Chapter 5

Upon hearing the name Tiffany, Yuri felt her whole world collapses in front of her.

Yuri didn't know what to say, all the hopes she had that Yunho would say, ‘I think I'm in love with you. You are the one’, came crashing down on her. If it wasn't for the bed support, Yuri would have definitely fallen on the ground. Blood must have deserted her face as Yunho's immediate reaction to Yuri's reaction was, "Are you okay?"

Quickly, Yuri tried to regain compose herself, "Yeah, I'm fine. Tiffany? She's indeed a nice girl, isn't she?" Yuri replied, as her voice trailed off with her mind.

"I knew you would agree with me. I bet you perceived her considerations & care as well, the flowers, the sunshine, the food & she even secretly held my hand while I was asleep, wasn't that sweet? What do you think my next move should be? Do you think she would like me?" Yunho asked, blushing at his confession. He was totally oblivious to Yuri's sudden change in mood, "Yuri? Are you listening? Do you think Tiffany has a boyfriend yet? Apparently, according to Wonnie, Fany & I vowed never to become girlfriends & boyfriends, do you think this could be fate? Gosh, what should I say to her?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm sure she would change her mind if she hasn't had a boyfriend. I mean, hey, who wouldn't like you?" Yuri suddenly let out. She was surprised at her sudden outbursts, ‘Why did I say that? & when did Yunho Oppa start calling Tiffany Fany? Are they that close already?’ But Yunho was too involved in his own thoughts about Tiffany to care, "Um...Oppa, I have to get going. I will see you later." Yuri grabbed her black leopard print & sequins design tote bag, she needed to get out of there, she needed fresh air & more importantly to be alone.

"Thanks for listening Yuri, I really appreciate it!" Yunho called out, after her. Despite his earlier confession, his last sentence still made Yuri's heart skip a beat. Turning around, she smiled & replied, "What are friends for right? Take care." ‘Friends? Is that all we can be? Will we ever be more than that?’ Yuri thought, as she walked out of the hospital.

Walking alone into the hospital garden, Yuri thought about what Yunho said, his words went through her mind over & over again, ‘I’m in love with my best friend, Tiffany. I’m in love with my best friend, Tiffany. I’m in love with my best friend, Tiffany. Why? Why? Everything I have done, all the care I have shown, all the love I tried to express, why? He has taken it all for the work of Tiffany. Why does every hope in my life turn into a disappointment? Why does every love in my life become a misery? Why can't I do anything right? Am I really that detestable? Why doesn't Oppa love me?’ Yuri thought sadly, as she quickly wiped away the tears in her eyes. Actually, this whole event involving Yunho has been totally ridiculous, how naive was Yuri to think that she could make Yunho fall in love with her? ‘I have been kidding myself, maybe we can just be friends, at least we are friends, that's closer than we have ever been, right?’ Yuri considered the good side of the situation.

If that's so then why did her heart ache so much when he confessed? Why did her heart sink so low when he said he loved Tiffany? Why does she feel so miserable now? But nothing can be done to revert the situation, Yunho was in love & Yuri didn't have the heart to tell him the truth, she was the one that changes the flowers, she was the one that opens the curtains, she was the one that brought food everyday & she was the one that held his hand when he was sleeping. If she told him, it wouldn't mean that Yunho would suddenly be in love with her, it wouldn't mean that he would love Tiffany but it would mean disappointment for Yunho, hurt & unhappiness. He could even think that Yuri is trying to break them up, ‘No, I won't do anything that would hurt Oppa. If I'm fated to be just his friend, I must accept it, even if...if it means losing the love of my life.’

"What are you thinking about?" A voice interrupted her thought.

Turning around, she realized it was Haewon, "Hi, Haewon Oppa." Yuri greeted softly.

"He told you, hasn't he?" Haewon asked, reading Yuri's thoughts.

Yuri just nodded.

"Why didn’t you tell him, Yuri? If you love him so much, why didn’t you tell him the truth? Love is competitive, you can't be passive & except good things to come knocking at your door. Go out there & work for it. Why didn’t you tell him everything?" Haewon asked. He couldn't believe that Yuri didn't tell Yunho.

"Tell him what? Tell him that I'm in love with him? Tell him that I lied to his parents & said that I was his fiance? Tell him that we have never met before? Tell him we are strangers? Tell him that I shouldn't be visiting him? Tell him I disguised to be his fiance? Tell him I was the girl that gave him that piece of cake three months ago? What do I tell him?" Yuri asked, exasperated "You don't understand Oppa, you don't know how much he loves Tiffany, the loving look he had in his eyes, it was pure love. Love might be competitive but when it's a one horse race, you can't break the rules & jeopardize the game. Even if you win, it's an unfair advantage. Love must be fair, too." Yuri conceded, as tears shimmered in her eyes.

"But Yuri, that loving look should have been for you, his love should have been you, he should have been confessing to you. What you have done is giving your opponents an earlier start. Yuri, Yunho can be unperceptive sometimes, he doesn't necessarily see what's in front of him but you can't just let the opportunity slip through your fingers like that. You love him Yuri, so don't give up." Haewon encouraged.

Yuri just shook her head, "How do you know? If he knew it was me, how can you be sure that he would fall in love with me? He might not, I will forever love him but please, keep this a secret from Yunho, just let it be between you & me okay? I don't want him to know, I don't want to put pressure on him. Whatever you do, don't say a word to Yunho. If we are fated, I think he would come around one day." Yuri requested in defeat, "Why are you doing this, Yuri? You must take fate into your own hands sometimes & this is one of them." Haewon still didn't quite see Yuri's point of view.

"Thank you for all the support Oppa, but I have made my decision. All you have to do is keep the promise & don't tell Yunho about this okay? I can't thank you enough." Yuri said, to which Haewon just nodded.

"So, how have you been feeling, Yunho Oppa?" Tiffany asked casually.

"Good, thanks for asking. Um...Tiffany, can I ask you something?" He asked tentatively, a little embarrassed, "Sure, what about?" Tiffany replied.

"Um...Well, Haewon told me that we vowed at the formal that we would never date each other, is that true?" Yunho asked, crossing his long fingers that it wasn't.

"Yeah, that night was so funny. Everyone was suggesting that we go out & everything but we were both like, no way. Not in a million years, then someone said that we should kiss & see if sparks flew & we both choked on our drinks, I went blue in the face & you almost had the drink coming out of your nose, it was so funny.” Tiffany recalled, as she laughed the memory but all the responses she got was a blank look, "Really? Is that so? Must have been funny, huh?" Yunho tried to force out a laugh but he didn't think it was at all funny, ‘Obviously, there was no spark but why do I feel something along those lines now? It's not that kind of magical spark but something else, hard to pinpoint but definitely something.’ Yunho thought.

"So, do you have a boyfriend?" Yunho asked, trying to be casual but there was that hint of anxiety behind the question that even Tiffany couldn't miss, ‘What is he trying to get at? Don't tell me he likes me? We have been like buddies but not that kind of friends. What should I say? I can't exactly lie to him but if I say yes, would he feel bad & his condition could get worses?’ Just as Tiffany was contemplating about what to say, a knock came at the door.

"Come in!" Called out Yunho.

In stepped an unfamiliar man, "Oh, hi Tiffany, finally found you. Geez, it's hard to find the room. Went to every floor." He said, before greeting Yunho, "Hi, you must be Jung Yunho, I'm Park Jeongsu, Tiffany’s..." Before he could say boyfriend, Tiffany cut in, "Friend. He's my friend."

Yunho looked from one to the other, confused "Hi." He said, ‘Friend?’