I Am Nobody

I dragged my heavy bag behind me as I walked across the street, ignoring the leering workers at the construction site as I passed them. Suddenly, someone called out my name.

"Kim Anna!"

I spun around to find Taemin, my crush was running after me.

"Hello Taemin," I said in resignation.

"I missed you so much," he said as he pulled me into his embrace. I could feel the sound of his heartbeat beating and his warm chest really gave me a piece of calmness.

'I miss you too'

He pushed me a bit, breaking the hug that we were in.

"Hey," he said after he managed to catch his breath. "You're leaving?" he asked.

"Yes." I nodded.

"So soon? I didn't expect that you will leave me alone here."

"I'm not. You have Nara to take good care of you now."

"But, she's not like you. You are my best and special friend." he tried to convince me.

"Thanks but I think Nara can do a better job than me. He can make you happy and will always curve a wide smile on your face. But for me, I can't do all those things anymore."

Taemin head cocked to the side in question. "What do you mean by that?"

"I think we shouldn't be friends anymore," I explained and I tried to hold back my tears.

"What? Why?"

"Taemin, like this. It's not nice when you and I look so intimate together when others already knew that you already had a girlfriend."

"I see," he said sadly. He expected more and when I looked away, he added gently, "I will not disturb you again but please, I don't want to end our friendship like this. I still love you..."

"As a friend..." I added in a low voice. He didn't answer to my statement.

"I hope everything's all right at home," Taemin said; a silence fell for a few minutes after his last statement.

I tapped my suitcase, trying not to look at him.

"I'll be going now."

Taemin seemed to have lost his ability to speak but he finally prodded himself and said, "I'm sorry Anna. Is there anything that I can do to make our friendship last forever?" A light tear fell off from Taemin's eyes. I tried to smile reassuringly.

"No. You can't do anything Taemin-ah."

"I can’t leave you like this. Is there anything that you want me to do so that our friendship will last long?" he asked desperately.

"Yes, by giving me a chance to make you happy."

"No..." I said trying to plaster him a big smile. "My plane leaves at ten. I have to go."

Once again, Taemin seems so clueless. "Do you need me to accompany you?"

"No, I'll be fine." I almost snapped. "Thanks by the way," I added, this time more softly.

"Will you come back?" he asked for the last time.

"I don't think that I will..." I smiled and picked up my suitcase. "Bye, Taemin."

"Safe journey," Taemin said wistfully. "How about a kiss goodbye?" To my shame, I would like to kiss Taemin for the last time, but I think, I shouldn't since I don't want the memory of kissing him haunt me for life.

"I don't think so. How about a hug?" I asked. He thought about it for a minute.

"It's okay, I guess," he said disappointedly. I slowly walked toward his direction and hugged his waist tightly.

"I'm gonna really miss you."

I said in a low voice under my breath and a tear suddenly escaped from the corner of my eyes.

"Send my regard to your parents."

 I turned away so he could not see my face as I muttered. "I will."

"Hey, Anna. Want to know something?" Taemin asked when we had a lunch break from our work.

"About what?" I asked while chewing my foods.

"I like someone," Taemin said excitedly as he leaned his head on my shoulder.

"What?!" I nearly snapped and spilled my food.

"I said I like someone," he explained once again and it really hurt my heart a lot after hearing his words.

"Oh-" I said and tried to plaster a big smile for him.

"Wanna know who she is?" Taemin asked as he twirling his fingers with mine.

"No," I said; not interested in knowing who the girl was. I turned my face away and somehow my appetite had gone.

"That girl is Nara, Kim Nara," he explained. My heart aches more just by hearing my enemy name were spoken.

Taemin continued, "I think she's very cute, beautiful, charming........."

"Stop it!!" I shouted suddenly and it really made Taemin startled. He lifted his head up and immediately looked at me right to my eyes.

"What? Why?"

"Taemin, like this. If you like someone, please don't tell me about it especially when it's related to my enemy."

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. I just want to..."

"Just stop it okay. Why can't you understand me although we already become friends for years now?" I explained to him in anger.

"I'm sorry." he apologized.

After that hilarious conversation, we didn't talk to each other. It's not because of Taemin not wanting to talk to me; it's because of me not wanting to talk to him for now since his voice of saying Nara's name kept on lingering in my mind.

De