“Silly girl….. Why the rush? We have forever to do so.”

I raised my head to see his smile, the same one I fell in love with on the first day we met at the traffic cross junction.

My forever ended (or paused, maybe) shortly after.

Right before holidays started. While I was deciding a destination for a short vacation with Se Hun as an end-of-examination celebration.

It went like this.

Café Bene

“Weren’t you very excited to finally try the couple sundae? And now you’re burying your head in that travel book.” Se Hun poked my shoulder in an attempt to gain my attention.

“Aish, this is our first trip together; of course I should plan it carefully! Plus, we finally pulled through examinations; this is to celebrate the end of it too.” I grinned widely.

“You’re talking like you actually studied for them……” His mutter did not escape my ears.

I pouted unhappily and was thinking hard for a rebuttal when Jong Hyun entered the café with Jin Ri.

“Annyeong! What a coincidence!” I greeted them in a hearty mood.

Following Valentine’s Day, Jin Ri rarely appeared anymore, and whenever we bumped into her, she’d be with Jong Hyun.
As a woman, my sentiments tells me that there must be something going on between Jong Hyun and her, which means she has no interests towards Se Hun, which means she is not a rival, which means I can be friends with her without having my guard up now!

Plus, if she gets together with Jong Hyun, I can tick (18) off my checklist, which is to have a couple date! Se Kyung doesn’t want to have a boyfriend in high school, so I thought (18) would have to wait a long time to come true.
In short, Jin Ri getting together with Jong Hyun would bring me a lot of joy, I thought gleefully in my heart, without knowing what is coming up for me.

I wriggled my brows at Se Hun while thinking of ways to match-make the two potential lovebirds walking towards us, but realized he looked concerned.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

That was when I realized both of them looked slightly weird – Jin Ri looked upset while Jong Hyun looked…. Nervous?

“Se Hun oppa…. Do you remember the watch that I mentioned to you? The one that my late grandmother gave me……”

He nodded, urging her to go on.

“I placed it in my bag because it wasn’t allowed in the exam hall, but when I left, it wasn’t there anymore…..” She said, choking on her words.

“Did you check with the lost and found counter? I retrieved my wallet there when I lost it! Maybe someone picked it up.” I quickly consoled her.

She looked at me begrudgingly, “Sun Hee, you mentioned before, that you really liked it, right?”

I suddenly realized where this was going and tried to keep my cool, “What, are you trying to imply?”

“Sun… Sun Hee, I also saw, saw you hovering around Jin Ri’s bag when you left early…..” Jong Hyun added softly.

“KIM, JONG, HYUN. Try repeating that.” I didn’t want to make a scene in Se Hun’s work place, but the last thing I can stand is someone maligning me.

“Jong Hyun, don’t say what you’re not sure of.” Se Hun sounded stern for the first time.

Choi Jin Ri couldn’t stand to see Se Hun leaning towards my side and dashed out of the café when Jong Hyun continued, “I didn’t…”

Se Hun dazed for a while and said, “I’ll be back” before chasing after the Actress of The Year.

I death-stared Jong Hyun while he tried to avoid my eyes, “Why the hell are you doing this to me?” After I treated him as a friend? After I thought of so many ways for him woo Jin Ri? After I day-dreamed about the 4 of us having double dates together?

“I’m sorry….. I really…..” He said while keeping his head lowered.

“I don’t have the time for insincere apologies and meaningless conversations.” I said before dashing out of the café.

When I found them, Jin Ri was seated on a public chair while Se Hun stood beside her with his hand on her shoulder, lightly patting on it as a form of consolation.

At least I didn’t find them in a tight embrace. Calm down. Don’t say anything foolish. I braced myself before going forward.

“I didn’t take it.” Those were the first words that came to my mind.

“Can I…. check your bag?” Jin Ri asked timidly.

“WHAT FOR?” This woman is ridiculous.

She trembled slightly after I shouted, looking extremely alike a vulnerable kitten. If I wasn’t the one being framed, I would have fell for that too.

“Sun Hee ah, I know you didn’t do it, so why not just let Jin Ri take a look? Then she can rest her mind too….” Se Hun’s voice softened.

“REST HER MIND? Then what about mine?! I said I didn’t take it. That bast*rd is lying and this b*tch is act-”

“Sun Hee, watch your language.” Se Hun interrupted me before I could go on.

I glared at him before stomping off-
but stopped a few feet away.

I must be hopelessly in love with Se Hun, because even when Jong In accused me, I ignored him for 2 whole days, causing him to be extremely cautious with any accusations ever since then.

But now, I swallowed my pride and walked back towards him,

“I apologize for my language. But I didn’t take it. I just need to know one thing. Do you believe me or not?”

Se Hun looked slightly surprised at my return, but looked at Jong Hyun who just reached us and hesitated before saying, “I believe there’s a misunderstanding. For now, will you just let them look-”

I already knew his answer and before he could finish his sentence, I ped my bag and held it upside down, flinging it like a mad woman.

The contents of my bag dropped all over the floor while I shouted, “HERE! YOU WANT TO SEE THIS RIGHT? Do you see it? Do you believe me now? Do you see-?” I stopped my incoherent shouting when I saw a white watch drop from my bag.

I immediately turned to face Se Hun, afraid of what he might think.

“I didn’t…… Se Hun, will you believe me?” I almost sounded like I was begging him.

As long as his answer is ‘yes’ I can bear everything that comes after.

As long as his answer is ‘yes’ I can forget the whole incident and tolerate this whole framing.

As long as his answer is ‘yes’ I can act like this never happened.

But his answer wasn’t.

His answer was “I know there must be a misunderstanding……” What he said after, I don’t know, because I wasn’t listening anymore.

I bent over to start picking my belongings. It felt like I was trying to pick up the pathetic remains of my pride.

Se Hun also bent over, but before he could help, I said coldly, “Don’t touch my things.”

“Sun Hee ah…..” He sounded hurt. But what was he hurt by? How is he the one to feel hurt?

My hands stopped at the last item on the floor, which is my notebook consisting of my self-made Couple Checklist.

I stood without picking it up and realized all 3 of them were looking at me - with glee, with guilt, and with dejection respectively.

“I’ll leave everything that doesn’t belong to me, here. Including everyone present.” I said before sprinting off to hail a cab.

I could hear footsteps chasing after me, but I didn’t slow down the slightest bit.

I don’t know what I was trying to avoid or who I was trying to escape.

I only knew if I didn’t run fast enough, my facade will crumble, and I will break down.