"Hunchae~ Darling~"  He wraps his hands around her in an intimate back hug as he rests his head on her shoulder. The office was quiet, and darkened. The only light was from her desk's lamp. 

She sighs and leans back into his embrace. It was more comfortable than the plush leather backing of her chair, she mused, dropping her charcoal pencil out of her grasp as she dusts off the eraser markings on her sketch book. 

"Don't work overtime anymore Chae... Its already 11." He mutters into her ear, his breath tickling on her sensitive earlobe. 

"Jingyo, just a little while more, okay? I need to finish this..." she replies, rubbing the sides of her forehead before picking up the pencil again, skeptically observing the scarf she had just designed for their winter collection. It was good, but it needed a little something, and that bothered her. She needed this scarf to be, perfected. If the designer wasn't even satisfied with the product, why would the consumers feel compelled to buy it? 

"Rin~" he whined. When it was clear to him that she wouldn't budge until she was happy with what she was drawing, he sighed. She was always pushing herself too much, this little ice princess of his. 

"Fine..." he pouted, pretending to be cross. And yet, anyone could see the softening in his eyes as he looked at his bestie. His hands began to gently massage her shoulders as he peeked over her to see the scarf. He was going to help her finish this product in record time, like he always does. 

"Jingyo, do you think it would be okay if I added this design to the scarf instead of the striped design it is now?" She asks, hiding a smile. He was so understanding like always. Her heart began to beat faster as she caught sight of his warm grin in the computer's reflection before her. It made her love him more, even when she thought she loved him already too much. 

"Hmmm... Lets give it a try. It does seem to look cuter," he replies, his husky tone rolling over her skin and exciting her nerves. She quickly sketches another scarf of this design and asks him for his opinion, their low voices and laughter mingling in the cold darkness of the office. 

The two of them just look adorable like that, two best friends helping each other in a loving way.

*******************************************************************

"Yah, Jingyo Oppa, when did your massaging technique become so good?" Her voice pierced the silent night as they walked out of the building to his car. 

"Keke, it was always this good Missus." he replies, opening the car door for her like the gentleman he was. 

"Really, and I so believe you. Ehhh, we walked to work today, why is your car here? I thought we were taking the bus."  she rolls her shoulders and asks curiously as she slids into the front seat of the car. 

He gets into the driving seat and boots up the engine as he returns, "I brought it around after the blind date, like I always do, don't you remember? Aigoo Hunchae... your memory is failing even though you're three years younger than me..." He leans over to squeeze her cheeks teasingly as the car speeds down the highway. 

"Two hands on the steering wheel, Mister. So, how was your blind date?" she asks teasingly. It happened like this, always. He would come back from his blind date, and as the ever caring best friend waiting for him to get laid, she would enquire about the date. It hurt her to ask, with that tiny chance of possiblity that he had left her behind, but she still did; for him. 

Yet, no-one had captured his heart after so many countless dates that it was always the balm to her hurt, her worry that he would be stolen from her, soothing her. 

And like all the other times, this time he was gonna laugh it off and say she wasn't what he was looking for, and then sigh. It meant more blind dates, but it also meant more time for her.  

It had become a system: Hurting by asking, and then soothed by his words. 

It happened so many times, despite the number of times of hurt, she had learnt to crave the relief that flushed into her when he utters the five words, "She's not meant for me."

She always comforted herself that he never found what he wanted in the girls he met because he'd never do better than her, his best friend. 

***********************************************************************

"HunChae..." he started to speak, glancing at her. She suddenly feels kinda sick; what was that extra sparkle in his eye? 

"I think I found The One. She's perfect..."  her world comes crashing down faster than her tears could form. 

'Really?" she hears herself speak-- she wasn't conscious of anything except him, his sparkling eyes, those sparks of happiness and bliss that used to be only for her that are no longer hers.

"Yes~ Hunchae, you know, the minute I saw her? It was like someone set fire to my soul, it was love at first sight. The two of us got on well, and she's adorable, like my ideal girl. Her bubbly personality, cheerful smile~" He murmurs, his tone light and happy as she watches a smile flicker across his face unbeknown to him. 

He was perfectly serious, perfectly in love. 

She feels her heart shatter as his next words crack the facade she had been holding on for so long. 

"I love her, I think. And she loves me too. Dara Park. We're meeting again tomorrow, and the next, the next and again! I can't wait. We may meet up with our parents soon since they organized the blind date for us and got us together. She's the one for me; I can imagine spending forever with her; And I'd be there for her forever as well. "

"And she's definitely meeting you. You would love her, honey. " 

She swallows, what could she reply to that? Memories she treasured began to disintegrate in front of her eyes, but not before they pull her in for one last ride.

*********************************************************************

Years Ago

She blinks back tears on the rooftop of the school as she cradles her destroyed painting. It was smeared with clashing colors of paint streaks and dirty water that had destroyed the beautiful tranquility of the swan lake she had painted for the submission into the world-wide biannual painting competition. Someone had sabotaged her painting, and it was no doubt the , Nicki; who was also entering the competition.

Nicki had been a jealous coward since she had entered the school. She always knew Nicki hated her for stealing her title of the Queen Bee; and yes, Nicki had always tried to put her down, but this was too much. 

She had to win the competition; it was the only way her Dad would let her continue taking Art lessons. But now; how could she submit a destroyed painting to the judges and still hope to win? The problem was that it was just after school, and the submission dateline was in 2 hours. There was no way she could recreate the same art piece, or any art piece capable of winning the grand prize within such a short timing. A proper art piece needed at least a couple of hours to finish; the destroyed art piece alone took her a whole day to plan and another day to paint. Not to mention the finishing touches... in other words, it was impossible for her to enter the competition and that meant no-more Art lessons.

The very thought made her want to die: Art classes were her favourite classes; her salvation between the tough expectations. 

But someone came in, and pulled her up. It was him. 

He dragged her to the Art Room, locked the door, and brought her to a table where canvases, paint brushes, drawing pencils, everything that one needs for painting a perfect artwork before finally releasing his hold on her. 

"Paint another, Chae. You have to. Don't let Nicki succeed." 

"How did you know? Its impossible, Jiyong... Impossible. I have to give up Art..." she whispers brokenly, still cupping her destroyed Artwork in her hands. 

"Psht, Girl I'm your best friend, I just know. And nothing is impossible. Do you really want to give up without a fight? Give up Art classes just  like that? Yah, I'd get lonely in classes alone without you."  He picks up a paintbrush that he knows she likes to use and curls her hands around it forcefully after prying out the destroyed canvas.  

"I can't..." her eyes fill up in tears as she drops the paintbrush and kneels on the floor, wrapping her hands around herself, shaking in sobs of brokenness. 

He squats down and wraps his arms around her, pressing her against him comfortingly, brushing her hair in that oddly soothing manner only he could create as he let her cry in his embrace. He had already taken care of Nicki, but his best friend was broken. 

"You can, CL-roo. I will help you. All your friends, and me, we're all behind you. You can do it and win the competition. We all know it" He murmurs into her hair as he picks up the brush and offers it to her. 

"It took me a week to finish it... It was my hope..." she whispers to him, holding his gaze with teary eyes. Her hopes, shattered before her. It was a pain she never knew possible. 

"We are giving you hope, your friends and I. We are giving you new hope, so don't give up." He cradles her in his arms. 

"No... What if I am alone again..." she whimpers, shying away from him. 

The painting she painted, she drew inspiration from her mother. Her mother had died when she was three, she had no other siblings, and her dad eloped with another girl. She survives with the hefty amount of money her 'father" gives, but she had no-one with her. And loneliness kills. She had been always alone in her childhood until now, the 'Swan Lake' was a symbol of her hope to never be alone again. 

And it was destroyed. 

"Shhh... Listen up, Lee Chaerin. You will never be alone again. I will spend forever with you, I will always be there for you. Forever, my best friend. Don't you forget." 

She looks at him, his sincerity shining its way into her despair. 

She takes the paintbrush. 

************************************************************************

"Yah, HunChae, why aren't you saying anything? I knowww~ you're too speechlessly happy for me right? I love you my best friend~" he cooed at her silence as the car stops at her condominium.  

He turns to look at her, and was shocked to see the tears rolling slowly down from her gorgeous eyes; the ones that attracted his attention so many years ago. 

"HUN CHAE! WHY ARE YOU CRYING? ARE YOU THAT TOUCHED? OR ARE YOU HURT ANYWHERE?" 

She wants to reply, Yes, I'm hurt, my heart hurts and there's no cure, but she doesn't. She couldn't. 

It just hurt too much. 

"Do you really love her, Ji?" she asks, her hollow voice sounding foreign even in her ears. 

"Rin, I don't even know how to describe it. Its just happiness and joy. Its love, if it isn't love then what is it? Its happiness beyond my imagination, and its like, seeing her just makes my day. Until now, I just feel happy and wanted and loved and joyful. But later, I know I would probably feel like I can't live without her. But then again, its later. I only met her for a day, and I already feel like flying. So I think I may most probably die happy in her arms, and that's why I told you I love her." He replies, unaware that each word pierces holes in her heart. 

She had nothing to say, only the tears that kept pooling up. Ironic. The one that stops her tears is also the one that kept making her cry, crying alone in bed, crying silently... 

Crying for a broken heart and unrequited love. 

"I can't believe you're so happy for me until you would cry for me, keke. Awww my CL-roo..."  After that long intense speech about why and how much he loved her, he still manages to joke around a little. But he was wrong. She cries for him every time and not just this once. 

Wiping away her tears, she forces a thin smile as she nods her head. "Why did you tell me how you feel... it makes it hurt more.." She whispers as she prepares to get out of the car. 

"Hurt? Why would it hurt, Chae~ Is it because you have never been in love~?" he teases, grabbing hold of her hand. "Yah, and you forgot to say goodbye." He pouts adorably, tearing even more at her ragged heartstrings. 

" you Ji." she replies, closing her eyes and letting the remains of her tears fall. The last of her common sense had fallen away, washed away by the hurt he had given her, however unknowingly. 

"Chae?" 

"I said you, Kwon Jiyong. I've been in love, and you know with who? The world's most idiotic idiot, you. I ing fell in love with you, I ING HELL LOVE YOU." she yells. 

"What?" 

"I love you, I loved you since the very first day, I loved you since 'Swan Lake', I loved you even through all your girlfriends, I loved you even when you didn't know, I loved you for everything, and I still love you now, understand KWON?" She says, tears running even faster than ever. 

"Chae... I... I'm sorry..." 

And she knew, he made it even more obvious then ever. She locked eyes with him and she knew it, realized it again even though she already knew. 

He never loved her before. 

"You said that feeling uttermost joy and happiness was your type of love. You said you just knew Dara was your soulmate. I felt happiness and content when I was with you, every time. I kept loving you without being loved back, I kept loving you even though it hurt, and it had to be love, isn't it?It hurt too much to be anything else. I knew you were the one for me. So why aren't I the one for you, why didn't you love me too?"

'Chaerin... I don't... You're a sister to me..." he stutters and it hurt her even more.

"You killed me, Kwon Jiyong." she says with barely a whisper as she holds contact with him.  

" GoodBye, Jingyo Oppa... my best friend." she whispers as she yanks her hand out of his grasp and leaves, her legs threatening to collapse as she walks without a look back. She only dares look when she entered her building, and by then, he wasn't there anymore.  

I don't know if I should smile because you're my best friend, or cry because that's all you'd ever be. 

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A/N: *Heartbreak* 

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