•••

“Soojin-unnie!” I called out, the black curly-haired woman of my dreams turns around to me, her eyes looking ethereal as ever. “I-I need to tell you something.”

“What is it?” She asked with her attractive and y voice. I blushed.

“I-I love you so much, unnie! I-I can’t live without you, y-you’re my air!” I said, struggling to confess.

That was such a lame pick-up line, Shuhua. I scolded myself. But it did took an effect on her. The y side of hers were suddenly replaced with shyness and embarrassment.

She’s so cute.

“R-really? T-thanks.” She sheepishly blushed. Ugh, what did I do to deserve this?!

“B-by the way, Shuhua-yah. I-I don’t mind being your…g-girlfriend.” She gulped at her last sentence. I’m not dreaming, yes, I’M NOT FREAKING DREAMING.

“I WOULD LIKE TO BE YOUR GIRLFRIEND, SOOJIN-UNNIE! I WOULD FREAKING LOVE IT, I SWEAR!” I shrieked then ran towards her.

“I LOVE YOU!!!” I yelled again and reached for her red lips. It would be nice if I get to kiss her like this.

And I did. But I unfortunately woke up.

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!” I furiously shouted, seeing my best friend Yuqi getting kissed by me. You’re so stupid, Shuhua!

I absentmindedly landed on the floor and crawled backwards towards the wall.

Yuqi opened her left eye, seeing me being wasted under the bed.

“What the hell are you doing?” She asked, rubbing her eyes. “Oh, by the way. I just dreamed earlier and I felt something wet on my lips. It was sweet though.”

I covered my mouth to try not to scream. Yuqi is definitely not my type of girl, and same goes for her about me, yet I stole her freaking FIRST KISS. ACCIDENTALLY.

I’ll never tell her about this or else she’ll burn me to the oven.

I ran downstairs and headed to the kitchen, trying to forget what the freak happened in the morning.

“Hey! Why are you just leaving me here?! Freaking annoying.” I heard her shouting from the bedroom.

“Why are you being so grumpy in the morning?” She asked, fresh from shower and proceeded to the island table. She sat up on the stool and took a bite on a sunny-side up egg with bacon made by me. It’s a bit overcooked, but she’s fine with it.

“I’m always grumpy.” I chuckled.

“No, no. That thing you did from earlier, it’s different.” She pointed out. “It’s a different type of your grumpiness, if you know what I mean.”

I’m starting to think that she knows what happened earlier. Yuqi is clairvoyant sometimes, and it’s scary.

“But if it’s true, will you be fine with it?” I asked. She raised a brow.

“What do you mean?” She asked. I thought for an alternative answer, but nothing comes to mind.

“N-nevermind. The reason why I’m grumpy is because I’M HUNGRY FOR SOOJIN-UNNIE’S MOMENT WITH ME! The last time we went on the library alone was a month ago, and that didn’t end well to be honest.”

“What?! What happened?” She asked, totally got her mind out of the topic I’ve been trying to avoid.

“Someone just splashed me with a cup of apple cider on my head in front of my dear Soojin! And it was so sticky and smelly. Picture that.”

“That’s horrible! Who did that to you?” Yuqi stood up, getting so guarded up at the situation. “I’ll find and kill them!”

“Relax! It was a month ago, and the people who did it might have probably moved on. It’s really nothing, Yuqi-ah! There’s nothing to worry about. I’m fine.”

“But aren’t you embarrassed after that? Like in front of your crush and all that?”

“It’s fine! It’s so much better seeing your crush looking at you like that with a weird look than your significant other seeing you like that and suddenly starts to run away from you as if you’re a ghost or something.”

Yuqi looked so sour after hearing my words. I suddenly spilled something I shouldn’t have.

I’m so sorry, Yuqi-ah.

“You know, it’s been a while since I’m staying with you here in your apartment. Am I minding you that much?”

“N-no! Of course not! You’re my best friend, and you’ve been dealing with so much lately. You deserve someone who can listen to your problems, if not giving the best advices. That’s why you’re always welcome here. And I’m happy to be beside you, always.”

After all, she’s been with me all the time. I still feel sorry for her because she had a bad breakup recently with her Korean boyfriend and I can’t even do something about it. I’m only just a shoulder to lean on. Nothing more.

Yuqi smiled at my persuasion, but only briefly. I still can see the pain in her eyes though.

“Thanks, Shuhua. I know I could count on you.”

I smiled at the response, and then picked up her empty dish towards the sink.

“By the way, Shuhua. Are you the one who kissed me on the lips earlier?”

I almost puked.

“N-no, I’m not. Okay, I’ll go to the bathroom now, we’ll gonna be late for school.”

“Just answer the question, dimwit.” She resisted, grabbing her phone from the living room. I proceeded to get my towel from the balcony and proceeded to the bathroom.

“Why the hell would I kiss you? Out of all people.” I lied, and then slammed the bathroom door.

After paying the bus fare, we raced up on the school’s huge entrance stairs as we always do in Monday mornings. Sadly, Yuqi won again.

“Haha! I won again! I told you.” She yelled in victory, and I pouted out in failure.

“Why?! Why can’t I win just for once?!” I cried, clenching up my fists while walking slowly up the stairs.

Yuqi turned around, and I figured it's something of a devilish plan came to her mind.

“I know something that I’m sure you’ll definitely win.” She whispered, clutching my arm into hers.

“What are you trying to pull again? I’m tired of your sick games, Yuqi-ah.” I said, unlinking her arm from mine. She then blocked me on my way.

“I know. But here’s the thought. I’ll definitely take my defeat and you’ll recover all your wins. So, here’s the challenge. If you make someone fall in love with you in just a few weeks, you’ll win. But if you haven’t, I’ll take all your wins. Deal?”

I had my mouth in agape. Make someone fall in love with me? In only a FEW weeks? That’s ridiculous!

“I-I can’t even make Soojin-unnie fall in love with me! A-at least make the challenge a bit more easier!”

Yuqi rolled her eyes. “It is EASY. But yeah, if you don’t accept the challenge, you’ll have to treat me ramyeon after school. Deal?”

I looked an searched inside my pocket, and found no wallet. And no wallet means no money. And no money means you have to take the challenge.

So that’s why I’ve felt that my pocket has no weight in it! Damn Yuqi!

“Wait a minute. You planned this all out did you? You took out my wallet because you know you’ll have the advantage of me accepting your deal. But no, I won’t. Like hell I would.”

I walked to her side and she grabbed me by the arm. I rolled my eyes.

“Why is this so important to you anyway? Like are you planning to get me a boyfriend or girlfriend so I can get over with Soojin-unnie or try to steal the person away from me which I really know is your dark obsession or or whatever. But seriously, what are you trying to prove?”

She paused for a moment, and started speaking with her cheeks getting pinkish. I blinked.

“W-well, since you know what kind of situation I’m in lately, I’m trying really hard to move on and find someone else. And maybe that someone else…can be friends with that one person you’re making to fall in love with you.”

I looked at her with an absentminded look. “And that’s…it?”

“Y-yeah…pretty much it.” And that’s all her response.

I gently massaged my temples in confusion.

“Let me clarify it first. So you want to be with someone who is friends with someone that falls in love with me? Is that right?”

“Y-you’re right. Yep.” She slowly nodded.

The awkward tension came into the atmosphere.

“…”

“…”

I sighed, looking around and wondering if she’s still joking like always or actually being serious. Oh well, I can’t tell. “Sometimes I think about… why the hell am I being friends with someone like you?”

Yuqi blinked. 

I blinked.

And we both laughed.

“But seriously, what if I don’t make anyone fall for me? Then you won’t find someone else either, no?”

“Yeahhh. And we’ll both accept the consequences.”

“Not me, you.” I pointed at her. “That's why I won't accept it. Besides, I’m happy just looking at Soojin-unnie, even if she doesn’t look at me the same way.”

“Yeah, you’ll be happy. But not for long.” She muttered, but I clearly heard her.

“But It’s better to be happy than never at all.” I spat back.

“Okay, okay. Let’s just stop now. But I guess you accepted the deal, right?”

“I never said I accepted the deal?”

“But you still thought about it. And what if you made Soojin fall for you, then I guess I’ll pick one of her classmates to be with me. And it’ll be a win-win situation.”

“Ughhh, Yuqi. You don’t even know the risks. I can’t even talk to her like the other times, and I get shy when I get too close to her! She even have bodyguards beside her everytime she walks in the main hallway. She’s pretty untouchable now.”

Yuqi sighed then held me on the shoulders.

“If