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Lucky I'm in love with my Best Friend

It was almost six when they went back to the mansion, even though the sun hadn't set it was beginning to get dark. Most of the team had already wrapped up and left. Only the supervisor and one other worker remained.
The Supervisor informed them that they had repaired the faulty pipe and closed down possible leaks and drains. They had also cleaned up the uncarpeted areas. However, there were a lot of heaters and blowers around the hall, living room and the bedrooms to ensure that everything made of cloth or other water non-resistant material were fully dried. They were however told that the carpeted bedrooms will be unavailable until carpeted again as they had to pull out the carpets.

YongHwa Thanked and shook hands with both the supervisor and the worker making ShinHye smile. At least it makes sense to shake hands here, she thought still smiling.

They moved his things upstairs into the spare room that was not furnished. They also found that all the spare bedding were more or less destroyed in the flood. Eventually they realized that only her room had the bed intact which led them to the obvious conclusion that they would be sharing a bed again.

Yonghwa grinned hard.
"The heavens are conspiring" he said playfully patting her head.
"Ya" she half shouted as she took shots at him but he was too quick for her.

Almost as if on cue their phones beeped an alert message. SEVERE FLOOD AND HURRICANE WARNING. They looked at each other in confusion. Hurricane warning ? The earlier news had said that the hurricane would miss the city. There were a list of instructions to follow when he clicked on the website mentioned.

"It's only tomorrow", he said eventually. "We have time to stock up. Apparently, we need to have a radio, torches and stuff besides non perishable food"

"Yeah of course, the signs are clear" she said insolently.

He looked up in confusion.

"You know, signs from heaven, a hurricane warning no less" she shook her head.

His heart was in his mouth. The way she had said it scared him. She seemed to have given up on him and them already. She sat down on a single seater sofa feeling frustrated, head in her hands.
"Hey" he said as he knelt before her.
"I'm sorry"
She shook her head. "It's not your fault Yonghwa ya.. It's just .. Never mind "
"Tell me Shin Hye ya.. I am still your best friend" he took her palms into his and clasped it.
"I... It just... It feels like a warning... I don't know Yong.. It feels like I shouldn't say yes to you. Like everything will go wrong if I do"

He took her hands to his lips and pecked it.
"Don't make a hasty decision Shin ah.. Whatever your answer is I want you to take your time and decide" then after a pause, he looked up at her, she was staring at him. "I love you" he said. He saw a small tear make way down her face and wiped it away. "Don't cry Jagiya, I love you" he said as he pressed a deep kiss on her forehead.

His mood however deteriorated as he went about making calls to the various numbers given to him, to get rid of ruined items especially bedding and carpets that would otherwise start stinking. Even though the management of the houses promised him compensation, he was annoyed, money wasn't the issue. There was no immediate alternate accommodation available either. Plus the flood warning meant, they couldn't travel to the mainland. As he grappled with English and buying grocery and other food stock, he realized that the microwave Owen wasn't working either. It was when he was at his wits end that he got a call from Jenny, the blonde they had met that morning.

She wanted to invite him for dinner, them, she corrected. He felt inclined to reject but then thought it would be rude to do so as she had been of great help. Besides, she offered to help with the hurricane preparation. Honestly, he felt relieved to have somebody who knew what to do. Both him and ShinHye had grown used to having people around to sort out most issues and this felt like a crisis situation suddenly.

He knew ShinHye wouldn't be thrilled about going to have dinner at Jenny's, he had seen traces of jealousy in her that very morning. Even though he had chosen not to talk about it. As he went up to tell Shin Hye, he wondered how she would react. He felt tired and actually looked forward to a change of scene already. The effects of the blower and dryer was showing on his skin and though he had insisted Shin Hye stay upstairs, he wished he could avoid the dry air too.
He had asked her to keep the room shut and turn on the air conditioner to avoid the hot air that kept rising up to the upper floor.
She opened the door as soon he knocked.
"YongHwa ya.. Don't do everything alone, let me help" she said desperately.
All his irritation melted away.
He went in and closed the door behind him.
"Everything is done" He declared proudly, grinning toothily. She couldn't help smiling looking at his infectious grin.

When he explained about the invite, as expected she wasn't enthusiastic but she refused to make a huge deal about it as she understood his apprehensions about the upcoming hurricane especially after today's events.

"Ok" she nodded her head with a masked smile.
"Ok" he said. "Get ready then"
He walked to his new room where only his luggage and instruments lay on the floor. He walked to the bare windows of the room. He looked out at the sea, it seemed to be lashing out, as if aware of the calamity awaiting to happen. The sea now mirrored his heart well, he thought. He resolved to never let her get away from his life. She had nearly rejected him and his love but it didn't matter, he was not ready for her no yet. Though he was willing to give her all the time to decide what she wanted. He knew his heart was not ready for a real No from her. He would ensure their friendship remains, he thought fiercely as wave after wave crashed into the rocks.

They looked dressed to kill. Her in a red knee length dress with the back so deep that he wanted to drape his jacket over it. Though he couldn't help but gasp how lovely she looked. He was dressed more casually in a black dress shirt and black pants with his gold and platinum watch as his only accessory. He had missed her sharp inhalation of breath on seeing him. She realized with a jolt that she had started finding him more and more attractive, the more she was around him. It reminded her of an old nickname she had given him - Bolmae Jung, the one whose charm kept increasing the more you saw him.

He took her hand, pulled her closer and placed a sweet kiss on her right cheek. She blushed furiously, her heart beat had gone insanely out of control. He wasn't smirking though. He seemed lost in thought as he hooked her hand into his and walked on. She sighed inwardly knowing well that she was the reason he was not as happy as he deserved to be. Sometimes she hated herself. Why was she so bound by everything around her, she needed to break free. She wished she could.

The dinner was a rather toned down affair with Jenny, a Russian couple who spoke very little English, a good looking Italian who spoke almost no English. Their communication was almost entirely in actions and possibly with a few English words thrown in for comfort. That Yong Hea spoke the most made Shin Hye laugh which led the other two men stare at her in slight awe and made the two women self conscious. Her natural beauty seemed to spark a little insecurity in them.

After the dinner, Jenny asked Yong Hwa if he could help her with the plates. He nodded also needing to a ask her about the precautions to be taken during the hurricane. Shin Hye stood a little lost when the other three pulled her along to play a board game that she couldn't make head or tail of. Each person explained the game in their own language and it got exciting as new rules kept cropping up every few minutes. There was much laughter around. Shin Hye wondered where Yong Hwa, this was his kind of thing.

After a point, she was declared out and as the other three continued, she went in search of Yong Hwa. The sight that welcomed her was akin to having frozen water poured at her. Jenny had her hands wrapped around Yong Hwa's neck as she moved in to kiss him.
Shin Hye stood rooted to the spot unable to comprehend what was happening. It was like even the voice inside her head had gone silent. The kiss didn't happen though as Yong Hwa moved away releasing her grasp on his neck.
He was shaking his head clearly telling her he wasn't okay with it.

Jenny looked just as startled by his reaction.

"I thought you were single" she asked. "You said You were with a friend" truly unable to understand what was wrong.

"I'm in love with her" he said.
"We are not together, but I love her" he said clearly. I am sorry "
He took another step back.

Jenny looked mortified then shook her head. "I .. I am sorry" she said.
"I should've known. The way you look at her, that wasn't friendship"
She shook her head as if trying to shake away her embarrassment.
It was then that Jenny noticed Shin Hye, she turned her head away.

Shin Hye jolted out of her trance-like state and walked away. Yong Hwa only saw the end of her dress as she moved quickly. He apologized to Jenny again who waved it off with a laugh. Thanked her for the dinner invite and took off after Shin Hye.

It had been barely a minute and she was nowhere in sight. He panicked. What had she seen? Had she misunderstood him? He stared at the empty road ahead. Where had she gone that quickly. He wanted to beat himself up. What kind of hole had he dug himself into. Why didn't he see Jenny was interested in him? She was looking for a friend on a lonely island and he had told her he and shin Hye were only friends. He wanted to kick himself. For a second he wished JongHyun was around, he deserved one of his Judo kicks right now. He ran towards their mansion, as he suspected, she wasn't at home, the door was still locked. He called out her name many times as he went around looking for her.

He ran towards the beach, she was nowhere in sight. He tried calling her phone but it wasn't going through. He retraced his steps, went back and forth as he searched for her desperately. With every place they had been to on the island checked, he felt his heart drop. Where had she disappeared. Suddenly, he felt worried for her safety. Had something happened to her? He dialed her number again and again as he was turning slightly hysterical in despair.

Two hours had passed, it was raining but he continued his search for her. He was again walking in the middle of the road when he saw her running towards him with an umbrella in hand.

"Ya" she screamed as she saw him.
He ran towards her, a sense of relief surging through him. They hugged desperately as soon as they reached each other.
She was sobbing loudly as she hugged him.
"Shin Hye ya ShinHye ya .. are you ok?", he asked, as he cupped her face.
She nodded her head in between her sobs.
"Ya.. What is wrong with you.. ?" she shouted still crying.
"Are you crazy?" "Michhesso?"
She asked half sobbing, half shaking with fury.
He was completely taken aback by her reaction.
"What are you saying?" He asked unable to keep his voice calm.

"Have you lost it? Aren't you a big star ? Have you no self respect?" She yelled.

He took in her onslaught bewildered. He couldn't make head or tail of what was happening. But he was exhausted, after the day they had, he was already exhausted, to add to it, she had gone missing and he lost his mind.
"Ya"
He shook her rage coursing through him.
"What is wrong with you? You just disappeared. " he bellowed " I nearly died looking for you" his voice cracked as angry tears made way to his face that couldn't be hidden as the rain had stopped falling somewhere in the midst of their fight.

She looked at him guiltily.
"Yonghwa ya.. I was mad at you" she said suddenly. " I.. I.. "
"You don't deserve me" she continued, then realizing he could easily misunderstand what she was trying to say, she added " you deserve someone much better, Yong Hwa ya"

He looked at her coldly. She flinched.

"You kissed her" she shouted in defense.

"I did not" he said matching her voice. "You Know I did not"

"How do I know that?"

"Because you know I love you and you know I won't kiss a random girl. Because you know me, damn it"

She sniffed.

"You just need an excuse to reject me" he said in cold fury.

She looked at him, slightly aghast.

"Why are you mad at me anyway? So what if I kiss another girl? You don't want to be with me right? What is it to you anyway? Why do you care?"

"How dare you" sh charged at him holding his shirt . "How dare you say that". He was taken aback by the force of her attack and the intensity of her rage.
"I care. I care about you"

He snorted disbelieving in spite of himself.
"What" she was furious now. " you are an idiot" she said pulling him closer as the hold on his shirt got tighter.

"I.." She said then loosened her grip on his shirt and looked into his eyes. "I love you" then she burst into tears. He stood stunned as she bawled her eyes out. He tried to hug her but she pushed him away.

"Don't" she choked.
"Shin Hye ya.." He said, feeling all his energy draining away. There was no anger anymore, he had been confessed to by the girl he loves but he felt like someone had thrown a chunk of burning coal into his heart. She was in pain and it just occurred to him. He was too busy thinking about his feelings to notice that.
"Shin Hye ya" he called out to her again, his voice now tender.
She shivered involuntarily. He hugged her.

"Miane Shin Hye ya.. "
She reciprocated the hug.
"Saranghae Yong Hwa ya" she said.
He cupped her face and looked at her in surprise.
"Saranghae" she said again, this time smiling brightly even as tears glistened in her eyes.
"Yahh" he said, unable to come up with a reasonable thing to say.
"Saranghamnida Yonghwa sshi" she said formally.
He grinned.
"Saraghaeyo YongHwa oppa" she said now smiling.
His smile widened.
"Saranghae Yong Yong" she giggled wrapping her hands around his neck.
He was laughing now.
"Jung Yong Hwa. Saranghae" she said imitating fan chants.
He had his hands around her waist. He pulled her closer.
"You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now " he whispered into her ears. "But.. You continue".
She blushed then planted a wet kiss on his lips.
"Saranghae Jagiya"
Yonghwa thought he might lose his mind but this time he wasn't mad or upset.
"Come with me" he said as he tugged her along back to their temporary home. She giggled as she let herself be dragged, resisting for the mirth of it.

They were both showered and dried when he walked into her room in his cotton blue pinstriped pajamas. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her.

Her pajama set had shorts that did justice to her long legs. He stood staring "yaahh"
She turned around to look at him.
"Why are you wearing shorts"
She looked at him confused.
"I have to sleep here."
She knit her eyebrows still unsure of what he was driving at.
He stepped forward.
"Are you trying to seduce me" he asked teasingly.
"Yaah" she said as she hit him "jjinja" and continued hitting him.
"Arasso Arasso" he said as he ducked and dodged.

They lay on the bed feeling extremely conscious. The beer had been of great help the day before.
He turned to face her, his head resting on his left. hand.
"Where were you today? Don't ever disappear like that ok?" He said seriously.
She nodded.
"Miane Yonghwa ya.. I was here, behind the house. I was just sitting near the pool, you didn't see me though"
"Oh?"
"I'm sorry I didn't respond. I was too busy trying to figure out what I really felt"
"I understand" he said as he took her left hand in his right.
"I was extremely mad at Jenny even though I know it's not her fault. It occurred to me that one day you may love another girl and that thought made me want to die. Was I that selfish? I didn't love you but I didn't want you to love anybody else? Then I just wanted to find you and while we were fighting it occurred to me that I loved you. I love you. I have always loved you Yong Hwa ya. Does that make sense to you? "
He nodded, then pulled her closer as he pecked her forehead he said
"I love you too"
"But you know that already, but it makes my heart leap every time I hear you say it"
"I love you" she said again, as she kissed him on his lips.
He smiled.
"You are such a drama queen"
She pouted. He pecked her pouting lips.
"I mean you are a melodrama queen"
She giggled at this.
"There were so many opportunities for you to realize and even confess. But no, you had to disappear and then appear in pouring rain and confess in between a raging fight"
He surmised. She burst into peals of laughter.
"Yaaah... Is this a TV show? "

"You were the one who said this was like a TV show but with our own script" she said grinning at her own cheek of throwing his lines back at him.

He looked at her in surprise then grinned his sunniest smile.
"So you know what happens next?"
He asked grabbing her waist.
She squealed as she tried to move away, "what ?"

"Well.. take a guess" he smirked.