STARLIT

Intertwined

[Yuri's POV]

Sunghoon had been my anchor, my confidant through thick and thin, the silent companion who stood by me in the storm of life. So did Jungwon.

As I thought about the conflicting emotions stirred by someone I barely know, Jay, I couldn't help but recall the connection I had with Sunghoon. The mere thought of his name brought a sense of comfort, a reassurance that the feelings I have are genuine and unshakable. Jay's playful behaviors and the tentative steps toward me seemed inconsequential in comparison to the depth of emotions I had reserved for Sunghoon.

Yet, even in the sanctuary of my steadfast emotions, there was a whisper of curiosity about Jay. The friendship with Jay, however uncertain, ignited a spark of intrigue.

It was 6th December, 2 days before Sunghoon's birthday party. It was also another day at school as I'm going to take a leave for 7th and 8th since we had made a plan of going to Gyeongpo dae as a trip for Sunghoon's birthday. As I was enjoying my daydreaming of the trip, Jay appeared in front of my eyes.

The thing about Jay was that he was persistent. I mean, I literally drew a line in the sand and told him to stay away. But no, Jay wasn't having any of it. He'd pop up out of nowhere, acting all cute and pretending he had a magnetic force pulling him towards me.

"Yuri, my friend!" Jay chirped, flashing his trademark smile.

"I can't stay away from you; it's like you've cast a spell on me or something."

I rolled my eyes at his dramatic antics.

"Jay, I've already told you. No spells, no magic, just normal human interaction."

It was annoying, to say the least. I'd be trying to enjoy my coffee at the cafe near the uni, and bam, there he was, sliding into the seat next to me with that stupid grin on his face.

"Hey, Yuri, just passing by, and you know I can't resist the smell of coffee, right?"

It might be because I hadn't yet responded to his offer of a coffee date.

I couldn't decide if he was genuinely oblivious or just messing with my head. He continued to stick by my side, sharing stories, cracking jokes, and effortlessly weaving himself into my daily routine. But hey, there was one good thing that came out of Jay's persistence – the emergence of Jake, his best friend.

Jake was the kind of guy who could charm a snake out of its basket. He had this infectious energy that made it impossible not to like him AS A FRIEND. He's not clingy and talkative like Jay and he's really fun to have causal conversations.

Now, here's where things get a little messy. Sujin, this girl from our uni, seemed to have a massive crush on Jay. I mean, who could blame her? He had that charismatic, mysterious thing going on, and Jay being Jay, he probably soaked up the attention like a sponge. Here, I couldn't say that Jay wouldn't like Sujin back as he sometimes played eyes flirting battles with her. Nonetheless, he remained focused on his mission to befriend me.

The real kicker was when Sujin discovered Jake and me getting along and Jay clinging onto me. Suddenly, I found myself caught in a weird bad energy that I didn't sign up for. Sujin would give me those side-eye glances while Jay continued with his relentless approaches, and Jake just stood there looking clueless.

On Wednesday, my classes finished earlier than usual. I was all set to call it a day and head back home. That's when Jay, out of the blue, dropped the bomb – a coffee date.

"Hey, Yuri! How about I ditch the rest of the day and grab a cup of coffee with you?"

I hesitated for a moment, glancing at the clock.

"I've got nothing planned, but aren't you missing classes for this?"

Jay waved it off casually, "Nah, it's just a couple. Consider it my rebellious act for the day."

Then, there was Jake, Jay's sidekick and official cheerleader, giving me the look that said,

"Come on, Yuri! You've got to say yes. Jay's been talking about this since forever!"

I sighed, "Alright, fine. But you better not regret ditching class for this."

Jake fist-pumped the air as if he just won a victory for mankind.

We headed to a café which was not nearby. Jay had organized plans. And to my surprise, Jay was a completely different person outside the classroom. He was affectionate and made small talk. It wasn't Sunghoon-level amazing, but he had his own charm.

"So, Yuri, what's your favorite drink?" Jay asked with curiosity in his eyes.

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe hot chocolate? Why?" I replied lightly.

He chuckled, ruffling his hair. "Just making mental notes, you know. Gotta be prepared for future coffee runs."

I smirked, "Sure, Jay. You can never go wrong with chocolate."

As we sipped our lattes, Jay dropped the bombshell which I had to decline.

"How about an amusement park date tomorrow?"

"Uh, sorry, Jay, I can't. I've got plans."

His face went from cheerful to a shade of blue, like someone turned off the sun. Curiosity got the best of him, and he blurted out,

"Plans? What kind of plans?"

I decided honesty was the best policy.

"It's Sunghoon's birthday, and we're heading to Gyeongpo Dae."

"Sunghoon, huh? Well, that's unexpected."

Jay's expression shifted to a mix of surprise and something else. Then, out of the blue, he spilled some personal beans.

"I've never been comfortable around a girl, you know? But there's something about you, Yuri."

I raised an eyebrow, a bit taken aback. "Comfortable? That's a new one. You've been nothing but playful and cheeky."

Jay scratched his head, a sheepish smile on his face. "Yeah, well, maybe there's more to me than meets the eye."

He then offered, "How about we walk for a while?"

I agreed since I had to reject his offer for the amusement park thing. We were walking silently until he started blurting out,

"You know, Yuri," Jay began, his tone more serious, "I meant what I said earlier. I've never felt comfortable around a girl like this before."

I chuckled nervously, trying to dismiss the weight of his words. "Come on, Jay, you're just saying that. You're popular with girls."

"I agree with that but still, they are just not like you. There's something about you that just... draws me in."

My heart skipped a beat, but I fought the urge to hesitate.

"Jay, don't make things complicated."

He seemed upset but gave me more of a requisition look.

"I won't. I mean, I will try not to."

We continued our walk in a silence laden with unspoken sentiments. It was clear Jay had laid his cards on the table, and I couldn't ignore the undercurrent of his feelings.

He asked, "Yuri, can I walk you home? Just to make sure you get there safe."

Now, here was a tricky situation. I knew Jungwon would be back early, and accepting every offer from Jay might make things awkward.

"Nah, it's fine. My friend will be at my house so..."

Jay just replied immediately, "Sure, I understand."

His disappointed expression tugged at something in me, but I shook off the feeling. Sometimes, you've got to draw the line.

 Plus, Sunghoon's birthday was approaching, and I decided to confront him about the reassurance thing. So, I've got a lot on my mind.

As I entered my home, Jungwon greeted me with a knowing smile.

"How was your day, Yuri?"

I smiled, "Just another day in the whirlwind of friendships, Jungwon. Just another day."