The Price of Love

Chapter 34: Best Friend

Namjoon

"So what are you saying?" Cindy asked me, wide-eyed. "The wedding is canceled?"

I shook my head, darting a glance toward Bella's closed door. "No, just postponed. Seokjin just told us so that we could change our plans. It's been moved down another week."

"Did he say why?"

"Not really," I replied. "He didn't go into detail. He just said that the wedding was postponed another week"

"Damn," she muttered. "That's just another week for her to suffer," she said softly, pointing toward Bella's door with her head. "You know he still texts her almost every day, and she's a mess afterward. Part of me wishes Seokjin would just marry his rich little bitch already and fall off the face of the earth."

I sighed. "I agree this just makes everything harder for Bella, but we have to find a way to cheer her up."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "You mean, you want to cheer her up." I opened my mouth to respond, but she held up a hand to stop me. "It's not as if I haven't noticed the way you stare at her with hearts in your eyes. Don't deny it."

I tried not to get flustered. "I--I am just trying to be a good friend."

She looked at me with a smirk. "Yeah. A really good friend. I can't say I'm against it, Namjoon. She needs to know there are other guys besides Seokjin who will curl her toes and make her scream."

"Uh, well," I mumbled, embarrassed at the direction this conversation had taken.

"Sorry. No pressure, but you've got your work cut out for you. Seokjin is...well, you know," she said then cleared her throat. "Anyway. You know she still cries at night when she thinks I can't hear. It kills me to know how sad she is. Maybe it is time for her to forget about him and move on." She scowled. "I still can't believe your fucking friend--literally your fucking friend--just hopped into another girl's bed without breaking a sweat."

"He said he didn't sleep with her, and I believe him," I added, surprising myself with my defense of Seokjin. I knew that he was hurting almost as bad as Bella. He was just more adept at hiding things. It bothered me that I couldn't figure out what he was hiding and why.

"How can you?" she asked incredulously. "You know his reputation. How many girls do you think he's slept with, huh? I can't believe that Jimin was right about him."

I shook my head. "I know about his reputation, but I can tell you--as his best friend-- all that changed when he became serious about Bella. She's his whole world. That's why this was such a shock for me as well. But he said he was working on it, and I say we should trust him. I still think there's something more going on than meets the eye, something he's not telling me."

"Well, I think he's just a good-for-nothing player," Cindy responded. "Sure, he's hot as hell, and any girl would jump at the chance to be his side chick, but not Bella. She's not like that."

"Of course not!" I said in outrage. "Anyway, he insisted he's not getting married."

"So he says," she hissed. "What do you think will happen if he does end up marrying that girl? He is working so hard at convincing Bella that he loves her so that she will stay by his side. She'll end up being nothing but his mistress while he parades around with his society wife."

"No," I insisted. "That won't happen."

"Joon?"

I looked up when I heard Bella's soft voice. She was standing at her door. I quickly took in her watery eyes, her disheveled hair, her pale face. She must have been crying again.

"Hey," I said, getting to my feet and walking toward her. "I'm sorry if we woke you."

Cindy also got up from her chair. She walked to Bella and led her out of her room. "Bellybell, come out here. Come sit down." She turned to me. "Namjoon, take her to the couch."

I shot a questioning look at her before leading Bella slowly to the couch. I felt Cindy's hand push me.

"Why don't you two sit here for a bit," Cindy continued. "Try to cheer her up, Joon." She raised an eyebrow at me then walked away and disappeared into her room.

I sat next to Bella, feeling nervous all of a sudden. What the hell was Cindy up to? I realized I was about an arm's length away from her, and it seemed awkward.

"Bella," I said.

"That's okay, Joon," she said haltingly. "I don't know if you can cheer me up. Maybe you can just sit here with me. I'm sorry that I look so horrible."

"No, you don't look horrible," I said quickly. "You could never look horrible."

She inhaled and exhaled then scooted closer to me. She placed her head on my chest, and I had to bite my lip and look away to keep myself from reacting to her closeness. After a few minutes, I had gained control over myself and wrapped my arm around her. My crush on her was stronger than ever, but I knew that she was still in love with Seokjin, my best friend. I had to be a good friend, an honorable friend. If there was any chance that Bella could truly see me in a romantic way, I wouldn't hesitate. But the tears she cried were indicative of her attachment to another man, and I had to keep my feelings to myself. With another mental curse at Seokjin, I squeezed her shoulder gently.

"I'm here for you, Bella," I said softly. "I will always be here."

"Th-thanks," she replied, her voice breaking. "I'm...at my breaking point. I'm so afraid that I will end up following my heart instead of my head. I want to trust him. I want to believe that he will come back to me. Then I start thinking to myself if it would be so bad to still be with him even if I'm not his wife, even if his wife will come first. If you could only hear what he says to me.I can't forget all the moments we had together. What should I do?"

As much as I wanted to tell her to forget about Seokjin, that she deserved so much better than being anyone's second choice, I simply sighed. "You have to stay strong. I'm sure that Seokjin will work things out. All you can do is trust him. Whatever happens, just know that I will always be here for you as a friend or...whatever."

"Thank you. You are the best friend ever, Joon," she whispered into my chest.

I was afraid she would be able to hear my heart breaking at her words.