It was funny to Hyebin how blind people were. How blind she had been to have not realized the girl sitting right across from her knew everything, and how blind that girl’s boyfriend was. Yes, she was having some quality time with Jisoo, who came by the cafe. Hyebin began working part time during their breaks- not for the paycheck that was not very needed, but for the prevention of wasting time wondering about Junhoe and his whereabouts. He was spending time with the iKON boys, as well as Jisoo and the girls. However, Hyebin knew it was dangerous to let her heart wander. She had said that sentence at the YG building, before slapping a hand over . She was lucky Junhoe had stumbled as she said it, and could not hear her words clearly. Yes, he was blind.

    “It’s been a while. I hope you didn’t avoid me out of embarrassment,” Jisoo said as she took a sip from her peppermint tea. The spring was starting to awaken, and it was a relief in between their transition from second to third year. Hyebin meekly smiled, taking a forkful of lemon meringue pie. It was a break time from her shift, and seeing Jisoo at these parts of Gangnam was a rare and oddly welcoming sight, especially because Junhoe was spending most of his time in the other side.

    “I’m sorry unnie, I was taking time to think about my actions. I must have been out of line.” Jisoo gave her a funny look, before shaking her head. She truly was a gorgeous girl, and Hyebin could understand wholeheartedly why Junhoe was infatuated with her.

    “Actually, I came to talk to you about that. I’m sorry too- you didn’t do anything wrong. Loving someone isn’t a sin, and I know you did not try even once to purposely take him away from me. And for that, I’m so grateful.” Jisoo stirred in a sugar cube with a tiny spoon, and Hyebin felt herself begin to squirm. Was that true? What had her motives been by revealing to Junhoe, the first person in all of the Academies of Seoul, to know her brother was a famous composer in one of the big three entertainment companies? Part of her knew it was almost a desperate move to want him to realize she was going great lengths to give him help, but part of her wanted to believe it was out of helping him pursue his dream.

    “Gomawo unnie. It’s been. . . hard. There were times when I really wanted to, but you’re too nice for me to do that so effortlessly,” Hyebin admitted, and she was half afraid the girl would slap her or turn aggressive, but instead her words were met by a gentle laughter.

    “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Did you know I was once like that? I had a bad break up, and my own ex was dating a girl and I always tried to sabotage their relationship. Junhoe taught me to let go, and maybe I love him for that.” The story pricked at Hyebin’s heart. This was where he had gotten the emotion in his rendition of Wedding Dress that day. He was singing to Jisoo, who he had watched go through a dark time from a guy who only broke her.

    “I don’t know how you’re so understanding about this situation. If I were in your spot, I think I would have been really angry.” It made sense to Hyebin, who had next to no experience dating. She dated Jung Chanwoo so long ago, almost three years ago, and even then she remembered how upset she was when she found him being too close to another girl despite not quite being in love with him. Perhaps it was just the title of being his girlfriend that made her hurt, but she could not even imagine how her emotions would have been if she truly had felt something for the said boy.

    “I knew you gave up a lot for Junhoe in the past few years. You could have dated, but you stayed true to your feelings, like he and I had. And I know that must , because jjincha, he’s one of the most ignorant boys I have ever met.” Jisoo had a small laughter, as if recalling memories of his disappointingly thickheaded moments. “And besides, we both know he does rely on you too. I’d be nothing but a wrecking ball in his life to have taken you away from him.” There was a hint of something in her voice, perhaps a bitterness. Maybe Hyebin was something like a thorn in her side, for always being Junhoe’s friend. “That time his dad came and told him to not be a musician, I know it really hurt him. And I have to admit, I got worried for the longest time that he never told me himself, because Jinhwan had instead. But then I found out he talked to you about it.”

    Blind. Junhoe was utterly blind. Not just for ignoring her own emotions, the longing glances, or the efforts she pushed through to make him smile, but for Jisoo, who had just wanted to be there for him all the time. There was such obvious pain in the girl, but Junhoe did not even realize it.

    “Have you ever told him?” Jisoo shook her head, her eyes finally breaking the strong wall, and a soulful sadness was there.

    “He got so into music these days. He’s so busy composing, dancing, singing, and I feel like I’m second to him now. I know you aren’t the person to talk about not being the most important to him about, but I feel so useless. If I try to spend time with him, he’s going to give up time for his dream, and I can’t do that to him either.” A tear trailed down her cheek, and Hyebin immediately grabbed a napkin, handing it off to her friend. It was her fault. She had lead him to YG Entertainment, had gotten him to be on YG’s radar, and had gotten him the praise of the two people he had sought recognition from the most. While they had not said they would take him directly, she knew that there was a good chance he would be an employee there someway or another.

    “Hang in there, because you know he loves you. He needs music in his life, yes, but you make him happy too. He just wants to have a future in music and he’s working on it, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t see you in his future.” At least he does see you in his future, Hyebin silently added as she patted the older girl’s shoulder in a comforting manner. It was something that clicked in her mind as she had asked him on the bus ride back from YG, when she asked him about his future in music. He had said he wanted to be a composer, maybe become a CEO of a company himself or own a dance school, as well as settle down along the way and marry a special girl.

    “Jjincha? I just hate being a nuisance to him and I feel like I can’t do anything for him right now, and that I’m only a hassle.” Jisoo finally controlled herself, but there was a damage done in the atmosphere. Hyebin sighed, holding her friend’s hand on the table. Jisoo was like a sister, and she held her friendship with the girl as dearly as Youjung and Soorim’s companionship.

    “I mean it. Now go to the bathroom and wash your face a little- it’s looking ugly,” Hyebin said in a joking manner, and Jisoo cracked a smile, giving her a grateful look before leaving for the restrooms. Hyebin took the moment of privacy to grab for her phone, before shooting a message to Junhoe.

    ‘Yah!  Babo, what’re you up to? - Hyeb’. She waited for the response, tapping her fingers on the table in a steady rhythm. There was a good chance he would not reply, as he could very easily be in a composing spree, or practicing some choreography with no time to spare a glance at his phone. Luck seemed to be on her side today.

    ‘nothing. wondering what i should do today -The Amazing Junhoe/ your king’. She bit back a grin from his name he had changed his name to on his contacts, before checking to make sure Jisoo had not returned yet.

    ‘go take Jisoo unnie out on a date today. It’s pretty weather and she deserves it -Hyebs’. She put her phone back to it’s previous position as Jisoo returned from the restroom, looking a little better than before. She checked her phone as a notification buzzed in, and she had a smile light her face.

    “Hyebin, I think you must be a fortune teller. Thank you so much! He just asked me if I wanted to go on a date today,” she squealed in utter joy, and Hyebin gave a slightly forced smile. Of course it was never something she could get over- the feeling of seeing the happiness of Junhoe and Jisoo when Hyebin was someone who tried her hardest to keep them going. What was it that made her seem to want them together? Was it the satisfaction of him being happy, and knowing that his sadness was her chance to make him happy? She could never place a finger on what was with her and not trying to have him notice her in a different light.

    “See? He definitely loves being with you. I have to get back to work, so you should go get dolled up for your date. Not that you need to,” she said, before taking Jisoo’s empty teacup and spoon. Jisoo smiled broadly, taking her leather satchel and standing up. She was radiating positivity, and she had a new spring in her steps as she left the cafe, leaving Hyebin alone again. She spritzed some disinfectant onto the table, cleaning away any food scraps with a small hand towel, listening to the lyrics of the music playing. It was a foreign song, but Hyebin was well rehearsed in English, and she even found herself listening to English songs while doing homework so she didn’t have to focus on lyrical content and get distracted.

    “I live through pictures as if I was right there by your side but you’ll be good without me and if I could just give it some time, I’ll be alright.” The lyrics hit her. Hard. She felt exhausted all of a sudden, and she seated herself on a stool behind the counter, watching customers leave as the lunch hour was coming to an end. She looked at her own phone wallpaper, which was a selca of her and Junhoe. She had always changed it to this when she knew she would not see anyone other than Youjung or Soorim, who she had recently confessed to for her lingering emotions. The two were shocked, and did not know what to do, but maybe Hyebin had not been looking for a plan of action rather than their approval, which did not come by either. Yes, she lived through this picture on days when she knew he was with Jisoo, or would rather be alone in his own world of music. Yes, he did do well without her, because there was Jisoo. But if she gave it time, she was never alright.

    Maybe she herself was blind. Blindly in an emotional mess, tangled into following Junhoe so blindly. She was no longer so young- she was a mature girl at age 16 now. Not quite the same 14 year old she had been when she first met Junhoe in the spring, and when she first fell in love. If you were there from someone like Youjung or Soorim’s perspective, it was torture. Hyebin had fallen in love with a boy who had never returned her feelings, and had been dating Jisoo from the start. It was painful for her two best friends to have realized their little joke from their first year had cause a rather treacherous and long unrequited love. And it was not from a distance either; it was upfront, and very in her face wit Junhoe clinging to her like best friends often do.

    “Hyebin-ah, your shift is up. Go out and enjoy yourself a little,” it was Granny, who was watching the young girl from her side behind the counter. She had been a parental figure for Hyebin, and although they did not talk all the time, she knew Hyebin almost like the back of her own hand. There was a sympathetic relationship between the two; Hyebin gave Granny company and good business, and Granny knew everything Hyebin was going through in her teenage years.

    “Oh, kamsahamnida.” There was a short silence, the music playing in the background, before Granny stood up, walking towards her in a slow but steady pace. She gently took Hyebin’s soft hands in her own wrinkled one.

    “I know you love Junhoe, and he seems to be quite smitten with Jisoo. But remember you are a strong, independent young woman on the brink of something. You don’t really need a relationship with him other than a friendship.” Hyebin was startled at her words, but she forced herself to nod. Of course Granny would know by know, it was probably blatantly obvious to someone with so much experience in life when she could witness all the conversations herself. However, it was still a surprise for Granny to say it aloud, just as Jisoo had been previously. “He talked to me sometimes about you. Of course, I never expected such a rebellious teenager like him to be a nice whippersnapper, but he was very nice. He has his own surprises and hardships.” It was a comfort to hear about Junhoe’s act of kindness to deviate from his typically blunt words to even talk to Granny about his personal life, and she knew it meant a lot for Granny herself.

    “He is a good guy. He’s older than me by like a year because I should be a grade lower, and he still chooses to take care of me.” Granny nodded, before shooing Hyebin out the door, reminding her to spend sometime doing some fun in her life. Hyebin soon found herself with Youjung and Soorim, at the COEX shopping center, feeling herself smile at the presence of her two closest friends. As much as she loved the company of Junhoe or Jinhyeong, or any of the others, she had to admit being with her two girls made her gleefully forget of any emotional stress she had, as well as the physical damage of school leaving her systems. They hopped from store to store, trying on top after top, changing between skirts, jeans, shorts, anything they could get their hands on.

    “Today was a successful mission,” Youjung said in a satisfied tone, taking a spot on line at a small coffee vendor. “I think we crossed off a spontaneous shopping spree on our to do list. I don’t know what got into you today, Hyebin, but I like this carefree side. Please do show it more,” she begged, and Soorim nodded in agreement, although she was constantly on her phone.

    “Is our Soorim infatuated?” Hyebin asked in a curious tone, knowing she was out of action in the latest updates between the girls. School was her top priority, sadly, and Junhoe’s happiness was a close second. She felt like crap for putting ‘misters before sisters’, but it was unavoidable with Youjung and Hanbin still dating and ditching on their little sisterhood.

    “Maybe,” she mumbled, obviously embarrassed. Youjung snatched her phone at the speed of light, and let out a tiny shriek, making others in the area turn to cast weird and judgemental looks. Youjung obviously did not care at all.

    “You and Jinhyeong are a thing? Aren’t you older than him by a bit?” Hyebin felt something on her shoulders lift. Jinhyeong had finally found a girl worth fighting for, not herself. It was something she had not foreseen herself, but she was glad it happened when it did.

    “Omo, why didn’t you tell me? I got you covered if you need any info about him,” Hyebin said with a teasing smirk, and Soorim shoved her away gently, obviously flustered but slightly amused by her interaction.

    “Aigoo, this girl is too much. You really smirk like that Koo Junhoe now.” Soorim said with a laugh, and Youjung agreed, while she placed her order. As they received their iced coffees, Youjung suddenly perked up.

    “Isn’t that Junhoe? That’s Junhoe and Jisoo, right?” She said, glancing through the crowd on her toes, and Hyebin turned. It was them; Jisoo was in the same clothes as before, but she was still somehow different. Maybe it was because before she was so defeated, but now she was like a victorious goddess, feeling assured that Junhoe loved her. And Junhoe himself was the same handsome guy he had been since day one. Soorim grabbed the two and abruptly pulled them away, but it was to no avail. Hyebin’s heart was still cracking into pieces, and the two older girls felt sympathetic towards their maknae.

    “Don’t feel so attached to that arrogant monkey- looking maknae. He’s hardly a maknae; they’re only older by a month or two.” Youjung said sternly, and Hyebin let out a hollow chuckle.

    “I’ll try. Wasn’t that their first?” Soorim exchanged a dismayed look with Youjung. It was obvious she had been trying to avoid letting Hyebin see it, but it was already done and gone.  ‘I live through pictures as if I was right there by your side but you’ll be good without me and if I could just give it some time, I’ll be alright.’ The song lyrics came to her mind vividly. They had kissed, and Hyebin was there to witness it, and the pain was setting in.