a/n: so yeah...Kai had just acquired a serious competition... aren't things getting interesting...

well, for this chappie, please excuse Kai's language...

enjoy!!!

“Whoa…did I miss something? You’re here.” Minseok-hyung grinned as he patted me on the back. “You’ve never been here for ages!” he laughed.

I smiled sheepishly as I sat on one of the stools behind the counter. “I’ve just been busy lately, hyung.”

“I know. You’ve been after that chick you used to drool over back in high school.” he teased as he arranged some items on a nearby rack.

Well, Minseok-hyung is kind of right. I’ve been busy with getting Eunhee to like me back. But I know she won’t because she’s already dating Hyukjae-hyung. It actually bothers me that she didn’t even tell me even if it was quite obvious that I’ve been going after her again. But thinking about it now, it doesn’t really bother me anymore. At least not as much as I would have had.

What bothers me most is that message Sehun sent me two nights ago. It’s somehow ironic and clichéd and downright crazy. The three of us grew up together, we are the best of friends. But Sehun likes Lia. Lia likes me. And me? I think I like… I don’t even know what to think.

I know who Lia is to Sehun. I know how Lia feels about me, even with the darn amnesia, her liking me still stands (right?)

But who is Lia to me?

I mean, I would be lying to say that I only see her as my best friend. But I’m not sure if I see her as something else. It’s so confusing!

Everything about her confuses me. But I can’t bring myself to stay away from her. I can’t even bear to think of staying away from her. For the last two days that I haven’t seen her, I can’t help but to miss her and think of her all the time.

I mean, it’s even worse than when I was going out with Eunhee before!

“Hey! You’re scaring customers away, Kai! What’s with the face?” Minseok-hyung nudged my shoulder as he sat beside me. “Are you okay?”

I looked at hyung and managed to summon the courage to ask the questions that were bothering me for some time now. These questions were haunting me even before Sehun’s little confession.

“Hyung… how… how do you know if you like someone?” I asked.

Minseok-hyung gave me a funny look before chuckling. “Haven’t you felt that before? I mean, you did date Eunhee for quite a while before she left. Shouldn’t you have an idea? With all those girls you’ve taken out since Eunhee and you broke up, I’d think you’d be an expert of this whole liking shenanigan.”

I frowned at that, “Yeah, well, all those girls were… well, I’ve only liked Eunhee before.”

“I know. So, what’s the problem? Why are you asking me this?” he smiled that gummy smile he had. It’s really a little bit disconcerting to think that this guy is four years older than me, he looks like he’s my junior or something.

“It’s different. It’s really different from what I’ve felt with Eunhee.” I admitted. “With Eunhee, before, it’s like… I don’t know. She’s really pretty and kind. She’s soft-spoken all the time, she’s… she is the ideal girl every boy wants.” I told hyung.

“And? You’re a boy. She’s your ideal girl. So? Why are you asking me what it’s like to like someone when you clearly already know the answer.”

“That’s why I’m confused, hyung. She’s not as soft-spoken as Eunhee, she’s kind and all but she has a temper too, and man it could send anyone running. She’s got the weirdest habits of all! When she’s upset, she’d yell at you! She doesn’t get shy even at times when other girls would have wanted the ground to swallow them whole! She’s brutal and out-spoken. She doesn’t care even if people see her with her bed hair or dirty or unpresentable. She’s not the prettiest girl yet everything about her just… captures me. Her eyes. Her smile. Heck, even just the way she happen to look at my way! Whenever she looks at me, there are these…like worms or wings or whatever, wriggling inside my stomach that makes me restless!” I breathed out.

Did I really just describe Lia like that?

Minseok-hyung started laughing at my face until I whined like a child. “Yah, Kim Jongin, you do not like this girl.” he said and gave me a warm one-handed hug. “You’re smitten. Kim Jongin is head over heels over-”

The bell on the front door tinkled loudly, two familiar faces coming in.

“Lia.” Minseok-hyung and I said in unison.

Minseok-hyung chuckled beside me, giving me a wry look. “Yes. Lia.” he said before greeting Lia, and Sehun, with a smile. “What’s up! What wind brought the two of you here?”

Sehun gave me an unreadable look as he walked towards the counter with Lia.

“Oh! Kai! You’re here too!” Lia greeted me with that smile that makes my stomach flutter. In a…good kind of way. “Hello, Minseok-oppa. We just dropped by to see if you need some help.”

“Eh? But you’re on leave, Lia. You’re not properly well yet.” Minseok-hyung replied, giving a concerned look at Lia.

“I’m perfectly fine, oppa. My injuries are not fully healed yet but the doctor advised me to actually do some work now and again to help fasten my rehabilitation. As long as I don’t overexert myself, of course.” Lia smiled. “Besides, I’m bored! I’ve been cooped up at home since I left the hospital! If not for Sehunnie and Kai, I would have probably died from boredom!” she exclaimed.

Minseok-hyung sighed. “Fine. I also needed some help since it’s school break and lots of customers are coming in. But, you’re only going to be on cashier duty. If you hurt yourself, Kris is going to kill me! Wait, he’ll torture me first until I beg him to kill me.” he said with a pained look.

“Ahrasso…” Lia smiled sweetly, her cheeks puffing in that certain way that you just want to pinch them.

Darn it. Why is she so smiley to everyone? Doesn’t she know how it makes them feel?

Or is it just me who feels butterflies fluttering inside my stomach when she smiles?

Sehun’s glare snapped me out of my ridiculous thoughts of my best friend.

“Stop drooling, Kai.” he said in that familiar disinterested tone of his. I can hear the hidden meaning behind it. Back off.

He’s being too possessive.

I don’t like it.

“I wasn’t.” I replied, giving Sehun that same hard look he was giving me.

It suddenly seemed as if there were nobody else in the world but the two of us. I can’t believe that this is happening to the two of us when we are as close as any brothers could be, maybe even closer. But I can’t give in to him. I might be still be confused about my feelings for Lia but I know that I don’t want to be away from her either.

“Hey! You look like you’re ready to murder each other!” Minseok-hyung chuckled nervously as he stood between me and Sehun. He pouted. I guess it’s because even though Sehun and I are years younger than he is, we tower over him with no problem. It’s not really good if you’re trying to break two people up and they are bigger than you.

“Did I miss something? Since when are you two fighting?” Lia’s gentle voice finally broke the tension.

“We…are not fighting.” I told Lia, giving Sehun a look, asking him to help me out. We might have our differences but it shouldn’t involve Lia, even if she was the reason for those differences in the first place.

“Right, we aren’t.” Sehun added, to my relief.

“Are you sure? Because I could practically see sparks going out of your eyes earlier.” Lia gave us a funny look before giving up when both me and Sehun did not answer.

When Lia had went to the backroom to put her things on her locker, Minseok-hyung crossed his arms and glared at me and Sehun. Even with the slight height difference, I can feel the rare display of authority from him, and man I’ve always thought that only Kris-hyung could give off such a feel.

“You two, if you are to fight, make sure it isn’t here. What ever it is that you guys are not in agreement of, make sure that Lia doesn’t see it. I don’t want her being confused even more. She’s just starting to get her life back.” he admonished. “Ahrasso?”

Sehun and I nodded our heads.

“Good.” Minseok-hyung sighed. “Now, if you two are going to stay here for the duration of the day, then you better make use of yourselves. I actually have some errands to attend too. You manage the store with Lia.” he said before walking to his office to get some things and left, sending a warning look towards me and Sehun.

“Where’s oppa going?” Lia asked as she settled behind the cash register.

“He’s got some errands to do. I’ll help you manage the store while he’s gone.” Sehun answered.

“I’m staying as well.” I said.

Sehun gave me a look. “Don’t you have anywhere else to go? Someone to meet?”

I know she’s hinting about Eunhee.

“No. I initially wanted to spend the day with Lia, so I don’t have any plans.” I replied, not giving in to Sehun’s taunts.

“Really?” Sehun almost sound mocking, if not for that monotone. “Since when did you start placing her on the top of your priority list?”

“What does that supposed to mean?” I frowned.

Really. Why is he suddenly doing this to me? I thought he understood that I wanted to make it up to Lia? I get it that he likes her, alright! But does that mean that he should purposely make me look bad in front of her?

“Yah! The both of you stop it right now!” Lia reprimanded, pouting at both me and Sehun. “Why are you guys acting weird? You were okay the last time you were together.” she added. “Did something happen that I don’t know?”

Silence lingered for a while before Lia gave up, sighing.

“Look, I don’t want Minseok-oppa to get angry or something so if you guys can’t get along for the meantime you should both cool off somewhere else. You can’t fight here, okay?” Lia said in that soft understanding tone.

“I’m sorry.” Sehun gave Lia an apologetic smile. “I’ll be good.” he said and went to help a customer who was riffling through some baseball equipments.

Lia gave me a look. “Really, Kai. Did I miss something? As far as I know, you and Sehun were inseparable.” she frowned a bit, sadness clouding her eyes even though I’m sure she doesn’t want me to see it. “Does it have something to do with me?”

“No!” I answered abruptly. “It’s just… it’s just some misunderstanding, Lia. We’ll be fine.” I assured her.

She sighed again and told me that me and Sehun better be fine. “I may not remember yet but I feel that the two of you are very important to me. I don’t want to see you guys fighting.”

Oh well, we would just have to see it then.

I kept my distance from Sehun, well at least tried to, as we helped out on the store. But it was kind of hard. Whenever Lia would leave her place behind the cash register, we would ask her where she was going or what she had initially wanted and go fetch it for her. It became an obvious competition between me and Sehun.

When Lia said she was kind of thirsty, me and Sehun dashed for the vending machine just outside the front door and got her cans of juice. They were of different flavors, both of which we know she really like, and of course, we handed them to her at the same time. She looked at both cans and accepted them. She then excused herself and purchased a bottle of water, giving me and Sehun a weird look.

Then lunchtime came and Sehun took the break of customers coming in to buy lunch. I don’t know what spurred me but I also went out and got some. When I came back, I met Sehun at the front door, he was carrying a bagful of lunch he had ordered from one of our hang out places. I did the same but from a different one. When we came inside, both anxious as to whom Lia would accept lunch from (well, at least I’m sure I was!), it was only to find out that Minseok-hyung was already back and was having lunch with Lia.

The mini competition went on as the day passes. I would get Lia something, Sehun would do the same. And vice versa. It would have been funny. If I didn’t know Sehun has feelings for Lia.

“You two are being ridiculous. I hope you know that.” Minseok-hyung shook his head as finish up doing up an inventory with the supplies. “Do you even realize that you’re going to make it even harder for Lia if you keep being silly like this?”

“It wouldn’t be like that if someone doesn’t keep pretending that they actually care.” Sehun said.

“What the , Sehun? Who says I’m pretending?” I lashed out. I can’t keep on hearing his ridiculous words all day and say nothing about it.

“Oh, come on, Kai! We both know that you are just feeling guilty after knowing how she felt about you! Well, guess what? She doesn’t remember those feelings anymore! So why don’t you just go keep on ignoring it like you always did so we could all live in peace?!” Sehun exclaimed.

“You know it’s not even like that, Sehun!” I defended. “I do care for her!”

“Not how she cares about you! You’ve hurt her before, Kai! I kind of forgive you for that since you were being the oblivious fool you always are. But now that you knew about her feelings, it’s a different story, Kai. I can’t let you make her fall again. Not when I know you won’t catch her. I’m done watching from the sidelines.” Sehun said in an outburst.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Minseok-hyung held his hands between me and Sehun, separating us. He then look at Sehun. “You like Lia?”

Sehun didn’t answer but kept his eyes on me. After a few moments he went for the door.

Before he could leave though, I couldn’t help but to say what have been on my mind since that night he sent me that message.

“What if I want to catch her when she does fall again this time?” I asked.

Somehow, acknowledging the feelings I know I was keeping on that space inside my heart for a long time, it’s like finally having a heavy object be lifted from my shoulders.

“Don’t confuse guilt for love, Kai. I told you before. If you keep being selfish, you’re going to lose both of your best friends.” Sehun answered in that monotone.

“I am not.” I said. “I guess you were right. I’ve been an oblivious jerk all these years. Apart from that, I’ve taken Lia for granted, knowing that she would always be there for me.” I now realize that I’ve been deluding myself into believing that what I was feeling were just a phase.

Thinking about all these years, I can’t believe I let the truth bury itself inside me and be ignored. I hurt my best friend in the process. And ironically clichéd as it is, I didn’t realize it until I lost her. Well, until she literally forgot about me.

And now my other best friend is doing everything just to make it that way.

And I won’t allow that. Now what I know what this confusing feelings really mean! I’ve ignored it once. I won’t do the same mistake again.

“Don’t go making excuses now, Kai.” Sehun turned to me with a glare.

I stared back at him, letting him see how serious I was. “I am not even going to go there, Sehun. I was once a coward, afraid that I would lose my best friend once I let myself fall for her. So I lied to myself and liked someone else. Now that I know there’s a chance for us, I won’t let it go without a fight.” I made sure he gets the message. I won’t give up without a fight, even if it’s with you, Sehun.

“So… he likes Lia.” Jongdae-hyung said, leaning into the bar where Luhan-hyung was serving drinks with.

“Apparently he does.” Luhan-hyung replied. “Seemed like he didn’t know he does until Sehun confessed his own feelings.”

“Wah, that just . It’s like a love triangle now. Between the three best friends. That’s just tragic. And clichéd.” Jongdae-hyung clucked his tongue.

“And now Sehunnie is going after Lia. Kai is also going after her. But in her current condition, everything is just complicated.” Luhan-hyung nodded his head in sympathy.

“With her amnesia, I’d say she’d go with Sehun. I mean, Sehun had been with her almost everyday, helping her out.” Yixing-hyung, mused as he approached the bar, a ledger in hand. He’s the biggest gossip, even bigger than Jongdae and Luhan-hyung combined, times ten.

“But eventually her memories would come back, and she’d remember that she likes Kai. I’d say she’d go with Kai.” Luhan-hyung said. “The heart cannot forget.”

If Sehun was here, he’d strangle Luhan-hyung while asking him who his closer friend was!

“But that still depend on how she would react to those memories. I mean we all know that Kai had been pretty much a jerk towards her all these years.” Yixing-hyung asserted.

“Uh, would you mind not talking about my life as if I’m not just a few inches away from you?” I groaned. So much for hyungs!

“Oh, Kai!” Jongdae-hyung grinned at me as if he had just realized I was there. The bastard. “Sorry about that. We were just, you know, voicing out our opinions!” he chuckled, clearly teasing me from the start.

I ignored them and continued to mope about how complicated my life had just gotten. I’ve just realized and admitted my feelings for my best friend. It never felt so right. But it’s also give me uncertainties and makes me anxious at the same time as to how she would react. Somehow this feeling is not that foreign. I’ve felt it before. And because I was so young and cowardly back then, I chose to ignore it, like I told Sehun. And I liked somebody else whom I would not be that hurt if I lose.

And now that I finally acknowledged it, here comes the trouble with my other best friend. It’s one thing when you fall in love with the same random girl as your best friend. But it’s also another thing if you both fall for the girl who you’ve also grew up with. It makes everything complicated. So darn complicated you just want to tear your hair out in frustration.

Just how are you going to live a life knowing that you hurt you best friend because you stole the person he loves? How can you face him everyday in your life knowing that you broke his heart?

“Anyways!” Jongdae-hyung called out, fiddling with his phone while grinning. It’s the same grin that I learned to loathe over the years that I knew him. “Time for a new bet!” he exclaimed.

Crap. I Sighed. “Let me guess.” I asked dryly. “This involves me, right?”

Jongdae-hyung just give me that crinkly eye smile of the biggest troll in the whole wide world. “Of course! Everything is interesting when it comes to you!” he chirped. “The bet’s on who Lia will chose! With or without amnesia!” he shouted.

I guess I’m lucky that the place was currently empty but for some customers who were oblivious to our little chaos on the bar. It would be downright embarrassing. Why am I even friends with these people again?

“Mine’s on Sehunnie.” Luhan-hyung said. What the hell? He was just on my side earlier!

“I’m with Kai.” Yixing-hyung answered. Well, at least someone’s on my side. “And Chen, you owe me a hundred for that last bet! He confessed within 100 days after the accident!”

“I know! But you still owe me a hundred for the bet before that. You too, Luhan! You better pay up, bastards!” Jongdae-hyung smirked smugly.

Why, these ers! They’ve been betting on us all this while!

“Yah! But I bet that he would stop her at the airport!” Luhan-hyung exclaimed.

“So did I!” Yixing-hyung also countered.

“I know. But taking it to consideration that Kai wouldn’t have catch her flight on time if the accident never happened, he wouldn’t have been able to stop her from leaving.” Jongdae-hyung replied smugly.

I sighed. I learned from experience to let some things, no matter how cruel they sound out of Jongdae-hyung’s mouth like how he had just kind of mocked Lia’ accident, slide.

“So pay up, ers!” Jongdae-hyung grinned wider.

“You still owe me here at the bar, Chen. I won’t pay.” Yixing-hyung retorted and left for his office again.

Jongdae-hyung gave Luhan-hyung a what’s-your-excuse look. Luhan-hyung just grinned.

“I don’t have my wallet… right now?” Luhan-hyung tried, making an adorably cute reproachful face.

“I’m not a girl, or even Sehun, for that matter. I’m immune to your aegyo. It won’t value anything on my bank account anyways. Pay up!” Jongdae-hyung held out his and with a stony face.

Just then I received a text from Joonmyun-hyung.

From: Jun Ma Hao* 2/11/13 20:10:02
What the eff, Jongin? Jongdae had just made another betting poll! Did you just confessed to Lia?

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as a few more messages arrived, one from Kyungsoo, one from Tao, and a horde from Chanyeol. All of them of same context, if not the same words.

“Jongdae-hyung…” I tried to keep my annoyance from lacing the sound of my voice.

“Yeah?” Jongdae-hyung replied but his eyes glued to his phone as he types on it furiously.

“Please tell me that you did not just post this small bet of yours online.” I said, hoping against hope that he did not. It had happened before and it was one of those times when I would have gladly welcomed the earth swallowing me up so I wouldn’t die out of embarrassment.

“I did. Why?” he asked, still not looking up at me.

I received a text message from one of my sunbaes at the dance troupe.

From: Donghae Sunbaenim 2/11/13 20:12:48
OMG! You both like Lia! I wouldn’t have known!
 
And then from another sunbae.

From: Park Jungsu Sunbae 2/11/13 20:13:14
I have my bet on you, Kai! FIGHTING!

And here goes another.

From: Banana Taemin 2/11/13 20:17:34
Sorry, Kai. But between you and me, we both know you’re an . So I’m with Sehun.

From: Banana Taemin
Don’t attend practice again and I’ll kick your !!!!
That goes the same with Sehun!
Show your assess on the practice tomorrow or else!

From: Banana Taemin 2/11/13 20:18:13
Don’t forget to bring snacks!
And banana milk!

From: Banana Taemin 2/11/13 20:18:49
Don’t even try to take out your anger on me by not bringing what I told you!
See you on practice!

From Banana Taemin 2/11/13 20:19:47
But honestly, though. You’ve just realized your feelings for Lia? How much denser can you get!

From Banana Taemin 2//11/13 20:20:13
And just so you know, Jongdae-hyung’s poll is on facebook. You better check it out once in a while to know how’s it going!

“KIM JONGDAE!!!!” I yelled. But Jongdae-hyung had already left the scene.
 

a/n: please don't kill me!!!

i did try to make it a bit cracky at the end but i gues it's a huge fail... i'm just not good with crack... or at anything really...

but i hope you like his chappie...

And Jun Ma Hao is Suho... i've been watching their interview when they were in Thailand, that's where they said TAO called SUHO Jun Ma Hao (Junmyun hyung) becuse his Korean wasn't that good at first.. ahh.. the Romantic Panda who likes to walk on the beach is just too adorable sometimes..

for the next one, i think a little bit of my old style of writing will be used again, the past/present style.. i'm kind of missing it..

please keep on reading and your comments are verly much loved!!!

to my readers, silent and not, subscirbers...THANK YOU very much!!! SARANGHAE!!!!