Chapter 15 (Part 1)
That One Thing That You Don't KnowChapter 15 (Part 1)
Six years ago.
“Look!” Hyoyeon showed her phone to her friends.
“Daebak!” Jungshin commented. “You and Junsu really look good together.”
Hyoyeon showed her friends her first picture with Junsu as they become a couple officially. She then started to tell the story from the courtship, to the surprise, to the bouquet of flowers, up to the time she said 'Yes'.
They were in Yonghwa’s room on a Friday night, and all of them are listening to Hyoyeon as she talks, not minding the movie that is currently playing.
The boys were on the floor, eating pizza, while Tiffany and Hyoyeon were lying on their stomach on the bed. Seohyun was sitting on the couch by the window.
“Junsu is the best graduation gift ever!” Hyoyeon commented with a big grin on her face.
It’s their college graduation two days from now.
As everyone else continues to talk and to listen at the same time, Yonghwa noticed that Seohyun was silent, not commenting anything about the topic.
“You okay?” Yonghwa asked Seohyun as he sits beside her on the couch, both of them hugging their knees.
Seohyun nodded as she accepts the can of juice from Yonghwa because he knows she doesn’t drink soda.
But Yonghwa didn’t believe her. He knows something’s up.
When the movie was finished and all went home, Seohyun decided to stay for a little longer.
“Spill the beans, Seohyun-ah...” Yonghwa suddenly said.
Both of them are still on the couch, sitting together and all their friends have gone home already.
Seohyun sighed. She knows she can’t hide something from Yonghwa.
“I know there’s something on your mind. Now tell me.” Yonghwa continued as he faced her with a bowl of chips on his hands.
Seohyun smirked, “You really don’t miss a thing Yonghwa...” She commented. “Ahra... I’ll tell you...”
Yonghwa nodded, waiting for her to say it.
She paused for a moment and then looked at him and sighed, “Am I ugly, Yong?”
Yonghwa creased his eyebrows before he bursts into laughter, “What? Seriously? That’s your question? That's what's bothering you?"
“Don’t laugh!” Seohyun slapped his arm, “I’m serious. Answer me.” She sighed again, “Am I ugly?”
He looked at her face and noticed that she’s really serious. So he stopped laughing; he looked at his best friend and smiled at her.
“No, you’re not ugly, okay? Definitely not ugly! Ugliness is not a part of your vocabulary.”
Seohyun sighed for the third time again, “Then why is nobody courting me?” She asked.
Yonghwa was taken aback. It was the first time Seohyun asked that kind of question. He looked at her intently at first before he answers.
He cleared his throat and asked, trying to be casual, “Why? Do you like to have a boyfriend already?” He asked before he turned his eyes on the bowl of chips and munched some.
“No..it’s not that. I was just wondering...” Seohyun answered then pouted her lips, thinking, “I just thought about it when Hyoyeon was telling about Junsu." She said. "I mean...she finally has a boyfriend and Tiffany and Nichkhun are steadily dating since high school... but me...no guy dared to talk to me."
“Maybe...” Yonghwa avoided her eyes. “Maybe...they’re scared of you.”
“What’s so scary about me?” Seohyun asked innocently.
Yonghwa sighed and finally puts the bowl of chips on the table and faced Seohyun.
“Maybe because you’re too...
Seohyun waited, “I’m too...? What?”
“You’re too perfect.”
Seohyun digested that answer. She stared at Yonghwa, thinking if his answer makes any sense at all.
“So guys are scared of me because I’m too perfect?” Seohyun reiterated. “You...are you scared of me?”
Yonghwa was surprised by the follow up question.
He clears his throat and chuckles as he gets the bowl of chips again and ate some, “We're...were're.. We're best friends." He answered vaguely with a stutter. "I'm not scared of you...we're best friends." He reiterated without looking at her eyes.
Seohyun nodded her head slowly. “I see...” She answered under her breath, ending the conversation.
Yonghwa stole glances at her and she looks down on the floor, like thinking very hard.
“Why? Will you...will you consider me as a man if ever...if ever I court you?” He asked stammering.
Seohyun jerked a little and looked at him. And then she smirked and took some chips from the bowl that Yonghwa is holding.
“We’re best friends. You won’t court me.” She answered with a little laugh while munching some chips.
***
The trees were dancing outside the window as Seohyun stares at them while the cab was moving. And then she realized that the trees she's seeing outside become blurry because her eyes are turning watery again.
If she had her choice, she would make the cab fly and be where Yonghwa is right now.
She stares at her phone and a teardrop fell. He’s not answering her calls.
Seohyun wiped her tears as her mind is filled with their simple conversation six years ago.
Guys don’t talk to me not because they’re scared of me, but because they’re scared of you...because you were always with me.
“Pabo...” She muttered. “We’re both fools.” She said under her breath, thinking that both she and Yonghwa have been pretending to be just friends all this time.
“Are you saying something Ma’am?” The cab driver asked.
Seohyun turned to the driver and looked at him through the rear view mirror. She smiled a little as an answer to the driver.
“Did he leave you or was it you who left?” The driver asked, assuming that Seohyun’s tears is surely about someone special. "I think it's better to share it to stranger like me." he said.
She paused for a moment to look at the rear view mirror.
“Do you love him, Ma’am?” The cab driver continued his queries.
“I do.”
“Then you shouldn’t be crying, Ma’am. Love conquers all.” The driver answers like it’s a simple equation.
“But what if...we..we can’t love each other?” Seohyun said stuttering.
“How did you know that you can’t?”
Seohyun looked at the eyes of the driver from the rear view mirror as the driver looks at the mirror and the road back and forth.
“Because he’s my best friend.” She answered.
The driver smiled a little as he maneuvered the steering wheel and then he turned back to look at Seohyun again. "Ma'am... do you know why so many relationships fail?" He suddenly asked.
Seohyun creased her eyebrows, wiping her tears and thinking hard about the sudden question.
“Many relationships fail...” The driver continued, “Not because there is lack of love, but because there is lack of friendship.”
Seohyun blinks once then twice, still looking at the rear view mirror, digesting what the old cab driver said. She didn’t respond and the driver didn't say another word until the rest of the ride except for just one last smile he bade her.
It was a little after lunch when Seohyun arrived at Yonghwa’s house.
“Maybe you’ll realize it’s not a bad thing after all, Ma’am.” The old cab driver said before Seohyun gets off the cab.
She realized the ladder going to Yonghwa’s room is not there anymore. She ran towards the door and knocked impatiently.
“Seohyun Unnie?” Krystal opened the door. “Is there something wrong?” She asked, noticing Seohyun’s swelling eyes.
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