§§§§§

Just a few pages left of his research paper then a free weekend. Sehun planned on sleeping in. The pressure of keeping up with projects and classes were starting to wear him down and they were only halfway through the semester. Already too occupied he could barely spare time to worry about other matters.

Shutting his book close he stood up from the window table he had been sitting at in the library, grabbed his bag, and left. Namjoo would shortly arrive and before she did, he wanted to stop by the writing center to ask for some tips on completing his paper. The crowd of students were sparse outside. To his left some environmentalist students were proactively passing out pamphlets about global warming. Sehun applauded their efforts but fell into the group of students that intentionally avoided them simply because they were a hassle.

Turning away from them Sehun crossed down the lane to his left. He would just walk around and find his way to the writing center. After a few steps a voice called out, “Excuse me!” Sehun released a sigh of irritancy as his foot fell to a stop. “Would you mind sparing us a minute?”

Darn it was all he could think about. Now he’d have to stand there and waste his time feigning attention, nodding while pretentiously listening to their rehearsed speech. Pulling on a smile he wheeled around to see two young ladies with backpacks strapped to their backs and a folder clutched to their s.

One of them he recognized very well.

“We’re holding open auditions for our next musical,” the girl with the milky complexion started off then dug into her folder and held out a piece of paper. “If you’re interested, come try out. We’d love to see new faces.”

A loud thud of his beating heart banged inside his ear.

“Yes, please come,” Seona smiled.

“Oh…” was all he could stupidly manage in that moment of surprise and took the paper.

“We’ll look forward to seeing you,” her friend brightly hoped then they walked pass. His heart beat shot up in speed and all he could think about in that millisecond was the night they’d spoken at Soojin’s birthday party. He had studied so hard to make it this far because of her few words. He had come to see her, but then had gotten caught up with his studies and lost track. Being here was for her and they were actually meeting again.

Was this fate?

Abruptly spinning around he called out on a whim, “Hwang Seona?”

The echo of his thudding heart hammered inside his head once more when she stopped and turned around. Her brown eyes were piercing almost like the setting sun on a beautiful sunny day. She was still so ethereal.

“Do you remember me?” he wondered with hopes soaring high. “I’m Sehun.”

“Soojin’s party?” she asked with the corner of her lips curved up almost playfully. With a slight nod, “I do.”

He helplessly breathed a smile abashed. Literally, he could feel his blood churning through his veins excitedly. Hwang Seona really remembered him.

Holding up the paper he had received he promised shyly, “I…I’ll come.”

Lips pursed into a pretty smile Seona smiled. He watched like a hopeless romantic as she turned back to her friend and they walked away. In that second Sehun felt like he’d just sunken into a pool of overflowing flowers.

§§§§§

“You’re late,” Namjoo mumbled when Sehun got into her car and closed the door. “Do you know how long I had to wait for you?”

“Sorry,” he apologized happily. Biting her lower lip she shot him a glance through narrowed eyes and started the engine.

“I thought you were studying. What took you so long?” she intentionally interrogated as she drove down the road. She was in an uncomfortable position, stuck between yearning to hear that he wasn’t interested in anyone and that if he was seeing someone she needed to hear him say it.

“I lost track of time. You know I’m working on a research paper.”

“If you were going to take that long you shouldn’t have texted me,” Namjoo nitpicked.

“I said I’m sorry,” Sehun repeated then turned to look at her. “What is with you?”

“Nothing.”

They drove quietly for a few minutes before Sehun spoke up, “I think I’m going to join the arts club.”

Namjoo turned to look at him with a frown. “Arts club?” Then more interrogatively as if he’d done something she disliked, “Why? It’s out of your major.”

“A friend invited me.”

“Friend?” she asked unbelievably. Who, out of their group, had committed such an absurd act? None of their friends attended SNU. Exactly what friend was Sehun referring to?

“Yea, a friend,” he stated happily as if reminiscing on fond memories he had of this person. “I met her at Soojin’s birthday party.”  

Soojin’s birthday party…

She recalled seeing him with someone that night.

A flux of emotions whirled within her. Jealousy was the worst among them.

§§§§§

Sleep wasn’t friendly that night. Namjoo didn’t get any of it however long she lie in bed. Rolling onto her side she stared at the wall through the dark before finally setting eyes on the picture on her bedside table. Her and Sehun.

For as long as she remembered and knew, he always belonged to her and no one else. Nothing had come in between them. Not even now and she feared it would start to be very different from here on. Sehun was ambitious. For certain he would be the first to leave her behind.

Namjoo couldn’t imagine the coming of that day.

That weekend in order to avoid her provoking thoughts and the source of them she tagged along with Yunyeong to her sister’s wedding. It was a grand layout. A reserved hotel with mock red carpet, seats of over 200, dishes banqueted by expertise chefs to be dined by even those uninvited, and the huge platform at the back designated for bride and groom to march. Everything detailed from floor to ceiling. Namjoo had never known before that wedding planning could be so tedious. As she followed Yunyeong through the overbearing crowd she gasped in awe every time she came across any unique display.

When the music started playing an hour later and the priest began giving his sermon Namjoo felt out of the present. She was perhaps the 1.5% that didn’t dream of her wedding day as a little girl, but just knew it would happen one day. Right now she could feel her mind spinning. The event unfolding before her was intriguing. Namjoo felt zapped, her heart bouncing across yards.

Bride and groom happily celebrating the day of their upcoming future together hand in hand suddenly sounded more amazing than ever imagined. It was beautiful. Profound. Something about it was mesmerizing, heart pounding. Just beautiful.

“What’s wrong with you?” Yunyeong nudged her awake at the after party. A round of music was playing up front and the dance floor filling up with young and old.

“I think I know what I want to do now,” Namjoo’s eyes sparkled then turned to her friend with a grin. “I’m going to become a wedding planner.” Yunyeong raised her brow. Feeling contradicted Namjoo asked, “What?”

The friend shrugged. “I just didn’t expect that from you.” A moment later she added, “You know my sister runs a business?”

“What?!” Namjoo exclaimed.

Yunyeong nodded, “Who do you think did all this?”

Namjoo glanced around then back to her friend, “I thought her husband was rich or something.”

“No, you idiot,” Yunyeong gently hit her. “My sister runs a wedding planning business. She says I could work with her after I get my degree. If I decide to, want to join me? I could add in a few words for you.”

Namjoo gasped, thrilled. “Really?”

Her friend nodded, “Of course.” then turned when someone approached them. Namjoo followed her gaze to find a young man standing by them.

“Can I have this dance?” he extended his hand. Namjoo glanced down at his hand and then over to Yunyeong.

“He’s asking you,” Yunyeong hissed in a whisper.

“Oh!” Namjoo realized then turned attention to the bachelor. “Actually, my feet hurt. Sorry.”

After the man walked away Yunyeong nudged her again more violently this time. “Are you stupid?! Why didn’t you go with him? He was totally ogling you. Have you never been hit on before?”

“Oww,” Namjoo muttered rubbing her arm. “Do you have to be like that?”

“Seriously, Namjoo,” Yunyeong turned to her. “Why are you so blank faced? Have you not had any men in your life?”

Thinking back on it didn’t quite matter to Namjoo. By the mention of men all Namjoo could think about was Sehun.

“Namjoo,” Yunyeong called again.

“What?” Namjoo turned back to her friend.

“Isn’t there any one you like?” her friend wondered.

Pursing her lips Namjoo fell deeper into thought. In that moment all that ran through her little mind was Sehun and how occupied he’d been with school lately. She worried about how close he’d gotten to this friend he had mentioned to her and what she would do if he liked her. It troubled her, fogged her concentration, and made her irately jealous. Namjoo didn’t like Sehun having any one else in his life than her.

“Is there?” Yunyeong persisted. After a second of observing Namjoo she said, “There is.”

Caught red-handed Namjoo hid her gaze from her friend.

“Who is he?” Yunyeong leaned over.

“No one,” Namjoo murmured thinking about how embarrassed she would be admitting she liked Sehun to a longtime friend.

“You can tell me,” Yunyeong insisted. “Who’s this lucky guy?”

Lucky guy? Sehun lucky? Namjoo almost laughed at the thought of it.

“If you don’t tell me I can just ask Sehun,” Yunyeong moved back into her chair.

“No!” she spun around in objection. Surprised by her abrupt reaction Yunyeong stared at her before letting out a baffled laugh. Namjoo pursed her lips again, feeling defeated.

“I was kidding,” Yunyeong told, amused. Even though Namjoo was assured by her friend she could feel her heart tumbling, nearly panicked. If Yunyeong bothered to ask Sehun he would become curious and keep asking her about it. She could never think of telling him about her feelings. Ever.

“What?” Yunyeong asked confused by her serious reaction. The hyped dance music transitioned into another and more people joined on the dance floor. Whoops of joy enchanted the air when bride and groom entered the center of the circle together to dance.

“Is it Sehun?”

Her heart thud loudly within her ears. Without meaning to her eyes went wide.

“It’s him,” the statement came quite firmly and quietly from the friend, an unexpected reaction from her. Namjoo would have truly expected to be teased or laughed at. Comforted by the fact that Yunyeong wasn’t joking with her, she nodded. “For how long?” when Namjoo didn’t answer she asked, “Since he kissed you?”

The speed of her heart hiked up uncontrollably at the memory. Sehun crouching down before her. Sehun abruptly taking her face into his hands. Sehun’s lips touching hers. It had all happened so fast and she had replayed it so many times in her head. After noticing the change in his physique she had often watched him move around imagining how his sturdy shoulders would feel if she leaned on them, how big his hands would be if he held hers, or how tight his embrace would be. Most insanely, she had wondered how it might be to kiss him now.

“Have you told him?”

Namjoo shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“He wouldn’t like it.” She thought about how Sehun would say she was disgusting and how he would reject her or kindly toss her confession off as a joke that shouldn’t have been said. They had grown up together, he would say, how could he ever have feelings for her? It would be like marrying a sister. But she wasn’t his sister. She was his childhood playmate, next door neighbor, classmate, and best friend. Always his go-to buddy. They had always made cruel jokes about students mean to them, had always shared the same thoughts, and stood on the other’s side. She was his best. And he was her best.

“You don’t know that,” Yunyeong shook her head. “You haven’t even told him and you’re already assuming.”

“I said I know!” Namjoo helplessly raised her voice frustrated then quieted. “I know Sehun better than anyone else. Why wouldn’t I know what he would think? I’m just his friend.”

“Well, look at you,” she pointed out. “You’re his friend, but you like him. What if he may like you too?”

“No,” she just couldn’t imagine that ever happening. “I think he likes someone else.”

“No way. That punk.” Yunyeong cursed. “Who is she?”

“I don’t know,” Namjoo shrugged. “I saw him talking to someone on campus. He says she invited him to join their club.” Looking at Yunyeong, “He met her that night at Soojin’s.”

“Oh, that horrible jerk,” Yunyeong sympathized. Linking an arm around her shoulders she comforted, “It’s all right, Namjoo. You only think he likes someone else, so you still have a shot. Sehun will sooner or later realize you’re the best one for him. If he doesn’t know so, I know so.”

§§§§§

His cup of coffee was drained. So was his mind from reading the eerie history textbook in front of him. Removing his hand from under his chin Sehun glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. It was nearly midnight and Namjoo wasn’t back yet from the wedding. What was that girl up to? Had she gotten drunk and was lost somewhere? His eyes jotted over to his phone. Maybe he should call her just in case.

When his fingers skimmed across the smooth surface of his android the door opened and Namjoo walked in.

“Where’ve you been?” he demanded. “Do you know how late it is?” he watched his childhood friend take off her heels by the door before continuing her way in.

“Why are you still up?” she asked coming by. He couldn’t help but glance at her aching soles as she passed. If he knew one thing, it was that Namjoo wasn’t one to dress up in pretty shoes daily. Blisters would have already made their way to her feet.

Getting up he searched the medicine cupboard for some band-aid and returned to find her sunken into the couch. Plopping down beside her he grabbed her legs and listened to her give a shout when he shifted her in order to settle her legs over his lap.

“What are you up to?” Namjoo sounded annoyed. He assumed it was because she was tired than irritated by his nosiness.

“Look at how disgusting your feet is,” he said without meaning it while plastering band-aid over any blisters he saw. “A woman should have pretty feet, you know.” He glanced over at her heels and asked, “Why do women even wear those hideous things?”

“To make men feel short,” Namjoo replied.

Sehun glanced at her before scoffing. Gently massaging her feet, he said, “You shouldn’t have jumped so much at the wedding. You’re going to be all sore tomorrow.”

“I didn’t.”

He gave her a short eye roll, “So you didn’t even dance?”

“No.”

“No one asked you?” he asked then joked, “You’re right. Who would ask you.”

“There wasn’t anyone I liked,” Namjoo told, eyes sinking into his face.

“Does it hurt? Am I doing it too hard?” he asked, wondering why she wasn’t wincing at the pain.

“No, it’s fine. Thanks, Sehun. You’re the best.”

Surprised by hearing her say this he couldn’t help but laugh, baffled. “What the heck?” He gave her a frown for her absurdity. Seeing how relaxed she was he realized she would start falling asleep soon. “Hey,” he said, “you want to go out with me tomorrow?”

***Sorry, I meant to update at least two times this week, but all I did was relax on my week off. I'll be back after next week with another update!