Just Friends?
In a park in one of the affluent neighborhoods in Seoul, a petite girl sat on a swing. Her long black hair cascading down her back, framing her lovely face. Her porcelain skin seeming to glow underneath the moonlight. Her pink lips in a frown as she swung herself, her eyes looking faraway, lost in her thoughts.
What do I do now? she asked herself, At least it's her best friend that he likes. But what am I now? Their third wheel? These thoughts have been bothering her for a week now, ever since she saw her two best friends, Minho and Ara, together. The two were walking home together after a school event that Ara's organization organized. Ara needed a date and guilt tripped Minho into accompanying her. She was about to greet the two when she saw Minho leaned in and kissed Ara. She left quickly and silently after that, making sure that her presence was not noticed by the two.
Ara has always been the sweet and popular one, and Minho has always been protective of her. She's sure that if one of them falls into the ocean and he can only save one of them it will be Ara. She sighed at the thought. She loves the both of them and wants to be happy for them, but...
"Hey," a male voice greeted her, "Lost in your own world again," he teased, as he took a seat the swing next to her.
"Hey, Minho," she greeted back with a slight smile.
"Where have you been? I haven't seen you in a while," he said.
"Just around... I've been busy," she said with a light shrug of her shoulders.
"With what?" he asked curiously.
"Ummm... Stuff," she said.
"You wouldn’t happen to be avoiding me and Ara, have you?" he asked with a piercing stare, "She mentioned that you haven't been around lately. You've also been distant with the texts and phone calls. We're both worried about you."
"Avoiding you?" she asked, keeping her tone light and avoiding his gaze. "Why would I do that?"
"Exactly. Why, Jinri?" he asked.
"I'm not," she mumbled, keeping her eyes averted.
"What's wrong Jinri? You know you can tell me anything."
"Nothing... I just... I'm fine..."
"Uh... Huh..." he said disbelievingly, still staring at her, seeing through the lie.
"I just wanted to give you and Ara space," she finally blurted out, squirming a bit at the way he's staring at her.
"And why would you do that?" He asked thoroughly confused.
"Because you two are dating and I didn't want to be a third wheel," she said fidgeting, unable to keep her hands still.
"Dating?" he asked amused, "Us? Since when?"
"But I saw you and her, and..."
"Saw us what?" he asked, prompting her to continue what she was saying.
"Nevermind," she mumbled, averting her gaze, blinking back her tears.
"Jinri," he said in a warning tone.
"Fine, I saw her you kiss her, and I assumed..."
"Kiss?"
"Yeah, last week, when you were walking her home. I saw her kiss you," she said, trying to keep her voice from cracking.
"Oh... That... You thought that we?" he said unable to keep the laughter from his voice.
"I don’t see what's funny," she said in a flat tone, leveling him with a glare.
"We're not dating, we're just friends."
"But you kissed her."
"Yes, I did," he said, looking her in the eye, "On the cheek. I kissed her on the cheek. I was just thanking her for her advice and bidding her goodnight. It didn’t mean anything," he explained.
"Are you sure?" she asked in a suspicious tone.
"Have I ever lied to you?" he asked, exasperated.
She merely shook her head in response.
"Why would I start now?"
"I'm sorry, I guess I jumped to the wrong conclusion," she apologized.
"You should call Ara, she's very worried."
"I will," she promised. "But do you like her?" she pressed, still not entirely convinced that nothing's going on between the two.
"No, I don’t. The three of us grew up together, of course I care about her, but not in that way. I love her like a sister. Besides, she likes someone else, and so do I."
"She does? You do? How come you never told me?" she pouted.
"I guess it just never came up," he said shrugging. "She likes this guy from History class, and I think that he likes her too. They've been flirting all semester, both still hesitant to make the first move."
"And you?" she asked, wanting to learn more about the girl that he likes.
"Me?"
"What about the girl that you like? What's she like? Is she pretty? Nice? Tell me more about her."
"You can judge for yourself," he stated.
"I know her?" she asked.
He nodded in response.
"Who?!"
He looked up in the sky before intently focusing his gaze on her, "The girl sitting beside me," he said.
"Me?" she asked, disbelief in her voice.
"That night that you saw us, I was asking her advice on how to tell you. I've always liked you, Jinri, I just didn't know how to tell you," he confessed. "I've always hesitated because you're one of my best friends and I don’t want to lose that friendship if things don’t work out."
"I like you too, Minho," she said shyly, her cheeks stained pink, her happiness clearly reflected in her eyes.
"You do?" he asked softly, leaning towards her slowly.
"Yeah," she whispered back, before his lips gently brushed against her, kissing her softly.
***********************************
(Sort of an Epilogue)
The Next Day
A young couple, looking obviously in love, walked hand in hand in their campus as they approached a girl sitting on a bench, busily typing a text message in her cellphone.
"Ara!" the approaching girl called out, waving to her friend.
Ara waved back to the couple, as her eyes zeroed in to their entangled hands. Her eyes widening like saucers at the realization that the two have finally come to their senses and admitted their feelings to each other.
"Are you?!..." she asked, wanting to confirm what is already obvious.
At the other girl's nod, Ara shrieked in delight as she threw her arms around the girl and hugged her tightly, as the two of them jumped in joy.
"I'm so happy for you, Jinri!," she exclaimed. "Congratulations, Minho!" She exclaimed as she threw her arms around the boy next to Jinri. "You finally confessed!"
"Thanks to you," he said, as he returned her hug. "Now, it's your turn," he said as he pulled away.
"Turn for what?" Ara asked confused.
"To make your move on History guy, you agreed to make your move if I confess to Jinri. Time to hold up your end of the deal," he said ruffling her hair.
"Do I have to?" she whined as she swatted Minho's arm and fixed her hair. "Can't I just like him silently?"
"Nope," he said.
"A deal's a deal, Ara," Jinri piped up.
Ara just pouted at her friends in response.
