His POV:

"I like you, Park Chanyeol."

Wait, what? Did she just say what I think she just said?

"I like you too, Jieun," I replied nonchalantly, adding my happy smile to the end.

"No..." she continued, "not that kind of like. I mean relationship like."

She's got to be kidding. Is this really the Jieun that I have known since the first grade? What, is she getting stalked again like last time? Well~ I guess I'll just play along.

"Yeah, I like you that way too," I smiled, "Let's go on a date."

She looked surprised at first, but her facial features started to relax and her lips formed into a smile as she linked arms with me like she always had before. "Yeah."

I opened my car door and slammed it shut with a thud. "Lee Jieun..." I muttered. "Don't you dare do this to me."

As the light turned red, I screeched to a hault and hit my head for the thousandth time on the steering wheel. "Pabo, Park Chanyeol. You are so pabo."

I looked to my left and I grew even more frustrated. Just today, we were on our date in that very mall I am looking at. How was I supposed to know she was serious? I didn't know anything.

We ended up actually going on a date like I told her. We went to the mall, messed around as we played dress-up on eachother, watched a movie, eating grilled meat off the grill, and even a walk through the park.

"Are you sure this looks good on me?" I asked with an are-you-kidding-me face. "Really?"

She bit her lower lip, trying not to laugh at me. "Mmhmm, it looks perfect."

I looked at the mirror and stared at my face. She gave me one of those fake mustache-connected-to-beard accessories. I didn't even know they made these. "I look like I aged 30 years with this look."

She burst out laughing. "I know, you look like an old man with that on~!!!" She couldn't stop laughing.

I started to act like a kid and pouted before I took off the beard. "Hmph, fine, be that way. I'll just leave you here."

She held onto her stomach before she inhaled and exhaled deeply. "Okay, I'm done. I'm sorry."

"I don't forgive you~" I stated as I walked haughtily away from her. At the corner of my eye, she started to frown and just continued to follow me out of the store.

And I didn't pay any attention to her. With arms crossed and my nose held up high, I acted snobby and continued walking. But she continued to follow. "Chanyeol-ah~" she called.

I continued the haughty act. I wouldn't give in. "Who's calling me?"

That was, before she wrapped her arms around my waist, giving me a back-hug. "I'm sorry," she mumbled under her breath.

I sighed as I turned around and gave her a hug, "Pabo, I'm just kidding. Now, let's continue with our date, alright?"

She nodded slightly and I let go of her. Instead, I held her hands and started walking towards the movie theaters. "Come on~ Let's brighten up our spirits with a funny movie, okay?"

She smiled back. "Okay."

--

"That movie was really funny~" she smiled as she laughed all of a sudden, most likely thinking a part from the movie. "Remember when that little girl actually owned that teen in that game?"

"Yeah, she definitely rubbed her victory right into his face afterwards," I added as I started to laugh with her. We continued grilling the meat. I looked around and spotted a bathroom before I looked at Jieun, "I'll be right back. Need to use it."

She nodded and shooed me off as she concentrated on cooking the meat nicely. "Hurry, okay?" she mumbled.

I smiled, "Araso." I walked towards the restroom, happily reminiscing about my time with her. However, something felt wrong... very wrong. I then decided to investigate. Just as I went into the bathroom, I looked around and saw two suspicious men in suits outside the entrance door. And that wasn't even the suspicious part. What was the most suspicious part was that I think I knew one of the men from somewhere. I thought that maybe I should look closer after I use the bathroom.

What, you thought I was kidding? I seriously need to use it.

After strolling out of the bathroom, I glanced at the men outside. However, when I looked closer, it turned out that I didn't know either of them. They were both strangers to me and I just concluded that it might have just been all in my head. I went back to eat with Jieun as she welcomed me with cooked meat and a warm smile.

"I thought I told you to hurry~" she whined a little.

I laughed, enjoying the rare aegyo moments she does. "Sorry, I just thought I-" but I cut off myself off. She looked at me with confused and worried eyes. What if those men were the stalkers? "I just thought you would show me one of your aegyo moments if I did."

"Tch," she clicked her tongue. "Of course you would."

I smiled and tried changing the subject. "Are you thirsty? I'll go ask for more water, okay?"

She nodded.

--

After eating plentiful servings of meat, we left after we were completely full. "Urghhh," I groaned, "My stomach hurts."

"Mine too~" she groaned alongside me as we rode in my car back to her house. Or what other people might say a mansion.

To tell you the truth, Jieun's family was really rich. She told me that her parents had some big part for a few famous restaurants, but I never really minded it. I mean, why would I need to know that? It's not like I became her friend just because she was rich. I became her friend because I had a gut feeling that me and her would get along well together. And I was right.

She sighed softly. "Well, this is it."

"Yup."

She turned to look at me. "I know you didn't mean that you liked me back. I get that you were trying to protect me from stalkers, like usual. And you were..." She hesitated for a moment. "...not wrong. There were definitely people following me, but you don't have to worry. It was just my dad's bodyguards watching me today and it will end tomorrow, don't worry."

"Phew, that's a relief!" I stated with a smile. "Hahahaha, I got to hand it to you though Jieun, you can really be an actress with your acting skills."

Her eyebrows furrowed and it looked like she was in complete pain for just a second, but then she turned her head. When she turned back around, her face was completely normal. "What was that face just now?" I blurted out. 

"What face?" She asked back.

"Something's been bothering you, Jieun, and as your oppa, it is my duty to solve it. What's wrong?"

She smiled at me. "It's nothing. Really. You're just imagining-" she stopped herself. "No, you're right. I just noticed that I am feeling a bit sad today. It's family issues. Do you think you can just give me a hug? I promise it will be better tomorrow."

I smiled. "Really? Does that mean that my hugs are magical or something?"

"You have no idea," was all she said. She scooted closer to my seat and wrapped her arms around me. She rested her head against my shoulder as I returned the hug. We stayed in that position for at least a minute as she gripped tightly at my shirt. It was like if she let go, she would die at the exact moment. However, her grip slowly loosened and she finally backed away.

She gave me one of her amazing and genuine smiles. "Thank you... for everything. Goodbye."

It sounded so final, with the way she said it. And I hated it. "See you tomorrow?" I half-yelled, half-asked. For some reason, I felt that if I let her go now, she really will leave without a trace.

She looked back and gave a small, forced-looking smile. "Yeah. Tomorrow." She turned back around and hurried into the mansion.

--

The next morning, I was driving to school like any other usual day. What was weird was, the place that Jieun and I always meet up at was completely empty. Meaning there was no Jieun. 

That was the first thing I found different that morning. What I didn't know was that it wasn't the end.

The second were all these whisperings going around me. Sure, I never listen to it since it was probably nonsense, but I sensed everyone's eyes on me, kind of analyzing what I would do next.

Then, the third and final thing was literally in front of my face as I entered the classroom. My male classmate-friends all huddled around me, questioning all these different things that I didn't catch one thing from their mouths.

"YAH!" I yelled. "I know nothing of what you guys are talking about because I can't understand you all talking at once," I stated, emphasizing the last part.

Kai spoke up. "Did you hear? Jieun's getting married."

I froze at my spot, feeling a cold chill run through my body. "W-what do you mean?" I sputtered out.

"It was an arranged marriage to some young, rich man that they say will reach high in the future. You didn't know?" Kai explained, with a bit more detail than before.

It was like all the puzzles fit perfectly in my head. The bodyguards, the confession, the hug, and how different today felt than yesterday. Of course. Jieun is getting married. 

 I relaxed a little. "Well, at least she'll marry a great guy, right? That's really all that I have wished for her: to have a blessed life like she deserves. If she's going along with the marriage, it's not my business to stop it."

"OH, IT IS TOO YOUR BUSINESS, YOU BIG PABO!!!" a girl yelled from the doorway.

I looked to the right, just to be sure if it was directed to me, and sure enough, there was Jieun's best friend, Ailee.

"How?" I asked her. "It's Jieun's private life. Why would I intrude?"

Ailee, stepped closer, in huge disbelief of what she just heard. "Please tell me you aren't serious, because that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard."

I furrowed my eyebrows, frustrated at what she meant. "I don't get it. What do you mean?"

She groaned, nearly face-palming herself. "Jieun confessed her feelings to you yesterday, right?"

I blinked. "Right." Of course she would know.

"And you agreed, most likely thinking she was getting stalked or something."

I blinked again. "Right." ...How...? Nevermind.

"You guys went on a date and had fun for the whole day yesterday."

"Okay, now you're just creeping me out. How do you know this?"

She looked like she was about to face-palm herself. "How do I- YOU PABO! She told me this BEFORE you went on the date! BEFORE she even confessed! You know how? She already knew what you were going to do!"

I blankly stared at her. "... And how is that?"

She did a literal face-palm at that moment. "Because," she calmly stated, "she's also a PABO for falling in love with you!"

My eyes widened. "What?"

"You heard me! She is in LOVE with you. She loves you. A lot."

"So she really meant that she liked me? It was an actual love confession?"

"Yes! Finally!" Aileen stated in a thankful and tired tone.

"Well, then why didn't she just say no to the arranged marriage?"

"Did you think she didn't? They blackmailed her by saying that they'd ruin your future if she didn't agree."

"WHAT?! That pabo..W-where is she?" I stuttered.

"She's at the airport going to America to meet her future husband that she has only seen on a picture, and believe me, he's not that good-looking."

I ignored the last part and just focused on the first part. "She's going to AMERICA?!"

"Well, yeah, that's where the guy is studying right now."

I stood up from my seat and ran past everybody. I shoved a few people and finally reached my car. As I fastened my seatbelt and the engine, I prayed that I would be able to make it there on time.

I screeched to a halt and got out of my car as fast as I can. I ran past everybody, looking for that one familiar girl in the crowd... but she was nowhere to be seen.

Every minute second, I grow more and more scared of the fact that I lost her. And in those very seconds, I remember all the times I never dared to admit when I was with her.

When she smiled, my stomach did somersaults as I smiled with her.

When she hugged me, I felt this kind of warmth that I really loved.

When she held my hand, I felt butterflies for some reason.

Heck, when she was just plain frustrated, I couldn't help but smile about how cute she looked even then.

Wait a sec- what is this squeezing feeling in my heart? Why do I feel so scared? Shouldn't I feel happy that she can love someone el- Ouch.

My heart... hurts.

It felt like my world was falling apart for some reason, as cheesy as that sounds. Like suddenly, a happy dream turned into a nightmare, but this time, I can't wake up, no matter how hard I try.

Then, at that very moment, I realized the cold, hard truth of reality.

... I foolishly lost the one I love without even realizing that I loved her from the very beginning.

12/28/14