Are we friends yet?

Scooter vs Dog

Have you ever listened to your friend telling a story, over your favourite drink while listening to the music that both of you like? Or in the middle of a mess because you suddenly remember that your deadlines are due at midnight but it seems that you're the only person that your friend believes to be the best listener? Or worse you believe that your friend will tell a story that will awaken your curiosity only to find that they just repeat that same story you've heard the other time?

Looking back, it happened to me. It was boring to listen to the same story all over again, until I have my own story that I want it to leave my mouth, finding more listeners, telling the world that I can't keep it for myself.
It is a story when I was a teenager who loved going to school, not that because I was studious, I was simply motivated to finish school fast. People would call me a clueless teenager, but I had plans.

Of course, sending me to school was for the education purpose. My parents had their own plans- they had their own agendas for me which I didn't really understand.

This is how it began.

I was in my early days in high school when I met this girl, Kang Miyeon.
That fateful day of the leadership camp brought me to a friendship with her. She was a mix of intelligent and independent. It could be intimidating until you found out that she was lazy.
A year of friendship, my sister called us crazy, but of course she would never say it to Miyeon's face. As much as she's my sister, she was our teacher at school-a good teacher wouldn't say a bad word, I believed that was her motto although I was sure that she cursed while texting with her clique from college. To others' eyes, we were probably crazy, some people might've labeled us dumb and dumber, but I could say that it actually depended on how they saw us.

One day, Miyeon and I might be too confident to speak in our broken English, thinking that the object of our conversation a.k.a the cool guy in a red jacket didn't master the language only to find out the following morning that the guy comprehended each syllable which we muttered well because he was a new student teacher at our school, teaching English.

I also had other embarrassing encounters with Miyeon; just like when a food vendor thought we were penniless who couldn't afford some Chinese meals, because we kept asking the price instead of choosing the menu. And the list was bottomless.
Miyeon was a friend who wasn't ashamed to be seen in an embarrassing situation with me; no matter how embarrassing it was. Just like when I suggested stopping and taking some pictures by a truck that oddly interested me.

"Hurry up!" Miyeon commanded, starting to worry if the owner of vehicle appeared, being judged was sometimes unnecessary and I understood.

"1-2-3!" I said as I let another memory of our friendship stored in Miyeon's phone. "Where to go?" I asked as I jumped off the truck.

I pretended that nothing happened when the passers-by looked at us with a judging look.

Without answering, Miyeon positioned herself on her brother's scooter. She beckoned me to get on and I was still clueless where we were heading off. Around two minutes of ride and we reached a house. I got off and walked to the gates. I remember asking whose house it was, but she answered with silence.

We stood by the gates and when an unknown lady came to see us, my curiosity grew wild.

"Excuse me; we're Kim Myungsoo's friends. We'd like to-" Miyeon stopped when I jogged to the scooter, attempting myself to escape the situation. I heard Miyeon apologised to the lady before she caught up.

I rode the scooter in a speed record. It was my third time riding scooter, or motorcycle in general, the first and the second time I did were when I practised it with my father.

"Dammit! Are you crazy?" I reacted once we were a block away.

"Relax, Madam."

"Of all places, why did you bring me to him?"

"Because we need the friendship back because- why stop?" The reason that she wanted me to hear was interrupted. And an answer that she needed me to tell didn't leave my mouth. Instead, I let her see the terror in front of us-a dog. Then, I heard, "It's so cute. Where's the owner?"

I didn't care.

My initial plan was to turn around, but the dog ran approaching us. And I wasn't a pro rider that a sudden U-turn wasn't an option, so with all hopes that I forced to my belief, I chose my exit plan by riding fast and far, but my nervousness because of the dog didn't help. I lost control, smashing me, myself and my best friend to an SUV parked in that area. The dog was barking, not as loud as the alarm that was blaring like a raging scream because of what I did.

In a split second, something could happen. And I couldn't believe what had just happened.

I was thankful for my parents sending me to school that led me to connect a string of fate to a friend like Miyeon. But I didn't know if I had to be thankful that afternoon after I saw the fear in Miyeon's eyes for the severe mess that I caused. Her head was probably playing some awful scenarios that she would face when later her brother questioned her about the scooter. I decided to avoid her eyes only to find the other damages which I made on the body of the black SUV.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought you to Myungsoo." Her voice was small, full of regrets.

"No. It's not your fault. I'm aware that I should talk to my friend again."

"But it wouldn't have happened if-"

"It wouldn't have happened if I'm not afraid of dogs."

"What?! You're afraid of dogs?"

I nodded, peeling me, myself from the layers that had been keeping the secret that I thought would've never been shared. And the first time the secret escaped my lips, I didn't know that it would change my life in so many ways.