Sitting beside the river with a half-empty bottle of beer in my hand, feels so calming. I felt a slight throbbing in my head from the drinking. I stared blankly of what’s in front of me, the subtle movement of the river with carnival lights reflected on it.

He suddenly asked the typical question that everybody ask after not meeting for so long “You dating anyone?” I knew this question was going to come sooner or later. Before I even open my mouth to reply, he asked another question which earned a rapid head turn from me.

 “You like that guy don’t you? The guy at the canteen.”

My face turned into a tomato in a second. Is it that obvious? Does Jae Hyuk  knows that I like him too? Oh God!

He laughed loudly while slapping my back hard. I blushed even more and slapped back his arms.

Attempting to stop this embarrassing moment, I redirect the question to him “Well, are you dating someone?”

“Nah. I just meet some girls, but not like officially dating them.” He said this lightly, as if it’s not a big deal, while chuckling.

“Wow a player huh. Why am I not shocked” I face palmed.

“I mean that’s how I can feel loved right? I was lonely after I left. So I go to my grandma’s place a lot. That’s where I feel cared about. Now my grandma is far away, so I can only get it from girls. Right?” He said it casually.

I didn’t know he feel that way. I was deep in my thought when Bobby asked “Hey are you okay? Your face is pretty red”

“Oh yeah I can’t really drink a lot.”

After I said that, he grabbed the beer in my hand and drinks it in one shot.

After the accidental meeting, Yu Ra started to talk to me more. She would ask me to have lunch with her then along the way, ask me to invite Bobby along. Bo Ram, knowing her motives, rolled her eyes so many times, I lost count.

The next week I am so busy with my own schedule, and Bobby is busy doing assignments with his friends. My art exhibition is also getting closer and closer. I stayed back at school almost every day.

During the exhibition preparation, I see Jae Hyuk a lot, which I’m so happy about. He also has been even nicer to me. He would help me bring my heavy art supplies, and help me cope with the pressure in preparing for the exhibition by patting me in my shoulder or my head, turning my cheek a bright shade of pink.

Sometimes though, I would catch Jae Hyuk with Go A Ra, one of the senior in the art club, talking really closely. When I see them together, I turned away, hoping to not remember the sight. I shook my head as I suddenly remember what Bo Ram said, “He probably helped other girls as well”, trying to convince myself that Lee Jae Hyuk is a nice guy.

One day after class, I was seating with Bo Ram, Bobby and his friends at the canteen. We were busy talking until Bobby’s phone vibrated. He looked at his phone and complained, “This friend of yours is getting annoying.”

I looked up at him “Who?” Bo Ram is the one to reply me, “Who else? Yu Ra right?”

“She knows your phone number?” I asked Bobby.

“Yeah. This stupid guy right here gave it to her.” He pointed at Hanbin, who just smile sheepishly.

Bo Ram whispered to my ear “She’s been looking at you more intensely too. I think she knows Bobby didn’t care about her like how he cares for you. And she’s jealous of it”

I have a bad feeling about this. My stomach twisted uncomfortably.