Someone Like Yoo

I

Chapter I: Will Yoo Please Move Away

It's a cold November afternoon, cloudy and a little bit windy, the sun barely peeking out of the Seoul skyline with the Namsan tower standing as a silhouette from my window seat. I could smell the freshly fallen leaves even from inside. A hot hanchan selleongtang must be nice to eat at the moment. My stomach silently grumbles. I guess I'd have to tell Auntie to prepare that for tonight's dinner. When the professor dismissed us, I packed up my books right away and ran out of my third year Korean Prose and Poetry class and as soon as I'm outside, I am met with a lot more people going in and out of classrooms. I basically bolted to the girl's closet room, trying to jam myself into the maddening crowd, and grabbed my knitted green cardigan, slipping it on. Tae-hee spotted me at the very moment I got out of the university doors. He's still in his training garments and I could see beads of sweat falling down the sides of his face.

"Rae-yeon!" he exclaimed from afar. He raised his left hand and waved at me. He must be too exhausted from throwing the baseball for over a hundred times to even move his right arm. Still I dashed to him. I could feel a smile slowly creep into my mouth as we came nearer.

Tae-hee is older than me by one year, a senior in Konkuk University and also my best friend. We've been through lots of ups and downs ever since we were kids, and together with Ji Eun-tak, our childhood had become a fun and memorable milestone in our lives, but Eun-tak had to move out of the village for some hidden reason.

We did our secret handshake – a toss, a bang, two fist bumps and a butt scratch – and laughed our hearts out as soon as we finished. "So how was training?" I asked.

"Alright," he beamed. "Coach is thinking of entering me to the nationals again."

"Aren't you already tired of going to competitions by this time? I mean, don't you think you already won too much?"

The last of the autumn leaves left from the November trees went down dramatically over the scene and I swear it feels like the way they had fallen was part of a theater choreography and Tae-hee and I were the main characters on stage, the setting sun as our spotlight.

Anyone may think that we're dating because of how much time we were spending together, inside and outside of university. But I never thought of him as anything more than my partner in crime. Sometimes though, I wish I do have feelings for him, thinking how perfect it would be to have your best friend as someone who loves you at the same time.

But no one can force feelings, most especially love. Samshin taught me that.

"Well, how about you, doofus?" He placed his hands on each side of his waist and pointed his chin at me. "How was your boring History course?"

"It's not boring. I love it!" I pouted, crossing my arms as well to show my conviction.

He suddenly raised his arms. "That's what I'm saying!" And wrapped them around my freezing figure. At first, I thought it was okay since he feels very warm. But then-

"Tae-hee!!!" I can feel his sweat soaking my white shirt. "Get off me before I kick you in your shins!" Since I know better that he won't even listen to my yells – however loud they're getting – I pushed him with all the strength I got and he stumbles backward in surprise.

He clumps his left shoulder with his right hand, lowering his torso as if I really believe he's extremely hurt. "Ommo, I didn't know you have muscles."

"I'm not fat anymore like I was when we were eight, just so you know." I'm still a little chubby, but I raised an eyebrow at him to look bold. He only chuckled at my attempt.