I’ve known Eun Hye since I started high school.

However, we didn’t became friends instantly because I used to hang out with another crowd. But after we became lab partners during our sophomore year, we started to hang out more and more every day. I felt genuinely happy being with her, I didn’t had that feeling to be always perfect or to pretend something I like even though I really don’t. I’m not sure if she knows but Eun Hye showed me what true friendship is. I just love the warmth and sincerity of her company. I promised myself I’d never let anything get in the way of our friendship.

But a few days after she confessed to Jongin, something tells me I wouldn’t be able to continue upholding my promise.

I hadn’t heard from her since we hung out last Friday night. Or at least about what happened between her and Jongin. When I arrived at school on Monday morning, she looked okay. She smiled at me and we both went to our homeroom, everything seemed to be okay. I was thinking twice of asking her about it. I was hoping she’d bring it up. But we ended up talking about Jae Hoon. I told her we had a fight after we parted with them the other night.

I sighed and leaned against my seat. “We’re still trying to fix things between us.”

Eun Hye looked at me and her unyielding eyes suddenly softened but she averted her gaze back to her food. “Well, at least he’s trying,” she said, almost like a whisper. “Unlike other people.”

Slightly frowning and puzzled, I leaned forward. “What do you mean?”

“He turned me down.” Eun Hye said after a moment of silence, her eyes still fixed on her food as she picked at them with her fork.

It was one of those moments I didn’t know what exactly to feel. In theory, I should be disappointed and sad because, clearly my best friend is. But I also felt as though my throat was freed from a wedged thorn, making me breathe somehow easier.

“He didn’t feel the same way.” Eun Hye continued.

I stammered for a moment. “I’m sorr—”

“He didn’t even want to try.” Eun Hye almost cried out. She finally raised her head and looked at me. The frustration and hurt now visible in her clear dark brown eyes. “I asked him if he could give me a chance…but he didn’t. He—he didn’t want to.”

“Why not?” I asked hesitantly after a brief moment.

“He said…” she started, her brows slightly knitting. She turned her gaze again back on her food. “He said he likes someone else.” her voice cracked a little in the end.

Eun Hye continued to eat her food and I sat there still, contrary to my drumming heart. There was a quick rush of sensations washing over me, too quick I almost couldn’t register any of them. I only caught a few of them and there was dread and shady disappointment. “He just said he’s sorry he couldn’t return how I feel.” she said bitterly. “Do you know who she is?” she asked me then.

“No…” I replied, taking my mind back from when I used to work at the shop. “I didn’t see anyone at the shop before. Jongin’s a very private person.”

“I figured.” Eun Hye said.

She was quiet the entire day and her energy was down. However, when we started filming again, she managed to maintain a professional relationship between her and Jongin. Although, I would caught them avoiding each other’s eyes when the conversation started to get a little awkward.

Something tells me I should do something about it, to help Eun Hye in some way because whenever I needed her help, even if I don’t say it, she knew and she’d be there for me.

And so I decided to see Jongin after I painted the shed. I could hear hammering sound when I walked into the workshop. Jongin was all by himself, hammering what seemed like a wooden plaque.

“Hi,” I said to catch his attention.

Jongin stopped hammering and lifted his head to me. He was wearing his usual clothes whenever he worked, gray wife-beater and jeans. “Hi.” he said dully and then he continued hammering once again.

“I just finished painting the shed.” I began, walking towards him. “I could finish it in a few more days.”

If Jongin made a sound, or any sound, I wouldn’t know because he was still hitting the nails and wood harshly with his hammer. At that moment, I realized what my former coworkers told me when I dropped by at the shop earlier might be true. They said Jongin was in a really bad mood today.

“You should be resting,” I said, glancing at my wrist watch, “Your shift’s been over for thirty minutes now.”

No answer.

Just more hammering.

“We could eat pizza if you like,” I offered. He stopped hammering at last, the back of his neck was glistening with sweat and he still wasn’t looking at me. “After your work. We could—”

“Are we really going to eat pizza?” Jongin said, picking another wood. Then his cold eyes flickered at me. “Or you’re going to set me up on another group date of yours?”

I fell silent at once.

“Do you think I’m stupid?” he said morosely.

“N-no!” I said quickly, taking a step towards him. But then he started hitting the wood once again with his hammer, so hard and piercing I balked and took a step back. “That’s not—I wasn’t sure if you’ll join if I told you about it.” I explained through the strident sound of his hammer hitting the wood. “Would you go? If I asked you to come with us on a group date, would you say yes?”

Again, Jongin didn’t respond.

“Could you please stop working for minute?!” I said annoyingly, raising my voice.

“No, I won’t!” Jongin retorted, looking at me irritatingly. “I’ll hammer all I want!” he turned back to what he’s working on but every nails were already in place. He dropped the hammer harshly  on the table.

“Why can’t you give Eun Hye a chance?” I blurted out as he went looking for something inside the toolbox, possibly for more nails. “She’s really nice and very interesting. If you get to know her more, you’ll like her—”

“I do like her.” Jongin cut me off, “I just don’t like her the way she likes me.”

“But—”

“I like someone else.” Jongin stated adamantly, turning to face me completely, his eyes still blazing quite morosely. The ends of his fringe were sticking on his forehead due to sweat. “And when I like someone, I like someone.” he finished as he stared into my eyes.

“That’s very sweet, Jongin,” I told genuinely after a moment. I didn’t know why I still felt somewhat surprised when he told me that piece of information, when Eun Hye had already mentioned that to me. “But Eun Hye, she’s—”

I cut my own words when Jongin turned his back on me and started working again. “I already told Eun Hye what I have to say.” he said, his voice clear with impatience once more.

I drew in a sigh and opened my mouth to convince him some more but then he suddenly stopped. “I don’t want to talk about this, Su Ji.” he said, looking at me firmly after he dropped the hammer loudly on the table once again. “I don’t like her. I like someone else. Period. And frankly, I have too much in my head right now to deal with this. Just back off.”

He turned back to the table, picked up the hammer and start pounding once again. Slighted, I turned to leave but then his hammer suddenly clattered down the ground as he held his finger and grunted in pain.

“Hold on—