“How long has it been since the three of us last hung out?” Soohyuk said. After an early dismissal from their classes, the boys decided to go to the gym and play rounds of badminton, to which Jaejoong finds himself an advantage being a member of the badminton club at school.

“Can we just play football? I can’t win over this guy here!” Jiho said, pretending to throw his racquet.

Jaejoong chuckles as they go for a water break. “Sorry, but I think that’d be impossible since you‘re in my home turf.” 

“Next time we are really going to play on my home turf.”

“Anyway,” Soohyuk grinned, “can we rest for a while?"

The boys agreed and lay down at the empty court, enjoying the short break they have while catching up on each other.

Hours before her flight to Japan, Heejin paid a visit to Eunsung, who remained to be her best friend after high school. Although they went different universities with Heejin pursing a degree in mass communication and Eunsung in interior design, they promised to keep in touch with each other so until now, their relationship has not changed. 

When Heejin arrived at Eunsung’s apartment, she was enthuasiastically greeted by Eunsung's younger brother, Taejun, who is now in his last year of high school.

“Good afternoon, noona! What brings you here?” Taejun asked. 

“Hi, Taejun, I’m here to visit your sister.” She replied, to which the boy frowned.

“I thought you were visiting me,” he said. “I was supposed to ask you out for coffee or—“

Just then, Eunsung appeared by the living room. “Shut it, Taejun. She and I need to catch up on things.”

“She said it,” Heejin replied with an apologetic smile. “Perhaps another time, we can hang out at a café or something.”

“That’d be great!” Taejun replied, beaming. He then said that he had to leave for classes and picked up his things. Just before leaving, he scowls at his sister and winks at Heejin.

“He’s had a crush on you ever since he was in grade school,” Eunsung said, then faced Heejin. “So, what do I need to know?”

During the course of their conversation, they chanced upon Heejin's small birthday celebration and commented about her social status.

"I knew she was well-off, but not that well-off." Jiho said.

"Her family can probably buy the whole school." Soohyuk mumbled, toying with an empty soda can. The three boys snorted and laughed.

"But really, I never knew about her family background, not that I'm making a big deal out of it." Jiho replied.

"You do make a big deal out of ordinary things," Soohyuk retorted, raising an eyebrow. "You make a big deal out of everything!"

"I do not!" He replied, lightly punching his friend in the arm. 

The two started to nitpick on each other while Jaejoong sat there laughing, trying not to hide his insecurity ever since Heejin was brought up. He was still feeling down even days after the party because, heck, did he really think he had a chance with her when she's that rich? Even if Heejin is a polite and humble girl who doesn't talk much about her family background, she deserves someone who can take care of her and provide for her in the future. Not that he's putting Heejin and future in the same sentence, but...

"You've been quiet," Jiho said, snapping Jaejoong out of his thoughts. He was spacing out and his friends knew him well.

They smiled apologetically at him, knowing what was keeping their friend occupied. "It's bothering you, isn't it?"

The two girls catch up over biscuits and cups of tea, telling each other funny instances or whatever they would like to say after not seeing each other for a couple weeks. Heejin tells stories about life in the “fast-paced” advertising department and Eunsung mentions about how busy she is for her furniture design exhibit. In a way, talks like these are cathartic for these girls; no matter how busy they are, they always find time to meet up and update each other.

“Before I forget, my exhibit at Sinchon will be up starting next week and I want you to be there at the opening night. Please, please, please be there…” Eunsung smiled.

“Of course I’ll be there!” Heejin replied and added, “I had that day booked just for your exhibit.”

Afterwards, Heejin casually mentions about the event wherein she saw Jaejoong and Changmin and how they started talking to each other ever since, not forgettint the postcard he sent to her months ago.

“See? He still cares about you!” Eunsung said, trying to hide her excitement.

“B-but if he did care about me, why didn’t I hear from him for… for years? Of all people, why me, and of all the times, why now, why... why not before?” She stuttered.
Eunsung shrugged. “I don’t know, ask him.”

“You know that’s not an easy thing to ask,” she frowned.

“What do you mean, it’s ‘not an easy thing to ask’, you guys were this close way back?” Then Eunsung proved her point by telling her how she used to wait for him after class because he fell asleep, how they always sat beside each other during lunch and—

Heejin covered her ears while laughing, feeling embarrassed remembering her former self. “Okay okay stop it stop it Eunsung stop it!” 

“Ah I get it,” she replied, taking note of her friend’s silly grin. “You still like him.”

"So, that's it?" Jiho asked. "You feel insecure because you knew Heejin's family is well-off?"

It didn't take long before Jaejoong admitted to his friends about his little insecurity, to which the two listened intently. It wasn't every day when they would get a chance to hang out by themselves and for their friend, who was always busy with training, to open up about his personal life.

"Yes," he mumbled.

Soohyuk chuckled and placed a reassuring arm on his shoulder. "Listen, we all know that Heejin's family's rich and all, but that doesn't mean she's less of a person she is now. I mean, she's still the same quirky and loveable Heejin you like."

"Wait what—the Heejin I like?" He replied, placing a much needed emphasis on the 'I' because—

Jiho bursts out laughing and Soohyuk playfully rolls his eyes. "Oh come on, we all know you like her, or at least both of us know."

"Well, fine, I do. I like her." He finally said it and felt like a burden was lifted off his shoulders, but it wasn't enough. "I like being around her because she makes everything better for me... And she's kind and thoughtful, you know that, right?"

They smiled and nodded at him because finally—finally—he became honest with himself.

"Then why can't you just tell her that?" Jiho asked.

Plenty of reasons why, he thought. First, she might not like him back. Despite being seatmates and best friends, he's not exactly sure his feelings will be reciprocated; maybe she likes someone else, who is obviously not him. Second, he's scared that his feelings might affect their friendship, that he might act more awkward around her. Heejin is a gem of a friend for him because she's unpretentious, supportive and he's afraid that once he confesses, everything will change and he might lose her.

He can list more reasons why, but those are things that even he could not elaborate on and say to his friends. But he looks at Jiho and Soohyuk who are genuinely concerned for him and it relieved and pained him knowing that his friends somehow understand him.

“Because she’s too good for me.”

“I don’t, okay?”

Heejin probably lost count of how times she said that and Eunsung would tease still .

“Then why can’t you ask him that?” Eunsung challenged her.

Heejin takes a deep breath, staring at the little cup she held. “It’s difficult. I mean, he’s changed, I have changed. It’s just not the same. Whatever we were before, it’s not like that anymore.”

“But you miss it? The way you guys used to be, I mean.” Eunsung asked. Heejin fell silent again.

“Why are you so in denial of your feelings? It’s just a simple yes or no.” Her friend replied. “I don’t remember you being this apprehensive.”

Eunsung was right. On one side, Heejin is known to be very straightforward, blunt to an extent. As an account executive, if she doesn’t like a production house’s proposal, she would say it and give suggestions on how it would be improved. If she didn’t like a ad proposal, she would say it outright. It may be part of her job, but she really is like that. No one could hate her for being honest because they knew it was for a reason and that she was right. Even in high school, she was honest to herself and to her friends. She can be honest about anything and everything, except for one.

Talking about personal feelings was something Heejin, as much as possible, tried to be private about, like her family background back then. She dislikes it when she was always asked about her personal life at work and every time she is faced with that question, she would avoid it. It was, and is still difficult for her to open up to a person, and in some instances she would open up too much to a person and leave nothing for herself. It’s either you give all, or give none.

“Because…” She trailed, thinking of the right words to say.

Eunsung raised a brow, anticipating her reply.

“Because he’s too good for me.”