Pleasant Imagines (Jinjoo)

She just doesn't know (Short)

Yujin's POV

It's been years since I've known her. We live together in a rented apartment and have been best friends for as long as I can remember. 

All she did was be there for me no matter when it is or where I was.

I've come to realise I loved how she's always there. I loved her presence, the way she talks, and laughs, and the way she understands me like no one would.

She was the person I have been finding. The person I've been dying to meet. The person who could make me do things I didn't want. The person who brought out a whole new me I wasn't aware of.

She was the person I'd risk anything for. She means a lot to me.

She just doesn't know that.

"You have no idea what today felt like." Minju came beside me while I boiled some water. It's 12 am and she just came back from her part-time job at the cafe. I guess she did the closing. 

Why am I awake? Because of her. I had to make sure she was home.

I poured some water into her cup, handing it to her. "We had new staff," she said, sipping.

I listened, blocking out the sounds made by the kettle.

"There were two guys." I know what that smile means.

"Uhhuh." My hands reached for the tea bags, eyes still on her.

"One of them was adorable." she pulls out her phone, putting her elbows on the countertop. "Just look at him." she shows a picture she took of the said guy.

"The dimples and all." she smiles like there's no tomorrow. I have dimples.

But that smile slowly disappears, turning into a thin slit. "But he has a girlfriend." How sad.

"Not surprised. Your whole life's basically a joke." Nothing has ever gone her way.

Like, everything.

Thinking she might be the captain of the netball team in high school, she didn't get voted. Valedictorian speech? She stuttered so bad she got chased off the stage.

And every single guy she thought was cute, they were all out of her reach. They had people of their own. Or basically, she got rejected.

They must be blind. I'd leave anyone for her. I don't care if that's a bad thing. 

"Shut up." she kicks me.

I poured hot water into my cup, making sure the tea bag stays.

"Then there's this other guy." she shows me a picture. "He's not cute, but he's nice." He looks like a total creep.

Don't get me started on the moustache.

"Do you know what he asked me?" she looks at me. "He asked if I had a boyfriend."

that just means he's interested. "He asked you that?"

"I didn't know why anyone would. Do I look like I have a boyfriend?" Certainly not. No guy gets to her without going through me.

"Then what did you say?" I sipped on the tea, accidentally burning my tongue. Too immersed in her story.

I gently put the cup down, pressing my lips together. "Why?" she got worried.

"Hot." I shook my head and asked her to continue.

"I said no." Anti climatic. I didn't expect anything either. "Then I asked if he had a girlfriend as a joke." A joke.

"And he said, if he didn't have one, he would've gone after me." Oh wow, he must like what he sees. Don't doubt that. That's a compliment. 

"And then?"

"That's it. I just went to a customer who came by." What?

"But he wasn't over the fact that I didn't have a boyfriend." She finds this funny. 

"Because you're pretty. I don't say it, but you are. You put yourself way too low sometimes if not, most of the time." I tried drinking the tea but decided not to.

Not burning my tongue again. I'll just wait.

"My foot." she pushes my shoulder as if I was joking. "You're the last person to say that," she said.

She continues, "I told him no one likes me. But he brought up how there were people who like me but just don't show it." she looks a little confused.

She should be.

I didn't give any particular reaction. "He's right."

"Don't give me that face. I'll kill you if you say his name," she warns me.

To put it simply, there's this guy at her university that I think is interested in her. I've met him before. The things he does shows it but she doesn't believe my words.

But I'm not wrong. There are many people who are willing to go miles for her.

Including me.

Sadly, she just doesn't know it.

"When will you stop denying? He's not that bad, I approve." I gave her a small thumbs-up. I really do not. That dude has tons of female friends. It's a stereotype, I know. But I don't think he's good for her. 

Who am I to decide? No one. So I'll just keep this to myself. 

"So what if you approve? He's a no-go." she shakes her head. "Just a friend."

"A friend who always wants to be around you." I pushed her buttons, quickly leaning away from her attack.

She just frowns at me, trying to be intimidating. She eventually sighs and rests her head on the table, looking at me. She looks tired. 

"I hate to say it but sometimes I wish there was a guy version of you."

I hate that.

If only she knows how much I would love for that to come true just so I could be someone to her.

I walked out of the kitchen with my tea. I'm not going to entertain that conversation.

"Help me turn on the heater, please." She shouts softly, being considerate to the neighbours. 

I didn't answer but clicked on the heater button before going into my room.