YUJIN

“Are you really going to give that heart to Luhan?” Chen’s unusually sad voice interrupts my thoughts.

“Of course! You know I like him!” I don’t know what’s wrong with him, really. It’s Valentine’s. Everyone should be happy on Valentine’s Day. “You didn’t even show up after music class yesterday to help me pick some chocolate.”

He still keeps on frowning at me. Why is he like this? “Why would I go with you? You’re buying the chocolate for him right?” He mutters something that I can’t seem to catch.

“But—” Well, I do want to buy chocolates for Luhan. But I wanted to buy chocolates for Chen too. I even broke my entire piggy bank so I can buy more chocolates and candy for my bestfriend.

“But what? Why do you even like Luhan? You and the other girls.” He wrinkles his nose before shrugging. “I’m just curious you know.”

“Ummm, because he’s cute? And he acts like an older boy!”

“More like he pretends to be one. Do you want to know what happened when we played in my tree house during Halloween? He didn’t act like an older boy then!”

“Oh well, everyone has to be afraid of something. I’m still writing this heart for him. I wish I can get one too…” I trail off my voice on purpose. Luhan barely talks to me but Chen is my best friend. He would give his heart to me right?

“Fine.” Chen mutters. “Write on your heart then.” He starts writing on his cut-out. Is it just me or is that NOT my name?

“Ummmm… Chen?” I nudge him a bit but he won’t look at me. “Chen…” Oh no, maybe he’s angry at me that he won’t give me a heart just for the heck of it. “Chen!” I can hear the desperation in my voice. “Who are you writing your heart to?”

“Why do you care?”

“I told you mine right? Tell me yours…” I knew it from the moment he looked at me that it’s someone else.

“I’m giving this to Krystal.”

“Huwat! Why would you give it to her! She’s not nice!”

“What do you mean she’s not nice? She smiles at me!”

“But, but—. Think about it first, Chen! Who do you really want to give that heart to?” I smile brightly at him. Please not Krystal. It could even just be one of my friends, I don’t care. Just not Krystal.

“Maybe you should think about it. Who do you REALLY want to give that heart to?” Chen returned, his eyes burning holes on the paper heart on my desk.

I was only able to scrawl “Luhan” on top so far. I grip my pencil, poised at the next line for my message.

Why aren’t the words coming out as easily as I thought it would be?