Rank One (Park Sunghoon FF)

20 - Lee Heeseung

It hurt him so much. 

Every time Heeseung saw her with Sunghoon, laughing, joking around, even holding hands and hugging - things she used to only do with him. Ever since Sunghoon unexpectedly stepped into Juna's life, it had made their friendship crack and eventually, shattered. Heeseung didn't even know how Juna started warming up to Sunghoon. After all, just a few weeks ago, she had talked about how much she didn't like him. And now? They were always together. Everyone steered clear of Sunghoon because they all thought he and Juna were going to officially date in no time.

Heeseung had started avoiding her simply because it had hurt him to see the girl he had been in love with his whole life, fall for his friend. He couldn't bear to look her in the eyes anymore. She pitied him, he could tell. And he knew that she never considered him romantically. So why was he so disappointed? And why did he ever consider Boram's idea of trying to separate Juna and Sunghoon?

"Young man?" The lady at the flower shop tapped his shoulder, snapping him from his thoughts. "Would you like your regular?"

Heeseung nodded. Even though it pained him to see Juna, he knew it would hurt him even more to not show up to her piano competition. A while back, he had promised that he would always be there to support her. So that day wasn't going to be the day he'd break his promise.

He checked the time on his watch. 7:30. Shit. The concert must've started already. He had spent so much time contemplating whether or not he'd go that he didn't even notice how late it was.

"Miss-"

The lady rushed out with the bouquet of yellow daffodils and handed it to him. "No need to pay. You're running late, aren't you? Usually, you'd come at six. Now hurry up and go."

"Are you sure?" Heeseung stared down at the fresh flowers. He had gotten Juna the same bouquet - her favorite - ever since she had started entering competitions. It was more of a habitual thing now.

"Of course. Whoever this person is, they're really lucky to have you."

-

Lucky to have me? She probably hates me now...

Heeseung thought as he got off the bus when it arrived in front of the performance center. The doors were still held open to the lobby but the doors to the stage were shut. He tried to pull on the handles but they had already locked it.

Letting out a frustrated groan, he leaned against the double doors and tried to listen for any sound inside but it was completely sound-proof.

I'm too late. I probably missed her performance already.

Heeseung stared down at the flowers in his hand. Does he even have the guts to give it to her after missing her performance? 

He heaved a sigh and sat down on a lobby couch, waiting for the doors to open so he could at least make it up to her by showing up after she performed. It was the least he could do for her.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of waiting, there was noise coming from inside the auditorium and people started rushing out. He took the opportunity to push past some people and squeezed his way in. Most of the contestants were in the audience, talking and taking pictures with their families. 

Heeseung's eyes scanned the area for a few seconds before they landed on Juna, Sunghoon, and Boram with her parents standing not far from there talking to the moms and dads. 

Juna was beaming from ear to ear while holding a bouquet of roses. Slung around her neck was a gold medal. The girl seemed to be too busy talking to her friends to see Heeseung softly smiling at her, a sense of proudness swelling up in him. She had won the competition which meant that her parents wouldn't have a reason to give her a hard time in a while - or at least until the class ranks came out. But Heeseung had faith in her. He knew she was capable of beating Sunghoon and-

Beating him? Sunghoon didn't look like competition to Juna anymore.

Heeseung's grip tightened around his bouquet as Sunghoon wrapped his arms around Juna in a hug, which Juna had pulled Boram into. The three laughed.

Boram, who happened to be facing Heeseung's direction in the hug, widened her eyes when she saw him. Without diverting her eyes, she tapped on Juna's shoulder. Heeseung's feet started moving away without much thought but a voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Lee Heeseung."

It was Juna's voice. But he almost couldn't recognize it. It sounded cold and bitter and nothing like his best friend. He wasn't going to turn around since he couldn't face her. But Juna had different plans for him. She grabbed his arm and spun him around to look at her. Heeseung caught the way her eyes darted to the flowers in his hands but she quickly looked up at him with a scowl.

"Hey" was all Heeseung could croak out.

Juna stared at him, dumbfounded for a second before speaking. "Hey? Really? Is that all you can say after acting like I don't exist for two weeks straight? And now you have the audacity to show up late and say hey? Do you think this is fair for me?"

Heeseung shook his head, his eyes on the flowers in Juna's hand. "Listen, I'm sorry. If you want me to explain my actions then I will."

"Forget it." Juna snapped. "I don't need you to explain anything. You've hurt me enough."

Heeseung finally looked up at her. "You think I'm happy doing this? Juna, I've missed you."

"Missed me?" Juna repeated, looking at him as if he was crazy. His heart clenched when he saw the tears in her eyes threatening to spill out any second. "That's not something you have the right to say after ignoring me all this time! Do you know how hurt I was every time you'd brush me off when I wanted to talk? Every time you'd look away when I tried to get your attention? Come on, be a little more reasonable here, Heeseung."

"How can I even look at you when every time I do, I'm reminded that you can never be mine?"

A tear slid down Juna's cheek then one after the other followed. She quickly wiped them with the back of her hand. "I thought you were my best friend. But now? I don't even know you." 

He wanted desperately to pull her into his arms and run his finger through her hair, apologizing and telling her that he'd never hurt her again. But he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He had his feelings, too and his patience was running out.

"So you're saying it's my fault for falling in love with you?" Heeseung couldn't help but voice his thoughts. "I'm in the wrong for having these feelings?"

"What? That's not what I-"

"Never mind. I'll just go if that's what you want." Heeseung turned his back to her once again. "And this? I guess you don't need it anymore." He scoffed, looking back at her tear-streaked face, then shoved the bouquet in his hand down the nearby trash can before storming out of the auditorium.

-

"What happened to us? Is this really the end of our once so beautiful friendship?"

Ahn Juna