Junhyung has been friends with Gayoon for as long as he can remember. They practically grew up together. They knew practically everything about each other. He was there for every boyfriend and every break up of hers. And likewise, she was there for every one of his girlfriends and breakups.

She never complained to him when she was going through some hard relationships and breakups. She would just smile and shrug it off while he would complain about everything and everyone. She would patiently listen and sometimes reason with him but usually she would just listen to him quietly.

Junhyung was now in his final year on high school while Gayoon was in a year before him. They hung out often in school during lunch, as they weren’t in the same class.

But recently Gayoon had picked up on the fact that Junhyung would disappear once in a while. Usually he would back out of weekend hangouts. At first Gayoon shrugged it off but it started happening way too often to be ignored.

They were in the library together doing their own work when Gayoon bought it up.

“Are you seeing someone in secret?”

Junhyung choked and coughed on nothing.

“Nothing like that” he brushed it off as he carried on working.

He didn’t look up at her in fear that she would know he was lying. It wasn’t a complete lie though. He wasn’t seeing anyone; he had just picked up a part time job at a florist. He kept it a secret as he though Gayoon would laugh at his face.  So he had kept his new job a secret from her and his other friends.

“You know you can tell me right” Gayoon says softly as she goes back to doing her own work.

“Trust me, it is nothing like that”

“OK” Gayoon shrugs.

Junhyung is secretly glad that she doesn’t ask too many questions.

“I guess I am just a little bit worried” she says.

“What?”

“This is possibly our last year together before you go off to college and then we might not get to hang out so often” Gayoon still hasn’t looked up from her work.

“Hey” he says and finally drops his pen and places his hand on hers.

Gayoon finally looks up at him.

“We are best friends, we’ll find time” he reassures and she smiles at him.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep”

“Don’t be like that!”

Gayoon laughs.

“You promise?” she asks.

In truth, Junhyung knows he can’t make any promises, as he knows himself. He is trying to distance himself from her. He didn’t know when but feelings started to change. The last relationship Gayoon had really bought out the jealousy in him. The guy she was dating wasn’t that great anyway. He didn’t like Junhyung to begin with and this meant Gayoon hung out less with Junhyung. At first Junhyung had brushed it off but later on it started to bother him.

Junhyung realised around that time that he yearned for Gayoon’s presence. He didn’t know why until the day Gayoon had called him to hangout. She had then explained that she had dumped the guy because he was cheating on her. He realised that he was revealed and happy. He had hugged her to comfort her but also to take in her presence again, whom he had felt so deprived of.

That day was the first time he had seen her cry from a breakup. But he guessed this one was different from other breakups where she had drifted apart from or had a really bad argument. This breakup had made her feel as if she wasn’t worth it and that she wasn’t good enough. What Junhyung wouldn’t have done to prove to her that she was perfect?

“I thought you said not to promise things I couldn’t keep”

“Are you telling me that you can’t make time for me?” she challenged him with a raised eyebrow.

“You know I would never not spend time with you”

“Fine”

That’s how that conversation had ended. He didn’t promise her anything in the end. She had just let it go as if understanding that he couldn’t control what would happen.

A few days later he is hanging out with Gayoon again in a cafe.

“Are you sure you aren’t seeing anyone?” Gayoon questions again.

This time he chokes on his coffee.

“Why are you bringing this up again?”

“I don’t know” Gayoon shrugs and keeps on sipping on her own coffee.

“I told you, it’s nothing like that” Junhyung assures her and she accepts it.

“I am just stressing out about colleges and stuff” he tries to cover it up.

Gayoon looks at him for a minute before she nods.

“I understand” is all she says.

A few days later Gayoon approaches Junhyung with a bouquet of purple lilacs and white gardenias. Junhyung whistles.

“Are those for me?” Junhyung asks.

“Don’t flatter yourself…I found them on my table this morning” Gayoon says.

“Oh, a confession then?”

“Not really…” Gayoon says and passes a note to him.

For all the times I have spent with you. It will always be a cherished memory. Forgive me, as this is all I can do.

Junhyung pretends to read the note even though he is fully aware of what is written on the note. He wrote the note.

“There is no name” he says.

“Really? I would have never guessed” Gayoon rolls her eyes.

“C’mon now, don’t be like that” Junhyung says with a laugh.

“You better get them in some water though”

The next time they meet is at Gayoon’s house. Junhyung spies the flowers in a small vase on her table.

“You know…purple lilacs are a symbol for first love” Junhyung says.

“Oh really?”

“Yup”

“What about the white gardenias?”

“They just look nice” he says giving her a cheeky smile.

Gayoon rolls her eyes and smacks him on the shoulder. She then proceeds to sit on the floor against her bed.

“It expresses one’s love for the receiver” Junghyun answers as he plops himself down on the floor next to her.

“That’s sweet…but how did you know?”

“Its something I picked up working at the florists” he says.

“Oh…wait! You work at the florists?!”

Junhyung shrugs.

“Is that where you have been?” Gayoon asks.

“Yeah” Junhyung says blankly.

Gayoon smacks him on the shoulder again.

“Then you know who got them for me?”

Junhyung is almost glad that she didn’t jump at him for lying to her all this time.

“Sorry but there is more than one florist in this place and anyway I don’t keep track of who bought what”

“Ah! You are useless!”

“Why? What would have done if you knew who got them for you?” Junghyun asks looking at the flowers once again.

“Well, I would like to thank them for it…they are beautiful” Gayoon says.

“Is that all?”

“I guess I would like to know the meaning behind the note” Gayoon says as she leans her head back against on bed.

“It’s a bittersweet note…and it feels like a goodbye forever kind of note” she says as she slowly moves her head to rest on his shoulder.

Junhyung looks at her and lets her rest her head there.

The next time the subject is bough up again in school after a week.

“The flowers were from you right?”

“What?”

“Look me in the eye and tell me the truth” Gayoon insists.

Junhyung looks at her but cannot hold her gaze.

“Junhyung…”

“It wasn’t me” he denies as he looks away.

“But who else could it be? No one else spends so much time with me” Gayoon says sternly.

Junhyung is rendered silent. All the argument he had thought of left his head in an instant.

“Please…just tell me the truth” Gayoon whispers.

“OK, fine! It was me! But it was a mistake. I should have never done it!” Junhyung says before he quickly grabs his things and walks away.

Junhyung thinks that this is how it should end. He got his closer and now that he is so close to graduating this is a chance to move on. He put his feelings on the line and he doesn’t regret it. He just wishes it wasn’t their friendship on the line but this is what it means to fall for your best friend.

He is snapped out of his thoughts when he feels a tug on his jacket. He turns to face Gayoon who is holding a single red rose.

“You aren’t just useless, you are also an idiot” she says and gives him the rose.

“Do you know what a red rose symbolises?” she asks as he looks at her in shock.

Love

Hello! So I hope you liked this story. I can't belive I still love this ship so much keke. Anyway of you liked it or even if you didn't please do leave a comment down bellow letting me know how you felt! Thank you for reading and see you in my next story!