I finished looking at the photo pile about 5 minutes ago, and now I was laying on my bed, trying to let everything sink in. Looking at those pictures and remembering each one of the memories that came with them sure took its toll on me. It brought a wave of new feelings. Maybe what Jessica was saying was true… but I can’t be too sure.

I was sitting on the floor, looking at the second picture. It was of me  and Jaehee that was taken about 7 and a half years ago, here in the exact same spot I was sitting in. The room looked different then, I still remember it clear as day. Instead of the plain navy walls we had now, there was the galaxy painted onto the walls, glow in the dark star stickers stuck to the ceiling, and bunk beds with rocket printed sheets. In place of the wooden floor I was settled on, there was a carpet, and leaning against the wall was a toy chest that Joey and I had shared.

Back to the picture. It was taken on one of the days Jaehee had come to my house to teach me Korean. I think she was teaching me about what to say to be able to get around when I got lost. We were laying on the floor next to each other, smiling at the camera. The picture itself was actually taken really badly, with the flash being used despite it not being needed. My mom was never a photographer, anyway.

Jaehee was wearing her hair in two long pigtails. Despite the fact that she was missing a few teeth, I realized that she was actually pretty. Not in the way that Jessica was, really. It wasn’t the outside kind of beautiful. You could see her real beauty radiating from her. The smile she wore was genuine, and she was truly happy. You could see the kindness and purity in her eyes.

I went to the next photo, and same result. I saw the beauty in her smile and happiness. As I moved on to each photo, I could feel myself smiling because this was the Jaehee that I really knew. With each and every smile, I could feel myself getting all fluttery inside. Not in the nervous kind of way like I was with Jessica, but in a way that made me feel warm and elated.

I eventually finished the stack of pictures, and I put everything back properly. Grabbing my phone, I looked through my photos ‘til I found the one I was looking for. It was the one taken that night at the ddeokbokki stand. My smile widened, if that was even possible, when I saw that she was still the same. The smile of true happiness was on her face. She wasn’t trying to mask any sadness or anger whatsoever.

I laid on my bed, and tried to take everything in. There were so many things running through my head. Jaehee, my newfound feelings, her smile, everything that I just noticed, the little things about her.

That was how I ended up in my current position.

Why didn’t I notice how pretty she was back then? Because you’re an idiot.

Everything would be so much easier! We could have been together right now if you realized it before!

Yeah, well whose fault is that, stupid?

A realization hit me. Jinyoung asked Jaehee out. No. It can’t be. A wave of nausea hit me, and it suddenly felt like the walls of my room were crashing down on me. This couldn’t be happening. Right when I realize that I like her, she gets asked out. It’s different from what I felt with jess. It felt ten times worse.

With Jessica, I gradually got adjusted to the fact that she might have found someone else back in the States. But all of this is too sudden. Speaking of Jess, maybe I should talk to her. She seems to understand what I’m going through.

Taking out my Mac, I opened up Facetime, and called her up. She didn’t answer. That was odd. She was never offline. I took my phone and checked her twitter. She was online alright. And boy, was she sad. She kept retweeting all these sad couple quotes. She must have it pretty bad.

I iMessaged her instead, telling her to answer my call because it was important. She replied with a straight out “No.” Fine, I typed, Either that or I’m coming over. I got a Facetime call from her a couple of seconds later.

She looked like she cried… a lot. I had never seen Jessica cry, other than the time Andrew took a pair of scissors and experimentally chopped a large chunk of her hair off.

“Hey, Mark.” She gave a weak smile.

“You’ve got it pretty bad, Missy.” I said.

“I know, and it totally . I could have filled and possibly flooded the Han River with the amount of tears I cried.” She joked.

“Well, I have news that might make you feel better. I think you were right. My feelings for Jaehee might have just been locked up all these years.”

“I’m happy for you, Mark!” she smiled, but it faltered and she continued, “But what about… the problem we now have at hand.”

“I honestly don’t know, Jess.”

We sat there in comfortable silence, until her eyes widened and she sat up straight.

“Ohmygod! I might have just gotten the greatest idea ever. What does Jimmy Neutron usually say when this happens again? Uhhh….”

I smiled at her weirdness, “Brain blast, now what’s your idea?”

“There. Well, though we can’t go on a date on the people we like, why don’t we just go on a double date with them?”

“Yeah. But if it isn’t obvious, we don’t have dates.” I said.

“Are you really that slow, Mark? We go with each other of course, and well, observe and do a bit of sabotaging here and there”

“I thought you said you didn’t want to do anything to their relationship?” I raised an eyebrow at her.

“Well, maybe I was crossing my fingers when I said it, so that means that it wasn’t completely true. Plus, I’m doing this for you. Me getting Jinyoung is just a bonus.”

“Yeah, right.” I said sarcastically.

“Mark! I’m telling you the truth! So, deal?”

I looked at her. She had a pleading puppy dog look on her face.

I rolled my eyes and agreed, “Fine.”

“You convince Jinyoung about the double date, while I convince Jaehee. Call?”

“Call.”

“Let the sabotaging begin.” She had a determined look in her eyes.

She cracked a smile and smiled, “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, Mark!” and she dropped the call.

That girl was so odd. The sad girl who I had to blackmail into facetiming me disappeared halfway through the video call and was replaced with the bubbly girl I knew so well when a ridiculous idea went through her head. That was Jessica for you….

A/N: Whoop whoop! I never realized how long this story has gotten until I saw that the whole thing took up 50+ pages on my local copy. I hope this chapter wasn't too fast (even though ot probably was >3<)

Can you guys do me a favor and take like, a second of your time to answer this poll? My story's plot is quite flexible right now, so I just want it to end in a way that will make you guys happy. Thank you so so so much!