“You look absolutely beautiful,” Soojin praised me, clasping her hands together as she smiled proudly.

I cocked my head to side, feeling my hair –curled and swept sideways so that it fell down my right shoulder –brush the bare skin of my arm. I pressed my lips together, breathing in the scent of fresh strawberries from the lip gloss that Soojin had carefully painted on my lips.

“I doubt that,” I said with a small smile and a shake of my head. I didn’t think I could even compare to her. Dressed in ruffled cream blouse and a white skirt, her hair done up into fashionable ponytail that fell half-way down her back, Soojin looked absolutely gorgeous. I could see her high cheekbones, further enhanced by the blusher she artfully flicked over them, and her beautifully sculpted lips, painted in glossy pink.

Soojin rolled her eyes. “Get up, Yoora, and see yourself in the mirror.”

She grabbed my arm and hauled me up, propelling me to the mirror before I could say a word of protest. I stared at the girl standing before me, dressed in a soft blue cocktail dress, eye lids painted in subtle gold that glittered with every blink. A silver flower hair clip with petals made out of clear rhinestones was positioned just above her ear, pushing her hair back and down her right shoulder.

It was a different image than what I usually saw every day, but nonetheless, it was me.

I didn’t have time to marvel over Soojin’s handiwork when the doorbell rang. Jongdae’s voice carried up the stairs as he yelled for us to hurry up and open the door; he wasn’t going to do it himself.

Soojin laughed as she crossed the room. She picked up her purse and tossed me mine.

“We shouldn’t keep them waiting then,” she said as she swept past me and opened the door.

We found Jongdae lounging on the couch as we descended down the steps, engaged with the TV as he munched on some chips.

“Finally,” he mumbled with his mouth full, “your boyfriend’s been standing out there since the past five minutes.”

“You could have gotten up and opened the door,” I said with a roll of my eyes.

“It’s your boyfriend,” Jongdae pointed out, finally taking a glance at us then. He did a double take and raised his brows. “Well, don’t you two look different?”

“Make-up,” Soojin responded with a grin. “It does wonders.”

“Maybe I should try some,” Jongdae said, suddenly turning light-hearted and jocular as he flashed a smile at her.

Soojin tapped her chin. “I hardly think you need it. You’re already good-looking enough.”

Jongdae laughed, shaking his head and smiling from ear to ear, clearly flattered by the compliment. I had to admit, I commend Soojin on her social skills. Despite having just met my brother two hours before, both of them had hit it off really well.

“Just get the door you two,” he said, waving us off. “Back before curfew,” he said warningly to me. 

I rolled my eyes and swept past him to get to the door.        

“And wear a jacket!” he yelled after me.

Soojin trailed after me, looking somewhat amused by the exchange between the two of us. The doorbell rang again and she nudged me lightly on the arm. “Well, what are you waiting for? Aren’t you going to open it?”

I gave her a forced smile, discreetly holding my breath as I pulled the door open. Both Luhan and Baekhyun were standing on the porch, Luhan’s hand poised over the doorbell in mid-motion. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, only blinking as he stared at me.

“Remarkable transformation, don’t you think?” Soojin chimed in, cupping my shoulders and pushing me forwards towards Luhan.

Luhan’s eyes followed my movements before his lips spread into an adoring smile. “Very.”

I gave him a small smile in thanks. Involuntarily, my eyes flickered towards Baekhyun, who hadn’t said a word since I opened the door. As my senses foretold me, he was indeed, staring at me. For a split second, our gazes met, and I was once again caught in the brilliance of his shimmering dark eyes.  I turned away, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks.

“What do you think Baekhyun?” she said, looping her arm around his. “Doesn’t she look pretty?”

I ducked my head, but I could feel Baekhyun’s eyes on me as he answered:

“Absolutely beautiful.”

That night passed by in a blur. I was aware of Luhan next to me, holding my hand, occasionally draping an arm around my waist as he led me through the crowd, but all I saw was Baekhyun. My heart couldn’t help but wrench in jealousy every time I saw Soojin leaning in and whispering something into his ear; I couldn’t help the rising bile in my throat every time I saw their entwined hands.

We attempted small, casual conversations as we walked, commenting about the crowd, the weather, and everything around us that we could find worth talking about, but not once did Baekhyun and I speak to each other. We walked side by side, Soojin and me in the middle and Baekhyun and Luhan at the two opposite sides. I tried to limit the conversation between the two people at my sides whenever I talked, but sometimes, when we all fell into silence, I could feel Baekhyun’s gaze lingering on me from the corner of his eyes.

Dinner was a painful affair as well. We sat next to our dates, and as fate would have it, I ended up sitting across from Baekhyun. It was an unnerving battle to keep myself from staring at him, and I did my best to insert myself in the conversations that Soojin and Luhan were having. Baekhyun would talk sometimes, performing a perfect facade of a person whose heart bore no hidden pain. He even laughed occasionally, and even I had to admit that it was convincing enough –had I not been his best friend and not known the underlying bitterness beneath it.

Luhan insisted to pay for the four of us, walking off towards the counter as if he couldn’t hear Soojin and Baekhyun’s protests. Soojin huffed at his departing back, flicking her hair off her shoulders in exasperation.

“He always does that,” I told her.

“That boyfriend of yours is too nice,” she said, crossing her arms across her chest. “It’s a good thing that you’re too sweet to even think of swindling him off his money.”

“If you’re that disconcerted, I suggest you make early payments next time before the check arrives. That’s what I always do.”

 Soojin sighed. “Too late for that. I’m going to fix things up. It’s my turn to pay for dates anyway.” She marched off, and I heard her mutter something about making Luhan take the money whether he liked it or not.

I realised a little too late that I was now left alone with Baekhyun. I was about to sputter an excuse to go to the bathroom when he grabbed my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.

“Yoora, please stop avoiding me,” he said quietly. I lost all the strength to fight myself out of his grip.

“Baekhyun, let go,” I hissed quietly. “They’ll see us.”

Baekhyun’s grip only tightened. “I missed you, you know –so much.”

I didn’t reply, but bowed my head and stared at the floor, fighting back the tears.

“Did you find it?”

I knew what he was referring to. “Yes.”

“What do you think?” he asked softly.

I took a deep breath and looked up to meet his eyes. “I love it.” I love you.

The unsaid words hung between us like a heavy burden, and I could see the pain mirrored clearly in Baekhyun’s eyes as it was clearly shown in mine. We stayed, frozen in place, when Soojin’s voice getting louder dragged us back to reality.

“It’s a double date,” she was saying to Luhan. “You’re taking Yoora as your date, not Baekhyun and me as well. It’s only fair that we split the bill.”

“But I could have handled it,” Luhan insisted.

They were nearing us, and I could feel Baekhyun’s grip on my hand slowly slacken before it dropped away. We looked away from each other’s eyes, not saying a word as our respective dates returned to us.

“I insist,” Soojin said to him as she went to stand next to Baekhyun. “So deal with it,” she said as she took Baekhyun’s hand.

Luhan sighed, leaning down to whisper into my ear. “She’s persistent, isn’t she?”

I could only afford a meek shrug as a response. I let him take my hand and lead me away, like a puppet following the whims of the puppet master.

The park was a glorious sight tonight. Strings of light decorated the trees, forming a myriad of colours that twinkled and sparkled in the starless night. The lights gave the paths below the trees an eerie glow of colours, while the grass that bordered the sides was hued with blue, green and red. We walked separately; Baekhyun and Soojin in the lead, Luhan and I a few paces behind.

“I didn’t get a chance to say this,” Luhan said as we walked, hand in hand, “but you look beautiful tonight.”

I smiled at him in thanks, trying to keep my thoughts from showing in my eyes. What had I done to make someone like him fall so deeply in love with me when it was so obvious that I didn’t deserve him?

We followed Baekhyun and Soojin’s lead down the path, talking softly to each other. I fought to keep myself in reality, to listen to Luhan when he spoke and to respond when he asked questions. He looked so happy; I couldn’t bring myself to hurt him.

I was telling him a tale involving my beloved deceased cat when Soojin’s voice interrupted us, announcing that we’ve reached the perfect spot for the fireworks. I looked up, and my heart wrenched yet again when I realised that it was our favourite spot, the same spot I saw him accepting Soojin’s confession. I plastered on a fake smile and told her that I agreed.

We were just in time; the show was about to begin. One launched into the night, exploding into brilliant colours and tingeing the sky with a soft trail of smoke. I stood staring at the colours, somewhat entranced. As they faded away, I turned my head, and found that Baekhyun was staring at me.

Our eyes locked into each other and we never looked away.

We were only a few feet apart, but it felt like we were miles away. His eyes sparkled as they reflected the fireworks that burst into the night, the sparks cutting the darkness and shifting between the twinkles of the stars. Colours exploded into shapes; people, animals, flowers and others of geometric variety all glittered against the velvet background before disappearing completely, never to be seen again.

I could feel the remnants spray on my hair, small flakes getting stuck between the strands, and showering my clothes with black debris from the fireworks. I could feel the wind tickling my cheek, blowing my hair back from my shoulders and loose down my back. I could see Baekhyun swallow, his eyes never leaving mine.

“I love you,” Luhan said to me, words that would have struck a hard cord once upon a time.

As he reached out and hugged me, I saw Soojin do the same to her boyfriend. Baekhyun reciprocated, as I did to Luhan’s embrace, but neither of us responded to the declarations of the people we loved –people we were supposed to be in love with.

It was a foolish promise. I now saw that as clear as day. I was blind the day I made it, and Baekhyun, too blinded by the girl who had fallen on first sight. But then again, we had been friends for years; we didn’t see it coming.

It was a promise fulfilled, and I ached to know that it had been. Baekhyun wanted her, and I had done all in my power to help him. Likewise, he found out about my crush on Luhan and done his all to help me. If I could turn back the clock, would I go back on my word, or let things be?

It was a cursed promise, because now, we each stood in the arms of other people instead of each other’s.

The end.

Kidding ;). There're two more chapters, and those two are the epilogue.