In her bag, Eugene threw the notebook she had been doodling on. And immediately after the bell, signalled the school dismissal time,
She wore her backpack and apprehensively walked to the terrace. Lost in a trance, Chaerry suddenly walked upto her and snapped her fingers in front of her.
"Hey!" she yells.
"I won't be able to walk home with you today. Sorry." Eugene explains.
"Why?"
"I have to meet Chris? "
"I see! Can I tag along?" Chaerry wraps her hands across Eugene's arms.
"No! Not today. We need to talk alone."
"Oh! OK. Chat you later then." Chaerry waves at her with a dissapointed grin.
Tentatively, she turns the door knob of the wooden entrance of the terrace. Her eyes examined the place while looking for a certain person. He had his back facing her. His broad shoulders was impressive as ever. She softly clears her throat for attention.
"Thanks for coming," Chris begins. "I am sorry for what I have done but....."
"Enough now! I heard your apology so many times. What was the reason this time? To avoid those girls? Or to prevent the other girls, in the restaurant who were eyeing you, from approaching you? " she cut him off and lashed out at him.
"Or was it because you shared the same feelings as me?" Those were the words she so desperately wanted to ask but she couldn't. She just couldn't. Her ego caught her tongue.
"No.... Eugene. That's not it. I promise. I know I should have been more considerate. But....." he stares at her intently.
"But what Chris?" she asked with a voice replete with hope. He could only stare at her. He was afraid that if this is her reaction after he kissed her, then would their friendship be jeopardize if he says what he wanted to.
The silence is prolonged and Eugene began feeling stupid for holding such expections.
"It's hard for me Chris. Please!" she pleads.
Chris was somewhat lost at her words but he concluded that she detested his action. He felt more remorseful than ever. "OK. I promise never to do that again." He smiles.
Eugene thought that he took the whole situation rather lightly. So ludricous she felt, that she stormed out of the door. Her blood was boiling and it only angered her more when she become conscious of her feelings.
She thought she was over with it but then he had to come and replenish it like it was nothing.
Both of them left the appointed location without really saying what they had intended to. Their true sentiments remained unveiled to the concerned person. Chris regretted what he did but he still couldn't fathom why Eugene was mad. Did she really not see him as a man? That and thoughts of the sort had busied his mind as he sat in the window seat of the public bus that took him home.
Chaerry was bugging Hanji about what she should get Chris for Valentine's Day even though his sole purpose to walk home with her after she complained to him that Eugene ditched her for Chris, was to give her company and not listen to her yapping about Chris.
"Madam! Do I appear like Chris to you? I certainly don't look like him. Cancel that. So are you perhaps deluded that I might have some sort of relationship with him." he says in a tone brimming with sarcasm and a hint of annoyance.
"Are you implying that Chris is gay?"
Shook she covers her mouth. "Why didn't he tell me?" she began fake wailing.
"Of course he wouldn't tell you that since he isn't. And is that all you got from what I said. I simply didn't want to mention the word best friend in the same sentence where I mentioned Chris."
"Oh! There you go again. Childish! And in case you don't realise you just did that." she snickers at him.
"Oh I did! Anyways I am not helping you in your silly infatuation business." he mockedher.
Hanji suddenly remembered what happened at the restaurant. He thought he ought to at least warn her before her feelings grow deeper. Oh little did he know that she already was head over heels.
He began simply by asking her how long she had liked him. Chaerry joined the school during their freshmen year. She was in the same class with Eugene but since classes were based on grades Chris was in a different class. She only knew Chris a bit since he would always come to see Eugene. She hadn't really had much interaction with him. It was in the 11 grade when the system of grades hierarchy was abolished that the three of them miraculously ended up in the same class.
In Chaerry's definition, smartness radiated a sultry aura. She first got attracted to him when he stood up to solve a question on the board. A question that everyone in the class had given up on including the teacher. She was smitten and ever since then she was never the same.
Hanji was the first person she ever told this. His reaction was a contrast to the beaming face she had. He was slightly worried.
"Have you ever given it a thought that Eugene might also like him?" he asks her solemnly.
Hit with a reality that she didn't want to consider Chaerry replies him with a question, "You think she does?"
Hanji just shrugged off her question meanwhile Chaerry made a mental note to talk to Eugene about it. She slowly drifts into her own world of jumbled stressful thoughts, forgetting that beside her walking was someone.
"Hey! Look there! A gift shop." He leads her after getting her attention.
He decides to help her. "Am I pitiful?" Chaerry randomly asks. "I am just helping you so that I can show off my great selection skills and yeah! So that You owe me a dinner." With his boastful words he succeeds in getting her to laugh.
"I hope you will always be you!" she says subconsciously while smiling at him.
"Awww! Too cringy." he exclaims. In reality he was actually affected by her words. He wanted to tell her that she looked pretty when she smiled but apparently they were frenemies. What is she going to think if he did tell her that?!
His cheeks became tainted with a light red hue. His ears felt hot and got chilli-like red hence he needed to escape when he realised that he had been staring at her for too long. "What is wrong with me now? Ugghwhhuuh!" he walks to the opposite aisle letting her handle the perfume selection as he goes and find the flowers instead.