Three days. Anton has been ignoring me for three days now. He left immediately after he dropped me off at Rina's house so we really didn't have enough chance to talk.
I don't even remember what he looked like when I confessed to him three days ago, since I was too shy to even steal a glance.
Today was my brother's first football match for this year, and yet I still haven't seen Anton. He was always so supportive of Sungchan and vice versa with Sungchan always supporting Anton with his cello and swimming competitions, so I don't know why he's suddenly not showing up.
"Girl, I swear to god I am going to kill him after the game," I heard Rina muttering under her breath, and despite looking annoyed, she still looks so pretty.
"What the problem?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Anton's bringing Min Jeong. My ex slash his cousin," Rina answered, before showing me their convo where Anton sent her a selfie together with a pretty girl with short hair.
So that's the ex girlfriend? She's so pretty! She's like a living ghibli character.
Damn. Now I feel really guilty, because I'm not updated with Rina's love life at all.
"I'm sorry for being such a bad friend, Rina." I whispered, but I was shocked when Rina poked my cheek instead.
"You're not. It's my fault for not telling you anything. I was scared you'll find me weird," she explained, making me shook my head.
"I would never, Rina. Look, I might be straight, but I don't judge. I love you for who you are," I told her, hoping that she would never hesitate to tell me anything ever again.
"Might? So there's a chance you're not a hundred percent sure you're straight?" she teased, making me laugh before hitting her playfully.
"Hey, is it alright to invite Anton's cousin for our hang out later? We can't leave her alone," Jiwoo asked, and we all agreed to her suggestion.
"Time to see who's the superior cousin!" Dohee cheered, making all of us laugh at her sudden enthusiasm.
"It's starting!" someone from the crowd screamed, and we're all back to focusing on the field and the players.
My brother really shines whenever he's on the field. You can see that he really loves football. No wonder he has lots of offers from different universities way back when we were still in high school. He's even got an athlete scholarship for playing football.
"Go Jung Sungchan!" I cheered when he scored a goal, and right on time, I felt someone sitting beside me.
I looked at my left, and to my surprise, it was Anton.
Rina and Min Jeong were now sitting beside each other, so we all looked at them teasingly, but Rina just showed us her middle finger.
"Hey," I greeted first to this guy beside me, who has been ignoring me and has been MIA ever since I confessed that I like him.
I can't believe that I might have wrecked our friendship of 7 years just because of this stupid feelings of mine. I also hope that after he rejects me, he'll still offer to be friends. Because, I don't think I can stop being his friend, knowing that we're in the same circle after all.
"Hey," Anton greeted back, and I was quick to notice how he wasn't his usual self. He looked more tense and awkward. Around me. Is this how I look like whenever I talk to him? It's annoying. Fuck it, I did mess up. And it just had to be the worst thing that I have ever messed up.
I ruined my friendship with Anton just because I had the strong urge to confess last night during our drive to Rina's place. I wanted to hit myself again and again. I was able to hold it in for seven years, what in the world just made me suddenly confess when I knew darn well it won't end well?
The game ended, and Sungchan's team won. So, of course there'd be an after party. I was thinking whether to go or not go, since I am still ashamed for what I just did last night. My friends aren't even aware, because I'm scared they might judge me for moving too fast withought having any concrete plan on what I would be doing after the confession.
I let out a deep sigh, before telling my girl friends that I'll be going first and I even made up an excuse, saying that my mom needed my help for something.
"Awe, but parties are way better when drunk Yumi is present," Dohee told me while pouting, making me act like I was going to throw up in front of her. That earned me a slap from Dohee.
"I am not gonna get drunk any time soon. Anyway, I'll be going." I waved at my friends, and when I was finally away from the crowd, relief washed over me.
It was still a bit early, so I wasn't scared to ride the train alone. But, I was shocked because while walking alone, I felt someone suddenly tapping my shoulder.
I screamed.
"Hey, it's just me. Relax," the person who tapped my shoulder said, and when I realized that it was a person I know, I relaxed.
"I didn't even hear you walking behind me!" I exclaimed, still a bit terrified. Causing Anton to say he's sorry and that he won't do it again.
"Why are you here?" I can't help but ask. He's been avoiding me for days, and suddenly, he's approaching me.
"I won't be attending the after party, and I brought my car with me. I'll be going home alone since my cousin's staying at Rina's. So, wanna ride with me back home?" he asked, and he looks so adorable since he looked shy and awkward while asking, so of course, I accepted his offer.
* * *
The ride was too quiet. I was just glad that our house wasn't that far from our university. I can't help but compare our ride last night. If only I kept my mouth shut, then maybe, this could've been a great ride home too.
The gloomy music playing wasn't even helping at all. I wanted to talk, to ask him why he suddenly ignored me the past few days, but of course, I can't do that. I was already too shy to even say a single word in front of him.
And I'm afraid that if I brought it up again, he might reject me.
We reached my house without the both of us talking. But, something in me was pushing that we needed to talk tonight. Or else I'll go crazy overthinking things.
"Anton, do you wanna go inside for a bit? I'm sure my mom missed you," I asked, and I was so glad when he smiled and nodded. Thank god, because I might actually cry myself to sleep if he rejects my offer.
We went inside, and I was shocked to see my parents dancing in front of the TV in the living room. A Sunday Kind of Love by Etta James was playing, and I almost ran outside again after seeing such scene in front of me.
My parents, despite married for so many years now, have never stopped being sweet with each other. And it doesn't help that I always see them acting like gen z couples when I'm single myself.
"Ma, Pa, enough. We have a visitor." I told them, before opening all the lights, causing my parents to laugh before greeting Anton, who doesn't seem too fazed from the situation. He must be used to it, knowing that even his parents are as sweet as my parents.
"Anton! How are you?" My father asked Anton, so I left them first in the living room, before dragging my mother to the dining room to ask her what to do next since I'm stuck in a situation where I don't know where the exit is.
"Oh no, your father finished the pie I baked earlier. Are fruits enough for Anton? I should go and peel some," my mother worried a loud, making me roll my eyes. If Sungchan was here, he'd be fast enough to tell my mother not to eat fruits at night.
"Ma. Listen, I confessed to Anton. And I don't know what to do next."
"You confessed? Oh my gosh! This is great news! I can't believe you were able to do it! I'm so proud of you!" My mom cheered, even hugging me as if this was my life's most amazing achievement.
"Ma, stop! I don't know what to do now. I'm getting shy and Anton's awkward with me now too. What should I do next?" I asked, frustration can be heard in my tone, since I really am having a hard time in all of these.
This is the first time that I'm actually making the first move on someone that I have genuine feelings for. And despite it being exciting, it still feels so terrifying. Anton is so hard to read sometimes, that I don't know what he feels about everything that's happening between us.
"Peel him some oranges, then. That's the next step, darling." My mom offered me the oranges that she just washed, making me look at her, confused.
"You peel the person you like some oranges. I do that with your father," she whispered, before winking. Seriously?
"Okay, it's sweet. But, Anton doesn't like oranges much. He wants apples at night, but mostly because it's to annoy Sungchan. Yeah, I should prepare some apples for him." I murmured, before getting an apple and washing it.
"You are in love." My mother suddenly said in sing song manner, making me face her for a moment, before continuing in preparing the apples again.
"I'm not, Ma." I only told him that I like him. Love is such a big word and emotion.
"You are." she argued back, "Anton!" I was shocked when she suddenly called for Anton, and what shocked me more, was the fact that Anton was fast enough to run towards where we are.
"Take care of Yumi for me, huh? And lock the gate once you leave." my mother told Anton in a teasing way, making me glare at her, but she just winked at me, before she yelled for my dad's name.
"Damn, I sometimes still feel in awe every time I see your father. It's like Sungchan hyung, but older and nicer." Anton opened up, making me look at him, since it felt like we were back to normal.
"Yeah. He got all the good genes. Good for him," I bitterly muttered, making Anton laugh out loud.
"Hey, you are pretty, Yuyu. You look just like Auntie." Anton whispered, and I didn't know what to reply to that.
He just called me pretty.
I am panicking deep inside.
"Apples? Can I have some?" I was back to the present when Anton suddenly brought up the apples, so I gave it to him.
"I thought you were peeling this for yourself? It's fine, I can just peel my own." Anton told me, before he almost took another apple, but I stopped him.
"Ma said that if you like someone, you peel them oranges. But, you're not a fan of them, right? You like apples more, so here you go. Peeled them from the heart, be grateful." I told him, even trying to joke at the end to lighten up the mood.
I saw Anton's ears turning red, and I fought the urge to laugh and point it out. I didn't want us to be awkward again. But I also don't want us not to talk about what happened last night.
"Anton."
"Yuyu."
"You go first," I told him, before going to the sink to wash my hands.
"Sungchan hyung will kill me, Yuyu." Anton said, before laughing at himself, as if he's in such a difficult situation.
"And I don't know if you're aware, but I still haven't actually moved on from Iseul. But, I am flattered. I mean, to be liked by you? That's already such an awesome thing to experience, but you know we can't, right? We're friends, and you're Sungchan hyung's younger sister."
There it is. The rejection. And Iseul? I thought he already moved on from the girl who cheated on him back when we were still in senior high school, but my guess was wrong. I feel sad, after knowing that he still must have been hurting and we don't know anything about it since we all assumed he's fine now.
"What if I don't care about all those reasons, Anton? I still am going to pursue you. I don't care if you're my brother's friend. I like you," I told him, staring at his eyes, hoping he'd realize that I'm dead serious.
"I don't want you to get hurt, yuyu. I can't be someone who'll end up hurting you. I don't want to be like that in your life." he whispered, and I was shocked when he walked towards me, and this time we were face to face, but closer.
"So what? I still am going to pursue you, Anton. I won't be a coward this time. Just give me 3 months, or this sem. If you still won't like me back, then I'll stop. But for now, let me do anything I can to change your mind, please?" I asked, almost begging, and I wanted to kill myself for sounding so desperate, but this is Anton. I'd freaking kneel if I had to.
"Okay, I'm giving you 3 months. And after that, we'll stop. Deal?" he even reached his hand for a handshake.
I let out a small smile, before accepting his hand.
"Deal."
Let the chasing begin.
to be continued. . .
LET THE CHASING BEGIN AAAAAAA
how are you, guys??? i hope yall are doing fine. also, i hope yall can share your thoughts on the comment section and im also open to suggestions <3 hope yall enjoyed reading this chapter !!