It’s been weeks after Hyomin’s encounter with Eunjung. Midterms have passed but Eunjung never really get the chance to make it up to Hyomin. Hyomin on the other hand, never made an effort to approach her best friend, she felt Eunjung and her needed time away from each other although she can’t understand why. Her pride stops her from talking to Eunjung especially when the girl scrams off like she have some contagious disease every time she spots her. She feels they are growing apart. She just hopes it’s not permanent.

Hyomin already told Jiyeon that her secret admirer suddenly needed to transfer school, that’s why the letters stopped and fortunately, Jiyeon didn’t make a fuss out of it. After all Eunjung is only a small fraction out of her horde of admirers, it’s just that the girl did a different approach. She should be thankful about how Jiyeon was cool about it but it also annoyed her how the girl only treated Eunjung’s letters as a mere entertainment. Good thing her friend seemed to have found another fancy. She wonders who it is.

She was walking on her way to the cafeteria when she saw Eunjung and her classmates walking her way. They were laughing at something they were talking about but Eunjung’s smile suddenly wiped off when she noticed her. Eunjung’s eyes became restless, looking at different direction, probably looking for other way to escape the encounter.

Hyomin slowed down, allowing Eunjung time to think. There was really nowhere out, they are on a straight pathway, it’s either Eunjung turn back to where they came from or continue walking towards Hyomin. If she decides on the first then it would definitely tell that she’s been avoiding her but if she decides the latter, then she will have to talk to Hyomin which she thinks she’s not ready yet. Eunjung was still pondering on what to do when one of her classmate greeted Hyomin.

“Hello, Hyomin! Where are you off to?” Her classmate asked.

Hyomin smiled. Eunjung looked at her and inhaled, God, she misses that smile. She realized.

“To the cafeteria, I’m going to grab some snack.”

“Huh? We just went there. We asked Eunjung to call and invite you but she said you were busy. Is there something wrong?” Eunjung’s classmate asked while looking at Eunjung.

The girl turned pale, she lied about it earlier because she doesn’t want to face Hyomin yet, not until she sort her feelings.

“Ah, I was. I didn’t know I’ll finish up early. So yeah.” Hyomin saved her friend from the building awkwardness. She was smiling on the outside but she’s about to cry on the inside. Did she do something wrong to make Eunjung turn away from her. Until now she can’t figure it out.

Eunjung cleared as she saw Hyomin’s hand tremble, a sudden guilt rushed through her, Hyomin doesn’t deserve this. But how can she explain to her friend that she needed time to ‘unlove’ her or else she might scare her off by confessing she have fallen in love with her. Falling in love with the best friend is definitely a no no on her love rule book.

“You guys go ahead. I need to say something to Hyomin.”  Eunjung said.

“Ok. Don’t forget, it’s room 207 or else you might spend another 30 minutes listening to a different class just like what happened the other day.” One of the classmates teased which earned laughter from the others including Hyomin.

“Arasso, now go away” Eunjung pushed her friends.

After they left, an awkward silence fill the air. “Let’s go to the cafeteria?” Eunjung nudge Hyomin.

“I’m not hungry anymore, let’s go somewhere quiet, you said you’re going to tell me something.” Hyomin lead their way as Eunjung follows, they ended up in the University garden, to a spot where only few student are roaming.

Hyomin sat on of the benches and motioned Eunjung to do the same.

“Mind explaining me what is going on here? And don’t make any excuses, it’s clear you’ve been avoiding me.” Hyomin was telling herself not to get too emotional, but her voice was already starting to shake.

Eunjung looked away, “I’m sorry Hyomin.”

To Hyomin, Eunjung sounded so calm which annoyed her more, she wished she could do the same but she can’t, especially when their friendship is on the line.

“Then why did you do it?! Why do you have to avoid me?! Did I do something wrong? Did something happened? Why did you dump me?!” Hyomin exclaimed, she already lost her composure.

Eunjung looked her way, a momentary shock on her face then she looked down and at her lap trying to find words to say.

When she looked up again, Eunjung made sure to look straight into Hyomin’s eyes.

“Hyomin, I think I’m in love…”

Before Hyomin knew it, she was already on her feet giving Eunjung a knock on her head.

“That’s it?! Since when did something about you being in love became a big news enough for you to abandon me? Did you forget? I am your Mercury, most of your girlfriends became your girlfriends because of me. I was your bridge. So why in the world did it change just because you are in love AGAIN?! Is it because the girl doesn’t want you to hang out with me? Is she jealous? You should have told me so I can make the adjustments. You know I know the drill when you have a girlfriend right? You should have trusted me, but instead you shut me out like I am some kind of a stranger.”

Hyomin started yelling and blabbering out words in a breathless rush. While Eunjung caress her hurt head and stares in awe at how Hyomin could speak the words in just one breathing. The girl could be a rapper and she could give the others a run for their money, she thought.

“You don’t have to hurt me you know.” Eunjung blurted as the pain hasn’t subsided.

“I’m sorry about that, I was just carried away.” Hyomin blinked to get the cobwebs clouding out her judgment and touched Eunjung’s head.

Smiling at Hyomin’s gesture, Eunjung then stood up to meet Hyomin’s eyes, “If you hadn’t interrupted me by trying to take my head off…I was trying to say that I think I’m in love…with you.” Eunjung said it so slowly wary of how Hyomin might react to it.

“Oh. Oh.” The only words that Hyomin can mutter and after a moment of awkward silence, she asked, “Since when?” She blinks a few more times as if trying to register and sink in what Eunjung said.

Eunjung relaxed a bit, at least Hyomin did not run off just like how she imagined she would.

“I-I don’t know. I just felt it so suddenly, that’s why I was scared, I didn’t know what to do. That day, when you said that Jiyeon agreed to meet me, I just saw you walking on the hallway, looking more beautiful in my eyes, suddenly I can’t forget how you smelled so good that day. How everything seemed a blur except you, you were the only one glowing that day. And you smiled at me and then you hugged me, and I felt how warm your body was and how it felt so right. It didn’t even took a day, in a span of just that moment, one snap and I have fallen in love. You know I usually fall in love at first sight right? But with you, I don’t know what happened, we knew each other for years and I just realized it at that moment. I don’t know how to deal with that, how can I fall in love with my best friend?”

Eunjung grasp for air, she also said it in one breathing, damn she could be a rapper too.

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