Remember When

Can't You Tell Me I'm Not Too Late?

"How was the date?"

Somin rolled over in bed and looked at the alarm clock on her nightstand.

"Na-eun, it's still 7 in the morning," she grumbled into her cellphone.

"I know," Na-eun replied cheerily.

She let out an exasperated groan. "Why are you calling me at this ungodly hour?"

"Umm, duh? I just asked you why."

"God, you're such a horrible person."

"Stop avoiding the question. How was the date?"

Groaning again, she rolled back over on to her back and pulled the blanket over her head.

"He asked me out," she answered in an annoyed mutter.

"And?"

"I told him I want to stay as friends."

"Oh, my God." Na-eun started laughing in disbelief. "You really can hold grudges."

"It's not like that, Na-eun," Somin snapped angrily. "If you only heard the crap he said I'd doubt you'd—"

"Remember when you told him you love him?" Na-eun interrupted, her tone harsh.

Somin's mouth got tight at her words.

Of course she did.

**********

Woo-jin was next to Somin watching a movie in his apartment when he asked her a question.

"So who's he?"

Somin twisted her neck to look at him, confused. "Who's who?"

"The guy you're in love with."

She stiffened. How the heck did he find out?

"I'm not in love with anyone," she denied hotly.

Woo-jin stared at her then said, "Tae-hyung said you are."

She narrowed her gaze at the kitchen where Tae-hyung was cooking their dinner. The three of them were celebrating his and Woo-jin's acceptance to a publishing company. And it had been almost a year since Somin and Tae-hyung broke up. Why was he doing to her now?

"I... was," Somin corrected and lied.

"Is that why it didn't work out between you and Tae-hyung?" Woo-jin asked, his voice somehow sharp and cold. "Because of this mystery guy?"

He was angry, she noticed. And it was in the behalf of his best friend.

She poked his shoulder hard. "Stop butting into our business. If I had hurt Tae-hyung then I wouldn't still be hanging out with you guys. And you know Tae-hyung. He's not the type to let people he doesn't like into his life. If I'd hurt him, I wouldn't be here. I'm not that shameless."

Woo-jin fell silent. Then he said, "That's true. So who was it?"

She sighed. "Stop."

"I'm just curious," he urged. "I want to know who had your heart and wasted away the opportunity to date you."

"It was you."

Woo-jin's head jerked back. "What?" he whispered.

She smiled at him. "It was you, you huge dork."

"Somin—"

"But I'm over you now," she cut him off. Her heart squeezed painfully and she shook her head, laughing low. Over him? What a big lie. "It was when I was still a freshman anyway," she went on, looking straight into his eyes. "You were... friendly and charming. Who wouldn't like you? Even Na-eun thought you were hot."

"But why didn't you say anything?" Woo-jin asked, leaning closer to her.

She had to lie again. "Because I met Tae-hyung."

"And now?"

She couldn't look at him anymore when she continued lying, "I just see you as a friend. And a big brother."

Woo-jin's face grew hard, his eyes glittering. "Somin—"

"And I have a date next week," she kept lying. "Na-eun's introduced me to this guy and we just hit it off."

For some reason, Woo-jin was looking frustrated at her. He opened his mouth and would have said something more but Tae-hyung appeared.

"Dinner's ready, you lazy bastards," he said, oblivious to the tension between them.

Somin smiled with relief as she got up. "Let's go eat, Woo-jin."

Woo-jin stared at her for a long moment. Then he shook his head as if clearing it then stood up.

He sighed, "Yeah. Let's go eat."

  **********  

"Why can't you just be honest with your feelings?" Na-eun groaned. "Why can't you just tell him 'I'm still in love with you, Woo-jin. But you broke my heart. Buy me a diamond set and maybe all will be forgiven, baby.'"

"Someone's at the door," Somin mumbled when she heard knocks.

"At this ungodly hour?"

"Yeah. You probably should call the police because I'll rip this person apart with my bare hands."

Na-eun laughed. "You're so grumpy in the morning. Bye, Somin. And think about what I said. It's not too late for you to kiss, kiss, fall in love with Woo-jin."

Somin rolled her eyes and disconnected the call. Then rolling out of bed, she grabbed her cardigan, slipped it on and shuffled to the door. The knocks turned incessantly louder and she growled. She hadn't had proper sleep, tossing and turning all night and whoever was beyond the door was certainly going to get the burning rage of a thousand suns.

"What the hell?" she said as she opened the door.

Then her jaw dropped open.

It was Woo-jin.

"We need to talk."