I've never felt what love is like in my life, as in having someone else besides your parents love you. How I wanted to feel warmth and love from someone, how I longed for it. I have a friend, his name is Rui(Lu-ii). He's a really close friend of mine, I love his as a brother. But for him it's a different story. I hangout with him alot. But I was oblivious towards his feelings for me, I didn't know at all. One day, Rui took me to the tallest tower in the place that we live in. To view the place from a higher view, it was breath taking. I was so fascinated, I was speechless.

"Wow never knew this place is actually so beautiful." I said.

There were so many people sighting the beautiful place.

"Hey I'm going to look around. Let's meet up somewhere later." Rui said.
"Yea." I replied.

Rui walked off, I was still looking out. I walked up to the edge of the tower, there weren't any windows, there were only safety bars. The wind was blowing really strongly, I held onto the bar really tightly.

"I should take a picture of this. Don't know when's the next time I'll be able to come here again." I said.

I took out my phone, and went to camera. As I was just about to take a photo, I saw something through my iphone screen. Although the reflection were a little blurry, I can roughly see his appearance. He had light light brown hair with a few silver streaks, short and a little tousled. He had fair skin, big eyes and somewhat of an Asian appearance to him. He was in the back, so I didn't really care much, since I didn't know what love was then. When I took the picture, and I looked at it, he was in the picture except he was in the back.

"Hmm looks like I captured him after all." I thought to myself.

I took one more picture, and I looked at it. He was in the picture again, he was looking the other way with a concerned face.

"What's with his face?" I wondered.

Suddenly, a bunch of kids ran behind me. A few bumped into me and I fell forward, I wasn't holding on to the bars. Since there were no windows, I fell forward. My heart dropped, suddenly someone pulled me back with a strong jerk. I fell into his chest, and he held me. I looked at him, still shocked from what happened. My eyes went wide, it was him. He was Korean. The beautiful big eyes, fair skin, and brown silver hair. Due to the shock, my legs became really weak. I collapsed onto the floor.

"Woah slow down, are you ok?" He asked.

His voice was strong, but it was soft at the same time, it was unique.

"Yea.... I was just really shocked." I replied shaking.
"Luckily I was close enough to grab hold of you before you fell over." He said.

I nodded slowly. I tried to get up, my legs were weak and it was ice cold. He grabbed onto my hands and pulled me up, he pulled up hard that I fell into him. I looked at him in the eyes, he looked at me as well. Everything was so quiet, we weren't sure if the people went silent or it was just us blocking out the people's voices, and only listening to each other's heartbeat. I slowly pushed myself away from him and stood straight. My heart was beating fast, but I wasn't sure.

"Is this what people call feelings?" I asked myself.
"Anyways, glad to see that you're ok." He said with a shy smile.

I nodded.

"Yea I am, thank you again." I replied.

He nodded. I can see the awkwardness that he was feeling. I smiled, and talked with naturally.

"I'm _______, how about you?" I asked him.

He looked at me with big brown eyes, and slightly smiled.

"It's Taehyung, but I prefer V." He told me.
"Ah, Taehyung's a nice name, V sounds really unique. Beautiful day isn't it, this is my first time up here." I said.
"Thanks, your name is nice too really. Ah, really? Same for me." V replied.
" I actually came here with a friend of mine, he told me to meet him somewhere later, I don't know where he ran off to." I laughed.

V slowly nodded, he wasn't smiling at that moment when I told him that.

"Is everything ok?" I asked noticing his facial expression.

He looked at me startled by the question.

"Yea I am, I was just thinking of something sorry." V said.
"Ah, well I hope it's nothing too serious, are you with someone a friend? Or are you by yourself?" I asked.
"I was with some of my friends, but like yours, I don't know where they went haha." I said.
"I see, well since we're both alone, want to walk around?" I asked him.
"That would be nice." V said.
"Great." I smiled big.

The two of us walked around the tower looking at the beautiful view outside, then the two of us sat down for a cup of coffee. V and I talked like old friends, it seemed so natural to talk about everything like we've known each other forever. Everytime when I look at V, he looked handsome each time.

"Am I really feeling the romantic feelings that people are saying all the time?" I asked myself again.

V on the other side never took his eyes off of me, of course I don't always look at him, but that was what V was doing. Looking at me with a distant longing gaze, V was in love. I didn't know that. We became really close in that short time that we've spent together, laughing smiling and so forth. After a while, I heard someone call my name from a distance.

"______!" The voice shouted.

I turned my head to see who it was Rui, he was running towards us. V and I stood up to greet him, Rui was out of breath.

"Finally, I found you." Rui said panting.
"Sorry for making you look for me." I apologized.
"No, it was my idea in the first place that we should look around by ourselves. Oh, who's your new friend?" Rui asked looking at V.
"Oh, sorry. This is Taehyung, but I call him V since that's what he prefers." I said introducing V to Rui.

Rui looked at him and smiled.

"Nice to meet you V, I'm Rui." Rui said sticking out his hand.

V was surprised, but took Rui's hand and shook it.

"Nice to meet you too." V smiled.
"I think we'll get along just fine." Rui said.

Rui then wrapped his arm around V's neck and walked off while talking, V looked at me and smiled lightly. I was happy, seeing my best friend befriending a new friend so quickly. I followed behind them. As time went by, Rui, V, and I became the best of friends. We would hangout with one another as much as we can, seeing V's smile makes my heart feel at ease. V would always look at me, and our eyes would meet and stare at each other. Rui would sometimes notice out of the blue and interrupt the moment, we would just laugh it off. Though we tried to look at each other in a friendly way, Rui on the other hand noticed something. One day, V and I were hanging out just the two of us. Rui had to do something that day, so he couldn't hang. V and I talked and went to a nearby lake, the sky was bright blue, sun was burning yellow white. Birds were chirping away, the calmness of the lake soothes a person's thought in a flash.

"Have you ever been to a lake like this before?" I asked V.

V shook his head.

"No, since this is my first time, I will remember it clearly." He smiled.

I looked at his smile, and just looked at him. V noticed, and looked ahead. I snapped out of it, and looked ahead as well.

"So, uhm what do you think of Rui?" I asked.
"Rui is a really fun guy to hang with, and I'm actually really happy that he's my friend." V responded.
"Ah, how about me? What do you think of me?" I asked again.

V laughed slightly.

"Are we having a question answer moment?" He asked.
"Uhm, well no, but if it seems like it then I guess it is." I answered dazed.
"Hmm let's see. You have a wonderful personality, pretty, thoughtful, friendly, random, and something else." He listed.
"Wow, that's alot." I said blushing lightly.
"It is isn't it? But it's true." V smiled.

I nodded. We got to the lake, out of the blue, V took off his shoes and ran in. I was surprised, he didn't even bother taking off his clothes.

"V, aren't you going to take off yo..." I stopped halfway through my sentence.

Yes, I'm in love with V.. But asking him if he's going to take of his clothes is going WAY overboard.. For now. V looked like a kid splashing in the water, it was a sight. I smiled. V came out of the water, his shirt stuck to his skin. I saw his abs, they weren't that visible due to the shirt, but I can still see it. V ran up to me, grabbed my hand and dragged me with him.

"V what are you doing?" I asked.

He carried me into the water, and splashed into the water. I was soaked from head to toe, I wiped the water away from my face. V was laughing, I glared at him. I swiped my hand across the surface of the green blue mirage that's water, a wall of water beads splashed onto V's face.

"Serves you right." I said.

V grinned, and splashed me back. The two of us was having so much fun, it was like a dream. As we splashed water at each other, V grabbed hold of me. He then dragged me underwater, I closed my eyes. V was holding onto my shoulders holding me down, he was in the water with me right in front of me. I slowly opened my eyes, and saw him in front of me. He was looking at me, I looked back. My heart began to beat faster, my mind was blank. V then placed one hand on my face, and he leaned in. My eyes went wide, his lips slowly touched mine in the emerald water. Air bubbles went from tens, to three or four. V didn't let go of my face, his lips didn't want to let go of mine. After a while, the two of us resurfaced. We then let go of each other, breathing.

"V..." I said still shocked.
"Sorry, there was a surge." V gently smiled.

I looked at him and then smiled.

"So what was that other thing about me?" I then asked.

V smiled slightly.

"That your heart beats fast for me." V said.

I smiled.

"I guess you're right." I said treading in the water.
"Tell me, have you ever experienced something like this?" V asked curiously.

I looked at the sky.

"No, I've always wondered what being in love feels like. After I met you, I kept asking myself, when my heart beats faster in front of you, does it mean that I love you, or something else." I confessed.

V took my hand in his and held it. I looked at him.

"It's love, now you know. It happened to me too, looks like you're not alone." V smiled.

I smiled back.

"Question, have you ever felt anything for Rui? Ever?" He asked.

I looked at the water reflecting the sunlight, shining deep inside my mind trying to remember a time when.

"No, never. I've only looked at him as a close friend.. A brother nothing more." I said.

As days went by, V and I would hangout alot with each other. Rui has been pretty busy, I didn't know why. One day, Rui phoned me.

"Hey can I talk to you for a while?" He asked.
"Sure, where do you want to meet?" I asked back.
"... How about the water fountain?" He answered.
"Yea ok, I'll see you in a bit then." I said.

Half an hour later we met at the water fountain.

"So what do you want to tell me Rui?" I asked.
"Well, I want to tell you something that I kept from for a long time." Rui said looking at the ground.
"What is it? Is it really important?" I said concerned.
"Well..... I just want to tell you that.. I liked you for quite a long time." Rui said.

I looked at him surprised.

"Rui..." I stuttered.
"Yes I've liked you for a really long time, I just didn't know how I would tell you. Instead, I decided to stay by your side till I was ready." He added.

I continued to look at him, Knowing what I need to do.

"Thank you for everything that you've done for me Rui, you were like a big brother that I could count on." I said with a sorrowful smile.
"The answer that I want to hear.... Isn't something that I would find likable is it?" Rui said.

I looked at him.

"That's not it, you can say that I'm not ready to be in love yet.." I lied.
"Ah, I see. Whenever you are ready just let me know will you?" Rui asked.

I smiled and nodded.

"Sorry for not being able to hangout with you and V lately... I'm getting ready to move away." Rui said. I was shocked.
"You're moving? When?" I asked.
"Next week." Rui answered.

My heart felt like it sunk beneath the ocean, I was going to lose one of my best friend.

"Anyways. I gotta go back now.. Hope we can still look at each other as friends." Rui said.
"Of course Rui, ALWAYS." I smiled tearfully.

Rui smiled, and walked away. I slowly knelt down, and placed my head between my legs.

"What have I done? I lied to my best friend, all because of how much I love V..." I said.
"Because I liked V... I had to lie, to keep his feelings safe for a bit longer." I thought.

I didn't see Rui as much as I use too, it almost felt like the two us drifted apart.

"Are you ok?" V asked.

V and I were hanging out one day. I snapped out my thoughts, I looked at surprised.

"Yea.. Sorry V, I was thinking of some stuff." I replied.

V looked concerned.

"Seem pretty serious I've been calling your name for the past 25 seconds." V said.
"Oh really? Sorry... I didn't hear." I said.

V took my hand and looked at me.

"Want to talk about it?" He asked.

I took a deep breath.

"Rui... It's about Rui. He told me his feelings for me a few days ago, and it's been on my mind for a while." I finally said.
"It's natural isn't it?" V stated.
"Yes.. But that's not the point.... I had to lie to him, my best friend." I said.

V stayed quite for small amount of time.

"What did you say?" V asked.
" I told him that I wasn't really to receive his feelings because I wasn't ready..." I said.
"Is it because of..." V began.
"You.. I lied to him because I was in love with you. I thought that if I didn't give him an accurate answer it will give him some time, to keep his feelings from getting hurt." I finished.
"You didn't have to lie to Rui, he's your friend, he's my friend. I haven't seen him lately, but if I we meet anytime soon, I will tell him about us." V said.
"I know.. guess I still don't know what love is." I said looking down.

V gently lifted my face, and smiled, his hands were cold and warm at the same time.

"I understand how you feel ______. Don't worry let's tell him together, Rui will understand." V said.
"I hope." I said concerned.

Days went by, and it was the day before Rui's leaving. We were walking in a big park, birds were flying everywhere, grass was emerald green, and the sky bright as the ocean's blue green reflection.  V and I were holding hands, walking happily. A while later, someone stood in front of us. I looked up from the ground, it was Rui. We let go of our hands, our heart's pounding.

"So is this why you couldn't give me an answer for my feelings." Rui asked.
"Rui please.." I said.
"This whole time, that day you didn't tell me because you were already with V isn't it?" Rui said.
"Rui please understand." V said.
"Stay out of this V." Rui interrupted.
"It was complicated, Rui." I said.

Rui walked up to me, grabbed my wrist and drag me behind a tree.

"Why? Why did you hide it from me that day?!" Rui asked.
"It was because I didn't want to hurt your feelings." I said feeling the urge to cry.
"V's my friend, you're my friend how can you? Did you really thought that it would make me feel relaxed?" Rui asked.
"Yes,  I'm in a relationship with V, you're my friend I don't want to be in the middle of this triangle." I said crying.

Rui looked at me for a while.

"Tell me this one thing then..... Between V and I.. Who would you choose?" Rui asked. I looked at him torn.
"Rui don't do this.." I said.
"Just choose ______, I don't have time for this." Rui said.

I stayed silent for a bit.

"V.." I finally said.
"So you've never felt anything for me?" Rui said.

I shook my head.

"I've always saw you as my brother a close friend, but with V, it was different." I confessed.

Rui looked at me then walked away. I turned around to see what he was doing, he was going to V. I couldn't hear them but V's facial expression wasn't pleasant. I ran over to see what was going on.

"Rui, stop it's not V's fault, it's my fault." I said begging.

Rui stopped me, I was frozen.

"Yes it is your fault.... But you made a decision that I can't deny is wrong." Rui finally said.

I looked at V, he smiled.

"Rui.." I said.
"You know what love is ______, it takes time to realize what it is, I did and you did too." Rui said.

Rui then slowly took my hand, and V's and placed them into each other's grasp.

"V, take care of my sister from now on. I'm counting on you to keep a smile on her face. Ok?" Rui said.
"I will Rui, don't worry... Hope you'll find the one that will truly loves you back." V said.

Rui shook his head, and turned to look at me.

"I'm giving up on you ______ , but don't think that I'm giving up that easily. I'm trusting you to V, he loves you. I just asked him, with that my heart's at ease." Rui said.

Tears rolled down my face, I hugged V.

"It's getting late.. I should probably get going now.." Rui said.

The two of us looked at Rui again, Rui's silver golden brown hair flowing in the wind, his pale ivory skin reflecting off the sunlight, bright brown eyes shimmering back, the brown that looks more like crystal green instead of brown, Rui's once beautiful smile now broken and filled with grief still managed to show his best side.

"I'll see you guys someday soon, take care of my little sister V, I'm counting on you." Rui said.
"I will Rui, don't worry." V said with a small tear.

Rui patted V's shoulder, and looked at me one last time. He turned around and left, I sobbed in V's embrace. After that, V and I sat down on a bench and stayed quiet for a while.

"Do you really like me V?" I asked him.

V looked at me.

"Love isn't something from how you feel for someone, is about how much you are willing to give up for the person you love." V said.
"Rui did love me didn't he." I said.
"He did ______." V reassured.
"Even so... I've never felt any romantic feelings for Rui, but with you, it was at first sight." I said.

V smiled, he then took my hand and held it.
"I did too, I was even a little bit jelly when I saw how close you and Rui were." V said with a little laugh.
"You were?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Of course Love is nothing compared to Friendship, besides you two were basically brother and sister, how can I come between that relationship?" V laughed.
"Guess you're right.. Thank you for keeping your feelings hidden for this long." I thanked him.
"It was the least I can do, but of course, Love can get the best of someone." V said.
" No doubt." I said looking at the ground.
"Let's just try to keep each other smiling till we can't no more, what do you say?" V asked.
"Of course.." I smiled.

V kissed me, and can feel the honestly and passion behind the kiss. I felt relieved, that I chose the right person to place my love into.

"We should see Rui off tomorrow, so he can leave peacefully." V suggested.
"Yea I think that'll be a good idea." I replied.

I hugged V and placed my chin on his shoulder and closed my eyes, V gently tilted his head and leaned onto mine. The day ended in a huge surprise. Next morning V called me.

"Hey let's hurry." V said over the phone.
"Why?" Said me who was still sleepy.
"Rui." V said with one word.

I shot up in an instant.

"I'll meet you outside in a few minutes." I said getting to the washroom.
"Yea" V replied and hung up.

After half an hour we finally arrived at the airport, my heart was pounding.

"Do you think that we are late?" I asked V.
"I don't know... He didn't tell you what time he's leaving did he?" V asked back.

I shook my head. We searched the airport trying to find Rui, finally we found him. Well I did, I stopped a few meters away from where he was, his back was facing me. I noticed him right away, he stood out right away. V came up behind me, and we walked up to him. Rui started walking, I grabbed his wrist. Rui turned around and was surprised.

"V, ______, what are you doing here?" He asked.
"We couldn't let you go without saying goodbye." V replied with a smile.
"Thanks guys, it means alot." Rui smiled back.
"Come back and visit sometimes when you have time." I said.
"I will, V take care of ______, and yourself will you?" Rui said.
"Don't worry, I will try my best." V winked.

I laughed.

"Hope you've finally found the definition of love is now ______." Rui said.
"I do, V taught me." I said looking at V, I took his hand in mine.
"That's good, glad that he did. Well I better get going. See you guys in time." Rui said with a wave.
"Rui, thank you for being their for me." I said.
"Thank you for supporting us." V and I both said in a unison.

Rui smiled and walked pass the check station and disappeared. V and I went to the same lake, the same lake that we had our first kiss.

"I can finally experience what happiness and love is now." I said breathing in the air.
"Indeed, we can both learn as time ticks by." V said. I nodded.
"Do you regret falling in love with me?" V asked.

I looked at him, then kissed him on the lips.

"Does that answer it?" I asked.

V smiled, then slowly brought me in for a hug.

"I don't regret loving you either, from that time when I saved you from falling in despair, I know that I found the person that I can place my love and trust in." V said.

He then kissed my forehead and held me in his embrace. I closed my eyes and felt his warmth and love, I felt safe.

"I love you V." I whispered.
"I love you too ______." V replied.

The wind blowing gently, but the water began to ripple from small ripples to bigger ones. Showing that even the smallest strength from something, can become stronger and bigger. It just takes time for it to develop and to realize it.