This Friend | Yeonbin

32

Soobin P.O.V

My phone lights up.

It’s a text from Yeonjun.

You’re still coming to the game, right?

Sure am.

I’m in my car, in the lot of the restaurant where I had dinner with Cassidy. In front of me is a huge tropical mural, with a few red birds and butterflies on it.

I rest my head against the headrest and smile. Hanging out with her has made me feel so damn good. I wonder if she knows how great it is for me to talk about being attracted to guys around her, and for her to not even care.

It’s new for me. I love it. Plus, she’s cool and smart and funny. Being friends with her would be a good thing.

My phone buzzes again.

Sweet! See you then.

I should enjoy this for a second. I know things aren’t perfect, but this a big deal for me. I’m making friends. I’m maybe even becoming more than friends with Yeonjun, which I never would’ve expected even only a few weeks ago.

I picture the way his eyes light up when he smiles, and his laugh, which is sort of goofy. It’s like he lets slip who he really is for a second, because he can’t control it.

I lock my phone and turn on the engine. A pop song starts playing on the radio, and I don’t even change it.

What can I say? Things are good.

After a short drive I reach the baseball field, which is behind Yeonjuns school. The bleachers are already crowded. There are so many people here.

When I get to the bleachers, I see Naomi and Bri sitting in the back row. Naomi waves at me with both arms. I jog up the metal steps. When I get there, I sit down beside her.

The bleachers are crammed, so everyone has to touch (eek), and a bunch of them are holding up signs in Yeonjun school colours, which are yellow and blue.

“So,” says Bri. “You and him. What’s happening there?”

“Wow,” says Naomi. “You couldn’t even give him two seconds to sit down? Jesus.”

“I mean, why not just cut to the chase? So, Soobin. Tell us everything.”

“Um, we’re friends.”

“Just friends?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh. That’s disappointing.”

“Why?” I ask.

“I thought you might be dating, or at least hooking up. I’ve got to say, you and him together would be, like, the cutest. I would just die.”

I swallow hard. “Sorry to disappoint.”

So what if we’ve kissed a few times? They don’t need to know that.

Plus, even though we did that, we are still just friends. I actually hate that saying, though. Just friends. Like it’s a consolation prize.

If he wanted to stop making out and stay friends, I’d do it. At least that way we’d avoid total disaster, given our families.

“Don’t be,” she says. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m a little bummed, but it’s fine. At least he’s finally made a good guy friend. He needed one.”

“Agreed,” says Naomi. “He’s always sort of been the odd one out of the guys. We love him so much, but he’s never really clicked with them. He says he’s fine, but he’s the only out dude on the team. That must be hard.”