The two teenagers walked side by side, their shoulders slightly brushing against one anothers' as they headed to the park in silence. HyoYeon bit her lip as she played with her finger tips. She could tell that Jinki could sense that something wasn't right with her. She was usually bubbly, cheerful, and energetic, but it seemed today she wasn't. She had her reasons...reasons Jinki had yet to know of.

Jinki glanced over at his best friend. It wasn't like her to be this...silent. Even if the two of them had nothing to talk about, they could easily start a conversation with one another. They could easily have a great time.

As they neared the park, Jinki tried to cheer HyoYeon up. He gently grabbed her hand and pulled her along towards the swings. He knew that she loved swinging, ever since she was a little girl.

HyoYeon stared wide-eyed at Jinki's hand holding securely onto hers. She held her breath as he pulled her to the swings and made her sit. She looked up at him and smiled slightly before she looked down at the ground.

"I'll push, you just enjoy yourself." Jinki whispered, going behind her and began to push her.

HyoYeon took a deep breath as he slowly began pushing. Her hair moved by her face as Jinki's pushing caused a natural wind effect. She gripped the swing handle and closed her eyes. How was she going to tell him this? Her best friend...the man in which she liked--no, loved?

"Jinki..." She whispered.

"Yes,"

"I have something to tell you,"

"I know,"

HyoYeon snapped her head up and turned slightly to catch a glimpse of him. Jinki had a smile on his face, but she knew that he was only trying to make her feel better.

"I'm..." Her voice trailed off.

"You're what?" Jinki continued to push her.

HyoYeon couldn't keep it from him any longer. She had known about her situation for months, but she could never find the right time to tell him. And now that it was getting closer, she had no other choice.

"I'm getting married..." tightened. She kept telling herself over and over that she wasn't going to cry. She was beginning to feel thankful that he was behind her.

"Married?" Jinki tried so hard not to stop pushing her. He lightly pressed against her back each time she approached him, but he didn't know how long he could keep this up.

"Y-yeah...married..." Her breath caught, and the moment it did she tightened her grip on the handles of the swing so tight her knuckles whitened.

"To whom?" Jinki's gaze bore into HyoYeon's back. She could feel his stare.

"I...I'm not sure. I've met him once...it's an arranged marriage."

"How long were you aware of this situation?"

"For three months..."

Jinki's eyes widened. When HyoYeon came back towards him, he had forgotten to brace himself and she lightly knocked against him. He reached out to grab the swing handles, and instead happened to grab HyoYeon's hands. It was a means for him to maintain his balance, but as soon as he felt her hands his eyes began to tear up.

"You're just now telling me?" He whispered.

"I didn't know how to tell you..."

"When are you marrying him?" Jinki painfully asked her.

"...t-this weekend..." She admitted as she looked at the ground, her tears beginning to slide down her cheeks. She felt horrible, having kept this information from him, but she couldn't find the right time. She began moving her fingers in an attempt to slide her hands from his. But, Jinki felt this and held her hands tighter.

"Wow..." He whispered.

"I have to move away...with him. His family is sending him abroad to work, and I have to go, too..." HyoYeon couldn't hold in her sobs any longer. She felt as though her world was coming to an end. She was only eighteen - she had so many plans for herself; there was so much she wanted to do in life, and one of them did not consist of marrying a stranger.

"Oh, HyoYeon..." Jinki acted on impulse and suddenly wrapped his arms around her. He held her, even though she jerked from surprise. "Why didn't you tell me? I could have found a way to get you out of it." I could have been the one....

"I'm sorry...my parents already had it arranged for a while. I was just informed months ago..." She covered her face in her hands. "Jinki...I'm scared," She whimpered.

"I know,"

"I...I can't see you after today."

"I know..."

The two of them remained in such a way for awhile, trying to hold onto a friendship--an unknown love for as long as they could before HyoYeon's phone vibrated in her pocket. It was her father calling her home. HyoYeon slipped her phone back into her pocket and wiped her face. 

"Jinki...I have to go," She whispered as she tried to stand. Jinki, reluctantly, let her go. He walked around the swing and faced her. It was the first time since she had told him that he could see what this was doing to her.

He reached out and cupped her face in his hands. He moved his thumbs underneath her eyes, and wiped her tears that continued to fall. He weakly smiled as he scanned her face. It would be the last time he'd see her; the last time he could be with her. It would be the last time he could embrace her.

Without thinking, he pulled her face towards his and kissed her gently. She gasped against his lips, but soon melted against him. The two of them had been friends for a long time, but they've never kissed before.

"Jinki..." She whispered against his lips.

"Just let me enjoy this moment..." He whispered back. "Please..." His voice caught in his throat as he kissed her again, this time longer.

HyoYeon was surprised that he would do this--that he would kiss her when he knew that they could never be the same again. Jinki, though, wanted her to know how he felt about her...even if there was nothing the two of them could do about it. So, he kissed her with every fiber of his being. He wanted her to know how much she meant to him, how much he cared, and how much he loved her.

HyoYeon felt it all.

"Jinki...I-I have to go," She whimpered. Jinki looked at her and nodded. He smiled weakly and moved his fingers through her hair to brush it to the side.

"I know..." He looked down for a second before he looked back at her. Fresh tears escaped her eyes and slid down her cheeks. "You should get going..."

HyoYeon nodded and wrapped her arms around him suddenly. She buried her face into his neck.

"I will miss you so much." She murmured onto his neck.

"Me, too..."

"Jinki, I love you so much--I always have. I wish it were you, instead..." She cried against him and Jinki's heart broke.

"I love you too, HyoYeon; I wish it were me, too...it should have been me."

HyoYeon slowly moved her arms from around him and looked into his eyes. She quickly wiped her tears and took a step back.

"I'm going to go now..."

"Yeah..."

"Stay well, Jinki..."

"You, too..."

HyoYeon nodded and took one last look at him before she began walking off. Her heart broke. Jinki's heart broke as well.

He knew it would be the last time he saw her. He knew that this marriage was final, and as much as he wished that things could be different--they weren't.

He watched her as she walked down the street. Her figure slowly began disappearing from view and that's when he began to sob.

HyoYeon...you don't know how much I love you and wish I could have protected you from this. I'm sorry I found out too late. I love you so much. Please...be happy...for the both of us...

 

--

Thank you for the subscribers (though I thought I wouldn't receive any for this). As a thank you to you guys (who also love HyoYeon), I have decided to update. Funny, this inspiration was given to me by a teacher. But, this doesn't feel complete - maybe I shall make it into a two shot? Anyways, thank you guys for subscribing, but remember: I will update on my own time.