Kai, Soojin’s date whispers something into Soojin’s ear. Kyungsoo’s face winces and the dopamine flowing through his system right now stops. He seriously wants to punch himself.

 

Because it was just a whisper.

 

Kai and Soojin shake hands and Kai bows then gives her a small box. Kyungsoo saw her blush despite the lousy lighting of the club-like ballroom.

 

After Kai leaves, Soojin moves closer to Kyungsoo’s side.

 

“Are you having fun?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“You don’t look like it.” She says a little worried.

 

“I am. Just tired, I guess. And sleepy.”

 

Soojin grabs Kyungsoo’s arm and drags him to the side of the ballroom with the snack table. And Kyungsoo’s dopamine flows freely again. And he likes it. Very much.

 

“Where are we going, Jinie?”

 

She doesn’t answer.

 

When they finally arrive at the mini buffet. Soojin picks up a glazed donut, takes three big bites out of it then stuffs the rest into Kyungsoo’s mouth. Kyungsoo’s eyes widen to almost the size of golf balls. Soojin laughs at his face. And instead of getting mad and irritated, Kyungsoo laughs too.

 

He couldn’t help it, her laughter is just so contagious. And he doesn’t care if he chokes. He just laughs with her.

 

It’s so delicious, he thinks then blushes. And he hopes that the lighting of the room is awful enough to hide the red on his face. He doesn’t want her to notice.

 

“Are you still sleepy?” Soojin asks after she made sure that Kyungsoo had fully swallowed her favorite dessert.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Then have another one!”  Soojin chuckles maniacally as she grabs another donut. This time it’s jelly-filled and covered in powdered sugar. And in one swift movement, she aimed for Kyungsoo’s mouth. But Kyungsoo stops her in time by grabbing her arm just before the dessert collided with his lips.

 

“Never mind. I’m good. Not sleepy at all.” Kyungsoo says all too quickly and filled with sarcasm. But it is true. He’s wide awake. Because he does not want to miss anything.

 

“Okay. I’ll just eat this then.” Soojin eats the donut slowly. Savoring every bite. Some of the powdered sugar sticks to her face.

 

“Uhmm… Jinie, you got…” Kyungsoo fidgets then motions to his mouth. Soojin doesn’t get it. She just looks at him like a lost puppy. Kyungsoo hesitates for a while yet again.

 

“I-I’ll get it.” Kyungsoo pulls out a blue hanky from his pocket and uses it to wipe Soojin’s face, careful enough to not mess up her makeup. She remains as still as possible, not moving just like an obedient child to his mother. She just lets Kyungsoo clean her up without any sign of shyness like this isn’t the first time. And this isn’t. They’re best friends after all. They’ve been through so much more. But it’s the first time that Kyungsoo feels a little too conscious doing it to her.

 

“T-There.” Kyungsoo says after finishing.

 

“Thank you, Kyungie! You’re the best. I love you, best friend.” Soojin hugs him. It’s warm and comforting but it’s not enough to cover up those words. Her words still sting Kyungsoo’s ears, his eyes, his mind, even his heart. Even more so as he repeats them again and again in his head.

 

 

I love you, best friend.

 

 

Kyungsoo fights back the tears that are ready to fall any second. He can’t let Soojin see him weak like this. He just can’t. It’s one of the only two fears he has. The other one is…

 

“Let’s go home.” Soojin says as she breaks away from the hug. The pain that Kyungsoo feels worsens. He hesitates. Again. But nevertheless, he still agrees.

 

Kyungsoo slides his hand into his pocket, searching for the letter that he has prepared for this night. He takes hold of it, feeling the thick sheets of paper neatly folded inside. I guess it’s not time yet, he says to himself.

 

The two of them exit the ball room. Soojin claims her bag containing a change of clothes at information desk and moves straight to the ladies’ room. Kyungsoo just waits.

 

Soojin comes out of the ladies’ room dressed in just a simple shirt and jeans. She’s still wearing heels, though.

 

Kyungsoo and Soojin just walk home since the place was just two blocks away from their families’ apartments.

 

They end up talking about random things on the way, just like they always do every single day on their way to school and vice versa. Kyungsoo’s going to miss that after graduation, after it all ends.

 

They reach the end of the first block. It separates into two paths. To the left is the shorter path, which most people has used and to the right is a longer way, a less travelled road.

 

Without any arguments, Kyungsoo and Soojin both choose the longer way, stuttering a bit as they both say their choice aloud.

 

“R-Right.” They say in almost perfect unity.

 

Unconsciously, they’ve chosen to extend the time they have left.

 

And it has definitely made a difference.