Chapter Six

I confess I did not think straight on the hour. It just came out. It was so fast. In one minute we were in a trance, and the next we were too surprised to say anything. I wanted to see if I could affect him. If he could shake her confidence. And by the result, I think I have achieved my purpose. I know it was not right to use Jong Suk this way, but I promise I'll try to reward him for it.

I froze at those words. I stopped breathing. My heart almost stopped beating. Did he say that? Is that what I heard? Does Oppa love me? Does he really love me? What is going on?

He looked at me very seriously, penetrating my soul with that look. He seemed to be processing what I said. Her facial expression was not the best. It seemed a mixture of wonder and pain. As if my words had hurt him. It was the same blow I felt to hear "I love you" from his mouth. The way the words sounded from his mouth. Steady and determined, but at the same time soft as a song.

"Jong Suk? I should have known. It was right there in front of me, I just did not want to see. "Almost like a whisper, Oppa's words cut me like a knife.

"What did you tell me now ... is it true, Oppa?" I replied in a tone below, unable to face his face.

"I really love you Shin Hye ... but like a brother loves a sister. You know it. "And again my heart was trampled. But this time it seemed more revenge for Jong Suk than anything else. "Well, anyway, forget what you heard. It does not matter now anyway. "Keun Suk also tried not to look me in the eyes.

After breathing more than ten times, and getting tired of the silence between us, I resolved to face him once and for all. I got up and stood right in front of him, staring at him, looking for answers.

"Your girlfriend knows you're here with me now, Oppa?" I asked in a menacing tone. He looked amazed and surprised, but not angry. He stood up, and as he was older than I, I had to look up.

"She does not know I'm here," she replied quietly, hypnotizing me with that glare, dismantling my armor.

I frowned a little. I closed my eyes briefly, just enough to hear his breath. So when I opened it, he had that cynical smile.

"What's it? What's so funny now? I do not find it funny, "I asked, no longer with patience with the whole situation.

"That knows, us. It would be comical if it were not tragic. The two of us here explaining to each other, as if we had something, "he answered most naturally, almost being ironic.
"I really agree with what you said. We should not care so much about each other. After all, you're dating, and I'm with Jong Suk. We should be happy for each other. "

"Yes we really should. That's exactly what we should do. But ... "He paused for a moment. His hands came up to my shoulders, as if he wanted to keep me there, motionless. I felt his uneven breathing once more. Then he got closer and closer, until he was a handful away. We were practically very close to the normal distance of friends. Even close friends. Her bright eyes were the only thing I could see.

"Shin Hye, me, you, you and me ... this, you feel, do not you? Do not lie. You feel as much as I do. "Oppa was so serious. Those were rare times when I saw him so serious. He expected an answer now.

"Oppa ... I ..."

I did not have time to finish the sentence. My cell phone ringing took us out of the trance. A connection from Hong Ki.

"I need to answer," I said apologetically and moved away from him.

"Of course," was the only one who answered.

"Shin Hye-ah, where are you? I'm with Yong Hwa here. We are waiting for you."

"Yes, send me the location. I'm coming to you. "

I turned around to face Oppa again. He was looking at me, as if trying to analyze me.

"Well, I think I'd better go now. I think we should go now, "I told him, in a tone of disappointment. A part of me wanted to stay there with him, but part of me wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, afraid of what might happen.

"Yeah, I think we'd better go, each to his side," he replied. I could not decipher his face. I could not understand his expression. He seemed confused by his own feelings, just like me.

When we were saying goodbye, he gave me a tight hug. Silently, we do not say anything else. Like we're scared. Then he took my hand before I managed to pull away, pressed it against hers, and caressed it. I was surprised by the small gesture, but I did not stop it. We stare at each other for some time, and we follow each our destiny.

Maybe fate does not want us to be together. Maybe it was not meant to be. A love story that never happened. As I walked back to my house, lost in thought, lost in the words he told me, I received a message.

"Perhaps in this life we ​​were not meant to be together. Maybe fate did not want you and me to be together. But I just want you to know, that if it were up to me, in all the lives I could live in this world, I would choose to live by your side. "

Tears began to descend without permission. I did not understand anything at the moment. I was a mess. Maybe Oppa is right. But why does he confuse me? I tried not to think about it any more, and got ready to go to the Hong Ki and Yong Hwa meeting. It was the only remedy for my pain right now. Forgetting was the goal. I did not answer his message. I would not answer, at least for now.

Arriving at the bar where I would meet my long-time friends, I tried to catch myself at the sight of their smiling faces. I approached the table, and hugged them amicably, as we always did.

"At last Shin Hye-ah, I thought I would not come."
"It even looks like Hong-Star. I told you I'd come. "
"Right then. Everything is OK. Now it just takes Hyung to get to the A.N.Jell meeting to be officially complete. "
"What?"