CHAPTER 04:

THE BROKEN FRIENDSHIP

Sehun

I sat on the little space beside the unconscious Haerin as I looked at the ring my mother gave me. He gave this to me when she found out that Haerin and I were already a couple for six months. It was like a reward for staying in a relationship that long. Honestly, no one knew we were going to last longer than a month, even I didn’t know. But there’s just something about her that makes me want to keep her forever. And that’s why I did a shotgun proposal. I was going to propose to her anyway, at least later, maybe after graduation but then earlier seemed like the perfect time. Deep inside something just pushed me to kneel on one knee and ask her to marry me. I thought it was really a good idea…until she passed out. I guess she isn’t good with such a big surprise.

Honestly, the look on her face earlier told me her answer was going to be no. She looked nervous and scared. She feared to say it. And I have no idea why. She loves me, right? We used to joke about weddings and church bells before. I imagined life with her as a married couple. I imagined her wearing this ring. I imagined waking up next to her, everyday as my wife. I’ve imagined what we’d be like a decade from now and another decade after that until our hairs turn white and our faces wrinkled and old. I imagine us still holding each other’s hand, snuggling in our sleep, fighting over little things and reconciling with a soft kiss. And I don’t see my future without her. She’s my life.

“Hun?” I heard her mutter dryly as I look back at her. Her brows furrowed the moment she sees me, “Why are you crying?” Her sweet voice asked as she sat up and I quickly touch my cheeks—they’re damp. Was I crying the entire time?

“It’s nothing babe,” I smiled, brushing it off and then faced her, “How are you? Do you feel anything weird? Do you want me to get you something?”

“No,” She said smiling faintly and then looked down. She was playing with her fingers, silent. She let out a sigh, “I’m…sorry,” I felt my heart fall from its place and crash to pieces. So she is saying no.

“It’s…it’s alright. It was stupid of me to suddenly put you in that kind of situation,” I said as I looked down and smiled small, but I can feel my tears forming and I let it be. She can see me cry. She’s allowed to see all my sides and she’s the only one I’m going to show.

“Hun, look at me,” She called softly as I lift my head and wiped my tears. I flashed her a smile, as happy as I could but she looked at me with tearful eyes that makes me want to cry more. I let a tear drop and she instantly cupped my face and wiped my tears. Sometimes I can be so ing gay in front of her. Ugh. Dammit, Sehun. Man up!

“It’s not that I don’t want to marry you because I really, really love you with all that I am and with everything that I’ve got,” She said as her teary brown orbs bore into mine. She smiled faintly at me, “But I don’t think now is a great time. You and I are still attending college. We both have so much time to plan things carefully for our future. Do you understand that babe?” She let her tears fall and I can see just how much it’s hard for her the same way it’s hard for me. I nodded as I let a hand feel her touch on my cheek and I kissed her palm.

“So you mean you’re not saying yes but you’re not saying no,” I managed to say and she shook her head as she sniffled. I looked at her confused. Where are we getting at this conversation?

“I’m saying yes but I want us to get married when we’re both graduates already,” Her answer made me look at her with my eyes wide and my mouth agape. She said yes. She said yes! She’s marrying me! My face splits in two with a huge grin as I excitedly grabbed her hand and removed by second anniversary gift from her ring finger, replacing it with the ring that my mother gave. She looked at it with a bright smile on her face and happy tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I love it,” She chuckled and I immediately pulled her in for a tight hug.

“No, I love you,” I whispered as I kissed the side of her head and hugged her once more.

“I love you too Sehun. I guess this means I’m your fiancé now,” She giggled hugging me back.

“Yes, you are soon to be Mrs. Oh Haerin,” I grinned like somewhat an idiot after hearing myself put her name next to my surname. Oh Haerin. Sounds perfect, beyond perfect if that’s even possible. She’s going to be mine forever. Soon.

It was a good Tuesday morning and I was alone with the guys in a vacant room in campus. We were goofing around, just talking about how boring the next few days will be and how the other professors . Meanwhile Baekhyun hyung and Chanyeol hyung just kept teasing me about getting married. Of course they found out the same day that Haerin agreed to be my fiancé and soon to be wife. Most of them even updated their SNS and posted a stolen picture of Haerin and I sitting on the couch with her engagement ring glistening as we mindlessly talk. The guys basically announced that Haerin and I aren’t just a thing anymore. We’re a serious thing.

“But marriage after graduation? Are you really ing serious man?” Jongin asked as I made a face at him.

“Yeah I thought we all agreed that Suho hyung should get settled first before any of us,” Lay hyung said as they all nodded and I just blew a sigh. When will they get over it?

“Getting married after graduation is like leaving a party before it even starts,” Jongdae hyung added.

“And on top of that, you still have four semesters left. So many things could happen in that long period of time,” Luhan hyung said as I sighed and shook my head.

“Can’t you guys just be happy for me? It’s not like I can find anyone as amazing as her and you guys said so yourself, she’s a keeper, right? So I’m marrying her,” And everyone looked at me quite astounded. Well, those weren’t usually my chosen words. I barely say anything serious but things are different when it’s about my girlfriend, who is now my fiancé. The world can think it’s absurd and crazy and stupid but to me, it’s love. Simple as that.

“Just give it some thinking maknae. You’re still young, she’s still young, the two of you still got so much to learn, so much to figure out,” Kris hyung said and it’s not everyday he says something that actually makes sense so we all gave him a look and blinked.

“Omona, for once he actually made sense,” Luhan hyung teased as Kris hyung shot him a deadly glare. We all cracked up laughing as Kris hyung stood up and was about to give Luhan hyung a punch when an angry Hyeri entered the room. Her angry eyes darted at me, she’s fuming.

“OH SE-ING-HUN!” She roared as we all gave her a look quite astounded that she came in this mad. To be honest I’ve seen this coming. She was out for the last few days, staying over at her classmate’s house for a project so she didn’t get the news about me and Haerin being engaged. Now her face tells me that she just found out and of course she doesn’t like it. In fact, she might actually hate it.

“What now Hyeri?” I arched a brow at her as she stood across me with her furious tomato red face.

“You little son of a ! Are you ing kidding me right now?! You proposed to Haerin?! What on earth were you thinking?! Wait, were you even thinking at all?! You ing idiot!” And hell broke loose. She darted me with an angry look, daggers coming out of her eyes. She was really furious. This woman hates me from head to toe, inside out.

“Hyeri, chill,” Tao said as he walked to her and pulled her gently away from me but she just broke away and gave Tao one glare that made him step back, “Alright, you’re so ing angry,” He hissed raising both his hands up in surrender.

“Look Hyeri you can’t do anything about it because I proposed and she already said yes. We’re getting married after graduation, that’s the plan and not even the prime minister of Korea can stop us,” I smiled in satisfaction at her, just to mock the out of her. This woman can really overreact sometimes. She’s so good at exaggerating things. Especially the ones that always had to do something with Haerin and I.

“Why are you even pissed? Is it because she didn’t get to tell you right after it all happened? Hyeri, Haerin could’ve told you but you were busy with your own stuff so-”

“It’s not that, you ! It’s the fact that she agreed to marry you that’s making me so furious! You don’t deserve her, okay? Haerin deserves someone else and it’s not you.” I balled my fists, white knuckles showing as I fought the urge to lash out on her. I swear if she wasn’t my fiancé’s best friend I would do right now to scare her off.

“Alright, Hyeri. That’s enough.” Xiumin hyung said and stood by her. She didn’t fight it this time, she just looked at me angrily as her chest vigorously rose up and down, breathing heavily.

“There’s nothing much we could do about it. It’s Sehun and Haerin’s decision and we can’t stop it. All we can do is support them and wish them the best, alright?” Suho hyung said as everyone just quietly nodded and we all looked at Hyeri. Her eyes were filled with tears and she was gripping on the strap of her bag tightly, white knuckles showing.

“ you Sehun. you,” She said through gritted teeth and turned her heel walking out. I was really quite surprised that she cursed me. She usually does but it never felt this way. It was like she was really angry at me. Well, I can’t please everyone. She can hate me for all I care.

Haerin

“Jiyoung-ssi! Here’s your lunch!” I offered cheerfully as I sat on the first row of the bleachers next to him. My voice echoed a bit because it was very spacious inside and not much students were around. Just the ones who were preparing for their swimming class. Minji passed by the classroom earlier and asked a favor if I could bring over her homemade lunch for Jiyoung. He’s at the school gym by the swimming area as Minji mentioned earlier that Jiyoung is having his swimming classes after his break time.

“Oh, thanks Haerin! Minji texted me saying I should expect you to bring something,” He said as I giggled. They’re so cute. They’re finally texting each other stuff like that. I just wish they’d become a couple soon. I honestly ship the two of them. If only Jiyoung isn’t super tightlipped about his feelings.

He suddenly took my hand and then eyed at the ring, my engagement ring, “So it’s true. You are engaged to that guy,” He scoffed as I giggled