"Hey Jungkook, whatsup?" I ask, stepping out of bed.
"I've been trying to get in touch with you for hours bro, what happened?"
I look down at my phone, 13 missed calls, whoops.
"I was asleep." I admit.
He laughs. "Typical. Tzuyu, Mina and I went for breakfast, we missed you man."
"You went for breakfast with my girlfriend?" I frown, hearing her laugh in the background, and not a sound of Mina.
"Yes, is that a problem?" He challenges.
"Where's Mina?" I counter, with a questioning and aggressive tone.
"In the bathroom." He answers, surprised at how protective I'm being.
"Wait, she's here now." He says, pointedly.
"Hey Mingyu, I missed you!" Yes, that's Mina .
"Hey Mina, me too." I say, sensing Jungkook must have put me on loudspeaker.
"I'm giving your girlfriend the phone now so that you don't flip out on me anymore while I spend time with uh Mina. "
That's weird, he struggles to say her name and Jungkook only does that with people he likes. Jungkook likes Mina. I wait for that to sink in, I shouldn't be so surprised but I am.
"Tzuyu, did you notice?" I ask.
"Are you talking about Jungkook's thing for Mina ? I noticed something else too." She whispers.
"Yes, does Mina feel the same way? What?"
Tzuyu grins and I can hear it in her voice when she answers. "Yep." Her voice goes neutral as she answers "You're quite protective and were mean to Jungkook . He's your best friend Mingyu , you have to trust him."
"Shoot, my phone batterie's dying. See you later T. Tell Jungkook I'm sorry and that he should come over."
"Will do, bye Mingyu. I-"
She was saying something but my phone died. I'll just have to ask her later. I think about what she's said. She's right. He's my best friend and I have to be able to trust him. A wave of emotions wash through me: guilt, misery and fierce protectiveness. I tend to push away people I care about, at times, causing them a greater pain than the pain that comes to me from the realization. "Dammit." I yell, letting all the frustration out.
***
Its about 3 in the afternoon and I've just finished unpacking. I go out onto my balcony and look outside, something that's become habitual. It's a beautiful day with clear blue skies and a hint of wind. I love days like this, days that are warm yet slightly chilly. The old, worn out, oak tree with the tree house reminds me of when Tzuyu and I were little. Speak of the devil, she's sitting on her bed, by her window, reading and sipping lemonade. Her beautiful golden-brown hair is shimmering in the sunlight and she's laughing at something she just read. I rush back to my room and look for my led flashlight, I then flash it on Tzuyu's window. She looks up, smiling and then waves. She gets up to get a piece of paper and writes me a message on it.
"Come over" is written in bold.
I grin back at her and mouth an okay, grabbing my skateboard. When I reach.. she challenges me to a game of Fifa. She then beats me at Fifa, which is ironic, considering I taught her.
"Babe?"
She shoots me a questioning look.
"When you were saying bye and my battery died.. um, what else were you saying?" I smile at her, coyly.
She bites her lip. "Does it matter?"
"Yes, everything you say matters Tzuyu."
She looks at me, shyly, eyes sparkling. "I-I love you."
We both know that we love each other, we just hadn't ever admitted it out loud. Written maybe, but never said. It was one of those things that went without saying, not that I didn't like hearing it out loud.
I pull her to me, kissing her forehead. "I'm in love with you."
she blushes and grins, and I smirk.
"That isn't all that I was saying." She looks at me nervously now.
I look at her, firmly. "You'd better tell me the rest."
"This is really difficult for me but I think that I-I need a break."
I force a strained smile "That's okay."
She looks relieved. "Cool then, you can um call me when you want the break to be over."
I smirk "No, you decide. I'd call you in a day if I was given the option."
She blushes. "Okay, bye Mingyu ."
She shoves me out of her room door.
"If we're taking a break then you owe me a kiss goodbye, at least." I tell her, pouting.
She grabs my t-shirt in a dominating way and pulls me back, kissing me passionately.
"Go."
I stutter "I d-don't want a break."
She laughs. "Bye Mingyu ."
I'll have to stay away till she tells me that the break's over. Not easy but at least I have time for my friends again. I just wish there was some way to find a balance... I can't do without my friends and family but I can't do without Tzuyu either.
***
"Mingyu honey, come down for dinner."
I walk down the mahogany staircase and walk to the kitchen. My kitchen has sleek, black, marble counters and cream walls with a black and white tiled floor. It's always been my mom's dream kitchen and so when my parents bought this house.. my dad surprised my mom with this kitchen.
"Smells good, what you making?" I peer over her shoulder, noticing that I'm at least two heads taller than her.
"Fusilli with garlic infused cherry tomatoes, basil and a drizzle of olive oil."
"Fancy shmance."
She laughs at that and just as we sit down to eat dinner, the doorbell rings.
"That'd be Jungkook ." I say, grinning.
It's been weeks since I've last seen Jungkook and he's 6'2 now. He's been working out and he's lost all his baby fat. Jungkook now has a mustache too, which I'm sure Mina hates.
Jungkook stays for dinner and I apologize first. He's laid back and says its cool but that from now on I need to trust him. After agreeing, I tell him all about Taejoon and the trip. I also tell him about Tzuyu and the break.
"It's fine Mingyu , she just needs space." He says, trying to reassure me.
"What if-"
He frowns. "No, stop thinking like that. You just need a distraction-that's all."
"I need Tzuyu ." I say, shaking my head no.
He shoots me a pained look. "You can't have her. Not now at least. Spend some time with other friends, you're the one who wanted the break, you're the one who missed them."
He taps me on the head to make me pay attention. "What about that huh?"
I grimace. "I'll manage."
Jungkook leaves then, with promises of an insane last few months before college starts.
"Call me when you hear from Columbia tomorrow."
I smile, my dream college. "Will do."
