[CHAPTER XIV]

Dongwoon's P.O.V

*

*Flashback. 5 years ago

“Dongwoon.”

Chohee said seriously all of a sudden, which made Dongwoon stop to look at her. They were on their way from school to Chohee's house.

She chuckled and pushed him to continue walking slowly. After a small silence she continued with what she was saying.

“...have you...have you ever thought about us...well...”

“...........well...What..?” Dongwoon prompted, but he had a feeling he knew what she was trying to say.

“well...” she said again. “..of us being, um... more than just friends.”

“We are more than just friends, Chohee. We're like... best friends. Aren't we?” Dongwoon replied stupidly.

“You know what I mean Dongwoon, don't be stupid.” Chohee said, looking away shyly.

He did know. And it's true that he had thought about something like that before too. Ever since 2 years ago, when he was 13 and she was 11... but after a long thought, he concluded that those were only typical teenage feelings of wanting to have someone to be with. It wasn't love. Which is why he never confessed to her.

But she's confessing to me now? He though. Oh...

“Dongwoonie~” Chohee said, shyly again. “Do you want to date me?”

Dongwoon knew it took a lot of courage for Chohee to say something like that. He wanted to say yes so much...

but...

“I'm sorry Chohee. I dont want to date you halfheartedly.” He said, and watched as Chohee's expression went from shy and hopeful... to a frown. “Please understand that I just don't want to be to you like all those other guys are to their girlfriends!”
 

“Why?” Chohee said. “You don't love me?” she was looking down, and Dongwoon could see she was clearly upset. “You said halfheartedly.... so you don't care about me enough?”

She completely misunderstood his point.

Before Dongwoon could clear the misunderstanding, Chohee walked off.

End*

>> present time >>

“Chohee,” Dongwoon said quietly, as Chohee motioned for him to sit at the edge of her bed. She sat with her back to the wall, and hugged her knees, while trying to avoid his gaze. “Do you know the reason why I rejected you that time?”

.. that was too blunt! Dongwoon shouted at himself in his mind, and looked down, mentally smacking his head.

He saw the hurt in Chohee's eyes when he said that, which is why he couldn't help but avoid her eyes now.

“No. Why.” Chohee said flatly.

“You don't know?” He said. “I even told you the reason!”

“I dont remember.” she glared at him.

Dongwoon was a little taken aback by her angry expression, so he quickly thought of a good way to word it before he continued.

“...I told you I didn't want to be like the boyfriends of all the other girls our age back then were.”

“You know, an easier way to word that would have been 'I dont love you'.” Chohee scoffed.

“Shut up Chohee, and let me talk!” Dongwoon said a little too roughly, and regretted it a little.. but at least she didn't push him out of her room yet, so there was still a chance to explain himself.

“Don't you know, that most people who were dating back then, are now broken up, and have even forgotten each other?” Dongwoon stated. “Not all of them, if some were lucky enough to stay together.... but still the majority of them would not have lasted very long.”

“What's your point.” Chohee prompted, sounding more and more irritated with each word.

“My point is... the reason I rejected you was not because I dont love you Chohee.” he said sincerely, and as soon as she looking into his eyes, her expression softened too. “Chohee, I was too scared of ruining our relationship, our friendship.”

“You did a pretty good job at saving it.” Chohee remarked.

“I guess.. in a way, I kinda did.” Dongwoon chuckled.

“huh?”

“Well, for example. Did you not think the reason I “bullied you” ” he did little air-quotes when he said it, “was so that we would have at least some sort of relationship, after you left me.”

“I didn't even leave you.” she said.

“You did.”

“what...”

“You started dating loads of different guys ever other week after I 'rejected' you.” Dongwoon said, doing air quotes again.

“So what?” Chohee rolled her eyes. “Were you jealous? Did you forget that you were the one who rejected me?”

“Chohee, stop making it harder for me to try and...”

“And what..?”

“Chohee, I'm trying to revive our friendship ok? I love you Chohee. You were my best friend. I loved having you by my side!” He said all in one breath. “Remember, we're soulmates right?” he had a small smile on his face when he said the word soulmate, and his smile grew into a grin when he saw Chohee smile at the memory too.

“Lets start over.” he said seriously now.

“Start over? You mean like “Hi I'm Chohee”?”

“No. Lets start over, from the moment before you confessed to me.” Dongwoon said. When Chohee didn't say anything, he added. “Look. I'm not saying you can never have romantic feelings for me... and...”

“...and...?”

“..and I'm also not saying I will never love you. Ok?” he stood up from her bed. “Who knows... I might fall seriously in love with you?”

“I hate you Dongwoon.” Chohee said.

“What?” he was surpried.

“Don't keep me waiting too long!” Chohee stood up and punched his arm. Unfortunately—or fortunately, Dongwoon caught her fist, and pulled her into a hug.

“Your feelings still havent changed then?” he asked quietly.

“No.” Chohee said, sounding defeated. She probably didn't mean to admit it to him like that.

“Ok.. then I won't keep you waiting long.” he smiled and pulled away. “Now,” he looked at her seriously. “Promise me you'll treat me nicely from now on.”

“I should say that to you too.” she giggled, and held out her pinky. “Promise me. Ok?”

“You're still an 12 year old huh... ugh..” Dongwoon sighed but then joined his own pinky with hers. “I promise.”

“Ok. Now get the hell out of my room. It's past midnight. Boys shouldn't be in girls' rooms so late!”

“What? No! I want to sleep with you! Just like the old times!”

“No ing way!” Chohee laughed and pushed him out of the door.

She sighed, but smiled as she walked back over to her bed and threw herself on it lazily. I can't believe it. She thought, I feel so light again, and it's all because I'm friends with Dongwoon again.

He said I should wait for him... does that mean he does have feelings for me?

Suddenly she got a text message.

[ Goodnight Chohee~ meet me in your dreams~~ lol – Dongwoon ]

Chohee rolled her eyes at the message and replied :

[ Night Woonie~ oh and by the way, when you asked me if my feelings had changed. Yes they have. I hate you even more now. ]

She chuckled as she sent the message.

She could vaguely hear another message tone sound after she sent the message off, but by then she was already too sleepy to read it, let alone reply to it.

Tonight was the first night in a while, and Chohee went to bed feeling more than 60% content.

The other 40% that was missing from her content feeling, was the issue also known as Twitter scandal with her brother. It wasn't the publicity she would get if the world found out that she's the sister Seungho mentioned in his tweet, that scared her, but more like the reaction of his parents.

They didn't try to send her off to america for no reason... the reason was her uselessness to them. And if the world knew the talented son of Mr. And Ms. Yang had an untalented and useless younger sibling like her... would everyone think differently of them?