Friend Zone [ Editing ]

10

|| Your POV ||

⏭ 12 noon ️⏭️

Why can't I just forget him?

"Y/n you really have to move on."
Remember Sophie? My co-worker and friend? Yeah. She said that. I asked help from her. But I heard that line way too many times. Even from myself.

"But howw"
I plopped down on my bed. I just came home from Taehyung's studio and called Sophie. Cause I really have a big problem.

"Simple, find a new guy."
"well, I never thought about that idea. But no thanks, not interested."
"but y/nn" she sat beside me. "how can you move on if you don't try? One try won't bite!"
"Won't bite?! Sophie, meeting a stranger and use him to move on?! Nu-uh. I'm not a user, Sophie."
"I didn't say you use him to move on. What I'm trying to say is that find someone AND forget him. Not 'find someone TO forget him'. Get it? Those are two different things."
"Well if I do find someone else, he'll come by chance, not by friend. Those are two different things." I say, repeating her words.

She looked at me with a poker face. She looks like she was about to give up. "Fine then, among your guy friends, or acquaintance or whatever, except this Taehyung guy of course, have you ever got attracted even for just a little while?"
I scoffed. "Are we playing 'have you ever'?"

"Just answer the damn question."
"Whoa! Ok, chill girl! Hmm" I sat up and tapped my chin with my finger.
"..actually there is someone..."
"Who?"
I looked at her and smiled apologetically.
"I just bumped into him in the mall and I didn't get the chance to ask his name"
"Oh my God, you really are hopeless, y/n"
"Fine! I'll try finding this guy, if I don't then I won't try to find someone else. I'm sure I'll be tired"
"Finally!"
I chuckled.

⏭ December 28 ️⏭️

Two days from now, it's Taehyung's birthday.
I'm currently switching channels in my television while thinking of what I could give him on his birthday.

My message tone rang. I looked at it.

Taelien🙄👽💕:
Yah y/n it's almost my birthday. I'm expecting~~~

I laughed at his message.
Me:
Heol. I already gave your gift!

Taelien🙄👽💕:
I'm not expecting for a gift, pabo

Me:
Eh? Then what?

Taelien🙄👽💕:
I'll have a party in a hot spring resort. You should come, ok? Bring your brother and his fiance too.

Me:
I'll surely come. But are you sure with MinHye coming too?

Taelien🙄👽💕:
Of course! They say face your fears right? Plus, it will be rude if I don't invite them.

Me:
Touche

Taelien🙄👽💕:
oki, bye now!

Me:
Bye

I shut my phone off. I stared at the air.

So now I know that he's not expecting for any gifts. But, what kind of best friend am I to not give him one? The question is, what gift should I give?

I thought deeply. "AH!💡"
I quickly ran to my bedroom and grabbed the box from the top of my cabinet-closet. I opened it and revealed my grandma's jewelry box.

I remembered there is one bracelet my grandma told me that she gave to grandpa. She gave it to me and told me to give it to the guy I love. Whether he knows it or not.
I found it cheesy before. But as I look at it again, I find it sentimentally cheesy.

I smiled and put it in a small box.

After that, I've got nothing to do so I just walked to the park.

I reached the park and saw a few people. Some with their family, some were studying students, some were cute old couples, some were walking in solo just like what I'm doing now. The cold air hit my face at the same time, I hit someone as well.
"Oh sorry!" I looked at the girl. She was on the ground, groaning. I quickly helped her stand up. "sorry sorry! Mianheyo!"
"i-it's fine" I looked at her. She had long hair and makeup. She was wearing a skirt in this cold weather. Nu-uh, she's not my vibe.
"I'm really sorry miss"
"It's fine. Say, can we be friends? My name's RaeIn.(래인)"

All of a sudden?

"umm mine's y/n" I awkwardly accepted her handshake.
"oh, you might be creeped out. I'm just new here in town so I wanted to know a few people here."
"oh I get it now. So, since when did you arrive here?"
We started walking together.
"Christmas. My parents wanted me to live independently so as a Christmas gift, they bought me a house."
"How old are you?"
"23, will turn 24 two days from now."
"REALLY?!"
She nodded. "why?"
"it'll be my best friend's birthday too at that day."
"Really? Cool! Can I meet this birthday buddy of mine?"
"he's currently at work so we can meet him at... " I looked at my wrist watch. "...3 pm"
"Long time. But I want to get to know you first, can we eat somewhere?"
"I've nothing to do anyway."
"Great!"

I led her to Taehyung's cafe. "This is the cafe of my best friend."
"whoaa" she seems mesmerized by the classical design of their cafe. We went to the cashier. "What do you want, RaeIn?"
"Hmm hot chocolate drink."
I turned to the part-timer teenager. "One chocolate drink and the usual, please."
She typed on her cashier-thing monitor and showed the price. "It'll be 5000 won."
I gave her the exact amount and RaeIn and I sat the table by the window.

We chat for a little while until our order came. It's still morning so we decided to just meet up at 3 in the same cafe. We separated ways.

It still feels lonely in my apartment so I walked back to the park. The number of people are decreasing.

I sat on a bench and thought about what Sophie told me.

She's right, I don't want to be hopeless forever . However, I have to like the person, I don't want to force myself. But will I ever like someone else other than him? Argh!

I sighed. I got startled when I heard a dropping sound followed by cursing. I looked to my left. A guy was reaching down for his fallen laptop.
He slightly opened it and peeked, he then touched his chest and sighed in relief.
He seems familiar, though..

He looked around. He faced my direction and our eyes met. He started walking to my place.
Oh, he's the guy I bumped into in the mall.

"Hi, may I sit here?" he asked gently.
"Of course"
He smiled and sat. He opened his laptop and started typing. His laptop screen already has a crack. I looked back at him, did he notice the crack?

"Miss, please stop staring, I want to focus" he said. I quickly looked away and blushed out of embarrassment. He suddenly laughed. "I was just kidding!"
I smiled at him awkwardly. My stomach growled. Must be lunch.

I stood up and walked away.
"Wait!" I turned around.
"why?"
He ran to me with his laptop.
"uhh" he seems like he's finding something in his mind.
"Ah! Please fill this up..." he clicked a few times in his laptop and showed it to me.
"what's this for?"
"our company is conducting a research on the trend fashion today."
"what company?"
"Designs&Hues"
"ok. So I'll just fill up first?"
"yeah, and we'll contact you if the questionnaire is ready."
I finished filling up and showed it to him.
"ok then, I need to be going now, bye!"
"Bye and thank you!"

|| ???'s POV ||

Finally I got her number. It sounds weird but something about her interests me. I shook it away. Hmm so her name is y/n..