"Hello."

"Are you free now?"

"Yes, why?"

"Let's meet up then. I've got something to say."

"Okay. Our usual cafe?"

"Yes. See you Minyoung."

"See you Sungjin."

She hung up and let out a soft sigh. She knew that she couldn't avoid him forever. She knew that she shouldn't think about him in that way but she couldn't help it. She shoved her feelings away and started to prepare herself to go and meet with him.

"Hey, Minyoung!" Sungjin waved upon seeing her figure entering the cafe.

She responded with a smile.

Sungjin kept staring at her. He knew that her smile wasn't the same as the old times.

She sat down without uttering a word.

They were facing each other without saying anything.

She used to smile very brightly in front of him. She used to tell him about her feelings. About her everything. But all of it started to change when their parents made a sudden decision concerning with both of them. They put two of them in an arranged marriage.

"So, what do you want to talk about Sungjin?"

Hearing her voice automatically brought a smile to his face. But he kept silent and seemed to be in a deep thoughts.

"Hey, are you okay Sungjin? You seems kinda....odd." Minyoung mentioned and studied his face.

"I'm fine Minyoung. I'm fine." Sungjin responded with a weak smile.

*What a beautiful lie Sungjin. I know you're not.* Minyoung knew he was lying. But she didn't ask any questions and just continued to look at him. 

The awkward silence was filling in the air and Minyoung started to feel annoyed.

"You know Park Sungjin if you're not going to say anything, I'm leaving." She announced and got up.

"Wait Minyoung!" He grabbed her wrist.

She turned to him.

"Don't go. Please." He pleaded.

She heaved a sigh and sat down again. In the end, she couldn't resist her best friend's request. She might have been acting a little distant from him. And she knew that he noticed her sudden change of behavior and was feeling sad about it. 

Although she tried her best to keep herself normal, the way she used to be in the old days, couldn't make him feel better. He's just already knew what was happening inside of her head. After all, they've become friends ever since they both able to speak properly.

"Minyoung." He said and gazed at her with a expression she couldn't understand.

"What's happening to you Sungjin?" She asked worriedly and reached out to his forehead to check temperature.

But it got stopped by him, "I do not have a temperature Minyoung." Said Sungjin while holding her hand tightly.

He didn't continue his words nor let go of her hand. He was just staring at her with a unreadable face. 

He knew that he should let go of her hand but he didn't want to. He's afraid that this would be his last time making a physical contact with her. 

Minyoung forcefully withdrew her hand and looked at him with a question mark popping above her head. 

"Something is clearly wrong with you Sungjin. You have to tell me about it! Spill now!" Her patience fled away, anxiety and curiosity starting to build inside of her.

He closed his eyes then took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, she noticed that his eyes were teary?

She was stunned and kept staring into his eyes for awhile. 

"Let's just stop all of this. I'll talk to them." 

*What? Stop?* It took her a while to process what he just announced and to proceed the words.

Finally, she came back to her senses and realized what he just said.

"Why are you doing this?" She questioned him with a small voice.

"Cuz I know this is the only way to make you happy." He replied and tried to give her a smile.

Minyoung knows him too well. He might be smiling now but deep down, he's hurt. She's hurting him.

"Sungjin, I....."

"And then you can smile again." He added.

Minyoung looked at him with worry when she heard his shaky voice.

*Is he crying?!* Unknowingly, tears flew down to her cheeks.

"Don't cry Minyoung ah." He said and wiped her tears away.

"Why are you crying then?!" She