“Forever Alone”

Yongbae sit silently at the back of his class, sketching that words in his note book, while the rest being so lively waiting for their lecturer to come. The room fills with the sound of people chatting, laughing and playing. Yongbae head up. Most everyone have their own group even with the two people chatting around. But he is sitting alone with no one. He get used with this atmosphere. He had tried to blend with the others before, but everything seems not as he wanted to be.

Dong Yongbae is a very good student indeed. However, because of his passive attitudes, make everyone in his class room doesn’t pay attention towards him. He rarely speaks unless he feels it is need to be said. The straight forward personality sometimes makes everyone hurt even thought he doesn’t mean it that way. There are a lots of time he tried to make jokes but no one ever catch what he actually up to. Because of that, he choose to keep silent rather than try to make friends with the others.

Despite being ignored by his classmates, Yongbae is more popular among juniors. He can be considered as a good looking with well build muscles. His small eyes which forming a crescent when he smiles make everyone who saw it skip their heartbeat for a second. That makes most of the female juniors keep stalking him wherever he goes. However, Yongbae never hiding or avoiding them although he has been scouted around with a bunch of female juniors who are compete against each other to hands in a love letters, presents, cakes and more to Yongbae. As being a nice guy, he accept all the efforts that they gave him, but he never give any hope to the girl who bravely confessed their love towards him. He will directly saying that he is not interested and rejected it right away after listen to the confessions. That makes many of them run with tears after met him. For him, the man should be the one who confess their feeling to the girl that they love, not the other way round. But, as a man, he never did. That is why he is still single.

Yongbae had a crush on someone, but until now he never confess to that girl. That girl has a bright personality but study different courses than him. There was one incident where this girl clumsily poured her drink to Yongbae while he having his lunch in the cafeteria. That girl boldly wiped his shirt which makes him startled. Even though the stain doesn’t seems serious but this girl keep on bowing guiltily like she had done a big sin. That was the first time Yongbae’s heart flustered on someone. “Dara”….that’s all he knew about that girl, which he believed is her name once he had heard her friend called from far.

It is not difficult for Yongbae to see Dara. Even though they have entered different faculty but fate always bring them together. Yongbae always notice Dara whenever he goes to the library and he always see Dara in the cafeteria. That is also the reason why he love to go to these two place even though there is no point to hang in there. Looking at Dara’s cheerful attitudes make Yongbae silently carving a smile. He really admired Dara even though he just watching her from far. However, Dara never noticed him. Even they had bumped into each other when they want to pay for the food, the sweet voice just fluently say sorry while bowing without looking at the person itself. Yongbae eagerly want to know her better, but with his attitudes, he never had a courage to speak.

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All the eyes in that room focusing on the new student who is just transferred to that class, including Yongbae. While the others being noisy after the new student introduced himself, Yongbae just staring at him unheartedly. “Another flower boy…” that is what he thought in his mind. So, he just focus on his note book, losing interest to the new student.

“Hai…Can I sit here?” Yongbae startled and look up to the owner of the voice. He looks around him and he bet there are more other empty chairs to be sit in. But, he just answer it with confident “Yes, absolutely” he said. “Thank you.” replied the new student with a wide smile, and land himself beside Yongbae. “My name is Kwon Jiyong. You can call me Jiyong or if you want to call me handsome, it’s also can.” greeted the new student. Yongbae shook his hand, “I’m Dong Yongbae. You can call me Yongbae and don’t you ever call me handsome” Yongbae wink and they exchange smiles toward each other. “So, you know how to smile..” Yongbae look at Jiyong confused. “What do you mean?” he asked. “Just now, when I walk to get near you, people keep asking me to be careful. It’s flustered me a bit when seeing your serious face.” explained Jiyong. “Huh…I don’t have a friend here.” said Yongbae with a smirk. “Thank God, so we are in the same side.” Jiyong answered makes Yongbae burst into laughter, so does Jiyong.

Since that day, Yongbae and Jiyong always spend their time together. People keep staring at them whenever they heard Jiyong laugh uncontrollably. All this while, that scene rarely can be seen with people who sit with Yongbae. No one ever laugh like Jiyong did and Yongbae, as far as they know, is not someone who are full of sense of humor to make Jiyong act like that. The weird glares that people give them seems hilarious to Yongbae. Yongbae never thought that he will have a friend beside him at last. He doesn’t know what makes him easily open his heart to be friend with Jiyong even though they are just met with each other. Moreover, Jiyong and him obviously contradict in term of personalities. But something in Jiyong really make him comfortable to be around that guy.

They are heading to the cafeteria that afternoon. As usual, Yongbae scanning every corner of that place to search for the face that he admired most. He never tells Jiyong about it. But, that day the person he waiting for is not show up.

“Are you looking for someone?” asked Jiyong suddenly.

“Ah?...ermm..No..Just looking around. Today this cafeteria seems full.” said Yongbae hiding his intention.

“I promised to meet someone here. So, I have to wait. Is it okay for you?” asked Jiyong worriedly.

“It’s ok, I don’t have any plans either.” answered Yongbae honest.

Jiyong smile and they manage to get an empty table at the corner of the cafeteria. Jiyong reach out his phone and start to type a message.

“You said you have no friend here. So, who are you waiting for?” asked Yongbae confused.

“I don’t have a friend, but I’ve got someone who are more than just a friend.” answered Jiyong.

“Owh..Girlfriend?” Yongbae try to guess.

Jiyong only reply with a wide smile and his eyes focusing on his phone screen when suddenly his phone is ringing.

“Ah…Where are you? I sit at the corner with my friend. Do you see me?” Jiyong answered while stand up. Yongbae just let Jiyong busy with his phone while  he take that opportunity to look around from the glass window still hoping to see that person… ”Maybe I’m a little bit late today”..his mind silently thinking, but suddenly he heard the familiar voice behind him.

“Yea..there you are!! Ahhh…Sorry I’m late. I’ve appointment with my supervisor just now.”

Yongbae turn around and almost fell off from his chair when he saw Jiyong hugging the person who he wish to see every day, Dara. His eyes seems stop to blink when Jiyong hold Dara’s hand and guiding her to where he now sitting.

“Yongbae ah..this is the person that I’m waiting for. Her name is Dara. Dara, this is Yongbae, my first person who I would like to call a friend.” Jiyong introducing Dara to Yongbae. Dara smiled brightly while lend a handshake. Yongbae hold that hand, locking his gaze on Dara, still doesn’t believe what he had seen. “She is beautiful, isn’t she?” asked Jiyong when he realized that Yongbae just standing straight like he had been hypnotized by Dara’s present. Smile still glued on Dara’s lips and acted shyly with Jiyong’s words.

The three of them sit together. While Jiyong and Dara having a conversations, Yongbae being space out. There are various thought lingering in his mind. He also not very sure what feeling has been tickling in his heart when looking at the couple. Every time he heard his name being mention, he only reply with a smile, but doesn’t really know what is the conversations is all about. Yongbae decided to leave that place rather than witnessing the closeness of his new friend and the person he secretly admired.

“So,…I’ll be forever alone.” he sighed.