"I--I didn't do that!" I stammered, embarrassed by the lipstick heart on the picture.

"I know you didn't, stupid." Joon Hee chuckled and patted my arm.

"Shi Won is meddlesome." I grumbled.

"Why does she think you like me?"

I rested my chin on his shoulder. "Don't know. She probably thinks that cause you told her I kissed you."

"She's your girlfriend. I had to tell her."

That didn't make any sense at all.

"That night...on the basketball court...when you told me you liked me...what--why did you tell me?"

"I was tired of carrying around the secret." He said in that lovely, gentle voice.

"Weren't you afraid?"

"Oh yes. Terrified." He admitted easily.

"Did it help? Telling me?"

He considered this for a moment. "No. Not really."

"Because I didn't believe you?"

"Mmm." He nodded.

"What if I had?"

"I would have felt better." He answered without hesitation. "Either you would have let me remain your friend or you would have told me to get lost."

"I was only allowed those two choices?"

Joon Hee didn't answer.

"Did it ever occur to you that I might--"

"Might what, Yoon Jae?" He broke my hold to turn and look me in the eye. "You liked--like Shi Won. She likes you. Liking you is my problem. I never asked you to make a choice!" He looked almost angry.

"Why not?!" I demanded, louder than I needed to. "If neither one of you really want me, why do you claim to like me?"

He just continued to stare at me.

"You push me towards Shi Won and she pushes me towards you! Is it such a horrible thing to be with me?"

I was angry and I was hurt. A lone tear made its way down my flushed cheek. How manly.

Joon Hee's expression softened to one that I now knew was affection and love for me.

"It's better for you to be with a woman." He whispered. "Marry Shi Won. Have kids. Make your brother happy."

This time, one of his tears escaped. Everything I needed to know was solved in that second. 

Joon Hee  loved me so much that he wanted to spare me the turmoil of being in a relationship with another man--even though it put him in so much pain.

I found myself acting without hesitation or further thought.  One of my hands ended up on the back of his neck, pulling his full lips closer. He didn't pull away this time as I closed my eyes and gently pressed my lips to his.

My heart was beating so fast and hard that it hurt. I was warm all over--partly from the alcohol and partly from the overwhelming sensation of Joon Hee's kiss.

He pulled his mouth away a moment later, but instead of pushing me away he hugged me tightly. He held on as a man overboard holds onto his life preserver.

I wrapped my arms around him. Time didn't seem to matter. What mattered was what this meant. Why did this hug and this brief kiss have me feeling this way? I didn't know if I truly wanted to admit it yet, but maybe I did like Joon Hee the way he liked me.

Double update, today! Woo hoo! Still smiling. :)