OUR HEARTBEAT [BEOMJUN] ✅

twenty-nine

“I’m going to kiss Yeonjun tonight.”

We are now in Arin’s house and she is preparing for the fall festival

“Um … okay.”

Arin took the cap off her eyeliner. “Where would be the most romantic place to do that?”

Did I really have to give her advice on this? “Probably anywhere it happens will be romantic.”

She gave a dreamy sigh. “So true.” She leaned forward and applied her eyeliner.
“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you going to kiss Soobin tonight?”

“No!”

“That horrific of a thought, huh?”

“Yes. I mean … no, not really, it’s just, give me a minute here. I hated the guy like a week ago.”

“Why did you say yes, then?”

“Should I have said no?”

“Well, no. But if he likes you, you’re kind of leading him on.”

“I don’t think he likes me. I think he asked me because there was no one left to ask.”

—————

The football game was loud. It had been a while since I’d been to one and I’d forgotten. But here I was at a football game with the guy I used to hate, the guy I needed to start hating for my own sanity, and my best friend.

Soobin pointed up ahead and yelled over the noise of the crowd. “Look, they lit up the Ferris wheel.”

Arin clapped. “Oh! That looks fun! That’s so awesome of your dad to pay for the rides.”

I leaned forward so I could yell to Arin, past Soobin, who stood between us. “You and me on the roller coaster later?”

“For sure.”

“What?” Yeonjun yelled. He was on the far side of Arin and probably hadn’t heard a word we’d said.

“Ferris wheel!” Arin said. “Let’s ride it later.”

“Sure,” he responded.

I wondered if that’s where the kissing would happen. At the top of the Ferris wheel. I wasn’t going to think about that.

“I’m going to get a soda!” I yelled.

“Okay,” Arin called back. Soobin moved like he was going to come with me, but she grabbed his wrist and said something I couldn’t hear.

He laughed and stayed.

Why had she done that? Was she worried about Soobin’s feelings? That I was leading him on? Maybe it was me she was worried about. I did have a horrified reaction to the kissing question earlier. Maybe she was trying to save me. I took the stairs up the bleachers, then down the back side. I drew in a deep breath.

“Beom! Hi!” someone called as I walked by. “I loved your carpool advice!”

“Oh. Thanks!” I said.

“That’s Beom from the podcast!” I heard someone else call.

Then I heard another voice.

“Gyu! Wait up.”

I turned to see Yeonjun following after me. My heart liked this development. I tried to talk it down. Yeonjun wanting a soda did not equal a declaration of any kind.