[14]

“You can come here anytime,” he said with a slight grin on his face. “I’ll keep a space open for you, Amber.”

She dragged her foot along the ground as he pulled her swing back. The tears streamed down her face, “It’s okay if it’s only for a short time and only until I recover?”  She felt her phone vibrated in her pocket and pulled it out.

Hang in there – Kyuhyun

She turned to him after reading the message, “Couldn’t you have told me that instead of messaging it to me?”

He took his hands off the swing and wrapped it around her instead. They remained in silence like that for what seem like an eternity. “I’m sorry,” he said as he let go of her. “That was kind of a hug instead of saying hang in there.”

She smiled thinly and got up from the swing. She looked down at her phone, “It’s getting late I better go. Thanks for everything today.”

He nodded, “See ya!”

She waved at him as she walked off toward her apartment. Once she was out of sight he pulled out a small velvet box, which contained a ring. The memories of what happened earlier today came rushing back to him.

“Yuri, I was offered a great job,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She reached up and traced her soft hand on his cheek. He nuzzled his face into her hand. “I can support you now.” He let go of her and got down one knee, pulled out the velvet box and opened it up to revealed the single sparling diamond ring inside. “Will you ...”

 Yuri placed her hand on the box and shut the lid, “I’m sorry, Kyuhyun. I can’t take the ring.” She gnawed nervously at her bottom lip.

“What do you mean? Don’t you want to be together with me?” he stared back up at her with surprised and confused look on his face.

She turned away from him, “My husband found out about us. He had people followed me.”

“Isn’t that good? You can leave him.” Kyuhyun slowly got up from the ground.

She turned back around, arms crossed over her chest, her eyes were cold, “I ... love my husband and I’m use to living the way I am living. I like my comfortable life and I don’t want to lose it because ... because of you.”

“What do you mean?” the pain in his voice was evident.

“It’s over,” she turned around and walked out the room. He reached for her arm, but she swatted at his hand. “I’m sorry, but I choose my husband over you.” She slammed the door shut in his face.

The sound of the car honking in the distance snapped him back into the present time. Dejected he walked home with his head down.

[*][*][*]

“What’s wrong with you?” Ryeowook said as he set the two cup of coffee down on table.

Kyuhyun waved his hand from side to side, “It’s nothing. It’s really not that important.”

“Are you sure?” he took the seat across from Kyuhyun.

“Hmm,” he nodded.

“Hey guys!” Seohyun skipped toward them and took the seat next to Ryeowook. “How is everyone today?”

Kyuhyun stood up from his seat, “I’ll have to excuse myself. I better head back to the company.” He grabbed his stuffs and head out of the cafe.

“What’s wrong with him?” Seohyun asked as she took the other cup of coffee.

“I don’t know he seem really down,” he told her as he took a sip of his coffee. “He said that it wasn’t important, but I can see whatever it is it really bothers him.”

“Maybe we should get Amber to ask him,” Seohyun said. “They’re pretty close. I still don’t understand why she agrees to go out with Jonghyun.” Ryeowook shrugged. “So are we ready to see your parents?” Seohyun tilted her head to the side with a smiled.

[*][*][*]

Kyuhyun walked up to his apartment to be met with a smiling Amber standing with coffee in one hand and a box of chicken in the other, “Hey, can I come in?” She stepped to the side as he walked past her to unlock his door. He nodded as a response.

He threw his bag on his bed and made some room on the floor for them to sit. Amber sat down crossed legged on the floor. She placed the cup of coffee in front of him and opened up the chicken box. He looked at her and she smiled back at him, “Are you okay?”

He picked up the coffee cup, which was now slightly cold, “What do you mean?”

“Well, Ryeowook and Seohyun said that you looked down and they wanted me to check on you,” she said as she took a sip of her coffee. “Now that I’m here I can see that there is something bothering you.”

He let out a sighed and told her want had happened, “She rejected me and chose her husband instead. Also ... I’m sorry for saying all those bad stuff to you before when ...”

“That’s okay, but are you alright, Kyuhyun?”

“Not really.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

An air of awkward silence hung between them as Kyuhyun stared at Amber. He took a sip from his now cold coffee, “Well, if you could stay here with me that might make me feel better.”

“Me?”

He nodded and the awkward silence returned between them. Kyuhyun reached for the chicken and took a bite, “Say something.”

“Hmm ...” Amber bit down nervously on her lips. “Can I talk about myself at time like this?”

“Sure.”

“Remember you told me the other day that you will always have a space for me.”

He nodded, “Yeah.”

“I don’t think I have a place that I can be comfortable,” she twirled the coffee cup in her hands. “My brother is rarely home and now I don’t have the team to talk to and Seohyun has her own things to worry about. I don’t know where I could let my true emotion out.” She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. “I don’t know who I can show my weakness to. You told me to be honest with myself and straightforward, but I don’t have a place to be honest and straightforward. Do you understand?”

He smiled weakly at her, “Just about.”

“And then I realized that you’re the one who I can be honest and straightforward with,” she smiled brightly at him. “So that I hope I can be the same kind of place for you too. Talking about things – deep and special and giving each other courage”

“Like a soul mate?”

She tilted her head to the side, “Hmm ... but is that really the right term for us?”

“Then ...” he threw the chicken bone onto the lid of the box. “What about best friend?”

She took another sip of her coffee, “Can a guy and girl becomes best friend?”

“But for me you ...” he hesitated. “... Whenever I see you I cheer up.”

A bright smile ran across her face, “really?” Kyuhyun nodded with the same bright smile on his face. “By the way there’s an open try out for another basketball and my ankle has healed a bit. Their coach has contacted me and asked if I wanted to join the tryout.”

“Will you?”

Amber reached for a piece of chicken, “I think I will.”

Kyuhyun walked her down to the front of his apartment building, “I’ll see you later then?”

Amber nodded and started to walk off when she suddenly turned around and walked back toward him, “I almost forgot. Here.”

She handed him a can of soda, turned around and waved at him as she walked away. He turned the can around and on it she wrote – Hang in there! He couldn’t help but feel elated inside and smiled. He ran down to the street and saw her a few feet away from him. He cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled after her, “Thank you!” She turned around and smiled a smiled that tucked weirdly at his heart.