There is a quick thumping happening in her chest, loud enough that she can assure he could hear. She is breathing so hard, hard as she can to calm her muscles from tension that built up minutes ago. She can't decipher which of which caused her to run in provoked behavior that triggered abrupt tendencies in her. 

They both gasped, hearing consecutive knocks coming from the front door. The lights are off, almost pitch black but is brighten by the glow coming from the outside that penetrates through the windows.

He gently pinned her further against the post and brought himself closer to her body with their faces two inches away from each other, creeping in the shadows in avoidance of being noticed. She was nearly meant to speak but he gestured his finger about her lips to signal silence.

"Yoona!" They heard him call her name as they track his steps, prancing around the wooden floor of the house's porch which are getting nearer by the window in front of them.

He jerked his head to peek from the outside. He sees him almost gluing his eyes on the window, squinting them to view better but soon gave up. They hear the sound of his car until it slowly disappeared, completely departing.

They sighed in relief, still holding each other’s hands in reliance. Their eyes have met in contact and foreheads are brushing softly with each other. She can feel the warmth of his breath lingering down to her neck, wavering if she should let herself be consumed. She unanimously turned her face away, carefully concluding the existing intimacy.

It wasn't a foul move, he thought, watching her walk by the door to turn the lights on and witnessing the bright glim which soon illuminates her beautiful semblance that were hidden in the dark. He approached her, smiling at each other as he walks towards her.

"That was tough.” He snorted. “Now I can confirm that he really did something wrong. You once gave me this kind of treatment when I told everyone about you and your Busan boyfriend back in high school" He chuckled, teasing her bluntly.

"On a personal note, he is a nice guy" She pointed out.

"But annoying and controlling. Well, I should go now. It's getting late" He deliberately walked to the door, grasping the knob in anticipation of hearing two words from Yoona.

"Thank you, Minho" She said, drawing a smile to his face as he bid his goodbye.

Yoona leaned her side by the door, watching Minho walks by himself to his car where he parked two blocks away, running from there for Jonghyun not to see.

She assumed that things have changed but somehow, there's one that remained the same - they still do stupid things.    

She closed the door, resting her back behind it and looking around the empty room. She thinks thoroughly how everything that happened seemed rush. It's still clear in her head how cold she was to Minho as if she snapped and decided to forget anything that keeps her distant of him for the last five minutes.         

They were both shortly drawn away from each other because of their personal affiliations and turmoils, respectively. And it unconsciously built a wall that separates them from one another. But there is something which is defiant to break into that wall.

Friendship.

It has always been alive, completely contained to remind them that they can still run into each other no matter what despite it's near death - the most trecherous challenge they faced. Like how Yoona pampered Minho on his heartbreaking loss and how Minho was there when Yoona urgently needed her.

In midst of putting an end to her feelings for Minho, Yoona didn't think twice to listen, sympathize and be his friend after being left by Yuri. And now, despite how Yoona has been cold to Minho, he ditched their friends and even ran to her, out of breathe from sprinting two blocks away just to do her ritual whenever she doesn't want a person in her sight.

Maybe because of their friendship, they still do stupid things.

=========

"Hey, Taeyeon"

Minho called her soon after he reached his home. He dropped his keys on a fish bowl on top of a shelf by the door, dragged himself to the couch and decided to lie his back on it. "I was supposed to call Sooyoung but I know she won't talk to me" He timidly said.

"Hmm. Okay" She chuckled but wore off in an instant, in question if that's a compliment or a choice. "What made you call? Did something terrible happen?"

"Kind of?"

"Was she still cold to you?" She guessed, uncertain with Minho who is being ambiguous towards her with what he is trying tell.

"What happened is, Yoona left her phone in my car so I've read your message to her about Jonghyun on his way"

She bolted up from her bed, alarmed of Minho's information. "Did they meet?"

"Almost and that was the terrible part that I wanted to talk about"

"You were there?"

"I even helped her after insisting" He sounded so proud of himself and Taeyeon, feeling contentment of hearing this new Minho - a person who now expresses himself to a different circle of friends instead of just Yoona. Well, there's one thing he couldn't say to her though.

"You should tell her soon, if I were you" She told him and heard Minho breathing in silence.

Sooyoung was completely bewildered hearing newsflash from Minho, a very unexpected one, that the expression in her face is difficult to be drawn. Taeyeon, on the other hand, was worse. Sharing the same bafflement but felt like her tongue was shorten in an instant of that momentum where it's now Sooyoung who have spoken for herself.

Looking back before this big revelation or rather a confession, they were all fooled that it had always been a one-sided love.

"All this time, you've been in love with her?" Taeyeon found her way into speaking, shaking herself from indefinite silence.

"And all this time, I thought I can put out the fire" He sighed.

"So you weren't in love with Yuri?"

"I loved her, but it wasn't enough. Then I became sloppy and I just realized that Yuri already dumped me. Once again, I'm being shoved back to the fact that I'm still in love with my best friend"

"I'm confused" Sooyoung said. displaying her disorientment. "If you loved Yuri and you still love Yoona, how come you ran to Yoona when you got dumped?"

"Honestly, I didn't feel any pain when Yuri left me. But I felt wasted that I have to go back again, do the same thing for the nth time which is meeting different woman, date, drag my attention to somebody else. And I just...." He trailed off, but tried to put himself together. "I just don't know what to do anymore"

"So you thought you'd just tell her" Sooyoung continued his words. He nodded, blinking his eyes heavily at the same time. "But you didn't"

"I don't want to lose her just because of my stupid feelings coming back and forth. And I think it's still better off this way, marry a girl I halfly love and live each day fighting the urges of my feelings till it's gone instead of taking risks that I would regret my whole life" He hardened his face and sighed, ultimately formed a smile in flaunt of acceptance.

"And what's the point of telling her now when she already seemed happy with someone else"  

"Taeyeon, I'm guessing you already know what I would say to that"

=========

"Look who's coming here....again" The , standing firm by the counter as they watch Minho park his motorbike across the cafe. Sooyoung folded her arms, cocking her head to the side in amusement of Minho's whelming effort.

"I already told him not to come for a numerous times" She mumbled and hinted a smile between her reluctant lips.

"At least now, he doesn't listen to you anymore unlike before which is a good thing. Just let him do whatever he wants to do. He wants to be here, then so be it"

Surprisingly, Sooyoung didn't say any form of words that would put her against Minho's actions which is very intriguing for Yoona. Narrowing her eyes from curiousity, Taeyeon suddenly brought up a question that would probably bring discomfort to her.

"Did Jonghyun already show up to you?"

Yoona loosened her face but she didn't stir any sign of irritation nor annoyance. She remained composed and calm about it. She blinked her eyes heavily and sighed.

"No. He never even messaged me or anything which is very unusual"

"You've been avoiding him quitely for some days. He probably got intimidated by that. Even I would feel that way" Sooyoung said, bluntly teasing her but she doesn't seem to care being bullied at this moment.

"I'm getting kind of worried about it already" She confessed.

"Ask Minho about him" Taeyeon suggested.

"Ask me about whom?" Minho eavesdropped in their conversation, almost making Yoona gasp in her stance.

"Well, we better be doing our job now" Sooyoung dragged Taeyeon with her, keeping their distance from them to give privacy.

"What is it that you wanna ask me?" He leaned on the counter top next to Yoona, raising his eyebrows at her and teasing a smirk.

"It's nothing"

She lied and threw her head back with gross as Minho draws his face closer to her, even teasing a smile. She smacked his forehead with her palm, surprisingly hitting him harder than both of them expected. He almost lost his balance from a huge blow from a girl, bringing laughter to Yoona that surfaced all over the cafe. Minho didn't care about the pain squaring in his head the exact second he finally saw her smile and to even laugh - two of the things he missed the most.

From a distance, Sooyoung and Taeyeon witnessed how Minho is completely being taken away by Yoona who is unconsciously being flawless just by smiling and cracking up. His gaze that shows satisfaction, having no signs of desperateness of wanting anything more than this. But one thinks there could still be more than just this that they both deserve and the other one believes they should just let things happen on their own.

"Are you sure that we shouldn't tell both of them?" Taeyeon insisted her own side of this situation again. "They're this close of finally being happy with each other"

"Taeyeon, it's their decision to hide their feelings for each other. And they have the same reasons why they made that choice and what you are seeing right now is one of those. They are both afraid of losing even just a piece of it so they didn't take the risks. They've learned to be satisfied with the existing things that they couldn't live without which is their friendship"

"I heard the latter part of your talk. If your worried that Jonghyun hasn't been around for awhile, don't be" He lifted a smile, assuring her to trust the words coming out of his mouth.

"He's just giving you space that you might need after whatever had happened to the both of you. This may not be very common to Jonghyun as he is always the one in pursuit. But then, he's been all over you so I wouldn't be surprised if your magic worked on him"

"Magic?"

"You know, when guy meets girl and changed his life kind of magic"

Yoona pursed her lips, ended up shutting herself down for she hasn't come up with anything to say afterwards. Minho watched her, completely expectant of seeing her in a very restraint manner to contain every emotion coming out of her since Jonghyun was mentioned.

Somehow, Yoona still haven't found herself to be revolving around Jonghyun. Maybe, she still hasn't realize how his temporary disappearance is affecting her every move and way of thinking. But it's just his instinctive guess since Yoona seemed very different lately.

He claims it, it's always painful to see Yoona in this stage of her life where she is amidst of falling for someone though he have seen it many times. He doesn't blame Jonghyun for being a lot more braver than him but he doesn't see himself as a coward. There are things that are not worth telling especially if you knew you'd lose some. And this some is more important than what a person feel and for him, it's everything that he and Yoona have and will have.

He sometimes feel amazed of himself where he had to live each day, proving to everyone that Yoona is just a friend  which includes being too dependent of her. Asking what clothing is better to wear, a good place to spend a date, great stuff to impress women, knowing a woman through her and other immature ideas of his which were only alibis to be with her. And he somehow succeeded in that part yet, it felt like nothing changed in him and he can't tell if it's good or bad.

"Yoona, do you mind going somewhere before going home?"

"Sure. Where? Tree house?"

"Yeah"

=========

Minho swung the window open, inviting the cold breeze inside their tree house that has been fleeting in the air. He exhaled, looking over the scenery of Han river and light-filled buildings. Yoona then followed, positioning next to him. Their arms touched as they are leaning against the ledge where Yoona began to feel that certain feeling she had had a few days back.

Now that it reminded her, she laid her eyes at Minho who seemed to be captured by something that they've seen all their life. She's not surprised. He missed it and so does her.

She haven't forgotten about that night, it was the very first time she felt tension in her as Minho's warm breath creeped down to her neck, unmindfully brushing his forehead against hers, gripping her hand in a gentle might and their bodies leaned very close towards each other. It's like everything bottled up into one intensifying piece of emotion.

Even when she has been acknowledging her previous feelings for him, nothing such sprouted which should have been more evident, emotionally.

"Hey, are you okay?" Minho started to ask, finding her to be very much occupied.

"Yeah. I'm fine" A corner of smiled. "By the way, Yuri called me"

"When?"

"After you broke up" She paused, noticing how Minho seemed uninterested. She cleared , recapturing his mind. "She said she appreciates the love you gave but it's kind of unfair for her because you never loved her as much as she did and you are just completely lost. She left because she has given up on you. But, she wishes you to be happy with what you really want"

Minho just nodded. She expected him to say anything like he's in pain, he's still hurt or whatever but he had no response.

"I actually didn't understand what she meant by that" He still didn't mouth any words. He doesn't want to talk about it anymore, she thought.

Yoona watched him sigh loudly, suddenly looking at her despicably. "I'm sorry for being an , leaving you behind which you never did and you should despise me" Or otherwise, she thought again.

"You never left me. You just got distracted"        

"Badly distracted" He's still staring at her, gazing to be exact based on Yoona's point of view and it's creepy. She cut glimpse at him and still, his eyes are glued as if he's looking into her soul.

There it is again, that tension inside her that wants to reveal itself. It even magnified, fully aware of Minho's hand as his fingers tuck some strands of her hair covering her beautiful face to her ear. She couldn't hesitate anymore, finally turning her face slowly to him only to figure out he's gonna kiss her.

She remained stationary, not closing her eyes in order to see and understand. It's a chaste kiss in her cheek and she didn't pull back, gripping her shirt from this lasting surprise. She wanted to know, not the reason of Minho's unprecedented action but what this feeling is supposed to mean.  

She microscopically shook her head, ending the kiss that she wants to be depicted as a friendly one. There is no sign of regret in Minho though and even smirked once Yoona broke the kiss on the latter.

"Thank you for staying after how everyone ended up leaving me" He now held her hand, caressing it with his thumb.

"And thank you for coming back"

==========

Minho sees Jonghyun sitting on the front step of the fence as he approaches Yoona's house. Still resting her head in his back, he can assure she doesn't know. He could turn at one corner and just make up lies to Yoona but it isn't the right thing to do though she'd probably prefer doing it that way.

They can't live like this everyday, avoiding and being avoided. He knows both of them are tired with this child's play and he saw how Yoona is only prevailing her moral restraint to see Jonghyun. Thus, Jonghyun lost in their little game.

Jonghyun jolted, hearing the sound of Minho's motorbike coming to his direction. All he could do for now is watch them as Yoona's arms are still wrapped around Minho, waiting for it to be over. Yoona got down, still unaware of Jonghyun being there until he spoke.

"Yoona" He said her name, lifting a smile as she looked at him.

"I should leave now" Minho told her but she grasped his arm tightly.

"No. Stay here" She intendedly commanded him, bringing such malicious thought to a fragile Jonghyun who's been thinking crazily about her.

"So that's it? You're just gonna forget what we had and cling onto him again. Is that how easy for you to do it?"

"Watch your words, Jonghyun." Minho forcely said, getting down from his bike and standing next to Yoona just in case.

"Of course" He laughed malevolenty. "You're getting yourself involved with your best friend's issues since you have no other woman to care about"

"I have a woman to care about, just so you know"

"Stop it, please" Yoona begged.

"Look at me" Jonghyun grabbed her shoulders, almost burying his fingers between them that are slowly hurting her. She started crying tears as the look in her face are beginning to compose fear, shrinking herself for she will be powerless to abide.

"I know it's still there, not even a bit of it is gone and no matter how I tried to make you forget you just can't. And until this moment, you ought yourself to believe that you won over it"

It's like every little thing is slowly coming back to her and she's too weak to refuse it, having heard Jonghyun speak on behalf of her subconscious.

"But he is not worthy of your love, Yoona. He never really cared and he only does when he needs you"

Minho clenched his fist, realizing it already landed on Jonghyun's face. He couldn't take his words anymore, knowing to himself that they aren't true and how this friend of his is hurting Yoona to redeem his own. This isn't the person that he imagined to give happiness and respect that Yoona deserved.

"Go home before I ruin your face" He threatened him, flinging into Yoona's arm to somehow pamper her.

"Yoona, I'm sorry" He apologized, reflecting to him how he acted so inspiteful. He tried to reach for her but Minho didn't allow him to touch even a finger of Yoona and dragged him to his car. The sudden conscience and regret gnawing in him for hurting the girl he only loves due to his growing selfishness - leaving her crying and hurting. 

Minho breathed heavily as Jonghyun was out of their sights, feeling relieved of his absence. Everything happened so fast before his eyes, placing himself in a confusing state from the words freed by Jonghyun.

"He is not worthy of your love. What a random thing to say"

"It's true" Yoona uttered, shedding another tear.

"That I'm not worth loving? How rude" He wiped her tears and pouted in attempt to make Yoona smile after that confrontation but failed to do so.

No. It means more than just that.

His face softened in meeting her honest eyes and a particular instinct enveloped him.

He has a puzzled look on his face as he took a few steps back and withdrew his hands that are starting to tremble on its own. He wanted answers because he just can't figure this out, those naive and vague words.

"Is there something that I'm supposed to know?"

"I have nothing to say to you. I'm sorry" She tried to step out but he didn't let her to.

"I know there is so please, I want to hear from you. I just don't understand what this means and everything that Jonghyun said is confusing me so much! I want to know, Yoona!"

"I was in love with you, okay and I still think that I do after how you've hurt me and left me. But I can't blame you, you didn't know so I can't do anything about it. And I know how stupid I am to fall in love with my best friend, do things beyond what a friend does because of my feelings. And here I am, after how I was fooled to have moved on, my feelings are still haunting me. I don't even know why it's happening. What I can claim is that I'm very stupid to still let you in again in my life and be like this all over again"

She cried again and sobbed, the only noise that can be heard and the rest is pure silence. She feels the touch of Minho's hands running over her face that sweep across her cheekbones and his thumb fading the tears away.  

"Then that makes us both stupid"

He smiled.

a/n:  i'm not gonna say much about this chapter since it's gonna end soon. By the way, have you guys read "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green. I kind of liked how he ended each chapter of the book with one or two short sentences so that's what I did. Well, that's just a share. Have fun with this update :)