“Good morning, Mari.”

Mari looked up and her eyes followed Yeorum until Yeorum sat down on her seat. Yeorum looked up and met eyes with her bestfriend. She chuckled, “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? Seriously? That’s the best you can say?” Mari nodded her head.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call you. You miss me that bad, didn’t you?” Yeorum smirked.

“I was worried! It’s been three days and I didn’t know where you were.” Mari sighed. “Is everything okay?”

Yeorum took out her book of her bag and remembered what happened that night with her and Vernon. She turned to Mari and slowly nodded, “Yes… Everything is okay. For now.”

“You don’t want to tell me?”

“Umm… Later. Okay?”

Mari watched Yeorum read her book and avoided her. Mari turned back to her table and was wondering what was happened to Yeorum.

It was break time. Mari and Yeorum was at the field, drinking their banana milks and watching some boys playing soccer.

Mari didn’t ask Yeorum, she was waiting until Yeorum opened to talk about it.

Yeorum turned to Mari and smiled as she began to say something, “My parents will get divorced.”

Mari was paused. She turned to Yeorum with sympathy.

“They’re not ignoring me.” She continued, “But… they asked me. With whom I want to be with.”

“If I want to be with my mom, I must follow her move to New York. If I want to be with my dad, I’ll stay here. And I’m confused.” Yeorum continued again, sipping her banana milk.

“Do you… want to be with your mom?” Mari finally said something. She asked it because she was afraid if she would lose her bestfriend.

Yeorum turned to her again and she chuckled, “I don’t know. But, I don’t want to move to New York. I don’t want to leave Seoul.”

“Then, that’s your answer. You want to be with your father.” Mari softly said.

Yeorum slowly shook his head, “Could I not choose them both? I don’t want to be with anyone.”

“You can’t… You’re still underage.” Mari replied.

Yeorum laughed a little as she remembered what Vernon said that night. “You guys are similar.”

“Huh?” Mari questioned and Yeorum shook her head, “Hey, Let me ask you something.” Yeorum asked as Mari waited her, “Do you have any feelings toward Vernon?”

Mari’s heart was skipped a beat when she heard Yeorum’s question, “Why are you asking me like that?”

“Just answer me.” Yeorum shrugged.

Mari shook her head, “To be honest… I don’t know. I really don’t know.”

“Hm? That’s strange. Why do you not know? You do, don’t you?”

Mari quickly shook her head again, “I told you before, didn’t i? I do love him but not in that way. He’s my bestfriend.”

“A guy and a girl can’t be just friends.” Yeorum stated.

Mari paused and stared at her bestfriend in bewilderment, “He’s my bestfriend. I do love his smile, his laugh, his hugs, his annoying texts and just being with him. I guess I’m not in love with him. He’s the sweetest, most kindest guy I know. Even though sometimes, I just want to kill him. But, he’s my bestfriend.”

“If so, can I have feelings for him?” Yeorum suddenly asked. Mari stared at her. She was surprised. She was confused. She saw Yeorum smirked, “I mean it.” She added and smiled then she left Mari alone.

Mari watched Yeorum left her. And then suddenly she felt so scared to lose Vernon. She didn’t understand it yet… but she was afraid. And she felt her tears were falling to her cheek. She rubbed her cheek and looked up, “…Why?”

*****

After school, Mari wasn’t with Yeorum. Yeorum left first and they didn’t talk. Mari was confused. Was she just kidding? Or was she really serious to say that?

If she didn’t have any feelings for Vernon, Why was she so scared?

Mari was walking to her home, with her hands in her coat’s pockets and she was looking down. She was thinking about Yeorum’s words to her.

“Mari-ah!”

Mari paused and slowly looked up. It was Vernon. Vernon was there. In front of his house and called her name. He was just came home. Mari didn’t say anything but she walked over to him and was standing in front of him.

Vernon looked down to her in wonder, “What’s wrong?”

“Hansol-ah…” Mari softly called his name, “How is this?”

Vernon studied her face and put his hands on her shoulder, “What’s going on?”

“Hansol-ah…” Mari called his name again.

“Mari, what’s wrong? You make me scared.” Vernon touched her forehead, “You’re not sick.”

Mari slightly smiled, “I just need some rest. I’ll see you later.”

Vernon watched Mari walked into her house and closed the door. Vernon briefly looked at it and then walked into his house.

Mari opened the door of her room. Put her bag on the table and changed her uniform. She slumped herself onto the bed and began to close her eyes.

Mari was running towards the gate of her junior high school with her friends. There, she saw Vernon was fighting with her senior in her junior high school.

“Hansol! Stop!”

But, Vernon didn’t stop.

Mari didn’t know why he was there and fighting with the senior she liked. She didn’t know how to stop Vernon. Vernon was so angry. He looked so pissed. He kept punching the guy.

“Hansol!” Mari tried to approach them and pulled Vernon away from her senior.

“You! Remember this, remember what I tell you, you son of a !” Vernon snapped, “You hurt her heart, I’m gonna break your neck. You hurt her, I’m gonna kill you!”

Mari was stunned. She didn’t know that Vernon found out about this problem. About she get rejected by her senior. She never told him that she was in love before. She never told him that she was cried because of that person.

She never told him how she got rejected by that person. She never told him how she got humiliated by that person. She never told him…

“Han—“

Before she said something again, the teachers came. Because Vernon wasn’t the student from her school, he was allowed to go.

But a few days later, his school found out and he got suspended for a week from his school.

Mari startled. She woke up from her sleep and sat on her bed. She touched her head and turned to Vernon’s room. Vernon wasn’t in his room.

Mari got off of her bed and walked out of her room. She down the stairs and spotted Vernon was in the middle room, watching the television.

“Hansol?” Mari called him.

Vernon turned to her, “You’re awake?”

Mari approached him and sat next to him on the sofa, “Hansol… Did you meet Yeorum? Yesterday?”

“Oh… I met her the day when you told me about her didn’t come to school. Why?” Vernon replied as he scratched his head.

“What were you guys doing?” Mari asked.

“Hah?” Vernon gave her a face, “We didn’t do anything. We just talked.”

“Are you serious? You didn’t do anything to make her… to make her…”

“Make her what?” Vernon raised an eyebrow.

Fall in love with you. Mari just stared at Vernon. Hoping that he would understand.

“What?” Vernon asked again. “I just gave her some advice.” Vernon replied as he watched the television.

Now Mari understand about it. Because of how care Vernon was to Yeorum, She began to melt to him.

“Hansol,” Mari called him again, “Have you ever thinking of parting with me?”

Vernon slowly turned to her again. He gave her a bewildered look. He turned off the television and studied her face, “What’s wrong with you? Why do you ask questions like this? Did Yeorum tell something?”

Yes. She did. She said that she liked you. She started to and I don’t know why I’m so afraid, Hansol.

“What do you think about Yeorum? Do you like her?” Mari kept asking him as her eyes began to wet.

“Mari,” Vernon noticed her wet eyes. “Wha—Hey,” He softened, “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Just answer me,” Mari whispered, “If we marry someone else someday, are we still friends? You’re not going to change, aren’t you?”

“Why are you like this?”

“I’m just afraid…”

“Of what?” Vernon softly asked.

“If Yeorum likes you.”

“She doesn’t. Okay? She doesn’t like me.” Vernon shook his head, “And you’re still my bestfriend. No matter what happened later.”

“I don’t know why I’m afraid.” Mari sobbed, “I thought you’ll be different if you date my friend. Hey, Hansol! You have to promise me, okay?”

Vernon was silent as he was waiting for her. Mari rubbed her wet eyes and took out her pinky finger, “You promise me, that if you want to date someone, you have to date someone I don’t know. Promise?”

Without saying and thinking anything, Vernon wrapped his pinky finger to hers and stared at her, “Promise. I promise you.”

Mari relieved. She chuckled and pulled their fingers together. And Vernon couldn’t help but chuckles too.

I wish that you were just kidding, Yeorum. Please. You can’t like Hansol. You just can’t.