This was supposed to be up like Sunday or something but AFF was being stupid so yeah..here it is today :)

16 years old, Girlfriends

To: Yang Tiny

From: Yoon Dooball

2:06 pm

Wher r u?

From: Yang Tiny

To: Yoon Dooball

2:07 pm

Stop exploiting d dmned phone.

To: Yang Tiny

From: Yoon Dooball

2:08 pm

WOW. U typed ur mssg properly.

From: Yang Tiny

To: Yoon Dooball

2:09 pm

Nt talking 2 u anymr. Im busy.

Doojoon laughed at the last message and dialed Yoseob’s number. The afternoon was too hot for soccer practice as Doojoon wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and neck. He took a seat on the bleacher and quickly pressed the phone to his ear.

There was a tone from the other side of the line and before long a hushed voice was heard. “What, Doojoonah?” Doojoon chuckled and took a swig from his water bottle, “What’s with the hushed voice? Are you hiding anything?”

Yoseob rolled his eyes in annoyance, “I told you I was busy. Didn’t you get my last message?” Yoseob stole a glance at Jieun who was practicing her vocal, hoping that his voice did not disturb her.  

“Where are you?” Doojoon asked, completely disregarding Yoseob’s irritated tone.

“School theater with Jieunie. She’s practicing her vocal for the school play.” Again Yoseob looked at Jieun who looked back at him, their eyes met and a shy but sincere smile bloomed on her face. She did a little wave and Yoseob died that instant.

It was unbearably cute – she was unbearably cute and adorable – to the point that he might forgive Doojoon for his useless and pointless and totally-trying-to-exploit-their-new-phones call interruption.

But Yoseob was dragged back harshly to the cruel reality of life when Doojoon sort of, kind of, screamed at his ear, “Yah Yoseobah! Are u still there?” Yoseob stuttered back, “Eh – urm – yeah  –” His soul was still flying in the air, dancing in between the white fluffy clouds.

“What’s with the stutter?” Doojoon asked, curious of the sudden pause.

Yoseob tried to sound normal, tried to collect back his soul entirely, “No, nothing. Nothing at all.” He smiled back to Jieun and held up his hand mid-air in reply to her adorable wave, “Where’s Gina noona anyway? Are you that free to call me?” There were loud and boisterous sounds at the background, “And where are you? Sounds really chaotic there.”

Doojoon looked at the field where Gina was enthusiastically practicing her cheerleading routine with the team. His voice was slightly muffled by the loud cheers, “I’m at the field, practicing. Noona’s here too, practicing her routine for the upcoming game.” The shouts were getting louder and Doojoon, more or less, was screaming at the phone, “So we’re hanging out later?”

Yoseob subconsciously slapped his forehead; he forgot about Doojoon completely, “, I’m sorry, Doojoonah, I can’t. I promised Jieunnie to walk her home.” Doojoon hummed thoughtfully as Yoseob continued, “Tomorrow?” There was a slight pause from Doojoon, “I can’t. I have practice tomorrow and I’m having a date with Noona.”

Yoseob nodded, “Ok then. Call or message me when you are free. We’ll hang out then!” Doojoon chuckled from having heard the cheerful tone, “I’ll call you tonight.” He heard a curt approval from the younger boy before flipping his phone close.

He stared at the closed mobile phone in his hand and smiled. They were growing up and along the way – Doojoon was sure, it was inevitable – some things had got to give. But their friendship was not one of those things he would ever give up. So he bought a phone for himself and begged Yoseob to get one too. Honestly, it was really hard to convince the younger boy,  saying it was a hassle, too much of a trouble, he was not technologically inclined and‘this is a bother, Doojoonah’ but Doojoon begged and begged and begged – and no one was immune to the older boy’s begging, not even Yoseob.

Doojoon grinned at himself; it was worth every single beg that he did. They were always busy with their own lives (Doojoon being this soccer prodigy and everything else did not help at all) and sometimes it was hard to just meet or talk or check up on each other or to know if Yoseob had eaten or if Doojoon had done his homework or if Doojoon was already home.

And they have girlfriends now, so mobile phones definitely eased up their communication. With this point coming out of Doojoon’s mouth, Yoseob had no other objection and the next thing he knew, the younger boy was bringing home a purchased mobile phone and spent the whole night trying to configure how it worked. Doojoon had so much fun teasing the younger boy for his half-finished messages (Doojoonah, im still in schl n I thi) or when he dialed Doojoon’s number when he was supposed to be calling his mom or his girlfriend (“Jieunnie, what time – “ Doojoon laughed, “Yah idiot, it’s Doojoon”). They had each other as their first speed dial, followed by their parents’ numbers and their sisters’.

And then followed by their girlfriends’.

Gina was two years older than Doojoon and was now in her final year in high school. Doojoon really liked her, she was nice and easygoing and fun to be around, she had those eye smiles which were absolutely adorable, and quoting the exact words from Yoseob mouth ‘she is one hell of a hot woman’. So Doojoon had no objection whatsoever to be with her.

But even Doojoon himself had no idea what happened until one day when she cornered him in the changing room (Doojoon was only in his wifebeater and soccer shorts) and declared that she liked him and he should be with her. Doojoon smiled at her and patted her shoulder. Her gaze softened and they hugged.

And the next day, every single soul in school knew that they were together.

Doojoon was not against it, of course who would refuse the leggy beauty, but it was more like a protective instinct towards her because she transferred from America and her Korean and Doojoon would very much try to help her out as much as he could (unlike other s who would take advantage of her).

He really really really liked Gina, just like how Yoseob really really really liked Jieun.

It was more like a love-at-first-sight kind of thing for Yoseob. He saw Lee Jieun in one of the school plays and she charmed Yoseob with her talent (Yoseob loved talented people more than anything). She was extremely adorable with her big puppy eyes, smooth fair skin, small button nose, and childlike smiles. It was the first time Yoseob had ever ignored Doojoon for the whole two hours because Yoseob was too focused on Jieun during the school play (“Yah, Yoseobah. It’s just a school play, who the cares?” Yoseob glared at Doojoon and ignored him the whole day).

Yoseob and Jieun were just so adorable and when they went on a date, ahjummas and ahjussis would give them more kimchi, or more japchae, or more discount, or even free desserts and spicy rice cake. Just because they were both sickeningly adorable. Whereas for him and Gina people offered if they wanted soju to accompany their barbequed meat. That was just how different they were, or so Doojoon guessed.

It had been two weeks since Doojoon and Yoseob last met with each other. Doojoon even thought that he might forget how Yoseob looked like if he did not see him in another week. But they were always busy, with practice, with study, with school, with girlfriends, with family. And they had no time for each other anymore.

Just like now.

Doojoon was walking alone is Hongdae (Gina was busy with her cheerleading squad) while he was sure that Yoseob was on a date with Jieun somewhere else. It was fun, having girlfriends and all, but Doojoon missed Yoseob. He missed his best friend and at the moment he wanted nothing but to eat spicy rice cake with Yoseob. But that would be too selfish, too egoistic, and Doojoon would never do that.

From: Yang Tiny

To: Yoon Dooball

8:16 pm

Doojoonah wher r u?

To: Yang Tiny

From: Yoon Dooball

8:18 pm

Hongdae. U?

From: Yang Tiny

To: Yoon Dooball

8:19 pm

Myeongdong. With noona?

To: Yang Tiny

From: Yoon Dooball

8:20 pm

No. With Jieunnie?

From: Yang Tiny

To: Yoon Dooball

8:21 pm

Nah. Hv u eaten?

To: Yang Tiny

From: Yoon Dooball

8:23 pm

Nope, hv u? What hppned to Jieunnie?

From: Yang Tiny

To: Yoon Dooball

8:25 pm

I want spicy rice cakes…

To: Yang Tiny

From: Yoon Dooball

8:26 pm

U rly want it?

There was no reply from Yoseob.

Instead Yoseob’s name was flashing on the caller ID.

Doojoon flipped his phone open and grinned, “Yah Yoseobah.”

The voice on the other line was cheerful as always, “Doojoonah, I WANT spicy rice cakes!” Doojoon laughed heartily, suddenly feeling absolutely happy to hear Yoseob’s voice, “Fine, fine. Should I come over to Myeongdong?”

“Duh, of course you should. Come now! I’m starving.” Yoseob whined from the other side. Doojoon walked briskly to the subway, “I’ll call you when I get there.” And Doojoon ran as fast as he could with a big silly grin on his face to the subway.

At midnight, there were two boys laughing and talking to each other in a small spicy rice cake stall in Myeongdong. Sometimes, the smaller one lightly hit or kicked the other under the table and the other one would retaliate by teasingly gripping the younger one’s neck.

But it was obvious to everyone.

It was obvious that they were best friends.