25

Chanyeol and Jaemi were walking back into the school when all of a sudden, Xiumin appeared in front of them.

“Hello, Jaemi.” He smiled.

Jaemi blinked and she smiled. “Hi. Xiumin.”

Xiumin bit his lip and looked at the both of them. He pointed a finger at the both of them and raised an eyebrow. “Are you, a couple, or something?” he asked.

Chanyeol and Jaemi looked at each other and quickly shook their heads. “Of course not!”

He raised an eyebrow once more. “You guys aren’t dating? That’s great. For all my life I have finally decided what I want. From this moment onwards, I will only want Park Jaemi in my life, and in my heart.” He smiled.

Both of them blinked.

“So from now onwards.” He grabbed Jaemi’s abruptly wrist and pulled her to his side, wrapping his arm around her waist. “I will start courting you back. I will never dump you again, I want you back,” he whispered into her ear, but loud enough for Chanyeol to hear and both of their eyes widened in surprise.

She quickly pushed him away and frowned.

“When was I ever yours?”

“When was she even yours?!”

Both of them asked in unison.

Xiumin smirked. “Don’t you remember the days in America? We went to school together, we walked back home together, we practically did everything together. You even stayed in my house overnight. Just the both of us,” he explained.

Chanyeol’s eyes rounded in shock and Jaemi blinked. “That doesn’t mean we were an item,” she said, frowning.

Xiumin approached her, but she took a step back and he sighed. “I know you’re angry with me that I just suddenly left you alone in America, but I promise you, we can be together again. I won’t leave you again,” he whispered and Jaemi gawked. She had no idea what Xiumin was talking about.

She looked at Chanyeol, who had the appalled and confused look on his face. “Chanyeol, it’s not that you think it is,” she explained, assuring him.

“Why are you explaining to him? It’s our personal matter, and outsiders are not allowed to in,” he said.

“Xiumin, I think you really misunderstood. In America, I only treated you as a brother, a really good friend and never a boyfriend. I never had feelings for you," she clarified and glanced at Chanyeol. "Chanyeol, let’s go,” she quickly said and dragged him away.

“What just happened?” Chanyeol asked, looking at Jaemi and she looked back at him. “I met him in America last year and he was really nice to me. Well he was speaking the truth, I indeed went to his house for a sleepover, went to school with him and went back home with him too.” She shrugged. “But I swear I had no feelings for him at all, and when he suddenly left the school well of course I was mad and spammed with messages and calls because suddenly my ‘brother’ went missing, of course I would be worried, right? Apart from that, I think he’s in his own delusional world. I had no idea I made him think we were an item and stuff,” she murmured, blinking.

Chanyeol nodded. “O-kay but, why are you actually explaining this to me?” he asked. Jaemi blinked. *Oh right. Why did I?*

Chanyeol stifled a laugh. “Is it because you have fallen for me?” he cooed and Jaemi bit her lip, then quickly said. “Of course not! I just want to, clarify your doubts and, I need to go back to the dorm now, so bye.” She rushed off, leaving Chanyeol blinking.

Once Chanyeol turned the key into the key hole and the door clicked open, he was immediately pinned down on the ground by Baekhyun. “Yah! Yah! Yah! Byun Baekhyun I’m not a thief! Let me go!” he screamed.

Baekhyun growled and pinned him harder with just an arm. “Say, are you dating Jaemi?” he hissed.

Chanyeol understood what was going on and he rolled his eyes. “You met Saera?”

“Speak!”

“Alright alright! But you need to let go of me! You're suffocating me,” he said, gasping and coughing. Baekhyun let go of him and both of them stood up.

Chanyeol dusted his shirt and smiled. “We’re just kidding. We staged that up to make Saera give up,” he explained. “Saera likes me,” he whispered and shuddered together with Baekhyun.” Well that’s reasonable enough to use Jaemi,” Baekhyun murmured.

“What do you mean by use? She willingly helped me,” he corrected. He looked at Baekhyun. “Why are you so nervous just now? You.. like Jaemi?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Baekhyun laughed and waved it away. “Of .. Of course not,” he stuttered. Chanyeol bit his lip and laughed. “Look! You’re stuttering! Of course you have feelings for her! It’s quite obvious, you know.”

Baekhyun scratched his back of his neck and leaned closer. “Is it really that obvious?”

Chanyeol gulped. He quickly forced a smile and laughed, then slung an arm around his shoulder. “Of course, not,” he replied. “Well I’m the closest to you, obviously I can see it apart from others. But hey, are you serious in her?”

Jaemi pulled the drawer out, and inside the compartment was a notebook and the necklace, with the card beside it.

She took out the necklace and softly smiled.

She remembered how they met, at the entrance of the school and at that time Chanyeol was like a jerk to her.

But now, after going through so many things with him she can’t help but admit that she really developed feelings for him.

But then again, she was afraid. She knew Chanyeol was a flirt. She knew Chanyeol can be professional and at times be playful, she knew Chanyeol wouldn’t joke about girls and relationships for more than a week.

But she didn’t know if Chanyeol would feel the same way.

She sighed, frowning and closed her eyes, lying down on her bed.

She raised the necklace up and then slowly cracked a smile again.

“I wonder what Chanyeol is doing right now,” she whispered, unconsciously thinking about Park Chanyeol again.

“When do you think I should confess?” Baekhyun asked, pestering Chanyeol and he groaned. “Anytime.”

“What about today then!” he exclaimed and Chanyeol looked at him, blinking. He gulped and scratched his cheek. “I guess that’s fine..”

Jaemi looked out of the window, and she could see the entrance to the school. Then, her lips slowly curved upwards and she grinned, her cheeks flushing red.

She remembered how Chanyeol just pecked her lips at the school gate when it was two in the morning.

She looked at the bed that she was on now, remembering how she fell onto the bed, Chanyeol hovering above her and her cheeks went crazily red.

She looked at the floor and she closed her eyes, burying her face into her palms.

That was the spot, where there was a blackout, and how Chanyeol kissed her in the dark. They could only feel their presence, their breath on each other and how their lips perfectly pressed against each other.

She stood up on her feet and grinned quickly running out of her dormitory.

Chanyeol felt scared. He didn’t know what to do with Baekhyun.

What if Jaemi accepts Baekhyun? What will he do?

What if Jaemi rejects him and tells him that she only likes Chanyeol?

Jaemi ran, clutching the necklace close to her chest and she couldn’t get that goofy grin off her face as she increased her speed.

Then, she came to an abrupt stop. She looked and smiled. “Chan-“

“Jaemi,” he said and grinned.

Jaemi smiled politely at him and waved. “Hey, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun gulped nervously and scratched his head. Jaemi looked around. “Baekhyun, is there an urgent matter? Because I’m in a rush now-“

“Give me three minutes, let’s sit down at one corner, alright?” he asked and she nodded.

Baekhyun took in a deep breath. “Jaemi, remember this place? This is the place where I first talked to you, and also the place where I started having a liking for you,” he said.

Jaemi blinked in surprise. “W-what?”

Baekhyun grabbed both of her hands, looking into her eyes affectionately. “I didn’t know what happened. It just, struck me. How you consoled me, how you cared for me even though we’re just schoolmates made me feel connected to you. Not everyone can be as caring and nice like you, Jaemi. And that was how I realized I like you. I like you a lot. And I was glad that I was in debates with you, spending more time with you, seeing you every day made me look forward towards every single day. How you treat me, it’s more than just friends,” he whispered.

Jaemi blinked. "Isn't that what friends are for..?"

Then, he wrapped his arms around her neck and embraced her into a hug. "I can feel it. I know, it's more than just friends."

Finally, Baekhyun did it. The feelings that were kept in his heart was finally unleashed and he could say he felt so free now.

Jaemi blinked in surprise. "Eh? Uhm.." She slowly placed her hand on his back, patting him.

She didn’t know what to do. Hug him back? Smile?

Baekhyun closed his eyes and smiled. “Can we give it a try? Please?” he whispered into her ear, still holding onto her tightly and she bit her lip, hesitating. “I.. I.. I don’t know,” she whispered, confused.

“I believe time can show us the results.”

Jaemi gulped and quickly pushed him away. “Sorry Baekhyun, but, I treat you as my best friend. A really good friend of mine,” she clarified and bowed. “I’m sorry-“

“Let me prove it to you. Give us time, you will know that I’ll be the right one,” he said confidently and she sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I don’t know, Baekhyun. I’m confused,” she whispered.

Baekhyun smiled and hugged her again. “You don’t have to do anything. Even if you have no feelings for me, we can still be together. You don’t need to do anything, just leave everything to me. I’ll just prove it to you, we can be together, alright?” he whispered, burying his face into her hair and she bit her lip.

"I take your silence as a yes, alright?" he said, breaking the hug and Jaemi could see the goofy grin on his face.

She couldn’t just reject him straight in the face when he’s all smiles. "I guess so.." she murmured.

“Let’s go to Everland next week, I’ll remind you by then, see you!” he said then hugged her once more and walked away happily.

Jaemi blinked. She didn’t know what was going on, everything was happening so fast and she didn’t have enough time to think clearly. "O-oh, okay."

She finally snapped out of her thoughts and realized what she was supposed to do initially. She ran towards Chanyeol’s dormitory, knocking on the door, but there was no answer.

“Chanyeol! Chanyeol!” Jaemi shouted.

Then, she realized. So what?

So what if Chanyeol is in the dorm?

So what if Chanyeol feels the same way as her?

How is she going to tell him when a minute ago Baekhyun just confessed to her?

Chanyeol is never going to be with her if Baekhyun likes her.

She stopped knocking on the door and looked down at her feet. She slowly pried open her hand, seeing the necklace and she closed her eyes.

She walked away disappointedly, slipping the necklace into her pocket.

Chanyeol leaned against the door. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes.