I somehow managed to breeze through the rest of the day. The rest of my afternoon consisted of story technique with Mr. Yang, a fun guy who didn't look a day past eighteen. We were discussing romantic comedies and how to make the perfect "meet cute" - you know the scene when the romantic leads first meet. They go for the same item on the shelf and graze hands, she crashes her car into his and they fight about reckless driving and insurance papers that sort of thing.
 
I couldn't stop thinking about our "meet cute" it was cliche but it was boy meets boy not for the first time but boy meets boy in a different context than usual. I was sat on the beach, Peniel was sick from the food we'd ate the night before - undercooked chicken I think. It was so warm and I was wearing my shorts and a loose grey vest. I was just admiring the sky and the clear blue oceans when suddenly I'm on the ground, my eyes hazy and my vision all a blur. A football, kicked at full pelt had hit me in the head and when I sat up right again I came face to face with Minhyuk asking me if I was okay.
 
"Hyunsik. Hyunsik. Hello?"
 
I looked up from my milkshake where I had been idly sturing the straw through the thick pink liquid. Changsub was staring furiously at me I could see he was almost at the end of his teather. I bit the end of my straw and smiled. Changsub turned to Peniel and shoved his shoulder gently.
 
"What did you do to him in Thailand?" he asked inquisitively.
 
"Nothing. I swear. I was sick the whole time, I barely saw him." He said in his defence. It was true, his stomach kept him locked in his bedroom for the first week, by the time he was back up again Minhyuk had gone home and my summer romance (or whatever you care to call it) had ended.
 
I nodded whilst slurping up thick mouthfuls of strawberry milkshake.
 
"So you didn't meet a girl?" Changsub asked.
 
I laughed and pushed my now empty glass aside. "Did you?" I said, both eyesbrows raised. I was hoping to find a way to stump him, to make him stop asking so many questions and I found it. He just glared and sunk back down his chair diet coke through a pink straw.

Changsub was open about his uality to most but the one person he managed to keep it from was Peniel. For all Peniel loved his friends and was genuinely a caring guy he was after all devout christian and Changsub worried that the bible would tell him to no longer be his friend if he found out he was a homoual.
 
"Speaking of girls. I have to decided. I'm going to do it?"

Myself and Changsub just looked at Peniel wide eyed and slack jawed. He was referring to Kim Hyuna. She was the schools very own sweetheart. She didn't have a mean bone in her body and no matter how many times the likes of Gayoon tried to put her down she just seemed to rise above it. Peniel and Hyuna saw each other every weekend at church and Peniel would tell us both about how awkward it was and how much he liked her. I was happy for him that he'd decided to make the decision to just go for it but Changsub was much more skeptical.
 
"Kim HyunA is like the Lee Hyori for the college world. Do you really think you're her type?"
 
"I don't know. She seems to like me." Peniel said his confidence suddenly knocked. It was clear he was beginning to doubt himself again after weeks of plucking up the courage.
 
"Come on Changsub. He's your friend you should be supportive!"
 
"And as his friend I am looking out for his best interests. Rejection is a cruel thing you know."
 
I sighed and sat back in my seat. He was right in a way. I certainly felt like I'd been rejected. Not one message all summer even after what happened, the weird vibes at school, making out with his girlfriend in front of me and then seducing me to prove I still liked him? I was being played with and I imagine that feeling could rival that of being rejected but at least with rejection you knew where you stood.
 
"You know what Peniel. Screw what Changsub says. Ask her out, if she rejects you then at least you can move on instead of wondering if it will ever happen."
 
"Thanks." Peniel smiled. Changsub wasn't too pleased with my burst of advice. He just rolled his eyes and glanced out of the window.
 
"Are you ing kidding me." He said.
 
"No I'm not, it's better to know where you stand than live every day wondering-"
 
He hushed me, waving his hand frantically in my face but still looking out into the street. "I don't care. I'm just wondering what they're doing here." He pointed and my eyes followed his finger to the car park outside the little diner we stopped by on the way home. Surely enough the same red audi from earlier that morning was parked up in front of the building only this time it wasn't filled with strangers.
 
Gayoon and Minhyuk waltzed into the diner and took up a table just behind us. They were accompanied by three others, Gayoon's protege Sohyun, she practically obeyed Gayoon's every command she was like her own personal slave but the girl honestly beleived she was Gayoon's best friend. She was just another Jiyoon waiting to happen - one mistake and it would be a new college in the fall for Sohyun. There was Sungjae, the tall dorky guy who didn't have two brain cells to keep each other company and Eunkwang. Eunkwang had graduated, how I'll never know since he was worse than Minhyuk for not turning up to lessons, always in trouble with his professors not to mention the police.
 
"Hi Changsub, your fully grown in yet?" Said Gayoon and her table erupted into laughter.
 
"Original, come up with that one yourself?" Changsub called back over to the table behind. I just ducked my head out of the way and hoped to god they didn't see me.
 
"Can we just go you guys?" Asked Peniel already getting his things together. We didn't need to give him permission. Peniel hated confrontation and would leave even if we wanted to stay. Which we didn't. I nodded and the three of us got up out of our seats. That's when I heard him calling my name for the second time that day.
 
"Hyunsik, come sit with us." Said Minhyuk.

I looked over my shoulder. He was sat by the window and was facing me. He had his arm around Gayoon and next to her sat Sohyun. He had the biggest of grins on his face but Gayoon wasn't exactly pleased. She turned to him with almost disgust. It made me wonder what I ever did to her to make her disgusted but I guess kissing her boyfriend wouldn't go down very well. Not that she knew that.
 
"Come on G. Hyunsik's cool. Come on, sit."
 
I hated that in my mind I was already saying ok. All he had to do was smile at me and I was putty in his hands. I never used to be like this, I was never that guy but all in the events of one stupid week I was a love sick puppy wagging his tail eagerly each time Minhyuk passed by. I looked back at Peniel and Changsub, Changsub narrowed his eyes and shook his head. He had no idea why I didn't just decline outright, it was clear I was thinking about it.
 
"I'll be just a minute guys. I'll catch up to you."
 
"Look do what you want. I'll see you later." Changsub said, holding his hands up to halt me from even saying another word. My friends left and I could feel the nerves kicking in. I turned to face them, the kids that hadn't grown up since high school, the trouble causers, the kids who thought they were better than everyone else and I wanted to be close to one of them at least. I couldn't help myself.
 
Sungjae and Eunkwang had gotten up to order food at the bar so I ended up sat in front of Minhyuk by the window. I felt awkward I didn't really know what to say or where to even begin. I just tried to focus on the table and not look directly at him but I could see his hands. His long slender fingers and his smooth skin. He had a silver ring on one finger with a sort of black celtic pattern engraved into it. I then saw her hand rest itself on top of his and watched as their fingures became intertwined.
 
"So Hyunsik what are you you doing tonight?"

I shrugged, "Not much. Helping my parents at the factory most likely." As soon as I said it I felt like an idiot. Minhyuk smiled as his friend laughed at my expense.

"That explains why you're dressed like you are." Said Gayoon and the others continued laughing at me. I was about to get up and walk away when Minhyuk spoke up.

"Babe, seriously. Will you stop being such a for one minute." He said, slowly turning to her with a smile. She just sighed and folded her arms. It might have been harsh for a guy to say that to his girlfriend but I couldn't help but smile. In fact I very nearly laughed but I had a feeling that wouldn't have gone down to well. "Why don't you ditch helping the old timers and come to a party we're going to?"

"A party? But we have classes tomorrow." I did it again. I spoke without really thinking. I kept forgetting who I was talking to. I quickly corrected myself. "Forget I said that. I don't think I can get out of helping my parents. I mean, I already told them I would so."

"But it's going to be so fun you should totally come!" Piped up Sungjae from beside me.

I suddenly felt in demand. I actually thought about saying yes. I didn't even stop to think about how strange it all was. I suddenly thought about my friends, Peniel and Changsub. How could I think about going to a party with people that reminded us on a regular basis how much we . Constantly putting us in our place in the school food chain. I shook my head and stood up.

"No I can't. Listen I have to go. I don't want to be late. My Dad will be wondering where I am." I said as politely as I could.

I left the diner in a bit of a hurry. I was worried if I took my time I'd hesitate I'd look back and see his face and probably go to the party and make even a bigger fool of myself. I'd just made it clear of the car park when again I heard him call my name. I closed my eyes and turned around. I almost knocked right into him he was so close, too close. I stepped back a couple of steps.

"Listen, in case you change your mind." He took hold of my wrist and began to scrawl an address on the palm of my hand. Once he was finished he looked up at me and there we lingered for a moment before he was called back to the diner by Eunkwang. Their food was ready and again he was off.

I stood there completely bewildered. The vacation, spending the rest of my summer stressing about him and how I felt. Then my first day back at college. Seeing him and Gayoon together, the kiss in school and now this. Going out on a limb to ask me to a party despite his girlfriends disapproval of me. It was all too much, I was exhausted and I still had work to do once I got home. It was going to be a long night that was for sure.