2 Minus 1 | joshua✓ ( School Series )

T H I R T Y F O U R

J O S H U A ' S  P O V

"What do you want for your birthday?" I asks Minjeong who's next to me.

"I don't know if what would I want to get in my birthday." She answered.

"You're not sure." I said.

"How about you'll sing a song for me." She said.

"Then let's have a noraebang on your birthday." I response.

"I'll treat you, because it's your birthday." I added.

"Are you serious?" She asks.

"Yes, of course." I answered.

"Don't do it, aish so embarrassing." She said.

"Why are you embarrass? If I say that I'll treat you, I mean it." I said.

I looked at her and smiled, now she just told me when her birthday is, she has been my friend for a long time but she doesn't tell me when's her birthday is.

"Why didn't you tell me that April 25 is your birthday?" I asks her.

"I was going to tell you these past few years, but I saw that you are busy." She answered.

I sighed, even though I was always busy, she could tell me when her birthday was so she could celebrate it with me.

"Even if I’m busy, I still need to be told. I'm your friend, you need me with you, I'm your partner-in-crime right?" I said.

"Yeah, you're right, I should tell you in the first place." She response.

"That's good, and besides, it's like you're the youngest sister." I said.

"Why are you so sweet?" She asks.

"Why, do you hate it?" I asks

"This is how I am." I said.

"Not only am I used to you being sweet, I'm more used to fighting you or teasing you." She said.

"Oh, so you want to annoy me, right? You should be thankful because I'm not teasing you!" I said.

"Okay then, thank you." She said.

"Hey, I'm being serious." I snorted.

We both chuckled, thankfully we had a day-off today, so we had Minjeong’s time. While we were eating we were still talking, we could hear only laughter and quarrels, so I knew that people were wondering about us because of the way they looked at us.

"Let's get out of here, the way people look at us, it scares me." She said.

"Don't mind them, if they think that we're crazy, then they're right." I said then laugh.

"I hope I'm the on who's making him smile." I heard a voice of a woman and it's making me turn to that way.

But I didn't see anything, yes we are here in the plaza, so I know that there are also people walking here. I saw the bench that Naomi used to sit on, how Naomi sat when she was alone was the same with the woman.

Is that you Naomi?

I just realized when my phone rang, I took my phone out of my pocket and looked at who was calling, when I saw Seokmin I answered it.

"Hey, what is it?"

"Naomi and I talked earlier." He answered.

"You what?"

"We talked earlier." He repeated.

"What did you talk about?" I asks.

"Well, she told me what she had been through in another country." He answered.

"In which country?" I asks.

"Well, she didn't tell me." He answered.

"Well, don't force her." I said.

"Of course, I didn't force her, but she said she'll tell you if you'll meet each other. She'll tell you everything too, and she'll be honest this time." He said.

"She must be honest." I response.

"I need to go, I'm already rehearsing here in the theater."

I hang up the call and put my phone back to my pocket, I looked at Minjeong and saw that she was busy on her phone, I peeked at what she was busy with on her phone and I saw that she was texting Jihoon.

"Oh, so you're having a chit-chat with Jihoon." I said and she startled.

"Hey, who told you to peek?!" She asks.

"Hey, you're so loud." I said.

"So now, it's your turn to tease me?" She asks.

"Yes, of course." I said then smirk.

"I hate you Hong Jisoo." She said.

"I hate you too." I response and chuckled.

As I walk home I look around, like in the times when Naomi and I weren't together I saw a plenty of lovers, now that I'm no longer with Naomi that's how I see it again. I see lovers, hugging, laughing, that's what they do so I remember the times when Naomi did that too, my only wish is that it will happen again, that I will be able to be with Naomi.

It was as if my request was heard when I saw Naomi, because I knew from her eyes that it was her, even though she still had a mask on. I approached him and held his hand, when our eyes met and I remembered again the time we were still happy, until there was a problem.

"Is that you, Naomi?" I ask her.

"N-no," I know that it was a lie, and I know that it was her because when she answers my question, she always stuttered.

"Who are you talking a-about?" She asks.

I just let her go and averted my eyes, I left in front of her, I want to forget what happened tonight, so I hurried home to my condo. When I got home to my condo I immediately went to the kitchen, I opened my refrigerator to see if there were any more beers.

"I no longer care if my head hurts." I said.

I got a beer and closed the refrigerator, I opened the beer lid and drank, I got a lot more beer. I want to get drunk tonight, I don’t know why I’m hurting in the past, so can I not move on because I remember Naomi and my past? Why do I need to remember that if I'm just going to get hurt, because I know it won't happen again, I'm sure that Naomi is already married. But my heart still says that there is still a chance, and my brain I have to forget her, my brain is tired of thinking about her, but my heart is not tired of loving her.

I'm in mess right now.