R // LANGUAGE

 

“Who wants to get married? For 2 dollars only!”

14^th of February, Valentines Day. Red and pink all over, Silk and shiny decorations. Booths standing around the campus grounds. Each different booths resembling the concept of love, Celebrating the day of hearts. Byul took her break time to scope the surroundings. Hands nervously in her pocket as she approaches a stall, Taking out cash from her wallet.

“Can I have one rose please?” She said.

“For who? Are you buying this for yourself? Man, Single things.” The stall student vendor then gave the rose to her and she paid for the rose she just bought. As she walked away, Eyes started staring towards her. Most of them were male students as a girl bringing along a rose resembled an admirer. For her case, She was the admired and not the one being admired for. As she walks pass through the hallways, Her confidence turns into nervousness.

“Wheein-ah!” She called.

The latter looked back, Looking stunning as ever. She didn’t know what to say or do, Every word and move she practiced in-front of a mirror gone into waste as she was in the moment of truth. Reality check hits her and she stammers, Jumbles her words on every stutter. The fact that her hands were also behind her back holding on to that rose she bought, Makes it more even suspicious towards the eyes of the latter.

“Where’s your hands?” Wheein asked.

Byul’s hand felt like it was having a seizure. A heavy breathing fell off from her lips as she slowly takes one hand out from the back, Then finally her other hand as she attempts to give the rose to Wheein who seemed to have liked it.

“Is that for me? Or did some guy give you that and passed it to me? Wow you’re witty!”

The latter broke down in a huge laughter. Byul couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed, She thought it would have been a different reaction. She comes up with a quick excuse, A believable one.

“Ye-yeah… some guy did but….don’t worry! The rose was given to me and therefore it’s my property so I will give it to you now. It’s like a contract you know and besides I have no one to celebrate valentines with.”

Wheein’s laughter became short and she responded with a hum.

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

Byul smiled and she returned the smile. Though, She was feeling a little bit uneasy. What was that? Why was she mad? The latter didn’t even do anything but tell the truth. She then looked at her watch, As if time was ticking and ending her.

“Hey uh… I need to go, I have an assignment to finish.” She said, In a hurry.

“We can go toge-“

“No! I mean, We can’t. I want to be in a quiet place as possible, Quizzes are about to start in an hour.” She excused herself, Walking away without saying goodbye.

After that moment, She went home to the dorm without spending time with Byul.

“Hey, Jung Wheein! You can’t just throw that, It’s beautiful.” Hyejin said, Eyes looking down the trash bin.

“It’s not.”

“It is! Duh.”

“It’s not! What’s beautiful with a recycled rose that comes from some random guy in school who gave it to her, What makes her think that my value is that low? She could’ve just said she bought it or what. It’s so annoying! What am I, A recycle bin?” Wheein said in a sudden outburst.

Hyejin’s face changed mischievously. That damned mischievous smirk and eyes looking at her, The latter poked fun and walked in circles around her.

“Ohoho, You’re jealous aren’t you?” Hyejin teased.

“Who said? Why should I be? I’m not like inlove with her or something, We’re friends. Just like us, Friends. She is my friend, Byul is my friend. Only a friend.”

With a heavy sigh, Hyejin sat down on her bunk.

“We’ve been best friends since junior school and I know it when you’re jealous.”

She paused before dropping a question, Expecting for an answer.

“Do you like her? Like in a romantic way of like? Admire her? Have a crush on her? What do you really feel about her?”

Wheein’s demeanor changed and suddenly she’s nervous and unable to talk or process well what just being asked towards her.

“She calls me pretty and treats me well but no….”

“Lies.” The latter quickly chimes in.

“You’re not telling the truth. Please, I know those eyes.”

“Hyejin-ah…”

“The truth, Jung Wheein! The truth!”

Both of them stayed silent.

“Yes….I guess.. I am not sure…”

Wheein finally gives the latter an answer quite the expected one.

“Told you. I’ve got eyes, I know something’s going on between you two. To tell you the truth, I’m kinda jealous of you hanging out together but I’ve been in this campus since my first time in college. I know her, Not quite well. I just know that she’s got better guts on women than a man has.” The latter said.

“I know…...I’m still not sure alright? I just….I don’t know. I’m a girl and she’s a girl, I mean...That’s weird right? But I feel so safe and secure when she’s around, She’s very charming aside from her greasy remarks. I love the company I am having around her.” Wheein confessed.

“I don’t know but I know well that there’s a new store around the streets that sells good gopchang, Maybe we can go there some time this weekend, What do you say?” The latter asked.

A scoff fell from her lips.

“Do you ever not get tired of gopchang?”

“What? Yongsun-unnie eats tteokbokki for a solid one month, Eating gopchang for a whole semester year is nothing.”

Wheein nodded her head in agreement.

“Yeah…. She has an amazing existence.”

As the chat between the two ended, Wheein sat down. Eyes still fixated towards the rose inside the trash bin, A conflicting decision ends up with her digging and getting the rose back that she threw from the bin. She pulled away every petal of the rose, Placed it between pages on her journal notebook.

“I’m sorry for throwing you, I should be thankful.” She smiled, Threw the stem of the rose this time. Then wrote at the bottom of the pages which the petals were placed, A satisfying look on her eyes as she closes her journal.

On the other hand, Byul was lying on her bed. Eyes not able to close itself as thoughts scatter around her mind.

“I wanna get married.”

“The ?” A voice of a woman chimed in the middle.

“I meant marriage booth at the campus tomorrow, I thought you were sleeping. The hell are you doing? Watching ? At 2am?”

“First of all, I am not . Second of all, You just met this new girl. Became friends within a month and now you’re saying you want to get married. Lastly, I thought you’re heartbroken with the queen Joohyun. Why? You moved on?” The other voice said.

“Hey Kisum, Why don’t you go turn around, Touch some grass and go sleep?” Byul responded with a stern tone.

“Alright, Chill.” Kisum followed.

“Goodnight, Kisum. Stop having dreams of , You’re not getting it this valentines with your ex anyway.”

“ you, Byulyi.”

“Nah but she can.”

Kisum cringed in disgust as she laughs it off. 

No but seriously, me for liking you when i'm still not over her.