Chasing You

Chapter Three

She Knows

Park Ah Reum was never an idiot.

Even when she was just a mere six-year-old child, she thought she could rule the world. Then she noticed an arrogant boy out of the blue. She didn't know why but suddenly she began noticing this boy more and more even though, she usually ignored him; despite their parents being good friends and seeing him every day when she was about to go to school. During her previous days, she was the class clown, and everybody adored her, and that was why she supposedly thought that she could rule the world. However, there was always an exception. There was this particular arrogant boy who changed her ideals.

She had always known Oh Sehun. Their parents were friends, and they had been getting on each other's nerves since their first year on Earth. She had faint memories of him. At first, she didn't particularly care for him, but children were children. The words 'rumors' and 'crushes' reached their fresh ears and were perceived by their feeble minds. They said you were a deviation from normal if you did not have someone you admired and that made Ah Reum nervous. She was late hearing the rumor and every boy in her class' taken, except for Sehun.

She stared at him and kicked herself mentally, asking herself why she just recognized his attractiveness now. No wonder why girls went gaga over him but were too scared to approach him since he was so high and mighty to look at and to be with. What Ah Reum did was cliché. She stood on one of their desks and declared to her classmates, "I have a crush on Oh Sehun!" Though, she didn't know what the word 'crush' meant.

She just wanted to follow the trend, so she did that. Many were astonished by her announcement because everyone knew that they could not get along, and announcing it to the class was an embarrassing thing to do. Sehun almost choked after hearing that. Cheers filled the room, and Ah Reum, being the naïve girl she was, acknowledged their teasing as congratulations.

She turned around to see Sehun glaring at her. She swallowed, wondering what was wrong. He did not talk to her for a few weeks after that. Ah Reum had not received any answers as to why he got angry at her. In her opinion, the boy should be glad for having a girl that admired him. At present, she knew the answer as to why Sehun avoided her at all costs before.

Back then, she was not so serious. Her classmates continued teasing her about it, and slowly she became curious about him. She wanted to know why he was not talking as much compared to the other kids, and why he seemed serious all the time, and why he appeared to hate her when everybody loved her for being such an active child. She thought of a way to talk to him. For the sake of curiosity, she began socializing with him. He once spoke to her, and every time he did, she wished he would say more. As they grew up, she also became fond of him.

Years had passed, and she confessed that she was attracted to him. They were twelve years old then. As usual, he brushed her off and told her to stop already, but she did not. Sehun was kind of surprised with the word 'attracted.' That sounded so mature, and he was surprised that she knew such a word, being her idiotic self and all. Six years of her irritating him, he cannot even believe that he survived and liked some of their moments. She had been there for him, always. Through the good times and especially in the bad times. He was kind of thankful.

Two years after, there was a development. She confessed again. This time, she said she liked him already. It didn't surprise him, and instead of ignoring her, he just poked her on the head. They were walking toward their homes that afternoon when she told him to stop walking when she said those magic words. Again, she was ignored.

But why didn't she stop? There was no confirmation from the man himself. No rejection. Surprisingly.

It's been ten years. They were both sixteen years old now, and their relationship had never been the same. They grew closer and closer. His remarks to her became more hurtful. Her pursuing was reaching a whole new level. Their friends were the witnesses as they spectated the progress in Ah Reum and Sehun's relationship. There was no denying that these two had something special but not to the point of being considered as love. The people around them were the witnesses of Ah Reum's love for her best friend.

How they managed to become the best of friends throughout the years was still a mystery to everyone. Everyone thought she was a stupid idiot for not putting an end to her misery.

But she was never an idiot.

Ah Reum and Sehun knew each other more than anyone.

She was the first one to know that he loved to paint.

He was always the person who would comfort her first.

"When the day comes that your painting will be in an exhibit, or you'll do your exhibit, can you please let me see it first?" She asked him as she continued doodling in his notebook.

"Who do you think you are?" He snarled at her.

"Can I?"

"We'll see."

She made a promise to herself. She was waiting for him for ten years now, and nothing had happened yet, so she concluded that he would never like her. She knew it by heart; she just chose to be blind temporarily. She promised herself that she would stop by the time Sehun grants her wish about the exhibit.

She would finally set him free on that day like what he always wanted.

But...

She would only be happy for him and not for herself, for that day could be the saddest and most miserable day of her life.

...

2nd-year high school, Valentine's Day

She was waiting for this day to come since last year, the fourteenth day of the second month of the year. She had prepared for this day. She bought a few cookbooks and watched some videos on the internet for her to make perfect handmade chocolates that she could give to Sehun. They said that it would be a lot more romantic and thoughtful if you would give handmade chocolates to the boy you liked. She had always given him gifts for Heart's Day, but so far she had not given him chocolates. This year she would.

"Okay, I'll just pack this up and ribbon! Yes, a ribbon."

Ah Reum quickly looked through the kitchen to find the fabric she bought yesterday. The smile that was plastered on her face since she started baking never left her face. Ah Reum was excited to see what his reaction would be when Ah Reum gives the gift to him. She hoped that he would like it and would accept it since she put a lot of hard work into perfecting the chocolate. It took her about four tries before she got the perfect taste, texture, and appearance of the sweet.

The box of handmade chocolates was ready. She started cleaning the kitchen in a quick manner because it was already late, and she needed her beauty sleep. She placed the box in the fridge, removed her apron, and yawned.

"I just hope you will accept it. Not even as an admirer, but as a friend. I would be happy," she mumbled to herself.

After that, she went upstairs to take a bath and to have then a goodnight's sleep.

...

"Sehun!" She called out to him. It was the end of classes for the day, and she would never let him go home without giving him the chocolates.

He turned around with a scowl on his face. "What do you want?"

She smiled proudly. "Guess what I got for you?"

Immediately, he knew what she meant. He lowered his head, his right hand on his forehead as he groaned in frustration. He was rejecting Valentine gifts since he came to school this morning, and although, Sehun knew that Ah Reum would come up with something today, he still hoped that she would stop giving him presents.

He placed his hands in his pockets. "Not you too. You know I don't accept chocolate, crap, or other things. I only received your gifts because you were pestering me about it."

Ah Reum's smile fell as she gripped the box that was hidden behind her. "Oh? They already gave their chocolates? But this one is different. It is handmade!"

He looked unimpressed. "So are theirs. Keep it, Ah Reum. Just eat that when you get home."

"But I made this for you. I put the effort into making this. You could, at least, accept it as a friend."

"No," he snarled as he started walking away.

She followed after him as he rolled his eyes. "Sehun! Why don't you just accept it? Why are you difficult?" She asked in desperation. She was tired of giving him presents, making an effort for it, and he would just reject them shamelessly. She was tired of forcing him to accept her gifts, but if it takes pestering him just to accept her chocolates, then she would do so.

Sehun turned around and faced her. "What the hell. Why are you forcing me to accept your chocolate? Of all people, you should know that I hate sweet things."

"I thought you were joking when you said that because there is no way a person could hate sweet things," she retorted.

He shook his head in disbelief. "I am not having this conversation with you."

"Just accept it!"

"No."

She bit her lip, thinking of what to say next. She was out of her composure. "Or... just eat one! Just eat one and I won't bother you with these chocolates anymore."

He looked hesitant but tempted w