She leant forward her elbows as she held her own chin on her hands glaring the brown-haired girl in front of her.

She was still anxiously waiting for a reply. She knew that Gayoon's words were her salvation or the reason why she would change her life.

”What is it?” spoke her with a voice full of annoyance.

Gayoon knew the reason why the short-haired girl was looking at her with seriousness. She just wanted her to stop with that. She knew that she was the reason why she was still there. Sitting in that cafe at midnight. Looking into her brown eyes, searching the right answer that Jiyoon was anxiously waiting.

”I don't know” Gayoon finally said “this is killing me slowly”

Jiyoon rolled her eyes and sighed heavily looking away. Once again she was disappointed by Gayoon's reply, but she couldn't help to let out a bitter smile.

”I knew it... I'm sure that when you decide to reply me in a right way... The world will end”

Gayoon sighed, she perfectly knew that Jiyoon would not wait for a long time. She knew that she had just one chance with her, but for some reasons she couldn't decide about her future, about their future. She didn't understand why Jiyoon was still there. If Gayoon was her she would leave not waiting for her lazy reply.

”Let's go, it's already late” Jiyoon told her as she wore her black leather jacket.

Gayoon just nodded and got up from the chair. Jiyoon followed by Gayoon went to the counter to pay the bill and greeted the cafe's owner.

”Wait here” Jiyoon harshly said to Gayoon as she disappeared in the parking lot.

Gayoon leant her back against the wall as she crossed her arms trying to protect herself from the cold wind.

She shuddered, scared and not for the cold weather but for the sight of Jiyoon's vehicle.

“I will not go ever on that motorbike”

She had to admit that Jiyoon was y at the wheel of a motorcycle.

”Oh, come on! Do you think am I a rookie??” she asked surprised by her rejection.

Gayoon was still on her spot deciding what to do. She shook her head to ward off all her fears and took two steps towards the short-haired girl who was smiling. Her heart started to increase its pace as she was sitting behind Jiyoon. She hugged Jiyoon from the back and rested her chin on her right shoulder. She closed her eyes smelling her intoxicating scent and smiled.

Jiyoon the engine, she was excited and happy because could share such an intimate moment with Gayoon. She was enjoying the sound of Gayoon’s breathing near her ear and her arms around her waist. She turned her head to look at her.

“Are you ready?” she whispered.

Gayoon couldn’t disappoint at her excited tone of voice, she was so scared, but when Jiyoon’s eyes met hers she felt her heart about to explode. She felt happy. She just nodded as reply while she was wondering why she couldn’t tell her what she was feeling for her. Why she could not say that she was crazily and stupidly in love with her own best friend? She knew that Jiyoon felt the same, but she was afraid. She didn’t want to lose Jiyoon. What if she says yes and everything between them change? What if they break up? She felt her heart heavy at those negative thoughts. Her grip on Jiyoon became tight as she began to cry.

The motorcycle was travelling along the dark streets, Gayoon could feel the wind caressing her wet cheeks as she was trying to stop. She didn’t want Jiyoon to notice her sobs.

“I love you” she found herself saying.

Jiyoon pretended to ignore her words, she had to contain that happiness she was feeling and focus her mind on the road. She just wanted to hug her friend and never let her go. She was silent all the way thinking about what to say.

Once Jiyoon parked the vehicle, could feel her heart beat going crazy. She was starting to have trouble breathing, her heart was pounding against her chest and felt the sweat drip from her temples.

They walked straight to Gayoon’s house and stopped once they arrived to the door. Gayoon was regretting her love confession, because she knew that Jiyoon would kiss her. She imagined the whole scene uncountable times when she thought about her. She wanted it to happen so badly, but once again her fears were ruining everything.

“So…” Jiyoon’s shy voice brought Gayoon to earth.

She smiled at her, awkwardly, “Uhm… So… do you wanna take a rest? You seem tired and it’s late”

‘Oh, … why the hell did you propose her to stay? You know that you just messed things up?’ Gayoon thought.

“Can I?”

”Sure!” Gayoon turned around, opened the door and invited Jiyoon to enter.

Gayoon led her to the guest room and handed her some clothes for the night. She just wanted to leave her alone and run away. She was afraid, afraid because she didn't want Jiyoon to speak about her 'I love you'... Her eyes widened when she noticed that Jiyoon was undressing. She cleared and Jiyoon looked at her, stopping.

”I'll leave y-you alone, g-good night” Gayoon stuttered, ashamed. She turned her heels and went to the door. Finally she was relieved because Jiyoon did not mention about...

”Gayoonie, wait”

Gayoon's heart beat stopped for few seconds as she slowly turned to face Jiyoon.

”Yes?” Gayoon asked. Her friend just tapped the spot beside her asking her to sit there. Gayoon dragged her feet and sat in the corner of the bed.

Jiyoon wasn’t sure to ask her about what she said when they were on the motorbike, but she didn’t want to misunderstand things. She looked down at her shoes and took a deep breath before look at Gayoon’s face. Gayoon was staring at her when she lifted her head.

“Uhmm… about what you said before…”

“Yes?”

Jiyoon blushed, “You meant it in a friendly way, right?” she whispered looking away. She prepared herself to stand a rejection from her friend.

Gayoon didn’t know what to reply, her fears were shouting at her to deny her love for her, but her heart suggested to confirm what she was feeling.

“Yes… my love for you is just friendly love” she replied, not daring to look at Jiyoon while she was saying such a huge lie.

 Suddenly she felt like the most horrible, selfish person in the world.

Jiyoon just smiled hiding her feelings, she felt about to cry, but she managed to contain her tears.

“Okay… I just wanted to know. Good night, Gayoon”

Gayoon just got up from the bed and went out closing the door without looking at her best friend.

‘Idiot’ she thought as she was struggling with her desire to come back to Jiyoon and say the ing truth ‘You are just a coward.’

Jiyoon finished to change her clothes and got into the sheets. She knew that Gayoon felt the same, but she didn’t understand the reason why Gayoon have always tried to deny everything. She felt happy and sad at the same time; happy because Gayoon finally replied at the question she was avoiding for three years and now she could move on. She felt sad because she has always loved her best friend and now she knows that they will not have a future together.

‘Sorry, Jiyoon. I’m doing this to protect us. Sorry.’

THE END.