“Yaa~! Ha-ha! Let go of it!!!” She yelled, clinging on my left arm with both her hands, trying to pull me down and cause me to drop the ball but she wasn’t strong enough.

“This is not how you’re supposed to play basketball!” I said spinning her around, trying to get her off my arm and score. “WOAH! DID YOU JUST BITE ME?!” I yelled pulling my arm and dropping the ball.

“So what? Everything is permitted in love, war and basketball.” She said grabbing the ball and scoring.

“I'm pretty sure that you've got that wrong." He laughed, but then just turned serious theatrically. "That wasn’t fair!”

“Then it’s a good thing it’s not an official game!” She said running after the ball.

“But there are still punishments!” I yelled running and giving her a back-hug, tickling her.

“Noo! Don’t tickle me!!” She yelled struggling to get away but I was holding her too tight. “I’ll be good! AHHAHA DON’T YAA~!” We were both laughing, I because I found her laugh very cute and her because I was tickling her.

“I’LL CALL THE POLICE!” An old lady yelled, crashing our party and we ran away laughing like two silly teenagers.

          After we got to the street, we slowed down and just walked side by side, among the sea of couples. I wasn’t looking at her because my cheeks would have turned pink the moment we made eye-contact - she had that kind of effect on me - but I was wondering… did we look like a couple too? Because I was staring to feel like we were becoming one.

          We stopped on a bench and watched the cards rush by quietly. She was staring into space again so I supposed I should just keep quiet and let her think because if I did, maybe she would tell me what she was thinking about.

“Do you ever look at these cars rushing by and wonder: where are they going? Where are they coming from? Who’s driving? Is the driver a happy person?” She said glancing at me for a second and showing me a slight smile. “It always bugs me, you know?” She said looking at her feet. “You must think I’m crazy.” She continued before I could think of an answer. “But I’m only over-thinking.” She said sighing and looking back at the cars.

“I do…” I said staring at her profile. “I do wonder… all the time.” I said and she finally looked at me, surprised.

Your POV:

          You were looking at the people passing on the street when someone caught your eye.

“Annyeong hashimnikka, JiYong-sunbae!” You said bowing politely when JiYong passed by you.

“Ah~ JiYong!” Youngbae exclaimed when he saw his friend. “What are you doing, walking the streets at this late hour?” He asked worried.

“I could ask you the same thing; don’t you have a wife to get home to?” He replied kind of harshly, making your heart clench.

“I-I’m going soon.” He said and I could feel hesitation in his voice. For the first time, seeing the way JiYong was looking at me, I felt like a that was trying to break a marriage. All of a sudden, all this felt so wrong.

“You’re going, now.” JiYong said grabbing your wrist and pulling you up. “And we’re going for a walk.” He said pulling you away.

“W-wait, sunbae~…” You said trying to pull your hand out of his grip and go back but when you turned around, you saw YoungBae getting in a cab without even looking back. “Sunbae, let go…” You said pulling your hand and he finally let go.

“Let’s go for a walk.” He said walking in front of you.

“I’m not going…” You said sticking your feet into the ground. The way you thought he was, was the complete opposite of how he was in real life. He was scary.

“Then I’ll tell you what I have to say right here.” He said coming back and stopping in front of you. “Don’t ruin YoungBae’s marriage. Stay out of it whatever your reason might be.” He said giving you a threatening look and leaving.

“He’s not happy with her.” You yelled making him stop dead in his track and turn around.

“He was before you appeared out of nowhere and butted in.” He said harshly giving you an angry look.

          You were speechless. You had never thought of it… Tiffany, in her own, weird way might have loved YoungBae.

“I’m not the reason they’re unhappy.” You said trying to make yourself believe the same thing.

“Then do you want to be the reason they stop trying to be?” He asked, his words making you feel filthy.

“I’m going home.” You said turning around and leaving, hoping he’d just let you be.

You got home and lied on the floor, staring at the ceiling that looked as high as the skies, making you feel small and insignificant. What was his problem? Once again, you felt the apartment was too big and unwelcoming, like a place you didn’t belong to. You earned for someone to greet when you got home, someone to greet you back when you did. Someone who would wait for you and whose heart would rejoice at the sound of knocking on the door, knowing it’s you.

“I need to buy a dog.” You said inhaling the perfumed, fresh night air.

          Was everything really permitted in love and war?