to do it.

“Let’s have a few beers.”Dong Woo decided to use the alcohol influence to get through his plan. There was no way he was going to do this sober.

“Are we celebrating for something?”Joon Hee asked curiously.

“Nope. I just feel like having them. Besides, we have no duty tomorrow.”Dong Woo lied. Joon Hee was convinced by Dong Woo’s lie. “Okay.”Joon Hee took out a dozen beers that they had just bought during the last grocery shopping from the refrigerator. With beers in their hands, they talked about weathers and funny incidents in the hospital during their shifts. Both of them weren’t the best alcoholic drinkers and it didn’t take many cans of beers before they are drunk.

Dong Woo looked at Joon Hee whose both cheeks were red. Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol that pushed Dong Woo to inch closer to Joon Hee and cupped his face. Joon Hee froze at their vicinity.

“When I first met you, I think you are cute. You still are.”Dong Woo brushed his cheeks with his thumb. Joon Hee blushed.

“Dong Woo, you are drunk.”

“Perhaps I’m drunk. I don’t think I’m able to do this if I’m sober.”Dong Woo said truthfully.

“Dong Woo...”

“Joon Hee, you think that you are good at pretending and hiding but you are not. I can see through your masks. You are always smiling but you are not happy. Beneath the smiling face, there is a broken heart inside.”

Joon Hee gazed at Dong Woo and saw his own reflection in Dong Woo’s black orbs. Who exactly is Dong Woo? How could he see him so thoroughly?

“You build walls around your heart and push everyone away because you are scared. You are scared that they will hurt you. You feared that they will snap you once you let them into your heart. You are hurt because you let Yoon Jae inside your heart and he left you broken in pieces and you are still hurting. You don’t know how to fix yourself because you are broken beyond repair.”

Joon Hee was appalled, unable to utter a word because Dong Woo was right.

“Every time when you act as if you don’t need anyone in this world, I want to hug you tight and tell you that I’m here for you. Every time I look into your eyes, I can see the loneliness in them. They were beautiful but empty.”

 “Joon Hee, you are not alone. I’m here for you. I’ll always be here for you.”

“Dong…Dong Woo…”Joon Hee stuttered.                           

“I know you are afraid to love again. But I am not Yoon Jae. I won’t break your heart. Stop building walls around your heart. Let me in. Let me take care of you. Let me protect you.”

Dong Woo leaned in and give the corner of Joon Hee’s mouth a light peck. “Joon Hee, I love you. Please open up your heart to me.”

Joon Hee panicked. He wasn’t expecting any of these to happen. He did not know how to respond to the sudden confession. He didn’t know that Dong Woo was into guys like him. He pushed Dong Woo away and stood up.

“It’s late and you…you are drunk. I think…I think it’s better that we go to bed. Good night.”Joon Hee stammered and ran into his room.

Dong Woo let his head fell back onto the couch behind him, sighing. What was he even thinking? Joon Hee was still hurt and he wouldn’t just let Dong Woo waltzed into his heart just like that. But Dong Woo had no regrets. At least he managed to tell him how he truly felt about him. Now, he just needed to work hard to break the walls surrounding his heart, and stitched Joon Hee back into whole again.

**

Dong Woo woke up when his alarm clock rang. When he flashed back what happened, he sighed deeply. He could expect what was about to happen when he sees Joon Hee later on. He knew that Joon Hee was already awake because he could smell something cooking in the kitchen. Knowing that avoidance would not improve the situation, he got up from his bed and went to the kitchen. Joon Hee stood with his back facing him cooking porridge. Joon Hee turned around to take something and when he saw Dong Woo, he looked away. When he served the porridge, Joon Hee avoided his gaze. Dong Woo expected it to happen. He did not say anything. He sat down at the table and ate his porridge quietly. Joon Hee made himself busy, cleaning the kitchen appliances that did not require cleaning.  It was clear that he was edgy around him and trying to keep himself occupied to alleviate the awkwardness between them.

“I’m not taking back what I said yesterday.”Dong Woo broke the silence.

Joon Hee stopped polishing the induction cooker.

“I mean every word I said yesterday.”

“…”

“You can ignore it or act as if nothing happened but I’m not doing that. I’ll prove my words.”After throwing his words at Joon Hee, he got up and headed back into his room.

Joon Hee sighed, rubbing his temple as he felt a headache coming to him. Every word that Dong Woo spoke last night was true. It was true that he was hurt. He didn’t know how to fix himself because he was broken beyond repair. But it didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to let anyone in anyway, why should he be bothered to fix it?

Dong Woo’s confession was something totally unforeseen. Dong Woo was a great friend. Joon Hee has always thought Dong Woo knew him but he never expected he understood him so well. He seen through his every demeanor and fathomed the reasons behind it. But for Dong Woo to fall in love with him? It sounded so…impossible.

Joon Hee knew he appealed to the females. The excited screams of his name and applause he received from the females whenever he went for a round of dance in the nightclubs was the best proof. But he didn’t know he appealed to the males too especially guys like Dong Woo. They were so…different. Dong Woo was bright blue skies and warm sunshine while Joon Hee was gloomy skies and heavy rain.

Joon Hee did not want to hurt Dong Woo. He was a broken person. How could a broken person love anyone?

**

The tension between them was so thick in the air that everyone in the hospital sensed it but no one said anything. Dong Woo and Joon Hee had always been easy going people. If they were fighting, it meant something huge had happened and it was out of their means to try to mend it. The hostility went on for days until one day an unfortunate incident occurred and changed Joon Hee’s life forever.