"If you just allow me to, can I get used to you spoiling me like this even just for a longer bit?"

Every day became more meaningful as things just came falling back into the right places.

Chanyeol and I spent some of our free time going on friendly dates just like before, with him treating me to street food and me buying coffee in turn for him. Often times, Sehun would tag along because Baekhyun would always about me having more chemistry with Chanyeol than with him. I know he easily gets affected when being teased but he never once complained about us being suddenly so close when he third-wheels in our friendly hops. And I’m quite thankful for Sehun being that much understanding to see that we are only trying to make it up for the time we missed spending with each other.

I have actually never felt this much free and comfortable to be spending time with a guy friend or friends before, without having to worry about someone getting jealous because I acted too close to that friend. It’s only with Sehun I found peace, and in him I had this much trust he won’t be taking things too strongly unlike other guys usually would. Maybe, that’s one reason why things progressed between us a little bit differently than the past swings I had.

“So, you’re saying that Chanyeol and you are back on track again?” Jaekyung asked as we are having our video conference in my bed room.

I nodded and smiled at her, “If it isn’t for Sehun, then I guess I wouldn’t really have the confidence to talk to him again.” I told her and then raised my phone in front of the camera so she can see what’s displaying on the screen, “And here’s proof that we had a day together with him and Sehun yesterday.”

She chuckled as she observed my wallpaper, “Sehun looks like the legit’ third wheel there huh. And to think that’s your wallpaper and he isn’t even getting pissed? Wow. Just wow. Your boyfriend is really something else.” She tells me, before standing up from her swivel chair and pulling something from her bed. I watched as she carried a light green teddy bear in her hands as she sat back down.

“Okay, what’s up with you and a teddy bear suddenly doing in one place?” I asked, feeling a bit surprised, confused, and scared all at the same time that she finally owns the fluffy thing when she claimed before how much she hates the object to the point she rejected every suitor she got before when they gave her teddy bears too woo her.

She scrunches up her nose at my remark and then finally breaks out to a breathtaking grin. “Isn’t he cute though?” She cooed, but in the oddest way possible (her expression turning terribly mushed up). “And besides, I know you’re now totally having a mental breakdown after seeing me with this horribly cute fluffy stuffed bear, but worry not! Jongin sent me this, so I’m not going to murder it to pieces!” She squealed and then giggled like a teenager who just received an awaited confession from her crush. I cringed at the sight.

Cute things and Jaekyung just doesn’t match at all. Or maybe I’m not just used to her finally entertaining cuteness in her life. And perhaps, the only time I allow her to be cute is when she desperately needs my approval.

“So it came from the Jongin I know?” I uttered out, and she bobbed her head repeatedly in response before squeezing out the hell of her poor teddy bear.

Her eyes brightened up as she opened to begin her summary of the things that had happened between her and Jongin. “We played a game and he just lost over one of our video conferences, and I told him to send me something as a consequence.”

“Uh-huh… and so?” I asked while half-heartedly listening to her story and doing my homework for a major at the same time.

“I didn’t really think he would actually do it, but one day I just woke up to the sight of a package for me… and yeah, this cute bear was in it!” She tells me animatedly as if the bear she’s been holding is the nicest thing that sprang up in this world.

“And you know what name I gave him…or rather Jongin gave him?” She asked.

I completely ignored her however, “You are totally aware that you just referred to that thing as a ‘he’ and a ‘him’, right? Isn’t that a little bit too much—I think—“

“Oh com’on Choi Rin! You’re spoiling my happiness! I hate you.” She frowned at me, and I smiled because I finally got to annoy her.

“Okay, I’m done annoying you, so I’m fine now. Mission accomplished.” I beamed at her, “Now, what’s its name?”

She immediately broke out to a smile and swatted an invincible fly in front of her monitor as she tried to wave away my claim to the object being inanimate, “Gee, it’s a he to you, tough love.” She tells me patiently as she wiggles her eyebrows at me.

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes at her, “Tell me his name before I lose my patience.” I told her a bit grumpily than I’m supposed to, since she’s going in circles again.

“Arasso.” She says, as if really understanding me when she’s just trying to tease me, Anyway, his name is Nini!” She then holds the bear’s paws and shakes them as if to wave at me, “Jongin gave him his name for me since I can’t think of any.” She squealed and then turned her swivel chair round and round till it was me who felt suddenly so dizzy with merely watching her do that cringe-worthy chair turns just because she’s feeling utterly giddy because of her puppy crush.

“You’re quite aware that I can totally ditch on you right now and rush to Jongin’s room so I can talk about you being this shamelessly happy because of him, right?” I deadpanned, and she immediately scrambled to her feet, pulled her chair closer to her laptop again, and smiled sheepishly at me again.

“Friends do not betray each other, right? And I know you’re the most awesome gal ever to be my best friend so you won’t really do that to me, will you?” She says pleadingly, feigning a high pitched girlish cry as she clasped her hands in front of her webcam and showed me her ultimate weapon, puppy eyes.

I sighed and knocked my head flat on the mattress, “Tell me why you’re my best friend again?” I uttered out, already giving up on her eccentricity and twisted personality attacking full on.

I looked up and saw her eyes brightening as I squinted at her. “Stop the aegyo and I promise not to tell on you.”
 

She mocks salute and then smiles cheekily at me, “Yes, ma’am!”

I breathed out a smile when I saw her do that. “I can see that your puppy crush of almost 9 years is finally moving forward huh? The ship had been stuck in Bermuda triangle for too long, and yet Jongin managed to salvage it from complete disappearance.” I , and she buried her face on the back of her fluffy bear to muffle her squeals of joy.

When she finally recovers, her expression wasn’t really that different. She still giggles and smiles like an idiot. “Yeah! And you’re totally the evilest mastermind to ever live and create me a fairytale I thought I won’t ever have! Gosh! I guess I can say that you’re fairy godmother and I’m Cinderella—“

“Freak,” I mocked, “Stop with the fairytale references, you know. We’re in the 21st century and we both know how fairytales terribly failed us.”

She scrunched up her nose at me in disapproval. “Tell me about it, however, had you not believed in them, would you have actually found your prince charming?” She asks childishly.

“He’s not a prince though…” I commented but she groaned in annoyance.

“Let’s say Sehun’s not, but yeah, stop spoiling the merry mood you prude girl!” She points an accusing finger at me and whines.

I only sighed and propped my elbow on my knee so I could rest my chin on my palm. “Had I known you would be this annoying if I give Jongin your number, I wouldn’t even think twice about even doing it. What has the boy suddenly done to you? Last time I checked you’re not this mushy, not this crazy, not this—oh wait!” I paused and then straightened myself on my bed as I remembered wanting to ask her something.

I cleared my throat and beamed at her, “So, did Jongin tell you anything? Like he totally likes you or wants to court you or…?” I pressed for her to answer, but the sigh she heaved out in the end already gave me an idea that said boy actually didn’t make the big move yet.

“So, nothing?” I tried asking again, and she only shakes her head in dismay.

“Well, do you want me to give him a push or give him hints at least?” I offered as gears in my brain started functioning again and I begun fishing for ideas.

She shook her head again and hugged her Nini even tighter, “That would be pathetic if you even gave him hints, you know? If he really likes me then maybe I can wait till he finally says so.” She told me with a soft voice.

“You sure you don’t want me to help?” I asked again.

She bobs her head and smiles a little, “You’re totally not called miss matchmaker back in high school for nothing, but sometimes love stories shouldn’t be created overnight you know? There wouldn’t always be a bridge like you that can always help others close the gap between them. Stop working hard for others and think more of yourself, buddy. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.” She reassures me even though she looks nothing like fine to me.

I worry that she’d be more of a rock than a rolling wagon later on when things didn’t go as planned for her. I want her to be as happy as I am but I’m not too sure if she’d like me intervening in her and Jongin’s affair when she had clearly stated that she didn’t want me even worrying about them. Usually, helping someone build their own happy endings would be a role I would gladly take over of, but then just like what she had said, maybe I should take an off from the matchmaking job and have a little faith in them and on fate itself—that something good will come out with patience and effort.

You see, back then, I was used to the matchmaking thing in high school despite myself not having the happy ending I was supposed to gather my experience from. It was a whole lot ironic that I was taking on the job, accepting favors of putting on good words for someone to another, building up romance for someone else, when I myself hadn’t even underwent the s