2 Minus 1 | joshua✓ ( School Series )

T H I R T Y S I X

J O S H U A ' S  P O V

When my shift was over I left my office, I also told my secretary that she could go home. When I got out of the hospital I went to the parking lot.

I stopped when I saw Naomi in front of my car, had she been waiting for me since earlier?

"Oh Joshua, you're here." She said while smiling.

I nodded and went to my car ignoring her, I was about to get in the car when she suddenly grabbed my hand. This again, this is again the tickling sensation I have felt over the years.

"Can we hang out?" She ask.

She is getting desperate again.

"I'm still early tomorrow Naomi." I answered.

"But tomorrow is Saturday." She said.

"Even on Saturdays I still have work." I response.

"Even now Joshua, just give me a chance." She said desperately.

Whatever I do I know I will still give in even if it's her, I just agreed so she got in my car. I don't know why this woman had such a strong effect on me, all she can do is to hurt me.

We went to an expensive restaurant, she refused because it was too expensive but I said I would pay. She sighed and looked at me, I immediately avoided her gaze because what I feared would happen again.

"I just want to make up for it, Shua. But you do it again." She said.

"All right, here we are eating at an expensive restaurant, and I will pay." She insist.

She got out of my car and she got in to the restaurant first, I could do nothing when she said she would pay she would do it. I just followed her, like a child following my mother.

When I saw that she had found a seat, she sat down, I sat down and looked at the menu in front of us.

"What will you order Shua?" She asks.

"Steak and Carbonara." I answered.

"Okay then, waiter!"

She had already told the waiter our order, I don't eat much at expensive restaurants but why did I bring her here. When she finished saying our order the waiter left in front of us, no-one spoke to us. It's like we children are afraid to speak because the mother will scold us.

"Shua." She called me by my nickname.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Can we be friends?" She ask.

"Friends?" I repeat what she said.

She nodded while smiling, I think she had changed because she's smiling now, unlike before.

"That's where it all starts Naomi, friends up to lovers." I answered.

The smile disappeared from her lips, I wish I hadn't said that. I'd rather she smile than not, but nothing, it's like my heart turned to stone when she hurt me.

"I guess you're not interested anymore." She said with pain on her voice.

"I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay, I understand because I hurt you twice." She said.

When our order arrived she ate right away, I could see she was in tears. I just ate, we ate peacefully. But my conscience would not allow me to say so, I will apologize.

"I'm sorry, Naomi." I apologize.

"It's okay, Shua." She said.

"Let's be friends, somehow we used to be with each other." I said and she looked at me.

"Let's forget the past, let's focus on ourselves now." I added.

N A O M I ' S  P O V

I don't know if I'll be happy with what he said or not, I feel like I don't have a chance for him, if I'm going to be desperate again, that's for him.

"If you have no chance on him, you can stop." I said to myself.

I sighed, when someone rang the doorbell, I got up and went to the door. When I opened it I saw Seokmin, I peeked outside first if no one could see so I let him in.

"It's been a while." He said.

"You always text me." I response.

"Yes I know, but Joshua might notice us so I'll say it's been a while." He said.

I chuckled and shook my head, I made him sit on the couch and I went to the kitchen, I didn't know what to make.

"Seokmin-ah, you want coffee?" I asks him.

"Don't make me coffee, I'm going to Joshua's condo." He answered.

"Eh? Why else would you come here if you’re going to Joshua’s condo?" I asks him again.

"It's because your condo is close to Joshua's condo, about three doors or four doors, but I don't know because I forgot." He answered.

I shook my head, if my condo is close to Joshua's condo, does that mean I'll always see him? But it seems vague that we will always meet then, and moreover, it seems that it is not okay for him to see me, especially since I work at their hospital. When I finished making milk I left the kitchen and went to the living room, I sat down next to Seokmin, I put down the mug with only milk, I looked at Seokmin who was ready to talk to him.

"Do you see Joshua with a woman?" I asks him.

"Yes, but sometimes." He answered.

"But I don't know if he likes the woman." He added.

"Maybe he likes that, because I saw him with a woman and then he smiled at her." I said.

"You're jealous?" He asks.

"Yes, of course! I'm jealous! I hope I'm the one who makes him smile." I answered.

"But what you said years ago, isn't that true?" He asks.

"It's true what I said, I just wish I had recorded it when he said he wanted me, I believe he didn't touch me." I answered.

"How will you know?" He asks me again.

"Do you want us to try?" I asks him.

"No! I won't try it to you! Oh my gosh, you're such a crazy woman Naomi! What happened to you!" He answered.

I laughed out loud, he really shouted and was still disgusted, when after a few minutes of our conversation he decided to leave my condo and go to Joshua's condo.

"See you around." He said.

"Yeah, see ya." I response.

I closed the door and went back to the living room, I had finished the milk I had made earlier. I thought, maybe Joshua already liked the woman with him when I went to the hospital, I don't know why I'm jealous. Yes, I'll admit that I'm jealous, but that's because he was with someone, and I thought about it.

If we couldn’t separate, if I couldn’t leave, would we still be happy?