unrequited

19

"You can stop worrying Hanni, I promise I'm okay," I told her.

"No I should have been there for you, I should have stayed longer at the party," She handed me a lunch tray.

"It's alright," I said. "I'm not heartbroken or anything."

"Well good. I'm also sorry that it didn't work out with Sunwoo," Hanni added as we got in the cafeteria line.

I shrugged. "It was probably for the best."

Suddenly a voice spoke from very close behind me. "Long time no see Sideline Girl."

I turned around and Sunwoo was standing over me. He wore his usual mischievous smile, but it was gentler, more cautious, than usual. It was the first time I was seeing him since that night.

"Hey," I said. I wasn't as nervous to see him as I thought. We were still friends, after all, and I knew him better than most of his friends did. I knew he wasn't a bad person.

"I have a gift for you," he said.

"Like a breakup gift?" I asked.

Sunwoo laughed. "Sure, call it what you will." he pulled something out of his pocket and held up two tickets. "My game is tonight and I want you to see my amazing ball skills. My parents don't bother coming anymore so...."

"We'll be there!" I put one ticket in my backpack and held one out to Hanni.

"Oh my god is that tonight?" her eyes widened. "I'm so sorry Dohs, I have piano lessons--my mom made me sign up for them after I snuck out to the party."

"Ah," I said. She was always so busy. "That's okay! I'll find someone else."

Hanni nodded. "I'm sorry."

"This works out though," Sunwoo stuck his hands in his pockets. "Now you can ask lover boy to go with you."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "Don't call him that!"

"No, he has a point though," Hanni said. "You should ask him!"

"Not you too!" I groaned.

"Come on Doah," Sunwoo said. "Don't be a wimp."

"I'm not! It's just.... not a good time," I said. for him.

"No time like the present," Sunwoo stepped out of the line to go meet his friends and before he left he said, "I expect to see you and JiChang making out below the bleachers by the time the game is done."

I glared at him as Hanni and I moved through the last bit of the line. She left eventually to go to a leadership meeting and I was at a loss of where to sit. I saw Eunjung go into the library earlier and I was so not in the mood to deal with that.

I glanced around a few times at the busy cafeteria, and it seemed like all these people were strangers.

I felt someone's shoulder bump against mine and Chanhee appeared. "Come on." He directed me towards his table. "You look ridiculous--like an outcast."

I ignored that last part and I have him a grateful look.

I sat down at his table between Changmin and Chanhee. Juyeon and Kevin were across from us.

"Doah I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!" Kevin smiled.

I smiled back at him and they all resumed their usual conversations. They were talking about university, and how Kevin was planning to go back to Canada for college and where they were all applying.

Changmin was quieter than usual, maybe because he didn't have anything to add. I didn't ask him, but secretly I wondered if he told the others about his plan to go straight to work after high school.