Oddly, Chanyeol did not feel so nervous about performing on stage that night. He finished his last song confidently and couldn't wait to join them on their table.

 

It took him awhile to come out since the band's small fanbase started crowding at the backstage. They received their presents and took some pictures. When he went out to meet the girls, he was greeted by Joohyun's pretty smiling face. He did the same. But when his eyes landed on Eunji who looked knocked down on the table, he immediately rushed to her side.

 

"Hey Chanyeol. The band was--" Joohyun started asking but cutoff short when Chanyeol began checking on Eunji.

 

"Hey, Ji-ah. Are you okay?" He asked worriedly, eyebrows pulled together. He tried shaking her arms and her head rolled over the table. "Are you drunk?"

 

Eunji did not move. Chanyeol turned to face Joohyun, "How much did she drink?"

 

Joohyun looked at the empty bottles on the table, "Three bottles..."

 

Chanyeol's eyes widened in disbelief, "Three bottles? All by herself?!" He lowered his head to ask the drunk Eunji, "Jung Eunji, what's your problem?"

 

Jung Eunji opened her eyes a bit and saw Chanyeol staring right back at her. In her blurry gaze, Joohyun's face looking intently at Chanyeol registered in the frame.

 

"OOH. Chanyeol!!!" She pushed herself from the table. "You're here. Joohyun has been waiting." She blinked several times. They were together. It's my cue to leave, right?

 

She clicked her tongue and straightened her back. "So.. I'm leaving." She stood up and almost fell. Her knees were barely supporting her now. Good thing was, Chanyeol was just right beside her.

 

"Where do you think you're going?" Chanyeol asked impatiently, holding her wrist. He looked so pissed, Eunji wondered that if ever he would end up with Joohyun would he also get pissed like this?

 

"Home." She whispered. The tension was just too suffocating for her. She just really wanted to go home.

 

"Yeah. And you think you can go home alone?" He asked sarcastically.

 

Before she could answer that question, her eyelids had dropped already and everything just went blank.

 

----

Eunji woke up from the cold, the blinding streetlights and a slight headache. "What the--" she stopped herself from cursing as she realized that she was actually in a bus stop. The night was dark and there were few people in the bus stop.

 

She was taken aback when the guy sitting beside her spoke, "AHH. Yeppo Chae is awake. Finally!!" He looked so bored. Stretching his arm, he glared at her. "Is it comfortable to sleep on me just like that?"

 

She scratched her eyes and saw Chanyeol. The guy was complaining about his sore arm but Eunji was confused. "Yah, Chanyeol-ah. Why am I here?"

 

Chanyeol laughed sarcastically. "You don't know how you got here?"

 

She stared blankly, trying to recall what happened.

 

"You drank 3 bottles of beer in the club. And right after my performance, you said you wanted to get home. You passed out." Chanyeol explained as everything replayed over her head. She slowly recollected the events that lead them in the station.

 

She placed a hand on , expressing shock over Chanyeol's narration. "Oh my God." She felt embarrased thinking about what happened. "And Joohyun? Where is she?"

 

"She left." Chanyeol answered nonchalantly. His fingers were playing with the strings of his hoodie.

 

Eunji felt guilty about what she did. They could have hang out more if it weren't for her.

 

"What's with the long face?" Chanyeol immediately noticed.

 

"Was she mad?" She inquired.

 

His expression softened. "Why would she be mad? She's very much concerned about you. She even insisted about helping me to bring you home but I told her to just go home."

 

Now Eunji felt guilty more than ever. "I'm a horrible friend."

 

Chanyeol looked down at her and nodded. "You are... one horrible friend. That's right." He agreed. "And you'll be a horrible daughter too."

 

"Why?"

 

"It's almost midnight and you're still on the streets."

 

"WHAT?!" She hastily looked at her wrist watch and saw that it was already 11 in the evening. "My parents will kill me!!!" She cried.

 

"Yeah, we will probably die together."

 

She cursed him. Few moments later, the last bus arrived. Both hopped in. Since it was already the last bus ride there were few passengers inside, they occupied the seats at the back. Eunji sat by the window and Chanyeol settled himself beside her.

 

As the bus driver went on the way, Chanyeol could not longer hold his curiosity. "I don't understand, Ji-ah."

 

"What?" She said, transferring her gaze from outside to his face. The look on his face was soft this time, he was probably too tired already.

 

"Why did you get so drunk?"

 

"Umh, I just... Just because." She lied. She couldn't tell him that it had something to do with him, Joohyun and the stares both of them sharing for most of that night.

 

"Next time, don't get drunk just by yourself. Okay?" Chanyeol sighed.

 

"Why?"

 

"Just because." He said, copying the exact words she reasoned earlier. His eyes drifted from his face to outside, "Oooh. It's snowing."

 

Eunji turned back to the window and saw the first snow falling outside. "Ugh, it explains the very chilly whether. I can't believe Winter is here."

 

They both stayed quiet admiring the falling snowflakes.

 

"It's beautiful," Chanyeol said, his voice sounded dreamy.

 

Eunji turned to face him, only to find that he was already staring back at her. She felt her cheeks burned a little so she instantly looked away, focusing back on the snow outside. Her heart, fluttering wildly against her chest. She could almost hear it pounding behind her ears, only to be matched by Chanyeol's soft snores beside her.

 

-----

 

They both went home that night with Eunji already sober and Chanyeol dead tired. Luckily, both of their parents did not inquire much on why they came home past midnight so Chanyeol was able to sleep peacefully that night.

 

Eunji on the other hand, spent the first few hours of the new day reflecting. Feeling different emotions in just one day had been a roller coaster ride for her. She felt drained. She couldn't fathom how she was able to manage having those emotions-- it clearly was a disaster given how things turned out for them.

 

How long would she have to deal with all of these? That was the last question she had in mind before finally dozing off at dawn break.

 

Good thing was, the next day was Saturday and it meant no classes for Eunji. Her hungover was just as bad as she imagined it to be but at least she did not have to stay inside the classroom and pretend to be listening to her teachers.

 

She did not go outside the whole morning but decided to meet up with Sohye who kept her University application forms when she had to leave early with Chanyeol on Friday.

 

They were at the cafe near Sohye's house. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The weather was chilly but the sun was shining brightly.

 

"Ahhhh. Thank you. Sohye-ah. I don't know what my life would be without you." She exclaimed as Sohye handed her the forms in a folder.

 

"Why do you have two application forms anyway? Would you apply twice if the first time doesn't go well?" Sohye asked curiously as she stirred her cup of iced coffee using her straw.

 

Eunji shook her head. "No, I'll give them to Chanyeol."

 

Sohye almost choked at her drink. "That's a nice thing for you to do for him, GIRL FRIEND." She emphasized with a big smile.

 

Eunji scowled and later contemplated to tell Sohye about what was bothering her the past 24 hours. Maybe asking Sohye would give her a new perspective in this whole ordeal. She clicked her tongue and sat up straight facing her. "Hey, Sohye. I have a question."

 

"What?" Sohye asked wide-eyed. "Ask me anything, no math equations please."

 

"You see, I have this friend." She scratched her jaw lightly, "My friend has a friend, a guy."

 

"Uh-uh..." Sohye listened urging her to continue.

 

"So recently, she starts to have this strange feeling around him. Her heart flutters, and sometimes her knees weakens too. So everything he does creates the same reaction from her. It's killing her obviously. Then there's a new girl that came along..."

 

"Ooooh." Sohye cooed.

 

"Well, the guy acts like he really really likes the new girl. Somehow, it pains my friend to see that because apparently, the new girl seems to like her friend too. What do you think should my friend do? Huh?"

 

"Is your friend's name Jung Eunji?" Sohye asked looking at her squarely. "And her guy friend's name is Park Chanyeol while the new girl is Bae Joohyun?"

 

"W-what?" Eunji laughed nervously trying to avoid eye contact with Sohye but gave up as soon as the other started smiling maniacally at her. She just got caught and now she would have to endure the torture of Sohye's teasing. She heaved a sigh of retreat.

 

"You made it way too obvious for me to tell. So you like Chanyeol huh?" She was smiling maniacally at her now, feeling extremely happy that her suspicions were true. "I knew it! Hahahahaha."

 

The people from the other tables started looking in their way. Eunji kicked her for being too loud. "I didn't say that I like him."

 

"Yeah, after telling me that he makes your heart flutter, your knees weak and giving you slight jealousy over Joohyun. It's clear as the sky that you like Chanyeol."

 

She stared in midair admitting to herself the reality she had denied few times, "So the strange feeling is all because I like that idiot..." She said blankly. "Hold up! I like him?!" She asked in complete shock. "Do I, Jung Eunji, like him?"

 

Sohye nodded at her pathetically in confirmation.

 

"Oh God." She placed a hand over her chest. "I'm doomed now, right?"

 

"Why would you be doomed?"

 

"He likes Joohyun." She swallowed the bitter truth. "Sohye-ah, is the pain I'm feeling upon this realization what you call unrequited love?" She suppressed a sob at .

 

"I don't buy that." Sohye stood her ground. "He probably finds her pretty but I think he likes you better. I have always told you, the guy likes you too."

 

Sohye's words were comforting but somehow, Eunji could not be swayed.

 

---

 

At school the following week, in the school library, Eunji was busy filling out her application forms. Chanyeol was sitting beside her, waiting for her finish up so he could copy whatever she had written on hers.

 

"Are you done yet, Ji-ah?" His voice sounded so bored, he leaned his head on her arm which made Eunji's cheeks fluster. Oh, I hate that I have become aware of these feelings. She thought to herself.

 

She pushed his face away from her hoping he wouldn't notice. "Work on your own, idiot."

 

Chanyeol clicked his tongue and leaned on the chair.

 

"Start writing your name at least," Eunji ordered and Chanyeol lazily reached for one of her pens. 

 

"Hi guys." A voice greeted and both raised up their heads to look at the person who greeted them. It was Joohyun.

 

"Hi Joohyun," Eunji greeted while Chanyeol stiffened.

 

"What are you doing here?" The new comer asked.

 

"We're filling out these forms." She explained.

 

"I see. I'm going to head back to the classroom now. I'll see you guys later. Bye, Eunji. Bye, Chanyeol." And with that she left. Chanyeol sighed deeply.

 

"Yeolmae..."

 

"Oh?"

 

"She's pretty, right?"

 

He looked astounded, "Well, she's alright." He said and scratched his head.

 

She decided to tease Chanyeol instead. "That's why you have a crush on her."

 

"Who said that?"

 

"You like Joohyun." She concluded.

 

"AH. Stop saying nonsense Ji-ah." He muttered. His yoda ears started getting red. "Are you done with your form? Can I have it now?" He asked changing the subject.

 

As he filled out his application form, Eunji stared at him. Sometimes, he would say words he didn't mean. Eunji should know; she had been doing that a lot lately. Maybe Chanyeol liked Joohyun more than he could admit. There was no point for her to get confused about Chanyeol. He was treating her like how he used to while he's treating Joohyun differently, delicately. The sad reality dawned to her that for Chanyeol, she would always be that friend. So as his friend, her role was to support him. She then thought that playing the supportive friend would be better for her than entertaining these feelings about him.

 

When they finished filling out their forms, they went back to the faculty room to submit them. After that, they went out and found Joohyun struggling to bring the box of art materials to the classroom. Eunji nudged Chanyeol. "Yah, go help her."

 

"Why would I?" He asked looking away.

 

"She's struggling with it."

 

"I don't want to."

 

She rolled her eyes. If he liked her that much, why did he always act as if he never cared? What a cold-hearted man.

 

They both followed Joohyun quietly. It looked as though she really was struggling to walk with the box. When she almost lost her balance trying to hold it together, Chanyeol ran toward her and helped. Joohyun said thanks looking all flustered. Chanyeol quietly held the box and they both headed to the classroom.

 

--- 

 

Later on that day, photos of Chanyeol and Joohyun surfaced in the school page and circulated among chat rooms. People loved to see lovely things together so the reaction on the campus couple was positive. Students were leaving nice comments and mentions of how they were rooting for these two.

 

Somehow, after Eunji's magical push Fate found ways for the two to spend more time together. They were selected as student aides for Science, partners in the culminating activity for English. He still found time to hang out with her but Eunji could feel that he had changed. He was not very loud and talkative as he used to be. Which was fine with Eunji because she could finally have a peace of mind.

 

Another good thing that she deemed to have grown out of this was, she was not having the strange feelings around him anymore.

 

It was break time and the girls of her class had gone outside the classroom. She stayed with Sohye inside because of her menstrual cramps. Joohyun who had apparently made a lot of friends after being linked with Chanyeol had left already.

 

Their cellphones beeped almost in unison. There was a message in their class' chatroom.

 

1 Message | From Hanji

Hanji sent a photo.

Hanji: Our lovely couple is eating together.

 

It was a candid shot of Chanyeol and Joohyun in the canteen eating lunch. Sohye frustratedly dropped her phone on the desk. 

 

"The chatrooms in this school are all about this couple." She muttered and glared at Eunji. "Don't you even feel bad about this?"

 

"Do I have the right to be so?" 

 

"OF COURSE!" Sohye claimed. "You technically had him first. That fox just slyly stole him away from you."

 

"Why are you calling Joohyun a fox?"  She asked. "It isn't her fault Chanyeol likes her."

 

Sohye sighed, "Ahh. And the fault with you is you're very kind." 

 

Sohye was so frustrated at her she decided to just go at the cafeteria leaving Eunji behind. The pain down her stomach was just to unbearable she just decided to sleep. She woke up just before the first period in the afternoon started and when she did, she found a bottle of strawberry milk and on her desk. 

 

--- 

 

On the same day, Eunji went straight to her after class academy. Her cramps did not her much anymore because of the medicine she took in. When the class was over, Chanyeol came to pick her up. 

 

"How are you feeling, Ji-ah?" He asked as they settled themselves in the bus on the way home. 

 

"Better," she managed to say.  They stayed quiet for a while. Despite sitting very close to each other, Eunji felt that Chanyeol was miles away. Deep in thought, the guy stared outside.  Since she was also not in the mood to talk, she got her earphones from her bag ang opted to just listen to the music from her phone. 

 

As though forced by habit, Chanyeol reached for the other earpiece. "I left mine with Minseok." He said and plugged the piece in his right ear, Eunji did the same outting the earpiece on her left ear. They had done this a lot of times. Sharing their headset and music together. She tapped the shuffle button and a random song started playing. The listened to her playlist along the ride. Chanyeol would hum from time to time. 

 

When the last song from her playlist started playing, Chanyeol removed the earpiece from his left ear. 

 

"Jung Eunji, I have something to say." 

 

She removed her earpiece as well. "What is it?" 

 

Chanyeol looked anxious as though he was holding back. He bit his plump lower lip and swallowed hard before turning to face Eunji. "I'd like to tell you first because I think you have to know." 

 

"What's with this serious atmosphere?" Eunji asked, chuckling. 

 

Chanyeol pouted, "Don't laugh at me." 

 

"I'm not." Eunji said keeping a straight face. "Seriously, what is it?"

 

"Well, you see... Joohyun and I have been  working a lot together previously." He looked  lost as if looking for the right words to say.  Eunji's chest tightened. "So I have gotten to know her more. And umh... How do I say this?" He began chewing his lips. "So we have decided to..." 

 

Don't say it. She thought.. 

 

"You know.". 

 

Am I ready for this? She said to herself while looking at Chanyeol. 

 

"Joohyun and I..." 

 

She could no longer contain herself so she ended the statement for him, "You're dating now, aren't you?" 

 

Chanyeol stopped moving and stared at her blankly. Eunji's world practically stopped when his lips moved and said, "We are." He mumbled. "We're going out now, Ji-ah." He finished with a smile.