| Kim Minjeong
We've been working for three hours straight already.
Yuji kept insisting that she would help, despite my resistance. She said she would only accept my treat after we finished working here in the Cafe, so I gave up and let her do what she wanted.
She has been serving a lot of customers, while I'm here behind the counter, taking their orders.
I would be lying if I say that she's not a big help here in my work, because to be honest, she is. Aside from her beauty which obviously attracts a lot of customers, she has been walking around the whole cafe just to serve them. I think some of my waiters and waitresses are already resting since she's doing their job so well.
She really fits here, should I hire her?
I chuckled at that thought.
I don't know what came inside her mind that she just decided to hang out with me again. We were together yesterday, and we just saw each other earlier, yet she looks so eager to be with me.
Should I be happy about that?
Maybe yes, maybe not.
My decision was already made. I was planning to avoid her completely. Yet here she is, and here I am, stuck in the same place. I honestly don't know what I'm gonna do anymore.
How can I get rid of my feelings for her?
I feel trapped. Trapped between her and Aeri. Trapped inside this messy situation that I keep running away from.
But I just can't seem to escape. I always end up in the middle.
I want to be with her, so bad. I want to hold her hand and tell her how much I like her.
But there's the rejection, there's the fact that Yuji wouldn't like me back.
There's the hesitation, the fear that I can't give everything that she deserves.
And there's Aeri, there's my best friend. I don't want to lose her.
I'm stuck pretending that I like someone else just to make her believe that everything is okay. I honestly feel so bad dragging Ningning into this.
What's worse, is that Ning doesn't know anything about what's happening. She's probably still confused as to why I did that.
But I can't tell her. Not yet, at least.
"Yuji." I called her. She's talking to some guys at the table who are obviously flirting with her. I can tell that she wants to leave them, but I know she doesn't want to disappoint anyone.
She looked at me, and I swear I saw the relief in her eyes when she heard me calling her.
That bad, huh?
"Go to my office, you can already take a break." I smiled at her.
"But she's serving us." One guy from the table interrupted us.
I tried to hide my frown.
"Mark!" I called one of my staff. Mark immediately approached me.
"Yes, boss?"
"Please serve the customers here."
"No problem, boss!"
"Come on, Yuji." I held Yuji's wrist and dragged her gently towards the office.
"You're sweaty." I muttered as soon as we got inside.
She smiled at me. "It's fine. Do you have a towel?"
I nodded and took a white towel from my drawer. She's already sitting on the couch when I look back at her, drinking water from the bottle.
Her sweat is already dripping, and I had no choice but to wipe her sweat myself.
Not that I don't want to.
"Thank you."
"No, Thank you." I said to her. "Thank you for helping us today."
"No, I really want to thank you." She smiled. "You have no idea how much you've helped me today."
Help?
My eyebrows furrowed.
I didn't do anything.
I looked back at her when I heard her chuckle.
"I know you're confused." She stopped my hand from wiping her sweat. "Do you wanna hear why?"
I just nodded. I don't know what to say.
She pulled me to the couch, making me sit down beside her. We're so close to each other, I can feel our shoulders touching.
"This day…" She trailed off. "Was the same day when my parents died."
My eyes widened.
"Then what are you—"
"They died because of a plane crash. I was left alone. I felt so alone that day." She glanced at me. "And I don't want to feel alone whenever this day comes. It just reminds me of them."
I didn't speak.
"That's why I'm thanking you. Because I don't feel alone today. I feel happy, even. Thank you for making this day bearable."
"Why are you smiling?"
"Huh?"
"Why are you smiling even when your eyes scream sadness?" I asked her straightforwardly.
She looked taken aback by my question. But she immediately gave me an answer.
"Someone told me to smile because I look beautiful in it." She chuckled.
"That's it?" I asked. "Who told you that?"
"You."
Huh?
"Me?"
"Yes," She pointed at me. "You."
I just stared at her.
What is she saying?
My confusion quickly disappeared when I saw her laugh. I frowned at her.
Is she playing with me?
"Sorry, sorry." She muttered while stifling her laugh. "You just look so adorable when you're thinking hard."
"…Well then, thanks to my adorable face?"
I sighed.
At least she's happy now.
I don't want to see those sad eyes again.
"Just wait here." I said and stood up from my seat.
I was about to leave the office when I heard her voice.
"Where are you going?"
"Getting ice cream." I answered, looking back at her. "I'll treat you ice cream."
"Why?"
I just stood there in silence, before shrugging. "Ice cream makes people happy."
I saw her smile at me again. A wide, genuine smile that made me smile back at her too.
I left the office wearing the smile that she made me do.
Parents, huh.
The funny thing is, that story was so familiar to me.
So, so familiar.
____
I thought everything would be okay. I really thought it would be.
But it didn't.
I think it actually became worse.
Ryujin texted me yesterday, after Yuji drove me home. I felt happy, even though I shouldn't.
I was with Yuji, why wouldn't I be happy?
But that happiness didn't last long because as soon as I saw Ryujin's message to me, I was filled with nervousness.
And fear.
Ryujin: Minjeong, I have to tell you something.
Minjeong: What is it?
Ryujin: Aeri and I went out earlier and we saw you. Aeri saw you.
The text wasn't explained that much. But at that moment, I just knew that everything would go bad.
Aeri saw me, which means she saw Yuji with me. She saw us together.
I didn't know how. Did she see me in the cafe? Did she see me going out of Yuji's car? Did she follow us?
I didn't reply to Ryujin's text.
I was thinking all night.
Morning came, and I saw Yuji again. She drove to my house.
She said she wanted us to go to school together.
I didn't think it was a great idea, but I also don't want to leave Yuji.
I was dumb at that part.
Because it just made everything much worse when we arrived at the school. Aeri and the others were waiting for us. She saw us together. Again.
I don't know what to feel with that stare of hers.
She looked confused, hurt, betrayed.
And Yuji is happy, she looks extra happy today.
And for the first time, I acknowledged it.
For the first time, I am acknowledging the fact that it was because of me. Why Yuji is happy, why Yuji is smiling like that.
But it was also because of me as to why Aeri is feeling like that.
This is such a mess.
"So uhm, should we order now or…" Yuna looked at us one by one.
It's lunch break again. Which means, we're complete again.
Yuji and her friends, me and my friends.
But everything feels so different. Bad different.
"I-I'll go with you," Jisu looked at us. "Your orders, guys?"
I could tell that she's feeling the tension too. We're all feeling it.
Aeri is unusually quiet. As well as Ryujin, because she knows what's happening.
No one is making a noise.
"Can you take all the orders by yourselves? I'll go with you guys." Yuji stood up from her seat and looked at me. "What's your order, Mindoongie?"
I could feel Aeri's stare at us.
I cleared my throat.
"Lasagna."
"Sandwich."
I looked at Aeri.
"Sandwich is my order." She said it again. She's looking at Yuna and Jisu, but I noticed her taking a few glances at Yuji.
I shrinked on my seat. I saw Ryujin giving me a worried look.
"Lasagna, sandwich…" Yuji looked at the others. "How about you guys?"
I don't want to hear anything after that.
I blocked every voice and just stared at Aeri.
I want her to look at me, and tell me what she's feeling out loud.
But she isn't looking at my side anymore. I know she's avoiding it.
I was about to speak to her when I felt the sudden coldness against my cheek. I flinched and backed away.
"Sorry," I looked up, seeing Yuji standing behind me, holding a tomato juice in her hand. "Here."
I slowly took the juice from her hand.
I can feel everyone staring at us.
"T-thank you."
She smiled.
"I'll be back with the lasagna."
She then walks away, while my eyes are following her.
"Are you two together?"
I froze. As well as everyone who's sitting at this table.
I slowly looked at Aeri.
"Are you two together, Minjeong?"
Her blank stare is making me so nervous. But I know I have to speak.
"N-no." I shook my head. "No, we're not."
"Good."
She smiled at me. A lip-tight smile, far from the wide smile she used to give me.
"I don't want to hate you, Minjeongie."
I don't want it either. I really don't.
But I just know, I am so sure…
That you already do, Aeri.