She regretted it so much, so much that she willingly trades anything she has—excluding Yujin, of course—just to turn back time to stop her past self from making such a stupid and unforgivable plan.

 

Because of her so-confident-self, Wonyoung has successfully broken her best friend’s heart. Oh, what was she thinking, being so confident that Yujin actually harbors any romantic feelings toward her? People usually associate her with the word “genius”, “clever” and so on but all she could think right now is her stupidity is eating her friendship with Yujin. Just right after she gets to talk to Yujin, she successfully destroys the line in the blink of an eye. 

 

Wonyoung feels pathetic about her crying right now. 

 

How dare I cry when I’m the one who’s hurting her right now?!

 

That is what Wonyoung thought but her tears just can’t stop spilling as she sobbed and sobbed as Yujin’s words before she closed the door of her house kept repeating in her head as if they were some sort of magic spells.

 

“Wonyoung, I will appreciate it if we take a break for a while. I really need some time to sort out my thoughts.”

 

Goddammit, Jang Wonyoung is really the stupidest person ever to exist in this world. 

 

^^

 

To Wonyoung’s dismay, a week has passed without any contact between the two best friends. Yujin went to the length of skipping classes just to avoid her but she really can’t blame the latter as she might do the same too if she is in her shoes.

 

Although living beside each other, Wonyoung still can’t bring herself to even step on the latter’s yard. Yujin’s mother did call her a few times before but she still can’t bring herself to meet Yujin. Maybe it’s the guilt or maybe it’s the fear of the chances of Yujin wanting to end their friendship? She herself doesn’t know which one it is but still, she might go insane if she can’t see her Yujin in a few more hours.

 

The longing she has now has overstepped her fears and guilt as her legs bring her out of her own house, rushing over to the house beside her before she abruptly stops by the front door.

 

Brace yourself, Jang Wonyoung.

 

One, two, three knocks before the sound of people approaching the door is visible to her hearing.

 

“Oh, Wonyoung sweetie.”

 

Wonyoung gives Mrs. An a small smile.

 

“Is Yujin here, auntie?”

 

“Oh dear, I’m sorry but she went out just a few minutes ago.”

 

“Oh…”

 

“Wonyoung?”

 

Wonyoung stiffens as she watches the worried look on Mrs. Ahn’s face.

 

“Is there something going on between you two? Yujin won’t come out to eat at all the past week.”

 

Oh no.

 

“I—We had an argument, honestly.”

 

Wonyoung fidgets around until Yujin’s mother holds her still on her shoulder.

 

“It’s okay, Wonyoung-ie. Friends fight all the time.”

 

She… is not just my friend, auntie

 

Wonyoung nods, still feeling down that the only time she has the courage is the same time Yujin is out with whoever she is right now.

 

“You can wait in her room if you want.”

 

^^

 

Wonyoung has a small instinct that Yujin will get mad at her for stubbornly waiting for her in the latter’s room but she’s more afraid that she won’t have enough guts to come here again.

 

“Jang Wonyoung.”

 

Her body jolts upwards, too startled at the sudden and stern call of her name. She couldn’t dare to turn her body around, to face the obviously mad person behind her.

 

“AAH!”

 

Wonyoung hollers as a sudden force pushes her down on the bed. She’s so close to crying again when a pair of arms are wrapped around her small frame.

 

“Y—yuj…”

 

“Shushh… Let me enjoy this warmth in silence for a while.”

 

So Wonyoung obeys Yujin’s small request, silently letting the tears stream down her face as she grips Yujin’s warm palms. 

 

“W—wait, why are you so warm, Wonyoung?”

 

She keeps shut as Yujin put her palm on her forehead.

 

“Hey, you’re boiling hot, stupid!”

 

She tries her best not to be obvious with her sobs but when Yujin shouts, Wonyoung finally breaks down, palms covering her face as she sobs in front of the startled Yujin.

 

“I’m so sorry. N—no excuse could ever be enough for my….stupid plan. I am so… so sorry, Yujin. Th—that was so foolish of me.”

 

Unsure of what to do, Yujin could only hug her again and rubs the side of her waist to comfort her.

 

“Yu—Yuj, I like you. I like you so much that it hurts.”

 

The world all stopped in an instant. Instead, an unfamiliar warmth seeps into Yujin’s heart.

 

It was when Wonyoung wriggled her way out of the hug to wipe her remaining tears that the world continue moving again.

 

Biting her lip, Yujin stares as Wonyoung speaks in stuttered breaths, rubbing the sides of her stomach.

 

“I was so scared of losing you but instead of keeping you close, I pushed you away even more.”

 

Her eyes and Wonyoung’s meet, and that is the second breaking point for the latter.

 

“I—It was so stupid to assume you are… harboring the same feelings for me when it was just us not being able to stay distant from each other.”

 

It’s so grueling for her to see Wonyoung in the state she is right now but she holds herself and waits as Wonyoung continues with her stammered breath.

 

“My stupidness blinded me that I’m too ashamed to say that it was me who acted all cocky and—”

 

“You weren’t fully wrong about that, you know?”

 

Yujin watches intensely as Wonyoung mutters her last few words.

 

 “mighty like that… WHAT?”

 

She folds her arm in front of her chest, trying to calm herself.

 

“I never said that I didn’t like you, Jang.”

 

She mumbles but still makes sure that the mentioned girl heard it. What she never expected to happen is that Wonyoung continued sobbing her heart out while cautiously grabbing onto the hem of her shirt.

 

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry, Yujin.”

 

Yujin stands still, looking up as tears well upon her eyelids at the sight of this vulnerable Wonyoung. It’s not that she wants to drag this argument but she’s afraid that if she mistakes this feeling for something else, it will break Wonyoung’s heart. She opens to speak as Wonyoung calms down but is cut by the latter.

 

“I—I understand if you need time to cool down first.”

 

“Won…”

 

“I’ll go home now. Meet you soon, Yuj…”

 

Yujin wants her to stay so bad, to comfort her until the bright smile appears again, to tell her that it’s okay but she froze, only her eyes moving as she watches Wonyoung takes her leave.

 

Until she remembers how Wonyoung is unusually warm earlier.

 

^^

 

Wonyoung’s head is messed up, even more, the moment she left Yujin’s house. She walks senselessly, not caring if she steps on a puddle or bumps into people. 

 

“Jang Wonyoung!”

 

She lifelessly turns around and is engulfed by a tight hug. A familiar and desperate hug.

 

“Stay with me. Please.”

 

“You’re burning hot. I can’t just let you be sick alone”

 

Wonyoung choked up as she hugs Yujin back.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

^^

 

Laying down on Yujin’s bed with a wet towel sticking on her forehead, Wonyoung feels so guilty and sad that Yujin is still taking care of her despite the mistake she made.

 

“Yuj.”

 

She calls out the other girl who’s laying beside her after hesitating for quite a while.

 

“Yeah?”

 

She studies Yujin’s expression closely until the observed girl suddenly turns her face around, startling both of them.

 

“W-why did you call me?”

 

“No-nothing…”

 

Wonyoung scratches her nape as she looks away, praying that Yujin won’t notice her reddening nape and ears.

 

“You’re blushing.”

 

“Wh-what?!”

 

Wonyoung immediately turns away and covers her ears. 

 

“I think I like you, Jang.”

 

What?

 

Wonyoung turns her body quickly, almost falling down from the bed while doing so.

 

“WHAT?!”

 

Wonyoung startles, even more, when Yujin quickly wraps her long arm around her waist to catch her from falling.

 

“I know you heard me the first time, Won”

 

Wonyoung stutters when Yujin pulls her closer and holds her with both of her arms now.

 

“N-no that’s not what I meant! You like me back?”

 

Wonyoung gasps after realizing what she just said, covering afterward in shock and disbelief. She might explode anytime soon when Yujin carefully pulls her hands off softly.

 

“I was unsure about it.”

 

Wonyoung stares as she waits for Yujin to continue. She can’t miss the way Yujin’s hold on her loosens for a while before the latter tightens it back.

 

“I didn’t mean to say this to burden you even more or make you feel even guiltier than you already are but with the pressure within myself about it and you and Rei’s stupid plan, I feel so rushed. I was scared that I’ll hurt you if this feeling turn out to be something less than what falling in love felt but I was also scared of the thought of you getting bored of me and falling for Rei.”

 

Yujin rubs her face frustratingly with one of her hands as she lets out a heavy sigh.

 

“Yuj…”

 

Wonyoung hesitates a bit but continues nonetheless.

 

“I’ve loved you for many years, Yujin,” 

 

Yujin feels a strong tug on her heart and it overwhelms her too much to the point of her choking up over nothing. Her heart warms up rapidly at Wonyoung’s words. Her heart warms up so much that she tears up without realizing it.

 

“There’s no way I will fall for someone else that easily.”

 

It was the breaking point for Yujin as she lets the tears fall freely down her face. Feeling embarrassed about it, she hides her face, burying her head into the crook of Wonyoung’s neck.

 

“I don’t deserve you at all.”

 

Yujin mumbles, wondering how hurt Wonyoung had been, especially during the time she inattentively shares her feelings toward Minju at the poor girl who has been loving her this whole time.

 

“You deserve me, Yuj.”

 

“But I hurt you, so much. At this point, I don’t know how can you not hate me, let alone love me.”

 

Yujin’s words trail as she pushes herself away from Wonyoung as guilt fills her whole body.

 

“Yuj, please come here.”

 

It’s so hard to resist the urge to embrace Wonyoung but her guilt overtakes her body, keeping her head low.

 

“Yujin, please…”

 

Wonyoung’s voice comes out so weakly that it makes Yujin’s heart wavers.

 

“Won, I—”

 

She tried to make excuse but upon seeing tears welling up on the other girl’s eyelids, Yujin scoots closer, albeit carefully and pulls Wonyoung back into her embrace.

 

“We’ll be so puffy tomorrow morning…”

 

Yujin sighs as she caresses Wonyoung’s silky hair she has been longing to touch for a week. She almost jumps when Wonyoung softly plants a kiss on her exposed shoulder blade.

 

“I love you, Yudaeng.”

 

Yujin notices how hesitant lingers in Wonyoung’s words but her heart feels so warm, so comfortable as if it is the only right thing to hear from Wonyoung for her entire life. That was the moment she realized that she was indeed in love with her best friend. She stares at the crown of the latter’s head, taking a deep breath before she plants a long kiss on it, loving how Wonyoung tightens her hold.

 

“I love you, Wony.”