난 니가 너무 좋은데 어떻게 그럴 수 있어?
I like you a lot, how can I do that then?
"Aeri-ya. Hi!" Young Ran named her the second she stepped her feet on their dorm. The cheer in her voice sounded stiff. "Oh? Eonni, you came early. Is So Bin eonni home?" Different from Young Ran's face, a wide smile spread on Aeri's lips.
"Eo, she's in the shower... Aeri-ya—" Young Ran's voice sounded hesitant and was cut off before a notification rang from Aeri's phone.
Two lines popped up on the bridge of Aeri's eyebrows, staring at her phone screen with her mouth slightly open and facing her phone screen in front of Young Ran's face. "Eonni."
Young Ran's face turned to confusion, pitching her eyes through the screen before copying Aeri's act, and a click of the bathroom door was heard. The door opened revealing So Bin with wet hair and a towel hanging on her shoulders.
They shifted her head toward her immediately, catching the confused So Bin, and sitting the girl at her makeup table. "What's going on? Did I do something wrong?"
"Hardly. The leading lady can do no wrong." Young Ran faked her act while Aeri quickly dropped her bag and pulled a hair dryer on her chest. "Would you prefer cold air? Just say so."
"What's this about?" So Bin knitted her eyebrows about to pull up from her seat before Young Ran stopped her by her shoulder. "You're the leading lady in the Opera-air Theater Battle." Her words confused So Bin even more as Aeri grinned her cheeky smile. "The Opera-air Theater Battle."
"Two guys fought over you at the theater. Yeo Jun and another loud guy He was so loud that everyone passing hear him." Aeri said with a grin, putting back the hair dryer and plopping her body on the chair next to her.
"Oh, no. I'm humiliated! Hong Chan-ki!" So Bin whined in frustration, hiding her scrunched-up face in her palms. "I know you and Yeo Jun are into each other but—Wow...I just—Wow." Aeri's eyes twinkled with a teasing smile.
"I should've known when he came running over here. I'm such an idiot." Young Ran said blankly and faking hit her head side with her fist rapidly, causing Aeri immediately stop her act. "Ah! Eonni, don't!—But, did I miss something? Yeo Jun-i, he even ran over here? When?" She whimpered with a frown at Young Ran as she nodded at the girl.
"You know- The night when you're not home. The one that accompanied your closest oppa at the hospital, you remember?-But what's important is no, I mean—That's not the case, so stop teasing me." So Bin bumbled her explanation and excuse as Aeri nodded lifting her face, showing her cheeky smile once more while Young Ran seemed to deep in her thought, gluing her eyes at the girl. "The closest oppa? Nam Soo Hyun?"
The three hid their body under their blanket after stopping from teasing So Bin, their eyes glued to the ceiling. "I misunderstood the situation and hurt him. What do I do?" So Bin said in a weak voice.
"Is a vitamin drink the only thing I can give him?" Now Young Ran turned to imitate So Bin's voice. "I have his heart but why can't we be?" Aeri also said in a weak voice, slicing a little wound in Young Ran's heart without her knowing.
"I announced that our friendship was over. How do I take it back?" They turn back to So Bin. "Is this my cue to give up on him?" Then back to Young Ran. "All I can do is wait until he really comes, right?" Aeri took a deep breath and exhaled her trembling breath before facing her back at them and drifting to dreamland.
"Why should it be you, Aeri-ya? What do I do now?" Young Ran thought, locking her gaze on the sleeping girl with complicated feelings.
***
The Group Meeting.
So Bin got Yeo Jun back into the group. Aeri's eyes stuck on Soo Hyun's face, feeling the tight atmosphere between Soo Hyun dan Yeo Jun, they have trapped her and So Bin in between.
"I guess I'm useful in a way." Yeo Jun started the quarrel with a sullen face as Aeri and So Bin sighed at the same time. "You should get the right credit for your work, so don't let it get personal. You carried your weight." Soo Hyun said in a flat tone, sticking his eyes to a paper in his hands. "I didn't think it was personal."
"Ige mwoya? Bulman isseumyeon, najunge duri ttareo yaegihamyeon andwaeyo? (What is it? If there's a problem, can't the two of you talk about it later?)" Aeri said in a delicate voice, flickering her eyes to Soo Hyun and Yeo Jun.
"Not even us four can get on the same page..." So Bin sighed with a tired look, rummaging her bag, and pulled out her wallet. "Kopi jom sa olkkeyo. (I'll get us some coffee.)" She stood up from her seat, earning Yeo Jun's attention. "Let me—"
"Ani, sum maghyeoseo geurae, naega danyeo olkke. (No, I need some air, so let me do it.)" So Bin cut him off quickly with a frustrated face.
"Eonni, nado gatchi gado dwae? Nado sum maghyeoseo. (Eonni, can I go with you? I'm suffocating too.)" Aeri also up to her feet, begging her with her eyes, shifted her gaze at the two boys.
"Duri jigeumirado yaegihaedo dwae. (You two can talk now.)" Her heavy voice caused Soo Hyun to shove his gaze from the paper to her and sighed.
After the two girls went out, a beat of silence came between them. "You did a good job. I doubt it would've been easy." Soo Hyun cleared his throat before saying without offense. "It is for me. I'm not you, remember?" Yeo Jun said bluntly without taking his eyes off his phone.
"Nothing in this world is easy." Soo Hyun said in a flat tone, shoving back his gaze on the paper. "All I ever did was bother you, so I'm glad I could be of help. I guess I did well." Yeo Jun said with a light grin.
"Doumi andwaedo mothaedo gwaenchanha... (You didn't have to do a good job or be of help...)" The words that came out from Soo Hyun's mouth finally took back Yeo Jun, slowly raising his gaze at Soo Hyun's side profile. "...Yakseogeun jikyeotjanha (...At least you kept your promise.)" Soo Hyun opened his voice after a few seconds of silence.
"Ansoga ijeneun. (I won't be fooled anymore.)" Not getting used to Soo Hyun's soft words, Yeo Jun sneered awkwardly. Soo Hyun took a deep breath and snorted softly before slowly shifting his eyes to him, causing Yeo Jun to blink rapidly tensing more awkwardly.
"Anyway, don't mind me. I won't get in your way again... and about Aeri... I understand what you mean. So as a friend, I trust her with you."
Soo Hyun remained his gaze on him for seconds before smirking faintly. "About her. I don't need your permission." Aeri walked in beside So Bin with four coffee in her hand, she halted her footstep when she heard him. "Her? Who?"
"Mwohae? Anja. (What are you doing? Take a seat.)" Soo Hyun sensed a stare behind him and whirled to the frozen girl. "Eo?— Ah. Yeogi oppa geo. (Eo? Ah. Here oppa.)" Aeri stuttered handing his coffee and struggled back to her seat with her eyes locked on his flushed look as the others stared at her with wide eyes.
"Aeri-ya... Did you just... call Sunbae oppa?" So Bin asked her with a teased grin. "W-What? When did I do that?" Aeri muttered in a frantic voice, eyes widening, and shifted her head at So Bin. "You just did. Like a minute ago." So Bin lifted her eyebrows, a grin still painted on her face.
"What are you saying? You must have heard it wrong." Aeri sipped her coffee with a blush stain on her cheeks as Soo Hyun tried to hide his smile and Yeo Jun chuckled.
"Aninde... Jaldeurossneunde. (No...I heard it clearly.)" So Bin teased the flustered girl, poking her side causing Aeri to whine and giggle. "Please, stop."
Soo Hyun locked his loving gaze on the giggling girl, feeling his heartbeat rhythm with the sound of her giggle. "You got me again, don't you?"
"Stop it you two. Let's start the meeting." Yeo Jun chuckled, his eyes twinkling at them, feeling a heartfelt mood around him before the girls nodded and they started the meeting.
***
3 Days Later.
The Last Meeting.
Yeo Jun and So Bin discussed a bit about the assignment while Aeri bit her lips in worry before taking out her phone from the pocket of her jeans and her finger tapping busily. Soo Hyun Oppa.
Sunbae, where are you?
"Sunbae's not one to run late, there's not a problem, didn't he?" Aeri said with an uneasy voice as the others turned their attention to her. "Don't worry, maybe he's sick of someone here." Yeo Jun said bluntly, looking back through the papers in his hand.
"Me? Did I get on his nerves? But I've been working hard." So Bin snapped panicking, her hand busily checking the assignment files before Aeri also snapped her head when they heard rushing footsteps walk in toward them.
"Sunbae!" Soo Hyun came into her sight with his navy flannel shirt. His appearance slowly soothed her worry and a sigh of relief came out from her lips.
"I'm sorry for being late." Without him realizing it, he caressed her hair for a second when he noticed her worried look and smile before taking the empty seat next to her without taking off each other eyes.
"You're here. The one who's never late." Yeo Jun said in a sarcastic tone. "Musseun il isseussingeon anijyo? (Nothing's up, is it?)" Aeri's honey voice filled with worried.
"Eobseo. Jinjjaya, geogjeong hajima. (No. Really, please don't worry.)" His shady eyes stared deep into her brown ones, assuring her as the girl nodded with a faint smile before he turned to So Bin. "So who should do the presentation?"
"Could you... do it?" She said with a doubting face. "How about you do it as the team leader?" Soo Hyun asked her simply. "Maybe I should do it." Yeo Joon said quickly. "Here we go again," Aeri muttered under her breath.
"Go ahead if you can."
"It's not like I can't, tell him that being a freshman could lead to issues though." Yeo Jun shifted to Aeri, squinting his eyes.
"A freshman took a class that's meant for third years, so tell him that he shouldn't purposely be a nuisance." Soo Hyun also turned to her with a sarcastic look as the girl gazed at them lazily while So Bin's eyes moved to them every time the boys opened their mouths.
"Please ask him to tell me in five Ws and one H, what I should do to not make myself a nuisance." Yeo Jun said in a rush. "Duri mwo hajaneun geonde? (What are you two doing?)" Aeri rolled her eyes and said with an annoyed tone as they shut their mouth and So Bin opened her voice. "Guys, don't be this way. I'd do it if I could but—"
"Then I'll do it." Soo Hyun yielded with a sigh. "He won't be satisfied unless he does it, so ask him why he suggested otherwise." Again, Yeo Jun turned to Aeri for another round of their banter followed by Soo Hyun. "Please tell him to stop this childish banter-"
"Ugh! Come on! I'm going to die of frustration, really." Aeri raised her voice a bit, startling everyone before snatching her bag and standing on her feet.
"Eonni, Yeo Jun. I'll get going. Sunbae, you came with me." She shot her glimpse at Soo Hyun before going out. Soo Hyun quickly took his bag and chased her.
"Aeri-ya— Ya. Yoon Aeri—" Soo Hyun chased her pace when they near the fountain but Aeri didn't even stop. He quickly took steps closer to her and laced her hand.
"Sunbae, what are you doing? Many people are watching us here." Aeri finally stopped and struggled with his hand, but a ring of his phone held him to answer her. He took it out from his jeans pocket and held it up to his ear without letting go of her hand.
Aeri's eyes wandered around restlessly, tapping their hand but he glimpsed at her while dragging her, they walk hand in hand as the girl stared at him with a silent thought. "What's this? Why is he so careless?"
She came to her sense when his serious look came to her sight. "Me? May I ask why?" He said carefully and seconds later he stopped their steps.
He faced the girl with a confused look before gently pulling her to the bench at the back of the building, hiding from everyone's sight. "Sunbae, what's wrong?"
He hung the call, glanced at her, and opened the campus community site. Myungil University School Cafeteria Wrongful termination.
[He gave me an excuse to fire him at the perfect timing. Yes. I fired him. He wanted me to let him sleep in the lounge.]
Tears struggled in her eyelids when every single word from the old man on the video welcomed her ears. "Geuraeseo geu gabang. (That's why you carried the bag.)" Her whisper snapped his eyes at her.
"Aeri-ya." He put down his phone and held her cheek when he notice the look on her face and called her in a whisper while the girl lowered her head letting the tears drip to her lap, bit her lips, trying not to sob.
At this moment, the girl in front of him is more important than anything.
"Hey, look at me. It's okay. I'm okay." He said softly, peeking into her face while caressing her cheek. "You said you were going put up this damn world with me—" Her sob choked and a heavy sigh came out through her mouth.
"I am. All my wanderings are eventually heading to you, but I'm not enough for you. I only received from you, but I didn't give anything to you— Your touch, your warmth, even your existence." The sadness in his voice now hurt her heart.
"It's just not fair. I know how is your heart but— I can't even reach you. I couldn't even ask, so I just waited for what I could do... Because I don't have the right. If I do that, I'm afraid you'll feel burdened, I'm afraid you'll get farther away." She sobbed in a whisper and threw out her rant without breathing.
"I also received from you. Do you know how much I'm glad to eat with you every lunch or dinner, talking to you at the end of this exhausting day?— Every time I meet you, I'm okay even if it's just for one minute. I'm happy because of you." She resumed with a shaking voice, gripping the hand on her cheek.
"Me too. I am so grateful for how much you made me laugh and made my heart flutter... Aeri-ya...You already have my heart. I can't even let go of you. Nan niga neomu joheunde eotteohge geureol su isseo? (I like you a lot, how can I do that then?)" He reached his breaking point, swallowing hard all of his problems. His teary eyes glued deeper into hers, squeezing softly her wet cheek.
"When I was with you, my heart beat very fast and it hurt. Nado sunbaereul manhi johahae. Igeoman arajwo. (I like you too, a lot. I just want you to know it.)" Don't care about her pride, she threw herself into his life, confessing her feeling to him with a red face.
She then closed her eyes when a soft touch met her forehead and down to her puffy eyes in turn. Soo Hyun lingered his lips on her eye for a moment before letting it go and his glassing eyes stared into hers.
"Ilnyeon, myeot nyeondo anin myeot dalman mannassneunde wae ileohge nae maeumeul heundeuneun geoji? (We've only met for a few months, not a year or years, but why are you shaking my heart so much?)..." He chuckled quietly and gave her hand a soft squeeze before continuing.
"...You came into my meaningless daily life, and when I look at your smile, I become happy for no reason. In the meantime, all my hearts are melting." He said softly in a low voice, cupping her cheeks with both hands and wiping her tears as Aeri stared at him with an endlessly fluttering heart, waiting for him to continue.
"Now that we know each other's hearts and everything is clear, let's take it slow, can we?" He smiled with his hand tugging her hair behind her ears.
"Geureom, urineun?... (So, are we?...)" She squeezed his hand with her shaking one and asked him quietly with a blush. If there was anything above the clouds, it was this moment.
"Eo. Yoon Aeri. Neon jigeumbuteo nae yeojada. (Eo. Yoon Aeri. From now on, you're my girl.)" He gave her a warm assuring smile and his lips touched her forehead once again.
Under the same sky, with the same heart, finally, they can say the same word now.
I like you
a lot.
-TBC-