“I’m sorry Donghyun. But I think I need to go.” She really didn’t want to go but she thinks that it’s better to get done with the assignment as soon as possible, so that she will not spend any more time with Woojin.

“Uh,” He sounds disappointed. “Okay.”

“I’m really sorry Donghyun. I will listen to your song next time.” Aeri makes a promise; even she wasn’t sure if she will ever fulfill it.

But there’s no other time. This would be the first time and the last time I will talk to you. He wished that he could tell her that, but as usual, he didn’t have any courage to do so. Call him a coward; he didn’t care because it’s the truth.

This Friday, he will fly to New York to further his studies in music. He thought if he ever could confess his feeling to Aeri, he would sacrifice his future for her. It sounds stupid and not convincing; but that’s what exactly what he will do if Aeri ever accept his love.

But yet; he was trying so hard to maintain his mysterious image. He could have just told her about it but then, no. He refused to do so. He felt like he didn’t worth it at all; to be someone important in Aeri’s life.

Like for real, who the hell want to be a girlfriend to a super nerd guy? He sighed. Let’s just forget about it Donghyun. You and Aeri is something that will never happen.

“It’s okay.” Donghyun replied after having a deep thought.

He didn’t really want to let the girl go but he can’t stop her from going either.

ᶞ-ᶞ-ᶞ

“Get your mind straight and do it as fast as possible.” She muttered, while on her way to the café.

Her phone vibrated. She took it out from the bag and unlocked it.

You have 3 new messages

“Wow, three? That’s quite a lot,” She shrugged and click the message.

Today

Daehwi: Aeri 4:30pm Read

Daehwi: Where are you? 4:30pm Read

Daehwi: You remember about our promise today right? 4:30pm Read

Oh, right. I promised him that I would accompany him to his interview today. She messed up with her hair. Why everything happen at the same time? She sighed.

She quickly typed something to reply.

Today

Aeri: I’m on my way to do my assignment 4:32pm Read

Aeri: I don’t know if I can make it or not but I’ll try, okay? 4:32pm Read

Daehwi: You have to make some time. 4:35pm Read

Daehwi: You promised me, Jung Aeri! 4:35pm Read

Aeri: Okay, okay. I will. 4:36pm Read

Daehwi: Thank you! 4:37am Read

She arrive the café while she was busy texting Daehwi. She pushed the café door and from afar, she could see a boy was sitting on a chair; and she knows so well who he is. Park Woojin. So he has been really waiting for her.

“I’m sorry for late.” Aeri took a sit in front of Woojin and settled herself down.

Woojin just took a glance towards the girl before replied, “That’s okay. I don’t expect to see you here though.”

“So, should I just go now?” She almost took her bag and stand up but Woojin stopped her.

“Why would you go? We need to do our assignment, remember?” He said; to remind her.

“You’re right,” She replied, “Or else I need to see you another time,” She muttered, and the words gladly couldn’t be heard by the boy.

“What should I get for you?” Woojin sudden question startled Aeri.

“Wh---- What get?” She stuttered.

Woojin laughed at her respond, “What do you want to drink?” He asked it directly this time.

“Ah, drink,” Aeri nodded her head, showing that she could understand it. “Hazelnut Milk Tea for me.”

“Seriously?” Woojin’s eyes widened.

“You’re not going to be another person who judges me for getting that drinks right?” Aeri frowned.

“No, no, no,” He quickly denied it, “It’s just that I love to drink that too.”

“Wow, really?” Her lips automatically curved upwards to form a really bright smile; it seems like she met her soulmate. “I never found someone who likes to drink what I drink.”

“Yeah, good that you found one now.” He replied the smile with a wink; obviously the snaggletooth comes along. It’s almost like a set now.

She rolled her eyes.

This discussion going to be the most awkward one. Seriously.

Woojin never even thought Aeri as his rival, maybe it’s because he’s always stayed on the top; he couldn’t feel it. But one thing that he knows that he really wanted to get close with the girl; being her friend like anyone else did.

Aeri is a bright girl; there’s no one actually hates her except for her short-tempered. But most of the times, she is cool and friendly.

But Woojin could understand if Aeri ever feel insecure around him. Aeri could get number one in the school if he ever went to the top school in the town; since he got the offer but he declined it. Because he didn’t like pressure and his parents wouldn’t mind either as long as he could handle it.

ᶞ-ᶞ-ᶞ

Beep beep; sounds a message came in.

Aeri took out her phone from her bag and as expected it’s from him, Lee Daehwi.

Today

Daehwi: Don’t forget about today! 5:15pm Read

She sighed. What am I going to do now? Somehow she feels bad that she agreed to meet Woojin now. She should stay with Donghyun if it’s like this.

She didn’t know when she will be done with the assignment, and she knows it’s almost impossible for her to finish it on time. But at the same time, she didn’t want to disappoint her only best friend. What a complicated life she had?

She stared at the blank screen for quite a long time that she didn’t realize Woojin is standing with two cups of Hazelnut milk tea in front of her. Woojin then quietly take a sit and put the drink in front of her eyes but still no respond.

“Your eyes going to burst if you keep staring at the phone.” Woojin said when Aeri still in her world.

“Huh?” She startled to see Woojin. “Uh, nothing.” She put the phone on her table with the screen faced the table.

“So who’s texting you?” He tried to ask.

Aeri frowned, “Who are you to know?”

“Okay, chill. I’m just asking.” Woojin flustered at her respond. This girl is really scary… but cute.

“Thank you for the drink by the way,” She took a sip of the milk tea, “Next time, it will be on me.”

“So there will be next time?” Woojin said to but half-sincere since he really wants to see this girl again even if… he saw her every day in class.

Aeri blushed. She didn’t know why but Woojin’s smile managed to snatch her heart a little bit as she never sees he smiled before. She thought that Woojin is a cold guy; didn’t know how to smile but he’s surprisingly friendly.

Aeri felt like she discovered a new side of Park Woojin.

ᶞ-ᶞ-ᶞ

“So we’re going to put this in this sentence and mix it well to look nice? What do you think?” Aeri gave some suggestion throughout the discussion.

“I think this would be better?” Woojin sometimes disagree with Aeri but they managed to cope it, and have a great teamwork.

Even if they disagree on some things, but obviously the discussion went well. What do you expect when the top two students in the school in one group? It means the perfect marks would be given for every task.

Both of them gradually become close and could laugh around each other. There’s no more awkwardness between them and their conversation full with teasing and laughter.

Without they realize, the clock strikes 8pm.

“It’s already late.” Woojin said as he looked at the watch on his left wrist.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Aeri nodded in agree, “I don’t know it could be this late.” She looked nervous.

Actually, Aeri never really went home this late. Even if she’s late, she would ask Daehwi to walk with her. Well, it wasn’t like she have any other friend though; Lee Daehwi only. But now, she broke the promise she had with Daehwi. So it was almost impossible for her to call Daehwi right now.

She was really afraid to be honest. Daehwi could be really scary when he got mad and she refused to see that, not now or later.

“Should I walk you home?” He asked, even he knows if the girl refused it, he will still doing it.

How can he let a girl walk alone in the dark?

“Um,” She hesitated for a while, “Can you?”

“Sure.” He said while grabbing his bag and catch up with the girl.

ᶞ-ᶞ-ᶞ

“Isn’t that Daehwi?” Woojin pointed it out to a boy who was sitting alone on the swing; obviously waiting for Aeri.

Daehwi saw Aeri from afar, walking with Woojin, the guy she hates the most all the time. He couldn’t lie that it’s totally shattered his heart; to see Aeri walking with someone else.

It wasn’t a big deal okay? It’s just him. It’s just his feeling that makes him feel like that.

So, Aeri forget about her promise because of him, huh?

“Daehwi-yah.” Aeri called his name even she knows the boy must be so mad at him right now.

Daehwi let out an obvious fake smile for her. He needs to at least smile; at the very least. But only God knows how he was hurting inside.

“So, you end up forget about our promise, huh?” Daehwi said with a diss tone.

Aeri put both of her hand together; asked for forgiveness, “I’m really sorry, Daehwi.”

“I thought you have ‘something’ better to do but you spend your time with that boy, huh?” Daehwi gave a glare to Woojin who was standing at least 2 metres away from them.

“I’m doing work, okay.” Aeri felt offended with Daehwi’s words. Obviously he knows that I’ve been doing assignment with Woojin.

“But you could at least reply to my text,” Daehwi took a deep breath; trying to control his anger, “I’ve been waiting for your reply since forever. At least, say that you can’t go. I won’t be waiting like a fool. I wait for ing 3 hours here, alone.”

Aeri went speechless. Yes, it’s her fault. She’s supposed to reply his text but she’s too confused about what she had to do and suddenly Woojin just come and brought her to the real world back; ended up she forget to reply his text message.

“So, you like him now, huh?” Daehwi’s sudden question stunned both of them.

Woojin tried to read Aeri’s expression but it’s almost impossible to do that. She couldn’t be read.

She looks guilty but at the same time, she looks she’s going to scream anytime soon. Just, he couldn’t read what’s on her mind at the moment.

“Daehwi!” Aeri couldn’t say anything but his name. Do I like Woojin? Gosh, why am I even thinking about that?

“Aeri, do you even realize that you’re being too distant from me nowadays?” Daehwi paused, “You won’t even help me with my work but you could spend your time with that guy till this late?”

“Yah, Daehwi! It’s you who brought us apart. You can’t blame only me for that,” Aeri replied; she almost reached her limit.

She could understand that Daehwi is mad at her right now but she never saw Daehwi acted like this. He was acting like a child who just lost his lollipop to his brother. What the is wrong with him?

“Do you enjoy watching us?” Daehwi changed his attention to Woojin; he tried to pick a fight with him.

Woojin smirked; showing his snaggletooth for countless of times today, “You’re talking too much, Daehwi.”

“Wh---What?” Daehwi stuttered, “Shut up, Park Woojin!”

“Why should I?” Woojin answered, “I have a pair of lips and nice voice, tell me why I should listen to you and shut my mouth?”

Daehwi clenched both of his fist, he didn’t say anything other than gave a death glare to the boy.

“Do you like Aeri?” Woojin asked him.

Daehwi refused to answer. He shut his mouth; refrain himself from giving any answer even if he knows the answer quite well.

“See? You don’t even have any courage to say that you like her.” Woojin said.

“I like her. I like Jung Aeri,” Daehwi confessed, “Enough? Then what about you? Don’t you like her too?”

“Me?” Woojin paused; same like Daehwi, he was hesitating to give an answer.

 “What the hell is wrong with you guys?” Aeri took a step back; wanting to run away from the two boys as soon as possible.

“Just answer me, who is Daehwi to you?” Woojin asked.

#4 Honestly, I don’t know

or

#5 He’s just a friend