When We're Together [양정완]

01.

Chae Aera nervously fiddled her thumbs as she waited on a bench just outside Byeoran High School. Her heart was beating at 101 miles per hour and she pursed her lips while glancing at the students passing by. It was already 4 o'clock. Why wasn't he there yet?

"Aera!" the girl heard a familiar voice call from behind her. She quickly fixed her hair and turned to the boy who had called her name, smiling.

Min Yuhan, her childhood best friend and the boy she had been in love with for as long as she could remember, smiled back at her as he walked to sit beside her.

"So," the boy started, "what was it you wanted to tell me?" Aera felt her heart pounding so loudly she was afraid he might hear it. She took a deep breath and looked at her hands as she nervously wrung them in her lap.

"Actually," she began as she finally worked up the courage to look him in the eyes. "I... think I like you."

There was a short silence as the girl quickly averted her gaze back to her hands. She never seemed to be able to hold eye contact with anybody for more than a few seconds.

"Ah... Aera..." the girl's heart dropped hearing the awkward tone in the boy's voice. "I don't... I don't like you in that way... I'm sorry..."

The girl could tell he was trying not to hurt her, but somehow that made her heart break even more. She felt tears welling up in her eyes and she blinked furiously, trying to make them disappear.

"It- it's not that I don't like you, I- I just think of you like a sister, y'know?" The male quickly tried to reassure her, but he could tell it didn't seem to be working.

"N-no it's okay... It was just a small thing, not like a huge crush, It's really not a big deal..." the girl tried her best to smile at the boy, but he could tell she was upset on the inside.

"We can stay as friends, right? Like how it's always been?" he patted her head and smiled at her, still trying to cheer her up.

"Yeah... we can..." She could tell her tears would burst out at any second now. "I- uh, I-I think I left something in my homeroom... I'll see you later..."

Aera quickly slung her bag over her shoulder and forced herself to smile at the male before she turned to enter the school.

"Wait, Aera," Yuhan called after the girl, but she was already almost inside.

Aera rushed to find an empty room to hide in before her tears came streaming down her face. She passed a few second year classes before finally finding one that seemed to be empty. She quickly entered the room and shut the door behind her, feeling the embarrassment and disappointment of what had just happened making her eyes water all over again.

Her legs seemed to fold under her body as she slid down to the floor. Now tears were streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably and she hugged her knees. Is this how it feels to be heartbroken?... she thought as she wiped her tears with her sweater sleeve.

"Uh... hello?" a voice suddenly spoke, startling the crying girl and causing her to shout out of surprise.

Chae Aera looked up with watery eyes to see a brown-haired, cat-eyed boy staring at her from a desk across the room by the windows.

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry... I didn't think anybody was in here," the girl mumbled as she wiped her tears and stood up, grabbing her bag. "I can leave now..."

She turned and placed a hand on the door handle, but just as she turned it, she felt a hand catch her other wrist. She turned to find the boy who had been siting in the room had somehow managed to get to her in the split second she had turned to leave.

"No, it's ok," the boy said, awkwardly looking everywhere but the girl's tear stained face. "Y-you can cry here if you want." he said letting go of the girl's wrist.

The female student looked at the boy and pursed her lips as she felt tears slowly begin to roll down her cheeks again. She felt her legs collapse once more as she hid her face in her sleeves, letting out occasional little sniffles.

Not really knowing what to do, Yang Jungwon sighed and sat beside the girl leaning against the door. He let her cry for a bit before awkwardly wrapping his arm around her. He half expected the girl to become uncomfortable, but instead she leaned her head on his shoulder.

He noticed her tears had become calmer and her breath more even, so he spoke, breaking the silence. "It's okay to cry," he said reassuringly as he squeezed the girl's shoulders. "Sometimes you just need to let it all out. If you don't let those emotions out, then they'll build up and become even more painful."

The girl silently nodded with her head still resting on the boys shoulder.

"Are you feeling better now?" the male looked at the girl. Her tears had finally stopped, but her nose and cheeks were still red.

"A little," she said as she smiled to herself. The boy felt happy seeing her finally smile.

"Now," the male said as he stood up and offered his hand to the girl. "Don't cry anymore."

"Ah... thank you," Aera sniffled as the boy helped her up.

The boy walked to the desk he had previously been sitting at and packed up his things. Just as the girl picked up her bag and turned to leave, he spoke.

"I'm Jungwon by the way. Yang Jungwon." He said with a dimpled smile.

"I'm Aera. Chae Aera." She smiled back at him.