Bystander || WOOZI || Seventeen

✮ Prologue ✮

"So, you don't like Soonyoung anymore?"

I played with my pen upon hearing Seolmin's question. My nervous gestures seemed to be noticed by her, and she smirked playfully.

"I knew it." She added, and I huffed. "Why are you so happy, anyway?"

She jutted her bottom lip out. "I made a bet with myself. Since the beginning of the school year, you've never liked anyone more than two weeks. I thought Soonyoung could remain for a month, but your feelings only remained for... what? one and a half week?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, shut up." She giggled, then fiddled with my opened notebook. "I know that you've always experienced unrequited loves, but don't you think you want to keep your feelings for longer than two weeks? As in liking someone for real?"

I digested her words, then shrugged. "I don't know. I don't want to build my feelings until they're too deep, then let the person to turn me off. It's hard to dispose your feelings when you're already too deep with someone, you know. That's why I don't want to seriously like someone."

"And plus, Soonyoung has just been an eye candy for me, y'know. I don't think I actually liked him." I grinned, and she playfully hit my arm, but silence then engulfed her voice.

"I... actually like someone. But for real, not like you."

I felt a bit hurt by her remark, but curiosity dimmed it in. "Who is it? Soonyoung?"

I was just mentioning a random name, but for the first time since our friendship started, I saw a rosy color blooming on her cheeks. 

She was blushing.

"Oh my god! You actually like him?!" I squealed, not able to contain my excitement. She placed her palms over her cheeks, then shushed me with her signature glare.

"Shut up! Someone might hear it!" I didn't bother to hear her and squealed again, now shaking her shoulders from where I sat.

"Geez, why didn't I realize that?" I sighed, then I eyed her. "So you didn't tell me that you liked him when I told you that I had a crush on him? Now I feel guilty." I mumbled, but she laughed it off.

"Don't worry. At first, I was just curious why you liked him, then I thought, 'well, he's actually not that bad.' Then it turned out to be a real crush for me." She murmured shyly, while I let out ungraceful screeches once in a while.

"Awww, I wish you the best luck to get with him! Gosh, I can't wait to get you two together!" I clasped my hands together eagerly, but she gave me a weird look.

"How are you going to get us together? You don't even have any experience, stupid." She poked my forehead, and I pouted. 

"Well, I read romantic stories, so I surely know how to face a couple of romantic situations." I tried to gain her trust so that I could help her, but her flat expression didn't budge.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." She slung her bag over her shoulder. "Just take care of your love life first. I think that your standard is too high, so lower that first." She commented nonchalantly, then dragged me to the door.

I frowned. "Are you trying to say that I'm too ugly for my high standard?" She chuckled. "No, silly. I mean your dating expectation. Don't expect boys to be all cheesy and oh-so-gentleman like the comics you read."

I gasped, then pointed at her accusingly. "Did you go to my Webtoon app?!" Hearing my blame, she laughed. "Of course. Set your phone password next time so I can't do that again," she yawned. "Let's go. I want to go home." 

While walking, I thought about what Seolmin just said.

Lower my expectation, huh? That's not going to change the disappointment at the end, right?