[사랑한다고 말해도 못 듣나 봐 사랑이라고 말해도 모르나 봐, 한번 이라도 돌아봐줘요 그대 뒤에서 내가 있어요]

“Thank you for today, Mark-ssi,” she said as Mark’s car arrived in front of her house.

“You’re welcome, Eunji-ssi,” Mark smiled.

Eunji was about to open the car’s door, but suddenly Mark calling her name and making her turn her gaze to him again.

“Eunji-ssi, we’re friends, right?” he asked.

Eunji nodded. “Of course, is there something burdening you?”

Mark his lips, showing a hesitation first, before he finally said. “Can we put the formalities behind? Yeah, since we’re already being friends…”

Eunji stunned as she stared at those pairs of eyes in front of her. She felt strange as she let her brave eyes staring at him as she lost her count. The guy – that actually still being a stranger to her, since she just knew him yesterday, was totally damn hot for normal people used to think. And Eunji, just clearly noticed it right now.

“So…” his deep nasal voice awakened her up. “… What do you think?”

An awkward silence was producing as she let her eyes left him, before she nodded awkwardly. “Okay… Mark… Let’s dropping the formalities, we’re being friends and also neighbors at the same time already.”

A chuckle escaped from his mouth, before he put his gummy smile again – and Eunji was not sure that she somehow caught the blush on his cheeks.

“Okay, good night and see you again tomorrow… Eunji-ya.”

***

2 YEARS AGO

“Jinyoung-ah, where are you?” Eunji whispered in the midst of her panting.

It was 6 at the evening, and the school ended already 2 hours ago. Eunji was searching for her band mate, since he didn’t show up in front of her class to go home together – like he always usually did every day. She tried to call him, but his phone was inactive. She already came into his classroom and asking his friends, but they said that Jinyoung already left since earlier. Eunji had asked Bomi – Jinyoung’s girlfriend too, but the latter said that she didn’t know where he was.

“It’s weird… Didn't she should know where her boyfriend had gone?” Eunji whined, as she left Bomi and started to search for Jinyoung again. Eunji had searched throughout the school building – at the music studio, library till the entire classrooms, but she still could find him yet.

Finally, she arrived at the last spot in their big school - The backyard. Eunji’s lips suddenly curled up as she could see the person that she was looking for since earlier, was sitting all alone in one of the bench. Eunji walked toward him while she tried to normalize her breathe.

“Jinyoung-ah,” she greet him while patting the younger arm.

Jinyoung was taken aback as he immediately rubbed his face carelessly before he lifted his chin to face the latter.

Eunji startled as she could clearly see that her best friend’s eyes were swollen and his face went darker. She could bet that Jinyoung was crying before. She then decided to sit beside him on the bench and dared herself to ask. “Are you okay?”

Jinyoung nodded. “I’m okay. I just needed some fresh air, so I came here.”

Eunji heaved a sigh. “Don’t lie. I knew you already for almost 1.5 years. Just tell me and I’ll always be a good listener,” she said softly as she patted the younger shoulder.

Jinyoung looked down on his feet before he spoke out. “We broke up…”

Eunji’s eyes widened when she heard his sudden remark. “W-what?”

Jinyoung nodded lightly. “Bomi noona and I just broke up,”   

“B-but why? What happened with you two? Aren't you still love her that bad?” Eunji raised her tone.

“I loved her so much, but she didn’t,” Jinyoung paused as he ruffled his hair. “She found someone better than me already, and then… she decided to leave me,” he shrugged.

Eunji looked at Jinyoung and sighed. She didn’t expect that their 6 months relationship had come to an end. “Did she have been cheating with Jongdae sunbae?”

Jinyoung suddenly turned stared at her. “How could you know?”

“I saw both of them had walked together when the school ended.”

Jinyoung let out a smirk on his face before he looked down again. Eunji felt bad when she saw that her best friend – the guy that secretly she was in love with, suffering like that. She really wanted to pull him into her embrace and said to him that he still have her.

“She asked me to choose between you or her. I hate that question. She have been asked the same question over and over again. It’s like she don’t trust me. It’s like she don’t like our friendship. What’s wrong with us? Is it wrong for being best friends?” he scoffed.

“Then, what’s your answer?” Eunji could feel that her heart skipped a beat.

“You should already know the answer. That’s why she chose to be with Jongdae sunbae rather than me already,” Jinyoung looked down. He tried to make the tears on his eyes for not slipping out again.

“Come here, Jinyoungie,” Eunji couldn’t help any longer for not pulled him into a light hug. She immediately sensed that the younger was shifting on her hug. Her best friend was wailing unsoundly. Eunji patted his back and whispered, “You should not choose me rather than her, if you will hurt like this.”

Jinyoung shook his head. “I’m sure that it wasn’t the main reason why she wanted to break up with me. I knew she had developed her feeling toward Jongdae sunbae from the very first start. I could clearly see the different in her eyes every time we crossed path with him.”

“Jinyoungie…”

“What should I do? What should I do to fix everything? What should I do to forget her? I need to do it so soon, noona.”

Eunji didn’t say anything to reply, she just resting her chin on top of Jinyoung’s head. While Jinyoung buried his face even deeper inside her hug.

***

“Bomi-ya, how’s the preparation?” Mark asked as he entered the committee’s room. Bomi, Jaebum and some of the committees were preparing himself since the charity event will be started in 15 minutes.

“The performers and stuffs are ready. We can start the event now,” Bomi answered as she took some pieces of papers on her desk.

“Okay, Jaebum-ah, you should call JE Project and tell them to prepared on the stage now,” Mark asked the youngest and Jaebum nodded before he ran toward outside the room.

Mark heaved a sigh before he walked toward Bomi’s direction. The latter was still busy with the papers till she didn't notice that Mark already stood next to her.

“Want to watch their performance together?”

Bomi was taken aback by his question before she met Mark’s gaze with a question look.

“I knew that you and Jinyoungie—“

“Mark hyung!” Jaebum’s loud voice cut his words. “JE Project already go to the stage. Should we start now?”

“Okay, let’s getting started!” Mark beamed as he followed the youngest pace to go toward the backstage.

Bomi heaved a deep sigh, before she followed the latter from behind.