33.

Jaemi ran out of the school and looked around her surroundings. Her mind was so dizzy she could hardly analyse what was going on for the past five minutes.

Her tears and sweat were mixed together.

She ran down the pavement, looking far at the roadside.

Jaemi saw a group of people crowding round a vehicle and the scene was cordoned off.

She immediately squeezed through the crowd. She couldn’t see anything. But the scene already horrified her. The scene was filled with blood splattered on the ground. The car was flipped and the bicycle was broken.

She gasped and covered preventing herself from screaming.

The tears trickled down even more and she scanned for the ambulance with her blurred vision.

The paramedics hopped on the ambulance before they closed the door and Jaemi immediately chased after the ambulance.

“Chanyeol! Chanyeol!” she shouted while chasing after the ambulance.

Seeing it didn't go too far, she quickly hopped on a taxi and followed the ambulance to the hospital.

-

She rushed into the hospital, looking for Chanyeol.

A familiar voice caught her attention.

“Doctor, please!”

“I’m sorry, I have already done my best.”

“You can! Just help me once more! Please I beg you!”

“I’m really sorry, even the best doctor can’t even help you.”

Chanyeol finally let go of the doctor’s hand and sighed, closing his eyes.

Jaemi looked at Chanyeol. He was on a wheelchair, his forehead had a plaster and he had a cut on his cheek.

“Chanyeol..” Jaemi whispered and hugged him. “Chanyeol!” she cried. “I thought you were dead! I thought I would never see you again. If you were dead, I don’t even know what I am going to do without you!”

Chanyeol hugged. “I’m.. fine..” His eyes travelled to his legs. “But..”

“When there is a will, there is a way! Don’t give up! I love you, I will always love you. Please don’t give up,” she whispered.

Chanyeol blinked in surprise and sighed. “It’s useless. The doctor said even the best doctor can’t even help me.”

“Chanyeol.. as long as you’re alive, you still have hope. Plus, you have me. I’ll help you along the way. Okay?”

Chanyeol blinked once more. “Jaemi.. what are you talking about?”

“You can do therapy and –“

“Jaemi! What are you talking about?”

“Your legs..”

“My legs are fine! I asked the doctor to extend the one day MC to one week MC so I don’t have to go to school, but he said even the best doctor can’t help me because my injury isn’t serious,” he explained.

Jaemi dried her tears but soon broke into tears again. “You scared me! I thought.. I thought you were crippled!”

Chanyeol smiled and ran a hand through her hair. “Silly girl.”

Jaemi smiled and wiped her tears. “They said you were in a car accident. How come you seem unscathed?”

“What do you mean by unscathed! I got a cut! On my cheek! How am I going to show my face?” He pouted. “And the plaster on my head! It hurts!”

She smiled. “Can you please explain what happened to you?”

“I was riding my bicycle behind a man and he was the one who got into a car accident. Fortunately I swerved my bicycle at the right time, but unfortunately injured my head and face when I fell to the ground.”

Jaemi heaved a sigh of relief. “So that bicycle at the scene, wasn’t yours?”

He shook his head.

Jaemi heaved another sigh of relief, but quickly punched him lightly in the arm. “You really scared me to death!”

Chanyeol cracked a smile and rubbed his neck sheepishly, before teasing her one more round.

A shadow loomed over them and they slowly looked up as their eyes widened in shock.

Jaemi stood up. “Baekhyun..”

“Jaemi, you lied to me.”

“I.. I'm sorry, Baekhyun”

“Chanyeol, I concede defeat,” Baekhyun said.

Both of their eyes rounded in surprise. “What?” they said in unison.

“I give up. I lost.”

“I lost for being so insensitive, decisive. I lost because I wasn’t Jaemi’s cup of tea. Love isn’t about pressurizing. You can’t force love. I can’t force love.” He looked at Jaemi with sad eyes. “I can't force Jaemi to love me,”  he said sadly. “I don't want any of us to be in pain, and I don't even want to lose my one and only best friend.”

He cleared his throat and looked down at Chanyeol. “Jaemi’s yours now,” he said.

Baekhyun bit his lip. “I hope you two will be happy together. And Chanyeol, please treat Jaemi well,” he said, looking down at Chanyeol and he smiled.

He turned to Jaemi. “Jaemi, I’m always there for you. If you want me, I'm always yours.”

She smiled and hugged Baekhyun then closed her eyes. “Thank you for being so understanding, Baekhyun. You’re a really good friend.”

“But, I have a request.” He broke the hug. “Chanyeol, can I meet Jaemi, too? I promise, I won’t break you up,” he said and Chanyeol smiled, nodding.

He hugged Jaemi once more and patted her shoulder before shoving his hands into the pocket. “I, got to go.”

“Baekhyun!” Chanyeol called out. “We’re still buddies, right?”

Baekhyun smiled. “Of course.”

-

He walked back to the dormitory alone. He sunk into the bed and let out a deep sigh. “What’s the point of loving someone that doesn’t love you? What’s the point of loving a girl who loves another man? What’s the point of the trying so hard when her heart isn’t with you? What’s the point of fighting so hard when the girl you love, concerns another person the most?” He asked.

He saw how Jaemi panicked, cried, was at the state of loss. He saw how Jaemi was so afraid of losing Chanyeol. He saw how Jaemi was so concerned about Chanyeol. Jaemi can never show as much concern as Chanyeol to Baekhyun, because in her heart, is only Chanyeol, his best friend.

Baekhyun was eavesdropping on their conversation as he coincidentally met them at the hallway.

They both sat down at a bench and Jaemi sighed. “You see, Baekhyun is being really adamant. No matter how much I say, he just won’t listen.”

Baekhyun frowned and quirked his lips. “Was I really like this?”

Eunmi nodded. “That I can understand..” She tapped her chin. “Have you not have any feelings towards Baekhyun before?”

Baekhyun placed his hands on the pillar, trying to peer closer.

Jaemi looked down at her shoes. “Baekhyun, is really nice and caring.”

He smiled.

“But, he never gave me the chance to do something. He always plan, and had everything arranged for me. So I never needed to make a decision. I didn't feel any excitement with him but I felt warmth and security. Maybe beause he is like a brother. I guess that’s why, I don’t harbour any feelings towards him.”

Baekhyun’s hands slipped away from the pillar and his shoulders slumped. He gulped and looked at Jaemi.

“On the other hand Chanyeol makes me feel comfortable and relaxed even though at times he is unpredictable.” She smiled.

Eunmi looked at her grin and shook her head. “Aigoo, our Jaemi is in love~” she cooed.

“Plus I never gave her the chance to do something she likes. I guess I really don’t know her well. Why let her be tortured and pressurized by me when I can just let go and move on after a few months,” he murmured and weakly smiled. “By doing so, all of us will be happy.”

Those few months with Jaemi was pure happiness to Baekhyun. He never had liked a girl so much.

When he first lay his eyes on the clumsy girl that bumped into him on the first day of school. He found her cute.

He thought it was fate when he saw those blue shoelaces twice in a day, and was in the debates team together with her. That was when he was determined to be her friend.

He slowly in love with her. Because of her kindness, her innocence, and her friendliess. And his love for her was put to the test. He thought he went through a lot with her, but it was nothing compared to Chanyeol and Jaemi. They spent almost every day with each other. Though it was mainly bickering, but it turned out for the better.

He then found out, love isn’t about possessing, but selflessly giving, hoping the other half will be happy, and he will be happy too.

Sadly, he could only watch the girl he loves to be happy, only without him, but another guy. He shall secretly, protect that girl, even though their relationship will only just be friends. Best friends. But, he is already contented.

He pulled the covers over him and slept. A tear trickling down his cheek.

-----