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Awkward.

One word. Best used to describe the air around the three of us as Hwasa left the table after dropping my Iced Americano.

You run your fingers through your hair, pushing your locks from one side of your shoulder to another. While she, clears , looking at me like I am her understudy.

I sit straight, fiddling with my thumbs. My mind racing with so many questions that I can’t find the courage to ask.

Like, who is she to you?

Is she my replacement?

Is she the reason why you skyped less frequently before it finally stopped?

Is she the reason why you stopped trying to make us work, despite the time zone?

Is she …

“Byul?” you called, and that snap me out of my mind.

I turn to your side, guilt down upon me as I see your eyes shine with worry. Did I blank out for too long?

“You … okay?”

Nodding, I reach for my glass, taking one after another sips of the content. Silently wishing for you to not pry more.

“Ddun, stop hogging my drinks,”

Her voice jerk in me in surprise. I guess, I am once again lost in my mind.

I turn to look at you, and how I wish that I can stay lost in my mind for longer.

How I wish that I had miss the pout on your lips as you stare at her with that soft gaze of yours.

How I wish that I had miss the way she lovingly sweeps your bangs away before softly flicking the middle of your forehead.

But most of all, how I wish I am her.

“Somehow, yours always tastes better than mine,” you sulkily said.

One sentence. Seven words.

But somehow, my mind flashes with countless memories of us – of me, trying to get my drinks or food back from you.

Somehow, yours always tastes better than mine.

You used to tell me that too.

Looking at the glass in my hand, I am suddenly reminded of the times when we would drink from the same glass and eat from the same plate. So I push my glass closer to your side, and you turn to look at me.

“Do you perhaps… want to taste mine?” I ask.

Your gaze soften, end of your eyebrows drop slightly. Guilt shines over your gaze for no reason.

Or so I thought.

“She actually stopped taking caffeine,” she says.

I gasp, surprised by the fact.

Realization hits me first.

So much time had passed.

Are you still the you that I used to know?

Then the pain came.

Knowing that I no longer know you the way that I used to.

Knowing that there is someone who maybe knows you better than I do.

Knowing that maybe, I am no longer the only one who knows everything about you.

Mustering all the strength that I have left in me, I pull the glass back to my side and lean my back against the chair. Throwing the both of you a fake smile as my knuckles turn white from the tight grip of my fist, placed on my laps.

“Hyunnie right? Whats your surname anyway?”

Trying to chase my pain away, I rake my brain to think of questions to strike a conversation with that friend of yours.

Clearing , she sits up straight and look right at me before she answers.

“Irene Bae Joohyun. You can call me Irene,”

I nod. Well, what more can I say anyway.

Firm – that is how she sounds as she tells me to call her Irene. And oh, let’s not forget the way her forehead creases in distaste when I call her Hyunnie.

So I came to a conclusion.

It’s Irene for most, and Hyunnie for you.

Faking another smile, I loosen my fists and stretch one of my arms out for a handshake.

“Moon ByulE,”

She smiles and reach for the handshake that I offered. Our hands shook for a mere second before she pulls hers away.

“Heard a lot about you,” she says.

“Cannot say the same about you,” I reply, chuckling lightly which she joins in soon after.

“What do you do for a living?”

“Well, we – I mean, me and Ddun – co-owned a café back in NZ,” she answers, smiling widely as she turns to look at you with so much pride.

And I turn to look at you too, but with a smirk tugging on my lips.

“Wow! I guess I missed so much chapters of your life, huh?”

You tear your gaze from her and fix it on me instead. Your hand reaching for mine, which I swiftly avoid by crossing my arms over my chest.

“Byul … I’m sorry, I really am,” you said

I scoff.

“Pft, it’s okay. It’s not your fault if you don’t want anybody to know, right?”

You look much guiltier after I said that.

“But, you’re not just anybody,”

“Yeah … yeah … still doesn’t matter,” I dismiss.

“Byul,”

“Yong look,” I turn to face you and place my hands ok both of your shoulders.

“Time and distance was a , so you skyped me less and you stopped. That’s not your fault, we have time zone to blame.

You were getting busy back in NZ too. So you can’t find time to fit me in. I understand that too.

I am the one who asked for too much from you. It’s my fault, everything is.

So it’s okay, you don’t need to feel guilty. Okay?”

I squeeze your shoulders once. I am about to let it go when your wrap your fingers around my wrists.

“Did … did you get back with her?”

I shake my head, smiling.

“Why?”

Your eyes shine with genuine curiosity. Well, you did tell me to get back with her before you left.

“I thought I told you to get back with her before I left?”

Smiling, I pull my hands away from your hold. Then I remove my cap from my head and place it on yours instead.

“And I thought I told you that I choose you over anyone else? There’s never you or anyone else, Yong. You were never an option for me,”. I say as I tidy up your messy strands beneath the cap.

Then I cup your cheeks and lift your chin up so that I can look into your eyes.

“Because you are my choice, my answer, my home,”

I smile, before I pull my hands away from you cheeks. I then pull a 50,000won note from my pocket and place it on top of the table.

“I have to leave, but the drinks on me. Pleasure to meet you, Irene-ssi,” I said while collecting the things that I brought with me.

Curving one final smile, I then stand up and leave the café.

Had to delete earlier’s update. So what do you think of this edited version? What do you think of Byul and Yong in this chapter?

Have you ever felt like you are losing your best friend to someone else?

Tell me all about it in the comment down below.

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