Melodies of song blended in the background and Na-Eun put her cup down on the table gently. She tucked her hair behind her ear, the same way she did when Jisung first saw her but it didn't have the same effect as it did before. If before he felt his heart thumping like a madman on a run, then now his heart was thumping like how normal human would. "Why did you call me?", Jisung knew she didn't mean anything bad but her question really hurt him, after all, weren't they friends? Can't a friend see a friend?, he wanted to refute. "I'm just curious of how you have been",

Na-Eun hummed, her response made her look colder and distance as if the past months had never happened and they were never friends. "I have been fine", The awkwardness was slowly eating Jisung, he laughed in the effort of popping the growing silence. "I heard from Hyunjin. You rejected him", Jisung observed how Na-Eun's muscles suddenly went rigid and she had a stiffened smile on her face.

Jisung let out a heave of sigh and rubbed his forehead. Even he didn't want to have this conversation..he had to. If not, everybody would be running in a circle because he started it. He needed to end it. "I like you", ---Thud! Na-Eun flinched harder this time, her knees hitting the other side of the table. Just how much did she knew to react like this? "I-"

Jisung ignored her reactions and went straight to the point, "I know." His own reflection in his drink suddenly looked more interesting than anything in his surrounding, then he added, "You like Hyunjin"

"I also know why you reject him but why are you so selfless?", Jisung looked up, Na-Eun's face turned from pale to a look of grim. Not even one did Na-Eun ever did something for herself and this made Jisung angry. She should have just be selfish and be with Hyunjin. Why did she bothered thinking about Hyunjin and Jisung who had been playing with her feelings for months? Didn't she deserve happiness too?

Na-Eun shook her head and bit her lips in frustration. He wanted to say something. Of course, she had a say in this because she was directly involved in this mess. "I'm not that selfless. I'm just as selfish as you and Hyunjin are" Her voice was a bit shaky but it had a sense of bravery in it. "I know you and Hyunjin liked me." the she laughed because it sounded very pretentious of her. "I can't say I didn't like the attention I got. I felt important. I never feel important."

"so,I'm sorry. Jisung", The word Jisung coming out of her lips sounded foreign. She used to call him Jiji but Jisung didn't question why she stopped. It was probably because of Hyunjin. Jisung suddenly felt guilt knotted in his stomach, why did he told Na-Eun to call him that? It was supposed to be a Hyunjin only thing. It was supposed to be special. "why are you apologizing?"

"I'm sorry for playing with your feeling and Hyunjin's. Honestly, I don't know why either of you would like me.", Jisung could not refute, not because he agreed but because all this time he had only knew her as the innocent girl who had a cheerful personality but he never knew about her personal life--what she does in her leisure time, her problems and anything at all. More guilt was eating him. He never really did his best to understand Na-Eun, did he? "Then I also want to apologize"

"I'm sorry for not making any effort to get to know you better and thank you for rejecting Hyunjin", had she accepted Hyunjin back then, he was pretty sure everything would worsen. He would keep hurting, feeling betrayed, Hyunjin will keep playing with Na-Eun's feeling and Na-Eun will keep hurting and blaming herself but everything was healing now. "I think I'm going to take a break for a few months from uni", When she saw Jisung's concerned expression, she immediately explained herself, "My mom and dad need some help with setting up their new business. My dad quit his job and want to open a bakery but I will return when everything is stable again", A smile finally appeared on her face. She was previously scared when Jisung called her but now she was glad they talked.

She picked up her stuffs, "I have class now. I need to go", Jisung nodded and waved at her, "See you around, Jisung"

When Na-Eun left the cafe, she bumped into a familiar figure and laughed. Hyunjin was walking in a circle while biting his nail, it looked like he was having an inner conflict, fighting with himself over something. Na-Eun tapped his shoulder and the slightly taller male jolted in shock. "Jisung is in there if you're searching for him" It was less awkward talking with Hyunjin because they also had a share of talk about what happened before.

"I know!", Hyunjin shouted and added, "I mean, I'm not looking for him", Na-Eun shook her head and sighed, she gave a soft pat on Hyunjin's shoulder, "go, it's not like he will hate it if he sees you here", in fact, it could be the other way around. She looked up at the sky and said, "plus, it looks like a good weather to have a date today". Then she left after sending a mischievous smile to Hyunjin who had turned red from her teasing.

-

Hyunjinwasn't supposed to be anywhere near the cafe today. He was supposed to be spending the rest of his day at the pool, practicing like the mad man he was. He was indeed at the pool today and he was indeed practicing but once Kevin entered the pool, he started glaring at him from the moment he entered the pool until the practice ended. It was probably because he knew Kevin came late because he was meeting Jisung. Just what could Jisung had told Kevin? Not that he will ask Kevin though.

Kevin who was frustrated till no end, rolled his eyes in annoyance. How the table had turned around, he thought. He used to be the one glaring at Hyunjin but now he was the receiving end. "instead of glaring at me like I will do something bad, what about you go find Jisung? He Is probably having so much fun with Na-Eun now"

Hyunjin knitted his brows, what did Kevin meant by Jisung and Na-Eun having fun? Then it clicked to him, Jisung didn't want him to know h was meeting Na-Eun. Kevin laughed at his funny expression, how could he be so obsessed over this foolish in the past? Jisung was right, he was way better than Hyunjin who always act recklessly and stupidly. Being friend with Jisung despite the short term really open a new idea to him that he didn't need to compare himself with Hyunjin.

Kevin snorted when Hyunjin ran passed by him and entered the pool again when he realized he hadn't changed into his casual wear. Maybe Jisung didn't want Hyunjin to know but Kevin didn't know that or maybe he did and that was how Hyunjin ended up roaming in the same place for quite a long time. He was thinking of going to Jisung but then he was afraid Jisung would get angry and he was also wanted to trust Jisung that he wouldn't do what he had done to Jisung to himself but even if Jisung did, he wouldn't complain.

Then, when Na-Eun appeared and told him to meet Jisung, his concern was washed away and he marched into the cafe with confidence that gradually faded as he approached Jisung's table. He even thought of turning away but Jisung called out to him. "Hyunnie?", Hyunjin stopped on his track and turned around slowly. "Did you just finish practice?", Jisung walked up to him.

Hyunjin knew not to lie to Jisung and honestly told him, "Kevin told me you're with Na-Eun"Jisung blinked and stared into Hyunjin's eyes to see no hint of lie and clicked is tongue, "I told him not to tell you. He's getting a wack in the head for this later on"

Hyunjin rubbed his nape, he couldn't tell Jisung that he was worried and unsettled when he heard Jisung was with Na-Eun. "you're worried, aren't you?", Jisung could read him well, he knew Hyunjin was nervous because he kept scratching his neck, he left a red mark on it for doing it in thepast few minutes. "This is why I don't want to tell you I'm meeting her. You will start over thinking again"

"are you scared I will confess to her?", the way Hyunjin didn't give any answer to him answered his suspicion. "I did tell her", Hyunjin snapped his head forward and stared at Jisung with big wide eyes--he did what?

Jisung extended his hands and reached out for Hyunjin's cheeks, "Look you're over thinking again. So, what if I did? I told her I liked her in the past and I apologized to her, alright?" Hyunjin winced when Jisung pinched his cheeks. Well, he probably didn't need anymore detail regarding their conversation because he knew what Na-Eun would tell Jisung. They talked about it before...'what if Jisung want to talk to me about this too?' back then Hyunjin told her 'then just talk to him' he was confident until Na-Eun asked, "what if...what if he confessed?" she sounded a bit hesitant talking about it but it was a logical question. She tried to push away her feeling when she asked that even though she was a bit embarrassed while saying it.

Hyunjin grabbed Jisung's hands and hummed, "Let's go home then". Hyunjin pulled his hands down and smiled, his eyes turning into crescents again before he pulled Jisung out of the cafe.

For a moment, Jisung felt like he lost himself when Hyunjin locked his hand with his, he could feel Hyunjin's warmth from the tip of his finger to his palm. It felt really peaceful. They had done this a lot in the past but it never felt this calm before.

"Which home?", Jisung asked, laughing as he realized he didn't know where Hyunjin was taking him too. "my home", Hyunjin admitted sheepishly. "my mom asked me to bring you home. Your mom and dad is also there."

Jisung tipped his head to the other side, "your mom called them? How come I don't know?"

Hyunjin hummed, "my mom want to have dinner with your family. She said it had been a long time".

"oh", Jisung responded, hand holding Hyunjin's firmly as he swayed them back to front. Now that he had settled everything with Na-Eun and Kevin he felt very much peaceful for the time in a few months. It was nice to have a life less chaotic. "Hey, what did you talk about with Kevin?"

Then he added, "It's not like I'm worried or anything. I'm just curious." Jisung pinched hyunjin's hand, "liar. I know you're worried again. Do you have no trust in your best friend at all?"

"well,we talked', Jisung answered. "I thanked him for being a good friend and no, I didn't tell him to stop being friend with me. Don't even look at me with that look, Hwang. He is not that bad", Jisung glared at Hyunjin who was narrowing his eyes at him. "oh, we're back to surname basis now? Fine, Han", Jisung slapped his shoulder. Can't Hyunjin be serious now? He still had the nerve to joke around.

"I told him I will still help him with driving his blind dates away if he wants to", Hyunjin stopped walking, "you what? So, all this rumour about you dating him was that?" Hyunjin asked in disbelief.

"calm down for good sake. He told me I don't have to do it anymore. He firmly told me not to help him at all. He wants us as friends. Purely, friends without any condition in it. See? I told you, he ain't that bad" and here Hyunjin thought, Kevin had been blackmailing Jisung in the dark. "and be more kind to him, won't you? He promised not to bother you anymore" Hyunjin did not respond to that, instead he pulled Jisung's hand and started walking again.

"we have lots of time before dinner. Want to walk around first?", Jisung nodded, it wasn't like he had any better thing to do. "you said you want to learn playing guitar. What about buying a guitar pick? It might help for beginners"

-

They arrived home after boarding a bus and walked a few minutes to arrive in their neighbourhood. Hyunjin had moved in this neighbourhood when he was 12-- just a few months before he enter middle school and meet Jisung. He saw Jisung a couple of time before middle school and had thought he could be a friend with him if they happened to attend the same school but who knew they ended up fighting all the way to their third year?

The neighbourhood was so quiet at night, Jisung could only hear the sounds of their footstep echoing throughout the path. "hey..."

"you remember what you said? Let's do it.", Hyunjin hummed, he wasn't really paying attention because he was tired from walking around in the town. "wait..what did I say?"

Jisung sighed, "let's try it. Let's try us...dating I mean".

-

Kahahdjsadhu thank goodness after my laptop died, my laptop actually autosaved this chapter! If not, I want to perish!-hunny