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SukHoon | II. Say It Again

JIHOON

"Suk?" I asked sungcheol hyung as soon as he opens the door for me.

"Still asleep, he had a slight fever—" he laughs at my panicked-stricken face. "Chill, mom made him drink medicine and went back to sleep." He throws an arm over my shoulder and pulled me inside.

"So have you confessed yet?" I feel my cheeks heat up at his question.

"I tried to.." I mumbled. He jumped on their couch and I hesitantly looked back to the stairs that lead to their bedrooms.

"Let him sleep and talk to me. How exactly did you try? Cause I've heard that hundred of times."

I groaned and plopped next to him. "Your brother's so dense."

"He's just straightforward. If you won't say anything directly to his face, he won't assume otherwise." That is true.

"But it's so hard! When I try to directly tell him, I get tongue-tied."

There were a lot of instances where I tried to indirectly tell him how I felt with the hopes of him knowing to read between the lines but it has been hopeless.

Like that one time, we were alone in the classroom and he was jotting down notes, I suddenly yelled it. The three magic words.

"I love you!" But when he looked up to me I hurriedly sang "Girl, Wae honja saranghago honjaseoman ibyeolhae?"

"I need You." He deadpans.

"Huh?" I blinked, my heart is beating so fast.

"It's I need U girl." He corrects and I faked a laugh. "Oh." He then went back to writing.

Then there's that one time during p.e, I was sitting on the grass as he does some soccer ball control. I cleared my throat and gathered my courage. "Hey sukkie."

"Hmm?" He asks, still playing with the ball.

"I learned a Filipino word today."

"Really? I know some, what is it." My heart thudded to my chest as I sat up straight. "Mahal Kita."

He caught the ball and rested it on his hip. "Mahal... mahal..." he taps on on his chin then his eyes lit up. "Aha! That expensive right? Kita is you. You're expensive?"

"No."

"Eh? Eyy. What is it then?"

I looked at him in the eye and said, "I love you."

He just stood there, staring down at me and I had never been so nervous my whole life. "Oh yeah! Sandara Park used to say mahal ko kayo. That's right." He went back to playing with his ball while I laid down the grass, contemplating my life decisions.

"Being indirect won't work on him." Sungcheol hyung stood up and stretched. "Why don't practice saying it out loud."

"Here? Now?"

He places both arms on either side of his hips and nodded. "Come on, try telling me."

I stood up as well and breathed in and out but when I opened my mouth and sungcheol hyung waited but no words will go out. Only my knees weakened that I had to sit back down. I groaned, rubbing my palms on my face. "See? It's hard!"

"You can do it! Try talking to yourself while I go get some water." I nodded and heaved a sigh as he leaves.

"I love you." It started out as a whisper.

"I love you, Choi Hyunsuk." I found my voice to speak a little louder.

"What?" I quickly stood up and turned to see him there in the doorway with his baggy shirt and basketball shorts. I froze.

"Jihoon, what did you say?" I feel like crying. What if he doesn't feel the same? Am I really prepared for heartache? I was afraid everything will be over even before it starts hence I couldn't tell him directly.

"Fine, let me." Let him what?

"Park Jihoon! I love you." I feel my world stop as my head snaps up to look at him.

"Wh-what?" He just shrugs at me and tried to walk away but thank God for his limp that I was able to block him.

"Say it again." I pant, holding his arms. Did I hear it wrong? He stared at me and I start to doubt if I was hearing things. He moves in a little closer and smiles, "I'm in love with you, Park Jihoon."

Tears welled up my eyes as I straightened up and looked around the house, anxiously thinking Sungcheol hyung is playing pranks on me when his hands cups my face to make me look at him.

"There's no pranks, you're not dreaming. I, Choi Hyunsuk, am in love with my stupid best friend named Park Jihoon who lives across the street." I feel my eyes sting

"ya why are you crying!" He laughs, wiping my face.

"I love you." He stops laughing and I repeated with all my chest. "I love you Choi Hyunsuk." He grins, closing the gap between our lips.

"Go to your room!" Suncheol hyung yells and we break the kiss and I hide my face at the nook of his neck in embarrassment of being caught.

"Ya! You broke their kiss!" Their mom scolded Sungcheol hyung and told us to continue as she drags Sungcheol hyung by the ear. We looked at each other and laughed.