'I brought you coffee. Please don't be mad anymore.', said my best friend Jae.
I was studying outside on a park bench, neither aware of how cold it was getting nor that he was sitting besides me. Actually, I wasn't really mad at him anymore. At first I couldn't believe that he lost the leather wristband I bought him for his birthday just a couple of days ago. But I thought it was childish to blame him for something he didn't do on purpose. And I've told him that, but as always Jae doesn't listen.
'Thanks.', I've replied and took a sip.
Café Latte with extra caramel syrup. I hated to admit it, but he did his research.
'I asked Y/F/N... she said if this plan wasn't going to work, there's nothing else I could do.'
'So when did you two get along so well?'
He smirked and just gave me a 'I don't know what you mean' look. I rolled my eyes at him and went back to studying. After a while Jae got up from the park bench and left without a word. Now I could finally get some work done properly.
Truth be told, I have a huge crush on Jae. The way he talks with his raspy but melodic voice, the way his blonde strands of hair are always falling into his eyes and just his unpredictable but warm personality - it all made me fall for him. I like how he is just being himself - whether he is around me or anyone else. Some may say that he is weird or at least says weird things every now and then, but nonetheless he still manages to make those people like him and his corky personality. First I was just drawn to his dorkiness, but as I was gradually getting to know him better, I realized that he had another, more mature side to him too. I can't help but be fascinated by that contrast and so I fell even harder for him.
After fifteen minutes someone suddenly put a jacket around my shoulders, which startled me a lot. I looked up to see that Jae was back.
'How come you are only wearing jeans and a shirt on an autumn day like this?'
'Didn't know it would be this cold.', I remarked hiding the fact that I was flustered by his actions.
'You thought you are finally free of me right? Guess WHAT? I just went to my car to get the jacket and now I won't go until you grab something to eat with me and say that you are not mad anymore.'
'Jae, I think I've told you already. I'm not upset or mad at all.'
'Will you grab something to eat with me then?'
'If not I will take this as a 'I'm still mad at you Jae for losing that wristband' and I won't leave your side until you forgive me.'
'For goodness sake, let's just eat already.´
His smile was so cute that I forgot all about my frustrations of him basically blackmailing me into going to eat dinner with him and therefore not getting my report done today. After getting into Jae's car and driving to our favourite pizza place we ordered the usual: one pepperoni pizza to share. As I was enjoying my first slice, Jae told me about his band practice. How they came up with a fairly good melody and how he had been able to come up with ideas for his second vlog for his YouTube account.
He ate a pepperoni off the pizza and proclaimed, 'Y'know it's so hard for me to think of the right content but then Bernard said I should just let loose and do whatever the hell I wanna do. After all, it's my channel, it's JAEsix, and I cannot please everyone. And ever since great ideas have been forming in my mind...'
It's always been that way, him talking about whatever is important to him at the moment and me listening and giving advice, or well, just eating the whole pizza by myself on that particular evening as he was just slowly eating all the pepperonis without even considering to take a slice.
'Okay, enough about me. How was your week?'
I smiled at his sudden change of topic and remarked, 'You are very well aware, that I have absolutely nothing left to tell you. So please go on with your vlog ideas.'
It kind of became a habit of mine to text Jae every single detail of my life. Especially the most trivial things like how I couldn't decide what to eat that day.
'I feel like you haven't told me enough.' The doubtful look I gave him made him rephrase that statement, 'No I mean we've known each other for half a year now, but I feel like even though we text a lot and meet up, I still don't know you well enough.'
He had a point. But I am just the kind of person, who feels uncomfortable talking about her/himself. 'Okay, what do you want to know?'
His eyes were gleaming after hearing these words. 'Let me see... do you have a crush on someone?'
'That's something I don't know yet and I can't figure it out on my own, cause it's kinda hard to tell. You are hard to read, Y/N.'
No. I cannot possibly tell him that I've liked him for quite some time now, can I? Sure, it was the perfect moment, but this would be my first time telling someone and i am just not ready to get my heart broken. I looked at him cautiously. He was leaning in, arms folded on the table, closing the distance between as even more. His expression was something I've never seen before: anticipation laced with concern but mostly curiosity. He stared at me intensely, which made me shift uncomfortably in my seat. With his frames to cover his face, I could see his handsome features even more. His hair being a bit messy and framing his face just perfectly made me want to touch it. He didn't avert his gaze from me.
Somehow in that moment I took the courage I had failed to gather in the previous months and just said it. Maybe on impulse, maybe as an reaction to his expectant expression.
'I like you, Jae. In fact, I've fallen for you awhile ago. And even if you don't like me, I just wanted to let you know.'
'What?', he saw my upset expression and hurried up to give me a reply.
'Actually, I knew for some time now. It was a lie when I told you, that you are hard to read. I just wanted to hear those words from you.'
I was speechless. I had no idea if I should feel happy or agitated about his words. But then he gave me the most beautiful smile I have ever seen on him and I just couldn't help but smile back. He took my hands into his and proclaimed, 'I like you too, Y/N. I even dare to say that I've liked you before you liked me. And because of that, I thought it would only be fair for you to say those words first.'
'You are the most childish person I've ever met.'
'That's why you like me.'
'Thanks for confessing.' And then his lips met mine. After all, it was his turn now.