four
her friend

“Yah, Gong Tae Kwang,” someone calls when I’m walking down the corridors. 

I wouldn’t normally stop when I hear my name being called, especially if it’s not Eun Bi, because in all honesty I don’t care about anyone else in this school. But this time I do stop and slowly turn around, cringing when I confirm the one calling me is swimmer boy. I had a bad hunch he was the one addressing me.

Since Eun Bi left six months ago Han Yi Ann and I haven’t acknowledged one another. We challenged each other for her and he won, and I’m too proud to even accept that. Sour loser or whatnot, I don’t care. I hate him. For how many years did he like Go Eun Byul? And then Eun Bi appears and he realises he likes her and not his childhood friend? He started liking her when she was pretending to be her sister. How can those feelings be honest? How can he know exactly which one he likes when he barely had time to get to actually know Eun Bi?

I, on the other hand, never got along with Eun Byul and got to know Eun Bi as herself, before anyone in this school. I knew her real name before anyone else. I protected her the best way I could, keeping Kang So Young away and with shut. I did all that for her. I really fell for her, the real person and not the pretence. I fell for her even before she found herself.

“What?” I spat, hand deep in my pockets and an attitude that keep everyone away.

“Roof,” is all he says before turning around and leaving. I feel this strong urge to throw my backpack at him and hopefully knock him out.

What does he think he is? Calling me to the roof to talk? Again? And what does he have to say this time? Last time we talked, and that he called me to the roof, was to tell me he also liked Eun Bi and this was just starting. 

Maybe I’m stupid or maybe too curious to know what he has to say this time, but I end up following him to the roof. All the time I go cursing myself, saying I shouldn’t even show up and leave him waiting until he gets I’m not coming. But I don’t do that. Curiosity being stronger than my pride.

“What?” I spat again, stopping in front of him and keeping the arrogant pose.

“What’s your game with Eun Bi?” he immediately asks and I raise my eyebrows in a confused yet arrogant manner. “You know what I mean. Do you still like her?”

“Why do you care? I don’t have a reason to tell you anything. We’re not friends,” I defy him.

“I like Eun Bi, and she likes me. Don’t get in between us, Gong Tae Kwang. Do you get it now?”

I laugh, rolling my eyes and even kicking an imaginary rock. “Tch, you sound so confidently. Are you still sure you like her? What do you like about her? About her being her and not your childhood friend,” I defy because I cannot argue against the fact she likes him, but I can attack his own feelings.

“That’s not something I have to tell you,” he snaps, standing straighter and trying to look more intimidating.

“That or it’s that you can’t answer it?” I keep challenging him, my voice clearly mocking him.

He gets angry, moving so fast, and in the blink of an eye he’s gotten a hold of my collar and is threatening me, looking ferocious and intimidating but I don’t get fazed. I hold his stare with the same arrogance. He doesn’t scare me, I’ve gotten myself in enough fights to know that I should never show weakness or fear, even if I feel those. I know that most fights are a game of showing off. And in this case Han Yi An doesn’t even make me blink.

“Don’t you dare question my feelings. I know them and I like Eun Bi. You think because you found out first you have some right or claim on her?” I just shrug and he shakes me more violently. I laugh, knowing