I leaned against the railing, staring at the open space in front of me. I took a sip of the coke I had in my hand, the cold can sending chills down my fingers. I waited in the dimly lit park, waiting as time passed by rather slowly. I wasn't feeling impatient, but sitting alone in the dark at a park isn't exactly an exciting way to pass the time. I could hear the crickets in the distance, sending shivers down my back. 

Bugs. Can't stand them

A slight breeze swept through the park, making me snuggle deeper into my jacket. In the distance, I could see a figure walking down the path, snuggling into her own coat as she walked. I stood up, ready to approach the person, if she was who I think she was. I walked up to her, not ex-pecting whatever was about to happen next. Yena saw me approaching, and she quickened her pace. Before I could do anything, she took her hand out of her pocket, and proceeded to slug me in the shoulder. It wasn't even a playful tap on the shoulder. She straight up punched me in the shoulder without any remorse. 

"WHAT THE !" 

I reeled backwards, rubbing my sore shoulder. It was already aching from the continuous work I've been doing, and now being punched?! I was ready to pull one back and throw a punch myself but then Yena took a step back, her hands up in the air to stop me. 

"That's for driving off with my girlfriend and leaving me behind!" 

"! Fine, maybe I deserved that one."

I went back to rubbing my arm and shoulder, turning my back to her and walking back to the bench. 

"Hey, where's Yuri?"

"Not here."

"Hey wait-"

She grabbed my arm, pulling me back and trying to make me turn and face her. Instead, I turned willingly, and kicked her in the shin. 
'WHAT THE-"

"Grab me again and imma break your kneecaps."

"GAHD WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT."

"Oh shut up, it was a goddamn tap to your shin. Not like I broke it."

"IT MIGHT AS WELL FEEL LIKE ITJESUS."

I sat down, crossing my legs and watched as Yena squirmed on her knees, rubbing her shins.

"Ya done whining yet?"

She looked up, her eyes glaring daggers into me. 

"Ya know, I still got receipts to deliver from Yuri herself. She told me to give you a good smack to the head when I see you." 

"Wait, she did? Hold on where is she?" 

At the mention of Yuri, Yena jumped up to her feet, forgetting the 'pain' in her shins.

"Chae, you gotta tell me where she is! I gotta see her!"

She came forward, grabbing me by the shoulders, and shaking me, asking me about her whereabouts.

"Relax will ya, Jesus!"

I pushed her away, trying to get some space between us. She was being a little too frantic for my liking, considering she was the one that made this mess. I was this close to smacking her again.

"She's somewhere else, having her own counselling session. And staying away from you. And I can see why." 

"What?" 

"Don't what me. You know exactly what I'm talking about." 

She looked at me, trying to put on an act in front of me. Her confused face was a joke, and I didn't know whether to laugh or not. She looked... Dumb, for a lack of a better word. 

"You seriously gonna act dumb in front of me?"

"... Fine."

She finally dropped the pretense, walking past me and sitting down on the bench. 

"How bad is it?" 

She didn't look at me when she asked, and I knew what she was referring to. I wasn't sure how to answer that, in-stead answering with what I knew.

'Well... You saw how pissed she was. I'd say it's pretty bad."

 
"Did she say anything? While you two were together."

"Unfortunately, I guess."

I sat down next to her, too lazy to continue standing up.

"She said this wasn't the first time you did that. That you've been taking this as a joke way too many times. That true?" 

Yena stayed quiet, looking down at the ground, she used her feet to kick around the pebbles beneath her, distracting herself from answering me. Rather, that was all the answer I needed. I proceeded to smack her in the back of her head, making her yap. 

"OW! WHAT THE-" 

"You have no right to whine right now." 

That made her shut up, since she knew I was right. She was in the wrong, and she knew that. I took out a lollipop out of my jacket, popping it into my mouth. I took another out, offering it to Yena. She took it wordlessly, almost a habit by now. Just like we'd always do at work. 

"So why?"

"Why what?"

"You're obviously avoiding the topic with her. And knowing you, that just doesn't sounds like you. You were always the one to talk about you girl at work, it came to a point the rest were complaining about you. And now I hear you trying to avoid marriage with her, it just doesn't add up." 

She kept her silence, unsure what to say.

"Is it about your Ex?"

"What?! No!" 

The mere mention of her Ex was enough to elicit a response from her.

"Right, right sorry. Just had to make sure."

"Yeah well, theres nothing to make sure off yeah. I've been over for a very long time. And you damn well know why." 

"Right... So you mind explaining why then?" 

"I just... I just can't. Not now."

"Why not?"

"I can't! It's just... not the right time."

"Not the right time?! The hell does that mean?"

I looked at her, perplexed at her answer. This was dragging on far longer than I needed it to be.

"Look, marriage is a huge deal okay? The way things are, it just won't work out. I don't want to lose her because of a rash decision like that?"

"Okay... So why won't it work out? Whats stopping you?"

"I don't know? People, Work, Money? I haven't met her parents yet, and I don't know if they'd accept me. Plus, I can't support her, Chae. With our work, it's just not enough to sustain. Plus, the stigma that comes along it..." 

"Hey, whats wrong with our job?"

"C'mon Chae. Let's not kid ourselves. Being a security guard ain't . Our pay's not enough and people think it's a dumb job." 

I couldn't take the insults anymore, grabbing her by the collar, and pulling her up.

"Say that again." I growled into her face, daring her to continue. 

"Look... I'm sorry. I know you like the job since... it's your dad's and all. But think about it. It just aint gonna work out for me."

"Bull!"

I pushed her back. All this incessant denials were getting to me. I was getting realty pissed off with her denial attitude. I knew damn well why she didn't want to propose, and it involved none of the excuses she gave me. I knew, because I AM the exact same person.

"You can't propose cause you don't want to. The mere thought of commitment scares you."

"Shut up."

"You're scared, cause you don't know what it's like to have someone stay with you for so long."

"Chae..."

"You're scared of being left behind, so instead you do the leaving instead. That's what happened the last time and now that's what you're trying to do with Yu-"

Before I could finish my sentence, I fell down to the ground, a loud pounding on the left side of my cheek. Yena stood over me, her hands curled in a fist. 

"SHUT UP! THIS IS NOTHING LIKE BACK THEN! YOU l-"

I grabbed her hand, pulling myself up and pulling her close to me. I pulled my arm back as I approached, slugging her at the same time. I grabbed her by the collar, pulling it up.

"What, you think you can play around with her like a toy? Just have her by your side? Just 'date' her? Bull!"

She was grabbing my arm, trying to struggle against my grip.

"You ever thought about how she feels? HUH? You don't think she's kicking herself right now? Wondering if you actually care about her. Do you Yena? Do you actually even like her?"

She finally managed to escape my grip. I didn't notice it before, but she had tears running down her face, next to a cut on the side of her lip.

"Of course I do! I freakin love her! That's why!"

She started sobbing, which totally caught me off guard. She dropped to her knees, almost giving up.

"Its cause I love her that I can't marry her!"

"What?!"

That was the only thing I could muster, absolutely confused at her reasoning.

"I'm not good enough for her chae! I can't do it! I can't propose to her cause it keep haunting me, wondering, whether theres someone else out there that deserves her."

"Yena..."

"You know damn well that's true chae. I can never take things seriously, but she, she's gets it. But Whenever I think of a future with us, it just comes out shabby, as though I can never provide for her. I'll be the reason she loses her smile chae! I can't do that!"

I kept quiet, looking past Yena, unsure how to answer.

"I'm sorry chae, but it's a goddamn mess. I can't provide for her with this ty job, and I'm just not a good enough human for her."

She looked down at the ground, her tears spilling onto the dirt and staining the sand. There was only silence, the sound of leaves rustling absent at such a moment. There was no breeze, as though time had stop at that moment.

"That was all bull, if I ever heard it. Damn fool."

We both looked up, a new voice joining our conversation.