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I tossed and turned around my bed as I sighed deeply, burrowing myself under the covers of my warm blanket. I listened to the deafening silence looming over my entire room. Everything was already pitch black outside, Another sigh escaped my lips as I stared at the white lifeless ceiling of my bedroom.

The clock kept ticking. It already said 5 minutes before midnight. I just couldn’t lull myself to fall asleep. I closed my eyes repeatedly, squinting harder as seconds pass. Unfortunately, all of my efforts were useless. I just could not enter dreamland. I sighed again, releasing a visible puff of air, I shot up, resting my back on the headboard of my bed.

I caught a glimpse of my cellular phone and decided to reach for it. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, a very busy day, I thought. I opened my phone, seeing my wallpaper, a picture of me and Jonghyun together, showcasing his most dazzling and cute smile. He was rather hot, I have to admit that. Much to the irony of life, he was also my best friend.

Best friends? Hell yeah. If being in love with your best friend counts as a natural thing between two friends. I couldn't help but feel the need to undergo peer pressure just to tell him the whole truth. The truth about me, Kim Kibum, being head-over-heels in love with him, my best friend.

What am I gonna do now? I don’t know how to confess things to him. Worse, I don’t know how he will react if he knew that I liked him all these years. Thinking about this made my stomach churn, as if my organs were tying themselves into a knot. I started to imagine him looking at me with utter disgust, imagining his heart filling up with regrets of being friends with me. Who would befriend someone who’s a closet gay anyway? 

No, no no. I thought, shaking away all those nasty ideas. I laid down my bed again and stared at the ceiling for a very long time. Fortunately, before I knew it, I was already drifting into dreamland.

 
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“Key-oppa! Key-oppa! Wait!” all the girls screamed. It’s already Valentine’s Day and I hate it. Really… All these fangirls just started chasing me around the campus when lunch break started. They all want to give me every single chocolate they made beforehand.

It is always the same every year… can’t just a guy like me have a peaceful Valentines day just for once?

The chasing went on for almost an hour and I knew that any minute now, my legs would betray me and my lungs would just simply give up. 

“Ugh! I hate my weak stamina and my weak body!” I shouted, flailing my arms wildly in the air. I stopped for a moment then looked back. No one was there. I stood up, panting, and then scratched my head. Where are they? I thought. 

Soon enough screams hovered above me. I looked up to see hundreds and hundreds of my fangirls at the rooftop waving their chocolates at my direction. “Key-oppa! See if you can escape this one!” they all said making me gulp. They’re going to throw the chocolates at me!

I crouched to the ground, covering my head for the possibility that I might get hit.

 “Now!” A girl shouted. Somehow, I knew that I was soon gonna die of shame. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see myself being engulfed by those stupid Valentines' gifts.

A chocolate fell on my head, succeeded by another and another. I knew that a typhoon of chocolate boxes are coming. Still, I sat motionless on the ground with my arms above my head for protection. 

“Kibummie!”, some guy shouted. I didn’t bother to look because I know that voice by heart but I know what he was doing. He was dragging me by the pits of my arms, away from the chocolate boxes that those crazy fangirls were throwing at me.

“Yah! Kibummie! Open your eyes”, the guy told me while shaking my entire body and gently slapping my face.

“Ouch. Will you cut it out?”, I replied with little annoyance as I opened my eyes. What I saw was not surprising. There, in front of me, was Jonghyun. He was half-sitting on the grass, looking straight into my eyes.

“Oh Jjongie. It’s you”, I gasped, my heart beating furiously.

“Yeah. Who do you think would save you from those damn fangirls of yours?” he chuckled. I smiled too. I couldn’t help it, seeing him laughing with his bright eyes glimmering under the sunlight just make me want to swoon over him.

We sat there, just laughing and chuckling until I noticed that Jonghyun abruptly stopped. I looked at him. His once happy face turned into a frown.

 “Hey why are you acting like that?”, I asked, pinching his cheek. Maybe he sensed that I was trying to cheer him up because he mustered to give me a little smile.

“Nothing. I was just wondering who invented Valentine’s Day” he said while folding his arms across his chest.

I rolled my eyes and reached for his hair, ruffling it. “I know right! I hate all of those fangirls… they always bother us every year.” I said to him.

He pouted. “Yeah! I hate those fangirls too. They keep thrashing and throwing their chocolates at us like we could eat all of them. One time, I even told them that I’m not like any other guys, but they kept on telling me that it’s alright as long as they like me” he retorted. So his problem is just like mine, I thought.

My problem? Yeah. Now I remember. Valentines Day was not the problem. It was him, Kim Jonghyun himself.

“Hello! To earth to Kibummie.”Jonghyun said, waving his hands in front of my face. My heart leaped and I suddenly stood up. I didn't realize that I spaced out. He looked at me, surprise was written on his gorgeous face.

“I-I-I’m sorry Jjongie. I need to go to class” I stuttered, turning to my heels. He reached for my arm and stopped me from going. I flinched when his smooth hands touched my skin.

“Kibummie, stay. Class is not gonna start for another 10 minutes. Besides, being late for more than 5 minutes won’t hurt us” He told me with a smile on his face. I faced him and shook my head, indicating that I didn’t want to stay with him for another minute.

“What’s wrong Bummie? I’m your best friend, right? You can trust me about anything." he encouragingly said. I sighed, facing him. He was smiling, his chestnut-shaped eyes turning into thin slits. Although he was giving off an encouraging vibe, he was practically shaking nervously. I can see that he was worried.

“I... Uhm... Do you like someone Jjong?” I asked him. He looked at me, surprised. Soon, streaks of red tinted his cheeks. My puppy eyes widened. He sure has someone in his heart.

“Yeah. But you know what? I’m not sure if HE likes me too” he replied, looking away. He? HE?! Don’t tell me Jjong is also...

“I’m gay Bummie. I’m sorry if I didn’t tell you earlier. I hope you understand”, he told me, grabbing my hands. I shivered. Sensing that, he let go of me.

“Is he from our class?” I asked, anxious. He nodded shyly and turned to look at me. His eyes look worried. “Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me” I assured him, turning to my heels again and running away. My heart ached and I can feel my eyes glaze with tears as I ran towards an unknown direction, not caring if I get lost or not.

I must’ve not noticed the rock on the ground because I tripped unexpectedly. I closed my eyes just to avoid the pain that my at my fall would give me. But, the anticipated pain didn’t come. Someone caught me in his strong arms, as if I was really fragile.

“Bummie, Are you okay?”the familiar voice asked, making my heart beat crazily. I looked up to see Jonghyun standing in front of me.

“Please Jjong. Don’t come near me”, I pleaded. I got myself out from his grip and leaned on a tree that was standing near me..

Jonghyun walked towards me before gently touching my face and asking, “Who is it that you like Kibummie?” My eyes bulged. I cannot tell him that I love him. I can’t. I couldn’t. NO. 

Sensing that I’m already panicking, he lowered his hands into mine, intertwining them. “I will keep your secret too” he tried to reassure me but  it didn't really work.

I shook my head and sighed, “I love you, Kim Jonghyun. If loving my best friend was easy, I would've told you much earlier than this.” 

Soon, I burst into tears, crying my heart out. I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see him because in my heart I know that the person he likes is not me. Not me.

What I expected was a bit different. Jonghyun, instead of leaving me, hugged me tightly. He nuzzled my hair using his nose and whispered, “Say it again, Kim Kibum”. The warm breath he released with every word he utters made me shiver.

I stood there motionlessly with him still hugging my body. He wants me to say it again. How could I since he’s acting like this? I decided to push him back no matter what. but, Jonghyun kept on resisting. 

“Aish. If you won’t say it again, I won’t let you go”, he protested.

I sighed and breathed heavily. “I love you, Kim Jonghyun. Jeongmal sarangheyo (I really love you). I really do” I told him in between my sobs.

Jonghyun didn’t flinch after hearing this nor was he surprised. Instead, he released me and held my chin up. I didn’t know what was going to happen until I felt his lips press to mine. Those lips of his, they were tender. I never really thought that I would feel them in real life.

Our lips parted, only to in more air. He was furiously turning red and I knew that I was also blushing. He flashed a smile at me and swung my arms around his neck before kissing me again. This time, the kiss was wild and passionate.

Jonghyun tilted my head so he could my lips more, and caressing every part of it with his tongue. I, myself, couldn’t help it so I let myself loose and let him do the job. I was surprised when he bit my lower lip and snuck his way inside my mouth, the sides before his tongue found mine. Soon enough, our tongues were fighting fiercely, trying to overcome the other in this game of dominance.

He won in the end but I craved for more. With this, I let out a small whimper and moaned a little too loud, causing him to part his lips from mine. Panting, he mustered to say, “Kibummie, you’re so hot." These words caused me to blush furiously as he pinched my cheeks.

“Uhm. Jjong, we’re kind of late for class”, I said, abruptly standing up and walking away. 

Jonghyun held my hand back and pulled himself up. “Wait for me, Bummie”, he said.

I looked down and my gaze focused on both our hands. I intertwined them. Jonghyun looked at me with a grin playing on his face and held my chin again. This time, he just planted a light peck on my lips. "Youngwonhee Saranghe, My Kibum. Neomu neomu saranghaeyo” he told me as his lips moved away from mine. 

I smiled. Now I’m pretty sure that those fangirls won’t ever torture me again during Valentines Day ‘cause now I have a knight that will protect me and one who'll always stay by my side.

The love of my life, my best friend.