"I trust you to always make me happy. Fang responded to her friend Min.
********
It was exactly 9 p.m., and Fang's phone was ringing.
"That should be Jinyong; he said he was going to call me." Wang Fang uttered
"Alright then, take the call and hear what he has to say." Zhang Min suggested
Fang quickly answered the phone call.
"Hello, Jinyong?"
"Hey Fang, I told you I'd call tonight. How's your day been??
"It's been good. Thanks. Yours?"
"Not bad, but I've been thinking a lot about what we talked about earlier."
"Yeah, I've been thinking about it too. Look, Jinyong. I appreciate your feelings, but I want to be honest with you."
"Okay, go ahead."
"I've known you and Chang for a short while now, and you've been in the picture before Chang bumped into it. I understand now that both of you are friends, and your friendship means a lot to me. I don't want to come between you two and potentially ruin what you have."
"I understand your concern, Fang; I also really like you. I think we could make it work without causing any problems."
"I have to be honest with you; I like you a whole lot, Jinyong. I just worry about the dynamics changing between you and Chang if we start dating."
"I get it. You value our friendship. But can we at least give it a chance? Maybe talk to Chang about it as well."
"I'll think about it, Jinyong. I just need some time to figure things out."
"That's fair; take your time, but please know that I truly care about you. And if given the chance to prove that to you, I would do that without thinking twice."
"I appreciate that; let's just keep talking and see where this goes, okay?"
"Sounds good, Fang. We'll take it step by step. Thanks for being honest with me."
"Of course, Jinyong. Goodnight for now."
"Goodnight, Fang."
Wang Fang had placed the call on the loudspeaker for her friend to hear Jinyong's side of the conversation.
Upon hearing the conversation between Jinyong and Wang Fang, Zhang Min, who was lying on the bed, stood up, held Fang's hand to hers, and said to her:
"I'm glad you are being honest with Jinyong, but this is a very delicate situation.
My advice for you now is that you must first think about your feelings for Jinyong. Are you open to the possibility of dating him despite your concerns about his friendship with Chsng?"
"I can't say for now, but you know Jinyong had been in the picture before Chang came into the picture. Besides, Chang and I aren't dating; I'm just being careful because I don't want to hurt any of them."
"Then it might be a good idea to have an open conversation with Chang about your feelings for Jinyong. He deserves to know, and it can help avoid any misunderstanding. The earlier you do that, the better for the three of you. You know how tough guys can be sometimes. Before they start threatening each other," Zhang Min advised Wang Fang.
"I think you have a point there. You are right, but how do I approach him with such news? He already had high hopes of dating me before Jinyong found out my number on his phone."
"This is serious. Did you give him any
impression that you're going to accept him?"
"Not really. Jinyong is better and more responsible than Chang."
"Then, if you decide to give it a chance with Jinyong, clear and open communication is crucial. Discuss boundaries and how you both can ensure your relationship doesn't negatively impact his friendship with Chang." Zhang Min advised
"You know, it's not just about Jinyong and Chang. I like Jinyong, but I'm terrified of getting into another relationship because of what happened with my ex-boyfriend."
"Fang, I remember how things went with your ex, and I warned you about it back then. I just want you to be cautious this time and don't rush into anything you are not ready for."
"You are right; I should've listened to you. I wish I had trusted your judgment then." Wang Fang said it in regret.
"It's okay, Fang. We all make mistakes, and you've learned from that experience. What's important now is that you prioritize your well-being and happiness. If you decide to pursue something with Jinyong, just make sure it's on your terms and at a pace that feels right for you."
"You are absolutely on point, as always." She grinned at her friend. "
"Don't rush into anything. Take your time to see how your relationship with Jinyong develops and how it affects the dynamic between him and Chang.
And again, ultimately, make a decision that feels right for you; don't feel pressured to date Jinyong if you are not comfortable with it. Your happiness and the integrity of your friendships are important."
"I understand what you are saying. You are always looking out for me, even when I don't want to listen. Your support means the world to me."
"Of course, Fang. I'll always be here for you. I mean, what are best friends for if not to offer solutions to problems?
I'll always be here for you; let's navigate this together, and this time we'll make sure it's a healthy and loving relationship."
They were still talking when Wang Fang's phone started ringing, and she was trying not to take the call because that was Chang calling.
She wondered what his reason for calling could be. Could it be that Jinyong had called him to tell him to confront him?
Zhang Min made her take the call to hear what Chhang had to say.
"Hey Fang, it's been a while since we caught up. How have you been??
"Oh, hi Chang! I've been doing well, thanks. How about you?"
"I'm good. Thanks for asking.
Listen, I've been thinking; it's been too long since we hung out. Would you be up for grabbing a coffee or dinner sometime soon?"
"That sounds nice, Chang. I would love to catch up. It's been a busy week."
"Great! How about this Sunday being tomorrow? We would go to that new cafe downtown.
"Sunday works for me; let's do it."
"Perfect! There's something I'd like to talk to you about during our dinner."
"Do you mind dropping a clue as to what you have to discuss with me over dinner?"
"I do mind. I wouldn't want to disclose yet. Dinner with you tomorrow would give out my words to you once more."
"Ooh, okay. I'm curious now; let's meet on Sunday; we can discuss it then."
"Fang, I will see you on Sunday, then we can chat about everything over dinner."
********
"So, that was Chang, right? What did he want to talk about over dinner??
"Yeah, it was Chang. He mentioned he wanted to discuss something important, but he didn't disclose what it was. But I think it should be about Jinyong and me."
"Oh, I see. Interesting. Do you have any idea what he might want to discuss regarding Jinyong??
"I'm not entirely sure, but I have a feeling it might have to do with his feelings for me and Jinyong's interest in dating me. I mean, it's just a hunch."
"That sounds complicated; how are you feeling about all of this?"
"Honestly, I'm a bit overwhelmed. I care about both of them, and I don't want to hurt anyone. But I also want to make the right decision for myself."
"It's a tough situation, Fang. Just remember, you have the right to make choices that make you happy. We will navigate through this together and figure out what's best for you.
"Thanks for being there for me; even when things get complicated, your support means the world to me."
"Haven't you heard the saying that a friend in need is indeed a friend?"If I can't stand by you through all these, what then are friends for?"
"Now you understand the reason why I like you to be with me on weekends. You are the best."
"I know, right? You are so lucky to have me. You know my time is rare, and money cannot be used to afford me."
**********
Sunday evening was here already, and Chang had come to pick Fang up from her house.
He had called her to let her know that he was coming to pick her up, and she had made sure she was putting on one of her best outfits.
She steps out elegantly, as she is wearing a simple yet elegant knee-length navy blue dress.
Zhang Min had stepped out of the house to say hi to Chang before Fang did.
"Hey Chang. It's nice to see you again. Thanks for taking Fang for dinner. Please take care of her." Min greeted!
"Nice to see you again, Min. I didn't know you were around. Of course, I will take care of Fang; it's my pleasure to spend time with Fang tonight." Chang responded.
"Hi, guys! Chang, you are looking sharp
tonight." Fang complimented Chang.
Chang Smiing "Thank you, Fang. You look stunning in that dress..
Zhang Min teases: "You two are making me blush. Have a wonderful evening, and Fang, enjoy your dinner!
"Thanks! We will! see you later, and take care!" Fang responded.
"We will do just that. Bye for now."
*******
They were already at the location for dinner. They've had their seats. Chang had been looking at Wang Fang romantically since they got.
He finally took his face off Wang Fang and focused on the menu on their table.
Looking at the menu, he said "This place has a great selection of dishes; what are you in the mood for tonight, Fang?"
Fang looked at Chang and smiled. "I heard their seafood pasta is nice; I might go with that. How about you?"
Nodding: "That sounds delicious. I'll have the same. And maybe we can share an appetizer too.
The waiter approached them and asked them what they needed.
"Good evening, folks. Are you ready for an order?'"
"Yes, we'll both have the seafood pasta and let's start with the bruschetta for an appetizer, please," Chang responded to the water.
"Great choices. Anything to drink?"
"I will have a glass of white wine, please." Wang Fang ordered
"I'll go with sparkling water with a slice of lemon," Chang ordered.
"Excellent. Your order will be right out. Enjoy your meal". Waiter assured.
"So, Fang. Aside from our upcoming dinner conversation, how's everything else been going?".
Taking a sip of wine, she responded. "It's been good; busy as usual with work, but I've been finding time to relax too. How about you?"
"Busy as well, but I can't complain. I'm looking forward to this evening, though. It's been a while since we had a chance to chat like this."
"I agree; it's nice to catch up. And I appreciate you being understanding about everything."
She agreed with what Chang had said.
"Fang, no matter what happens, our friendship means a lot to me. Let's just enjoy the meal and the evening for it," he said reassuringly. "
"I agree, Chang, let's do that."
"That was a delicious dinner, Fang. Thanks for coming out with me." Chang said as they finished eating their meal.
Nodding "It was, Chang. I had a great time too. Now, about what you wanted to talk about...
Chang, taking a deep breath. "Fang, I wanted to be upfront with you. I told you before that I had developed feelings for you. I wanted to know if you'd consider dating me. But I also understand your connection with Jinyong. and I don't want to disrupt your friendship with him.
I haven't forgotten that you told me you don't have an interest in any of us. But see this as a fresh proposal from me to you."
Pausing, Thoughtfully. "Chan, I appreciate your honesty, and I value our friendship too. The truth is that I had already developed feelings for Jinyong before you came into the picture.
I like you a lot, but just as a friend. I'm still yet to accept Jinyong, but I would appreciate it if we just became close friends."
"I understand your concerns, Fang. And I care about both of you. And I don't want to jeopardize your friendship either."
Wang Fang sighs heavily. "This is a tricky situation, Chang. I need some time to think about it and also talk to Jinyong about it. I don't want to make any hasty decisions."
Nodding "I respect that. Fang, take all the time you need. Our friendship is important to me, and I will do whatever is best for you."
Smiling faintly, "Thanks. Chang. I'm glad you understand, and I promise you we'll have a conversation about this soon. Let's not let this affect our friendship tonight."
"Agreed, Fang. Tonight, we are just friends enjoying each other's company."